Message Boards

Guidelines

  • Please be sure posts are category appropriate.
  • No off-topic or off-color postings.
  • Postings may be deleted at the discretion of HGTV Moderators.
  • No advertising is allowed.
  • Be Nice. No name calling, personal attacks or flaming.
  • Certain words will trigger moderation of the post. These words mostly cover political and religious topics, which are OFF the topics covered by HGTV.
  • For general message board help, click the tab labeled "Tools," and choose "Help" from the dropdown menu.
Full Guidelines

  HGTV.com
  HGTV Message Boards
Hop To Forum Categories   Remodeling
Hop To Forums   General Remodeling
  heat duct work help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
heat duct work help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sign In/Join 
posted
All my duct work is in a bulkhead or the wall well i have a basement and crawl space. it stay cold and i need a solution to get heat down to the floor.
 
Posts: 2 | Location: Findlay,OH | Registered: Jan 03, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
posted Hide Post
Sorry, but I don't understand the situation.

I'm guessing that you have a forced air heating system. But is it the basement that stays cold? Or is it the first floor?

If you have normal ductwork and all the registers are at the top of the wall, you will have difficulty getting the heat down to the floor. With a crawl space, you may have to insulate under the floor for starters. But that raises several problems, depending upon the condition of the crawl space.

Please put your location in your profile as I have done; it is an essential part of the problem.
 
Posts: 12118 | Location: Eagle, CO USA | Registered: Sep 18, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
posted Hide Post
It is forced air. Living room and dining room are over the crawl space and kitchen and bath are over the basement. Furnance is located on the 1st floor. My question is i guess do I insulate the crawl space oror go about another way to get heat to the floor. house is comfortable as long as you are not on the floor.
 
Posts: 2 | Location: Findlay,OH | Registered: Jan 03, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
posted Hide Post
Insulating the floor should make an appreciable difference.
 
Posts: 571 | Registered: Jan 02, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Picture of Sparky
posted Hide Post
For you crawlspace there are several schools of thought for insulating it. One is to insulate the floor and have the crawlspace vent to the outdoors to get rid of any moisture that comes in (mainly through the ground). The other is to seal the crawlspace, insulate the walls and first 3 or 4 feet of the ground and condition the crawlspace by adding HVAC. In both cases any bare earth should be covered with plastic.

Do a web search on "conditioned crawlspaces" for more details.

If you go the insulated floor route make sure you put the vapor barrier towards the conditioned space and make sure it is up against the bottom of the floor. The problem with insulating the floor is the insulation sags and becomes ineffective. A spray foam insulation on the floor would be much more effective than batts. However, it does make access to plumbing and electrical a bit more of a challenge. Valves and junction boxes can't be covered and must remain accessible.

Personally, I like the conditioned crawlspace method best.


General Disclaimer

Any advice given here is general in nature and is not necessarily valid for your given area. If in doubt check with your local codes enforcement department for what is required when doing electrical, plumbing or structural work on your house. Permits may or may not be required in your area and home owners may not be able to DIY some tasks. I have no way of knowing if you have the skills needed to complete the tasks you are asking about, when in doubt seek professional assistance.

My advice may be worth exactly what you pay me for it. :-) For the record I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 
Posts: 6670 | Location: Cary, North Carolina | Registered: Sep 18, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

HGTV.com    HGTV Message Boards  Hop To Forum Categories  Remodeling  Hop To Forums  General Remodeling    heat duct work help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!