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Lizzieplants
| Posted in Mechanicals on
In constructing a very tight near passive house (1 1/2 story) with a hydronic hot air system is it ok to place all registers (supply and return) up high or on the ceiling? The HRV is integrated in the heating system (NuAir Enerboss). One of the return registers is close to the wood stove to hopefully move some of that heat around the house.
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Your hydronic system is basically radiant heat no? So wouldn't that be better placed low so heat will rise? And have HRV pick ups above and redistribute low. ..?
If we had put in a ductless or even ducted minisplit the heat source point would have been up high on the wall. What is different with a hydronic hot air system for this type of house?
(We went with the distributed hot air system because of the spread out nature of the house and the fact we are getting free equipment from a demonstration program sponsored by NYSERDA)
Is there a reason you don't want to put the supply registers low?
My builder and the HVAC company is recommending the higher registers because of the shorter duct runs, easy of install and the ducts not being covered by furniture. It also reduces the cost of the duct work. The heating load is estimated to be 13,000 BTU, cooling load 21,000 BTU. The HRV/returns would remain up high. One will be located near the woodstove.
A hydronic hot air system with a central blower will omit one of the most important advantages of a hydronic system: simple and cheap zoning capability.
At the same time it will introduce one of the worst things about forced air systems: unbalanced airflow that increases pressure differentials and infiltration/exfiltration losses.
It would be cheaper and better to install a few fan coils instead of a duct system.
Too late we are committed to the ducted system. The ducts are going in this week.