| Posted By |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
|  offline
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Kenmore, WA
Posts: 15390
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#2] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 08:27:19 AM |  |  |
|
If you've got central air it's probably already been configured as part of the air handling component of your gas furnace and uses the air handler of the furnace to move the cold air around.
If the system is properly sized, it's probably not necessary to install a complete new system to the second floor, just improve air distribution up to the second floor and install a return air duct from the second floor back. If it's not large enough to heat/cool the entire house than you can explore a separate system for the second floor.
There are lots of systems that can supply both heat and AC. Do you want it to be a heat pump system or are you interested in a gas heat/AC unit. Ultimately, you're going to need to talk to an HVAC guy who can determine whether the system you've got now is capable of properly heating/cooling the entire house; and, if not, can help you find the right setup for the attic.
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Chicago, IL
Posts: 9505
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
 Heating & Cooling Options
[#3] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 08:42:09 AM | | |
|
Mike's right, you need another system if you want it right. What you got now can only be mangled into something unsatisfactory.
You want a mini-split heat pump. I've done a few of these things now, and they are the future. Americans are resistant, but I think it's largely due to the unfamiliarity with the technology.
Go here
Check out the Hybrid Flex Inverter. Even the name is cool; sounds like Star Trek and dilithium crystals, but it's real.
Read up, ask more questions. They're the future.
|
Kurt in Chicago
"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#4] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 08:54:21 AM | | |
|
I do not have any room to run a return from the second floor thats kind of why I was thinking about an attic based system. My current system does suppy ac as well, there is just to ability to remove the heat. I believe the system is large enough. my house is only about 900 sq. ft. living space and the system seems alrge enough.
Thanks
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Kenmore, WA
Posts: 15390
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Lafayette, Louisiana
Posts: 3850
Joined: Nov, 2009
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#6] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 11:12:11 AM | | |
|
If there is an open stairway, without doors, between downstairs and upstairs, then it'll function well as an air return. A ducted air return is redundant.
Ductless mini-split is likely the smart choice for upstairs.
Marc
|
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#8] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 11:31:27 AM | | |
|
Marc,
what about in the summer?
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Lafayette, Louisiana
Posts: 3850
Joined: Nov, 2009
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#9] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 12:54:14 PM | | |
|
Same answer. What difference does summer make?
Marc
|
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Chicago, IL
Posts: 9505
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Collins, NY
Posts: 3141
Joined: Apr, 2008
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#11] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 2:25:09 PM | | |
|
You've done enough demo and rework to remove a wall, why not do a little more and run new ducts? It'll cost way less than mini splits or a second furnace.
Kurt, Americans are resistant to mini's because retrofits look like ass. Imagine line sets run all over the exterior like a bad cable TV install.
|
Tom
http://clearcreekhomeinspection.com/
Life is tough enough as it is, it's tougher when your stupid. Don't do stupid things.
Dr Joe Lstiburek |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Chicago, IL
Posts: 9505
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#12] Posted: 04/17/2012 - 6:55:30 PM | | |
|
No it won't, and no, you don't have to have it look like ass.
Americans are resistant to mini split systems. The old, wildly inefficient ways, will die hard. Americans are wedded to inefficiency; it's a way of life.
Part of it is resistance to something hanging on the wall. Folks are completely fine with a 400 pound chunk of cast iron taking up floor space, but they don't like the thing on the wall.
The whole idea is you can take old places and retrofit them efficiently, inexpensively, and have excellent performance. It doesn't always have to be the old way, and folks not able to blow big dollars get to play.
Or, tear out more walls, retrofit sheet metal, increase scope and cost exponentially; that's fine for lots of folks if that's what they want.
|
Kurt in Chicago
"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
Kenmore, WA
Posts: 15390
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
Lafayette, Louisiana
Posts: 3850
Joined: Nov, 2009
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#16] Posted: 04/18/2012 - 10:20:04 AM | | |
|
Quote: Originally posted by IrishSeanQuote: Originally posted by Marc
Same answer. What difference does summer make?
Marc
well if heat rises and cold air decends and my biggest problem is cooling the second floor in the summer, then what good does air moving thru the stairs do me?
Before conditioned air can exit the registers in the upstairs room, air must return to the air handler. I don't quite understand what Kurt is trying to say. If you've an air return grille at the air handler that is large enough to handle the entire system air flow then you don't need an additional return upstairs, unless a door blocks the air return path between floors.
