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Heating & Air Conditioning

replacement of central a/c

17 years ago

I own a home with an old 3 ton Miller condenser/air handler that needs replacing. The home never seems to adequately get cold and I suspect the system is undersized. The home is a sprawling ranch about 1300 sq/ft. I also have a full basement that measures out to about 1500 sq/ft. The

basement currently is not serviced by the existing system. I am in the process of renovating the master bath which gives me a central access from the basement to the attic where the handler is. The ductwork can be easily

added for the basement,and I would like to take advantage of this because I use two dehumidifiers in the basement and this is fairly costly with the amount of electricity consumed by the dehumidifiers. Can you advise on the size of equipment needed to service my home.I should also mention that three of the rooms have 16 foot cathedral ceilings with 1 room that has 6 small skylights and a lot of windows.

Thanks in advance for any help.

P.S. Any manufacturer recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (2)

airsome
17 years ago
The system is probably not undersized. More likely, you have an inefficient system and leaking ductwork. Do you have a lot of dust? Do you have mold growing around refrigerator door and in the bathroom?
If so, ductwork needs to be replaced. New ductwork needs to be sealed properly!
Also, location of air handler is a problem. When the ac runs, does the AH sweat?
If so, this indicates a further (large) loss of efficiency.
Moving AH to basement and installing properly sealed ductwork will easily save you 15% or more of your energy dollar.
Best and cheapest (by far) way to save money is to re-insulate your house.
Brand? Get the right contractor.
Then, look for Trane (American Standard) and Ruud (Rheem).
Other brands are not far behind.
No matter what brand, get the right contractor. You can investigate brands until you are blue in the face and still end up with a terrible system.
bob_brown
17 years ago
Sizing of equipment is not done over the internet. Size is dependent on btu removal.. This can be calculated by using a manual J. Existing homes can be adjusted for various room problems. Size of duct can affect the system performance. Too little and you have a major problem.. You have a problem. Get contractors to give you recommendations. If you have questions at that time, ask more questions on this forum.
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