How old is your system?

Frankly, the really big moves tend towards historically significant trees. They are very expensive and the equipment is rare.

My cousin runs a spade quite a bit and makes a shitload from 4-6 diameter trees. The nurseries can't keep up with the demand of that size Acer freemanii 'Jeffersred' (Autumn Blaze Maple). I've never really asked what size is his max profit margin. He's got a trailer that will haul three small transplants and I think that's probably a good chunk of change.

http://arborproinc.com/images/servic...oderick-Sp.jpg
http://arazozabrothers.com/ArazozaBr...transplant.jpg
http://www.treeworld.info/attachment...-giantboab.jpg

Here's the basic method for preparing the rootball.

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/trees/f1147-6.gif

That's intense. How much does it cost to move a big tree like the one in the second photo?

I've no idea. That's not really my branch of Arboriculture. HAHA TREE PUN!!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's expensive.

I wouldn't know the cost, but judging from the graphic it takes a year and a half to get the thing ready!

You've got to REALLY love a tree to put that kind of money and effort down.

That graphic leaves nothing to the imagination!

LMAOThis thread has teh truck.

The issue with that is that I don't really want my basement being cooled to 60 degrees either, so I'd really prefer not to open those vents up. There aren't any returns down there (or on the 2nd floor for that matter), which would seem like it's part of the problem.

Ah yeah, that's kinda screwed up. If it was me I'd put in a return down there to get that cool air circulating throughout the house.

Yes this is a lot of the problem.

If your basement isn't finished it shouldn't be that hard or expensive to add a return down there. And depending on the layout of the main floor you could probably add a return to the main floor as well as long as the basement isn't finished. You would just have to lose a little space in a closet that backs up to a hallway, living room, or den. Returns are not suppose to be put in kitchens or garages.
Also your house sounds like it should of been zoned or had two seperate systems.
And there is also small systems called ductless mini-splits that can be easily installed on an exterior wall if one is available.
And like Bugeater said if you leave your fan in the on position it will circulate the air in your house constantly helping the consistent temp throughout the entire house.

Well need more info.
What do you have the thermostat set at?
How is the insulation in the attic and walls?
How old is the house?
Do you have kids that are constantly going in and out?
What kind of airflow are you getting out of the registers? Thinking you may have a lot of duct leakage. If your registers/vents are in the floor check your crawl space and see if it is nice and cool in there.
Is the system cycling on and off or just running all the time?

Resident CP A/C Gurus, I come in a time of desperate need! :D

Yesterday, I get a call from the fiance while at work. She says it's making a loud "screeching noise", and we were either going to have to turn it off overnight (as it was so loud), or place a service call. So, when I get home, I get to tinkering. It's making the really loud screeching noise alright, sounds like the fan's causing it, but not like something's stuck in there per se. Anyway, I get to opening the box that has the fuses in it (and the place where the noise is coming from). When you open the front "gate"/lid to this, the machine turns off, as there is a button that is depressed by having it on there. I take a look inside... no idea. Looks fine to me. However, NOW all the unit does is "hum" like it's attempting to start the blower. This occurred at midnight last night. We went to our upstairs room (wall AC unit FTW!), and then I came down today and it started right up when I pushed the button manually. Unfortunately, stupid me forgot to turn off the "Auto" function on our thermostat, so when it turned off at the right temperature today, it now only hums again, no blower. The reason I give so much background is because it pretty clearly looks like an issue with the motor getting the fan to work. Any thoughts here? Did the overnight allow the unit to "cool off" (no pun intended)? Or did I just get lucky? I'd really like to avoid an expensive house call if I can afford it, but also don't want to get too deep into the electrical system of something so important. Massive rep to any helpers!

sweaty bump

Yeah, your furnace has a safety switch that shuts it down when you remove the bottom cover. You can override it by running some tape over it.

It may be a bad start capacitor that's keeping the blower motor from starting, if you feel gutsy enough you may be able to get it going with your hand, I've done that with condenser fans before. But make sure you leave the t-stat on FAN ON so it will just keep going until you can get it repaired. And do this AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Screeching is probably from a bad bushing in the blower motor, you may be able to buy it some time with some lubricant. But you're most likely looking at a new blower motor and cap.

Awesome, thanks for the advice. To get that fan going myself, could I stick something in there and get it spinning?

And, my ultra-n00b, but "be safe" question.. any risk of electrical problems doing this? I imagine I just tape the button down, it starts humming, then I stick something in there and prompt/nudge the fan?

