Typical New House HVAC Problems:
Heating and Air Conditioning problems of
nearly of epidemic proportions are occurring in new homes. Often during a
home visits we frequently observe such symptoms as:
-
Lots of closed supply air registers
-
Little or hardly any airflows thru supply
registers and return grilles on a second floor
-
Filter sizing and types that are so
restrictive that it is necessary to turn the furnace off just to remove
the filter from an
external rack.
-
Return ducts that pop when the fan turns
on
-
Noisy, humming or singing return air
grilles
-
Rooms that don't heat above 60°F when it's
cold outside
-
Up to 10°F temperature differentials
between thermostat settings and room temperatures.
The good news is that many of the above
problems can be corrected. Such problems as:
-
Restrictive Return Air (The furnace can't
breathe properly) can often be solved by
strategically adding a return inlet, doubling
the effective filter size and/or reconfiguring ductwork.
Just
because the side return cutout size for most furnaces is 14" x 25" does
not mean that this is the right size filter for your furnace.
-
Not
much air or temperature control is most often
related to supply air ductwork problems. Often supply air run outs are
constructed of flexible ductwork at times we've seen 50-60' runs.
Excessive
flexible duct runs are a 2006 BOCA Code Violation and
a sure prescription for limited airflows. Even metal rectangular systems
can have excessive pressure drops (loss of airflow) and may need to be
reconfigured.
Other
problems are
supply air systems that have little or no engineering.
Sometimes a builder or homeowner will insist on a layout that may be
ascetically pleasing but yield little or no airflow as a finished product.
Often a
zoning
system can help correct radical room to room
temperature differences.
-
Special attention needs to be paid to equipment located in attics or
crawl spaces.
We have
seen what amount to
roof snow
melting machines
and
attic air conditioners
due to duct energy losses and duct leakage often caused by a
failure to seal, insulate properly (R6
minimum) or consider an alternate equipment location.
If you
home suffers from these conditions, call us for a no cost consultation.
Ask for Mark 697-5810
