What are the model numbers of the condenser and air handler?

What was the adjustemt made to the "air balance"? Did he tweak the air handler or close off some of the downstairs vents?

Model number on condensing unit is GSC140421
Model number on air handler is AFUF374316

He told me that he had "changed the balance" of the airflow. The actual force of air coming out of the vents upstairs after he had made the adjustment seemed unchanged (to me) and there was no noticeable increase in heat from the vent in the master bedroom.

I do appreciate you taking the time to help.

Forgot to mention he did not close off any of the downstairs vents.

The GSC condenser is straight air conditioning, I thought you had a heat pump which begins with GSH. There must be a typo in the air handler model#. Goodman makes an ARUF (there is no AFUF) air handler which is a 3-speed unit. He may have increased the fan speed from low to medium.

With 15 kw heat strips, you should have about 150 degree air coming from the closest vent. He needs to make sure that all 3 strips are working and are wired properly to the thermostat.

You can try and close off a duct or 2 on the first floor that's blasting out air to force more air to the upstairs. I'm surprised you didn't notice this air-balance issue in the summer time.

I'm not sure why your installer didn't give you a heat pump condenser, especially since you got a new system. Heat pumps are cheap heat and are 300% efficient compared to electric strip heat. Electric resistance and propane are expensive ways to heat.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for the information. I just checked and the air handler is ARUF not as he had on the invoice afuf.

The volume of air coming out of the vent in the master bedroom is good, it is just not very warm, but it was blowing cold in the summer. I'll ask him to check that the heat strips are wired properly to the thermostat, and in the meantime close off a couple of vents downstairs. Usually I research beforehand through Consumer Reports all big ticket items that I buy, unfortunately, my unit went out in the middle of the Texan summer when I was also down with a fever of 101, my dog was just out of one of her shots, so, I could not kennel her and my friends may have taken me in but not my 100+ lb dog..., so, it was in sheer desperation that I ended up paying $8000 for a unit I knew nothing about, but that's life I guess, you win some and lose some. A very sincere thank you for your help on this.

I was wrong with the 150 degree number.

According to the installation manual for the ARUF air handler (I have the same air handler), the temperature rise across the 15 kw electric heat strips should be about 40 to 50 degrees, depending on fan speed. So, 70 degree room air plus 40 or 50 degrees = 110 to 120 degree air out of the vents.

A faster fan speed provides cooler air in heating mode and warmer air in cooling mode. You may have to lower the fan speed for warmer air to come from the bedroom vents.

When was the last time your filter was changed? Maybe it's dirty which could effect air flow, especially to the upper floors.

Best to you.

ellsasha:

The 15 kw electric strips are three 5 kw strips. 2 are grouped together for 10 kw and one is by itself. They are tied together by the thermostat wires. Maybe your wires aren't right and you have only 10 kw or 5 kw running, not 15 kw total.

Just a thought.

Gary,

Thank you so much for all of these "leads" I went up into the attic this afternoon and the ducting to the vent in the master bedroom does not have a gently graded slope from the unit to the vent (as the other ducting does), instead it has more of an inverted L shape almost 90 degrees but slightly more rounded at the angle, but maybe this, too, is a contributory factor? The contractor replaced the venting with the unit. I'm going to try to get one of my neighbors to take a look, at least at the venting and the air filter, before I get back to the contractor with some of the "leads" you have suggested. I'll let you know what the outcome is.

Many thanks, again.

With your air handler in the attic (and not in the basement), there should be no problem getting heated air to the 2nd floor bedrooms.

I'm not sure if your problem involves heat, or airflow, as you have mentioned both issues.

Hopefully you'll find a simple solution.

Gary, my neighbor, who although not an a/c heating engineer is very "mechanical," was just over and took the side off the unit, we could only see the heads of the heat strips, but he reckons they are all working judging by the extreme heat that is coming from the downstairs vent that is furthest from the unit. The volume of air coming out of the vent in the master bedroom which is the nearest vent to the plenum (distribution box) is as strong as the air coming out of the other vents but much cooler. He says that the situation defies logic, and he reckons that short of detaching the distribution box (a major job) to see what is going on inside, the only other option might be to reposition the ducts on the outside of the distribution box then I might get heat in the master bedroom but at the expense of another area.

Now I can be more specific, I might think about doing another post asking if anyone else has experienced a distribution box problem similar to mine and asking what their resolution was. Again, thank you for all of your help during this dilemma.

"The contractor replaced the venting with the unit."

- Did he install the distribution box as well? Maybe he should pay you another visit? For $8k, it's the least that he can do.

FYI, there is a pro site www.HVAC-Talk.com. Post your question there and maybe those guys can help.

Good luck.

Gary, I have just posted to the other website you suggested, maybe they will come up with some ideas which might help change the contractor's mind that something can be done. Many thanks for the suggestion. I'll let you know the outcome.

Sasha:

I am a contributer to that site so I'll see your postings there.

Below is a link to the National Comfort Institute. You can use them as another resource to find a pro who specializes in solving comfort problems.

Best to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: National Comfort Institute

Gary,

Seems I need to be associated with a company, presumably technical/mechanical to register with NCI, I'll send a msg asking if "lay people" can register to one of the contacts. I did get some useful contact information for local contractors from one of the HVAC members. I'm trying to put together a logical argument to present to my present contactor, then if he continues to maintain that nothing more can be done, I'll have to get a second opinion and the HVAC member recommendations will be really useful. This is still a work in progress, I'll update you as I hopefully make progress. ES

Sasha:

On the NCI site (on the top left), there is "Locate an NCI Contractor". Click on it, plug in your zip code, and see which contractors are "NCI certified" in your area.

Good luck.

Gary, thanks again for all your information. I e-mailed an update a few days ago via the form. Finally, the vent in the master bedroom is working fine with much warmer air. The contractor came out this morning and moved the ducting from the plenum about a foot further over and it now captures the hot air off the heat strips, he tells me that there was one area in the plenum where the hot air was not circulating. Anyway, sitution seems to be resolved.

Fantastic.

Enjoy the heat.

Take care.