Far too often we go into our customers homes and find a common issue.  It’s an issue that reeks havoc on the climate in the home. It has a lot to do with floor layout and whether the home has a second or even a third floor. It also has a lot to do with ductwork design. The problem is ‘stratification of air’.  Stratification of air is when hot air in the home rises and the cooler air drops.  Many people fight the good fight against it using everything from fans to closing air vents however, one would do well to obtain a good understanding of how a ‘proper duct system’ would combat the issue.

Every proper duct system has two sets of ducts.

Supply air: which delivers conditioned air

Return air: which pulls air from the home in order to condition it

You need both or neither will work.  If you have a room without a return air duct, there will be no negative pressure or ‘vacuum’ for the supply air vents to want to deliver conditioned air into. Is your basement cold? Do you have enough or even any return air vents down there? So many homes DO NOT have return air vents in the basement!  Imagine if your cold basement had return air ducts installed in it…then you could leave your furnace blower on all day and pull air from that cold basement and deliver it to the rest of your home!  Your hard working A/C system would turn on substantially less, in turn SAVING $$$!  Not only saving money but also turning your basement into a more consistently enjoyable living space.

It will never completely alleviate your upstairs being warmer, however, it will make a big difference…and why wouldn’t you want to be comfortable in all of the rooms in your own home?

Steve De Vries is a “Red Seal” refrigeration technician with over 20 years of experience in the HVAC industry. He has been a certified Lennox Premier technician since 2006. Steve is also a Master gas-fitter licensed by the province of Manitoba. Along with his Red Seal Provincial accreditation he also holds an electrical license. Born and raised in Winnipeg Manitoba, Steve has a very good understanding of a diverse climate and the affects it has on our construction. Well versed in duct design, fabrication, ventilation, and air quality, Steve understands all the variables to take into consideration for our region as well as the science to achieve desired comfort, which is so much more than just temperature.