looks like a cheap preformed composite condenser pad...preferred is a poured concrete pad...

IMO

Thanks Mike. Here is the vents:

The vent on the far left is an intake for a gas fireplace (so not an exhaust).

And here are a few more pics of the install:

for Chicago, I would want those vents at least 30" off the ground...

IMO

I agree with Tigerdunes. I would have said at least 3 feet in case of snow drifts. It seems the exhaust height is good, but for some reason the intake is lower. The minimum distance between the intake and exhaust openings is usually 12 inches. It looks like there is a dryer vent. I am not sure if the distance to vent and the exhaust is supposed to be 36 inches. Maybe that is why they installed the exhaust higher.

The furnace condensate PVC pipe has no drain trap. The trap prevents air from moving out and into the coil. I like the clear EZ Trap. It is clear so you can visually inspect it for clogs and it has brush for cleaning.

What thermostat do you have? Hopefully it is a 2-stage type and wired correctly. That means the thermostat controls the staging and not the control board. I am not a fan of humidifiers and will often advise people to avoid them. But since you have one I think the thermostat should control the humidity level if it has that capability. Maybe others can comment their experience in this area.

The vent to the left is a cold air intake for a gas fireplace, so it doesn't exhaust anything. Should I ask that the furnace intake pipe be moved up?

I am going to ask him to install the trap - is one required on the furnace line as well?

I have an Ecobee3 thermostat and have it controlling the stages. So far, stage two only comes on if I turn it up more than three degrees, otherwise stage 1 only runs, even if recovering from set back since I only turn it down a couple of degrees at night.

We never really turn the humidifier on so its doesn't get much use, but it was on the original furnace so I kept it. Just out of curiosity, why do you not like humidifiers?

If the intake is high enough to stay above a bad snow fall then there is no need to move it. You only need a trap after the coil. You can also install an overflow detector at the coil that will shut down the system if the drain ever backs up. But I think it is a good safety feature to have. A surge protector is also good to have. These are not expensive components, your installer will probably say it is beyond his normal installation.

Most 2-stage thermostats will start the furnace in the low stage even if you are recovering from a 10 degree set back. This is to prevent getting that initial blast of cold air when the furnace starts up. After a few minutes it will move to stage two if the difference between the set point and room temperature is still large.

Maybe it is my perception but I think humidifiers are a maintenance headache. They need to be kept clean on a regular basis. The low humidity is caused by outside air infiltration. You are better off spending money on sealing air leaks than a water bill.

It seems to me that the cold air intake could easily be blocked by Chicago snows...too much going on in that area....space it out...

IMO

The problem is you can't tell the mechanical fitness of an HVAC system from a picture. Just because the install looks pretty, doesn't mean the mechanical part of it is correct.

Obviously I would probably be more concerned if the picture wasn't so pretty, but I have seen pretty installs with a plethora of mechanical problems, regardless of the brand installed.

While Air conditioning condensate is typically not a dire threat for Chicago area, what do you suppose will happen if the condensate drain gets plugged to this system? Eventually this will happen.

Hint: gravity.

Thanks Austin -- maybe someone could help me understand this:

"While Air conditioning condensate is typically not a dire threat for Chicago area, what do you suppose will happen if the condensate drain gets plugged to this system? Eventually this will happen."

Wouldn't adding an AC condensate trap actually make it more likely that it would get plugged? Right now, the drain blows air out of it since it is past the blower fan - doesn't this actually help in keeping the line clear and preventing clogs?

I plan on keeping it clean by pouring bleach down in once or twice a year, but my understanding is that by not having the trap, it is an efficiency issue, nothing more (since I am losing some conditioned air through the floor drain- but it stay in the house anyway so I am just adding a small amount of air to the furnace room, which may not really be a bad thing) - am I understanding this right?

I recommended installing the clear EZ trap. This way in the unlikely event that the trap becomes clogged, you will be able to see it visually.

Your furnace, like mine, are in the basement. If you change your filters on a regular basis you should not have a clogging issue. Furnaces in attics see a lot more dust and have a higher probability of clogging.

Air blowing is not going to push out any gunk clinging to the PVC pipe.

I don't see how air going down your drain helps condition your house.

"I don't see how air going down your drain helps condition your house."

- I said this b/c since the pipe ends in the drain, the warmer air will move up (I can feel it) into the furnace room, which is in the basement - so I guess I was saying the BTUs are not lost, like they would be going outside or something.

"While Air conditioning condensate is typically not a dire threat for Chicago area, what do you suppose will happen if the condensate drain gets plugged to this system? Eventually this will happen."

This is not in reference to a trap, the trap is over rated. You have to understand what you are doing. If you just blindly put a trap on you could be adding insult to injury. But this is very common in this industry.

The reason for the above statement is this: What happens if you have a double trap on any type of liquid drained (plumbing system tied) device? The AC condensate trap is in most cases is used to prevent sewer gas from traveling up the drain into the structure. (this isn't always the case, it depends on drain system design...) in some cases it's used to alleviate drain noise. However, a double trap isn't advisable. How do you know you have a double trap?

Trap or no trap, drain lines clog. You have two drains feeing into one another, the AC drain and the condensate from the furnace. (condensing furnace).

If the drain is clogged (coming from AC coil) what path will condensate water take? (gravity) I am not going to spell it out for you. This is free, so you have to think for yourself.

If this happens and it will at some point in the future, the pretty install isn't so pretty.

PS: pouring bleach down a drain that is tied to an all aluminum coil is a recipe for refrigerant leaks. What was once done, is not recommended currently.

To answer your question, if the AC line was clogged then I suppose it would back up into the drain and eventually spill out. I am not sure exactly how the internal drain system system is set up, but I imagine there is a pan of some sort in there and that would over flow. If the clog came after the line that feeds in from the furnace, I suppose it would back up into that line and eventually spill over as well.

So, if I do not use bleach to clean these, how to you recommend that I should keep them clean?

So, if I do not use bleach to clean the drain, how to you recommend that I should keep them clean?

One way: use a good quality filter and change them at regular intervals. This method is not perfect.

Second way: pitch drain line to a minimum 10-15 degree angle so that it empties fully, into a single trap if possible --- trap placement is just as important. Flat piping runs and elbows should be avoided as much as possible. (Don't forget about first step.) IE: gravity works for you just as much as it can work against you. It all comes down to the design of the drain system.

Third way: wait until it clogs and then clean it out / or pay to have it cleaned out.

Which way do you suppose most service companies are counting on?

So by now you clearly see the 'two sides to every coin'. If something is billed as being perfect --- it is an out right lie, merely to swindle you.

Drain line could still clog given the second way, but you cut the risk to fraction of what was possible with other methods.

It's not always possible: architecture was built for beauty, not for how the HVAC system condensate line is to be run to prevent drain clogs. In some situations it may be better to level the home and start over.

Ah the reasons why someone sells a home these days... it will boggle your mind.

It should be noted that bleach does not clean the drain, it merely treats it by killing bacteria and algae growth. To keep bacteria and algae growth in check the drain has to be treated continually, because as you run the AC the bleach is eventually diluted and flushed down drain with condensate from the AC. The problem with retreating is that bleach is corrosive. If not flushed down the drain completely the fumes come up the drain and attack anything metal. Your all aluminum coil is no match for bleach. It will attack the heat exchanger as well. The more you treat the drain with bleach the more less likely you have drain clog, but at the expense of system damage due to the corrosiveness of the bleach you use to treat the drain.