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Poor heat in new construction house sharhart 01-22-2008
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Posted by sharhart on January 22, 2008, 9:44 pm
I bought a new construction home and this is my second winter in the
house. It was cold last winter but not too bad because we kept the house
warmer than normla because we had a newborn. this year we decided to keep
it at 68 degrees and it is freezing!

Here's the problems I found. Maybe someone can offer some advice.
1. Windows are drafty. I put plastic on some of them but they have sills
on the bottom that don't allow a tight fit when the plastic stretches over
them. The plastic pulls off the corners on the bottom so it is not a
tight fit.

2. Some outlets on outside walls are drafty. I installed the rubber mats
that fit behind the faceplate but I still get a small draft where the
switch pokes through the plate.

3. Exterior doors are drafty in the corners. I put weather stripping in
the areas where it was needed. Still small drafts in places but much
better than it was before I weather stripped it.

4. The air from the furnace doesn't seem to reach the rooms at the end of
the line too well. My daughter's room is o the second floor directly
above the basement furnace. Her room is nice and warm. Our bedroom is on
the other sid eof the house and it is freezing. My wife wears sweats and
runs a posrtable heater to sleep. I wish I knew about furnaces to give
the specs. Maybe the furnace is too small for the house? Also, I
accidentally turned the draft knob one day and don't know where it should
be set for the draft control. Could this be the problem? How do I know
where to put it?

5. Bathroom fan vents are drafty. I may have to go up in the attic and
splice in a bathroom exhaust fan draft blocker, but how do I access the
one in the first floor ceiling? That one is the worst. Woudl I have to
cut through the floor above it?

If I have someone come in to service my furnace, will they be able to
help determine the cause of my heat issues?



-------------------------------------




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Posted by jamesgangnc on January 22, 2008, 10:16 pm
Is the draft worse when the heater is running? A leak somewhere in the flex
lines outside the conditioned space can cause a vacuum condition inside the
house, drawing outside air in.

Most units are installed with adjustable vanes on many of the vent lines
running to the various rooms. These can be used to restrict the flow to the
closer rooms and should be wide open for the farther away rooms.

You probably ought to call the guys that installed it. There is likely a
new home warrenty that is still in effect.

You can use the adhesive backed foam on the top and bottom of the windows.

The unit is probably not too small if it was able to keep the house warm
last year with a higher thermostat setting.


>I bought a new construction home and this is my second winter in the
> house. It was cold last winter but not too bad because we kept the house
> warmer than normla because we had a newborn. this year we decided to keep
> it at 68 degrees and it is freezing!
>
> Here's the problems I found. Maybe someone can offer some advice.
> 1. Windows are drafty. I put plastic on some of them but they have sills
> on the bottom that don't allow a tight fit when the plastic stretches over
> them. The plastic pulls off the corners on the bottom so it is not a
> tight fit.
>
> 2. Some outlets on outside walls are drafty. I installed the rubber mats
> that fit behind the faceplate but I still get a small draft where the
> switch pokes through the plate.
>
> 3. Exterior doors are drafty in the corners. I put weather stripping in
> the areas where it was needed. Still small drafts in places but much
> better than it was before I weather stripped it.
>
> 4. The air from the furnace doesn't seem to reach the rooms at the end of
> the line too well. My daughter's room is o the second floor directly
> above the basement furnace. Her room is nice and warm. Our bedroom is on
> the other sid eof the house and it is freezing. My wife wears sweats and
> runs a posrtable heater to sleep. I wish I knew about furnaces to give
> the specs. Maybe the furnace is too small for the house? Also, I
> accidentally turned the draft knob one day and don't know where it should
> be set for the draft control. Could this be the problem? How do I know
> where to put it?
>
> 5. Bathroom fan vents are drafty. I may have to go up in the attic and
> splice in a bathroom exhaust fan draft blocker, but how do I access the
> one in the first floor ceiling? That one is the worst. Woudl I have to
> cut through the floor above it?
>
> If I have someone come in to service my furnace, will they be able to
> help determine the cause of my heat issues?
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> ##-----------------------------------------------##
> Delivered via http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
> Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
> Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
> alt.hvac - 27299 messages and counting!
> ##-----------------------------------------------##



