First Home, First time appliance purchases, Help please!
Zoey_B
9 years ago
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Comments (7)
eam44
9 years agolast modified: 7 years agomike_73
9 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
First time home owner, replacing HVAC please advise
Comments (8)I agree with Mr Salesman that a heat pump is the way to go. I'm not even sure why you have gas heat in Florida. Electric back-up strips can be used in the air handler, or you can have a gas furnace in the air handler as supplimental heat. Below 32 degrees F outside air, a house loses heat faster than the heat pump can supply it, so supplimental heat is needed. What are your electric costs ($ per kw-hr). The 2TTX5042 condenser with 2TEE3F40 is a matched set rated at 42,500 btu-hr, 12.8 EER, and 15 SEER. These are fantastic numbers. Your true cost of operation is determined by EER and not SEER, much to the surprise of many people. EER is rated at 95 degrees outside air temps while SEER is rated at only 82 degrees outside air temps. That air handler does have a variable speed blower. The 2TTX5042 condenser with a 2TXCC049 air handler and UD080R9V furnace is also a matched set rated at 40,500 btu-hour, 15.25 SEER, and 12.8 EER. Not sure if the blower is variable speed. You may be able to check Trane's website for that info - search on the furnace model#. There are no HSPF ratings since the above systems are not heat pumps. For your piece of mind, you should consider a PARTS AND LABOR warranty. The manufacturer's warranty is parts-only, no labor. You can search www.energystar.gov to find the rebate requirements. You'll have to step up to the XL16i with the right air handler to get the required SEER/EER/HSPF. All 3 must be met to get the rebate. The 16i uses a 2-stage compressor. Typically these systems are much more $$ to purchase than single stage compressors. The VisionPro is loved by the pros. The VisionPro IAQ is even more advanced. You can check them out on Honeywell's website. You ask solid questions. An HVAC-educated homeowner (myself included) helps to insure a good purchase, a good install, and a happy ending. Best to you. Here is a link that might be useful: ARI Directory...See MoreFirst Time HVAC Purchase - Please Help Us
Comments (7)In Wisconsin you will run the system often enough to dry the air significantly in the winter, so a humidifier should increase your comfort. The humidifier will include a humidistat, so it will sense the moisture level in the air and should only run when you need it. However, my experience with whole-house humidifiers is that cheap models are not the most well-designed or trouble-free device in your HVAC. They have water pumps, water filters, water lines, and other parts that fail or need significantly more frequent maintenance once they are a few years old. They are also piped into the plumbing system, so there is always the possibility of a leak causing a significant mess. Bruce...See MoreFirst time home owner... need help (kitchen)!!
Comments (12)After looking more closely at your photos, the problem you are going to run into are things like window and door trim. I can't tell if there is trim on the window in the yellow nook. Assuming there is, anything you put on top of the tile could end up too deep for the trim. Assuming there isn't and it is tiled to the window, you would have to figure out a way to trim out the window to hide the tile, then do your beadboard. I understand this is your first home and that you don't want to rip things out but, you don't want to make it worse than it is by kinda sorta fixing it. I would test removing the tile. If it comes off pretty cleanly, then I would remove all and skim coat to fix the walls. If not, I would remove both tile and plaster and drywall. It will be labor intensive, but better to do it right the first time and improve the home, than to do something that will only make it worse and possibly decrease the value....See MoreKitchen Remodeling Help!! First time home owner
Comments (37)Perhaps here isn't the best place for ideas when on a budget. In my world 25k is a HUGE amount for a kitchen update. But DH would do/did all our labor so I am bias. Leaving the lay out as is, I would look into replacing the door/drawer fronts. Chances are pretty good the cabinet bases you have are much sturdier and better built than anything new one would purchase. Materials have gotten much thinner, old growth wood is stronger etc. OLD IS BETTER from a construction point of view in most cases!! I love the windows in your kitchen. What does it look like from the outside? Yes the slider can be replaced by a french door combo where only the left side opens I DID IT I KNOW!. We did ours for energy efficiency and ease of opening. Remember the swing of the door is a space eater. Counter eating is all the rage but not great for little kids...where are you at with children and a dining room? We extended our counter top, it's easy to do. I agree you probably don't want to extend it in front of the glass but I bet the entire door can be made smaller but this will run into outside siding/painting costs...a french door and free standing counter top table may be least expensive easiest to do. It will be cheapest to find a french door the size of your present opening. A custom cabinet maker- could retro yours to accommodate a microwave but for the money putting one over the stove would be easiest, cheapest. They come with exhaust fans built in. Your lay out now looks very open, modern, new counter tops alone would change the look a lot!! Stand firm on your budget and resolve to freshen your space. Not everyone gets around to a full gutting of a kitchen!! Don't let what you hope to do be side tracked by things you can't/don't want to afford. In the end you don't get your money out of a full gut anyway!!!...See MoreTmnca
9 years agolast modified: 7 years agoZoey_B
9 years agolast modified: 7 years agoZoey_B
9 years agolast modified: 7 years agomike_73
9 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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mike_73