If your attic is finished and the hvac system is in excellent condition you might be able to avoid this disadvantage but most houses do not have an attic that is suitable for full time living.
Hvac in crawl space vs attic.
The university of maine recommends proper venting of a crawl space to prevent radon gas buildup.
That means having it placed in the attic or a crawl space is a bad idea because you are increasing the risk of causing damage to the equipment.
If you use duct board flex in crawl space you will have problems.
Knowing the disadvantages of attic install and the crawl space install.
Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts.
Seal supply boxes with mastic.
The space is taken up by plumbing hvac and electrical wiring.
Place 40 ft drainage pipe with holes across center floor of dirt crawl space attach this to duct line to attic space with an inline 90 cfm silent exhaust fan at the other end of attic run a 6 in.
Insulate and air seal the floor with open cell foam put ductwork and mechanicals in the attic install a radiant barrier and mastic seal the ducts.
So why put an hvac system up in the attic at all.
So when we have a choice we prefer hvac systems located under the house.
Compare that with the daily 140 degree temperatures found in vented attics.
Attic hvac systems save space.
A two room addition on the 1st floor has limited attic space and a 4 crawl space.
The problem with uninsulated ductwork.
You ll also free up a closet.
Rarely will a sealed foam insulated attic deviate more than 15 degrees from the living space temperatures below it.
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However i have two questions if i want to centrally air condition my entire house.
There s usually nothing up in an attic aside from some stored items so a furnace won t take up useful space.
The hvac s air pickup is in the crawl space and it spreads the radon laden air into the house.
Animals love duct board flex 09 06 2007 02 11 pm 12.
Duct through corner of closet from attic back to crawl to circulate dry attic air and close the foundation vents.
It s easy to see your point about eliminating ductwork from the attic.
An outdoor unit which houses the fan condenser and compressor and an indoor unit which holds the evaporator and fan.
This means that like an attic or unfinished basement you don t heat and cool it.
The biggest advantage of having an attic furnace is that it s a space saver.
If you have ductwork in your crawl space the temperature of the duct will be the same as the temperature of the.
If the crawl space does not have proper ventilation radon concentrates in the trapped air inside the crawl space.
Well mainly it s a way to save space.
Strap ducts out of insulation with 3 ductstraps per specifications.
O is air conditioning the 1st floor effective with floor venting if i run ductwork in the basement.