duct add-on for unconditioned room

[Denys]

In need of some advice. My laundry room is not heated/cooled. It is basically the utility room at the end of the carport therefore on a slab. The rest of the house has crawlspace where the ducts are run, and you step down one foot when entering the laundry room from the inside of the house. This room is subject to the outside temperature and gets frigid in the winter and steamy in our humid summers.

I would like add a supply line to the room and place the register under the interior doorway accessing the room. I have a register 8' away in the adjoining room and need advice if this is possible.

It is not necessary to keep this room at the same temp as the rest of the house, just closer to reduce heat loss/gain whenever the door is opened, and to add finished squarefootage if I were ever to sell.

Is this feasible?

[LazyPup]

If i am understanding the layout correctly the physical installation would be very simple. My only concern would be how big the space is, and whether this additional load would upset the internal pressure balance of the ductwork.

If the point of discharge is only 8' from the place you intend to tap you should be able to use insulated flex duct successfully.

You could put the register in the wall directly below the door in the manner you describe.

The next consideration is return air. You cant push air into a room unless there is a return path for the same volume of air. Once you have heat into the room you should be able to leave the door open as a return path, otherwise you would have to install some type of return duct or register, which could go into the adjacent room.

You stated that there is a 1' step down, that is really tooo much and you should consider adding a step, especially coming off the laundry where peoples vision is often blocked by carrying laundry baskets.

[Denys]

Picture is correct, and thanks for your concern, I didn't mention there is a step there. As far as the size is concerned, it's only 75sqft (5'x15'). If possible I would not like to leave the door open since the room is used as storage and dirty laundry storage.

Is the return necessary or will the air in the space be heated and cooled sufficiently to keep the room within 5 degrees of the rest of the house?

[LazyPup]

A forced air heating system does not heat the air in the room, but rather it draws the cold air out and replaces it with heated air, therefore it is nearly impossible to effectively heat a space with forced air unless there is a path for an equal volume of air to leave the space. Under normal circumstanee for a space that small you could simply cut an inch off the bottom of the door to allow for return air, but in this application, the supply is directly below the door, therefore the natural convection currents in the room would prevent any effective return in that manner. You could make a small opening through the wall to the adjacent room and put a trim grille on either side and that should be sufficient.

[Denys]

thanks a bunch

[imeduc]

like said 2 steps its just right for 6" riser

ED

My mistakes dont define me they inform me.

[mh75229]

This is great but what did I do wrong? My problem in the garbage disposal. Fortunately, my tiny utility room is inside.
Margie

Margie Herbert