Furnace doesn't reach upstairs
#1
11-30-18, 05:06 PM
Furnace doesn't reach upstairs
I have a furnace in my basement. It heats the first floor just fine. The problem is that it just doesn't blow out much on the second floor.
I have an air handler for adding ac to a house where you don't have a furnace. Can I use that to push air upstairs
I have an air handler for adding ac to a house where you don't have a furnace. Can I use that to push air upstairs
#2
11-30-18, 10:30 PM
Group Moderator
An air handler in the attic draws its air in from the ceiling so it will do little to spread heated air.
With a forced warm air system..... the bulk of the heated air is delivered to the first floor since the hot air will rise to the second floor. You can try to slightly close some first floor registers to increase second floor flow.
Most forced air systems have one of two main dampers that control the second floor flow. If you have a basement.... look at the large supply ducts for a silver handle on it.
With a forced warm air system..... the bulk of the heated air is delivered to the first floor since the hot air will rise to the second floor. You can try to slightly close some first floor registers to increase second floor flow.
Most forced air systems have one of two main dampers that control the second floor flow. If you have a basement.... look at the large supply ducts for a silver handle on it.
#3
12-01-18, 04:38 AM
Increasing flow by increasing blower motor rpm should help but even hot air has a cooling affect when moving. Look at the schematic on the furnace or the blower motor to see if there are speed taps. if you have them and its not on max RPM. you can experiment. Good luck.
#4
12-01-18, 12:05 PM
While heat does rise and we thought the same thing, but we insulated between floors to keep the foot noise down. Most of the heat actually stays downstairs. The upstairs is probably a good 10 degrees cooler than downstairs. I did adjust the dampers everywhere but it didn't make much of a difference. That's why I was hoping I could push more air up there.
I can check and see if the fan can be speed up but I don't have much paperwork with my furnace. It's also a dual stage furnace.
I can check and see if the fan can be speed up but I don't have much paperwork with my furnace. It's also a dual stage furnace.
#5
12-02-18, 03:55 AM
Does every room upstairs have at least 1 hot air supply register and 1 return register? Insulating between the floors could have upset the balance between air flow and sustained room temperature. Increasing blower speed may help. You did not say how old the furnace is or the age of the house, the model and size of the furnace, the size of the supply and return duct work near the furnace, the number of supply and return registers in each room, how long you have been in the house, and is this a new or old problem, There a lot of guys that monitor this site and have a lot of knowledge about these problems but much more information is needed. Please send more information and pictures if possible.
#6
12-02-18, 04:59 AM
It hasn't been mentioned, but I think I would check the air filter first. A restrictive filter such as an allergen style, or a dirty one, would likely be the most common cause I see for low air flow.
