Heat duct ?

[rarefish383]

When we built our house the basement was unfinished. We never added duct work for heating, figured we would use electric base boards. Jump forward 30 years, the basement is all finished, the duct work is accessible, could I put one register in to knock the chill off? I had a friend that did that and he says it works great. I have two BIL that are both in the building industry and they said do it. When we put our addition on I asked the A/C Heating guy if we could add a register and he had a fit. He said it would unbalance the system and cause all kinds of problems. I planned on letting the circulating fan run when the stove was in use, which is 24/7. All I can see is it would be circulating more air, so maybe more frequent filter changes. The heat pump would be off so there would be no extra load on the pump? When I say off, I don't mean turned off, it just never comes on while the stove is in use.

 

[dave_dj1]

Cut a couple round 6" and put take offs on them from the depot and get the ones with the built in dampers. spread them out down the line if you can. If it doesn't work, shut the dampers. He is correct about the imbalance but se la vie. I've seen it done many times with good results.

Something along these lines :
http://www.snappyco.com/products/ga...gs/takeoffs-adhesive/adh-takeoff-duct-wscoop/
http://www.southwarkmetal.com/product/air-tite-takeoff-w-damper/

 

[rarefish383]

Thanks, that's about what I was looking at.

 

[Mustang71]

You can put some heat in your basement. Don't put it to close to the end of the duct work and you will be fine. If it's a finished living space then add a return also. That will help get the air circulating like the rest of the house. It's really not a big deal to cut in a register or 2 or some 6 inch heat runs. Just don't over do it and add more than necessary. And like i said don't be afraid to add a return. All living spaces minus the kitchen and bathroom should have a supply and return. Duct work isn't ballanced to begin with it will be fine.

 

[OnTheRoad]

Yeah, they tell you you gotta have a PHD in pneumatics to make any changes to an HVAC system but that's nonsense. For example, I have blocked off all of the supply and all of the return for my basement for years and no adverse effects. I, like my grandmother, also vent the GAS dryer right into the house all winter! Always have. I keep the supply and return closed for the bedrooms we don't use upstairs as well.

Sure, it's better to have supply and return in the same space but it won't be the end of the world if you cant have both. Some common sense helps a lot. The standards are meant to overcome the boundless stupidity that permeates humankind.

 

[Mustang71]

There's a reason for a supply and return in a room. And venting a gas dryer into a living space is adding carbon monoxide into that space which is not real smart. If you can add a supply easily then I'm sure you can add a return and in a basement it's not a big deal if you can't. Please don't vent gas appliances into your home for heat that will kill you.

 

[dave_dj1]

There's a reason for a supply and return in a room. And venting a gas dryer into a living space is adding carbon monoxide into that space which is not real smart. If you can add a supply easily then I'm sure you can add a return and in a basement it's not a big deal if you can't. Please don't vent gas appliances into your home for heat that will kill you.

I'm hoping he's talking about the dryer vent and not the exhaust although I have never had a gas dryer, only electric.

 

[Mustang71]

I'm hoping he's talking about the dryer vent and not the exhaust although I have never had a gas dryer, only electric.

A lot of people have gas dryers when they have natural gas or propane. The dryer vent exhausts the moisture from the dryer and the burned flue gas from burning natural gas or propane.

 

[67L36Driver]

FWIW: We run the furnace fan 24/7/365 as it keeps the temp in the house even and the basement dryer (not so dank or humid).

Change the filter every eight weeks.

House is 1800 sq ft main floor.

 

[Ole Reb]

Yes you can cut in a supply,I did the same thing in my basement when we bought the house last year and wanted to be able to divert a bit of air when needed. I work in the HVAC field and we add supply and returns in basements all the time for customers that didn't originally have them in the basement.

 

[Mustang71]

Yes you can cut in a supply,I did the same thing in my basement when we bought the house last year and wanted to be able to divert a bit of air when needed. I work in the HVAC field and we add supply and returns in basements all the time for customers that didn't originally have them in the basement.

I c you are from WNY is that western New York? If so where do u work?

 

[Ole Reb]

I c you are from WNY is that western New York? If so where do u work?

Yes sir I am in WNY(East Aurora),I work for a small company out this way. I worked for larger companies in buffalo but hated the city.

 

[OnTheRoad]

I'm hoping he's talking about the dryer vent and not the exhaust although I have never had a gas dryer, only electric.

No, what I'm saying is that I pull the dryer vent from the exterior vent and lay it on the laundry room floor all winter. It adds heat and moisture to the house and yes CO. The house is not a sealed environment and it's never set off the CO detector. It wouldn't work in every case but in mine it does. Common sense is required.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

There's a reason for a supply and return in a room. And venting a gas dryer into a living space is adding carbon monoxide into that space which is not real smart. If you can add a supply easily then I'm sure you can add a return and in a basement it's not a big deal if you can't. Please don't vent gas appliances into your home for heat that will kill you.

Likely not a safe idea venting a gas dryer into the living space. What is the difference with a gas range, oven, broiler and burners about 55,000 BTU?

 

[Mustang71]

Likely not a safe idea venting a gas dryer into the living space. What is the difference with a gas range, oven, broiler and burners about 55,000 BTU?

Usually you wouldn't have all those burners going at once. And probably if you did the kitchen exhaust fan would be on. Those are "safe" vent free appliances. The dryer vent is more for the moisture but if it's like my family we do laundry every day all day and that would be a lot of co. They make vent free garage heaters and fire places too. I would never use one. We put in 45k btu furnaces and those have to be vented. Same btu as a stove/range or a dryer.