Ceiling Condensation - HVAC Advice Needed

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Yeah, I never would have thought they were insulated with unicorn down. I'd seen them on TV but--holy cow!

 

[steveh_131]

Unicorn down? Rofl

 

[looney2ns]

Take out that whole house fan, trash it. Fix the ceiling where the hole is correctly. Insulate it properly in the attic afterwards.
If you go up in the attic on a good cold winter day, and stick your head over whole house fan, you will shocked at the air flow and heat that you feel that is leaking out of that thing.

Your utility bill will thank you, summer and winter.

Bet that is where the pockets of hot air are coming from that you wife mentioned.

You need to fix any other air infiltration leaks you have in your ceiling as well, or for that matter, anywhere in the house.

Crank that dehumidifier down to at least 50%.

You need a good vent fan in that bathroom....today. Installed, sized and vented properly, and used.

The Panasonic's are hard to beat.
https://www.acwholesalers.com/Panas...rz2CCHjLuESC72EmuAt0pBbJ9hixMMxl88aApBX8P8HAQ

 

[churchmouse]

OK.......Cycling the furnace blower as opposed to full time run.

1st....only 24/7 the blower on extreme temp days. mid to high 80's and up. If you measure the total energy used to start the fan several times a day the electricity used is near a wash. It takes a bit more currant to get the fan started from static and bring it up to speed. Once there it is sailing along.
It is actually easier on the motor to run. The bearings/winding's etc come up to temp and coast along. If you listen to a furnace blower start up from static it moans a bit climbing in RPMs.

2nd....Yes, the whole house fan is great on cool summer evenings like we have been having if you like the air. They are mainly spring and fall use.
My dad had one that I made a cover with twists tab locks so it was really easy to get ready to run. He never used it after the A/C was turned on. Covered all winter as well. They are some work but If you like them keep it. If not, just make a nice cover for it.

 

[churchmouse]

Take out that whole house fan, trash it. Fix the ceiling where the hole is correctly. Insulate it properly in the attic afterwards.
If you go up in the attic on a good cold winter day, and stick your head over whole house fan, you will shocked at the air flow and heat that you feel that is leaking out of that thing.

Your utility bill will thank you, summer and winter.

Bet that is where the pockets of hot air are coming from that you wife mentioned.

You need to fix any other air infiltration leaks you have in your ceiling as well, or for that matter, anywhere in the house.

Crank that dehumidifier down to at least 50%.

You need a good vent fan in that bathroom....today. Installed, sized and vented properly, and used.

The Panasonic's are hard to beat.
https://www.acwholesalers.com/Panas...rz2CCHjLuESC72EmuAt0pBbJ9hixMMxl88aApBX8P8HAQ

A "Good" cover is a lot less work but yes, the are leaker's.

 

[Brandon]

Doesn't running that fan 24/7 run up the electric bill pretty quick? Does it wear out the air handler sooner?

We leave both of ours on (2 units, one upstairs, one down stairs) on 24/7. The total increase in the bill a month you ask? Couldn't tell ya maybe a buck or 2 a month.
Also helps eliminate warm/cold spots through out the house. As for wearing out quicker, can't answer that one.

 

[steveh_131]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

Guess I'll be installing a bathroom vent soon. Turned the dehumidifier down to 50. I'll run the blower 24/7 on hot muggy days.

Cm, did you seal up your house fan from below or from the attic? Id like to do mine from below if possible, my attic Is a real pain to get into.

 

[churchmouse]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

Guess I'll be installing a bathroom vent soon. Turned the dehumidifier down to 50. I'll run the blower 24/7 on hot muggy days.

Cm, did you seal up your house fan from below or from the attic? Id like to do mine from below if possible, my attic Is a real pain to get into.

I made a nice cover from a piece of paneling but anything like that will work. From the bottom.