Posted by Bubba on January 23, 2008, 7:26 am
On 23 Jan 2008 02:44:54 GMT, sharhart_at_hotmail_dot_com@foo.com
(sharhart) wrote:

>I bought a new construction home and this is my second winter in the
>house. It was cold last winter but not too bad because we kept the house
>warmer than normla because we had a newborn. this year we decided to keep
>it at 68 degrees and it is freezing!
>
>Here's the problems I found. Maybe someone can offer some advice.
>1. Windows are drafty. I put plastic on some of them but they have sills
>on the bottom that don't allow a tight fit when the plastic stretches over
>them. The plastic pulls off the corners on the bottom so it is not a
>tight fit.
>
>2. Some outlets on outside walls are drafty. I installed the rubber mats
>that fit behind the faceplate but I still get a small draft where the
>switch pokes through the plate.
>
>3. Exterior doors are drafty in the corners. I put weather stripping in
>the areas where it was needed. Still small drafts in places but much
>better than it was before I weather stripped it.
>
>4. The air from the furnace doesn't seem to reach the rooms at the end of
>the line too well. My daughter's room is o the second floor directly
>above the basement furnace. Her room is nice and warm. Our bedroom is on
>the other sid eof the house and it is freezing. My wife wears sweats and
>runs a posrtable heater to sleep. I wish I knew about furnaces to give
>the specs. Maybe the furnace is too small for the house? Also, I
>accidentally turned the draft knob one day and don't know where it should
>be set for the draft control. Could this be the problem? How do I know
>where to put it?
>
>5. Bathroom fan vents are drafty. I may have to go up in the attic and
>splice in a bathroom exhaust fan draft blocker, but how do I access the
>one in the first floor ceiling? That one is the worst. Woudl I have to
>cut through the floor above it?
>
> If I have someone come in to service my furnace, will they be able to
>help determine the cause of my heat issues?
>
It sounds like you certainlly got your moneys' worth with that
builder. Isnt the lowest bidder just great!
Bubba

>
>-------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>##-----------------------------------------------##
>Delivered via http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
>Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
>Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
>alt.hvac - 27299 messages and counting!
>##-----------------------------------------------##

Posted by geothermaljones on January 25, 2008, 3:25 pm
Has anyone changed the filter?
Disposable filters should be changed monthly, with every utility bill.
Have the installing contractor show you a copy of the Manual J load calcs...

goodluck
geothermaljones



> I bought a new construction home and this is my second winter in the
> house. It was cold last winter but not too bad because we kept the house
> warmer than normla because we had a newborn. this year we decided to keep
> it at 68 degrees and it is freezing!
>
> Here's the problems I found. Maybe someone can offer some advice.
> 1. Windows are drafty. I put plastic on some of them but they have sills
> on the bottom that don't allow a tight fit when the plastic stretches over
> them. The plastic pulls off the corners on the bottom so it is not a
> tight fit.
>
> 2. Some outlets on outside walls are drafty. I installed the rubber mats
> that fit behind the faceplate but I still get a small draft where the
> switch pokes through the plate.
>
> 3. Exterior doors are drafty in the corners. I put weather stripping in
> the areas where it was needed. Still small drafts in places but much
> better than it was before I weather stripped it.
>
> 4. The air from the furnace doesn't seem to reach the rooms at the end of
> the line too well. My daughter's room is o the second floor directly
> above the basement furnace. Her room is nice and warm. Our bedroom is on
> the other sid eof the house and it is freezing. My wife wears sweats and
> runs a posrtable heater to sleep. I wish I knew about furnaces to give
> the specs. Maybe the furnace is too small for the house? Also, I
> accidentally turned the draft knob one day and don't know where it should
> be set for the draft control. Could this be the problem? How do I know
> where to put it?
>
> 5. Bathroom fan vents are drafty. I may have to go up in the attic and
> splice in a bathroom exhaust fan draft blocker, but how do I access the
> one in the first floor ceiling? That one is the worst. Woudl I have to
> cut through the floor above it?
>
> If I have someone come in to service my furnace, will they be able to
> help determine the cause of my heat issues?
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
> ##-----------------------------------------------##
> Delivered via http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
> Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
> Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
> alt.hvac - 27299 messages and counting!
> ##-----------------------------------------------##



