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I live in a temperate climate. I'm planning on getting a heat pump and have received conflicting info from vendors about whether I need a backup heat source (i.e., whether I need to keep my gas furnace). Are there differing schools of thought on this? Or is it a matter of different models or vendors having varying capabilities?
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Aug 1, 2021 01:40
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My furnace is in the attic. If I get ac installed is there a limit length limit for the ac lines to the furnace and the electrical lines to the electrical panel for the condenser?
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Aug 1, 2021 02:18
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lol internet. posted:My furnace is in the attic. If I get ac installed is there a limit length limit for the ac lines to the furnace and the electrical lines to the electrical panel for the condenser? For the AC lines, I know the length limit is like 250 feet on my system and the evaporator can be up to 80 feet higher than the condenser, which is enough to cover most installation scenarios. The system needs to be properly charged to account for a long line-set though. Electrical shouldn’t be a problem at all.
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Aug 1, 2021 06:24
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Max lineset length is anywhere from 150-250ft, depending on specific system. The manual will say.
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Aug 1, 2021 13:31
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beepsandboops posted:I live in a temperate climate. I'm planning on getting a heat pump and have received conflicting info from vendors about whether I need a backup heat source (i.e., whether I need to keep my gas furnace). How cold is your coldest cold snap?
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Aug 1, 2021 19:02
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Great, thanks folks!
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Aug 1, 2021 21:58
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beepsandboops posted:I live in a temperate climate. I'm planning on getting a heat pump and have received conflicting info from vendors about whether I need a backup heat source (i.e., whether I need to keep my gas furnace). You probably need a backup source if you are talking a traditional split system and you live somewhere that gets cold. Frankly, if you have gas, the crossover point where gas is cheaper to heat with is probably slightly North of freezing, even if you get a cold-weather heat pump. Your best bet is probably to set the lockout around 35-40F, where it switches to gas. Defrost cycles on the HP just add wear and tear, and most hybrid setups can't run the gas when the HP is on (or defrosting), so you'll get cold blasts when it defrosts. Depending on what you mean by temperate, you could just have backup electric heat strips, but I'd personally keep the gas.
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Aug 1, 2021 22:09
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Both the hybrid systems I have owned run propane when it calls for defrost. Carrier and amana, although both newer. You hear the reversing valve and the furnace fires up and warm air still comes out without the meter spinning like crazy. The best crossover is somewhere around 35-38 for me personally. Whenever it gets to the point where it just feels like cold air coming out of the vents. Also as far as brands go they usually all have a copeland scroll compressor and the coils probably came out of the same Chinese factory. Its the warranty and installer that matters most. I hear of lots of problems with inverter driven compressors and infinitely variable furnace controls but thats just hearsay. Personally I just go with a good compromise between COP/SEER and cost. Not the most expensive unit but a couple notches up from the EPA minimum.
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Aug 1, 2021 22:38
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I think a 2 stage compressor, controlled by the thermo, is a nice sweet spot. The lower stage for higher COP heat when it can handle the load and better humidity control in AC mode. There was some government testing I saw recently where the inverter and infinitely variable systems were, let's just say, optimistic with their efficiency specs. The price/benefit curve starts to drop off quickly above 16 SEER, and God help your wallet if stuff breaks.
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Aug 1, 2021 23:55
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They're getting cheaper all the time, though it would be great if we could get some parts standardization going.
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Aug 2, 2021 00:11
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B-Nasty posted:I think a 2 stage compressor, controlled by the thermo, is a nice sweet spot. The lower stage for higher COP heat when it can handle the load and better humidity control in AC mode. Thats exactly what I put in my new place. Its 16.5 Seer on one stage and 15.5 on the other. Cheap dual stage amana 4 ton with a 96% afue propane furnace for defrost and cold nights. It was $15k for that and all sheet metal ductwork on a new build. I think its about the sweet spot and more importantly gives options if propane or electric jumps in cost. My neighbor suggested geothermal and it would have run about $5k more, but I didn’t want the added complexity of the ground loop, circulating pump and liquid heat exchanger. I can replace fan motors, control boards, capacitors and contactors on my own, the geothermal stuff I would be hesitant to mess with.
