12 Hvac Distributionsystems v2.0

WEATHERIZATION ENERGY AUDITOR SINGLE FAMILY
HVAC Distribution
Systems
1 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Learning Objectives
HVAC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
By attending this session, participants will be able to:

Name functions of the components of forced warm air,
hot water, and steam distribution systems.
Demonstrate common diagnostic and assessment
methods for ducted distribution systems.
Describe common problems for each distribution
system type.
Explain solutions to these common problems.

Good Ducted System Design
A well-designed duct system:

Provides conditioned air to meet all room heating loads.
Provides thermal comfort evenly in all conditioned rooms.
Is properly sized so that static pressure is within
manufacturer specifications.
Is sealed to provide proper airflow and prevent air from
entering the house or duct system from polluted zones.
Has balanced supply and return airflows to maintain a
neutral pressure in the house.
Minimizes duct air temperature losses between the air
handler and supply registers.

Forced Air Distribution System
The parts include:

An air handler at the furnace.
A heat exchanger where the heat from combustion is
transferred to the distribution air.
A supply air plenum to which the supply trunks are attached.
Branches attached to the supply trunk.
Supply registers through which conditioned air flows to the
living space.
Return grilles through which air flows back to the furnace.
Return branches and trunks attached to the return plenum.

Ducted Distribution System

Ducted Distribution System, Contd

Open Returns
Open return
Draft hood
(open at bottom)
Photo Courtesy of PA Weatherization Training Center

Distribution System Components
Atmospheric
Gas Furnace
Find the:
1. Circulating fan
2. Air filter
3. Cold air return
4. Heat exchanger
5. Warm air to house
Source: Heating with Gas, Natural Resources Canada, 1998.

Function of Heat Exchanger
The furnace heat exchanger is where the heat from

combustion gasesusually between 70% and
95% is transferred to the distribution air in the
ductwork.
The heat exchanger is an extremely important part
of any furnace because it can have a significant
impact on efficiency and health and safety.
Combustion byproducts must not mix with
distribution air.

Heat Exchanger Leakage Testing
Test methods:
Damaged area of
1. Visual inspection heat exchanger
2. Inspection with small torch
3. CO reading
4. Wavering flame
5. Tracer gas
Photo courtesy of New River Center for

Energy Research and Training (NRCERT)

Ductwork Efficiency
Specify duct sealing where ducts

are located in unconditioned
spaces.
Ducts in unconditioned spaces
should be insulated to
recommended levels.
Seal all returns in spaces where
atmospheric fossil fuel appliances
are located.
It is often necessary to remove duct

insulation to properly seal ducts.
Seal with mastic, then re-insulate.
Photos courtesy of NRCERT

Ductwork
This sheet metal ductwork

is located within the
building envelope, so it
does not need to be
Photos courtesy of R. Karg insulated.
Ducted System Controls
The primary controls are:

Thermostat.
Fan and limit control.
Balancing dampers.
Motorized dampers (these are not common).

Furnace Thermostat
The thermostat
activates the burner
on a furnace.
The fan and limit

switch turns the air
handler blower on
and off.
Photo courtesy of R. Karg

Fan and Limit Control
This control turns the

air handler blower on and
off at set temperatures.
This is the fan control.
It also shuts down the

blower if the heat exchanger
area gets too hot (usually at
about 200). This is
the limit control.
Recent versions are

electronic and cannot be
adjusted in the field.
Graphic source: Heating with Gas, Natural Resources Canada, 1998.
Photo courtesy of Honeywell.

Balancing Dampers
Dampers help control airflow to rooms.
Balancing damper
Graphic source: Heating with Gas, Natural

Resources Canada, 1998.
Manual balancing dampers are not as common

as they should be. Sometimes they need to be added.
Motorized Dampers
Motorized dampers are

uncommon.
Motorized dampers are
used for zoning a
ducted distribution
system, rather than for
balancing.
When a zone requires

heat, the thermostat of
that zone opens the
zone damper and
activates the furnace
burner.

