[I Are Baboon]

MBC and I are getting some quotes for central a/c installation.

Has anyone done this...had central air installed in your already-built house? Experiences...thoughts...comments???

The guy I just spoke to said our biggest issue might be getting the hardware up into the attic, since all we have is a small opening in a closet for attic access. He said the main floor of our ranch will be an easy job, and that we probably don't need to run a/c into in our finished basement.

Anyway, MBC and I had central air conditioning in our apartment for five years prior to buying the house last August. We grew to really like it.

 

[stosh]

Can your attic store alot of stuff?
If it can you may want to spring for a folding ladder or something to be installed in an upstairs hallway.

Your house is in the trees right?

You may look at only putting AC on your 2nd floor because that should maintain a comfortable temp on the 1st floor ifyou house doesn't get to much sun.

Basements stay comfortable all year around so I would do anything to it.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Can your attic store alot of stuff?
If it can you may want to spring for a folding ladder or something to be installed in an upstairs hallway.

Your house is in the trees right?

You may look at only putting AC on your 2nd floor because that should maintain a comfortable temp on the 1st floor ifyou house doesn't get to much sun.

Basements stay comfortable all year around so I would do anything to it.

Our attic can not store a lot. There is just enough room for a person to move around, but it gets extremely hot up there in the summer. We have a couple of folding ladders already.

We're not really in the trees. There are trees around us, but it's not the woods.

Our house is one floor, plus a finished basement.

 

[splat]

Don't be a Wuss , just get a couple of Window AC's and you'll be all set.

 

[stosh]

Our attic can not store a lot. There is just enough room for a person to move around, but it gets extremely hot up there in the summer. We have a couple of folding ladders already.

We're not really in the trees. There are trees around us, but it's not the woods.

Our house is one floor, plus a finished basement.

Ok I thought you had a raised ranch....

You have folding ladders that come out of the ceiling that are mounted to the ceiling joists? I can't believe they can't get a unit upstairs then!

Well getting hot in the attic isn't a big deal for season storage.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

So you want to put in forced air & heat throughout the house? My brother-in-law and I installed a forced air furnace in our Tahoe place, because all it had was a floor heater downstairs when we bought it.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Don't be a Wuss , just get a couple of Window AC's and you'll be all set.

remember when we rode case? IAB and I almost didn't make it cuz the cats got out the window in the middle of the night and we were up trying to find them from midnight to 4am. I don't want to do that again.

so really we're getting it for the cats

 

[MtnBikerChk]

So you want to put in forced air & heat throughout the house? My brother-in-law and I installed a forced air furnace in our Tahoe place, because all it had was a floor heater downstairs when we bought it.

we don't want to do anything to the heat system if we can help it.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Three hour road ride in the 95 degree heat followed by central air = Ahhhhhhhhhhhh........

 

[stosh]

remember when we rode case? IAB and I almost didn't make it cuz the cats got out the window in the middle of the night and we were up trying to find them from midnight to 4am. I don't want to do that again.

so really we're getting it for the cats

Simple and far cheaper solution is to get rid of the cats.

 

[splat]

I still think you would be better off with a couple of Smaller units, your house isn't that big !! and it will cost you a lot less in the long run.

 

[splat]

Simple and far cheaper solution is to get rid of the cats.

I was thinking it , but I wasn't going to say it .

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Isn't it a forced air duct system for the AC?

 

[I Are Baboon]

Simple and far cheaper solution is to get rid of the cats.

Now that's just crazy talk.

I still think you would be better off with a couple of Smaller units, your house isn't that big !! and it will cost you a lot less in the long run.

Honestly, I don't want ugly ass air conditioners sticking out of our windows. Plus, when the wether permits, I like to open all the windows in the house and let the breeze flow throughout.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Isn't it a forced air duct system for the AC?

yeah but you said air and heat.

 

[stosh]

Isn't it a forced air duct system for the AC?

I'm not really sure of any other type of AC system besides forced air (not including window units which is actually kina forced air as well) unless you put a big a$$ block of ice in the middle of your house.....

 

[stosh]

yeah but you said air and heat.

well you can combine the systems is his point. Do you already have forced hot air?

 

[I Are Baboon]

well you can combine the systems is his point. Do you already have forced hot air?

No. We have floor radiators throughout the house.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

yeah but you said air and heat.

Well the reason I said it, if I remember correctly you have electric baseboard heaters throughout your place, If I were you I'd 86 the electric baseboard heat and go with forced air heat & AC, its WAY more efficent. Not to mention better for resale down the road.

 

[stosh]

Well the reason I said it, if I remember correctly you have electric baseboard heaters throughout your place, If I were you I'd 86 the electric baseboard heat and go with forced air heat & AC, its WAY more efficent. Not to mention better for resale down the road.

Especially if it's all one floor far easier to retro-fit the house.

Does your basement have finished ceilings?

 

[MtnBikerChk]

we have oil heat with forced hot water radiators.

yes to the basement ceiling question.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Especially if it's all one floor far easier to retro-fit the house.

Does your basement have finished ceilings?

My cabin was a bitch to run the upstairs ducting. But again thanks to Stosh for cleaning up my the floor plan drawing I made, eventhing work out just peachy

 

[Brian HCM#1]

we have oil heat with forced hot water radiators.

yes to the basement ceiling question.

Do you guys have natural gas out there or just oil?