Or it's possible that the blower motor completely seized up, then you're screwed unless you can find a place that sells replacements that is open on Sunday or a service company that has the one you need on hand.

I can't say for sure without seeing the furnace, but most of them have the majority of the electrical components in the compartment above the fan. Often the control board is in that lower area, you want to be sure not to screw that up in any way.

And I'd just use my hand, give it a good spin and get it the hell out of there.

Bug, you are a God among men. I went down there, removed the filter piece (giving me access to the fan), and put the front "gate" on the opening that has the fuse box and fan in it. This depressed the button, and I saw the fan start to attempt to spin... reached in, gave about a half spin (handy-dandy knob sticking out of the middle), and all is cool. You just got me sex tonight, methinks. And for that, I say: my rep... take it.

Awesome. That cap is definitely bad then. What about the screeching noise, is that still present?

This is one of the strangest wingman stories I've ever heard.

No, it's intermittent to be sure. When it does happen (probably about 25% of the time... has yet to do it today though) it's SUPER loud... imagine like what a fanbelt on a car sounds like when it screeches. Can hear it throughout the house. Not sure what it's all about.. light doesn't appear to show anything in there impeding the fan (which could also explain the difficulty starting).

What do you think a replacement start capacitor would run us? Is it something a novice could do? I'm always looking to learn more about home improvement, as a young homeowner.

LMAO

I'll take it where I can get it.

Heh, I've never actually paid for a cap myself, the company buys them. But I'd be surprised if that one is more than $20. They're not hard to replace, do it wire-by-wire and discharge both of them with an old screwdriver before you start. And kill the power to your furnace via the fused disconnect switch that should be next to it.

You'll have to take the old one to a AC supply place so they can get you the right replacement, I don't believe the home improvement stores carry them, but I've never looked for them there so I may be wrong.

And I had a condenser fan doing the same intermittent screech not too long ago, I ended up replacing it.

So, it's making that noise again. I made a video showing the issue. What I turned earlier is in fact a motor, not a fan. I was able to capture what that noise was, even though it meant turning off the A/C.

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BbE7r0RboSs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I hate my voice on video by the way. Oh well, this is more important.

Heh, I hate listening to my recorded voice as well.

That finned wheel is actually your fan, it's a "squirrel cage" type fan as opposed to a bladed one. What you see on that confined side is the actual motor, and what you're using to start it is the motor shaft. It almost sounds like that fan is rubbing on something?

And WD-40 isn't a very good lubricant. I'd recommend using just about anything else.

After watching it again, I'm leaning towards the bearing in the motor being shot. If you want to try lubing it pulling the blower isn't hard, it's usually just a couple 1/4" sheet metal screws and then the whole unit will slide out. That may be an exercise in futility though.

Maybe Chief Roundup will chime in, he has quite a bit more experience than me.

I had this exact problem several years ago. It is the bearings in the motor. New motor is in order.

poop. well, rep anyway :P

So.****ing.frustrating. It was working well for a while, now... nothing. Pushing the safety button down turns the red light on the circuit board thing on for a split-second, then it goes off. No humming, no attempt to start by that motor.. nothing. I went outside to see what type of air conditioner we have; looks like an old York. There's a ton of ice around the hoses and a few components in the outside "box" unit (sorry, I'm reeruned and don't know the name for this). Two things: 1) am I looking at a new motor here, or some smaller component? I doubt the ice has anything to do with this, sounds like the motor is our culprit..

2) What's the price range I could be looking at to replace this? Any chance I could replace the motor myself, with a how-to video or something? Can I find and buy a motor and simply pay someone labor to install it?

Okay, that's more than two questions. You guys are the best.

Yikes. I'm in the middle of cooking right now, I'll try to address as many of those issues as I can in a little while here.

No worries! Your help is super appreciated already.

Ok, the ice may or may not be related to the blower. It's possible it froze up if you've allowed it to run without the blower, or it could be a result of it being undercharged. It's hard to say at this point. Have you ever noticed ice out there before?

Anyone with any mechanical skills can change out a blower motor and cap (you always replace the cap when you replace the motor). But with the time you'd spend pulling it and chasing one down, you'd probably be better off calling a pro to do it, and they can check the charge for you as well, that's something that you cannot do.

And again, I have really no idea on pricing. Depending on who you call I'd guess anywhere between $200-300 to have blower motor and cap replaced and the system checked out.