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Aug 2, 2021 02:05
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beepsandboops posted:I live in a temperate climate. I'm planning on getting a heat pump and have received conflicting info from vendors about whether I need a backup heat source (i.e., whether I need to keep my gas furnace). I live in the mid-atlantic where a heat pump works ok (temps below 20f are rare) and I'd still run a straight gas furnace with an AC unit for summer if we had natural gas service available. Why the heat pump? Gas is cheap & you don't need to worry about an outdoor unit being clogged up by snow or freezing rain. It also meant the occasional polar vortex cold snap was NBD.
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Aug 2, 2021 03:12
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I'm in the Pacific Northwest and average lows in my city during the winter are above freezing. It doesn't get that cold that often. I'd like to get a heat pump so I can add central cooling to the house and to move more towards going all electric for eco reasons. It's just difficult for me to tell how realistic it is. I know people in my area who have completely gotten rid of their gas furnaces in favor of heat pumps but vendors I've gotten bids from have not given me a consistent story.
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Aug 2, 2021 06:08
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beepsandboops posted:It's just difficult for me to tell how realistic it is. I know people in my area who have completely gotten rid of their gas furnaces in favor of heat pumps but vendors I've gotten bids from have not given me a consistent story. It's totally realistic. Like sanchez, I'm in the Mid Atlantic, near Philly, and plenty of houses around here run heat pumps with electric backup heat strips. Not super fancy, cold weather units, either: just run-of-the-mill 14-18 SEER Carrier, Goodman, Trane units. Your weather is much more temperate, so you should have no issues. Get the electric heat strips kit installed in the air handler, though. They're cheap, and I'd want the assurance that a random super-cold day wasn't going to be a problem.
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Aug 2, 2021 12:35
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B-Nasty posted:It's totally realistic. Should work even better there than here (Philly area). The real difference ends up being comfort. That gap between "HP is at the edge of working" and "electric strips/emergency heat turns on" isn't much fun. You can certainly change that via your thermostat, but the customary range is quite large and for a reason.......those strips really draw a ton of power. With a well set up dual fuel system you'll almost definitely save money AND be more comfortable in this area. MRC48B posted:They're getting cheaper all the time, though it would be great if we could get some parts standardization going. To me this is still the biggest problem with those types of units. They have a very high likelihood of needing "not on the truck" parts.
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Aug 2, 2021 13:12
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Motronic posted:Should work even better there than here (Philly area). The real difference ends up being comfort. That gap between "HP is at the edge of working" and "electric strips/emergency heat turns on" isn't much fun. You can certainly change that via your thermostat, but the customary range is quite large and for a reason.......those strips really draw a ton of power. With a well set up dual fuel system you'll almost definitely save money AND be more comfortable in this area. Very true, but it all comes down to what your total costs look like. With my heat pump, over an average Winter, I need about 7 MMBTU extra in the form of backup heat. For electric strips, this is about $250. At the current price of oil, that's about $158 (80% eff), or propane $129 (assuming a 95% furnace). With the cost of a furnace over strips, the cheaper fuel almost washes out. However, if you have gas, it's pretty much a no-brainer to get a gas furnace as backup unless you really want to get rid of your meter/eco concerns.
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Aug 2, 2021 13:39
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beepsandboops posted:I'm in the Pacific Northwest and average lows in my city during the winter are above freezing. It doesn't get that cold that often. If you're doing it for eco reasons then put in heat strips and check the "green energy" box on your electric bill. The few times it hits 30-something your bill is going to hurt but it will be fine. As others have been saying the systems do technically work down to their rated temperature, but the outdoor unit will ice over the closer you are to 0C, causing it to reverse for a bit and thaw it out. It's incredibly inefficient. Ditch your gas/oil furnace and know that you are no longer a point source emission for fossil fuels in the winter.
