List of Simple Questions 17

On the List of Simple Questions page and on the others alike (see links to them below), you can find answers to all spectrums of issues this website is dedicated for!
If your search engine sent you to this page that means, that a similar question was asked before and you will be able to find the answer you are looking for.
Some of the questions are simple enough and you can find answers right here on this page.
The others are more complicated and I provided links to the pages on my site where you can find free information.
For the third part of the questions that are not that simple, as you may think, I provided links to the paid pages or books on my site.

So, please scroll down, find your question and good luck!

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A guide on where to install heat vents in a new house.
There are just a few very simple rules where to install heat and return vents in a house. Get more info in Chapter #3 from my Ductwork Installation Guide e-book.

3. House Mark-out* – the chapter gives a brief explanation on how to mark out a house so carpenters could cut all the   openings in the walls and in the floor and the ductwork installer would know the layout of the system. The chapter has 8 pictures; 5 pages*. $2.37 (Instant Access). *Glossary, Spiral Duct Quiz, HVAC DESIGN MANUAL, pdf file. Updated on 05/07/2011. On 07/08/2011 text of this chapter was significantly modified and improved.

Add takeoff duct furnace should tap into top or side?
Doesn’t matter, but it looks better on the top of the duct.

Air conditioning, ventilation, humidification, sheet metal fabrication books published in India.
I think that all books above if you buy them in the US would work for India as well. BTW you can buy them all on this page.

Alternatives to running duct work in a finished room over garage.
You can install Mister Slim, but this is an expensive alternative… Buy it on the left.

Am I allowed to disconnect duct work from bathroom?
This it your house baby – just do whatever you want! But why???

At the top of my furnace, the sheet metal / duct work splits into two separate ducts that supply different parts of the house...
If the furnace is rated at 1200 CFM, should those two ducts be sized for 600 CFM or?
What about the return air duct work? I was told that it bigger is better and having it too small (sized for only 1200 CFM) would create a lot of noise. On the supply trunks, it's how much air the rooms on each side need, that determines what size those 2 ducts should be.
The return is generally large, to allow for the restriction of the air filter, and to keep the air flow low through the air filter, so it can do its job... The return must be larger then the supply trunk/trunks.

Bathroom exhaust fan with fresh air intake.
I have never heard of…

Can a basement gas furnace duct work be redone to save on space?
Yes, learn how to do it on this page.

Can a cold air return be used for two different rooms?
No.

Can adding a return air saving energy?
Of course. Get more info on this page.

Can an attic mounted air handler crack drywall?
If it sits on the rafters without rubber pads and vibrates wildly, maybe then…

Can evaporator and furnace drains be combined?
Yes. Learn how to do it in Chapter #50 from my Ductwork Installation Guide e-book.

50. Condensate Line, Venting and Condencate Line for Comfortmaker, Aire-Flo, Lenox and Rheem furnaces*# – the chapter is divided in two parts. The first one has a few cases that cover an installation of the condensate line for the Carrier furnaces. The second one talks about differences in venting installation and condensate lines installation for the Comfortmaker, Aire-flo, Rheem, Lennox and Goodman furnaces. The chapter has 29 picture; 18 pages*. $3.41 (Instant Access). On 0710/2013 text of this chapter was significantly modified and improved. *Articles: Condensate Lines and Condensate Pump. Leaking PVC Pipe Quiz. #From 2006 IRC M1411.3

Can I add an inline fan to my air returns?
Yes. And you can buy on the left.

Can I block off the heating vent in my garage damage furnace?
You shouldn’t have any vent for your garage from your furnace.

Can I enlarge my duct for better kitchen exhaust?
Yes, why not. Get more info on this page.

Can I go from round duct to rectangle duct for my cold air return?
Yes.

Can I safely cover my wall heat register vent with aluminum foil?
Well, I think you can do it, but it’d looks like shit.

Can I shut all dampers on my furnace except one?
No.

Can I take my combustion intake from my garage?
No.

Can I use duct tape for propane dryer exhaust?
No. You should use an aluminum foil tape. Buy one on the right.

Can laying something on top of a furnace duct stop the caning and popping?
No, but you can learn how to eliminate those noises on this page.

