Hello, I have a question for you experts.
I live in a house built in 2018 and we are having an issue with the basement being too dry, I know this is due to a few factors but wanted your input on the best way to rectify the situation.
Basement is partially finished and insulated.
Wood stove installed this year, we burn for probably 16hrs/day.
Radon Mitigation installed this year, just replaced with a lower CFM fan.
Both the radon kit and the woodstove compete for air in the basement causing a negative pressure in the house. We have installed a OAK kit to the stove and its now working as inteded but I still can tell there is negative pressure as anywhere that has a duct to outside I can feel air coming in (HRV, Laundry Dryer). It was proposed by the HVAC guy to install a 7inch passive air makeup with a 'u' trap to balance the pressure.
To simulate this I took the 4inch dryer vent off and made a 'u' trap. The airflow is not strong but it is constant even when the woodstove is empty and the radon kit is off. I feel this infultration is propbably why I cant seem to maintain RH higher than 31%. Currently we run two humidifyers and can achive 35% if I remeber to fill both daily that and these run on electricity so thats a con.
Seeing as the HVAC guy wants to put a 7inch passive makeup in would that not drive my humidity levels down lower. That and all summer we have no need for the makeup and I dont want a damp basement.
I know people dont like humid basements but I am pushing 23% RH some days.
Suggestions on how I can resolve this?
I have found other smaller sources of infultration but I worry if I block them off then the draw will just be stronger around the dryer vent.
I live in a house built in 2018 and we are having an issue with the basement being too dry, I know this is due to a few factors but wanted your input on the best way to rectify the situation.
Basement is partially finished and insulated.
Wood stove installed this year, we burn for probably 16hrs/day.
Radon Mitigation installed this year, just replaced with a lower CFM fan.
Both the radon kit and the woodstove compete for air in the basement causing a negative pressure in the house. We have installed a OAK kit to the stove and its now working as inteded but I still can tell there is negative pressure as anywhere that has a duct to outside I can feel air coming in (HRV, Laundry Dryer). It was proposed by the HVAC guy to install a 7inch passive air makeup with a 'u' trap to balance the pressure.
To simulate this I took the 4inch dryer vent off and made a 'u' trap. The airflow is not strong but it is constant even when the woodstove is empty and the radon kit is off. I feel this infultration is propbably why I cant seem to maintain RH higher than 31%. Currently we run two humidifyers and can achive 35% if I remeber to fill both daily that and these run on electricity so thats a con.
Seeing as the HVAC guy wants to put a 7inch passive makeup in would that not drive my humidity levels down lower. That and all summer we have no need for the makeup and I dont want a damp basement.
I know people dont like humid basements but I am pushing 23% RH some days.
Suggestions on how I can resolve this?
I have found other smaller sources of infultration but I worry if I block them off then the draw will just be stronger around the dryer vent.
source https://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?2225837-Air-Makeup-Suggestions&goto=newpost
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