Thread Number: 76145
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Central AC and Closing Interior Doors |
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Post# 999796   7/9/2018 at 10:38 (2,089 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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From the website:
Always keep all of the doors open when running central air conditioning. Central air runs off a blower fan and the system is balanced for whole-house cooling. Closing a door unbalances the system, causing pressure changes that suck hot air in from the outside and bleed cold air through leaky air ducts on the inside. Your central AC runs longer and works harder to compensate with these conditions when a door is closed. Anyway - This leads me to this question. In my house, there is one door that we have to keep closed (it's a spare bedroom with stuff in there and the cat is not allowed in that room), but the rest of the doors are opened, except for the master bedroom closet. There is a vent in that closet, would that mean I need to keep that door open as well? |
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Post# 999799 , Reply# 1   7/9/2018 at 10:56 (2,089 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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to a point, they are correct, and you would most likely have to keep that door open during the A/C setting....
as our unit in the country house is down on the far side of the basement, the other side doesn't get the full cooling effect, figuring on closing or tempering down rooms in order to force more air to the other side of the house.... the thing is, it threw my unit into havoc, run longer, and it would freeze up.....as the tech instructed, we opened everything back up, unit runs fine.... we could close bedroom doors at night, where the unit didn't run as much, just not something to do all day long... I use to install those 3M Hepa filters, they worked well, but filled up fast, which slowed down air flow, this also caused the unit to freeze up....so those are saved for the winter months only......the regular blue ones work great if you spray them with Lemon Pledge or Pam cooking spray, and change them often as they will attract dust quickly.... |
Post# 999805 , Reply# 2   7/9/2018 at 11:41 (2,089 days old) by neptunebob (Pittsburgh, PA)   |   | |
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Post# 999826 , Reply# 3   7/9/2018 at 14:41 (2,088 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 999829 , Reply# 4   7/9/2018 at 15:54 (2,088 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 999832 , Reply# 5   7/9/2018 at 16:12 (2,088 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Central (forced) eating or cooling for that matter in principle has not changed much since days of those huge old "Octopus" or whatever furnaces that sent hot air up into buildings. Things depend upon the free flow of air circulation. If or when that does not happen, often units can or will make their displeasure known.
Cannot say have ever seen a home or apartment with central heating and or air return registers in every room. Vents for incoming cool or hot air yes, but not other way round. Now with through the wall or window AC, yes, you can (and maybe should) close doors to unused or whatever rooms to lessen the load. This or the opposite; use of fans to help move cooler air/improve circulation. |
Post# 999835 , Reply# 6   7/9/2018 at 16:32 (2,088 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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well, I do have return vents in all rooms except the bathroom, they are located up high....
my MIL has a unique setup, return vents in all rooms, but located at the ceiling and below at the floor, theres a tiny servo motor driven vent that controls where the air is pulled from......during the winter it pulls air from the floor level, during the Summer A/C mode, it pulls from the ceiling level...theres also a variable speed blower.... also a Dehumidify Mode, turning on both the heat and A/C...found this to be excellent on rainy days.... what I like too, is all levels are the same temp, keeping the basement area equal to the top floor |
Post# 999837 , Reply# 7   7/9/2018 at 16:36 (2,088 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 999861 , Reply# 11   7/9/2018 at 19:44 (2,088 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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But was brought up to always sleep with bedroom doors closed (and a window cracked open) as "in case of fire) or whatever.
If you notice in old films or other media people and even children/infants are always sleeping behind closed doors for most part. If that arrangement affected airflow from central heating/cooling then something would have to give one suspects. |
Post# 999870 , Reply# 12   7/9/2018 at 20:51 (2,088 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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no, all this stuff was already installed....just took a while to understand how it all worked...
remember homes and/or apartments that had sort of a vent window above the doors...the front door usually was frosted, with the number of the Apt/house....all interior rooms were clear glass, never knew how they tilted, just that some were open and others closed, never thought about how these would be used for temp adjustment per room... |
Post# 999871 , Reply# 13   7/9/2018 at 21:21 (2,088 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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They are called transoms and at one time were very popular for indoor doors and or above entrances into apartments or whatever.
Idea behind transoms was in days before AC one could have closed doors (interior or otherwise), but still have ventilation. More so if you opened windows. IIRC they are outlawed in New York and most other areas by code for new construction due to being a fire hazard. Well at leas the ones which open, fixed transoms are another thing. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transom_...(architectural) Ordinarily if a door is closed (and especially if it is fire proof) it will contain a fire and good amount of smoke on the other side. OTOH if the fire is elsewhere a closed door prevents smoke (which is the main killer in a fire) from getting into a room/apartment. Transoms obviously defeat that purpose if door is closed but they are not. You can still find transoms in some of the older buildings here in NYC (and we have plenty). Some have been painted over and or sealed, others still work as intended. These would be above interior doors only. IIRC all such devices above doors that lead into apartments or offices have long since been sealed or removed (see above). law.justia.com/codes/new-york/20... govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/...(sc.Default) www.quora.com/Why-dont-do... |
Post# 999872 , Reply# 14   7/9/2018 at 21:21 (2,088 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
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My central air has 1 supply vent in each of 3 main floor bedrooms, the bathroom, kitchen, and 2 in the living room.
