Heating help!?!

First things first, I am not an HVAC contractor, I have a handyman business in Phoenix AZ. I have little experience with HVAC, so please bear with me. I have been researching the EqualizAir and the Skuttle devices for make-up air. I have a customer who has a home that we will soon be installing insulation in his attic. He has an intake in the furnace closet that goes directly into the attic. It is appx. 10"x16". I have been told by other HVAC contractors that this is for combustible air and it has to remain open. There seems to be a lot of unconditioned air coming through this vent, so I am wondering if it would be a good idea to install a make-up air device in the opening? The reason I am looking at these devices is because they seem to be user friendly, and don't require any work from the homeowner after they are installed. Also, if it makes any difference, the house has a fireplace. Thank you for any and all of your help.

No.

Combustion air intake is not a make up air.
You would need to use a damper control system that interlocks with the furnace. And won't allow the furnace to run, untill the damper is open. Which means they would have no heat, if the damper failed to open.

Ugh. closing off your combustion air can do more harm than help. as your furnace runs, it uses a certain amount of air to "feed the fire". without it, you have no fire. If you close off the duct, you will make the house negative, and actually cause more infiltration to the conditioned space, which should cause energy bills to go up! Adding a damper control for that would require a pro, and if you do so, it should have a proof of open as well. To me, leave things alon. Add thje insulation and forget about it.

Thats a lot of make up air.
The guy should get a new, 95%+ furnace with uses small 2"-3" vent-intake pvc pipes. Solves all his problems, more efficient and ya get a tax credit for the install too.
He also gets the tax credit for the insulation but I'm sure you know that.

Thank you for all of your help! I spoke to a local HVAC contractor, and he has never heard of the Skuttle or EqualizAir devices. He suggested that I make the duct taller, which I would have to do for insulation anyway, and then to make a 180 degree bend in it, sort of like an upside down plumbing trap. He suggested that this may help reduce some of the cold air entering and falling into the furnace closet. Any thoughts on that? Also, is a 95%+ furnace an efficiency rating? Do they not require the combustion air vent in the ceiling? Thanks again for all of your answers!!!

Just do what dice said.That solves everything.

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Originally Posted by 345

Thank you for all of your help! I spoke to a local HVAC contractor, and he has never heard of the Skuttle or EqualizAir devices. He suggested that I make the duct taller, which I would have to do for insulation anyway, and then to make a 180 degree bend in it, sort of like an upside down plumbing trap. He suggested that this may help reduce some of the cold air entering and falling into the furnace closet. Any thoughts on that? Also, is a 95%+ furnace an efficiency rating? Do they not require the combustion air vent in the ceiling? Thanks again for all of your answers!!!

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That "trap" sounds like a lot of work for not much payoff. The 95% is an efficiency rating and you will not need the combustion air that you do now. On the high efficiency furnaces they have two 3" or so PVC pipes that go outside. One is for combustion and one is for exhaust.

For all that work he could get a new furnace like I said, plus all the benefits.
Its not that hard, quit making it so complicated.
:eek2:

Thanks again for all of the answers, and all of your patience with all of my questions! It sounds like the 95%+ furnace is the thing to do. Just so I'm clear, when we (meaning the HVAC contractor, not me personally) install the new furnace, then it is 100% acceptable for me to cover any and all holes in the ceiling? Also, no matter what, we still have to leave the vents in the doors to the furnace closet becuase they are for cold air return, correct? Thanks again!

The HVAC contractor will advise you or possibly even do the blank off of the old combustion air duct, However if the water heater, or fireplace need a lot of combustion air and the home is very tightly built( I kind of doubt from the sounds of things) you may still need some outside air. The "vent in the door" sounds like a central return. However if you are installing a 95% furnace, there will no longer be any cold draft any how.

you need a pro hvac sound like. do the 90 but besure that intake is not for othere things!!