polarisxcsp
New member
Yea it just sits in the middle of the attic.
Troubles Heating the House...
- Thread starter polarisxcsp
- Start date
Cold Air returns
Make sure you have the proper amount of returns too. If a furnace is trying to force air into a space that isn't allowing the excess to go somewhere, it's like trying to fill up a balloon that is already full. The pressure in the room is too great to get the warm air into it. Thus the cold air doesn't leave. If it's in the attic, and just pulling attic air, and nothing goes back (or too little) to the furnace, it just won't work well.
Make sure you have the proper amount of returns too. If a furnace is trying to force air into a space that isn't allowing the excess to go somewhere, it's like trying to fill up a balloon that is already full. The pressure in the room is too great to get the warm air into it. Thus the cold air doesn't leave. If it's in the attic, and just pulling attic air, and nothing goes back (or too little) to the furnace, it just won't work well.
highhertel
Member
Sounds like you need a friendly fire!
Make sure nobody is inside though!
Just kidding. Lots of good advice already given. I keep my cabin heated in the winter, and it always amazes me how many drafts I find when I take the time to look.
Ex. Door seals, window seals, roof penetrations such as heater ducting, fireplace damper, outlet boxes...
Endless, but I fix what I can and it seems to help. The snow around the foundation is a must for me since the cabin is on footings, but there is a wood skirt around the perimeter.
Good luck,
HH
Make sure nobody is inside though!
Just kidding. Lots of good advice already given. I keep my cabin heated in the winter, and it always amazes me how many drafts I find when I take the time to look.
Ex. Door seals, window seals, roof penetrations such as heater ducting, fireplace damper, outlet boxes...
Endless, but I fix what I can and it seems to help. The snow around the foundation is a must for me since the cabin is on footings, but there is a wood skirt around the perimeter.
Good luck,
HH
L
lenny
Guest
last house I built in Illinois had the furnace in the attic and all overhead supply lines. They were insulated and covered somewhat in blown in. There is a substantial disadvantage with this system in my opinion. First, the furnace is in a very cold area, the ducts are colder than normal. Warm are rises and is coming in through the ceiling so it has to fill the room. On very cold days the attic is frigid so all this together is a tough task to perform. Seriously, I would consider a pellet stove. I just bought one for the "old Town Hall" here in Greenland. I am heating 1020 sq ft for $4.88 per day and the place is above 70. It can vent right out the wall directly and is suitable for a mobile home. I got mine for $1310 and the vent kit is $110. They are electronic ignition and you have heat in about 10 minutes. I hated my last house 2ND floor with the furnace in the attic. I should have built a small enclosure for it but regardless everything is overhead and that makes it work real hard and burn often. Just a thought
freezinbevr
New member
duct leakage
Check the return ducting for gaps/holes bad connections. Have seen alot of this, the ducting comes partly apart and sucks cold nasty attic air in to heat and will not be good. If the furnace checks out OK with pressures and burner rate, clean, etc. from the service company, check the temp rise after the furnace is running for 10 minutes. Should be 50-70 degrees warmer than the return air at the vents. Could be poor insulated ducting. Newer code here is R-8 wrap compared to the old standby of R-4 you can get at the big home stores. Your heating guy should know to check this stuff, if not call in a "building scientist" with a blower door/infrared camera. We do this for about $400 to see where all the deficiencies are in the building envelope of the home. Most fixes are cheap to do once you know where they are, just takes time seal 'em up and it is not in a great spot in the attic to get at.
Brad
Check the return ducting for gaps/holes bad connections. Have seen alot of this, the ducting comes partly apart and sucks cold nasty attic air in to heat and will not be good. If the furnace checks out OK with pressures and burner rate, clean, etc. from the service company, check the temp rise after the furnace is running for 10 minutes. Should be 50-70 degrees warmer than the return air at the vents. Could be poor insulated ducting. Newer code here is R-8 wrap compared to the old standby of R-4 you can get at the big home stores. Your heating guy should know to check this stuff, if not call in a "building scientist" with a blower door/infrared camera. We do this for about $400 to see where all the deficiencies are in the building envelope of the home. Most fixes are cheap to do once you know where they are, just takes time seal 'em up and it is not in a great spot in the attic to get at.
Brad
polarisxcsp
New member
I had a corn/pellet stove in the last house I was in. Needless to say…..she still has it. Sore subject haha. I work for AgReliant Genetics and it’s the 4th largest seed company so I have a lot of access to corn. We discard seed that doesn’t meet certain standards and we sell it for burn corn. I checked the pilot and its burning blue so that’s a good thing. I believe the furnace pulls air from the living room as that is where the furnace filter is (ceiling) When I insulated the ceiling I made sure that the duct work was all covered with the rolled insulation.
polarisxcsp
New member
Pictures
I did some more investigating and it looks like there is not enough cold air returns. There is a heat duct in every room but there is no cold air returns. I think the only cold air return is the one in the ceiling in the living room.
I did some more investigating and it looks like there is not enough cold air returns. There is a heat duct in every room but there is no cold air returns. I think the only cold air return is the one in the ceiling in the living room.
Attachments
it seems to me that if your cold air return is in the ceiling and your heat ducts are also in the ceiling, the heat rises to the ceiling, the furnace is sucking all the heat off the ceiling through the cold air return back into a cold attic then reheating it and throwing it back into the room only to do it again. the cold air returns should be at the floor to pull the cold air off the floor.
try taking a temperture reading at the ceiling and one at the floor and compare. the only simple solution would be to have a ceiling fan running all the time or a box fan of some type to circulate the warm air off the ceiling through the room
try taking a temperture reading at the ceiling and one at the floor and compare. the only simple solution would be to have a ceiling fan running all the time or a box fan of some type to circulate the warm air off the ceiling through the room
anonomoose
New member
Lots of smaller homes had zero heat returns, BUT they left the doors an inch or two higher at the floor to allow for circulation. It works, but not as efficiently as a good full return system.
Oh, and 12 inches of insulation is scant amount anymore. I would add at least 6 more loose over top the bats, or better still 12 more. That along with leakages are your biggest returns for heat savings. Be sure not to cover any eve venting.
Oh, and 12 inches of insulation is scant amount anymore. I would add at least 6 more loose over top the bats, or better still 12 more. That along with leakages are your biggest returns for heat savings. Be sure not to cover any eve venting.