Renovating and remodeling can be stressful and expensive but what’s more stressful is discovering that all your hard work has caused more problems. For your HVAC system, this means that something like adding a window can affect its performance. Here are four ways your HVAC system is affected by modifications to your home.
Heat gain and loss
As mentioned above, adding a window will affect your HVAC system, specifically its ability to meet the heat gain and heat loss caused by this new window. Removing or blocking off windows or changing the wall construction in any way will affect the amount of heat your furnace has to add to keep the space comfortable. Even if you’re not adding floor space, consult with a professional to determine whether your system needs to be modified to handle extra energy loads.
Air distribution
Once you remove or add walls to a space, you need to consider how much air is going where. It’s not just a matter of having a grille throwing air into a space. It needs to be the right amount and in the right location to serve that space. Otherwise, you risk hot and cold spots or areas with stagnant, stuffy air. Even if your heating and cooling loads remain the same, you need to look at your home’s modified layout to see if any changes need to be made to the air distribution system. This also applies to hydronic based systems where you may need to add, or relocate radiators to maintain comfort in your space.
Ventilation
Modifications to your home’s layout or changes to a room’s purpose may require modification to your home’s ventilation system. It’s obvious that a new bathroom will need an exhaust fan but did you know that a storage room should also have its own ventilation? Depending on what you plan to use a space for, you may need to install an exhaust fan, remove existing ones or have an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) put in.
Combustion air
If your remodeling includes any work to your furnace room or just outside (like an addition), you need to ensure that there is still enough combustion air available for your furnace. Otherwise, you run the risk of incomplete combustion, which produces carbon monoxide, putting you and your family at risk. Tightening up construction around your furnace can also cause this problem so talk to a professional if you’re working in this area.
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