Uneven house heating?

[Yoheadden]

Hello All,
We have a typical 2 story New England georgian colonial style house built in 1982. We have oil heat with a very good thermopride furnace. I feel when they installed the HVAC system, they incorrectly placed the furnace on one side of the basement instead of in the middle of the house where we would get even air flow to all parts of the house. I believe they did this because at the time, the oil tank was in the ground on the side of the house. It has since been dug up and placed in the basement, next to the furnace. As a result of the placement, the room directly above the furnace gets nice a toasty. We actually have magnetic covers over top of the vents to stop excessive hot air from entering and force it down the vents. The thermostat for the first floor is in the middle of the house. So as a result, by the time the temperature in the room gets up to what the thermostat is set at, one side of the first floor is hot and the furthest part of the house, the kitchen and small laundry room are colder. It also doesn’t help that these two rooms are off of the garages and the kitchen has a vaulted ceiling instead of a normal height.
Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas how to help regulate the temperature throughout the lower level of our house more effectively?
I should mention the ductwork for the system is in the basement and we do keep any vents in the line closed.
Our current thermostat is a normal programmable one, but not a “smart” one.
I thought I have heard about smart thermostats where you can add additional plugin thermostats to additional rooms.
Thank you if you read through this and any suggestions or ideas.

 

[NgineER]

If this was the install when the house was built, then they should have designed it to be balanced, but it appears as if it is not.
You can install some mechanical dampers to change the air flow to different regions so it would be better balanced. You could also install zone dampers to create different heating zones with a dedicated thermostat for each zone.
Installing a smart thermostat with additional thermostats would do nothing for you unless you had the zone dampers also.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Using a smart thermostat with multiple temperature sensors in other rooms might help you feel better in the cold rooms. But it will also likely make the already-warm rooms warmer. These type of thermometers use the average temperature reading of the thermostat plus all the room sensors. So colder rooms will lower the overall average temperature. So the furnace will run longer to bring the average temperature up. The result will be that the cold rooms will be slightly warmer than usual. But while the furnace runs longer, the already-warm room also becomes warmer.

I actually do use this approach in my house. I want my office, which is located in the cold side of the house, to be warmed up some since I'm in it for hours at a time almost every day doing things on my computer. I have sensors in 3 rooms and the thermostat in a 4th room. As a result, my office has warmed up more than it previously did before using sensors. The living room, where the thermostat is, is also warmer, but I don't mind it being warmer because it's not THAT much warmer and no one is sitting there most of the day.

BUT... that alone didn't keep me warm enough in my office. This year, I've just decided to not be so cheap and I bumped my thermostat setting from 70 to 72 degrees.

 

[MarieIG]

We actually have a second system which heats the downstairs (a high ranch). Otherwise, it gets brutally cold while upstairs feels like a sauna. I would have to ask DH for the details about the type of the system. When our doggo was sick and unable to walk up the stairs, DH moved the thermostat and sensor from the main room downstairs, into the back room downstairs which does not have vents from the main system to allow for me to better adjust the temperature.

 

[Aerides]

We had the opposite problem with our AC, and had AC/Duct folks out to do some reconfiguring. That mean an extra inbound in our warmest room, and dampening in the coldest, and some other minor tweaks. Their goal was to get the house temps within a range no greater than 1.5F house-wide. They also inspected our insulation and recommended some other changes there.

We do also use a smart thermostat and keep the extra nodule in the warmest room.

 

[SnowballCamper]

This is why mini-splits are popular nowadays. Also why we had our house built instead of buying one on the market. I don't think there is an easy fix.

 

[Yoheadden]

You can install some mechanical dampers to change the air flow to different regions so it would be better balanced. You could also install zone dampers to create different heating zones with a dedicated thermostat for each zone.
Installing a smart thermostat with additional thermostats would do nothing for you unless you had the zone dampers also.

I’m sorry, I did not mention we do have 3 zone, each with there own thermostat. One for the downstairs, one for upstairs and one for a 4 season room off of the back of the house.

I think the colder rooms are a product of being furthest away from the furnace, thus getting diminished air flow. I did notice the vents get smaller, the further they go from the furnace, so there would be less air pushing through.

 

[Dtail]

This is why mini-splits are popular nowadays. Also why we had our house built instead of buying one on the market. I don't think there is an easy fix.

