New home build and confused
Last Post 08 Jul 2012 12:41 AM by ONEVO. 106 Replies.
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joe.amiUser is Offline
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09 Jan 2012 09:15 AM
Posted By Alton on 08 Jan 2012 10:45 PM
My experience has been that no thought is given to installing HVAC ducts until the house is almost completely framed.  I have been asked to design utility space for only one home.  Builders are so used to installing ducts in an unisulated attic or in the crawl space that they see no need to ask for a drawing showing how the large ducts will be installed.  I have seen several homes that had to give up some closet space for a large return duct.
Agreed.
It is amazing how little forthought people put into conditioning their new homes. What good is it if you are not comfortable?

Joe Hardin
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09 Jan 2012 02:44 PM
Smaller ducts require less space and can reduce the cost of the job.  However, if you can hear the HVAC system running from almost every room in the house, then you can bet that the system has undersized ducts.  You can also bet that the system is not very efficient.  Properly sized ducts and a couple of easy 90° turns in the large supply duct will do wonders to quieten the system.  Finding so many homes with undersized ducts makes me want to specify only multi-mini-splits to avoid ducts altogether.
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09 Jan 2012 07:32 PM
Posted By ICFHybrid on 09 Jan 2012 12:32 AM
The ac unit will be in a closet in the conditioned space.
Are you worried about noise at all?

One can always frame the interior walls surrounding that closet in dense sound proof material. It's easy to do WHEN building, it basically becomes a sound proof room. 
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09 Jan 2012 07:36 PM
Lbear,

You are right about sound proofing the HVAC closet.  That will help.  However, it will not do much to quieten the noise if the ducts are too small and do not have some turns in them.  Noisy ducts would happen less often if installers used Manual D to size the ducts and then applied tried and true rules of design.
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09 Jan 2012 10:05 PM
I may be in a minority, buy I like the white noise. Which is one of a few reasons I leave the furnace fan on 24/7.
Brad Kvanbek - ICFconstruction.net
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09 Jan 2012 10:14 PM
Posted By ICFconstruction on 09 Jan 2012 10:05 PM
I may be in a minority, buy I like the white noise. Which is one of a few reasons I leave the furnace fan on 24/7.
With mechanical ventilation in an ICF home, doesn't a fan ran all the time bringing in outside air or is it set on some sort of timer?
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09 Jan 2012 11:08 PM
A little white noise is ok but having to turn up the TV when the fan comes on is what I am talking about.
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09 Jan 2012 11:13 PM

I believe some HVAC systems bring in fresh air for about 5 minutes each hour.  This may vary for some homes in different climates.  As a rule, we think of introducing fresh air only into homes that are tightly built.

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10 Jan 2012 12:11 AM
Posted By Alton on 09 Jan 2012 11:13 PM

I believe some HVAC systems bring in fresh air for about 5 minutes each hour.  This may vary for some homes in different climates.  As a rule, we think of introducing fresh air only into homes that are tightly built.


Having a decent amount of indoor plants would help with providing cleaner air and oxygen in a tightly built home. One would be surprised on how indoor plants help.

How much heating/cooling is lost with bringing in outside unconditioned air every hour?

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10 Jan 2012 01:46 AM
How much heating/cooling is lost with bringing in outside unconditioned air every hour?
Minimal heat is lost when you use an HRV/ERV - "Heat Recovery Ventilator" or "Energy Recovery Ventilator". My engineers gave me a starting point to run about 20 min of each hour.
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10 Jan 2012 01:41 PM
Make the utility room out of concrete and it can double as a safe room (and stop some noise).
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10 Jan 2012 03:35 PM
Does thermo ply stop air infiltration?
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10 Jan 2012 03:35 PM
Does thermo ply stop air infiltration?
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11 Jan 2012 03:40 AM
Final plan.
www.mediafire.com/?tc1kmx4rqwmq1ty
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11 Jan 2012 02:23 PM
Posted By fordracing19 on 11 Jan 2012 03:40 AM
Final plan.
http://www.mediafire.com/?tc1kmx4rqwmq1ty

The link does NOT work.
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11 Jan 2012 03:05 PM
Posted By Lbear on 11 Jan 2012 02:23 PM
Posted By fordracing19 on 11 Jan 2012 03:40 AM
Final plan.
http://www.mediafire.com/?tc1kmx4rqwmq1ty

The link does NOT work.

Just have to copy paste it. Im not too computer savvy.
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12 Jan 2012 04:05 AM
Posted By Alton on 09 Jan 2012 11:13 PM

I believe some HVAC systems bring in fresh air for about 5 minutes each hour.  This may vary for some homes in different climates.  As a rule, we think of introducing fresh air only into homes that are tightly built.


One GC that I talked to yesterday is NOT a big fan of tight homes. He thought it was sort of futile to build a tight home and then have to bring in outside air every hour.
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12 Jan 2012 08:39 AM
Perhaps because he doesn't understand heat recovery.
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12 Jan 2012 09:34 AM
Posted By jonr on 10 Jan 2012 01:41 PM
Make the utility room out of concrete and it can double as a safe room (and stop some noise).


Houses with basements, we usually have a safe room under the front stoop or porch, rather than fill it with dirt.
Brad Kvanbek - ICFconstruction.net
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12 Jan 2012 10:06 AM
Perhaps he also does not understand that the air we breathe should be flitered first.  Perhaps he does not understand how to build a house tight and then ventilate it right.
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