We have just finished an addition to the home serving as a granny flat. The lot is irregular in 3 dimensions, the ground floor of the addition is four feet above the floor of the existing house, and the main floor is at road level – the addition is built at road level as the addition is partially built into the side of hill.
Not to make a short story long, and get to the point, the first floor of the addition is 4 to 5 degrees cooler than the top floor which is at a comfortable temperature. The heating is central – natural gas forced air furnace, duct work throughout the house, though I only see one return register near the floor in the big open room on the first level (on the first floor there’s near ceiling registers in the bathroom, bedroom ceilings, and one in the big open living room)
There’s only one thermostat – on the top floor. The first level is finished with a bedroom, bathroom, living room as the intent is to live in it. Each floor is about 900 square feet.
The contractor is telling me: too bad, that’s the way it is, no changes, that’s the way it is at his house.
This does not seem right to me, especially after the amount money paid to the contractor.
Can anything be done to make the first room more comfortable temperature wise? Any comments would be welcome.
Thank you in advance,
Shivering in the dark,
Rod
Replies
Destratification.
Sorry, you lost me in the description on what is where ... The addition is above the main house, which is at road level ... which is where??? Not sure which is the top floor ... started thinking it was the addition ... 4 feet above the existing house.
You did put heating in the addition, right? Any contractor who simply makes the comment you conveyed shouldn't be working ... 'It is what it is, too bad'. No place for that kind of attitude in business. Is this a GC who is supposed to be taking care of providing everything (elect and HVAC and plumbing)? If so, he should provide heat ... unless you told him you didn't need or want it.
What was the game plan for heating the addition? If you aren't getting enough heat, you may have several issues: Not enough capacity in your furnace heat wise, not enough air flow because your new ducts are too small (relatively speaking). There could be other issues, too. He did insulate the addition well, didn't he? R-19/R-21 walls and R-30++ in the ceiling? Good windows, too?
Need better info to help better.