Posted by ATJaguarX on January 25, 2008, 4:48 pm
On Jan 22, 8:44=A0pm, sharhart_at_hotmail_dot_...@foo.com (sharhart)
wrote:
> I bought a new construction home and this is my second winter in the
> house. =A0It was cold last winter but not too bad because we kept the hous=
e
> warmer than normla because we had a newborn. =A0this year we decided to ke=
ep
> it at 68 degrees and it is freezing!
>
> Here's the problems I found. =A0Maybe someone can offer some advice. =A0
> 1. =A0Windows are drafty. =A0I put plastic on some of them but they have s=
ills
> on the bottom that don't allow a tight fit when the plastic stretches over=

> them. =A0The plastic pulls off the corners on the bottom so it is not a
> tight fit.
>
> 2. =A0Some outlets on outside walls are drafty. =A0I installed the rubber =
mats
> that fit behind the faceplate but I still get a small draft where the
> switch pokes through the plate.
>
> 3. =A0Exterior doors are drafty in the corners. =A0I put weather stripping=
in
> the areas where it was needed. =A0Still small drafts in places but much
> better than it was before I weather stripped it.
>
> 4. =A0The air from the furnace doesn't seem to reach the rooms at the end =
of
> the line too well. =A0My daughter's room is o the second floor directly
> above the basement furnace. =A0Her room is nice and warm. =A0Our bedroom i=
s on
> the other sid eof the house and it is freezing. =A0My wife wears sweats an=
d
> runs a posrtable heater to sleep. =A0I wish I knew about furnaces to give
> the specs. =A0Maybe the furnace is too small for the house? =A0Also, I
> accidentally turned the draft knob one day and don't know where it should
> be set for the draft control. =A0Could this be the problem? =A0How do I kn=
ow
> where to put it? =A0
>
> 5. =A0Bathroom fan vents are drafty. =A0I may have to go up in the attic a=
nd
> splice in a bathroom exhaust fan draft blocker, but how do I access the
> one in the first floor ceiling? =A0That one is the worst. =A0Woudl I have =
to
> cut through the floor above it?
>
> =A0 =A0 =A0If I have someone come in to service my furnace, will they be a=
ble to
> help determine the cause of my heat issues?
>
> -------------------------------------
>
> ##-----------------------------------------------##
> Delivered via =A0http://www.thestuccocompany.com/
> Building Construction and Maintenance Forum
> Web and RSS access to your favorite newsgroup -
> alt.hvac - 27299 messages and counting!
> ##-----------------------------------------------##

I had a similar problem. The duct feeding our master bedroom is on
top of the furnace and heats our room to extreme temps. Since I have
another vent in our room that is further down the trunk line as well
as one in our master and 2 in our bathroom, I closed the damper on the
duct feeding that main line. I have a similiar problem in regards to
a newborn. My child is 6 months old and the line that feeds her room
is at the farthest end of the trunk line. I wound up closing alot of
the vent's dampers 1/2 way to force more air into her room. Before I
did that, I found that her room (on really cold days) was 5 degrees
colder then the main living area (she has two outside walls and a
large window).

Maybe others can recommend what I did, but I have concern that I might
be hurting my HVAC system by having too much of the dampers closed (I
have my own post on this forum regarding this).

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