We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

wrote:
We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

Sounds like an improperly designed installation. Your scenario is a
common complaint. Since it was recently put in I would call the
installing company back and ask them to fix the problem. DO NOT just
block off the vents in the basement. Taken to extremes, this increases
the static pressure on the air handler and can create other problems,
including damage to your system.

In article ,
wrote:

We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the basement.
This seems to work for me, YMMV

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

wrote in message
...
We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

Install a zoning system.

wrote:
We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

Typical result of an improperly designed distribution and return system.

It appears whoever designed and installed the system did not do the
proper calculations. Someone, and I believe it should be the original
contractor at their expense, needs to do the calculations and correct the
system.

As noted a zone system may be called for.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the basement.
This seems to work for me, YMMV

Is that even legal? I was under the impression that you couldn't
use any part of your means of egress as an air-handling space.

--Goedjn

Hi default, hope you are having a nice day

On 01-Sep-04 At About 00:55:22, default wrote to All
Subject: Air Conditioning question

d From: default

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the
basement. This seems to work for me, YMMV

d Is that even legal? I was under the impression that you couldn't
d use any part of your means of egress as an air-handling space.

In most states it is not legal. if he has a gas fired unit he could also be
setting his family up for disaster as it could very easily draw the exhaust
fumes back down the chimney and cause the house to fill with carbon monoxide.

-= HvacTech2 =-


... "After they make styrofoam, what do they ship it in?" - s.w.

___ TagDude 0.92á+[DM]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++
spam protection measure, Please remove the 33 to send e-mail

"Nick Hull" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:

We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the basement.
This seems to work for me, YMMV



It may work for you, but I believe it's against code.....

In article ,
"HvacTech2" wrote:

Hi default, hope you are having a nice day

On 01-Sep-04 At About 00:55:22, default wrote to All
Subject: Air Conditioning question

d From: default

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the
basement. This seems to work for me, YMMV

d Is that even legal? I was under the impression that you couldn't
d use any part of your means of egress as an air-handling space.

In most states it is not legal. if he has a gas fired unit he could also be
setting his family up for disaster as it could very easily draw the exhaust
fumes back down the chimney and cause the house to fill with carbon monoxide.

Legal doesn't matter, I didn't even bother getting a building permit for
my house. It's safe, I don't have any gas fired units. How could a
closed loop air conditioner create the negative pressure required to
draw air from a chimney?

My solar heater doesn't create fumes.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

"Nick Hull" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"HvacTech2" wrote:

Hi default, hope you are having a nice day

On 01-Sep-04 At About 00:55:22, default wrote to All
Subject: Air Conditioning question

d From: default

When I put in my AC, I did NOT use any return duct. The return path
goes down the stairs to the AC unit at the other end of the
basement. This seems to work for me, YMMV

d Is that even legal? I was under the impression that you couldn't
d use any part of your means of egress as an air-handling space.

In most states it is not legal. if he has a gas fired unit he could also
be
setting his family up for disaster as it could very easily draw the
exhaust
fumes back down the chimney and cause the house to fill with carbon
monoxide.

Legal doesn't matter, I didn't even bother getting a building permit for
my house. It's safe, I don't have any gas fired units. How could a
closed loop air conditioner create the negative pressure required to
draw air from a chimney?

I smell a troll, since if you didnt get a building permit for your home, you
dont have a certificate of occupancy, and IF you ARE telling the truth, its
only a matter of time till they locate this error, and take care of it,
including a full set of inspections...

This, IF its a legitimate question about the negative pressure, is why they
require permits, inspections, and licences to install these units.
When you install a central air system, you either have a balanced home, a
home that sucks, or a home that blows. It all depends on the amount of duct
leakage, and where its at. Since you can not tell where the duct is leaking
and I am sure...LOL...since you have installed that unit in a very illegal
manner, that you dont care...dont worry about it.

My solar heater doesn't create fumes.

He didnt say fumes, but thats ok....what are you using for treatment in the
loops?


--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

Sometimes you can come up with simple solutions to A/C problems which the
A/C folks would never think about...

Hot air rises, cold air falls. Is there a door closing off your basement
from the rest of the house? Close it.

Where is the hot air? - Upstairs - hottest near ceiling.
Where is the cold air? - Downstairs - coldest near floor.

How about 2 new ducts. One which has a blower in it and sucks the cold air
from the basement floor up to the ceiling in the hottest room of your
house, and another return duct without a blower which allows the hot air
from the upstairs ceiling to go downstairs?




wrote in message
We recently put in central air in the house. We have only one main
trunk line going down center of the house. The family room is in the
basement (where i spend most of my time). Heres the problem, since we
put the central AC in, in order to cool the main floor to say 80 its
between 60 or 65 in the basement. So upstairs stays too hot and
downstairs too cold. I wrapped the ductwork in the basement with that
tim foil covered insulation and cover all the vents with that
insulation and tape them up yet it is still too cold. Is there any way
to achieve a closer balance between the up and down spaces?