Questions tagged [air-conditioning]

For general questions regarding cooling your home.

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-2 votes
0 answers
44 views

Why is my air conditioner making sounds? [closed]

I bought an air conditioner 24000 btu Inverter. The indoor unit makes strange noises/sounds at night. The pattern is as follows: First, wind blowing and cooling are reduced to 80%. (Similar to fan ...
2 votes
2 answers
264 views

External furnace fan switch energizes AC

2010 house and thermostat. White Rogers 1F80-361 controlling a lennox furnace. We have a fan switch located above our Tstat that will turn the furnace blower on and will also energize a make up air ...
0 votes
0 answers
22 views

My AC makes whooshing sound and deep cleaning fixes it. But it reoccurs within few months

The air conditioner in my bedroom is a Fujitsu General ASGA-18SEFT 1.5 ton. FYI I live in a hot and humid weather. For the last few months I am facing a weird issue with it. In March 2023, i noticed ...
1 vote
4 answers
4k views

Musty smell from furnace

When switching from cooling to heating in the fall we get about 2-3 days of musty air and then it's fine all winter. It's like wet sock/sneaker smell. Yesterday, the A/C kicked on because our house ...
1 vote
1 answer
32 views

Suction pipe freezing when blower is on low speed, and runs fine when blower turned to high speed!

I have 12000BTU unit running on R22, and I'm facing a strange issue with my split AC. When I run it with the indoor blower on low speed, the outdoor starts freezing on the suction pipe. But as soon as ...
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

Why do variable speed heat pumps need a proprietary (communicating) thermostat and why does mine not need one?

For DIY context: I recently got a heat pump installed; I know many things are not optimal (e.g. ductwork) and I am scoping what I want to fix/improve myself. All offers I got for variable speed heat ...
0 votes
1 answer
84 views

Place heat pump unit on concrete walkway or dirt/gravel?

The picture shows the location for a new heat pump. And as part of an upcoming hardscaping project, we will pour concrete in all this area to build a walkway: We would like the HP to be installed ...
1 vote
2 answers
221 views

A/C vent not connected to duct?

So I am in the process of doing a light reno to a bathroom in my 1954 ranch style home and I took off the a/c vent to wash it and/or buy a new one. To my surprise (okay not really surprise— there was ...
2 votes
1 answer
6k views

How can I prevent heat loss through heater/air conditioner wall units?

HVAC experts out there... I live in Wisconsin and it gets mighty cold here! I have a condo with 2 wall units that are used for both air conditioning and heat. My heat bill in the cold winter months ...
1 vote
1 answer
64 views

Two Identical A/C Units with Different Readings / Pressures not Stabilizing When Off

I have two separate systems with one in the basement servicing the main floor, and the other in the attic servicing the upstairs. The upstairs has been struggling in 90F heat ever since we moved in ...
0 votes
0 answers
26 views

Basement Finishing Heat/AC

So I have a 28ftx25ft basement wide open basement that i'm looking to frame and finish and need to make some choices on heat and cooling. For heat I have the extra BTUs on my furnace to run a second ...
0 votes
1 answer
2k views

Honeywell T6 PRO Z-Wave Thermostat (model th6320zw2003) exhibits very erratic behavior after battery replacement

Background: My apartment complex installed Honeywell model th6320zw2003 thermostats in all units about six months or so ago, and it had been working well for all that time. The only issue was that ...
0 votes
2 answers
61 views

Why does my AC compressor stop after a while?

Our air conditioner appears to be experiencing a strange problem. After one to two hours the air compressor would shut down or fail to kick in. It'd reset itself after turning off for a couple of ...
0 votes
0 answers
30 views

Won't the secondary condensate p trap evaporate?

So my understanding is that both the primary and secondary condensate drain lines should have p traps installed to prevent air ingress (or egress depending of it's a positive or negative air system). ...
-1 votes
1 answer
33 views

Common terminal question on old furnace and air conditioner with new smart thermostat

Trying to solve an odd problem with my T5 Lyric smart thermostat and an old furnace/AC. I'll try and be concise. The model of furnace is: Goodman, GMP075-4 Rev B Details, and photos below for help: ...
2 votes
0 answers
103 views

Adding return air vents in bedrooms to reduce return air noise and increase total return air capacity

I did my homework here the best I could and I hope someone can help by checking my work. In an attempt to make things as clear as possible, I made the following diagram. This is my existing system ...
0 votes
0 answers
67 views

AC blowing hot air. Smart thermostat wiring wrong or something else?