Yup. Bought 2 mini splits for the master bedroom and bath. Now the fiance is very pleased, as she used to always feel cold.

 

[Jerry1]

I would look for a reputable HAVC person to go over the system with you. If it was properly spect when originally installed, maybe they never balanced it properly. There should be dampers that you can adjust to get the system in balance. If additional airflow is needed, that needs to be properly installed. While it may seem simple to put in an inline fan to push more air to the place you need it, that can cause other issues in the balance of the system. You can try, like you did, by restricting air at the register but it really should be done at the damper. A good HVAC technician will have an air flow sensor that can be used to make adjustments.

 

[Yoheadden]

Using a smart thermostat with multiple temperature sensors in other rooms might help you feel better in the cold rooms. But it will also likely make the already-warm rooms warmer. These type of thermometers use the average temperature reading of the thermostat plus all the room sensors. So colder rooms will lower the overall average temperature. So the furnace will run longer to bring the average temperature up. The result will be that the cold rooms will be slightly warmer than usual. But while the furnace runs longer, the already-warm room also becomes warmer.

I actually do use this approach in my house. I want my office, which is located in the cold side of the house, to be warmed up some since I'm in it for hours at a time almost every day doing things on my computer. I have sensors in 3 rooms and the thermostat in a 4th room. As a result, my office has warmed up more than it previously did before using sensors. The living room, where the thermostat is, is also warmer, but I don't mind it being warmer because it's not THAT much warmer and no one is sitting there most of the day.

BUT... that alone didn't keep me warm enough in my office. This year, I've just decided to not be so cheap and I bumped my thermostat setting from 70 to 72 degrees.

This is something we will have to look into. The furnace would work a little longer, but if it would warm up the cooler rooms, it might be worth it.
I have an office upstairs on the cooler side of the house. We picked up an electric fireplace with a built in thermostat. It looks nice and really helps to regulate the temperature in there.
Another thing that we used to use that might help your situation was an electric fan with a thermostat that sits overtop of the floor vent. It would pull more warm air out of the vent and help circulate it. It helped to keep our laundry room a little warmer until the motor went and we just didn’t replace it.

 

[Yoheadden]

We actually have a second system which heats the downstairs (a high ranch). Otherwise, it gets brutally cold while upstairs feels like a sauna. I would have to ask DH for the details about the type of the system. When our doggo was sick and unable to walk up the stairs, DH moved the thermostat and sensor from the main room downstairs, into the back room downstairs which does not have vents from the main system to allow for me to better adjust the temperature.

Thank you!
What we wouldn’t do for our babies. Lol

 

[Yoheadden]

We had the opposite problem with our AC, and had AC/Duct folks out to do some reconfiguring. That mean an extra inbound in our warmest room, and dampening in the coldest, and some other minor tweaks. Their goal was to get the house temps within a range no greater than 1.5F house-wide. They also inspected our insulation and recommended some other changes there.

We do also use a smart thermostat and keep the extra nodule in the warmest room.

Wow, 1.5F seems wonderful if a whole house could be regulated that much.
We did have blown in insulation added to our attic a few years ago after we had a whole house energy audit. It definitely seems to make a difference.

 

[Yoheadden]

This is why mini-splits are popular nowadays. Also why we had our house built instead of buying one on the market. I don't think there is an easy fix.

What is a mini-split? I am not familiar with that type of system.

 

[Yoheadden]

I would look for a reputable HAVC person to go over the system with you. If it was properly spect when originally installed, maybe they never balanced it properly. There should be dampers that you can adjust to get the system in balance. If additional airflow is needed, that needs to be properly installed. While it may seem simple to put in an inline fan to push more air to the place you need it, that can cause other issues in the balance of the system. You can try, like you did, by restricting air at the register but it really should be done at the damper. A good HVAC technician will have an air flow sensor that can be used to make adjustments.

This is what we might have to do. I am in search of a new company to service our furnace, so maybe this could be a good time to have the whole system checked.
As far as I know, the ductwork has never been cleaned out either. I wonder if this could be a factor or is this just a waste of money.

