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Old 05-22-2019, 11:45 PM   #1
Mike Barone
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2010 3750 FL Cold Air Into Unit

Issue

"Massive" cold airflow coming in via the wooden louvered wooden vent that forms the facing of the bottom step to get into the living room?

Happens in cold weather

See pictures

Thanks for the help

Mike
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Old 05-23-2019, 04:39 AM   #2
Eagleback
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That is the return air for the furnace. I stapled a long piece of thin rubber behind that grill and when the furnace comes on. Very rare in Florida, it draws from it but when its off the flap closes and stops the cold OR hot air from come back through.
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Old 05-23-2019, 11:52 AM   #3
Mike Barone
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Eagleback

Pix shows paper prototype.....it does move inward when the furnace comes on ....then the gap gets smaller when the furnace shuts off.

Not the brightest RV maintenance bulb.....🙁
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Old 05-23-2019, 12:45 PM   #4
Eagleback
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Put it on the other side of the grill so it opens when the furnace turns on.
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Old 05-23-2019, 12:51 PM   #5
Rondo
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Mike-- This is a common problem with the steps that have the louvers/vents in them. Most of us either put a piece of plastic or foam in behind the louvered wood to stop cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer from coming into the living area from the basement area. Some have also created a filter system to catch any dust and dirt that is carried by the air returning to the area behind the steps when the furnace kicks on. During the summer I put a piece of foam insulation behind the louvers/under the step to block the hot summer air from coming into the living area. In the winter I sometimes do the same to stop the cold air from coming into the living area. Some have said that this is the return air vent for the furnace to breath. You can put some slots in the foam in the winter when the furnace is used to let it return the air but if the furnace needs that much air that it can't pull in air from the dead space below the upper floor and the basement wall there is something wrong and actually a fiver has a lot of area to draw air from both in the basement area and the living area. I do like the idea by Eagleback with the thin piece of rubber stapled to the louvered board so when the furnace comes on the rubber flap with go to the inside of the void area and when the furnace is not running it returns to the flat position against the louvered board. May have to give that a try. We head to AZ in the winter and it does get rather chilly during the night in our area as it does a lot in any desert area.
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Old 05-23-2019, 01:08 PM   #6
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When we had that setup on our 2010 we put black foam board behind them in the summer, but took them out in the winter to let the full return air flow to the furnace pass thru. Never had a cold air flow issue. If the air is really flowing, I'd try and determine where it's getting into the basement area and stop it there.
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Old 05-23-2019, 03:03 PM   #7
waynemoore
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If you have enough air coming if from that grill then you will have no problem sealing it off like Rondo and I did. With that kind of a breeze you have plenty of makeup air, you don’t need it from the inside of the rig.
Just block the great off and forget it.
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Old 05-23-2019, 06:34 PM   #8
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What am I missing here? The furnace takes in surrounding air, heats it up, and blows it back out the ducts. If you seal up the return vent then the only replacement air is pulled from the outside through the area under the bedroom. Conversely, the return vent lets the cabin air into the area under the bedroom and into the furnace.

It seems to me that heating inside air at 60+ degrees or more is preferable to heating outside air at a considerably lower temperature.

Of course for this to be effective one needs to seal the under bedroom area off from the major gaping holes to the outside. Ridged foam panels, tape, and spray foam will do a good job sealing the outside from the intruding into the return area.
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