I installed a Honeywell Wi-Fi smart color 7 day programmable thermostat (model #RTH9585WF) on 11/27/23. The wiring directions on it didn't exactly match my old thermostat so I posted on a forum and ...
1 vote
3 answers
629 views

Are BTU demands only calculated using square feet?

I'm building a 16'x20' storage building with a barn roof, so it's pretty much a 2 story area. Will I calculate the BTUs using 320 sq.ft. for my window unit? (Not for heating, just cooling.)
1 vote
1 answer
663 views

Should whole house humidifier leak cold air in the summer?

I've recently been learning a lot about sealing our HVAC ducts to improve system efficiency. On my mission to seal every accessible leak, I noticed my air conditioning/furnace cabinet joints were ...
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why is a MERV-16 filter not recommended for residential furnace use? Urban myth?

Someone from an HVAC duct cleaning company told me today that MERV-16 charcoal filters are harder on the furnace and that the charcoal is a gimmick that just costs more. He said he went to a class ...
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is it a good idea to go all ductless? [closed]

I have a 2000 sq ft house in somewhat warm region(mostly air-conditioning is used, winter is mild) and the house has 2 trane gas furnace for heating(both 25+ yrs old) that need to be replaced, one 25+ ...
1 vote
5 answers
10k views

Two A/C units are close to each other and turning one on turns the other on. How to fix?

I had an Air Con unit installed in the Living Room and another in a bedroom adjacent to the Living Room, both from the same brand. The Air Con units are actually next to each other, and only ...
8 votes
5 answers
3k views

Do on-wall air conditioners, mini splits, need expert installation or water replacements?

Picture below - says it heats and cools. For an AC like this, Are regular "refills" needed, like changing water/cartridges? Can I reasonably install it myself? I'm no DIY expert (Optional) ...
1 vote
4 answers
1k views

Central A/C Draining Causing Stagnant Water - Dry Well?

I have a central air system with a condensate drain line that exits my home near the actual AC compressor on the side of my house. The original installers put in a cement cylinder that the line ...
1 vote
0 answers
163 views

Multi-split Daikin air-conditioner errors and temperature issues

I have two indoor Daikin Perfera FTXM-R units hooked to a 2MXM-N9 outdoor unit. What I noticed is that the indoor unit closer to the outdoor unit (A) will start to report a very low temperature if I ...
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the best way to add a vent over this door?

I would like to add a vent above the door to my laundry room because it gets fairly warm in there when the door is left closed for any significant amount of time. All that's there is a single layer of ...
23 votes
9 answers
15k views

How to get rid of CO₂ in a house with A/C in hot summer?

Recently, I've been measuring the CO₂ concentration during multiple nights and the levels in the bedroom where I sleep are very high and unhealthy (over 1600 ppm). I use an AirVisual monitor, which ...
10 votes
3 answers
9k views

Is it possible to upgrade A/C to a heat pump by only replacing outside unit?

I have a standard southern California tract home that was built in 2010. It has a Carrier gas-fired furnace, Carrier 5-ton A/C, and a smart thermostat. I'm slowly upgrading the major systems and ...
2 votes
2 answers
11k views

Why is there a musty smell from my HVAC system even after coil cleaning?

I am having trouble getting rid of a smell in my AC (installed 2016), 2 visits by an HVAC professional have resulted in no luck. Problem: There is a musty smell, from all vents, as the AC is turning ...
0 votes
2 answers
468 views

Must a 4 ton variable speed air handler use a 4 ton heat pump?

This is an air conditioning question: Must a 4 ton variable speed air handler use a 4 ton heat pump or can a 3.5 ton heat pump or smaller size heat pump be used instead?
0 votes
2 answers
334 views

Why is my neighbor's A/C causing my walls to sweat?

Whenever my neighbor runs their air conditioner for an extended period, my room, which shares a concrete wall with theirs, experiences condensation issues (my wall starts to 'sweat'). After ...
1 vote
3 answers
984 views

Acceptable to install whole-house evaporative cooler with only a single supply vent?