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Aug 2, 2021 15:09
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Hello all, looking for some advice. We are looking to replace our 20+ year old York gas furnace. We also have an 11 year old Trane central AC unit. So far I have 2 estimates and the price difference is almost half between the 2 companies. One company wants to use Amana furnace and AC. Total out the door price is $7,875.00. This company has a lot of great reviews and is praised by neighbors on the message board app, Nextdoor. Their warranty seems amazing....10 year parts AND LABOR as long as I have them do a 1 year maintenance/inspection for $100 per visit/year. After 10 years, there is a LIFETIME warranty if the heat exchanger or compressor fails. They will replace the ENTIRE UNIT in case that happens. The other company wants to use Bryant furnace and AC. $13,400. Their warranty is 10 years parts & 1 year labor. They have a "maintenance plan" for $360 a year...which is ridiculous. This company also has good reviews and praise from neighbors, although less than the first company. both companies are using 2 stage furnaces, 80000 BTU ~96% efficiency. For the AC, both are using a 3 ton unit, 36000 BTU 16 seer. How is the price of the first company nearly half of the second, with a much better warranty? Is Amana pure garbage? reviews seem like its a middle of the line brand with good reliability. I can basically replace both the furnace and AC, AGAIN in10 years and it will only be slightly more expensive than only 1 furnace and AC from the second company. I have another estimate lined up on Friday, from a company with good reviews but is said to be higher on price. Am i overthinking this? is the answer to simply to go with the first company? I'm in the Lehigh Valley, PA if that makes a difference.
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Aug 4, 2021 23:11
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Some Guy From NY posted:Am i overthinking this? is the answer to simply to go with the first company? I'm in the Lehigh Valley, PA if that makes a difference. Yeah, this one's obvious. Amana makes perfectly fine units. The differences in brand quality isn't worth thousands of dollars. A warranty without labor is almost worthless. Many shops charge things like refrigerant under 'labor', and we all know how a $45 capacitor becomes a $500 bill for 5 minutes worth of labor. I think you know all you need to know about the second company charging almost $400/year for AC and gas furnace PM.
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Aug 4, 2021 23:44
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Almost all of these units are the same parts in different sheet metal. Company A is a better company. They trust their own work more. Company B is busier and gave you an "FU" quote. Most people don't know poo poo about HVAC so their recommendations are largely meaningless. Don't overthink it.
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Aug 4, 2021 23:44
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If you don't mind (PM even) who is company A? I am in the lehigh valley and have hvac needs coming up...
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Aug 5, 2021 00:12
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Thanks all, I'm going to hear what the 3rd company on Friday has to say, but I'm most likely going with the first company. TacoHavoc posted:If you don't mind (PM even) who is company A? I am in the lehigh valley and have hvac needs coming up... First company is Dugan's Heat Pump & AC. Second company is Beach Hvac. Third estimate I'm getting is from Hannabury. Fellow Lehigh Valleyian! Going to musikfest next week?
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Aug 5, 2021 00:20
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What's a wise amount of spare parts to keep on hand for emergencies? I was thinking that if we have another severe winter or a hot summer and my HVAC fails it's going to suck to try and find any parts while everyone else is, so I'm pre-emptively stocking up on what I think are the common failure points. So far I've got: -AC Capacitor -AC Contactor -Furnace Ignitor -Furnace Flame Sensor Anyone have any other suggestions for items to add to my parts box?
