Over Time - Making Smoke

[Bib_Overalls]

Friend of mine is setting up a Rod and Custom shop and I am helping him work some of the building issues; wiring lights, painting, and a little general carpentry.  One thing has us stumped.  The inside heating and air conditioning unit for the break room and office is located in an area that is being used for body work.  When the guys spray primer the fumes are carried up front.

The air return is in the break room and the unit is both sealed and inside a very tight cabinet.   We suspect a leak somewhere in the air return system.  But we have been unable to locate it.

Thought we would try drifting smoke.  The stuff they use to check houses for drafts.  But we don't know what it is called or where to get it.  And we don't have any ideas for rigging something up.  

Ideas? :?:

[OlBuzzard]

How about incense?  That would give you a smoke trail to look for leaks.

[Sean]

Doesn't take much of a leak to be able to smell something like primer or thinner. Does the Breakroom Door open on the shop? The return air in the Breakroom could be sucking it in under the Door.

I don't know about the Test Smoke. I would assume anyplace that sells service equipment for the HVAC industry would have it.

[Dirk35]

You could also use the cutting torch, turn the O2 down and youll have pleanty of black soot to follow.

Incense is a better idea though, they sell it at most convience stores now days.

You could also burn a peice of car tire or inner tube. They will give you free used tubes at the bicycle shop.

I really agree with Sean though. I think as long as the A/C unit is in that close proximity to spraying, youll always get the smell. Evem with the best sealed Air intake, itll suck it in from somewhere.

[GPster]

I would say that you can spend a lot of timr finding the leak and a lot of time trying to cure it and noy be satisfied with the results. I would hook-up an outside-air intake and pressurize the break room with out-side air when someone is painting. It wouldn't take much but it would cause the leak to go the other way. GPster