Are there any HVAC installers on here?

Wildcats1023 · Sep 18, 2018

I have new built house. We have been in for about 8 months. I'm battling low pH unless the windows are open. I know someone who drilled a hole in their fresh air intake on their HVAC and used a quick disconnect to run an air line from the fresh air intake to their skimmer. He has a consistent pH without swings. We have a Trane S9V2/Trane XR15 unit, I have 2 PVC pipes running to the outside from the unit. Are both of these fresh air intakes? If doing this will that affect the unit in any way?

ZoWhat · Sep 18, 2018

One is fresh air IN

The other is the carbon monoxide vent pipe OUT.

Google your models service manual to figure out which is which

NOTE: Your idea will only work if you RUN your furnace fan 24/7/365.
1) Many computer programmable thermostats will only turn ON the furnace when needed
2) you wont be pulling 100% outside air all the time if the furnace fan is not running
3) A fan draws around 400+watts running it 24/7/365....which will add about $1 a DAY to your electric bill. Is pH worth $365 per year?

Wildcats1023 · Sep 18, 2018

skimjim said:
One is fresh air IN

The other is the carbon monoxide vent pipe OUT.

Google your models service manual to figure out which is which

NOTE: Your idea will only work if you RUN your furnace fan 24/7/365.
1) Many computer programmable thermostats will only turn ON the furnace when needed
2) you wont be pulling 100% outside air all the time if the furnace fan is not running
3) A fan draws around 400+watts running it 24/7/365....which will add about $1 a DAY to your electric bill. Is pH worth $365 per year?

Thanks skimjim. I do have a programmable thermostat but I can control the fan running however I want it to. I can do all the time, only when unit is running or even how many minutes every hour I want it to run. Right now I'm spending at least that on CO2 absorbing media. On average I have to change it out every 3 days. I normally don't chase pH but when it's hovering around 7.6-7.7 I don't like it. I try to keep it between 8.15-8.3

Justfebreezeit · Sep 18, 2018

I think it would make more sense to run the line straight to the source. Outside.

Assuming its not a giant hassle of course.

WorldsSexiestGranny · Sep 18, 2018

Hvac installer here: generally it’s a really bad idea to mess with any of the venting or wiring on gas furnaces. It’s against code and could potentially be a fire hazard. Especially if the two lines are vented near each other, you could get trace amounts of exhaust. And if done improperly you could get salty air near your heat exchanger which would cause it to rust prematurely and leak carbon monoxide into your house. I would run a separate dedicated line far away from that pvc

WorldsSexiestGranny · Sep 18, 2018

Hvac installer here: generally it’s a really bad idea to mess with any of the venting or wiring on gas furnaces. It’s against code and could potentially be a fire hazard. Especially if the two lines are vented near each other, you could get trace amounts of exhaust. And if done improperly you could get salty air near your heat exchanger which would cause it to rust prematurely and leak carbon monoxide into your house. I would run a separate dedicated line far away from that pvc

WVNed · Sep 18, 2018

Those two pipes are for the burner in the gas furnace. It is a forced induction burner and the fan for it only runs when heat is being made. It has nothing to do with the fan switch on the thermostat.

Do not mess with them. Run a separate line for fresh air.

Wildcats1023 · Sep 18, 2018

WorldsSexiestGranny said:
Hvac installer here: generally it’s a really bad idea to mess with any of the venting or wiring on gas furnaces. It’s against code and could potentially be a fire hazard. Especially if the two lines are vented near each other, you could get trace amounts of exhaust. And if done improperly you could get salty air near your heat exchanger which would cause it to rust prematurely and leak carbon monoxide into your house. I would run a separate dedicated line far away from that pvc

These answers have made my mind up. Not worth it. It might be a little dificult to run a line outside but I will look in to that as an option. Just not sure how to do it because of where my tank is at but it worth looking in to a little harder than I have. Plus it will be no extra expense after the initial set up

WVNed · Sep 19, 2018

If you can get a line to these pipes i would think you could follow their route to the outside. You would have to get creative at the end and place you inlet intake air 3-4 feet away from the burner exhaust so you don't suck that in.

I think I would use flexible PEX water line.

Centerline · Sep 23, 2018

I ran into the same issue. Added a fresh coat of paint to our stucco exterior and PH dropped to the 7s. Outside line for the skimmer intake helps a bunch. A exaust fan venting into the attic and a cracked window helped more.
BTW, that's a very fast burn down time for the scrubber media. In case you are not aware of it keeping a little water in the bottom of the scrubber to keep the media damp (don't get it wet) makes it go a lot further. Good luck.

2Wheelsonly · Sep 24, 2018

skimjim said:
One is fresh air IN

The other is the carbon monoxide vent pipe OUT.

Google your models service manual to figure out which is which

NOTE: Your idea will only work if you RUN your furnace fan 24/7/365.
1) Many computer programmable thermostats will only turn ON the furnace when needed
2) you wont be pulling 100% outside air all the time if the furnace fan is not running
3) A fan draws around 400+watts running it 24/7/365....which will add about $1 a DAY to your electric bill. Is pH worth $365 per year?

Wait a minute, you might have answered a question I have been trying to get countless HVAC companies to answer in addition to countless discussions on HVAC reddit groups...

You mention furnace...

My issue is in the summer my pH is super low. 7.8 day, 7.6 night but in the winter my pH is 8.25 day and 8.0 night. I can't explain why oh why when NOTHING else changes that my pH in winter is soooo much higher than summer. I have an all electric heat pump (trane 4ton)...could it be that when my AC is running in the summer there is no fresh air coming in vs when my heat pump is running in the winter it's allowing fresh air?