 

[Informed Decision]

Not to point fingers but you mentioned that the condensation had a yellow tint to it... By some chance does anyone smoke or maybe the previous owners. Sounds like classic tar on the ceiling from smoke to me. We had to clean my m.i.l.'s house & it actually was so thick that the water was totally black & had to be changed more times than I could count. We finally gave up & put "kilz" & painted it. Not trying to be critical & it doesn't solve your problem. It sounds like the bully has your issue under control. Good Luck.

 

[steveh_131]

No smoke from us. None previously that I'm aware of, but who knows. We figured it was just dirt and grime falling.

 

[LtScott14]

One low return doesn't help much in the summer. Brother in law had same set up, we carefully measured up the wall from the return, cut open the space high on the wall between the studs, added a register with a damper, and more return was achieved and higher heat was removed. He would open the upper in summer, and slid a piece of cardboard across the lower one. Opposite in winter, used lower for a cold air return.

Right way would be to install returns in ceiling of the bedrooms, hallway, and duct down to furnace. Of course the house is finished, need a closet space to run the round/square duct to basement. Not cheap, but right. My house is similar, and return was in a filter grill in the hallway. Had the sheet metal guy rework those with flex duct and paid him cash to offset his low quote, but it is right now, and works. Filter is now in the return trunkline. (no more filter grille) Easy to change.

Moving air is what CM advised, and he is correct. Cheapie box fan ceiling high, may also get you by, till you pinpoint the moisture. Can you crack a window during the shower? Are your roof vents breathing? Some people put pie pans over them in the winter, inside the roofline. Hope your soffet vents aren't plugged.
The whole house fan is okay. Maybe use some 1"x 2"s for a rectangle frame, some visqueen, and attach it carefully to the frame of the fan. That would close it up.

Leaky bathroom exhaust fans spew all kinds of problems, also dryer vents.

 

[Rookie]

Have you tried Uncoiled Rice?

 

[Brandon]

Have you tried Uncoiled Rice?

/thread

 

[looney2ns]

The problem with creating a cover used either below or above is it is really hard to insulate it and seal it up properly. Especially after it is removed and put back a few times.

Two of my kids both bought older house's with whole house fans. After a couple of years in the house, and them complaining about the utility bills, they wised up and listened to ole dad and tore the suckers out, fixed the hole, and insulated the attic's properly. Much more pleasant utility bills and much more comfort.

Whole house fans were a good idea back in the day, when no one had air conditioning in the house, and energy was cheap to heat the house. Today? Nope.

It was clear afterwards they were not saving any $$ at all by having and using the whole house fans.

Rarely is leaving a window partially open during a shower going to solve anything at all.

 

[Crbn79]

Does your furnace have a Humidifier and is it turned off? If so, Turn it off at the water line hookup solenoids go bad and stick open.

 

[miguel]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

Guess I'll be installing a bathroom vent soon.

Take pictures when you do it! I'd like to do one but have no idea where I'd direct the air.

 

[steveh_131]

No humidifier.

Anybody else want to weigh in on floor vs ceiling return vent? Should I add another one at the ceiling level?

Also considering the house fan. If I can't devise a very well sealed device to close it off, I think I'm removing it. I think I can though.

 

[steveh_131]

Take pictures when you do it! I'd like to do one but have no idea where I'd direct the air.

Ok, can do. I might vent it through the outside soffit. Not sure I'm comfortable cutting a hole in my roof quite yet.

 

[Crbn79]

No humidifier.

Anybody else want to weigh in on floor vs ceiling return vent? Should I add another one at the ceiling level?

Also considering the house fan. If I can't devise a very well sealed device to close it off, I think I'm removing it. I think I can though.

Sure there is an advantage with floor over ceiling Visa versa, it flips from heating to cooling mode. Floor vents are great for heating, ceiling for cooling.
From what I've read I'd look at your main issue being an internal water source such as bathroom/kitchen/dryer.

 

[Brandon]

In our bedrooms, our return air is down load, about 12" off the floor. Downstairs, and in the hall upstairs, the are in the ceiling.