Common Ductwork Problems
Common problems include:

Duct leakage to/from the outdoors.
Restricted return side.
System not balanced.
Temperature too high or too low at heat exchanger.
Static pressure out of range.
Airflow of air handler fan not matched to system.
People live within the distribution system. Closing a
bedroom door or covering a register or grille can
significantly alter airflow.

Diagnostics for Ductwork
Diagnostics include:
Pressure pan (duct leakage).
Duct blower (duct leakage).
Static pressure.
Temperature rise.
Room-to-room pressure differences (door restrictions).
Air handler blower CFM flow.

Pressure Pan
Test the duct system with

a pressure pan and blower
door to identify: Pressure
pan testing
Leakage to the outdoors of the duct
system
when ducts are located
outside the thermal
boundary.
Leakage pathways from
duct-containing building
cavities to the outdoors (e.g.,
floor-joist cavities adjacent to
porch roofs, cantilevers).
Photo courtesy of NRCERT

Pressure Pan Procedure Summary
Depressurize house to
50 Pa with blower door.
Test each register and The handle allows for
easy testing of
grille. Document hard-to-reach ducts.
readings.
Registers too large or
oddly shaped may be
covered with plastic and
taped on edges.
Seal duct leaks and
retest.
Goal = readings lower
than 1 Pa
Pressure Pan Use
Sample mobile home duct pattern

Bedroom 0.8 Pa
Bedroom 1.2 Pa
Bath 2.4 Pa
Furnace Closet (living room) 2.6 Pa
Living Room 2.6 Pa
Kitchen 1.2 Pa
Kitchen 0.5 Pa
Total: 10.7 Pa
2.4 Pa at the bath register and 2.6 Pa

at the living room register indicate a
large leak between them, probably
at the furnace plenum.

Duct Blower for Duct Leakage
Use duct Manometer
pressurization
testing to quantify:
Total duct leakage
(to indoors and
outdoors).
Duct leakage
to outdoors.
Duct blaster
Photo courtesy of The Energy Conservatory

Duct Blower Procedure
Summary #1
To test for total duct leakage:

1. Open a window or door to the outdoors.
2. Install duct blower to the air handler compartment.
3. Temporarily seal all supply registers and return grilles.
4. Insert manometer hose into a supply duct.
5. Open up rooms containing ducts.
6. Pressurize the ducts to 25 Pa and record the airflow.

Duct Blower Procedure
Summary #2
To test for duct leakage to outdoors:

1. Close all exterior windows and doors.
2. Set up blower door to pressurize the house.
3. Connect duct blower to air handler compartment and
manometer hose to air handler compartment.
4. Temporarily seal all supply registers and return grilles.
5. Pressurize the ducts to 25 Pa.
6. Pressurize the house until the pressure difference of
the house and the ductwork is 0 Pa.
7. Record the airflow at the duct blower.
Room-to-Room Imbalances #1
Closed doors that prevent

supply air from getting back
to a return cause positive
pressures in those rooms
with supply vents. . .
which starves the return Return Supply

for air, causing negative
pressure in the zone where
the return is located.
Closed door

Master
Bedroom
Utility Room Kitchen
Whole-house return in hallway
Living Room
Bedroom Bath

Measure room-to-room pressure imbalances

Room pressure imbalances over 3 Pa should be
remedied by adding supply or return air. Then retest.
Photo courtesy of
PA Weatherization Training Center

Solutions
1. Undercut door.
2. Add jumper duct.
3. Add door grille.
4. Add wall grille.
5. Add transfer grille.
6. Install return in
affected room.
Graphic source: Air Distribution System Design, DOE, 2003.
Find the size of the free vent area of your solution by opening the door while the
air handler is running. When the manometer reading falls below 3 Pa, measure
the in2 of door opening. This is the in2 of free opening for your solution.

Measuring Static Pressure #1
Magnet
Photo courtesy of Rob deKieffer Photo courtesy of R. Karg
Point the tip into the air stream Static pressure tip

Measuring External Static Pressure

Check nameplate for External Static Pressure (ESP).
Measure both return and supply sides of the air handler
as the unit was shipped.
o Measure at inlet and outlet of blower.
o Have a clean filter in place (suggested).
o Dont measure beyond the A/C coil unless it shipped
with unit.
Add return and supply pressures together, IGNORING the
negative sign.

