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Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:56 pm
by daddyhominum
Hi all;
I'm a newbie to this forum and this is my first post. I first posted to another forum and their experts sent me here!

We bought a 1991 1400 f2 double wide Dartmouth by Moduline(Penticton,BC) and this
is our third winter in it. We are on the Saanich Peninsula near Sidney,BC.

The electric furnace has required two repairs this winter. After the second, a replacement of fuses,just before Christmas, the heat distribution air flow to the side opposite the furnace reduced to almost nil while the air on the furnace side became far too powerful. This inequality has led to one side being far too warm and the other cooler.

I have been under the house and see no evidence of disconnected ducts nor does the temperature down there suggest a leak. I have snaked my garden house down all the ducts and it seems to pass freely for the width of the off side.

When the furnace repairman left, I reset the programmable thermostat and the first time it kicked in the heat/fan cycle, I heard a loud noise. The furnace man said nothing he did would cause the problem I describe.

I hope you experts can tell me what has happened and how to fix it so th3e heat distribution returns to both sides of the home.

Thank you.

Dennis

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:17 am
by Robert
Hi Dennis,

Did you physically check the crossover duct for kinks, collapsed spiral wire inside, etc that can stop airflow ?

Disconnect from non-airflow side and stretch out if flex to see if airflow is coming out.



Thanks,
Robert

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 11:14 pm
by knix
Good luck with finding the solution. I will be watching this for answers

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 12:17 am
by Robert
Please start a new thread with your questions and then delete this post.

We keep each thread to one poster for ease of following.


Thanks,
Robert

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:40 pm
by daddyhominum
Hi Robert. Thanks for reply.

I am over 70 and my knees are bad so I sent a young gardiner I use to go check. He could see no visible problem.

After I sent this post,I managed to find many posts relative to this issue on this website. I gather that our heating problem results from the failure of the crossover duct to carry air.I also learned that the aging system almost certainly deteriorated in other ways.

As a result of this information and considering my own physical limitations, I am going to find a professional to go under and repair the crossover problem and fix any other deterioration he finds in the way of leaks.

I will post back in this thread when he has completed the work.

Dennis

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:19 am
by Robert
Hi Dennis,

IF a problem is found with the crossover, best solution is either two 90* elbows and all metal duct between wrapped in foil backed insulation.

Next best is two 90* ells and flex duct stretched tight between them.

This pretty much eliminates collapsing, kinks and most problems associated with crossover ducts.



Thanks,
Robert

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:11 am
by cskal
I did something similar. I put together a solid metal 10" duct with the appropriate elbows from one side to the other of my DW, then I insulated it using a 12" flexible crossover pipe which I slid over the solid duct like a sleeve. Seems to work well for me.

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 2:14 pm
by daddyhominum
Hi All,

The technician found that the metal pipe inside the 10 inch insulated crossover has separated so that the forced air is not able to flow smoothly to the registers reducing the heated air exitiIng those registers. I presume the static back pressure increase in the crossover encourages more flow to the furnace-side registers.

The tech will have the sales people phone me with costs of options of replacement, or metal, or els and stretched tube.

Dennis

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:08 am
by Robert
Hi Dennis,

Yes sir, that will cause that. Thanks for update, glad it was located.



Take care and best wishes,
Robert

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:55 pm
by daddyhominum
Repairman cut open the crossover duct today, rejoined the metal pipe inside and taped it all back up tightly. Cost: $100

So, I'll call this problem resolved. Thanks for all the great help.

Cennis

Re: Forced air heat distribution changed to uneven

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:57 pm
by Robert
You're very welcome, happy to help.


Thanks,
Robert