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  1. #1
    Steve D'Gerolamo's Avatar
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    Default AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Many of you on this board (for obvious reasons) suggested I have my new home inspected during the builder's warranty period. The home I purchased was built in 2005 and was the builders model for this commmunity in Mooresville, NC . With the heat and humidity of the south, effective air conditioning systems are a very important part of these homes.

    Unfortunately, it appears the home inspector I hired did not include HVAC as part of his inspection other than to indicate the systems exist.

    One day after my warranty period expired, it became apparent that the AC system on our first floor was running constantly to maintain a thermostat setting of 73F. Outside temp was 90F. I decided to use a thermal anemometer I had brought with me this visit (our main home is in NJ) to measure some of the air flows through the registers and found the temp coming out of the registers (I sampled 4 different registers) was 67F.



    Temperature should be in the 55-57F range ..... this is a 2yr old Lennox R22 system with ductwork in a relatively cool crawl space.

    My HVAC contractor had a service tech in the area who stopped by later that day and put approx 2.2 lbs of R22 in the unit. The temperature dropped to 61F which I feel is still a bit warm.



    The contractor babbled something about sensible and latent heat, said the system didn't need any more refrigerant and then told me I should consider taking out a home improvement loan and purchasing a new R410 system as the R22 he was putting in would no longer be available.




    Amazing... less that 24hrs after my warranty expires and he's recommending an HVAC upgrade....is business really that slow?

    Should my home inspector have caught this? As a dumb homeowner, I'd expect a professional home inspector might have a $20 pocket thermometer in his arsenal of tools. I'd also recommend that you pro's let your customers know if they have an R22 system that might need conversion or upgrading at some time in the near future.

    SD

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    -- The home I purchased was built in 2005

    Should my home inspector have caught this? As a dumb homeowner, I'd expect a professional home inspector might have a $20 pocket thermometer in his arsenal of tools. I'd also recommend that you pro's let your customers know if they have an R22 system that might need conversion or upgrading at some time in the near future.

    SD
    .
    Steve,

    You were there when the day HI was on site (Did the System appear to be functioning as intended ? )

    What did his Inspection agreement say?

    Were you stuck up his Tail Pipe as he went around the home ?

    Don't you put AC systems into your projects?

    I replaced my 28 year old Rudd System last year and My choice was R-22 ( figured it was a more tested platform)

    If it worries you A11 REFRIGERANT CATEGORIES FOR R11,R12, R22, R502, R134a, R113, R123, R409A, R408A, R500, R404A .

    Temperature should be taken at the supply plenum.

    Last edited by Billy Stephens; 07-15-2008 at 07:33 AM. Reason: Correct placeto take temp. location
    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Stephens View Post
    .
    Steve,

    You were there when the day HI was on site (Did the System appear to be functioning as intended ? ).
    I was on site....he spent the first 45 minutes outside with binoculars and a camera looking at the roof. He came at 8:30am and outside temp was cool. The room was at the thermostat temp and no problem was suspected here.


    There was no agreement other than verbal over the phone. I hired him as he came highly recommended by a neighbor.


    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Stephens View Post
    .Were you stuck up his Tail Pipe as he went around the home ? .
    No....my wife wouldn't let me.

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Stephens View Post
    .Don't you put AC systems into your projects?.
    I don't do the installs but I do the load assessment when there is additional equipment or lighting that would affect room temps.


  4. #4
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    I'll hit some of the key points of your post:
    - if you have lost 2 lbs of freon over two years you may have a slow leak, or the system was not properly charged to begin with
    - R22 will still be available for servicing existing equipment, new equipment now being sold is no longer built for R22. There is no need to upgrade on that basis.
    - if your system is having trouble maintaining 73 it is unlikely it is a freon problem if the system is properly charged. Did the serv tech actually know what he was doing or just dumped some freon in?
    - The system could be undersized but usually it's a return air problem. It doesn't matter how much cold air you pump in, if you aren't pulling the hot air out, it will never bring down the temp.
    - The orifices between the coil and condenser could be mismatched.
    There are HI's who don't take temp readings. Whether or not a system is functioning at peak/optimal performance is a completely different assessment based on intricate variables that are generally considered beyond the scope of a normal HI. I personally take temp readings and report excessive variances.
    - It's two years later and you want to blame the HI? Not very realistic. Maybe he wasn't as exhaustive in his reporting as you now would like and that is understandable. However, what time of year did he inspect? What was the weather and temp?