General External Static Pressure and Fan Relationship
External Static Pressure Air Handler Fan Flow

IWC (Pa) Cubic Feet per Minute
0.69 (173) 1,350

0.62 (155) 1,400
0.55 (138) 1,450
0.47 (118) 1,500
0.39 (98) 1,550
0.31 (78) 1,600
If the static pressure is too high, the fan flow will drop.

Measuring External Static Pressure

If ESP is too high, the airflow might be blocked or the ductwork might
be too small or restricted.
If ESP is too low, the ductwork might be very leaky or the fan might be
dirty or damaged.
Typical ESP totals are around 0.5 IWC or 125 Pa with an air
conditioning coil and filter.
Typical ESP totals are around 0.25 IWC or 62 Pa without an air
conditioning coil and filter.
It is preferred to have the return and supply sides of similar
magnitudes, for example, a return of -34 Pa and supply of +31 Pa.

Temperature Rise Test #1
Place thermometer in supply side as close to furnace as possible but

out of sight of the heat exchanger.
o Use manufacturers recommended measurement method, or
o Use the four-corner method (measure at each corner or supply
plenum and average readings).
Place thermometer in return side.
Fire furnace.
When the supply-side temperature reaches steady state, subtract
return-side from supply-side temperature to get temperature rise.
Check specified temperature rise on furnace name plate. Actual
should be in the middle of the nameplate range.

Measuring Temperature Rise &

Calculating CFM
The temperature
rise for this example
is 70:
145 supply side
-75 return side
70 temperature rise

Excessive temperature rise can result from:

Low fan output.
o Wrong fan speed, bad motor bearings, low voltage to
motor, dirty blower wheel, wrong motor rotation,
slipping blower belt.
Low airflow from restrictions in system.
o Undersized or restricted ducts, dirty filter, dirty cooling
coil.
Overfired burner (gas pressure or oil nozzle).

Low temperature rise can result from:

Excessive fan speed.
Excessive duct leakage.
Underfired burner.
o Low gas pressure.
o Oil nozzle not matched with airflow rate.

Temperature rise that is too high can:

Damage the heat exchanger.
Cause rocking on the high limit.
Temperature rise that is too low can:

Lead to condensation.
Cause excessive soot buildup.
Lead to occupant discomfort.

Measuring Air Flow at Air Handler #1
TrueFlow Air Handler Flow Meter
Measures airflow
in residential
air handlers
#20
#14
Photos courtesy of The Energy Conservatory

Measuring Air Flow at Air Handler #2
General Minimum Airflow Values
Airflow in CFM Furnace BTUH Input
500 Less than 60,000
700 60,000 to 79,999
900 80,000 to 99,999
1,200 More than 100,000

Assessing Ductwork #1
Analysis
Interviewof Existing about
occupants Ductwork -1
the thermal comfort of the
existing system.
Ask about:
Uncomfortable rooms.
Excessive noise.
Frequent cycling
of furnace.
Plumbing through return duct!


Analysis of Existing Ductwork - 2

Inspect air handler and ductwork for such things as:
Disconnected ducts.
Duct leakage. Disconnected duct!
Restricted returns.
Panned floor joists.
Ducts in unconditioned
spaces.
Balancing dampers. Photo courtesy of R. Karg

Do technical testing and appraisal of the duct system

and equipment.
Duct leakage
o Pressure pan testing
o Duct blower testing
Room-to-room pressure
imbalances
Very dirty blower vanes!
Static pressure
Temperature rise
Blower CFM Photo courtesy of NRCERT

Analysis of Existing Ductwork - 5

Determine strategies for duct repair:
Write down possible problems.
Determine required alterations to furnace and ductwork.
Decide on consumer education strategies.

Good Hot Water Distribution
Design
Good design:
Provides conditioning to meet all room heating loads.
Provides thermal comfort evenly in all conditioned
rooms.
Heats the dwelling quietly.
Hot water or steam distribution is often referred to as

hydronic.

