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help me build my cigar lounge

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Hey Guys and Girls,

Finally sold my post-divorce condo and got into a house again. Tht means it's time to build a cigar lounge!

The house has an enclosed porch which faces west and is something like 10'x 20' and has electricity and a functioning ceiling fan.

Currently there is no insulation in the ceiling or floor (or likely the walls either) and the porch sits on posts above an empty space so wind gets in there.

Plan is to:
- insulate the floor R30 and seal up with lauan plywood to keep critters out
- insulate the ceiling and walls
- install some form of propane heating device (probably direct vent through the wall)
- install some form of vent fan in ceiling (high CFM bath fan maybe?) to clear out the smoke

I anticipate being out there for 1 - 3 hours 4x a week or so and will only use it to smoke in so I want to keep costs reasonable and don't care about stinking the room up. I do however need to ventilate enough smoke that my eyes aren't stinging and I need to keep it warm enough that I can be out there comfortably in temps down to say neg 10 F. Don't mind wearing flannel lined jeans, boots, hat and a jacket while I smoke.

WHat would you guys recommend for the ventilation device?

What about the heating?

Other things I am forgetting?

Will get pics this weekend.

Thanks!!
 
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Where do you live? If dampness is an issue as it normally is especially in a crawl space I think the Luan is going to fall apart. If budget is a primary concern use it but if you can afford vinyl soffit material that's better and will last forever. Probably don't want to climb under there again if you don't have to.

As far as ventilation to the outside are you going to have windows? Windows are great for window AC's during the summer and window fans (in or out) when the weather is nice. You can build a small AC into the wall or just install two windows. One for venting and one for AC. You'll appreciate the natural light.

I never got comfortable with venting heated or cooled air outside. Seems like a waste of $ so when I have to close up for AC or Heat I use a box fan with a smoke filter taped to it. You can add a filter impregnated with charcoal to improve the smell. They are cheap enough that you can double up on the smoke fans if needed but my area is about double what you describe and one works fine, two work better. Lingering odors can be addressed with 2X strength Febreeze or any of a number of other air cleansers.

Don't forget power outlets for future cigar coolers, your desk and to charge your computer or phone. Water is handy if you ever decide to install a bar. If you can run the water or electricity under the porch you want to at least rough in enough before insulating and sealing the crawl space. You can always come back hook the extra stuff up later.

Good luck with the project, shoot lots of progress pictures and keep us informed!
 
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In MN here, i smoke in my 20x20 garage. Insulated and sealed up. 50,000 BTU gas heater is plenty. Even when its -30° outside, i smoke in my boxers at 70°. 200 cfm exhaust works good enough that my wife will sit out there with me and she hates smoke. No AC cause its MN lol. And if i turn exhaust on and open door too house, itll be 70° and dry in less then 15 min from 95° and 80% RH.

As far as the filter and box fan goes... i could never get it to work worth a shit and filters are expensive. Even bought a Honeywell Hepa filter air scruber thing with fan and all. WAY WAY BETTER. But no where near as good as exhausting it.


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Not sure why I would complain about having to changing out filters if they didn't work.
 
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Where do you live? If dampness is an issue as it normally is especially in a crawl space I think the Luan is going to fall apart. If budget is a primary concern use it but if you can afford vinyl soffit material that's better and will last forever. Probably don't want to climb under there again if you don't have to.

As far as ventilation to the outside are you going to have windows? Windows are great for window AC's during the summer and window fans (in or out) when the weather is nice. You can build a small AC into the wall or just install two windows. One for venting and one for AC. You'll appreciate the natural light.

I never got comfortable with venting heated or cooled air outside. Seems like a waste of $ so when I have to close up for AC or Heat I use a box fan with a smoke filter taped to it. You can add a filter impregnated with charcoal to improve the smell. They are cheap enough that you can double up on the smoke fans if needed but my area is about double what you describe and one works fine, two work better. Lingering odors can be addressed with 2X strength Febreeze or any of a number of other air cleansers.

Don't forget power outlets for future cigar coolers, your desk and to charge your computer or phone. Water is handy if you ever decide to install a bar. If you can run the water or electricity under the porch you want to at least rough in enough before insulating and sealing the crawl space. You can always come back hook the extra stuff up later.

Good luck with the project, shoot lots of progress pictures and keep us informed!
I live in NH. Vinyl soffit material - not a bad idea.

Yes there are 9 windows and a door. It's basically all window lol.

Isn't venting vs using a fan in an open window basically the same thing?
 