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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    Unfortunately, it appears the home inspector I hired did not include HVAC as part of his inspection other than to indicate the systems exist.
    Not having seen his report, he may have done more than that, but not to what you expected. We have no way of knowing which it was.

    One day after my warranty period expired, it became apparent that the AC system on our first floor was running constantly to maintain a thermostat setting of 73F. Outside temp was 90F.
    You are putting the entire outcome of keeping the home cool onto the a/c system when, in fact, many factors affect that outcome. Those factors (all of them) should have been included in the builder's (through their HVAC contractor) energy calculations.

    Large expanses of glazing, especially southern exposure, insulation in the walls, insulation in the ceiling, color of the roof, color of the walls, there are many things which contribute to the adequacy of the a/c system for the specific house.

    Years ago, at a continuing education class, an HVAC manufacturer's representative put on a presentation, I think it was Carrier, about the many factors which go into the design and sizing of the a/c system for any given house, and that even otherwise identical houses oriented differently should be treated differently.

    The one main thing I remember is that the 'most efficient energy design size' was based on the (I think it was something like this) 97% degree day design temperature, and that at that design temperature the a/c system would run 24 hours a day to maintain the house interior at 15-20 degrees lower than the outdoor temperature (with 18 degrees being optimal - something like that).

    On days which exceeded that design temperature, the a/c would operate 24 hours a day and not keep the house that cool. It was not designed or intended to.

    That gets w-a-y beyond what a home inspector does.

    Temperature should be in the 55-57F range
    That is an invalid statement. The a/c system is typically designed to have a 18-20 degree temperature differential across the air hander unit itself, measure the air coming in at the return, and the air going out at the supply, about a foot or so above the top of the AHU (because units with 'A' coils can have a dead spot right above the top of the 'A' coil).

    Once the air leaves the AHU and enters into the supply duct system, the temperature starts dropping. Just like opening a refrigerator door, it is coldest right at the front of the refrigerator, not as cold the further away you get. Ductwork is insulated to reasonably maintain the temperature as 'best economically feasible', sure, you could do a better job with better insulated ductwork, but the builder's HVAC contractor only installs what is minimally required.

    My HVAC contractor ...
    "Yours" or "the builder's"?

    ... had a service tech in the area who stopped by later that day and put approx 2.2 lbs of R22 in the unit.
    That would indicate either a leak (likely a Schrader valve) or that the system had not been fully charged at startup.

    The temperature dropped to 61F which I feel is still a bit warm.
    As compared to what?

    What was the return temperature at the AHU, and what was the supply temperature at the AHU?

    purchasing a new R410 system as the R22 he was putting in would no longer be available.
    As I understand it, R22 will be available, however, it will have to be captured and recycled. The new refrigerant is not supposed to have the negative environmental impact on the ozone layer as Freon does - at least that is what today's science has come up with.

    Should my home inspector have caught this?
    You are expecting way too much of your home inspector.

    Sounds to me like you are expecting him to act as the designer, i.e., an architect, HVAC engineer, etc., all rolled into one.

    I'd also recommend that you pro's let your customers know if they have an R22 system that might need conversion or upgrading at some time in the near future.
    Not "in the near future".

    More like "eventually", but, then, "eventually" you will need to replace the system, and, when you do, you will not be able to get an R22 system.

    That is the designed intent way of phasing R22 systems out - don't blame your home inspector, that's done by Congress and The Pres.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  6. #6
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    As a car guy who does a bit of his own maintenance, a very simplistic way check the AC system's effectiveness is to put a thermometer in the dash vent.

    That's the same thing I did with my home system and the 67F measurement indicated there might be a problem. The HVAC contractor (the builders) came out and found the 3 1/2 ton unit for our first floor was way down on refrigerant.