Hot Water Distribution System
The parts include:

Thermostat(s) that activate the circulator pump.
Circulator pump(s). Might include zone valves rather than
two or more circulator pumps.
Aquastat control.
transferred to the distribution water.
Supply and return piping at boiler.
The expansion tank.
Hot water baseboard units (convector) where the thermal
energy is transferred to the conditioned rooms.
Series Loop Hot Water System
A series loop hot

water distribution
system is probably
the most common
system layout
because it is the
least expensive.
Based on graphic from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc.

Series Loop Hot Water Baseboard
Typical hot water baseboard distribution
Damper fin
Photos courtesy of Slant/Fin

Expansion Tanks
Old-style tanks (above) and

newer tanks (right) allow for
expansion of heated water and
contraction of cool distribution Photos courtesy of R. Karg
water.
Hot Water Distribution Controls
Basic controls include:
Thermostat
Circulator pump(s)
Zone valves
Aquastat

Boiler Thermostat
The thermostat activates

the boiler circulator or
zone valve and circulator.
The aquastat controls

the burner.

Boiler Aquastat
An aquastat:
1. Maintains boiler water
temperature.
2. Provides high-limit
temperature protection.
3. Will not allow circulator
to operate if boiler
water temperature is
too low.
Also assists with DHW

temperature control if the
Normally, the aquastat control is covered. water heater is tankless or
indirect-fired.

Zone Valves
Zone valves are

controlled by
thermostats in each
zone.
This house has 3
zones with one
thermostat for each.
The 4th zone valve
is for domestic hot
Photo courtesy of R. Karg water from the
Zone valves take the place of circulators. boiler.

Potential Problems with
Hot Water #1

Poor maintenance:
If a hot water distribution
system is maintained
properly, there is little that
can go wrong.
o Oil-fired boilers should be
cleaned and tuned every
year.
o Gas-fired boilers should be
cleaned and tuned once
every three years.

Hot Water #2
Poor expansion tank maintenance

Older tanks (above) should
be drained and refilled annually.
Newer expansion tanks (right)
Photos courtesy of R. Karg
require very little maintenance.

Hot Water #3
Air bleeder vent
Air in the distribution system

If the air bleeder valve malfunctions, air will
not be purged from the distribution system.
This air (oxygen) will create sludge and make

the system noisy as the air is pumped with
the water.
Expansion tank

Good Steam Distribution Design
A good design:
Provides conditioning to meet all room heating loads.

Provides thermal comfort evenly in all conditioned
rooms.

Steam Distribution System
The parts include:

A thermostat(s) that activates the circulator pump.
Pressure control (Pressuretrol).
transferred to the distribution water/vapor.
Supply and return piping at boiler.
o For one-pipe distribution, the supply and return pipes
are the same.
o For two-pipe distribution, there are separate supply
and return pipes.
Steam radiators that transfer thermal energy to the
conditioned rooms.
Steam Distribution Controls and
Gauges
Basic controls include:

Thermostat
Pressure control (Pressuretrol)
Sight or gauge glass
Low-water cutoff

Steam Boiler Thermostat
The thermostat activates

the steam boiler burner.
The Pressuretrol turns the

burner off when the set
pressure is reached.

Steam Boiler
Pressuretrol
(pressure control)
Sight glass
Low-water cutoff
Oil burner

Steam Distribution Controls

The low-water cutoff will
shut off the burner if the
Sight (gauge) glass water falls to an unsafe
level. This is required by
code.
The sight or gauge glass

provides an easy way to
determine the water level
in a steam boiler.
Low-water cutoff

Pressure Control for Steam
This device determines

the operating range of
the boiler during the
heating cycle.
When the thermostat

calls for heat, the burner
will cycle up to the cut-
out pressure setting of
the Pressuretrol. The
Photo courtesy of Honeywell Controls burner will then shut off.

One-Pipe Steam Distribution
One-Pipe Steam Distribution

Both steam and
condensate use the
same pipe.
Steam travels to
each radiator,
condenses (giving
off heat), and flows
back to the boiler
through the same
pipe as condensed
Graphic based on Basic Steam Heating Systems, Hoffman Specialty, ITT
Industries, 1999, p. 2, www.hoffmanspecialty.com.
water.