 

[threeonesix]

Welcome to my he**. My house (ranch style), built in 1976, has a giant hole in the main floor where the staircase descends into the finished basement, where I spend most of my time. This hole is directly in the center of the house. In the summer all of the cold air produced by my A/C descends into the basement; in the winter all of the warm air ascends up to the main floor. Cold air drops, hot air rises. To get around this, in the summer I close the vents in my basement and in the winter I close my vents on the main floor. There is no getting around this as long as that hole is there. The only thing I could possibly try is boxing in the hole and having a door on the main floor to get into the basement. Which would look really dumb in my house, so I won't do it. I've learned to just live with the situation. A smart thermostat (main floor) helped a bit, but not as much as replacing my furnace and A/C compressor. Got a great deal on that for $5,500 installed and my electric (A/C) and gas (heat) bills have dropped about 20%. Oh, also installed a whole-home humidifier at the same time and that has helped considerably in the winter. I now keep the thermostat at 67 in the winter and 74 in the summer, and am comfortable in both seasons.

 

[Koolau]

40+ years ago, we added on to the Family Home Stead. 3 bedrooms across the back for the kids bedrooms were added. We've still never balanced the heat/AC in those rooms. The "great room" between those added rooms and the master BR can be made comfortable (winter or summer) but then the 3 back bedrooms are either too hot or too cold as is the Master BR. Since we "live" in the great room, we just suffer. The only solution would be to totally redo the vent system, so we've done things like set up box fans to move conditioned air around to where it needs to be. Since we rent (for cheap) we don't expect the landlord (my niece) to fix something we could never fix when we owned the property.

 

[Gumby]

This is what we might have to do. I am in search of a new company to service our furnace, so maybe this could be a good time to have the whole system checked.
As far as I know, the ductwork has never been cleaned out either. I wonder if this could be a factor or is this just a waste of money.

Getting qualified HVAC people to check and rebalance the airflow of your system would probably be best. In the interim, a quick and dirty method I would try is a portable fan in the doorway between the hot room and the cold room. That's what we do in the summer to get the cool air from the window air conditioner in the office to go to the kitchen. (We have hot water radiators for heat, no central air and no good place in the kitchen to put a window A/C unit.)

 

[finnski1]

Getting qualified HVAC people to check and rebalance the airflow of your system would probably be best. In the interim, a quick and dirty method I would try is a portable fan in the doorway between the hot room and the cold room. That's what we do in the summer to get the cool air from the window air conditioner in the office to go to the kitchen. (We have hot water radiators for heat, no central air and no good place in the kitchen to put a window A/C unit.)

Maybe a mini split in the kitchen area?

 

[target2019]

If heat builds up in the basement over top the furnace, one option is to place a vornado or similar fan, and let a timer cycle the fan every so often to circulate heat throughout the basement. Then control the register above for comfort in that room.

 

[Gumby]

Maybe a mini split in the kitchen area?

I live in the historic district and can't modify the outside of the house. Also, the post and beam construction and plaster and lath walls in this old house would never hold it up.

 

[iloveyoga]

You can also check into zoned heating, which works off of one furnace and AC. You set up house zones and thermostats and little electronic dampers control how the heat and AC is distributed. I am not an expert, but my son has a heating and cooling company and installed this type of system in our two story with a basement home. We love it. I control the second floor and DH gets to set the main floor.

 

[finnski1]

I live in the historic district and can't modify the outside of the house. Also, the post and beam construction and plaster and lath walls in this old house would never hold it up.

gotcha.

 

[Graybeard]

How old is the current heating system? Do you have 2 or 3 zones or just 1 zone? If the system is older, it might be worth replacing the current heating system with a new oil or gas fired boiler. Blowing air to warm rooms IMO is ineffective. A far better heating method is base board radiators that will radiate heat longer and slower. Of course replacing the heating system will be expensive but if you intend to stay in that house for a couple of decades I think the cost will be worth it.

 

[iloveyoga]

If this was the install when the house was built, then they should have designed it to be balanced, but it appears as if it is not.
You can install some mechanical dampers to change the air flow to different regions so it would be better balanced. You could also install zone dampers to create different heating zones with a dedicated thermostat for each zone.
Installing a smart thermostat with additional thermostats would do nothing for you unless you had the zone dampers also.

Oh, you said it better than I did! This approach made such a difference in our house.

 

[DaveLeeNC]

@threeonesix There is no getting around this as long as that hole is there. The only thing I could possibly try is boxing in the hole and having a door on the main floor to get into the basement. Which would look really dumb in my house, so I won't do it. I've learned to just live with the situation.

That is what my parents did with the same situation. It was not particularly attractive but they accepted the trade-off.

dave