    Also, I did took measurements at my neighbors house....same model home, same sun exposures, same time of day (readings were 5 minutes apart) and his temp out of the registers was 10 degrees cooler.


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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    As a car guy who does a bit of his own maintenance, a very simplistic way check the AC system's effectiveness is to put a thermometer in the dash vent.
    Car a/c systems will put out much ... *much* colder hair, they have to, as soon as the air leaves the vents, it meets all that heat coming in through the windshield.

    Check the temperatures at the AHU. While it really tells you 'nothing' about the system, it will tell you that 'it is cooling'.

    I say it really tells you 'nothing' because you could have a clogged coil or collapsed ductwork, slowing the air speed, which has more time to transfer heat from the coil, giving a false high reading, but ... your home is relatively new, seems like you are meticulous and would keep it all maintained, so, you could check that 'for comparison use only' purposes.

    Jerry Peck
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post

    Also, I did took measurements at my neighbors house....same model home, same sun exposures, same time of day (readings were 5 minutes apart) and his temp out of the registers was 10 degrees cooler.
    .
    Maybe you could work out a trade with the neighbors House.

    Chill Steve,

    You did buy this property to get away & relax ?

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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    Also, I did took measurements at my neighbors house....same model home, same sun exposures, same time of day (readings were 5 minutes apart) and his temp out of the registers was 10 degrees cooler.
    Great! That shows that there is nothing wrong with your system and its sizing.

    Must be something else.

    Have an energy surveyor come in and do a blower door test. They should be able to tell if there is any leakage in, around, the duct.

    Check the fan speed setting on your AHU and your neighbors, yours might be set to high (slower moving air allows for more heat transfer which equals lower temperatures).

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
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  10. #10
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    Car a/c systems will put out much ... *much* colder hair, they have to, as soon as the air leaves the vents, it meets all that heat coming in through the windshield.
    I know....its not unusual to measure temps in the 40-45F range out of the vents with R12 or R134A.


    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    Check the temperatures at the AHU. While it really tells you 'nothing' about the system, it will tell you that 'it is cooling'.
    For ceiling registers with air handlers in the attic I absolutely agree. Heat gain through R4 ductwork in an attic can be significant....hopefully R8 will become code in residential applications one of these days.


    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    I say it really tells you 'nothing' because you could have a clogged coil or collapsed ductwork, slowing the air speed, which has more time to transfer heat from the coil, giving a false high reading, but ... your home is relatively new, seems like you are meticulous and would keep it all maintained, so, you could check that 'for comparison use only' purposes.
    The first register I measured was right off the main trunk from the air handler....maybe 12' away. Air flow was 600-700 ft per minute and did not indicate duct restrictions. The ductwork had been replaced completely 2 months ago (at the builders expense) when I showed them the design was so poor and there were very few dampers to balance the system....air flow out of the register closest to the air handler was 1400 ft per minute and at the other end of the house, I was getting readings of 350-400 ft per minute. There was a 14F temperature differential between the thermostat setting in our living room and the room temperature in our master bathroom (readings taken with outside temp of 30F).

    Here's the old stuff we took out....






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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R-22 must be recovered and recycled (for reuse in the same system), reclaimed (reprocessed to the same purity levels as new R-22), or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely on recycled refrigerants. It is expected that reclamation and recycling will ensure that existing supplies of R-22 will last longer and be available to service a greater number of systems. As noted above, chemical manufacturers will be able to produce R-22 for use in new A/C equipment until 2010, and they can continue production of R-22 until 2020 for use in servicing that equipment. Given this schedule, the transition away from R-22 to the use of ozone-friendly refrigerants should be smooth. For the next 20 years or more, R-22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R-22 for servicing.

    Information on my web site that I stole from somewhere.

    Get a new HVAC tech. If he used this scare tactic and did not find the leak, he is a hack (unless you left out some of what he said.)

    Systems do not "use" refrigerant, a system that is down 2 lbs. has a pretty substantial leak that should be fixed. It is doubtful that you would have not noticed an issue with performance before now if it has been down 2lbs.
    Also, A/C systems can be overcharged and will not work properly, which may be where you are now.