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Aug 15, 2021 18:33
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So -- don't laugh too hard, but definitely just ran into "the guy who quoted the mini-split system + talked through potential install options turned out to be disconnected from reality when the actual installation dudes showed up" issue. 4 story townhome, getting a Daikin 5 head system installed. The installation guys reminded us that condensate drains exist (I feel very dumb for not realizing this despite them not getting pointed out), Seattle code requires those to run to dirt / infiltratable areas (no concrete), so a lot of potential install locations just got complicated. I guess the line sets are also too big to run horizontally through indoor walls because you'd basically be notching studs at that point -- that was the backbone idea we had for doing a lot of very 'clean' installs in given locations. Also, working at height safely is an issue due to the height of my place and limited access to get any kind of lift in place (narrow steps in between 2 4-story townhomes...) and so a lot of our exterior line set ideas were nixed. A few things I'm curious about... Chimney.. I have a "chimney" -- by that, I mean unconditioned (I think that is the term -- it has some insulation, but otherwise nothing else) space that is wooden framed that has two ducts running to the top. One of these ducts is connected to a propane fireplace insert, the other is connected to a dead wood fireplace that we may replace with a gas insert at some point as well. This (to me, naive home owner) seems like the most easily accessed, safe, vertical corridor in the entire building. I can access the innards of it from my 3rd floor balcony, and I am willing to cut + patch drywall for access / I've removed the fireplaces before to get in there. Code-wise... this is not an actual chimney flue that's brick / soot-filled / etc. It's unconditioned wooden frame construction w/ Hardi-Side that has 2x metal ducts running up it that are / will be connected to gas fireplace inserts. There's already Romex and chunks of fiberglass insulation in there, and some low-voltage data cable and CATV. Assuming this can be accessed, is there a reason to not use this to get refridgerant + condensate runs done? Are the line sets already insulated, or do you install them, and then go over them with gobs of insulation? The installers worried about heat / flammability, which is valid, but again... it's a completely uninsulated exhaust duct in there right now with no specific protection(s) in place. (And, what the hell do I call this besides a chimney?) Ducts... Last night, after calming down a bit, I remembered that initially I had asked about the possibility of putting in a concealed duct split, the FDXS that got shot down by the same sales guy. At the time I was just like "hey this is small and seems like it could work" -- now, I actually "get" what these are good for. Ducts seem like they could solve some of my problems. I have soffits in a few rooms that I suspect are too small, but if there was a compact unit I could install in there, that could be pretty awesome (or consider expanding those soffits vs. building new ones to cover up line sets). Or... ducts. Inside that unconditioned space, from the 3rd floor up, it's wide open / basically an attic. I've installed some radio gear / antenna in there... the way I understand it, something like a FDXS is just the guts of an air handler unit you can put 'anywhere' and then use ducts to connect its inputs and outputs. I don't see a reason why I could not run ducts inside that "chimney" above (considering its already mostly only full of loving ducts) and into the target rooms. There will be a definite performance loss, but I don't know how that can be compensated for. I could easily install additional venting / fans in that area to exhaust any CO. Any thoughts from folks that have installed / gotten installed mini-splits system in multi-story townhomes from the mid-80s? Part of me sort of wants to go to McMaster / Grainger and homebrew a 60,000 BTU system, but I will never find anyone to charge that system for me. I'm happy to poll other vendors / providers as well -- I don't expect sales guys to be perfect but I do expect them to reasonably understand the poo poo they are selling + what is ACTUALLY possible. e: I basically brainstormed (a probably terrible / illegal / impossible) idea of a typical outdoor / compressor unit, then a "multi-channel" handler unit I install inside that unconditioned space (maybe in a conditioned / insulated sub-enclosure), and then run spider ducts out of it in the fake chimney to hit each room. movax fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Aug 24, 2021 |
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Aug 24, 2021 21:44
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movax posted:but I will never find anyone to charge that system for me Nah, you could probably talk someone into no-warranty startup, at gently caress you prices. They will just make you sign a big long document saying no warranty on anything, if it goes to poo poo sucks to be you. quote:. I'm happy to poll other vendors / providers as well -- I don't expect sales guys to be perfect but I do expect them to reasonably understand the poo poo they are selling + what is ACTUALLY possible. Do this. "sales guys" are not engineers. some of them could be, but are not. Minisplit systems allow a lot of leeway for sizing errors, because most are variable speed to match load so as long as you're over max room load you're good. quote:e: I basically brainstormed (a probably terrible / illegal / impossible) idea of a typical outdoor / compressor unit, then a "multi-channel" handler unit I install inside that unconditioned space (maybe in a conditioned / insulated sub-enclosure), and then run spider ducts out of it in the fake chimney to hit each room. You need an engineer to do load calcs for each space and size the unit and ducts correctly. Or you can just wing it.