My new house has a 20+ year old evaporative cooler on top of the roof. The cooler is ancient and rusted, difficult to service due to the location, and the forced air heating ductwork it feeds into is ...
1 vote
5 answers
26k views

How can I put air conditioning into an apartment that doesn't allow window air conditioners

I recently moved into an apartment that doesn't have central air and doesn't allow window units. I live in Los Angeles so this is not going be "chill" so to speak. The building is from the ...
1 vote
1 answer
59 views

First finishing project: Attic or Basement for office/studio? [closed]

First time homeowner here, 100 year-old brick bungalo in Chicago where we have very cold Winters and hot Summers. I have my choice of an unfinished basement or unfinished attic to build my home office/...
0 votes
2 answers
311 views

How to run a 220v mini split on 110v wired home

I have an off grid apt in Baja California Mexico. The apt is wired for 110v. I would like to integrate an ac200max solar generator as well as a 550w dual dual generator. How can I integrate all of ...
3 votes
2 answers
6k views

Tungsten wattage vs resistive wattage for Smart WiFi outlets?

What is the difference between both of them? There was a post similar to my question, but there was no answer about resistive wattage. I want to buy a wifi outlet and I need to make sure it doesn't ...
-1 votes
2 answers
222 views

Why aren't phase-change heat pipes more common in homes?

Laptops contain very efficient heat pipes, which can transfer heat over long distances with extremely low thermal resistance, hundreds of times more efficiently than pure copper. It seems to me that ...
1 vote
1 answer
482 views

Is it okay to have an air handler in an uninsulated attic or will the air handler have to work harder?

We live in CT -- so cold winters. I don't know all the right/technical terms, but this is our situation: Split level ranch (two floors plus attic) Gas furnace and gas water heater in the basement Air ...
0 votes
1 answer
41 views

Does the BTU change on different fan speeds? [duplicate]

I can only find a 14,000 btu window a/c for my small room. I really only need an 8,000 or 10,000 btu but can’t get one in my area. I was just wondering if I kept a/c on lowest speed, would the btu ...
0 votes
1 answer
8k views

What should I use to seal the hole where my central air enters the house?

Wood foundation house with vinyl siding. The hole that was made to allow the lines for my central air conditioner to enter the house is basically wide open - the silicone/caulking that was around the ...
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

How to calculate FPM as related to Residential HVAC air handler

I'm working with the formula that CFM = FPM X Cross sectional Area and I'm trying to calculate an accurate FPM through my air filter in my air handler. Originally, I was simply using the cross ...
6 votes
3 answers
41k views

What is the correct way to seal/flash coolant lines through siding?

Our contractor installed an AC compressor and did a poor job of it. He ran the AC coolant lines through the middle of the wall and then just squirted some expanding foam into the hole, like so: (Click ...
0 votes
0 answers
166 views

Air conditioner outside unit / condenser does not come on when thermostat calls intermittently / usually works after switching break/pulling fuse

A few times over the past two weeks, my central AC unit would stop producing cool air. The inside fan (furnace blower?) would be working, but since the fan on the outside condenser was not running it ...
0 votes
0 answers
44 views

How to Airseal and Insulate Texas Homes

I am interested in what I can do to help improve the energy efficiency of older Texas homes. I am looking to purchase one in the new year but it is my understanding that in 2012 the energy efficiency ...
3 votes
2 answers
28k views

Is it OK for air conditioning condensation to drip right next to the house?

Our house has a 3/4" PVC pipe coming out the side which drains condensation from the central air conditioning. It drips at what seems like a normal rate. Taking a wild guess, I'd say a gallon per day. ...
0 votes
3 answers
106 views

Installing a microwave oven and an AC unit with very tight current capacity

Recently, I moved in a 1 bedroom apartment unit with no already installed AC unit and microwave oven. Thus, I am thinking of installing them by myself, but I noticed a problem. The capicity of my ...
3 votes
5 answers
8k views

How do I wire Neutral on a AC disconnect box?

I've looked at multiple AC disconnect boxes, though haven't ordered any yet. On every one I've seen so far, they have a connection for both phases of the 220v, and also a connection that appears to be ...
10 votes
7 answers
8k views

Why is my air conditioner causing rapid high CO2 levels?

I am wondering if anyone knows why when I turn my recently installed high-efficiency air conditioner on, CO2 levels rocket up in my house? (In just 4 hours they go from around 500ppm to 1200ppm, and ...
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Blue liquid dripping from mini-split

I've recently noticed a blue streak running down on the wall under my mini-split indoor unit. I cleaned it but it came back after a couple of weeks. So I disassembled the unit and found from where it ...
0 votes
2 answers
140 views

Sizing charts for air conditioner or heat pump for humidity rather than cooling? 1-stage vs. 2-stage? 3-stage? [closed]

Inevitably I'll have to replace my heat pump, and when that time comes I'd like to have the calculations on the size of the replacement to account for dehumidifying in addition to heating and cooling. ...

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