HVAC Tuning

I added insulation the to heating vents under the house where the flex hose joins the adapter section to feed into the rectangular ducts in the walls. Also re-hung some of the ducts to take mild kinks out. Large pieces of cardboard can make crawling the underside easier on the knees and even a bit cleaner.

The biggest change to the HVAC system was to rebuild the damper into the vent cover located in the living room. This involved removing the vent cover from the wall where it was plastered and painted over the edges. A sharp utility knife kept the damage to a minimum and then plaster and paint to match when replacing it.

The original damper was made from sheet metal. At first an old cookie sheet was though to be the answer but finally a thin piece of furniture grade plywood salvaged from something long forgotten was the answer. A couple of small blocks and some wood screws finished it. It whistles a bit but is not intolerable. I think some felt around the edges would soften or eliminate the sound but also might act as dust catchers. than main result was a better balance between downstairs and upstairs for cooling. this particular vent was at the end of the main plenum and was dumping all the air in the living room.

Next was to seal all the leaks in the HVAC unit in the basement. metal heat tape was used instead of duct tape. The duct tape says it resists 200 degrees but it eventually falls off the really hot surfaces anyway, especially if there is air pressure behind it.

Running the unit with the fan only allowed finding the leaks without making it too hot to touch or so cold it has condensation. Feeling the leaks with your hand will do but a moist hand is even more sensitive.