Holy crap, that's, quite literally, a small percentage of what we were expecting. I'll mentally still prepare for the worst, but that's some silver lining. I've got a guy coming out tomorrow, who was recommended by my fiance's dad (a retired contractor). Will let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks to all for their help, though!

The most expensive repairs to an AC system are the coils or the compressor. When one of those go bad is when you start weighing whether a system should be replaced or not.

Thanks Bug! Hey, can you translate this to Spanish, so then I could pass it on to the crew that comes to service my HVAC every 6 months. oh wait....

Last night SUUUUCKED. I'd be surprised if my cumulative sleep was more than a couple hours. Sweaty sleep sucks, too. Anyway, we got the guy to come over, he confirmed it was the blower motor (apparently it was much harder to turn than it should be). Had it replaced in about an hour and a half. Whole thing, plus a refill of refrigerant (I think that's what he refilled.. I R dumb.) was $300. That sound like a good deal?

Eh, he probably checked the charge and added some, which kinda worries me because you can't get an accurate charge with a lot of hot, humid air inside the house. I bet he ended up overcharging it.

I should have mentioned something about that yesterday, although it likely wouldn't have mattered because most guys aren't going to want to make a second trip out after the house is cooled to check the charge. Kind of a shitty part of the business.

Other than that it doesn't sound like too bad of a deal seeing that it was in the price range that I completely guessed at.

Oh, and obviously the drag on the blower wheel from the bad bearing is why the cap couldn't get it going. I'll have to remember that as something to look out for.

Hey Bug, I have a room that doesn't cool like the others. Cool air is flowing from the duct, but it just doesn't cool the room. Thoughts? TIA.

Do you have another similarly sized room with the same number of ducts that cools well?

If so, does the one that doesn't cool well have more windows? Does it see more sun? It's possible that the room simply isn't insulated as well as the others.

Bug,

I have a heat pump system (brand new two years ago) and the top floor of my house is hot, in every room. I had solar fans installed to come on at a certain temperature to help let some of the heat out and it doesn't seem any different. It's literally 10 degrees warmer. Any ideas on what to do? Thanks.

I currently don't have AC. How ****ed am I?

Solar fans? Where do they let the heat "out" to?

****ed beyond ****ing belief.

They are on my roof and they vent the heat out of my attic. BTW, thanks for reading my post and responding.

I can here it turning on inside but I go out and the fan isn't moving? It's making some noise too. I'm getting airflow from the vents inside it's not really cold but it's not very warm either.

Ah, gotcha. You're talking about attic fans.

The problem you're having is one that's been touched on a couple times before in this thread and is common to any two story home...you simply can't maintain the same temperature on both levels with a single system. Heat rises, cool air settles, end of story. You may be able to get them a little more closer by letting the fan run constantly, but when it's as hot as it's been lately I'd imagine your AC is running almost nonstop anyway.

LMAO

Yikes. Do you suppose the noise you're hearing outside could be the compressor running?

I have no idea what that is :( I just know the fan aint moving

Ours isn't working. We just had it fixed a month ago too. Its running, but its not blowing cool air. I feel like it stopped working the day my roommate who doesn't normally mow.. mowed.

I just looked it up. Yes the noise is coming from that same side.

Similar-sized rooms with the same amount of ducts? Not really. The room of interest was added on, changing the 3-car garage into 2. It's also the room that's farthest from the forced air unit in the attic. So it could be a combination of poor duct access, 2 windows, distance from the unit, and inadequate insulation. Although I don't even feel air coming from the duct when I'm on the other side of the room.

Does the outside unit feel hot? Check the smaller of the two copper tubes coming out of it, if it's really hot then the compressor is still running and it's just the fan that went out.

Turn the system off first right?


Is there anyway I can fix it myself before dying of ****ing heat stroke?

Ack, I have the same thing going on in a room that was added on to the end of my house. They used that plastic flex duct bullcrap and made about a dozen turns with it and the vents don't blow worth a shit. Luckily the room completely opens up to the main part of the house so it still stays fairly decent. Might try a booster fan if the ductwork to that room is accessible.

It's hot as shit. Supposed to be 108 here in KC tomorrow. If it were me, I'd crash with family, or spring the 60 bucks or whatever for Motel 6 until it's fixed.

No, you don't need to turn it off just to feel the refrigerant lines.

