Hello, I have a problem with a Power Vent system on an oil fired boiler heating system. The home is less than 1 year old. There is a high pitched screaming noise which originates from the power vent when it is operating. I notified the builder who sent over a company man who originally installed the system. Despite my recommendation to replace the unit, he disassembled it and claimed all it needed was to be cleaned. The unit was quiet for a few weeks and then started the noise again. I again contacted the builder who again contacted the heating company. The heating company guy told him that the furnace needed to be cleaned and serviced because it was running too rich and that was what was causing the problem with the Power Vent. The builder did not believe that was the issue being a new system, but agreed to pay for the service call/cleaning. I called my regular heating guy I have used previously, and he told me several disconcerting things- first that a Power Vent system is not compatible with most oil fired systems. He claimed they are primarily for Gas furnaces. He then said he will not even work on such a combination due to prior bad experiences, several of which concluded in legal litigations resulting from his opinion that the two are incompatible. He further stated that the reason the builder would put a system together is cost only- to avoid having to build a proper chimney. He asked if we had any problems with soot accumulation in the vicinity of the furnace and we do indeed have a minor amount that does accumulate. His recommendation is to push back on the builder and insist that a proper chimney be built to replace the incompatible Power Vent. My question is to ask if his assessment is reasonable, if in fact a Power Vent does not belong on the system, and if his solution to replace it with a proper chimney is the right way to fix this. Thanks very much, sorry for such a lengthy posting.

Do you agree that by having a new furnace in the attic that heats the 2nd floor which would be combined with a new a/c that cools the 1st and 2nd floor that teating or cooling system with a constant volume of air that during certain seasons will have that volume directed to a portion of the house that does not need that much air. The result is noise from the airflow through the ducts and registers and drafts from too much air. Or do you believe that Most v-speed products have different cfm settings for heating and cooling and reduced speed options of either. You could run full capacity airflow when cooling and drop to a minimum airflow in heating, all automatically from the thermostat demand. Combined with an electric zone damper for the first floor that opens only when cooling(again, automatically)and some good design, you could be in business and the a/c will have no effect on the noise of the heating system of the 2nd floor. Do you agree with this?