I have 2 return air vents, 1 in living room and 1 in hallway. All my doors are left open, except for door 2 second floor where there are no air vents. I close the bedroom door while sleeping, and the other bedroom gets closed when receiving company as it’s the catch all room. |
Post# 999891 , Reply# 15   7/10/2018 at 06:47 (2,088 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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isn't very large. It's a single story 1375 sq ft 3 bedroom 2 baths. In the middle hall, there are two (I guess they're called intakes?) One on the wall and a smaller one on the ceiling. I keep the filters super clean. That's the only intakes in the entire house. I've never lived anywhere where there were intakes in each room of the house. But closing the master bedroom door definitely is less efficient, at least during the worst parts of the day, especially if it's full sun out. It doesn't seem to matter during the night where there's no sun at all.
On very hot/humid full sun days, my AC will maintain 71, possibly jumping up to 73 if it gets past the mid-90s F. But let me close that master bedroom door during that part of the day and you can feel the house slowly warming and the Tstat will jump up as well. |
Post# 999972 , Reply# 16   7/11/2018 at 00:24 (2,087 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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My house has two intakes in the hallway-no intakes in the rooms.Never seen that in a house-do see it in commercial office buildings.My old Lennox still chugs along!I leave all the doors open-gives best efficiency with a central system. |
Post# 1000166 , Reply# 17   7/13/2018 at 07:57 (2,085 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 1000174 , Reply# 18   7/13/2018 at 13:25 (2,085 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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I had never heard of having an air "return" in each room, at least not in a residential setting anyway.
I did see equalizer vents between rooms in a few homes some years ago, thinking that was odd back then because I didn't get the purpose. Now I get it.
My house is just under 2200 sq ft, all on one level. When I had the central HVAC installed, I had them install two supply vents in the master bedroom rather than one, being it's a larger room with a 12 foot vaulted ceiling. For the air returns, they wanted to put one really large one in the hallway near the bedrooms, but I asked them to split it into two and put another one towards the front of the house as well. The idea being the HVAC would draw in return air from each end of the house.
I have always slept with interior doors open, but my other half isn't comfortable with that, so now they're all closed at night. Being there is so much air flow to the bedroom, with the running the A/C at night, I'll prop the door open 5-6 inches, with something on each side of the door so it won't move. If I don't do that, will slam the door shut when the A/C comes on. Obviously this can be unnerving if you're sleeping or nearly asleep.
Otherwise I keep the registers and doors closed for rooms that are rarely used in an effort to reduce cooling load and costs. |
Post# 1000176 , Reply# 19   7/13/2018 at 13:27 (2,085 days old) by washman (o)   |   | |
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of the air returns when I get a chance. The airflow in my abode is quite robust and now that I have kicked myself to the garage to light up, smells a whole LOT better. |
Post# 1000202 , Reply# 22   7/13/2018 at 17:02 (2,084 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)   |   | |
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My 3 bedroom 1400 square foot ranch (plus basement) has air return ducts in every room but the kitchen and bathroom.
For all that, one side of house is still a lot warmer than the other in the winter. I suppose I could adjust the airflow to even it out with enough effort and experimentation.
What the house really needs is more insulation in the walls. |
Post# 1000209 , Reply# 23   7/13/2018 at 17:57 (2,084 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Returns in each room surely improves performance (when doors are closed) but is not a common thing in this area. I have two supply registers in the master BR, one in the master bath main area and another in the toilet "cubicle, one each in the split walk-in MBR closet. Two in the living room (or three), one in the kitchen (or two ... depends on where one considers the split between LR and K). One each in the dining area (which is almost part of the kitchen) and the laundry room and office room. One in each of the other two BRs, one of which has a larger walk-in closet with a register. One in the half-bath. Three (one in each section) of the jack-and-jill bath for the two spare BRs. Lacking registers are the kitchen pantry and the smaller walk-in closet for one of the spare BRs. So that's 20 supply registers. Returns in the small hallway between the LR and MBR, and in the longer hallway outside the two spare BRs. Both take 25" x 20" filters. The spare BR wing is 2°F to 3°F cooler (or warmer) than the MBR end. The master bath is warmest (and coldest) due to three large glass-block windows and being the farthest airflow run. |
Post# 1000215 , Reply# 24   7/13/2018 at 18:26 (2,084 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)   |   | |
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why have I never seen this? Maybe I just haven't paid attention. I just never remember being in a home that had multiple returns in every room like that. Then again, if I visit that's not really something I'm paying attention to. I'm imagining that's a pain too to change all of those filters. Hopefully, they are all the same size filters if there are that many intake or return or whatever they are called. I know in my hall where the 2 returns are, they are both differently sized returns so I have to buy 2 different sized filters. I'm trying to imagine that same scenario all over the house in each room. What a pain that must be.