    There is truth to latent heat, sensible heat story. The moisture in the air is the latent heat part and does require energy to remove, but it does not show up on your thermometer. Hot moist air takes more energy to cool and dehumidify than hot dry air. Since your unit only provides a certain amount of BTU (energy) to cool both the latent and sensible heat load, there will be less sensible cooling available if there is a high latent load.

    While I take temperature readings and inspect dozens of other items on HVAC systems, I do not record temperature readings, level of cleanliness of the coils, air flow, etc. in the report. I look for problems and report the issues that I find, if I find no problems, then there is nothing to report.

    Also, though you did a pretty good job on your comparison, there are several issues that you left out of the equation that would be needed to compare "apples to apples."
    My advice, get a different HVAC guy that is not going to try and sell you a new unit because that unit won't have any new R-22 available in 12 years. The average life of a central A/C unit is around 15 years, so this one will need to be replace before there is an issue with a lack of R-22.

    By the way, did you know R-12 has not been produced for many years, but there are millions of R-12 units still in use today and you can get alternative refrigerants and recycled R-12 to keep them going?

    Jim Luttrall
    www.MrInspector.net
    Plano, Texas

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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    North Carolina home inspectors are licensed by the state and have been for over 10 years. The licensing board requires a written contract between home inspectors and their clients. A verbal contract sounds like you may not have been using a licensed home inspector. Furthermore, a written report is required to be delivered within 72 hours.

    The licensing board posts the names of all currently licensed home inspectors on their website. Since your inspection was 2 years ago, the inspector in question may not be currently listed because he let his license lapse or was never licensed. Here is the link to the lists of home inspectors.
    Welcome to NC Office of State Fire Marshal

    You can contact the licensing board to find out if the person who inspected your home was licensed at the time.

    The NC state SOPs do not require a "temperature drop test" to determine if the A/C is working. They only require the controls be operated to determine if the unit turns on or off when the controls are operated. Customer access panels are supposed to be opened and interiors inspected in a visual manner.

    NC Home inspectors are not allowed to recommend upgrades from current status of the building to newer, better, stuff in the summary section but can in the body of the report.

    "The Code is not a peak to reach but a foundation to build from."

  13. #13
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey View Post
    North Carolina home inspectors are licensed by the state and have been for over 10 years. The licensing board requires a written contract between home inspectors and their clients. A verbal contract sounds like you may not have been using a licensed home inspector. Furthermore, a written report is required to be delivered within 72 hours.

    The licensing board posts the names of all currently licensed home inspectors on their website. Since your inspection was 2 years ago, the inspector in question may not be currently listed because he let his license lapse or was never licensed. Here is the link to the lists of home inspectors.
    Welcome to NC Office of State Fire Marshal

    You can contact the licensing board to find out if the person who inspected your home was licensed at the time.

    The NC state SOPs do not require a "temperature drop test" to determine if the A/C is working. They only require the controls be operated to determine if the unit turns on or off when the controls are operated. Customer access panels are supposed to be opened and interiors inspected in a visual manner.

    NC Home inspectors are not allowed to recommend upgrades from current status of the building to newer, better, stuff in the summary section but can in the body of the report.
    I don't see my inspector on the NC list....his NCHI License number is 1728 and he's supposedly been around for awhile. His report was delivered the day of the inspection.

    The inspection was 3 weeks ago. Home was purchased 1 year ago. This was an inspection to catch any issues before the builder's warranty expired.

    Unfortunately since we met for the first time the day of the inspection and only had verbal communication, I didn't know in advance what was in or out of scope. His report (after the inspection) clearly says he does not examine the HVAC in any kind of detail.

    His report indicates that the air filters are in "good condition" which is strange since the first floor no longer has return filters (these went away when the PureAir system was installed). SD


  14. #14
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Well I might as well pipe in.

    You should have a 15 to upwards (practically never the upper end) of 22 degrees. That was already mentioned.

    As Jim said, we point out concerns with an HVAC system. We check the system to the standards we operate under and most go a little deeper. Also as Jim said we do not comment on every item we check unless it has a concern. It is not necessary. Again you are hiring us to find concerns.