As for the 'hot air rises, cool air sinks', of course, lotsa multi-story houses have that problem. A local temperature sensor installed upstairs should fix that. You can accomplish that by either installing a zoned duct system or additional independent HVAC system upstairs with it's own thermostat. If you go with a separate system, mini-split ductless would likely be best depending on your floor plan.
Now if what you have in your house is a distributed air return duct system in which each room has it's own air return grille then none of what I've said in this thread applies. Distributed air return systems in houses are rare in my area.
Marc
|
"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#17] Posted: 04/18/2012 - 10:55:08 AM | | |
|
Quote: Originally posted by hausdokQuote: Originally posted by IrishSean
the remodeling I am doing is removing nearly all the 1st floor interior walls.  (Backing away very slowly now.) ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
we are putting a beam up for the load bearing
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Statham, GA
Posts: 53
Joined: Dec, 2011
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#18] Posted: 04/18/2012 - 2:45:20 PM | | |
|
When you are working on a project such as you are, one of the best things you can do is acknowledge you don't know and to seek advice, which you are doing. The best and most consistent advice you have been given is to check with a HVAC person. Why you did not do that first is a question only you can answer, and only you need to know the answer to. Were it me, the person I would have asked for advice would be the company that services my HVAC system in the spring and in the fall. They are the ones that know your system, that know your house, that want to maintain and retain your business. Unless of course you do not have your HVAC system maintained on a regular basis and that becomes another issue.
|
Charles Wilson
www.awilsonhomeinspection.com
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Sykesville, Maryland
Posts: 312
Joined: Nov, 2009
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#19] Posted: 04/18/2012 - 3:52:43 PM | | |
|
I've seen a couple of renovations of 100 year old row homes in Baltimore where they used the mini-split heat pumps - the one had 5 interior zones. As far as I could see they worked quite well. The homes originally had gas or oil fired boilers with no A/C units.
|
| "your home inspector shoulda seen that, hon." |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr, 2012
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#20] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 07:52:27 AM | | |
|
Kurt,
I just wanted to ask if you preferred the Fujutsu system or you provided it just for informational purposes. I am getting 2 estimates from their contractors next week but I was thinking about getting one from the Mitsubisji contractor as well buth thought maybe the Fujitsu system was better.
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Springfield, NJ
Posts: 1212
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
Kenmore, WA
Posts: 15390
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#22] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 08:59:58 AM | | |
|
Hey!
What strangers? We're all family here. 
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Springfield, NJ
Posts: 1212
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#23] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 09:41:15 AM | | |
|
Quote: Originally posted by hausdokHey! What strangers? We're all family here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
I meant strangers to Irish Sean, not each other! 
|
Steven C. Hockstein, AIA
www.AHMArchitects.com |
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Chicago, IL
Posts: 9505
Joined: Dec, 2003
| offline
|
|
|
|
| | |
|
charleston, sc
Posts: 33
Joined: Feb, 2012
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#25] Posted: 04/21/2012 - 10:19:51 AM | | |
|
Mini splits are really really popular in the caribbean islands, and in new high end construction around here, especially for mother inb law suites or rooms over garages.
Caribbean units are quiet and have infinetly variable air speed with remote control.
I thinkj "Mericans" are afraid of them because of the motel units in the usa that are very very loud and usually clatter and thump when they shut off, they think mini splits are motel units and I have seem HVAC people try to sell the motel units,
Mitsibishi invented them but there are many other mostly Japanese or foreign brands, sanyo, etc.
I like the ones I have seen
|
| |
|
|
| | |
|
Collins, NY
Posts: 3141
Joined: Apr, 2008
| offline
|
|
Heating & Cooling Options
[#26] Posted: 04/21/2012 - 10:43:54 AM | | |
|
Ptac = package terminal air conditioner, it's all in one box. Split means split, a condenser with one or more mini air handlers. They're brilliant for new builds, but I have never seen a retrofit that I liked the look of.
I seriously considered one for my place, but I can get close to walk in cooler temps with 3 little window units that cost less than $100 each. A 3 zone split would have run me $3500 in parts.
|
Tom
http://clearcreekhomeinspection.com/
Life is tough enough as it is, it's tougher when your stupid. Don't do stupid things.
Dr Joe Lstiburek |
| |
|
| |
|
