How do you get cool air from basement up to living level?

[Dormer_man]

I have a ranch with a walkout basement that is cool and dry even in the summer.

It would be a good source of cool air for the living space.

How do I get the air upstairs?

The main HVAC return is upstairs at the head of the basement stairs.

All of the ductwork is on the basement ceiling, and there are 3 small registers in the ducts that service the basement.

I've tried opening the basement ducts and running the HVAC fan, but it does not seem to move much cool air upstairs.

It seems like I should have another return in the basement, maybe in the air handler.

Any thoughts?

[roger g]

What we used to do in the olden days was to take the door off the furnace. This was before door switches that shut thefurnace off when the door is removed. Tape the switch closed . With the door removed it will suck all the air out of your basement fast. It works really well. Make sure you keep the cat away from the open door because it might be the last you ever see of it. In one piece that is.



roger

[VALENT]

yeah, either that or cut some big holes in the floor.

[rodster]

What about one of those fans that goes on the ceiling/in the attic that basically pulls air from the house up into the attic. I would think that this would pull air from the basement as well.

[rabadger]

You have a common problem. It is caused from cheating on the duct size to much. Try the blower door thing, close the basement supply registers, and see if that increases the air flow upstairs. The other posts were correct. Move everything away from the front of the furnace. If you only have one or two returns you will have to add return air.

The return air in my home was starved so bad I added one 12x12 in my office and one 24x12 in the basemesnt family room. The office is also in the basement. It increase the air flow so much I only have two registers open downstairs and I keep the basement door open because I now can feal it come dow the stairs.

CAUTION! IF THE FURNACE IS NEXT TO THE WATER HEATER IT IS A NO-NO :!: AGAINST CODES :!: :!: YOU WILL CAUSE A DOWN DRAFT THROUGH THE FLUE :!: :!: :!: Just do it for a few minutes to see if that is the problem. Turn off ALL vent gas burning appliances in the same space as the furnace when doing it :!:

[rabadger]

I don't think the fan will work. when you turn on the fan you have to open windows. In your case the basement walk out windows or door. now yuo are sucking in the heat and raising the temp of the air you are trying to get upstairs.

[Dormer_man]

My set-up is all electric. There is a heat pump on a slab outside and the air handler/furnace is in the basement under the steps leading upstairs.
The water heater is electric.

But thank you, RaBadger, for the warnings about gas and codes.

There is no door on the air handler/furnace.

However, there is a 2' x 2' sheet metal panel secured by 4 screws. I removed the panel and wow is there suction there. It was trying to pull the heavy metal panel out of my hands and back into place.

Roger G, I put the cat in his jumpseat and tethered him to the staircase. This was his first time hang-gliding and he seemed to enjoy it.

The question is can I leave the metal panel off all summer long? Shoudn't I try to rig some kind of filter so dirt is not sucked into the air handler?

[roger g]

There should be an access door somewhere. It's where you usually change the blower motor. In most furnaces the access door is down at floor level which is where the coldest air is. You can use duct tape if you want to hold it in place but like most filters becareful because when it gets too dirty it might get sucked right into the blower. You'll figure out what needs to be done.
Of course your furnace must have a "fan only" switch for this too work.


roger

[VALENT]

you definitely want to add a filter. You might want to put some sort of panel wire (hog wire??) behind the filter as a precaution to keep the filter and other things away from the blower fan.

[Dormer_man]

Thanks Valent.

I take it hog wire is fairly strong, at least less flimsy than chicken wire.

Or maybe something like the big metal grill panel that you use to barbeque burgers on a gas grill, that is pretty heavy duty.

[rabadger]

Did you feel a big difference in air flow up stairs?

Go to HD and see if they have a furnace filter rack that can be screwed onto the unit case. Use 4x4 wire on the back of it to old the filter in place. Get a good 2" pleated furnace filter for it.

[Dormer_man]

Richard,

I do feel a difference in the air flow, maybe 50% more with the metal panel off the front of the air handler. It is subjective at best trying to see if there is an improvement by holding my hand on the register opening.

Thanks for the advice on the filter rack. I need to hold off since I am getting a new heat pump and air handler installed in the next couple weeks.

[rabadger]

Get an air handler with a variable speed blower and that static pressure problem with lack of air flow may go away. Ask the contractor about it.

[Dormer_man]

Thank you Richard, for another great suggestion.

Yes, the Trane 14 series does offer an optional variable speed fan blower.

The option is $300.

So now the quote is:

Trane 14 basic system installed $4300
Optional variable speed fan $ 300
Replace copper lines $ 125

Grand total $4725

This includes disposal of old system, new Trane digital t-stat, and new electric heat.

Warranty 10y compressor, 10y parts, 1 year labor.

And of course about 5% for the commonwealth of Virginia brings the price up to $5000.

[Mepop]

I too have a property which has this problem of cool and comfortable in the in the basement and about a 10 degree differenenc on the top floor. Question, if I do install an opening around the air handler, wont it cut down on the return air coming down from the top floor? Also, does it matter where the opening is? Should it be before or after the blower or does it not matter?

[rabadger]

Yes, it does matter where you install more return air openings. It should be before the filter and hopefully from the spaces you are trying to condition.