I have a room under the front stairs that is partially insulated with no vents. It has a water well and sump pump. If I put vents in, do I risk the water freezing?
Keeping HVAC systems within the conditioned enclosure can be tough without a basement; one option is to use plenum trusses for the roof, which offer a space for equipment and ductwork.
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Replies
If you have an unconditioned space with filled water pipes, and the space is exposed to outside air, unless there is constant flow in the pipes, they will eventually freeze, if the outside temperatures remain cold long enough.
BTW, This past Dec. a lady called because the pipes froze in the crawl space under her house. Seems as though the crawlspace vents were open and the cold air blew in and froze the pipes. I made/installed plywood covers and it didn't happen again.
Thanks! I am hoping to do a small wine cellar and was concerned about the dampness / moisture level because of the water. That's why I want to put some vents.
Maybe I could also add a small heater to ensure the temperature doesn't go too low.
Is there such a thing as temperature controlled vents?
If the pump will freeze, the wine risks freezing too (though at a lower temp, since the alcohol acts as antifreeze).But keep in mind that in the summer, if the pump runs a lot (eg, watering the lawn) it can heat the place up quite a bit, vents or no vents.
In Alabama probably no.
In Minnesota probably yes.