I'm working on darkroom 2.0 (which may be temporary) and don't yet have an easy solution for ventilation. The room is in the basement and is also the laundry room. The room itself is about 15' by 20', with a small room to the side with the furnace, hot water heater, and water softener. If I were to buy an air purifier (like the Holmes or Environcaire ones), will that filter out anything nasty in the chemical fumes? It would at least clean out some of the dust.
There's a small window, but it's right at ground level, so I'd rather not vent there as the dogs are frequently in the area outside that spot. I'll probably just make that light-tight when I'm using it.
Also, I have a 4" gap at the top of one wall that goes to the rest of the basement and kills the light-tight aspect. It's right under a joist, but there are pipes and wires going across the opening, so I can't just put something solid across the length. And it's the 15' of the width.

Hi Bethe,

Good news! Ventilation should not be a problem. Use the exhaust opening for the dryer to get the air outside. A $30 duct blower is easy to rig up for moving the air and all the piping can be purchased cheaply at the home center. Use rigid foam insulation and a can of "Great Stuff" to handle the 4" gap.

Neal Wydra

I use a HEPA air cleaner. The one I use also has a carbon filter for reducing chemical odors and such. I think mine is Honeywell brand. I keep it running when ever I am in the darkroom. The only thing I don't like about it is that on the HIGH setting it is a little noisy.

There is a picture of it here. It is in the third photograph, the round thing sitting on top of the cabinet in the background :http://www.apug.org/forums/437328-post428.html

Well, my early thought was to use the dryer vent. But I was told that if I wasn't running the fan when the dryer was going, the dryer lint might get blown back out into the room. And also that the air from the darkroom could blow back into the dryer. I'm not sure either would happen, but I guess it could. Which is why I was looking for alternate plans.

Hi Bethe,

If flow in the wrong direction is your worry, just pull one off the exhaust while using the other.

Neal Wydra

You know, Neal, that might even be easier to hook up. Thanks!
Now to figure out how to block the top of that wall...