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Aug 24, 2021 22:01
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If you have a neighborhood FB page, or are on NextDoor try to find someone local that has had similar work done and see if they have a recommendation on someone that has done this work before.
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Aug 24, 2021 22:19
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skipdogg posted:If you have a neighborhood FB page, or are on NextDoor try to find someone local that has had similar work done and see if they have a recommendation on someone that has done this work before. It's only a 6 unit complex, and my immediate neighbors (i.e., shared wall) are getting a similar install done from the same vendor. In their case though, they put the compressor outside on their balcony, and happen to have a fortunate floorplan / wall alignment that lets them do everything through closets. We were thinking we were luckier, having a clean exterior wall to punch through and down, but turned out to not be the cast... MRC48B posted:You need an engineer to do load calcs for each space and size the unit and ducts correctly. Or you can just wing it. The sales guy for the minis just sort of winged it -- ended up w/ a 15K unit in living room (west facing, gets super loving hot), 12K unit in office (4th floor, get super hot with all the heat rising) and 9Ks in all the other small bedrooms. Feels rule of thumb-y, but also fairly reasonable. I don't mind the cosmetics of the units being wall mounted, but having to build soffits to hide line sets was a lot more than we had planned for -- and I don't want to put condensate pumps anywhere near the living areas. e: Made a spreadsheet to try and poll an installer from each brand -- Mitsubishi has a brochure that actually makes sense. The MLZ series looks awesome and has a built in pump w/ 0.5 m of head. Mitsu, Daikin, Fujitsu, Carrier, LG -- seems like a contractor basically picks one to partner with. Any others I should look at? movax fucked around with this message at 07:10 on Aug 25, 2021 |
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Aug 24, 2021 23:09
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Didn't mean to kill the thread, but as an update: * Have original vendor coming back to review -- using this as the opportunity to back out / get deposit back because installation has changed so fundamentally. * Contacted every single local vendor in the Seattle area that does Mitsubishi installs. One issue specific to WA-state is that multi-family / condominiums are treated differently -- I don't fully understand it, partially because I don't believe it, but apparently our laws on condos are biased hilarious towards tenants. This is hard to believe as laws are never on the side of the common man. As a result though, not all the vendors carry the licensing needed to work on the system. * Seems like Mitsu offers "branch boxes" which seem like a no brainer solution to make installation even easier. I also read that by using a branch box, you can have some units A/C while others heat -- not sure I need that, but seems like a plus? I still find it hard to believe no one has made 16"-wide compatible ceiling units besides Mitsubishi. Getting the lines across the house to the correct wall, and then worrying about the drain vs. just stopping in the ceiling mid-way and taking advantage of the built in condensate lift mechanism seems too good to be true. The other thing for me I think is going to be figuring out which installer(s) would be willing to actually price in a boom lift as part of the installation cost. It's $2K here for a weekend rental of a comically big articulated lift, and that would help the installation get done faster and safer, I think. I could see easily spending close to that on sheetrock repair of all done internally. What other tools do people generally use for tight, high height applications? Scaffolding?
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Aug 30, 2021 20:57
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Condo liability laws are one of the few "tenant" things that are hilariously lopsided in favor of residents vs the original developers, to the degree where you get what you're seeing - people don't want to go near them for fear that in 9 years and 11 months they're gonna get sued for something completely random that's not really their fault. I'm not sure if branch boxes would allow you to cool in some zones and heat in the others, my understanding is that they split coolant runs coming from the outdoor unit, so it's going to be heated or cooled by the outdoor unit before it gets to the branch box. Also make sure you're getting a unit that supports branch boxes, I think with Mitsubishi the 4-head and under systems don't do branch boxes, so you need to go to the 5+ to allow that.