    Contract signed or no contract signed is not really the concern (with the exception of laws and SOP's

    This looks like a crawl space home. You have a serious amount of air infiltration in a pier and beam from the floor system. This will make a difference on how long or how often the system runs. Windy tropical air pushing against your home has a draw in it self on the running of the system to keep up. There are a ton of factors on how efficient the HVAC system is and not much of that has to do with a normally operating system. Windows, wall insulation and tightness, air infiltration, attic insulation and ventilation etc.

    Where I live in north central Texas, if it is a tropical windy day, the air runs on forever when I have the temp set at 75.

    As far as duct work the connections of the duct work all have to be sealed properly. Minimum of an R6 and I think the flex goes up to an R9 is what you should have.

    Gees, I could go on for the rest of the day. To end it, The entire home package as well as the HVAC will determine the efficiency. An envelope of structural insulated panels along with great windows and doors will bring your efficiency to the max and you will have to bring in outside air because the system would be so tight. Your cost would be under a hundred a month in a good size home. A leaky home will cost you hundreds a month and the system runs all day.

    OK, I'm done. Winding down from a morning inspection.

    Speaking of which, a very slow start to this week


  15. #15
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Menelly View Post
    Well I might as well pipe in.
    This looks like a crawl space home.

    An envelope of structural insulated panels along with great windows and doors will bring your efficiency to the max and you will have to bring in outside air because the system would be so tight.
    It is a crawl space home (not something I'm used to since, being from the north, we've always had basements). There are vents but its not wide open.




    The home is one of the builder's cheaper units and its obvious to me that they skimped where the could to save cost. Windows are not great and wall construction is 2x4's. You can even see light past the door gaskets.


  16. #16
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    The first register I measured was right off the main trunk from the air handler....maybe 12' away.
    12 feet can make a difference of a few degrees.

    Air flow was 600-700 ft per minute and did not indicate duct restrictions. The ductwork had been replaced completely 2 months ago (at the builders expense) when I showed them the design was so poor and there were very few dampers to balance the system....air flow out of the register closest to the air handler was 1400 ft per minute and at the other end of the house, I was getting readings of 350-400 ft per minute.
    You are only checking one of the two things you need to check to know 'how much air' you are getting into each area.

    You really need to know "cubic feet per minute", not "air speed in feet per minute". If you do not have a proper duct measuring hood (home inspectors do not get into this detail, many a/c contractors do not even have a duct measuring hood), or, you can measure the air at multiple locations across the vent area (measure the 4 corners, the center, and, if the duct is larger or your measuring instrument smaller, other locations, average them out, measure the register size, then do the math to determine the cubic feet per minute (they make instruments you can punch in numbers and take readings, the math is then done for you).

    Let's say you have a 12" x 12" register (1 sq ft to make it easy), your average reading is air speed reading is 350 linear feet per minute (to make it easy), and the system design shows (you would need to know this too) that specific register was calculated at 350 cubic feet per minute, then 1 sq ft times 350 linear ft per minute equals 350 cu ft per minute. Just what was designed and intended for.

    Let's say you have a 6" x 12" supply (more realistic for a residence than a 12" x 12" one), in this case you would have 0.5 sq ft times 350 linear ft per minute equals 175 cu ft per minute. Remove the grills when measuring as they reduce the "area" some, metal louvers are estimated at 70% of their size and wood louvers are estimated at 25% of their size (and, if you recall, you had wood louvers in that photo) - those are general reduction numbers, if the grille is manufactured, there should be a rating on it, or you could call and find out.

    Presume you had a 12" x 12" wood louver grille, that would be 144 sq inches, reduced to 36 sq inches, which is 0.25 sq ft, thus, your 350 linear ft per minute would only be 87.5 cu ft per minute of air. BIG difference.

    There was a 14F temperature differential between the thermostat setting in our living room and the room temperature in our master bathroom (readings taken with outside temp of 30F).
    Are those two rooms on the same system?

    Try this (you sound like you are a 'tool guy') take your quick reading thermometer and stand in the living room, with the system running, read the temperature, then slowly walk around the room and the area covered by that system. I did that at our house in South Florida and got a maximum of 2-3 degrees variation throughout the area. Not bad.

