Hot Water Radiator with central air efficency tips

David_47

We have central air conditioning that is used in the summer. We use the hot water baseboard radiator heat in the winter. What is the best thing to do to cut down on the drafts from the air conditioning vents? All responses are appreciated.

Al Roethlisberger

How are you getting \"drafts\" in closed forced air system?


Disclaimer: I am not an HVAC pro....

But, I am wondering if the larger question is "why" you are getting "drafts" from your AC venting??

In theory your AC system is a sealed forced air system, taking air from the interior, moving it through an air-handler/heat-exchanger, then back into the house via your registers. So any air moving through it should be sourced from inside the house. If the air in your home is already warm, then if any air somehow moved via convection or blower through the "off" AC ducting, it shouldn't be appreciably colder than the ambient.

Now, that is assuming you have insulated ductwork, the air-handler and ducting is in a heated(or warmer than outside) space, etc.

I suppose that if the ductwork and/or air-handler were in a cold space, it was really cold, and uninsulated(or poorly insulated) you could have some cooler "fall" down out of overhead ducting. But I think it would be especially unusual to have cold air "well up" from ductwork and an air-handler below the living area, unless it was being blown in.

The reason I am brainstorming here is that one of the things I'd look into first is "why" you have cold air "drafts" in your AC ducting.

If it is simply an odd case of overhead ducting/equipment, in a cold space, and cold air "falling" into the house... well, beyond insulating the ductwork and equipment, I suppose you could close your registers and/or put a piece of batt insulation in the register for the season. Maybe they make register covers for this sort of thing. A quick Google could find them if so I'm sure.

But if you are really feeling a "draft"... a serious movement of cold air out of these vents, especially if blowing "up" from the floor... I'd recommend looking at how/why your "off" AC venting is becoming pressurized enough to "pump" cold air into the house.

You could have some loose ductwork that is allowing wind blown cold air under the house, in the attic, etc... to blow into the ducting. That of course is a problem in winter and summer that could really elevate your energy costs.

Anyway, just something to think about. Good luck!

Al