jJon G
Active member
This might be a bit wordy but I want to make sure I cover all the info
I live in St johns Newfoundland Canada temperature range in the winter is -8c to 3c but can get down to -15 and more with the wind chill. The summer range is not that much better 8c to 14c so all in all our weather fluctuates a lot and this causes a wet climate. Our weather is Crappy ……..
So my house is around 8 years old it is a split entry 32’x32’ with an unfinished basement.
I have a venmar constructo 1.5 air exchanger. It WAS in the back left hand corner of the house with the exhaust exiting on the back of the house and the fresh air intake around the corner on the left hand side of the house with a storm cover over the intake (bigger hood)
The air exchanger was working when we bought the house. But the pipes were all torn up and not insulated. It was a messy install at best and the previous owner had it apart. The house was ALWAYS cold.
I decided to move the air exchanger to the front of the house (front left hand side) as it will be over the hot water tank and free up more room in the back. To do this I just extend the hoses from the intake and exhaust with new longer flex pipe running in between the floor joists. Regular 6’’ flex for the exhaust and insulated 6’’ flex in a plastic sleeve for the intake. My joins for the fresh air intake are sealed with no air getting in. 6’’ clamp on flex and then red tuck tape on plastic sleeve.
Moving forward I am in the process of starting to finish my basement and looked at the fresh air intake and the insulation is soaked with water! So I followed the pipe and you can feel the wet insulation 15’ from where the intake goes through the wall. I do not think this is due to snow or rain ingestion. I am thinking it is due to condensation on the fresh air intake.
My house is Allways cold and the snow around the exhaust is melted from the machine pumping out my heat …..
So what are your thought on this ? what can I do ?
Thanks
I live in St johns Newfoundland Canada temperature range in the winter is -8c to 3c but can get down to -15 and more with the wind chill. The summer range is not that much better 8c to 14c so all in all our weather fluctuates a lot and this causes a wet climate. Our weather is Crappy ……..
So my house is around 8 years old it is a split entry 32’x32’ with an unfinished basement.
I have a venmar constructo 1.5 air exchanger. It WAS in the back left hand corner of the house with the exhaust exiting on the back of the house and the fresh air intake around the corner on the left hand side of the house with a storm cover over the intake (bigger hood)
The air exchanger was working when we bought the house. But the pipes were all torn up and not insulated. It was a messy install at best and the previous owner had it apart. The house was ALWAYS cold.
I decided to move the air exchanger to the front of the house (front left hand side) as it will be over the hot water tank and free up more room in the back. To do this I just extend the hoses from the intake and exhaust with new longer flex pipe running in between the floor joists. Regular 6’’ flex for the exhaust and insulated 6’’ flex in a plastic sleeve for the intake. My joins for the fresh air intake are sealed with no air getting in. 6’’ clamp on flex and then red tuck tape on plastic sleeve.
Moving forward I am in the process of starting to finish my basement and looked at the fresh air intake and the insulation is soaked with water! So I followed the pipe and you can feel the wet insulation 15’ from where the intake goes through the wall. I do not think this is due to snow or rain ingestion. I am thinking it is due to condensation on the fresh air intake.
My house is Allways cold and the snow around the exhaust is melted from the machine pumping out my heat …..
So what are your thought on this ? what can I do ?
Thanks