We purchased a VERY Old house (1921) and everything is ok on it so far, we updated almost everything inside and out, we even have a brand new A/C unit, my question is: Why the AC runs all the time?, i know that when is 100 degrees outside you can't help it but i think it's not right to be running for like 30 min. stops for 5min. and starts again, is this ok?, i know is not! but can someone give me some advice?, the last thing i did was cellulose in the attic (like 10"), the ceiling is 9 feet tall, we have ceiling fans all over the house (ac is 2,5 ton) , BUT!, the last thing i saw was THE WALLS!!!, they are about 3 inches thick!!!. Since it's a wood frame, stucco on the outside, and 1/2 inch new drywall and that's IT?, can THAT be the problem on why we can't keep the house COOL?, no leaks on windows (brand new). Can i add 2x4 studs, insulation and then another layer of drywall to make it feel better???, what's the solution here??? Thanks for ALL the help.
2007-09-02 07:39:01 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
there are lots of things that it could be. I'd start by checking the ducts in the attic. You may have duct leaks. It's not just the supply air (cold air into home), but the return air as well (warm air being brought to a/c unit to be conditioned). Keep in mind that your air conditioner will only change the air temp by about 18-20 degrees compared to what is coming into it. Ex. If your home is 90 degree when you turn on your a/c, the air coming out, will only be about 70 degrees, no matter what your thermostat is set on. If your home is 80 degrees and your attic is 120 degrees and your return is leaking, sucking 120 degree air into it, that will affect your temp split. You may not be getting the same 20 degree split between indoor home temp and supply air temp. This would make your a/c run constantly. Most local power companies will come out and do a duct check. Also, there are other areas besides windows where warm air can invade the home. Ex: holes in ceilings for fans, lights, ducts, etc. Start by having your local power company out to do some checks. There may be a small fee, but often you receive discounts from the power company for local contractors to repair problems.
2007-09-02 08:16:29 · answer #1 · answered by k.c. k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The main problem is that whoever sold you that ac unit did not do a load calculation. Therefore it sounds like they guessed wrong. Now you can either have someone put in the right size or lower the load. Start by checking to make sure your ducts are not leaking and that they are properly insulated. Then you can look at things like insulating the walls. Check to make sure the attic is properly ventilated. Also make sure your ac unit is clean and properly charged. For complete info go to www.hvac-for-beginners.com
2007-09-02 08:32:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it s easier to maintain heat in an old house . keeping it cool is a bigger problem. is there any room in the house that gets cool? if so, try to close off the registers in the cooler rooms(ususallly inside rooms w/o windows) just a bit to get more air to the hotter rooms.
is there good air movement in your house? you can add fans that will go into your duct work that will turn on every time your blower motor turns on.
retrofitting an old house often times can be a crap shoot weather its going to work efficiant or not bc you cant always get the return air in the proper places or even the heat runs in the optimal places.
keep working at it and maybe you ll have it figured out by retirement
2007-09-02 08:01:53 · answer #3 · answered by francis g 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if your walls have none or little insulation then yes this is where you are losing your cold air
somitimes you can add loose or blown in insulation to empty walls but you run the danger of the loose fill getting into any loose connections in your duct work
2007-09-02 08:10:24 · answer #4 · answered by TnA Inc. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, before I'd start that, I'd contact a company that does thermoimaging of your home to find where you are loosing cold/heat in winter.
http://masterhandyman.com/columndetails.cfm?pubdate=20070210
Maybe by contacting people mentioned in article and asking who would be doing the same work in your area, you could come up with a name.
2007-09-02 08:05:09 · answer #5 · answered by fluffernut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES THIS IS THE CORRECT THING TO DO. INSULATE.
2007-09-02 07:59:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