houses in Fisher Landing have heating vents inteh ceiling??? (Vancouver: for sale, appliances)

[KOCMOC]

I've been checking out quite a few houses in the Fisher Landings area and I'm noticing a strange thing. Very large percentage of houses has heating vents in the ceilings, instead of floors. Why is that? Who was the rocket scientist who came up with that design? Is there an advantage to that? Please share the secret. Thanks.

[thirtysomething]

Not the ceiling, but both our houses in California had the heat/air vents high up on the walls. In Chicago the intake vents were near the floor, and the outtake vents were high on the walls (or is it the other way around?)Are the houses all around the same age? That could have something to do with it.

[KOCMOC]

Houses are built around mid 90s. Probably by the same developer. The thing is that region of the Vancouver is getting hit by very cold winds from the Columbia Gorge durign winter. In order to heat a house effectively during the winter, I'd expect to see heating vents on the floor. If they are on the ceiling, warm air will never get to the floor. I've noticed that a furnace is located in the attic. What the heck???

[fy10fyr]

If part of the house is built on a slab, as opposed to a basement or crawl space, that's the only option for running the ductwork in that area. That's "usually" the only time you'll see heat vents in the ceiling.

As far as the furnace in the attic..... no idea.

[hml1976]

Yes, fy10fyr is right. When we lived in the south and our house was on a slab our heat vents were in the ceiling and our furnace in both houses we lived in in Tennessee had furnaces in the attic. I'm not certain but I was under the impression that its too cold or wet here to build effectively on slabs... I don't know that for certain though.

[StealthRabbit]

think "CHEAP"... it is much easier to run flex duct around an attic that to build up sheet metal runs in the crawlspace.

his reminds my of my 1980 home I rented the first 2 yrs in Vancouver... It had ceiling cable resistance heat. My S-I-L came from Hawaii for xmas, and spent the week standing on the toilet and holding her hands against the ceiling to get warm. Was fine with me till we got the electric bill...

Also the point about 'slab-on-grade', is another reason for attic heat.

I have heat ducts in my daylight basement but haven't turned on the furnace yet this winter. (using 80% wood and 20% passive solar)

[sushi66]

A couple of the houses I looked at for sale in Forest Grove (was in a huge development of fairly crappily built homes) had big heating vents in the *floor* of the upstairs *hallway* right in the middle of the carpeted floor. I envisioned someone falling through that vent in time.

[KOCMOC]

<<think "CHEAP"... it is much easier to run flex duct around an attic that to build up sheet metal runs in the crawlspace.>>

but is it safe/reliable? i don't have a problem with 'cheapness', as long as quality is not affected.

<<his reminds my of my 1980 home I rented the first 2 yrs in Vancouver... It had ceiling cable resistance heat. My S-I-L came from Hawaii for xmas, and spent the week standing on the toilet and holding her hands against the ceiling to get warm. Was fine with me till we got the electric bill...>>

make sense for a person from hawaii, but i'm from pdx. will i feel a difference? i'm trying to feel this out, am i going to notice a difference in temperature with the vents-in-the-ceiling?

<<Also the point about 'slab-on-grade', is another reason for attic heat.>>
is this a downside for the house? is it safe? also, what if gas furnace blows, how am i supposed to replace it?

[StealthRabbit]

I'm sure it was done to code, and it should be plenty safe/

It might be drafty on the floor areas, as heat will not be evenly distributed.

There is access available to heating appliances located in attic spaces (as part of the building code)

I would be more concerned with comfort and efficiency. Have a heating contractor look at it if you want a professional opinion. Most home inspectors will have a relationship with a heating contractor. See if you can get the documentation of past few year's heating and electrical usage. Be sure to translate usage into current rates, but you want to see the actual usage data. (an validate how it compares to reality / normal) which PUD should help you out with. Depends on family size, showers, thermo setting, windows, insulation, plasma TV, # of refrig, blow driers.... I like to see # under 40 Kwh / day in winter on full electric home. Any realtor worth their salt can get you all this info when you narrow your choices of homes. First thing I look at is Mill Levy, then multiply that times asking price. That will often keeping me looking for awhile till I find one that I like.

[sofia76]

Heating vents in the walls and ceilings are common here in Fisher's Landing because none of the new homes are built with basements.