Furnace/Heating/AC problem
 

When my furnace is on, there is cold air coming out of two large vents in my
house while warm air is coming out of all the other heating vents. Is it
possible that the heating and air conditioning are on simultaneously? My
thermostat allows only for EITHER heat OR cooling. You can't turn on both at
the same time. What is going on? By the way, I had the furnace cleaned about 6
weeks ago.

From: (Chemqueries)

When my furnace is on, there is cold air coming out of two large vents in
myhouse while warm air is coming out of all the other heating vents. Is
itpossible that the heating and air conditioning are on simultaneously?

P.S. I forgot to mention that the house has only one thermostat in the living
room, and I have gas heat. The thermostat has a setting for "cool or off or
heat" on the left side, and "fan or auto" on the right side. I have it set on
heat and auto.

On 14 Nov 2004 06:45:36 GMT, (Chemqueries) wrote:

When my furnace is on, there is cold air coming out of two large vents in my
house while warm air is coming out of all the other heating vents. Is it
possible that the heating and air conditioning are on simultaneously? My
thermostat allows only for EITHER heat OR cooling. You can't turn on both at
the same time. What is going on? By the way, I had the furnace cleaned about 6
weeks ago.


My guess, since I can't see it from here, would be uninsulated ducts
going through a cold area, cooling the warm air before it comes out.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS

http://www.techmethod.com

No ,if heat is out of one duct it is your ducts, probably uninsulated
and long

"Chemqueries" wrote in message
...
When my furnace is on, there is cold air coming out of two large vents in
my
house while warm air is coming out of all the other heating vents. Is it
possible that the heating and air conditioning are on simultaneously? My
thermostat allows only for EITHER heat OR cooling. You can't turn on both
at
the same time. What is going on? By the way, I had the furnace cleaned
about 6
weeks ago.

Are you sure those "two large vents" aren't the return vents? (Some call
them cold air returns)

When the unit is running, take a paper towell and see if those two vents
will suck the towell up into them......

From: "Red Neckerson"

Are you sure those "two large vents" aren't the return vents? (Some call them
cold air returns)When the unit is running, take a paper towell and see if
those two vents will suck the towell up into them....

Hi. I did put a piece of paper near those two vents and, yes, the paper is
drawn TOWARDS the vent, which really surprised me. When I put my hand near
those vents, it feels as if cold air is coming out, but apparently it is being
drawn in. I didn't know there were such vents! Thank you for your help.

Thanks to all for your replies. As "Red Neckerson" suggested, I think those two
vents are return vents.

On 17 Nov 2004 07:24:06 GMT, (Chemqueries) wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies. As "Red Neckerson" suggested, I think those two
vents are return vents.

Mystery solved. Big bonus points for Red Neckerson. Good call.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com

"Gary R. Lloyd" wrote in message
...
On 17 Nov 2004 07:24:06 GMT, (Chemqueries) wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies. As "Red Neckerson" suggested, I think
those two
vents are return vents.

Mystery solved. Big bonus points for Red Neckerson. Good call.


I was at a home yesterday that had 2 return vents and ONE supply in a
bedroom! Now, the house has been going through some remodeling (for the past
6 years!) and it may have been 2 different rooms turned into one. Returns in
the floor and supplies in the ceiling. Not a very good setup.....

"Chemqueries" wrote in message
...
From: "Red Neckerson"

Are you sure those "two large vents" aren't the return vents? (Some call
them
cold air returns)When the unit is running, take a paper towell and see if
those two vents will suck the towell up into them....

Hi. I did put a piece of paper near those two vents and, yes, the paper is
drawn TOWARDS the vent, which really surprised me. When I put my hand near
those vents, it feels as if cold air is coming out, but apparently it is
being
drawn in. I didn't know there were such vents! Thank you for your help.

Strange how that works. It DOES feel like it's blowing cold air out and not
drawing it in.......

"Red Neckerson" wrote in message
news:4GFmd.11451$d96.7458@trnddc01...

"Gary R. Lloyd" wrote in message
...
On 17 Nov 2004 07:24:06 GMT, (Chemqueries) wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies. As "Red Neckerson" suggested, I think
those two
vents are return vents.

Mystery solved. Big bonus points for Red Neckerson. Good call.


I was at a home yesterday that had 2 return vents and ONE supply in a
bedroom! Now, the house has been going through some remodeling (for the
past
6 years!) and it may have been 2 different rooms turned into one. Returns
in
the floor and supplies in the ceiling. Not a very good setup.....


A lot of people would disagree with that statement. If the returns and
supplies are in the ceiling, don't you think the heat would naturally stay
near the ceiling? Having them split between ceiling and floor would force
some air to be pulled down.

"HeatMan" wrote in message
.. .

"Red Neckerson" wrote in message
news:4GFmd.11451$d96.7458@trnddc01...

"Gary R. Lloyd" wrote in message
...
On 17 Nov 2004 07:24:06 GMT, (Chemqueries) wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies. As "Red Neckerson" suggested, I think
those two
vents are return vents.

Mystery solved. Big bonus points for Red Neckerson. Good call.


I was at a home yesterday that had 2 return vents and ONE supply in a
bedroom! Now, the house has been going through some remodeling (for the
past
6 years!) and it may have been 2 different rooms turned into one. Returns
in
the floor and supplies in the ceiling. Not a very good setup.....


A lot of people would disagree with that statement. If the returns and
supplies are in the ceiling, don't you think the heat would naturally stay
near the ceiling? Having them split between ceiling and floor would force
some air to be pulled down.

Agreed.

I have seen houses that have high wall vents and low wall vents with dampers
to close one or the other off (high ones used in summer and low in
winter)....

I was at a home yesterday that had 2 return vents and ONE supply in a
bedroom! Now, the house has been going through some remodeling (for the past
6 years!) and it may have been 2 different rooms turned into one. Returns in
the floor and supplies in the ceiling. Not a very good setup.....

Not as bad as you might think, though. With the returns in the floor, you suck

the cold air out, and the warm air moves more or less uniformly down to
fill the remaining space. If you do it the other way, you get more turbulence,
and
the air coming out of the duct can go straight up, without dispersing, and get
sucked
out the return vent without ever warming the room.

--Goedjn

it could be that the side of the hand toward the vent, may have a lower
pressure cusing a more chilled effect to be notived instead of in front of
the air flow making it seem to feel as if the wind is more present on the
backside ?
Of course this works with high speed air flows, not sure how noticable
would be at that low of air speed ?


"John Hines" wrote in message
...
(Chemqueries) wrote:

From: "Red Neckerson"

Are you sure those "two large vents" aren't the return vents? (Some call
them
cold air returns)When the unit is running, take a paper towell and see
if
those two vents will suck the towell up into them....

Hi. I did put a piece of paper near those two vents and, yes, the paper
is
drawn TOWARDS the vent, which really surprised me. When I put my hand
near
those vents, it feels as if cold air is coming out, but apparently it is
being
drawn in. I didn't know there were such vents! Thank you for your help.

In order for something to blow out, there must be an intake, or you
would create a vacuum, and the house would implode.

The coolness you feel is "wind chill" from the air movement over you
hand. I've always heard them referred to as "cold air return" even when
they are up high and return hot air for the A/C.

From: John Hines
In order for something to blow out, there must be an intake, or youwould
create a vacuum, and the house would implode.
The coolness you feel is "wind chill" from the air movement over youhand.
I've always heard them referred to as "cold air return" even whenthey are up
high and return hot air for the A/C.

Very interesting. I was just going to post and ask why it feels as if cold air
is being blown out. I guess you're a mind reader!