One of the essential parts of a well-run mechanic shop is the safety of your employees. Employee safety should include proper ventilation or air control, which keeps your mechanics from breathing in contaminants like metal particles or chemical fumes. Because mechanics and body shops use highly flammable materials daily, removing these fumes and gasses from the air is necessary to have clean, breathable air (and reduce your fire risk).

However, if your shop does not have the necessary ventilation, it can affect the health and safety of your employees. With contaminants flying through the air daily, your mechanics will inevitably breathe in the fumes rather than clean, fresh air.

There are different options for ventilating your shop or garage. If you don’t have a fan-assisted system, your next best option is a garage door exhaust port. Exhaust ports allow car fumes to exit the garage, protecting the employees from breathing in harmful contaminants.

Why are Garage Door Exhaust Ports Important?

Any shop with running vehicles, paint sprayers, or other chemicals needs air ventilation. One easy way to provide a safe environment for your mechanics and employees is to install a garage door exhaust port. An exhaust port allows a hose to remove contaminated air and exhaust using a garage pass-through. The exhaust hose rids the vehicle’s fumes from the garage, protecting your employees from harmful exhaust. Vehicle exhaust can be deadly if it is not removed from your garage.

Not only does it remove unwanted and unsafe fumes from your garage space, but the exhaust port also prevents the hose from kinking, which can be a nuisance.

Lastly, a garage door exhaust port helps maintain the temperature in your garage. These exhaust ports are made to fit tightly to keep bad weather, wind drafts, or excessive heat from entering your garage. This tight fit keeps your working environment at a consistent temperature year-round.

Does Your Auto Shop Need a Garage Door Exhaust Port?

 According to OSHA guidelines, it’s critical to ventilate exhaust fumes properly. So, if your garage or shop works on running vehicles or bodywork, you need some way to circulate the air for the safety of your employees. So, if you don’t have a fan-assisted system, you must have a garage door exhaust port.

Without a garage door exhaust port, the fumes from the vehicle or spray paint, or other chemicals can negatively affect your employees’ respiratory systems. However, a properly installed garage door exhaust port allows harmful gasses and fumes to exit the garage without causing any harmful side effects to your mechanics.

Tips On Installing an Exhaust Port

Thankfully, installing a garage door exhaust port is relatively easy, but there are some tips to keep in mind. Usually, an exhaust port kit includes everything you’ll need to install it except for some essential tools like a caulk gun, silicone caulk, screwdriver, drill, and aviation snips.

Find the correct exhaust port for your shop’s needs

Before purchasing a kit, you’ll want to measure your garage door to determine its thickness. Exhaust ports are available in various sizes and diameters, so you must choose the proper measurement.

Purchase the exhaust hose first. You’ll then need to select an exhaust port that snugly fits around the hose. Choosing an exhaust port with the same thickness as your garage door is also essential.

Determine the exhaust port’s placement

There are a couple of things to remember when selecting where the port will go. First, you’ll want the hose to be in a place that won’t be in the way of your workspace or employees. You’ll also want the port mounting location to be a few inches off the ground to avoid rodents like mice or rats.

Mark the location of the mounting holes

To make the drilling easier, mark the mounting holes with a marker. It’s easiest to take the sleeved part of the exhaust port and trace around the outer diameter. You can also mark the other side at this time.

Cut the mounting hole

Cut one side of the mounting hole using sheet or aviation snips. These shears will cut through your garage door’s metal and give a sharp cut. After making the first cut, you can mark the second side and cut. Doing it this way will prevent any mistakes.

Drill the holes

Once you remove the metal sheet, it’s time to drill the screw holes for mounting.

Mount the port

Now it’s time for the final step- mounting the garage door exhaust port! First, insert the sleeved part from the inside garage door with the sleeveless part on the other side. If the screw locations match, it’s time to tighten the screws. You may need your caulk gun at this point, as there may be slight gaps between the port and the garage door. If so, seal the holes with silicone caulk.

And there you go! Once you’ve successfully installed your garage door exhaust port, you can test it to ensure it works. Then you’ll have a much safer and healthier work environment for your employees!

SVI International is the Premier Supplier of Automotive Equipment Parts

If you haven’t already partnered with SVI International for your previous automotive equipment repair parts, such as auto lift, brake lathe, or compressor parts, let us help you with your garage door exhaust port.

 Not only can we help your shop with our Quick Port Garage Door Exhaust System, but we also have a vast inventory of exhaust port repair parts, from hoses and crush proof door ports to blowers.

One of the essential parts of running a successful mechanic or auto body repair shop is having a trusted parts supplier. SVI International has been the premier supplier of automotive equipment repair parts for over four decades. Not only do we have over forty years of experience, but we also have an extensive inventory, fantastic customer service, and a fast shipping promise. If you’re ready to have a trusted supplier on your side, contact us today!