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Aug 30, 2021 21:23
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Branch boxes are a feature of Mitsu's City Multi VRF System. what they're telling you is basically correct. Only mitsu/trane partner contractors of a certain size and experience are allowed to spec and install them, in order to ensure that they don't gently caress it up, because City Multi VRF can do simultaneous heating and cooling for different zones. This magic comes at a cost in complexity and well, cost. It also requires a minimum size of install. (they don't make units as small as for the regular heat pump minisplits) and contractors who do them don't do small projects, to ensure they make money on the project at the end of the day. I wish you Good luck finding someone to do your single dwelling, unless you know the ceo of one of these contractors personally, and have a golf date next week, I don't see it happening.
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Aug 30, 2021 21:36
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MRC48B posted:Branch boxes are a feature of Mitsu's City Multi VRF System. Ahh -- didn't realize they were a separate offering. I thought I saw them at the end of the M-series catalog, but might be conflating it. I desire 5 units at minimum, thinking about a 6th in the garage as a luxury item but it's not really needed. I don't need the simultaneous heat/cool, but it seems like a good way to minimize line set runs. My neighbor invited me over to take a look at their installation in progress -- pretty decent work, though IMO some kind of extraneous sheetrock tear up. "Oh poo poo, there's a joist behind here! Well, have you guys do some more patching, I guess." But, I guess different homeowners have different levels of getting to know their places. Are either of you familiar with what exactly the 'lift mechanism' in the MLZ cassettes is? I imagine some kind of Venturi or suction mechanism if it can lift condensate by around 0.5 m. movax fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Aug 30, 2021 |
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Aug 30, 2021 21:46
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iirc it's just a little motorized pump. nothing fancy. btw if you really want to dig into it, mitsu's tech support website is open and free. http://www.mylinkdrive.com/USA/
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Aug 30, 2021 21:59
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So, it looks like this year I'm going to be given the opportunity to replace the HVAC and attic insulation in my home (South Carolina, single-story, 2500 sq. ft.). Can anybody point me to a useful guide on making decisions with regard to brands, equipment, and other choices I'll need to make? I feel like now is going to be a really good time to get these things in order before demand gets even higher and supply chains get even worse.
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Aug 30, 2021 23:04
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MRC48B posted:iirc it's just a little motorized pump. nothing fancy. btw if you really want to dig into it, mitsu's tech support website is open and free. They are just small condensate pumps. They will be wired into the unit to turn on when the unit is on in cooling. If they stop working, they’ll also turn your unit off (if in cooling mode) so just be warned, they’re a common failure point.
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Aug 30, 2021 23:38
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Bird in a Blender posted:They are just small condensate pumps. They will be wired into the unit to turn on when the unit is on in cooling. If they stop working, they’ll also turn your unit off (if in cooling mode) so just be warned, they’re a common failure point. Hmm — how loud are they? That’s the most common thing I see for people avoiding them — loud, obnoxious buzzing.
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Aug 31, 2021 00:59
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the built in ones are quieter than the fan running.
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Aug 31, 2021 01:01
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MRC48B posted:the built in ones are quieter than the fan running. I think I’ve eaten all the collateral available on the Internet now for the Mitsubishi systems and now have to wait for installers to get back to me / see who will work on condos. Don’t gently caress up the drain pump install, make sure seals is good / ceiling is very flat (for the MLZ), recall that refrigerant flows in all zones and check jumper settings to see if you want the fan to never run, etc. The MLZs even have a little pocket on their grilles to strap the wireless adapter too! Can’t wait for them to show up and crush my dreams. What lies in wait in the ceilings! Or my walls?! Or in code! e: also fake edit, the next time someone checks this thread.... what are ERVs / HRVs actually for? Seems like for new construction (like late 2000s / 'now'), the idea in very 'tight' homes is that you need these devices to provide fresh air coming in, right? How does the exhaust work in these newer homes? Seems like existing / older bathroom fans do one job which is, well, exhausting moisture filled air out of the home so your poo poo doesn't get mildewy. Would you ever drop-in replace an ERV / HRV where a bathroom fan is? I feel stupid even asking, but in something like my house, 1984 townhome, I've got the typical old yellow fiberglass insulation in the walls, but somewhere, air intake / exhaust has to exist, correct? Plenty of vents on the outside, some for fans / range, some that I think are for spaces to 'breathe' (so as a result, the insides of those spaces are effectively directly exposed to the outside / unconditioned, but moisture also has the opportunity to escape!)