How do I know if my house HVAC is sized correctly
15 days ago
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- 15 days agolast modified: 15 days ago
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do i need mua in 1930's home without hvac
Comments (7)Thanks for your input kaseki. I wish I were an engineer and could give an actual figure on how leaky the house is, best I can say is VERY :). Along with the hole out the roof for the swamp cooler there are also (6) 8"X5" openings to the crawl space. The other gas combustion appliances (boiler and H2O heater) are in the utility room which accesses the crawl space. The utility room is also below the kitchen. As for the source of their make up air I'm unsure... kinda makes me wish I'd asked the tech. who installed the new boiler last year a lot more questions. So, thinking this through if we were to go with the 1200 cfm hood and connected a damper to a fresh air inlet (hole) to the outside and to nothing on the inside (as we have no forced air and therefore no ducting), the damper would open when I used the range vent and let in MUA for the time the range vent was in use, and close when it wasn't. Realistically, how much more air could it be pulling in than the 6 other holes in the crawl space and the one in the roof? hmmm. I'm probably missing something in my logic but it seems silly to have only 1 of 8 openings controlled unless it's absolutely necessary to have that 8th hole and it's in a location that I want to be able to shut is my thinking. Currently I have a non-functioning electric range with OTR MW recirculation hood (the catalyst for the whole remodel). Needless-to-say I'm excited to have proper range ventilation and want to do it right, but I'm starting to think that a damper for additional MAU might not be needed. I do know this, the 3 times a year my DH takes the time to get me a really good fire going, I'm sitting in front of it and am no where near the range. :)...See Moreicf home hvac sizing phoenix arizona
Comments (8)The heat loss/heat gain calculations are correct providing you put the info in properly and included everything. I am not a big proponent of DIY doing the heat losses. Most will do a good job but I have redone some and they missed something which may make a huge difference in the heat loss or heat gain. The heat and cooling appliances are too expensive to make mistakes and install the wrong size. It is also too expensive to put in a too large of a unit. Have one of the contractors there do one and compare. If there is a difference ask him to explain what you did wrong....See MoreNew HVAC- How did my contractor do?
Comments (17)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....See MoreHeating my new house is KILLING my wallet, any HVAC experts?
Comments (14)skin, I think you are right. I bought a cheap infrared heater for my bedroom and flipped the whole system off (to top it off it has one of those crappy 80s mastertrol zone systems with the gold dial) used 10kwH/day, turned it back on yesterday thermostat on 64, granted it was very cold here yesterday, in the 30s, I used 130KwH!!!! The mastertrol panel is going, I have ordered a honeywell hz311 to replace it bc the thing is just pure nonsense and confusing. When I rewire that I am going to open the air handler and make sure all of the connections coming out (and going to the zone panel/thermostats) are right. Maybe I will luck out and they just screwed up and put a wire on an auxiliary heat resistor that should be on regular heat... Or maybe this confusing piece of crap from 1981 is messed up and it is calling for auxiliary heat when it should be calling for regular heat... My question is. If I am indeed constantly using the strip heat, what is missing for the "normal" heat pump heat? As I mentioned I know very little about these systems, don't they run the outside compressor in reverse for heating to pull the cold out or something? My 2017 compressor is capable of doing that, right? I mean I have all the equipment for this to work, it's just wired and slapped together piss poorly is what your'e saying? Or, am I missing some other component that they neglected to save money? If my rewiring of the zone controls and thermostats makes no difference, how expensive of a repair am I looking at to get the heat pump to actually pump heat?...See MoreRelated Professionals
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