Can return air flow affect supply air flow?
Absolutely!

Can unfinished basement cause second floor to be cool?
No.

Can you install wall return from 12 inch duct through 14 by 3 opening between studs?
No, this opening is too small.

Can you manually start a high efficient furnace?
Yes, you can connect red and white terminals on the furnace circuit board and push the safety switch on.

Can you pull combustion air for furnace from basement?
Yes.

Closed vent damaging thermostat.
This is impossible.

Closing heat vents in unused room hurt or help?
Well, it’s hurt if you’ll do it on your own and its help if you’ll learn how to do it on this page.

Cold air vents (return air) must be positioned in interior walls, and heat ducts and registers (supply air) must be installed along exterior walls.
Yes, this is the best layout, but it’s not always possible to do. Get more info on this page.

Condensation build up in electronic air cleaner in attic.
You do not need it. Just pull out all guts and replace it with 4” - 5" pleated filter. Buy one on the left.

Demon activity in walls and attic air-conditioning vents!
Well, this is a ducworkinstallation.com – look for help on exorcist.com or crazy.com websites!

Device to stop furnace ductwork from banging.
Device? Never heard of it! But you can fix it if you’ll learn some simple techniques on this page.

Do duct silencers go in front or behind fan?
Behind.

Do ducts in closets have to be covered?
If it’s for a better look – definitely yes!

Do Goodman draft inducer blower motors require oil or are they permanently lubricated? First off, are you asking about inducer motor or about blower?
But it any case in the modern furnaces they are both permanently lubricated.

Do you need to install supply registers in hallways?
I would recommend installing one or two heats in a hallway on the second floor connected to the first floor furnace, if there are two furnaces in a house.

Do you need to insulate exhaust ducts from bathroom fans in an unconditioned attic space in south Florida?
Yes, all ducts in unconditioned spaces should be insulated.

Does condensate run through exhaust works on 90 plus?
Yes.

Does furnace run a lot because of lack of cold air return flow?
Yes, it could be a culprit too.

Does opening basement registers conserve energy?
No.

Does shutting vents save money?
Yes, of course, get more info on this page.

DotNetNuke problem with installing PayPal buy now button.
You can ask this question on this page and I’ll help you out!

Drywall expanding and contracting popping noise.
Are you kidding, drywall doesn’t make any noise – ductwork, copper and PVC pipes do. Get more info on this page.

Duct distance between two takeoffs.
It could be as small as ¼”.

High and low cold air return.
Yes, you have to have both. Get more info on this page.

High efficiency gas furnace drain line will not freeze on the outside.
Wrong, it will.

Homemade draft inducer.
Please do not invent a wheel – purchase a new one.

How do I get rid of whistle in my air vent?
If your register isn’t partially closed, then you can partially close the damper or add a couple more heat runs. Get more info on this page.

How do I know how big to make my 45 degree duct transition?
Look, if yours isn’t too big, believe me it doesn’t matter! Just read on this page and you’ll be able to make whatever you want.

How far away does intake for furnace need to be from exhaust drier?
3’.

How high does the furnace have to be off the ground?
Well, it isn’t a simple question: in the crawl space and in the attic it could be suspended, in the basement it can be set on bricks or on a cold air return box.

How much energy is saved by closing vents in unused rooms forced air?
About 20%. Get more info on this page.

How to close vents in unused basement?
Just turn the dampers or registers off.

How to make sure there's no backdraft in a bathroom fan?
If you do not feel it, then there is nothing to worry about.

How to repair rusted hvac boots?
You can’t repair them but you can replace. Learn how to do it on this page. Buy one on the right.

How to turn off water supply for humidifier, YouTube?
C’mon, you do not need a YouTube video to learn how to do that, just turn the valve off. Get more info on this page.

Humidity in house is 45 but still wake up with dry nose.
It’s not bad to have the RH at 45%! Learn how to increase it on this page.

Hvac installation rare picture.
Oh my, I have tons of them on this site! Just go to this and to this pages and enjoy!

I have a 10in air duct in the attic with no cap, how do I seal it?
Buy 10” round cap and block the duct.

