Simple AC tips to help keep your cool this summer

[Bugeater]

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[Frosty]

Anyone have any experience with the ductless A/C systems?

[Mr. Laz]

shouldn't all outside AC units have a little roof over then to keep the sun off?


seems to me that having the sun beat directly down on unit would make it work harder.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Laz

shouldn't all outside AC units have a little roof over then to keep the sun off?


seems to me that having the sun beat directly down on unit would make it work harder.

There is very little involved in the cooling processes in the top-down cross section [ie, where the fan is spinning, and where the sun is bearing down directly], and both the air flow across the radiator fins and the cooling of gas expansion FAR FAR outstrip the heat gains of the sun striking the radiator fins obliquely.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by DaFace

So here's a question for you HVAC gurus:

My house has a main floor, an upper floor, and a finished basement. The furnace and everything is located in the basement. As is probably a pretty common problem, it's a giant pain in the ass to cool the upper floor; the main floor is fine; and the basement turns into a walk-in freezer if I leave the vents open.

The big issue aside from the whole "heat rises" thing is that the amount of air coming out of the vents in the basement is MUCH higher in the basement than the main floor and much higher on the main floor than the upper floor.

So I guess my question is just whether there are "best practices" to make the most of this. My guess is that the underlying issue isn't an easy fix. But I've been shutting the vents all the way off in the basement since it stays cool on its own. Is that a bad thing based on what you guys have been saying?

Originally Posted by Bugeater

That's the same issue as differences from room-to-room which I touched on in the last paragraph. Open the vents, and leave the thermostat on the "Fan On" setting for a couple days and see if it makes a difference.

Thanks for the tips (two years later)... that's pretty much my issue. I closed a vent in the basement, and as it's been discussed in this thread, it didn't make a difference upstairs. Last night it took about 3 hours to knock off 5 degrees upstairs, all while it was 20 degrees cooler in the basement.

Stupid n00b question... I've thought about running the attic fan (or 'whole house fan' as apparently non-Midwesterners call it) early in the morning when it's in the 60s to cool off the house a few degrees, but it looks like that might not help much overall due to moisture/humidity levels.

Is there any value in running it at any time during the summer, possibly to help pull up the cool air from the basement? I've seen a lot of conflicting information online... I tried it last night and there was a noticeable difference in airflow coming up from the basement, but I've only had the AC on a couple of days, so I haven't had much time to experiment. I've read in some places that it's not a good idea, you'll be sucking conditioned air out of the house, etc... and I've read in other places that running it for 20 minutes before turning on the AC can be beneficial... and another site said you can run it with the AC on, dependent on a few factors like air returns, etc.

The seller paid for a home warranty, which at first glance covers seasonal maintenance, so I'll probably just go that route sometime soon, since I don't believe anyone lived there for a while and it could probably use it... but, I'll check out the info in the OP this afternoon, too.

[jiveturkey]

So closing my basement vents is a bad idea? I've been it for years without even thinking about it.

[ptlyon]

Oh God - better go check my unit

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Thanks for the tips (two years later)... that's pretty much my issue. I closed a vent in the basement, and as it's been discussed in this thread, it didn't make a difference upstairs. Last night it took about 3 hours to knock off 5 degrees upstairs, all while it was 20 degrees cooler in the basement.

Stupid n00b question... I've thought about running the attic fan (or 'whole house fan' as apparently non-Midwesterners call it) early in the morning when it's in the 60s to cool off the house a few degrees, but it looks like that might not help much overall due to moisture/humidity levels.

Is there any value in running it at any time during the summer, possibly to help pull up the cool air from the basement? I've seen a lot of conflicting information online... I tried it last night and there was a noticeable difference in airflow coming up from the basement, but I've only had the AC on a couple of days, so I haven't had much time to experiment. I've read in some places that it's not a good idea, you'll be sucking conditioned air out of the house, etc... and I've read in other places that running it for 20 minutes before turning on the AC can be beneficial... and another site said you can run it with the AC on, dependent on a few factors like air returns, etc.

