Do stairwells need a/c vents and/or returns? Mine has MOLD!
berylneedshelp
10 years ago
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mike_home
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Do You Clean A/C Vents?
Comments (12)Katkin, I had it done. The house had belonged to a smoker and I was trying to get the smell out (my son has allergies). It didn't seem to make any difference. I ended up having to replace everything but the ductwork a couple of months later. At that time the ACguy said some of my duct connections were lose and he fixed them. He said not to waste money on duct cleaning because most times they break the ducts apart & all the cool air goes into the attic. I asked my other A/C guy in SoFla about this and he agreeded. Both said the most important thing was to replace filters at least every month (more if you smoke) and to buy the upgraded filters (like the HEPA's) and not to be tempted to buy cheaper ones because in the end...you really end up paying for them....See Moreneed to redo our entire heating, A/C, insulation
Comments (21)Hum... Sounds like a copper fin-tube boiler. As long as the exteriors of the tubes look OK (not corroded), a copper tube boiler should easily last 20 years or more. There are quite a few companies that still make and offer copper fin-tube boilers. Virtually all boiler types are more efficient that those of 20 years ago. The one you have is probably an 80 to 85% efficient model. Does it vent through a chimney, or through a PVC pipe through the side wall of the house?...See MoreWhich of these two Carrier gas furnace and A/C systems?
Comments (10)Thank you for the prompt reviews! Looks like Proposal #1 is the winner so far. Mike ��" the attic fan made a huge difference in second floor comfort. One of the best things I did. Glad your experience was the same. I will look into the 2 stage AC. I will not run the fan or put in an extra return for the humidity/temperature change issues. I will just continue to use my dehumidifiers. They do take care of the issue. I am going to plan on replacing the line set ��" it is easy to get to. What do you think about the drain pan/wet switch that will shut off the AC if there is a leak? Is it going to go off over nothing like a smoke detector I used to have and drive me nuts? Or is it a good idea? I might not have been clear about one thing. Both contractors told me to keep the old air filter set up (Spaceguard High Efficiency). It is the old Aprilaire humidifier that Contractor #1 said replace due to age/parts and Contractor #2 said keep it, parts are not going to be a problem and the only part that goes bad is the solenoid. Keep the old one or buy a new one? Contractor #1 is going to look into the Carrier early failure of heat exchangers settlement. It might only apply to the secondary heat exchanger. The primary one failed on my furnace. I meet with the last contractor tomorrow. I hope to have all the bids by the end of the week. My goal is all new equipment before I have to turn on the heat!...See MoreAm I crazy? How bad do you think water problem is? Mold?
Comments (27)I was in a very similar situation a couple years ago. I wanted a midcentury modern home but it had to be in a specific area. Prices were still depressed at that time, but I knew they were bound to increase soon. I had been watching a home online that was built by one of my favorite 1950's architects. I had seen black and white pics of the house from the 50's and it was beautiful then. Unfortunately, the previous owners had altered much of the architecture. The price was much too high. When the price decreased significantly, the realtor and I went to look at it. It had also been abandoned for 10 yrs. There was major water damage EVERYWHERE. The ceiling ballooned out all over the place. The patio overhang and soffit had areas of rot. The carpet had water damage. The realtor and I walked out laughing that anyone would think they could sell the house for the asking price (which was still above my budget). We looked at more homes, but the bones of these homes did not compare to the damaged home. The home had walls of glass, amazing views of the city and mountains and in my opinion had great potential. When I wanted to make an offer on it, the realtor was shocked. He tried to talk me out of it. But I felt it was a matter of time before I was priced out of this area and despite the terrible condition of the home, it had other things going for it. Before making an offer, we had a roofer look at the roof. Like your roof, it had been replaced in the last 10 yrs. All I can figure is that no one had bothered to repair the extensive drywall damage. The exterior soffit damage was from condensation in AC vents (yes- they had AC on the patio!). After haggling with the bank (shortsale), I finally got the house. I remember that night thinking, WHAT HAVE I DONE? The house has taken extensive investment. It is not done, and because of the expense, I am taking my time with it. I did put in new floors, new roof, new electrical, new kitchen, drywall, opened the floorplan up, etc. The house just appraised for much higher than I paid. If I were you, I would have a roofer look at the roof to verify it is intact. Try to get a contractor out there also to give you his/her opinion on the source of the water damage elsewhere and his worst cost estimate. Think about the WORST possible outcome with the water damage and decide if you are willing to pay this for the house. I was fortunate that for my house the water damage, although it looked awful, was negligible for cost. If you really want the house, repairing the issues may be worth it. Dont forget that other things might need repair/replacing - HVAC system, etc....See Morebus_driver
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