I currently have an exhaust running right into my attic. It works well enough but could be better.
Basically I'm exhausting cool air out of my room and into the attic.
The room reads anywhere from 70's-to mid 90's depending on where the thermostat is.
I went into the attic today and the exhaust was blowing air cooler than the attic ambient temps.
Felt like I was blowing money out of my vents..
So what I'm thinking is diverting my exhaust into the cold air return of my furnace.
I believe the furnace is a downdraft furnace being my house is on a slab.
So my cold air vent is in the ceiling.. Big ole duct runs across the attic and drops into the furnace.
How hard is it to drill into ductwork? I was thinking of drilling a 6" hole and dropping my flex pipe
into the hole and sealing. Or buying a "stack boot" that I would install into the duct and than attach my flex duct to.
I'm thinking the stack boot is the more proper way?
Besides the issue of drilling into metal ducting that has flex.
What issues would I have by connecting the exhaust into this air return?
I imagine it would just blow air down into the furnace and potentially even through the rest of the house ducts? I doubt the fan has the power to do that but would that be the worst case?
Besides the potential for smell leakage through the entire house as well..
extra possible relevant info..
There is no pilot light on the furnace, eletrical ignition and I don't even use the furnace. But lets say I do have to run the furnace while this exhaust is venting into the air return...
Basically I'm exhausting cool air out of my room and into the attic.
The room reads anywhere from 70's-to mid 90's depending on where the thermostat is.
I went into the attic today and the exhaust was blowing air cooler than the attic ambient temps.
Felt like I was blowing money out of my vents..
So what I'm thinking is diverting my exhaust into the cold air return of my furnace.
I believe the furnace is a downdraft furnace being my house is on a slab.
So my cold air vent is in the ceiling.. Big ole duct runs across the attic and drops into the furnace.
How hard is it to drill into ductwork? I was thinking of drilling a 6" hole and dropping my flex pipe
into the hole and sealing. Or buying a "stack boot" that I would install into the duct and than attach my flex duct to.
I'm thinking the stack boot is the more proper way?
Besides the issue of drilling into metal ducting that has flex.
What issues would I have by connecting the exhaust into this air return?
I imagine it would just blow air down into the furnace and potentially even through the rest of the house ducts? I doubt the fan has the power to do that but would that be the worst case?
Besides the potential for smell leakage through the entire house as well..
extra possible relevant info..
There is no pilot light on the furnace, eletrical ignition and I don't even use the furnace. But lets say I do have to run the furnace while this exhaust is venting into the air return...