Four Lessons I Learned Electrifying My Home

I have an open staircase to the basement, which allows return air to flow back to the air handler. I have noticed the dust doesn’t stay entrained in the air long enough to make it back to the MERV 16 filter. Another problem is that the 1.5-ton heat pump doesn’t move as much air as the old 100,000 btu furnace and three-ton air conditioning unit. Moving less air means fewer air changes per hour and less air passing through the filter. It is possible the air quality would have improved if I had kept the individual room returns, although the amount of air being filtered would remain the same.

I temporarily improved my air quality by assembling a Comparetto cube, which is five 20-in. x 20-in. x 2-in. filters taped together with a box fan. The downside of this type of filtration device is that it is big, ugly, and loud.

In the long term, I plan to install a duct system in the attic tied into an air handler with another MERV 16 filter. The idea is to constantly run the variable-speed fan on the air handler to capture any dust before it falls out of the air. I plan to use a Haven IAQ monitor in the return duct system to increase the blower speed when the particle count is high. Time will tell if my plan improves my home’s indoor air quality.

If You Don’t Test, Then You Guess

Replacing my system has been a great learning experience. I have monitored system run times, the room and house pressures, and the indoor air quality. In the past, I have made prescriptive recommendations for my residential customers without understanding their homes.

It is easy to overlook important details that can impact the comfort of a home, even when testing and using data to make decisions. Imagine designing and commissioning a High-Performance HVAC™ system without testing the results. The odds of success would be low, and you might have better luck playing the lottery. Using numbers and data is not an option; it is a necessity if your goal is to install a safe, comfortable, and efficient system.

Adam Mufich serves the HVAC industry as a content developer and instructor for National Comfort Institute, Inc. (NCI). NCI specializes in training that focuses on improving, measuring, and verifying HVAC and Building Performance.

If you’re an HVAC contractor or technician interested in learning more about air sealing benefits, contact Adam at ncilink.com/ContactMe. NCI’s website www.nationalcomfortinstitute.com is full of free information to help you improve your professionalism and strengthen your company.