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In MN here, i smoke in my 20x20 garage. Insulated and sealed up. 50,000 BTU gas heater is plenty. Even when its -30° outside, i smoke in my boxers at 70°. 200 cfm exhaust works good enough that my wife will sit out there with me and she hates smoke. No AC cause its MN lol. And if i turn exhaust on and open door too house, itll be 70° and dry in less then 15 min from 95° and 80% RH.

As far as the filter and box fan goes... i could never get it to work worth a shit and filters are expensive. Even bought a Honeywell Hepa filter air scruber thing with fan and all. WAY WAY BETTER. But no where near as good as exhausting it.


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Tyler what brand model gas heater? 50k BTU is good sized but then again you have a way bigger space tp heat. You found 200cfm is good enough for the exhaust? What kind of exhaust and where is it installed? I was thinking something like a 450cfm bath exhaust fan installed in the ceiling and vented through the roof.
 
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Bathroom 450 will be fine. Unit heater in garage is a Mr Heater


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A window fan is definitely venting. Down here venting is good for about 6 or 7 months a year but I have to run the ac for 4 months and the heater for about a month so I use the filters during that time. The box fans are not the best solution but I think they are comparable to the Rabbit Air especially for the price difference.
 
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Sorry still no pics but the space is 7.5" feet by 21 ft. So this is a sub 200sq ft area. Mostly windows but they have storms.

Going to install a 400 or so cfm bath fan in the ceiling vented through the roof. Thinking this one:

Broan 434 CFM

Trying to decide if I can get away with a BIG BUDDY portable propane heater:

Mr Heater Big Buddy

with a 20lb tank attached or whether I would need to do something like install a wall unit.

Thanks guys
 
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Where do you live @LFOD ?? We use those for ice fishing. They work great for an un insulated ice house thats 6x6 till its about -10°. They dont “throw” much heat. Warm up time takes a while.


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Hey Tyler I'm in southwestern NH just outside Peterborough (Peanutbutter, New Hampster lol) but I'm originally from Tilton/Franklin/Sanbornton area. You?

How long does it take to warm up? Say half hour or so?
 
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Hey Tyler I'm in southwestern NH just outside Peterborough (Peanutbutter, New Hampster lol) but I'm originally from Tilton/Franklin/Sanbornton area. You?

How long does it take to warm up? Say half hour or so?
MN. Depends on how cold it is. If your porch was lets say 30°, i would guess about 2 hours to get to 65°.


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Ah hell that kinda sucks. So it would come to temp right as I was finishing my cigar. Would need to preheat for an hour or two before smoking which on weekends would be fine but evenings after work no good. I wonder if there is something else that could get the room up to temp quicker
 
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Ah hell that kinda sucks. So it would come to temp right as I was finishing my cigar. Would need to preheat for an hour or two before smoking which on weekends would be fine but evenings after work no good. I wonder if there is something else that could get the room up to temp quicker
If its attached to the house you could open the door and blow some heat in there. Other wise you could look at electric baseboard heat and put a thermostat on it


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Interesting. Just calculated cost of propane vs electric per kwh plus tax and in my area with current propane prices electric actually comes out slightly cheaper. I know it would be fairly inexpensive to throw a couple electric baseboard heaters in there. Maybe I'll have my electrician do that AND I'll spend the 130 bucks for a Big Buddy and one way or another it'll work out.
 
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Here's a question... If I am using the exhaust fan to exhaust the smoke my heat is going out with the smoke.

Am I going to be able to keep it warm enough to smoke in like that?

Someone on another forum suggested using Infratech infrared radiant heating because it heats objects rather than the air meaning even if the air is blowing right through the device will still warm me. However it's a lot more money than I wanted to spend.

You guys using a space heater like the big buddy and keeping a window open or a fan to exhaust the smoke... you're able to keep reasonably warm?
 
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Here's a question... If I am using the exhaust fan to exhaust the smoke my heat is going out with the smoke.

Am I going to be able to keep it warm enough to smoke in like that?

Someone on another forum suggested using Infratech infrared radiant heating because it heats objects rather than the air meaning even if the air is blowing right through the device will still warm me. However it's a lot more money than I wanted to spend.

You guys using a space heater like the big buddy and keeping a window open or a fan to exhaust the smoke... you're able to keep reasonably warm?
I run my exhaust fan for hours on end when its -30° outside and my garage stays plenty warm, unit heater just turns on a little more. Also, if your lounge is connected to your house with a door, if exhaust fan is on, you can probably get away with opening door to house with out smoke going in house if your exhaust fan is large enough due to negative pressure in that room.
 
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Insulating the space now. Will probably pick up a Big Buddy (can use it in the shop if it doesn't work out for this purpose) and see how it does. Think the Infratech might be the best solution but hoping to avoid spending that kind of money on a damn porch lol.
 
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