Issues with damp/cold basement [Split from new home thread.]

[Pinner]

Hopefully you have return air vents in the basement, might not because it's not finished?

It won't circulate the basement air without those vents.

Some furnaces have a "summer" setting for the fan.

[Jayems]

So I got home to try out the fan thing...

There is a switch on my thermostat that says "Auto/On"

I turn that from Auto to On... and nothing happens. The furnace doesn't do jack.

I flick the switch to the right of that (like a light switch that says exhaust) and that kicks it off. And, the upstairs fan to circulate the air. I have return air vents throughout the house, but I don't think in the basement.

So... is there something wrong with my furnace that it wont turn the fan on by the switch on the thermostat or is it simply not hooked up because the exhaust does the same thing?

[Shazam]

If your house has a vent fan, then yes, you have cold air returns in the basement.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Ah, you must have one of them new fangled homes. If I'm not mistaken with new homes, isn't it code that if you turn on the exhaust fan in one of your bathrooms, your furnace fan(s) fire up? What you could do is close all windows in your basement and main floor. One of your bedrooms on the top floor should be a room that doesn't get much wind through it. I get your concern with the dust but doing this should produce a positive air pressure in your house making that open window the only place for it to go. I just don't think a space heater has enough jam to do much to the volume of air in your basement. Your furnace should be able to exchange the air down there in a matter of minutes. Also, opening a window in your basement a crack should let fresh air come into the basement.

Being in a 4 lvl condo, you have to get creative with moving air around. Summer months all vents are closed except for the upstairs so all the cool air from the basement goes upstairs. In the winter I reverse it. Close all upstairs and only open the ones in the basement and first 2 floors, this lets the heat waft it's way upstairs.

PS - Pretty sure cold air returns HAVE to go to the basement. My house is 25+ yrs old and my cold air returns all meet in the basement. I could be wrong about this but it makes sense for them to do this.