The seller paid for a home warranty, which at first glance covers seasonal maintenance, so I'll probably just go that route sometime soon, since I don't believe anyone lived there for a while and it could probably use it... but, I'll check out the info in the OP this afternoon, too.

Does your system have dampers? Most do. I'd check to make sure they're set properly.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by jiveturkey

So closing my basement vents is a bad idea? I've been it for years without even thinking about it.

Heh, it depends on who you ask. One of my instructors when I was going to school was adamant that you are better off leaving them all open, but I still shut off the ones in my basement as well. It's freaking cool enough down there with them shut, I'll freeze my ass off if I open them.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Heh, it depends on who you ask. One of my instructors when I was going to school was adamant that you are better off leaving them all open, but I still shut off the ones in my basement as well. It's freaking cool enough down there with them shut, I'll freeze my ass off if I open them.

The whole "don't close vents" thing makes no sense to me. So, by that logic, I shouldn't install a room to room zoning system with dampers in the lines because it is effectively the same thing. Shouldn't someone tell the dozens of manufacturers out there about this? http://www.forwardthinking.honeywell..._products.html

[Bowser]

The neighbors ****ing dog keeps jumping the fence and digging behind my AC unit. The thing now sits at like a 25 degree angle.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

The whole "don't close vents" thing makes no sense to me. So, by that logic, I shouldn't install a room to room zoning system with dampers in the lines because it is effectively the same thing. Shouldn't someone tell the dozens of manufacturers out there about this? http://www.forwardthinking.honeywell..._products.html

I don't know anything about that but I'm assuming it's some type of system that constantly monitors temperatures and adjusts airflow to each room accordingly, which isn't quite the same thing as closing a vent for an entire summer.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Bowser

The neighbors ****ing dog keeps jumping the fence and digging behind my AC unit. The thing now sits at like a 25 degree angle.

Time to leave a fresh, refreshing bowl of antifreeze out for when he gets hot

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I don't know anything about that but I'm assuming it's some type of system that constantly monitors temperatures and adjusts airflow to each room accordingly, which isn't quite the same thing as closing a vent for an entire summer.

Yeah, it basically is just a bunch of dampers in the ducts that open and close based on each room's temp. Which to me seems like it's the same as someone manually opening/closing registers. I just don't see why one is an accepted practice and the other is not. I have no clue if zoning is actually is a good idea... but I can't see any way that it could be ok and the other less technical method is not.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

Yeah, it basically is just a bunch of dampers in the ducts that open and close based on each room's temp. Which to me seems like it's the same as someone manually opening/closing registers. I just don't see why one is an accepted practice and the other is not. I have no clue if zoning is actually is a good idea... but I can't see any way that it could be ok and the other less technical method is not.

That type of system is capable of making constant adjustments, most people aren't going to **** with their vents several times a day. They either leave them shut or open.

Plus, I'm guessing that system is costly, whereas using the blower to constantly move air is not.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

That type of system is capable of making constant adjustments, most people aren't going to **** with their vents several times a day. They either leave them shut or open.

Plus, I'm guessing that system is costly, whereas using the blower to constantly move air is not.

I get what your saying but it still just isn't making sense to me.

In my head(dangerous, I know) I am thinking that "balancing" a system by adjusting the airflow in the ducts is basically the same as balancing it at the registers. Yet everything I see online seems to say don't mess with the registers. It makes me think its all a scam to get those people to invest in the expensive inline control system.

oh. btw thanks to everyone for the input on my parents house. They ended up just replacing the a-coil for now and waiting to upgrade the system down the road.

On a semi-related note... the only issue they have now is in a separate section of the house. One back bedroom is always "off" when it comes to heating or cooling. The unit for that area works perfectly for everywhere but that room. The theory is that the ducting to that room is undersized and since it also is the furthest from the blower it is never going to be "right."

Any suggestions? I was thinking they could go with an inline booster fan but I have no clue if the smaller duct work will be a major issue. Or would they be just as well off going with something like this...

http://www.appliancesconnection.com/...icegrabbermain



My apartment in Europe had these in each major room and they absolutely kicked ass.