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Post# 1000222 , Reply# 25   7/13/2018 at 19:16 (2,084 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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My house is 1565 or so sq. foot rancher. One air register per room. I have two air return "grills"--a larger one in the den next to the door into the entrance hall and that air return also butts up to the utility closet in the garage that houses the air handler and water heater. Then there's a smaller air return grill in the entrance hall perpendicular to the one in the den. |
Post# 1000224 , Reply# 26   7/13/2018 at 19:48 (2,084 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)   |   | |
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No air filters on all these return grills. Just a single "Aprilaire Space-Gard" filter that sits between the air return duct work and the furnace.
It takes one large 25" x 20" x 4" $30 filter that I change twice per year. These are fairly common around here.
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Post# 1000229 , Reply# 27   7/13/2018 at 20:19 (2,084 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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for me, there is only one filter, in the heater itself.....
there are little filters you can buy that fit behind the grill for even more filtering, I guess it would help keep the duct work cleaner... theres also return air grill covers, their magnetic, never thought that I could close off return lines, and make the unit pull air from warmer rooms needing more cooled air...I wonder if that would put the system into havoc like when I closed off regular vents.... |
Post# 1000493 , Reply# 35   7/17/2018 at 06:29 (2,081 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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If the single person is living in a rental place-than the wires in sight are really OK-he or she doesn't want to damage building walls that don't belong to them.The habit carries to this day with me! |
Post# 1000503 , Reply# 36   7/17/2018 at 10:25 (2,081 days old) by washman (o)   |   | |
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got around to cleaning up the cable. Someday.........I will get something lined up where it is a tad more presentable.
Until then, I am digging OTA and Netflix and not missing the exorbitant cable TV bill. |
Post# 1000556 , Reply# 38   7/17/2018 at 17:15 (2,080 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Steve, is your heat source natural gas and not electric or heatpump? All 3 houses I've owned (gas & heat pump systems) the blower was specifically set to run slower when heating vs. higher speed in AC mode. It's probably not a 2-stage system. If it were, the blower would be more variable in speeds than just the 2 you've noticed. |
Post# 1000641 , Reply# 39   7/18/2018 at 08:26 (2,080 days old) by chachp (North Little Rock, AR)   |   | |
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My mom’s house was built in 1969 and it had a vent on the floor in every room that supplied the cool air and returns up by the ceiling in every room. I remember my Dad used to play with the dampers in the basement when seasons changed. He eventually took a marker and indicated where each should be for Cooling and then for Heating. |
Post# 1000736 , Reply# 40   7/19/2018 at 10:29 (2,079 days old) by drhardee ( Columbia, SC)   |   | |
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Ahh, transom windows. They're very common in older homes in the south, where they provide an important source of air movement from room to room. Our home, built in 1947, has four or five of them, including the hall bathroom.
We keep them open year around; but if we have guests, we'll advise them to close the guest room transom if they're going to be "noisy" in the night... |
Post# 1000757 , Reply# 41   7/19/2018 at 16:30 (2,078 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)   |   | |
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I'm very surprised to see transom's in a house built as late as 1947. Around here you don't usually see them in buildings constructed after the teens. They add a nice touch to your attractive home. |
Post# 1000775 , Reply# 43   7/19/2018 at 19:15 (2,078 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Steve, yes it helps. As I believe I've stated, I do have variable speed air handler. I also have a multi-stage compressor for both the AC function as well as the Heat Pump (heat portion--which is actually one-in-the-same). I remember from all the previous years with central air, the fan motor speed was controlled by dip switches set at the time of installation according to guidelines. Combo52 is the individual responsible for providing me the information at a wash-in in 2002 resulting in me selecting the system I have currently. |
Post# 1000777 , Reply# 44   7/19/2018 at 19:33 (2,078 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Most interior HVAC blowers have multiple speeds. Non-variable speed units are hard-wired to a specific speed, usually higher for cooling and lower for heating. Changing the speed can be done by switching the appropriate wire connection(s) .... the installer selects the correct speeds for the required cu ft/min airflow rate. My system runs the same speed for both cooling and heating (heat pump). |
Post# 1000907 , Reply# 46   7/21/2018 at 06:23 (2,077 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Variable-speed (ECM) blower motors are very expensive. My understanding is that they vary the speed to maintain a specific (set) cu ft/min airflow rate for low, med, high, whatever recirculation speed is called, to compensate for variations in ductwork design and 'obstructions' such as filters. Is that right or am I misunderstanding? |
Post# 1000910 , Reply# 48   7/21/2018 at 08:01 (2,077 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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I had a Lennox 2-speed heat pump system with variable/ECM blower at my previous house. The blower motor failed (during warranty!) in a way that caused it to run backwards. This was in the early 2000s. I was told it would been $600-something (or maybe it was $800-something) if not in warranty. On the other hand, my current house has a single-speed heat pump with what I assume is a non-ECM/non-variable blower (it runs at the same full speed for both heating and cooling). Blower motor failed on it at 7 years. The cost was $664. Flat-rate, non-itemized invoice so I don't know what was the breakdown for part vs. labor vs. diagnostic, blah-blah-blah. I told the HVAC servicer in no uncertain terms that the charge was outrageous. |