Our master bedroom is downstairs. It is in a corner of the house and
the only room having no second floor. This room is much warmer (cooler
in winter) than the rest of the entire home (rest two story). Located
in Houston...HOT!

I have two A/C, furnaces: one for upstairs, one for down. The master
is on the downstairs unit. There are two supply ducts and one return
air in the bedroom.

Here are my thoughts:

1. There is only one duct (medium sized) to the bedroom. It is
apparantly split to the two supply ducts. This is one of the longer
runs on the unit.

2. I am unable to tell if the "small" attic space above this room is
adequately insulated. The builder did not put an attic access in. I
may have to cut the return air plenum to just be able to access the
attic to look.

3. The supply duct to this room is connected to the top of the
plenum...would moving it to a side/end improve air flow? By comparison
with the other vents, the airflow in this room is at least 50% less.

4. I cannot see why a return air back to the A/C is necessary. It is
located in the tray ceiling about 12 feet from the supply vents...could
this simply be pulling the supplied air back to the system (particularly
in winter)??? Would it better to just do a room to room return? The
main return air for this system is located in a very large room and is
very large itself. Why is a return air in the bedroom even needed?
The door is most always open.

I just love these $300k boxes that builders throw together!
Thankfully, the system/plenums are very tight in the attic. The ducts
are well secured with no obvious leaks. Thanks in advance.

Kevin


--
kchesser
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"kchesser" wrote in message
...

Our master bedroom is downstairs. It is in a corner of the house and
the only room having no second floor. This room is much warmer (cooler
in winter) than the rest of the entire home (rest two story). Located
in Houston...HOT!

I have two A/C, furnaces: one for upstairs, one for down. The master
is on the downstairs unit. There are two supply ducts and one return
air in the bedroom.

Here are my thoughts:

1. There is only one duct (medium sized) to the bedroom. It is
apparantly split to the two supply ducts. This is one of the longer
runs on the unit.

2. I am unable to tell if the "small" attic space above this room is
adequately insulated. The builder did not put an attic access in. I
may have to cut the return air plenum to just be able to access the
attic to look.

3. The supply duct to this room is connected to the top of the
plenum...would moving it to a side/end improve air flow? By comparison
with the other vents, the airflow in this room is at least 50% less.

4. I cannot see why a return air back to the A/C is necessary. It is
located in the tray ceiling about 12 feet from the supply vents...could
this simply be pulling the supplied air back to the system (particularly
in winter)??? Would it better to just do a room to room return? The
main return air for this system is located in a very large room and is
very large itself. Why is a return air in the bedroom even needed?
The door is most always open.

Simple terms, the low pressure side of the a/c, the return, does not move
air very well. The high pressure side can move air a lot better.
Have you changed the filters recently? What kind of filter are you using?
Does the bedroom return have a filter or should have a filter?
Can you feel air coming out of the supply ducts and air going into the
return in the bedroom?

The fact that this was installed makes me think that they were trying to
make the bedroom more comfortable.

The reasons are many for improper air balance/preformance. Most fall to the
installer.
You do not say how old the home is. When was the last time the units were
serviced/inspected?
Have you checked the evaporator coil in the attic for clogging?

I suggest that you call a pro, and not the company that installed the units.
As for a complete check out of the system and changes suggested. Ask for
the manual calculation to be done and verify that the manual calculation
solution is indeed what you have installed.

I purchaced a newer home by a national builder. Preformance on the a/c
sucked from the beginning. I called another contractor and was considering
changing the equipment. The first thing that the contrator said was that the
plenum on both sides of the air handler was to short. Sort of like only
having air in the center of the coil not the edges. He suggested that they
be changed when the units were changed. Fortunately for me I moved before
the expense was necessary. I did have additional insulation blown into the
attic. I added R-19 over the installed R-30. The cooling system improved by
about a 1/4 to a 1/3. The electric bill went down at least. Saved the cost
of the insulation in 3 months.

Shade screens do help on full sun windows. Best check with the HOA nazi's
before purchace.

Ya I was in an HOA only took 6 months of being on the board before I was
planning to move. Cute part is the professional management company is now
being sued for non preformance.


I just love these $300k boxes that builders throw together!
Thankfully, the system/plenums are very tight in the attic. The ducts
are well secured with no obvious leaks. Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately spending $300k on a home still gets the bottom of the barrel
mechinical systems.
The only persons making any real money on new homes are the developers. The
subs are all the cheapest that they can find, as long as it meets mininium
codes.

Kevin


--
kchesser
------------------------------------------------------------------------
kchesser's Profile: http://www.homeplot.com/member.php?userid=78
View this thread: http://www.homeplot.com/showthread.php?t=57870

kchesser wrote:
Our master bedroom is downstairs. It is in a corner of the house and
the only room having no second floor. This room is much warmer (cooler
in winter) than the rest of the entire home (rest two story). Located
in Houston...HOT!

I have two A/C, furnaces: one for upstairs, one for down. The master
is on the downstairs unit. There are two supply ducts and one return
air in the bedroom.

Here are my thoughts:

1. There is only one duct (medium sized) to the bedroom. It is
apparantly split to the two supply ducts. This is one of the longer
runs on the unit.

2. I am unable to tell if the "small" attic space above this room is
adequately insulated. The builder did not put an attic access in. I
may have to cut the return air plenum to just be able to access the
attic to look.

3. The supply duct to this room is connected to the top of the
plenum...would moving it to a side/end improve air flow? By comparison
with the other vents, the airflow in this room is at least 50% less.

4. I cannot see why a return air back to the A/C is necessary. It is
located in the tray ceiling about 12 feet from the supply vents...could
this simply be pulling the supplied air back to the system (particularly
in winter)??? Would it better to just do a room to room return? The
main return air for this system is located in a very large room and is
very large itself. Why is a return air in the bedroom even needed?
The door is most always open.

I just love these $300k boxes that builders throw together!
Thankfully, the system/plenums are very tight in the attic. The ducts
are well secured with no obvious leaks. Thanks in advance.

Kevin



leaving the fan on all the time can help if you have a cool air
basement, but in Texas typically you dont. In any event it will help to
balance temperature throughout the house.

--
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door() into
the sheepfold{}, but climbeth up some other *way, the same is a thief
and a robber."

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