HVAC Question

[putembk]

I have a question on heating and a/c for any hvac guys out there. We all pretty much know that during a harvest the place usually gets pretty stinky for a few days. My garden is in the basement and I think I do a pretty good job of keeping everything downstairs including the smell. One thing I don't understand is why the a/c in the summer will totally consume the house with the odors in the basement while the furnace is not nearly as bad.
Just harvested a pretty aromatic plant last week and the outside temps got well into the 90's so the wife turned on the ac and withing minutes the whole house was overwhelmed with the sweet smell of our favorite plant. I can run the furnace in the cold months and I doesn't do that, as least as bad. Anybody know why?

 

[Seamaiden]

Moisture?

 

[putembk]

Moisture?

Don't know how or why that would make any difference. Still the smell of a harvest either way. Some how the a/c sucks it upstairs and the furnace doesn't, or at least as bad. Are the intakes different. For the furnace I know they are upstairs, but is the a/c taking cooler air direct from the basement and shooting it into the house via the ducting. Something is different.

 

[Seamaiden]

Ah, our intake is the same for both the furnace and the heat pump.

 

[putembk]

Ah, our intake is the same for both the furnace and the heat pump.

Thinking that is correct....maybe it is the moisture from the a/c vs the dry of the heat. Don't know but something is different. If anybody would have come anywhere near my house that day they would have made a beeline for McDonald's.

 

[Seamaiden]

Hehheh, your post immediately reminded me of my son's first visit from probation. They decided to come the day AFTER my outdoor harvest, and it was a huge harvest (for me). These two women come in, with vests and gloves and guns and handcuffs, yelling, "PROBABLE CAUSE! PROBABLE CAUSE! WHERE'S THE MARIJUANA! WE'VE GOT PROBABLE CAUSE!"

I sat there in my living room and just looked at them and said, "What the fuck is wrong with you? It's MY God damned marijuana! Don't you do *any* background work? If you HAD, you'd know that I'm a MMJ patient, for Christ's sakes. Put those fucking guns away while you're in my house!"

God DAMN those women fucking pissed me off. They still do. We argued for an hour and a half about *my* marijuana.

 

[slumdog80]

I am pretty sure I heart you Seamaiden.

 

[Jboys3]

Hehheh, your post immediately reminded me of my son's first visit from probation. They decided to come the day AFTER my outdoor harvest, and it was a huge harvest (for me). These two women come in, with vests and gloves and guns and handcuffs, yelling, "PROBABLE CAUSE! PROBABLE CAUSE! WHERE'S THE MARIJUANA! WE'VE GOT PROBABLE CAUSE!"

I sat there in my living room and just looked at them and said, "What the fuck is wrong with you? It's MY God damned marijuana! Don't you do *any* background work? If you HAD, you'd know that I'm a MMJ patient, for Christ's sakes. Put those fucking guns away while you're in my house!"

God DAMN those women fucking pissed me off. They still do. We argued for an hour and a half about *my* marijuana.

So you do get angry once in a while?!?

 

[Jboys3]

I have a question on heating and a/c for any hvac guys out there. We all pretty much know that during a harvest the place usually gets pretty stinky for a few days. My garden is in the basement and I think I do a pretty good job of keeping everything downstairs including the smell. One thing I don't understand is why the a/c in the summer will totally consume the house with the odors in the basement while the furnace is not nearly as bad.
Just harvested a pretty aromatic plant last week and the outside temps got well into the 90's so the wife turned on the ac and withing minutes the whole house was overwhelmed with the sweet smell of our favorite plant. I can run the furnace in the cold months and I doesn't do that, as least as bad. Anybody know why?

The only thing I can come up with is your intake for your A/C is in the basement, while the intake for the heat is somewhere else in the house.

If you find the intake in the basement, you could possibly put a carbon filter on it to cut the smell back.

 

[putembk]

The only thing I can come up with is your intake for your A/C is in the basement, while the intake for the heat is somewhere else in the house.

If you find the intake in the basement, you could possibly put a carbon filter on it to cut the smell back.

It's the only thing that makes since to me. But is that normal. Makes no since, why would it intake different from the furnace to the a/c unit. I see the intake vents upstairs and one downstairs and will snoop around more. An hvac guy could answer this if there is one on here please chime in. This is stupid but the house gets totally overwhelmed within seconds when the a/c comes on and not the furnace. I must be stoned. duh!

 

[Natural]

duct work is by no means air tight..plenty of spaces for the air handler to suck in smells then disperse throughout. Could spend an afternoon metal taping all the duct joints and seams..also the where your filter comes out to change is a loose spot...the hardest spot to fix would be loose sheet metal all around the air handler (furnace) itself. Might consider building a drywall room around the air handler..the returns should be all that is needed except in the winter when the gas is burning it needs to breathe so it will burn and vent properly. In which case a return vent type cover at the bottom of access door to your room would work and you can seal that in the AC months and unseal it during winter.

 

[putembk]

duct work is by no means air tight..plenty of spaces for the air handler to suck in smells then disperse throughout. Could spend an afternoon metal taping all the duct joints and seams..also the where your filter comes out to change is a loose spot...the hardest spot to fix would be loose sheet metal all around the air handler (furnace) itself. Might consider building a drywall room around the air handler..the returns should be all that is needed except in the winter when the gas is burning it needs to breathe so it will burn and vent properly. In which case a return vent type cover at the bottom of access door to your room would work and you can seal that in the AC months and unseal it during winter.

Wow, didn't understand a thing you said. Baked!! Will reread tomorrow, thanks.

 

[Natural]

lolollollol :)

 

[z pine]

Air conditioners work by moving heat ....the evaporator is responsible for your odor.. as air passes through the cold aluminum core ..condensation occurs .. water vapor is created during the process and carries odors with it.. most air conditioners have an external water drain that leaches outdoors .. not to mention the unfiltered air that is exhausted thru your condenser from the built in exhaust fan . Try a mr slim

 

[z pine]

Do not modify your furnace .. especially if you have fire insurance.. not a good idea man

 

[Natural]

Do not modify your furnace .. especially if you have fire insurance.. not a good idea man

you talking to me?
I assumed he had a dedicated AC for his grow in the basement and the central AC operating there was just coincidental. Therefore he could just rely on a mini split down there and seal all of the vents. ..and for the record if you are talking to me about modifying the furnace..well then get a grip..most homes have a furnace room built around their furnace.

 

[z pine]

Most basements do not have central air conditioners ...

 

[Natural]

Most basements do not have central air conditioners ...

you lost me z pine...the only thing that exchanges air is the air handler aka coil furnace....the central AC aka condenser outside, only exchanges freon that transfers heat outside...there is no exchange of air...only recycled air through the return vents.

 

[z pine]

Furnaces recirculate air within your home and are not as likely to create odors outside when carbon filters are used properly.. the exhaust vents for your furnace are designed to remove combustion gases and do not move much odor

 

[fishwhistle]

Pute,post this in cannabis johns A/C thread so he'll see it,im positive he can answer your question,hes an A/C tech/contractor.