    If you have 14 degrees variation, it sounds like you are not getting proper return air flow, or have some heat gain from something.

    Jerry Peck
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  17. #17
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    I was only looking for airflow in feet per minute to get a relative sense of how well the first floor was balanced. I was too lazy to pull the grills out and do the math to calculate cfm.

    When the ductwork was replaced 2-3 months ago, the HVAC contractor was able to balance the system much better. A separate zone for the first floor master suite would have been ideal. I can live with a 2-3 degree room to room temp differential. The 14 degee differential was back in Feb and before the ductwork was replaced.


  18. #18
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Do you have return air grills in all the bedroom, or any room that has a door. This makes a tremendous difference in even heating and cooling in any home. @ of the homes i lived in Florida (just for personal living experience) I had return air vents in all the bedrooms. This made a huge difference in even heating and cooling and a difference in cost of such. Big difference.


  19. #19
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    The master suite does have a return. Unfortunately, the carpenters who did the built-ins panelled right over it....it is located behind the right brown basket on the bottom shelf in the picture below....



    It has since been uncovered..........SD


  20. #20
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    I lived in Mass for 36 years. I miss the older style Garrison homes. Nice crown, tall baseboard, built ins.

    Come on lets see some more of the interior.

    Just for an example of returns in every room. Turn the air on. Listen and feel the air flow. slowly close the door and watch it get sucked shut. The air flow cuts way back and pressurizes the room and all the return air is trying to get sucked out under the door. The air flow is much smoother and quieter and all rooms have much better circulation. Placement of the supply and return is important in this situation as well for optimum circulation.


  21. #21
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Menelly View Post
    I lived in Mass for 36 years. I miss the older style Garrison homes. Nice crown, tall baseboard, built ins.

    Come on lets see some more of the interior.
    We purchased the house with all of the staging...furniture, artwork, props, etc so I took a lot of pictures after signing the contract to ensure nothing disappeared by the time we had our closing. Not sure if will show much that is useful to inspectors....see Nantucket Style Home - Interior


  22. #22
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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Now see. That's what I am talking about. A seriously nice, comfortable live in (and out) home. Not some modern over dramatised cold or to warm uncomfortable home.

    Now I am jealous. That's the kind of home I used to build and live in.


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    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post

    When the ductwork was replaced 2-3 months ago, the HVAC contractor was able to balance the system much better.
    .
    Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding,
    .
    Ladies & gentlemen We Have a winner.
    .
    The Winner is
    .( ask him why ) he did check & balance the System 2-3 months ago.
    .

    ** NC HI # 1728 is held by Christopher J. S--------. and is indeed listed on the NC web site as current.**

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  24. #24
    Steve D'Gerolamo's Avatar
    Steve D'Gerolamo Guest

    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Thanks Billy.... I couldn't find Chris on the Iredell or Mecklenburg lists. Steve


  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Frankfort, KY
    Posts
    326

    Default Re: AC Temps , AC Type and Inspector Reports

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve D'Gerolamo View Post
    I was only looking for airflow in feet per minute to get a relative sense of how well the first floor was balanced. I was too lazy to pull the grills out and do the math to calculate cfm.

    When the ductwork was replaced 2-3 months ago, the HVAC contractor was able to balance the system much better. A separate zone for the first floor master suite would have been ideal. I can live with a 2-3 degree room to room temp differential. The 14 degee differential was back in Feb and before the ductwork was replaced.
    You're going to have a rough time trying to make an accurate diagnosis regarding the performance of your HVAC system by using only velocity readings and dry bulb readings.

    High velocity at a register isn't necessarily a sign that proper airflow is being delivered.
    The wooden registers you have are quite notorious for creating excessive pressure drop across a branch run and poorly throwing and spreading air patterns.

    If you pull the registers out to measure the airflow it won't be an accurate measurement as the operation of the system was just altered by removing the register.

    In order to verify your system is operating properly you're going to need wet bulb readings in addition to the dry bulb readings to plot the equipment and system performance.

    You could have some duct leakage and radiant loss issues affecting you as well.

    Measured Performance more than just a buzzword

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