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View Full Version : un-even air distribution in a 2-story house


roadwarrior
11-13-2005, 12:08 PM
We've got a furnace in the basement, in a two story house, basic cube shape. and in the summer it's hot upstairs unless you crank the AC up, and then it's a meat locker in the basement. And then in the winter it's the converse. I'm wondering about how to get better air distribution.

Now some people have told me that it would help if the air return was adequate, but you know there's a stair well that there's a pretty good air return right there!

would increasing the size of the return in the finished rooms upstiars - would that help?

some people say I need a zone system. But you know it's a finished house, so that would be pretty tough.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
~Bruce
curry
11-13-2005, 01:50 PM
Sorry, but it looks like you are going to need a visit and consult for this one.

The stair way makes a great return, but if all that air coming down stairs has no place to go it's usless.

You may have fan motor issues, ie too small.

Colonials and other two story buldgs are notorious for uneven temps up and down stairs.
drk
11-13-2005, 03:22 PM
How about a 2nd system
Irishmist
11-13-2005, 06:14 PM
RoadWarrior, The proper advice is to get a professional to come in and look at your entire system, and make the recommendations that would allow for the best possible air distribution between first and second floors. Maybe something can be done with the existing system; maybe not. But a visit from an HVAC professional is the answer to your problems. At least that is where you need to begin.
hvac-tech-lane
11-13-2005, 07:12 PM
Need more info, where do you live? What size system? What size duct supplies upstairs? Where are the supply registers located? Where are the returns? What type of system ?
I've helped many people with this problem if the system allows for it.
bluetooth751
11-13-2005, 09:06 PM
You will never balance a one system setup with two storys.
Your system needs to be zoned with motorized dampers or you need two systems one for each floor.

Untill your problem is corrected try running the fan on continuous this will help correct the balance problem. Running the fan on all the time is no fix for your problem.