Need help sealing off upper apartment system from lower

4 years ago

Hey guys, I moved into a second floor apartment in a 2 story home that is owned by friends. Beyond paying rent, I've been fixing the place up over the past year out of appreciation for being like family to me over the years.

Anyway, I'm having an issue with the heating system. I realize that 99% of the time professionals are needed to service these things and I don't want to attempt to do anything that would put myself or my family at risk, nor step on anyone's toes. Having said that, I'm simply asking questions to suss out what I may be able to do myself if it's a matter of basic maintenance, or, speed up the process of pointing a professional in the direction I need them to look.

The issue is, my buddy downstairs sometimes cooks potent dinners, super late at night. Love the guy, but that stuff somehow goes through his heating system and into mine, stinking the place up to high heavens. I went down and looked everything over. There's two completely different systems, with his unit about 10 feet away from mine. Checking out all the duct work, the problem starts with the fact his air intake is in his kitchen... sucking the cooking smell directly from the source. It then obviously gets heated and enters the ducts to go to various parts of his apartment. The next problem could be that a section of his duct work runs parallel to a section of mine, an inch apart at most, and that there appears to be some gaps in both ducts... suggesting the smell could be leaching from his and getting sucked into mine.

That appears to be great news, because all it would involve is either relocating his intake location and/or simply using proper duct tape to seal the gaps in both our ducts. Trouble is this... one of mine, a completely separate duct from all of the rest on it's own independent run, goes NOWHERE near any of his... yet the stink still comes out of it. How is that even possible? My air intake is nowhere near anything of his, so that's not it. Also, the basement does not stink at all of the kitchen fumes. I'm no expert, but any idiot can trace where something is coming from... yet I'm completely dumbfounded here. Any ideas?

I figured I'd pick people's brains here before dropping big bucks on an HVAC tech... we just had a baby and all. I can take pics tomorrow if it helps. Anyway, thanks in advance!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Flo Mangan
4 years ago
Is the odor from strong spices?
Dr Pepper
Original Author
4 years ago
His recent meal 2 nights ago was tacos with spicy chilis and onions, etc. Good stuff, I've had meals of it with him, and I would never ask him to not cook what he wants. It's not the issue of what he's cooking, it's that I need to properly isolate my heating system from his, as it should be.
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mike_home
4 years ago
Some times returns of two separate HVAC systems are connected together. Check if that is the case in this house.

Does the downstairs kitchen have an exhaust fan? If not then that may be the best solution.
3onthetree
4 years ago
This sounds like a single family home that was converted to a stacked duplex. Surely the smell wafts when the HVAC is not running, whether one or both units. More than likely the dominant culprit is basically stack effect between floors. The existing floors and perimeter base of walls are not air sealed, with many opportunities for leakage at ceiling lights, cable bores, doors into the hall/stair, etc. The warmer air is continually moving upward towards the roof, and bringing the smells with it.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
4 years ago
Hi, Doc,

As noted by 3onthetree above, stack effect promotes the migration of air from lower to upper levels. I's tough to fight physics. That said, you'll still benefit from sealing the duct work--but don't use duct tape. Use UL-approved foil tape for that purpose or mastic--either of which will meet code requirements for duct sealing. The tape is a little hard to work with because it adheres so well; it's good stuff. Any penetrations between floors--for piping, duct work, wiring, etc. should also be sealed.

The International Residential Code prohibits the installation of HVAC returns in Kitchens unless the system serves the Kitchen only and is at least 10 ft from appliances--which is not likely from your description. The relevant code section is M1602.2 Return Air Openings. The return should be relocated. The occupants of the 1st floor will benefit as much from that as you will.