... but where does my fresh air come in? Can I pull blueprints off file from the city to get more info? I understand that my mini-split system (HOPEFULLY FEASIBLE) is just doing heat transfer and not actual air exchange -- air is intaked from the room and exhausted back into the same room. We usually leave windows open for natural airflow to occur, but when I have everything buttoned up for the winter, seems like air exchange is, well, compromised. I have Netatmo sensors everywhere, and I see CO2 levels spike in bedrooms when all the doors are closed -- ok to leave it cracked in the summer, but in the winter, this is a bit annoying. Does adding HRV / ERVs to bedrooms help this at all? movax fucked around with this message at 19:42 on Aug 31, 2021 |
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Aug 31, 2021 07:19
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movax posted:e: also fake edit, the next time someone checks this thread.... what are ERVs / HRVs actually for? Seems like for new construction (like late 2000s / 'now'), the idea in very 'tight' homes is that you need these devices to provide fresh air coming in, right? How does the exhaust work in these newer homes? Seems like existing / older bathroom fans do one job which is, well, exhausting moisture filled air out of the home so your poo poo doesn't get mildewy. Would you ever drop-in replace an ERV / HRV where a bathroom fan is? ERVs/HRVs are often tied into the main line that would feed the furnace/air exchange. For houses without central AC/etc., they'd have to basically run dedicated supply and discharge lines to let it function. You wouldn't tie them into a bathroom fan. Edit: I think a lot of the AC companies also poorly market the air exchange units, because for example, Trane somewhat markets up their ERVs for its energy efficiency impacts, but I've been wanting to get one installed because it does basically exchange indoor for outdoor air, but the local company I had install my system, the salesmen thinks it's for "energy recovery", which, yeah, it "does"... but it's really meant to help turnover internal air. And that's why I want it. I couldn't care less if it "recovers" even a single effective cent-worth of savings. quote:I feel stupid even asking, but in something like my house, 1984 townhome, I've got the typical old yellow fiberglass insulation in the walls, but somewhere, air intake / exhaust has to exist, correct? Plenty of vents on the outside, some for fans / range, some that I think are for spaces to 'breathe' (so as a result, the insides of those spaces are effectively directly exposed to the outside / unconditioned, but moisture also has the opportunity to escape!)... but where does my fresh air come in? Can I pull blueprints off file from the city to get more info? Not necessarily; a lot of older homes just assumed you'd get air turnover by opening windows and/or doors; there was no dedicated means of turning over the inside air volume. Of course, a lot of door/window seals aren't great and leak air by, so that provides some turnover, but not nearly enough. Canned Sunshine fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Sep 1, 2021 |
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Sep 1, 2021 19:28
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SourKraut posted:Not necessarily; a lot of older homes just assumed you'd get air turnover by opening windows and/or doors; there was no dedicated means of turning over the inside air volume. It looks like I can get a blower door test done for ~$250 and get an exact number for my ACH and other information re: how insulated my place actually is. Do you know much about the Lunos HRVs? As I understand it, these basically solve the air exchange problem, and the HRV portion of it helps deal with the problem of "it's cold outside, so try to exchange air and keep as much heat as you can inside" -- is that right? It seems like those would solve some spot ventilation problems I have.
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Sep 1, 2021 22:26
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If our AC compressor occasionally starts up loud as hell and stays loud until you power cycle it, is that a slow compressor death on the way? Would a hard start kit help? I have a video of the sound of that helps, but it's nothing surprising, just a loud waaaaaa as it runs. It's loud enough I'm surprised the neighbors haven't complained. I tried jiggling the fan housing to see if the tone changes with external vibration but it didn't affect anything. It only happens once or twice a month, even in June/July when it's running often. I observed it to occur at dusk or just after nightfall. As late as 10 pm, but that's just probably when we're home and more likely to hear it. It's a Concord, about a year and a half old. 4AC16L30P-50A
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Sep 4, 2021 18:57
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