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Ive got a couple of people lined up to come check this, but it wont be until after New Years, so Im asking for opinions. First, our kitchen and dining room are one big room, vents are on opposite ends of room, but under the linolium at each vent it has turned a greyish/blueish color. One had a china cabinet near it, and where one of the legs on it were actaually "sunk" into the linolium and wood, almost like flooring was wet and got soft. (Which it may have, but I dont see how). The 3rd and 4th vents show no issues. Second, in our bedroom, and only in tha troom, the oak floors have buckled at one vent. The other is fine, and so are all the other floors near vents in the house. Any ideas why these 3 areas could be like this? (Wish it was easy to post pics for me, I sure they would help.)
Knowing and understanding rH, the size of the A/C unit, insulation of both the house and the HVAC system will help in determining where and how to resolve the issue. It would also help to know if the floor is above a basement or crawl- and their current condition?
Knowing and understanding rH, the size of the A/C unit, insulation of both the house and the HVAC system will help in determining where and how to resolve the issue. It would also help to know if the floor is above a basement or crawl- and their current condition?
rH? AC unit is a American Standard (Trane) "gas pack" 3 ton, I believe. New 4 years ago, and new ductwork then too, insulated. Crawlspace, but is incapsulated, which was done the same time as the new HVAC.
This just started happening like within the last 6 months.
rH? AC unit is a American Standard (Trane) "gas pack" 3 ton, I believe. New 4 years ago, and new ductwork then too, insulated. Crawlspace, but is incapsulated, which was done the same time as the new HVAC.
This just started happening like within the last 6 months.
You’ve got a moisture issue somewhere in the mix. I agree with KBuilder that it’s likely condensed water from the air.
rH? AC unit is a American Standard (Trane) "gas pack" 3 ton, I believe. New 4 years ago, and new ductwork then too, insulated. Crawlspace, but is incapsulated, which was done the same time as the new HVAC.
This just started happening like within the last 6 months.
rH (relative humidity)
All of that sounds good…
So, we venture further down the rabbit hole.
I’ll assume you don’t have a whole house humidifier- and the crawl space is being conditioned?
Door and window weatherstripping. Have all the floor penetrations in the crawl space been sealed (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.)? What about the ceiling/attic space (adequate insulation, penetrations sealed, including the access)? Is the exterior of the house in sound shape (caulking, paint, trim, etc.)?
Since you said you have new duct work, I’ll have to assume that it was installed correctly and the register boots were properly insulated…?
You’ve got a moisture issue somewhere in the mix. I agree with KBuilder that it’s likely condensed water from the air.
I could and would agree, but would the subfloor not show any signs of moisture? In the one area in the kitchen I can get to under the house, I cut the plastic at the tape and pulled it back and I could not see any signs of moisture there. The end where my bedroom is is lowr to the ground and Im too claustrophobic to check that.
All of that sounds good…
So, we venture further down the rabbit hole.
I’ll assume you don’t have a whole house humidifier- and the crawl space is being conditioned?
Door and window weatherstripping. Have all the floor penetrations in the crawl space been sealed (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.)? What about the ceiling/attic space (adequate insulation, penetrations sealed, including the access)? Is the exterior of the house in sound shape (caulking, paint, trim, etc.)?
Since you said you have new duct work, I’ll have to assume that it was installed correctly and the register boots were properly insulated…?
Im only a couple of hours MW of you, so our weather is about the same! Ill answer the best I can remember. No whole home humifier. The crawl space has vents, 2 on eash end, 3 in the back, and 2 in the front. The 2 on the kithcen end have thermostatically controlled fans, but Im not sure what they are set at, They (the fams) were put in when the other work was done. Doors and windows were the highest quality I could find 20 years ago when we renovated, and are still in great shape and functioning properly. The old ducts were simple metal piping, but was repalced with flexible insulted ductwork, which cost almost as much as the HVAC unit, and Im certain the register boots wre replaced, but I cant recall if the insualation is inside the boot or outside. I do know one wasnt changed because it went up into a wall in the bathroom and changing would have required taking out tile. I dont know the R-value of the attic insulation, but it was blown in back when we remodeled as well.
You’re definitely going to want the rH inside measured. With all of the changes that have been made to the structure and envelope there may not be enough venting or fresh air exchange.
I had a neighbor that was experiencing similar issues in TX, caused by an oversized AC unit that didn’t run enough to dry the air out in the summer causing a ton of condensation.
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