But you probably lost either the motor for the fan or the cap that starts it, and either way it isn't something you're going to be able to fix on your own at 11:30 at night unless you keep spare parts laying around.

What would happen if I push the fan with a stick?

If it's just the cap that is bad, it may be possible to get the motor going. But once the unit cycles off, you'll have to start it again.

Although with as hot as it is, it may not cycle off for a while. If you do get it going, I'd set your t-stat at 65 degrees and let it go all night.

**** it i'm trying it.

My family will let me come over but nobody will allow my cats to come poor guys.

I will watch your cats for you.:evil:

Go for it. I'm just not sure you'll be able to give it much of a boost, those things are usually caged off pretty well. I've done it before though.

The booster fan is an interesting idea. I'm also thinking about wiring/installing a ceiling fan to help. I would think about putting a window unit in but it's in the front of our house and I think that looks ghetto. Either way, I'm about to invest some money in a nice TV and plan to spend a lot more time in there and need to get on top of this.

Thanks so much, Bug!

Yea I pushed it and got nothing :( I turned it down to 65 is that going to prevent me from dying?

Menard's has the booster fans, they're easily installed in any 6" duct. I just put a cord and a plug on mine and let it run 24/7 when it's hot out. It's not like it uses that much electricity and if I burn it up, well I'm only out $20.

Or if you're crafty enough you can wire it up so it only runs when your furnace blower runs.

Probably not. Without that fan going, your condenser is going to have trouble dissipating heat. And your compressor is likely going to overheat and go into overload at some point.

It's hard to say exactly what the problem is without doing some troubleshooting with a voltmeter. It sucks that I don't live in KC, I could be cleaning up with service calls right about now.

Ok one last dumb question. Am I better off for the night running the Tstat at 65 with that mild air blowing or opening up all the windows and have the ceiling fan going?

Heh, if it was me, I'd run that bitch even if it only meant the house was 5 degrees cooler than the temp outside. It's probably not the best thing for the compressor though.

Thanks, man. I appreciate the response. When I build a house in the future, what would you recommend as the most effecient system to use? Thanks, again, brother.

Look on Craigslist for a used window unit or two. A few years back, when our unit went out, it saved our ass.

**** the compressor!

Thanks Bug

Take a long drop cord,3way & a couple fans out side to your A/C unit,& set them so they blow threw the coils on the A/C.
It worked great on the Red Green show.

Okay another question for the AC dudes around here. We have a 4 year old Lennox system (XC14). Yesterday during the afternoon my wife calls to say the AC isn't working very well, if at all. The temperature had increased in our house from 80-84 in like 30 minutes. I tell her maybe it just can't keep up with the extreme heat, but that it does sound weird. When I get home it is already 88 in the house. So I go downstairs and check the AC. The 2 freon lines are almost the same temperature and feel like room air temp. The plenum above the evaporator doesn't feel cool either. I went outside and it doesn't sound like the compressor is running but the fan is. I say is doesn't sound like the compressor is running because it has always been very quiet anyway. I opened up the AC to wash off the condensor coils which were a little dirty but not bad. I put everything back together and turn the unit back on. Still nothing for about 30-60 minutes. Then all of the sudden it starts back up. It ran all night and was still running when I left for work this morning. We scheduled a 3:00 pm service appt for today when it wasn't working. Questions:
1. Does it make any sense to have a AC tech come out now that it is running?
2. What could have caused the unit to shut down for a few hours?
3. Is the compressor overheating and causing it to fault out and shut down? If so, what could cause that to happen?

I just felt my coils. The one is cool, not quite as cool as a can of beer but pretty close. The other just feels like a coil.. wasn't warm or cool. Its set at 70 in the house, but the temperature is 80. Its been this way for a few weeks now. They came and fixed it, but after a few weeks its doing the same thing again. Blowing air, but not cool air. Outside the thing is blowing out air, but not as hot as it should be.

It's 108 here now. I'm sure glad my A/C is running like a champ. It's a HEIL and has been great for 5 years.

1. Yes, something isn't right. Make sure he tests all your caps.
2+3. Definitely sounds like it went into overload, which I've only had happen to units with dirty condensers or failed condenser fans.

I'd put my money on your system having a refrigerant leak, and if you're living in a multi-family dwelling they're nearly impossible to track down.

My current instructor at school is big on Heils, they have a 10 year warranty on their new units.

Having a system properly installed is exponentially more important than the brand name.