Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Furnace Intake
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Furnace Intake
RD17
08-10-03, 08:04 AM
I have a Rheem forced air propane furnace that was installed 4 years ago. The intake on the furnace is not taking air from outside. Last winter I had some furnace trouble and the technician that repaired it told me the problem was the moist basement air the furnace was taking in and that it needed to be taking in outside air.
I have an older house where the floor joists are are cemented into the foundation so my only choice to get a pipe outside is to drill through the cement basement wall.
How high off the ground and how far from the furnace exhaust vent does my intake need to be? What do I need to do for a cover on the intake, etc. to insure that water doesn't get in? Any other tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have an older house where the floor joists are are cemented into the foundation so my only choice to get a pipe outside is to drill through the cement basement wall.
How high off the ground and how far from the furnace exhaust vent does my intake need to be? What do I need to do for a cover on the intake, etc. to insure that water doesn't get in? Any other tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
GregH
08-10-03, 08:56 AM
RD17:
The requirements for this are strictly governed by code and manufacturers installation requirements.
You may want to have a licensed heating contractor do this for you or you will have to look at the installation manual for your furnace and contact the inspection dept.
The requirements for this are strictly governed by code and manufacturers installation requirements.
You may want to have a licensed heating contractor do this for you or you will have to look at the installation manual for your furnace and contact the inspection dept.
Sharp Advice
08-10-03, 09:30 AM
Hello and Welcome RD17 to the do it yourself web site.
I totally agree with Greg. I think your got the wrong advice from the prior service rep whom was at your home for that service call.
The intake air should be from inside the house not outside. Outside air is often too cool/cold. Thus the furnace runs longer to heat the incoming cooler or colder air.
More energy is thus used and the time duration to raise the inside temp increases in relationship to the incoming air and t-stat demand set temp.
Secondly, still further energy and efficiency is wasted simply because in order to force outside air in, inside air must be removed.
In terms of the balloon theory of expansion/contraction. To force air in, some air must be removed or the force of the incoming air reduces until a window or door is opened, etc.
Therefore, having the intake inside, as centrally located as possible, the house circulating the inside air only, reduces recovery time to raise the house temp to the selected setting, the furnace runs less and uses less energy.
Additional, moisture will not be a problem since there will not be much contained in the inside air. All combined by continuously recycling the inside air, will dramtically reduce energy usage, furnace run times {how often it turns on to heat} & durations of time it runs, moisture problems, filter changes, etc can be obtained by simply using inside air.
If you need further assistance, use the REPLY button to add any additional information or ask additional questions. Doing so will keep all postings together for easier reading and following along and automatically keep your question current.
Regards & Good Luck.
Doityourself Web Site Host & Gas Appliances Forum Moderator. Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.
I totally agree with Greg. I think your got the wrong advice from the prior service rep whom was at your home for that service call.
The intake air should be from inside the house not outside. Outside air is often too cool/cold. Thus the furnace runs longer to heat the incoming cooler or colder air.
More energy is thus used and the time duration to raise the inside temp increases in relationship to the incoming air and t-stat demand set temp.
Secondly, still further energy and efficiency is wasted simply because in order to force outside air in, inside air must be removed.
In terms of the balloon theory of expansion/contraction. To force air in, some air must be removed or the force of the incoming air reduces until a window or door is opened, etc.
Therefore, having the intake inside, as centrally located as possible, the house circulating the inside air only, reduces recovery time to raise the house temp to the selected setting, the furnace runs less and uses less energy.
Additional, moisture will not be a problem since there will not be much contained in the inside air. All combined by continuously recycling the inside air, will dramtically reduce energy usage, furnace run times {how often it turns on to heat} & durations of time it runs, moisture problems, filter changes, etc can be obtained by simply using inside air.
If you need further assistance, use the REPLY button to add any additional information or ask additional questions. Doing so will keep all postings together for easier reading and following along and automatically keep your question current.
Regards & Good Luck.
Doityourself Web Site Host & Gas Appliances Forum Moderator. Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.
GregH
08-10-03, 10:25 AM
RD17:
After reading Sharp Advice's response I think we each made a different assumption on what you mean by "air intake".
I took your meaning as combustion air intake and I think Tom's interpretation was house air intake.
Please explain more clearly.
Also if you go to this thread you will find more about what we need to know: http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122673
After reading Sharp Advice's response I think we each made a different assumption on what you mean by "air intake".
I took your meaning as combustion air intake and I think Tom's interpretation was house air intake.
Please explain more clearly.
Also if you go to this thread you will find more about what we need to know: http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122673