Two-Pipe Steam Distribution
Steam moves to the

radiators in one pipe
and the condensate
flows back to the
boiler through the
other pipe.
These pipes are

usually a smaller
diameter than
one-pipe systems.
Graphic based on Basic Steam Heating Systems, Hoffman Specialty, ITT
Industries, 1999, p. 2, www.hoffmanspecialty.com.

Potential Problems with Steam #1
Steam distribution pipes

are sometimes covered
with asbestos insulation.
If this material is friable,

be careful; it might be
best to avoid blower door
testing.

If one- or two-pipe
radiators dont heat up,
the supply valve may be
closed or the air
Supply valve
valve may be blocked.
Air valve
Two-pipe radiator
Photo source: The Open Fire Centre Ltd., Yorkshire St.,

Oldham, Lancashire, UK. www.fireplaces-oldham.co.uk.

Steam pressure is
often set too high.
This can cause
distribution problems
and wastes energy.
For most residential

low-pressure, one-
pipe systems, 2 psi
cut-out pressure or
less will work fine and Photo courtesy of Bill Van der Meer
maximize efficiency.
High pressure can cause distribution problems and
waste energy.

When replacing a steam

boiler, the new unit must
be sized to match the
installed radiation, rather
than the heat load of
the house.

Summary #1
The function of all distribution systems is to provide even

thermal comfort in all rooms of the home.
Major components of forced air distribution systems include an
air handler, heat exchanger, supply air plenum, supply and
return registers, grilles, branches, and ducts.
Forced air system diagnostic procedures include duct leakage
testing, measuring static pressure, temperature rise, room-to-
room pressure imbalances, and airflow across the heat
exchanger.
Common problems associated with ducted systems include
room pressure imbalances, improper temperature rise, and
energy wasted through duct leakage to the outdoors.

Summary #2
Major components of hot water distribution systems include the

thermostat, circulator pump, aquastat control, heat exchanger, supply
and return piping, expansion tank, and hot water baseboard units.
Major components of steam distribution systems include the
thermostat, pressure control (Pressuretrol), heat exchanger, supply and
return piping at the boiler, steam radiators, sight glass or gauge glass,
and low-water cutoff.
Some common problems associated with hot water or steam
distribution include expansion tank degradation, low water levels
(steam), or improper sizing once the home is weatherized.
Compared with ductwork, hot water and steam distribution are relatively
trouble-free, and diagnostic procedures are easy. We merely ask the
occupants if there are problems with the thermal comfort of the home
and conduct a simple inspection of the distribution components.

12 Hvac Distributionsystems v2.0

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

12 Hvac Distributionsystems v2.0

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

WEATHERIZATION ENERGY AUDITOR SINGLE FAMILY

1 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

By attending this session, participants will be able to:

2 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

A well-designed duct system:

3 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

The parts include:

4 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

5 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

6 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Photo Courtesy of PA Weatherization Training Center

7 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Source: Heating with Gas, Natural Resources Canada, 1998.

8 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

The furnace heat exchanger is where the heat from

9 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Photo courtesy of New River Center for

10 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Specify duct sealing where ducts

It is often necessary to remove duct

11 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

This sheet metal ductwork

The primary controls are:

13 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

The fan and limit

Photo courtesy of R. Karg

This control turns the

It also shuts down the

Recent versions are

15 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Dampers help control airflow to rooms.

Graphic source: Heating with Gas, Natural

Manual balancing dampers are not as common

Motorized dampers are

When a zone requires

17 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Common problems include:

18 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

19 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Test the duct system with

20 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Sample mobile home duct pattern

2.4 Pa at the bath register and 2.6 Pa

22 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Use duct Manometer

23 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

To test for total duct leakage:

24 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

To test for duct leakage to outdoors:

Closed doors that prevent

which starves the return Return Supply

26 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Whole-house return in hallway

27 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Measure room-to-room pressure imbalances

28 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Graphic source: Air Distribution System Design, DOE, 2003.

29 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Photo courtesy of Rob deKieffer Photo courtesy of R. Karg

30 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

Measuring External Static Pressure

31 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM December 2012 eere.energy.gov

General External Static Pressure and Fan Relationship