What's wrong with this picture?

[Marc M]

Gee wiz.

[Alton Darty]

ok, just for starters,
Fan dirty, motor dirty=suspect coil dirty, little maintenance,
Fan belt shot
Water staining, condensate drain probably plugged up

[Erby Crofutt]

Ya mean dirty coils like this one??

[Bob Harper]

Inadequate filter rack and the filter is in backwards.

[Bruce Ramsey]

Using the crawlspace for a duct?

[Rick Hurst]

Erby,

Those are some dirty coils for sure. Was there any air flow at all?

And those people are probably wondering why its just not cooling and their electric bill is so high.:rolleyes:

rick

[Marc M]

Yea there was so much wrong with this furnace, this is only one area and one pic. But Bruce nailed it. The furnace is using the crawlspace and the garage as a return. I didnt get a pic of the garage vent.
Sweet...

[Craig Olsson]

I have inspected a few houses that were designed by architects to use the crawlspace air volume as part of the distribution system. The ground is either covered with concrete or with heavy vinyl or poly. The architectural plans show the crawlspace area to be a "crawl space plenum". The ones I had seen were approved by the AHJ. In theory they are very efficient, reducing total system pressure and depending upon heat transfer through floor structures as well as by conditioned air distribution through register openings in the floors. One problem that I saw with every installation was that the crawlspace area was filthy from the construction process, with lots of trash, sawdust, and debris that does not belong in an air distribution system. Waste and plumbing leaks tend to contaminate the conditioned air and represents a potential health hazard.

[Ted Menelly]

Using a crawl for such a purpose tells me that the AHJ and architect as well as the builders have about zero education in the smarts department. Seriously, a crawl being used as part of the HVAC system. Plumbing leaks, bugs, chemical treatments for bugs, not just plumbing leaks but as it goes plumbing sewer gas leak, dampness etc etc etc. It is a far different situation if the crawl is finished off with poured floors and no exterior venting and is very easily accessible. Of course, there lies the problem. How often is someone going to go into a crawl to make sure if everything is in good order? Not to often I think so it is still a bad idea all around.

[Jerry Peck]

I have inspected a few houses that were designed by architects to use the crawlspace air volume as part of the distribution system.


Craig,

Correct, the crawl space is allowed to be used as part of the supply system as a supply plenum.

The reasons you gave (all that construction debris, etc.) are good supporting documentation for why Ted said whoever designs those is missing something in the smarts department.

[Craig Ervin]

This is a classic case of money well spent on the inspection!!

Find any rat droppings down there:eek:

[Robert Dalga]

Also, looks like one of the two filters is missing.

[Marc M]

The return was clean compared to the crawlspace.