I keep hearing a loud rumble but there's no storm.
I don’t know where it’s coming from. Maybe it’s just in your head?

I live in a 5 year old house and I repaired the squeaky floor. Now, there are sounds coming from the water pipes and/or ductwork. What to do?
Learn how eliminate them on this page.

I live in Philadelphia and have a dual-fuel Lennox XP21 HP/SLP98 furnace and iComfort controller. What is the recommended setting for the Defrost Termination Temp so as to not "over defrost" but also making sure it clears all the ice off the coils? The iComfort does not have defrost tempering but I can live with the 2-3 mins of cold air during defrost. It has a setting for 50-100* and I currently set it to 60*. The default is 50* and I feel it does not clear all the ice when it gets real cold outside. My intention is to run the HP down to as low an outdoor temp as possible. HP Balance point temp is set at 30* and Aux heat lock-out is set at 20* since I have expensive propane. So far, the furnace has not kicked on even around 27*.
I'd want at least 70.

I no longer use my humidifier on my gas furnace can I take it off and plug the holes into the duct work?
Yes you can. Get info how to do it on this page.

I recently purchased a home built in the early 1950's. It has a forced air oil furnace. I noticed that most of the basement duct work is new with the exception of the runs going up in the wall that service the first and second floor. These ducts are wrapped with the same substance. I have fears of what it might be - asbestos. What are your thoughts? I plan on having a sample tested later this week and am bracing for the massive expense of removal. Somehow the home inspector missed this.

It may be asbestos and probably is.
Don't panic as apparently if it is painted with oil based paint and encapsulated then the fibers cannot get out and it is safe. Do some research about that and I am sure latex is not good enough.
Duct cleaning companies remove it and they spray it with water when they are working with it. Once again there are no loose fibers. Not super expensive and you may want to research that.
Doing large amounts of asbestos removal in buildings is different as they have to create isolation areas and have a negative pressure but for small amounts it may not require as elaborate a process.

Is 38% humidity low?
Yes, it is low. Learn how to increase it on this page.

Is carbon monoxide 3-5 actually dangerous in your home?
Any amount of carbon monoxide is dangerous!

Is duct tape heat resistant ok to use on dryer exhaust duct?
You cannot use duct tape – use aluminum foil tape. Buy one on the right - the second one from the top.

Is it better to slightly oversized your duct or undersize it on your return line?
Oversize.

Is it dangerous for your gas meter to make a popping noise?
Just call to your gas supply company and ask it’s free!

Is it normal for an old floor heat to make popping sounds?
No. Learn how to get rid of it on this page.

Is it safe to pull the plug on my central heater with the pilot on?
Yes.

Is it safe to turn condensation pump off while furnace is running?
Yes it’s safe, but the water may spill all over the floor.

Is sheet metal better than thermo pan?
No.

Is there carbon monoxide in high efficiency furnace PVC exhaust?
Just buy a carbon monoxide detector on the right and check it out. My, for example, doesn’t produce any.

Many computers in garage need an air conditioning in winter?
No, maybe just a fan.

Most of the house is 71 degrees the bathroom is 66 how do I make it warmer have a gas furnace?
If you have a heat run for the bathroom – check out the damper on the pipe, it’s probably closed. If you do not have a heat run or the pipe is too small – install one or increase the pipe. Get more info on this page.

My furnace is in a crawl space I don't see a filter there is one in house return ducts?
Bingo, you got it.

Otolaryngologist’s suggestion for the humidity should be in the house in the winter.
Well, you do not need to ask an otolaryngologist! The best level of humidity is from 40% up to 50% RH.

Why is sheet metal duct better than flex duct and duct board in Florida, or other hot humid states, when installed in the attic?                                                                                                                                                                                  Metal duct work has a lower friction rate than any other type of material, meaning it is less resistive against air trying to move through it. This means you can use smaller diameter metal duct than the equivalent size of flex or duct board. The type of duct material doesn't matter where you live, as long as it's sealed and insulated properly. There's nothing wrong with flex duct as long as it's sized and installed appropriately. It requires a lot less labor to install versus metal. Duct board is junk, IMHO.