Also, the units in the report are what was proposed and in the bid but we are planning to upgrade the SEER. Just trying to work out the size of the unit so that we can get the price on the various SEER levels. Another question: when we decided to foam the rafters, the hvac company said that would allow them to downsize the second floor unit and they gave us a $1000 credit which we're planning to use to upgrade the SEER. Would the foam not also affect the size of the downstairs unit? Our contract only specified the type of unit and SEER rating but didn't give a budget. We were told the foaming would reduce the cost of the hvac equipment but not by how much. I guess I've lost some trust and my concern is that a 5 ton system was budgeted but only a 4 ton system is needed and we won't get credit back for the reduced size needed for the first floor. Is it fair for me to ask what amount was budgeted for the hvac equipment? It is not a cost plus contract but rather a fixed price. Our builder is good about changing things and if it's cheaper, he adjusts the amount in our favor. Of course some things have been more but he's been very reasonable and I think he's just basically charging us the actual amount.

andeew first you need a load calculation for both heating and cooling. what is size of existing unit? did it cool adequately or did it ever struggle to keep you comfortable? don't you have reasonable electric rate? if so, i would add a properly sized heat pump. and if this was my home I would replace everything, both inside and outside unit with Carrier's Performance 15 HP (25HPA mdl) and Infinity two stg var speed furnace with Infinity Controller. whay is brand,mdl,size of existing furnace? And a Manual J is HVAC jargon and refers to the software package that professional dealers use to accurately size new residential HVAC equipment. let me know if you have any further questions. IMO

Not interested in plowing through all of those issues with you, other than the interrelationships between plants and insects. Any plant that is not pollinated by wind or water has a relationship with insects or animals of some sort. Some of these interactions are extremely specific......an orchid that disguises itself as a type of wasp so that the insect will mate with it, collecting pollen structures (look up pollinia) in the process. Some Stapelia have flowers that look and smell like rotting flesh in order to attract their pollinators. Bees, of course, are attracted to flowers by sight and scent and are rewarded for their pollination by large amounts of energy rich pollen and nectar. Plants, all of them, can be said to conform to a fundamental law of evolution: Form Follows Function. Nothing about any plant occurs without a purpose. They have evolved to take advantage of insects, a vast number of birds, and mammals. There are plants which have seeds that must pass through the intestinal tract of a fruit bat in order to germinate! About mycorrhizae....since nearly ALL plants (90-95%) make use of or rely on mycorrhizal relationships with fungi in the wild, I would assume that Sansevieria does. To research it further, look up the family (Asparagaceae) relationship.

The weed n feed combined products are difficult to use and the results are usually unsatisfactory. I think all the forums will tell you that if you need to fertilize, use a fertilizer. If you need to kill weeds, use a herbicide (spot spray with Weed b Gon of WBG Chickweed, Clover, and Oxalis Killer). It could be the plantain needs the WBG CCO. It's a different bottle of stuff. Read the bottle label to see if 3 weeks is enough time between spraying. You should not get into a ritual of spraying it every few weeks, though. That's asking for trouble. You seeded at a bad time of year. Why? Because now is the time crabgrass seed is germinating. Also because tender new grass shoots will not have sturdy enough roots to live through the summer heat. Fall is THE time to seed northern grasses. As to fertilizer, the grass needs nitrogen. Whether it needs phosphorous or potassium, you can't tell without a soil test (Logan Labs, $25 - best soil test in the country by far). Having said that, you can apply an organic fertilizer like soybean meal, corn meal, alfalfa pellets, Milorganite, or corn gluten meal at any time without fear. These materials feed the soil microbes which, after 3 weeks, will feed the plants. Watering: Deep and infrequent is the mantra for watering. This is for all turf grass all over the place. Deep means 1 inch all at one time. Put some cat food or tuna cans around the yard, and time how long it takes your sprinkler(s) to fill all the cans. Memorize that time. That will be the time you water from now on. My hose, sprinkler and water pressure takes 8 full hours to fill the cans. Your time will likely be less. I like gentle watering. As for watering frequency, that depends on the temperature. With temps in the 90s, deep water once per week. With temps in the 80s, deep water once every 2 weeks. With temps in the 70s, deep water once every 3 weeks. With temps below 70, deep water once a month. Note that you have to keep up with quickly changing temps in the spring and fall. This deep and infrequent schedule works in Phoenix and in Vermont, so it should work for you. The reason for deep and infrequent is to grow deeper, more drought resistant roots and to allow the soil to dry completely at the surface for several days before watering again. If it rains, reset your calendar to account for the rainfall. Mowing: Mulch mow at the mower's highest setting for all lawns except bermuda, centipede, and creeping bentgrass. Those should be mowed at the lowest setting. Fertilizer: As indicated above. Dates are Memorial Day, Labor Day, and about Thanksgiving. Note that these dates do NOT match the dates you will get from TV commercials, local radio stations, and newspaper and magazine articles. These dates are the historical dates used by professional grass farmers and ranchers and have been adopted by the lawn community gurus as being the most appropriate for chemical fertilization. If you use organic fertilizer, you can do that any day of the year, or every day of the year. You cannot go wrong with organics unless you bury the grass in it. Spray on fertilizer is good for a few days up to a week. Grass needs pounds of nitrogen to last from season to season. All you get with a spray is fractional diluted ounces of nitrogen.