 

[stosh]

we have oil heat with forced hot water radiators.

yes to the basement ceiling question.

Get a wood burning stove and get rid of everything is your only solution.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Do you guys have natural gas out there or just oil?

no one near us has natural gas - we'd have to get a tank. I'm sure we could though.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

no one near us has natural gas - we'd have to get a tank. I'm sure we could though.

Do you have an oil tank? Gas maybe cheaper in the long run.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Do you have an oil tank? Gas maybe cheaper in the long run.

yes we have an oil tank. I don't think we are financially prepared to switch and have the oil tank removed etc etc.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Got it, our gas prices the last few years has gone through the roof. We don't use oil here in CA, just gas, electric or propane.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

yes we have an oil tank. I don't think we are financially prepared to switch and have the oil tank removed etc etc.

That kinda makes sense then.

 

[splat]

Right now I do believe Oil is cheaper than gas for heating here in the East. ( and I'm using Gas ) but that flip flops every couple years.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Why not just get a swamp cooler installed on the roof? neaky:

-S.S.-

 

[dan-o]

yes we have an oil tank. I don't think we are financially prepared to switch and have the oil tank removed etc etc.

The gas companies usually offer heavily subsidized rates for oil to gas conversions since they want to boost customer numbers and find people to foot the bill for all the LNG depots they keep trying to build in NE. I've looked at the offers but oil seems to make more sense.

Does your attic extent over the garage? 15 minutes with a sawz-all and you have the hole needed for the A/C hardware plus easier access to your attic storage.

You can also get thermostat controlled vents installed in your roof to control heat build up.

 

[narlus]

when we did our renovation, we had AC put in the ground and upper floors. the guys running the ducts did a good job and it was pretty seamless. but, we've got a large walkable attic (hip roof colonial) to work with. i don't think was any issues for installation.

our heating system is forced hot water (oil furnace), so we didn't do a tie-in.

 

[Rip]

Simple answer to the cat situation put window screens up.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Does your attic extent over the garage? 15 minutes with a sawz-all and you have the hole needed for the A/C hardware plus easier access to your attic storage.

You can also get thermostat controlled vents installed in your roof to control heat build up.

garage is detached.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Simple answer to the cat situation put window screens up.

 

[-BB-]

remember when we rode case? IAB and I almost didn't make it cuz the cats got out the window in the middle of the night and we were up trying to find them from midnight to 4am. I don't want to do that again.

so really we're getting it for the cats

Just get rid of the cats... DUH!!
:devil:


Just kidding.
I love our Cat. :love:

 

[N8 v2.0]

Central AC systems are a fact of life down here...


..and, no matter what you think... a swamp cooler doesn't work in a swamp.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Central AC systems are a fact of life down here...


..and, no matter what you think... a swamp cooler doesn't work in a swamp.

Bwaaahahahahaha! Yeah. When I moved out here I was wondering what the hell the big boxes were all over peoples' roofs.......... "Swamp cooler? WTF is a *swamp cooler*??"

-S.S.-

 

[C.P.]

MBC and I are getting some quotes for central a/c installation.

Has anyone done this...had central air installed in your already-built house? Experiences...thoughts...comments???

The guy I just spoke to said our biggest issue might be getting the hardware up into the attic, since all we have is a small opening in a closet for attic access. He said the main floor of our ranch will be an easy job, and that we probably don't need to run a/c into in our finished basement.

Anyway, MBC and I had central air conditioning in our apartment for five years prior to buying the house last August. We grew to really like it.

Sounds like a single floor ranch right? For attic access, have a set of folding pull down stairs installed in a hallway. Install the evaporative section/supply fan /ductwork/controls etc up there w/ ductwork etc. (the condensing unit/scroll compressors ect will be located outside on a pad)
How's the electrical panel in the house? Full? Service size? 75amp, 100amp 150amp?? If's it has no leftover capacity, this will need expansion as well.

The AC guy is probably right about not having to put a/c supply in the basement, but it might be a good idea to have a return put in the basement, farthest from the stairs, and if possible put a small vent in the basement door or if aethetics are a problem, undercut the basement door by 1/2 inch. The return will help to keep the moisture from building up down there, and keep mildew/mold from ever being a problem. (Typical Northeast basements have enough moisture buildup to make this a good idea.)

edit add: Also, important! Whatever you do, have someone perform a cooling load calculation so that you get a good SEER efficientcy rating, and the unit isn't oversized causing a boat load of problems including short cycleing of the unit. Too many contractors just ask for "square footage" which is an old way to calculate the required tonage. Base the calculation on average cooling requirements/degree days for the summer, and dont "add 10% because some conteractor tells you "you'll have extra capacity"...and dont base it on DESIGN load, which may only occurr three days or less per summer, and for the rest of the summer, the unit is short-cycling etc.
Basically, an oversized unit has the inherant problem of attaining TEMPERATURE setpoint quickly in the space, but b/c it will short cycle, the unit doesn't have a chance to run for a longer period of time so that good dehumification can occur. This can make the house even more uncomfortable for sure.
I used to Install and Maintain commercial HVAC, and used to be a Service Manager for York International and I've seen too many poorly designed systems when I help out buddies with repairs etc.

One more edit - (just remembered this) if possible, have the unit equipped with a TXV Thermal expansion Valve. A TXV varies the cooling capacity of your AC unit as your home's need for cooling changes, increasing efficiency.

Other then that, this sounds like an easy installation.t