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Heating, Air Conditioning, Fridge, HVAC/Questions Answered by Expert Mike Reavis
| Subject | Date Asked |
| State gas water heater, burnt out burner | 1/25/2012 |
| Q: I have a 9 year old State gas water heater. For the past few weeks it has been showing an error ... A: I look really don't know from your description which water heater it is. There is a good ... | |
| Banging noise when zone valve closes | 1/12/2012 |
| Q: I have a 3 zone hot water heating system with one pump. When the pump is running and feeding 2 ... A: Your expansion tank may be undersized. you may have a circulator with too high of a "head" capacity ... | |
| New relay will not pull in | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: Installed a new plate transformer and relay combination control on my furnace The relay does not ... A: There should be two terminals on the relay that when you put a temporary jumper across the terminals ... | |
| Pilot | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: Ruud furnace (hangs from ceiling)--Wind blew out piot. How to re-light? A: All appliances has a sticker or plate with lighting instructions on the appliance. There are too ... | |
| Noise/pressure | 11/13/2011 |
| Q: I have a hot water baseboard heat system. There are no separate zone valves and the entire house is ... A: Tanks come in different sizes--your house would not be the first one where the installed tank was ... | |
| Noise/pressure | 11/13/2011 |
| Q: I have a hot water baseboard heat system. There are no separate zone valves and the entire house is ... A: The expansion tank is the primary device to control excessive pressure in a hot water heating ... | |
| Electric furnace noise | 11/10/2011 |
| Q: Issue: I have a hot water heating system with a new Thermolec 18 kw 240V 4-element electric furnace ... A: The answer to your question is yes; however the other possibility is there is some defect from ... | |
| is outside air intake adjustable? | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: I just bought a new home with that has a heat pump HVAC system. Every hour for about 5 minutes, ... A: There is now a system available that controls this from a control located in the home. The one I am ... | |
| toe kick | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: This is Joe from Pennsylvania and I appreciate your willingness to address my question. I have a ... A: If I understand your question correctly you don't need a monoflow tee. You might need a flow check ... | |
| flame setting in hydronic boiler | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: We have a radiant hydronic system in the concrete floor of our home. The furnace (AO Smith Hydronic ... A: It is very likely that the disintegration that you are noticing is being caused by condensation DUE ... | |
| Furnace error code 31 (Bryant 340MAV) | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: 10+ yr old Bryant furnace. (340MAV series E). Recent getting an error code 31. Heat was working a ... A: Somewhere on the appliance should be a key to tell you what this error signifies--I do not know off ... | |
| Air Conditioning | 8/22/2011 |
| Q: We came home from vacation to find what we believe to have been a lightning strike on our ... A: There is a fuse in the furnace/air handler that could blow. The problem is if something shorted ... | |
| electro | 8/19/2011 |
| Q: .i have 2 new two ton units here, and went out and got boair filters for them. after that, the unit ... A: You probably will need to install a pleated or an electronic filter directly at the furnace or air ... | |
| broken radiator | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: we just moved into a new home. the home had an addition put on recently on a separate zone. they ... A: Cast iron radiators are available new and used for sale. Due to the material and concerns with ... | |
| HB Smith Boiler | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: I have a HB Smith boiler that heats both baseboard heaters and a hot water tank. During the summer ... A: It sounds like you have a draft inducer which is external to the boiler. This device has relays and ... | |
| Steam for air-heating? | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: I live in Diamond Bar of Southern California of USA. I have two floors in my house. Each have their ... A: I was referring to the possibility that moisture on walls and other surfaces in a home will grow ... | |
| Steam for air-heating? | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: I live in Diamond Bar of Southern California of USA. I have two floors in my house. Each have their ... A: You raise some interesting possibilities; however, as you have described your system, especially in ... | |
| airflow | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: When running AC, should one be running ceiling fans and if yes, what direction Thanks A: Ceiling fans are great aids to comfort in individual rooms. The direction is probably less ... | |
| Furnace | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: Are you familiar with the following model number Heil-Quaker furnace? NUGG150AK01 A: This is probably an upflow natural gas furnace with a 150,000 btu input. The last four characters ... | |
| No of rows in an AHU | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: i am a beginer in hvac industry. i would like to know how to select the static pressure, no of rows ... A: There is a balance achieved between the dynamics of a coil that will influence the performance, both ... | |
| Trane A.C Unit | 6/13/2011 |
| Q: My Trane split unit will not run. My air handler model # TWE042C14,OC,FC. I don't have any voltage ... A: are you checking from each side of the power to ground, and then across the source. You should have ... | |
| Trane A.C Unit | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: My Trane split unit will not run. My air handler model # TWE042C14,OC,FC. I don't have any voltage ... A: If you have reset the breaker, and you are not getting voltage, then the breaker is bad. This is a ... | |
| To Replace/Repair Split Unit | 6/2/2011 |
| Q: We have a Trane heat pump w/air handler in attic. We developed a bad leak in the coil in the air ... A: If you are considering a furnace you still have the option to incorporate a heat pump with the ... | |
| steam boiler summer shutdown | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: I have a gas fired auto ignition Burnham Independence IN5 steam boiler that was installed last fall. ... A: I would be inclined to fill it up, as it would stop the rust to a degree. It would also keep from ... | |
| Carrier heat pump blows hot air and won't turn off | 5/12/2011 |
| Q: Have a Carrier FA4 heat pump unit that is blowing hot air when set to "cool" and would not turn off ... A: This sounds like either the wire from the thermostat is damaged, the thermostat is damaged, or the ... | |
| Need advice on boiler/water coil heating proposal | 5/5/2011 |
| Q: We gotten a handful of quotes for replacing our radiant floor heating system (see original msg below ... A: Unless you have the ability to return water to the boiler consistently below 120 degrees you will ... | |
| Indirect Water Heater Conversion | 4/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a New Yorker boiler in which I currently use the internal tankless heating coil for my ... A: Most people would just leave the pipes open. Good practice would be to cap both ends, or cap one ... | |
| Zone heating for fish farming | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: I hope you'll take this question, even though it's not residential HVAC, it is definitely "wet ... A: I would think that if the plastic that you will line the barrels with will not be too thick you ... | |
| furnace | 2/2/2011 |
| Q: MY FURNACE NEED'S A PRIMARY HEAT EXCHANGER AND I WANT TO KNOW IS IT HARD TO PUT ONE IN. I KNOW I CAN ... A: The dependable 92 is made by Goodman--formerly know as Janitrol. You might attempt this repair if ... | |
| boiler | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: I just installed a natural gas boiler to replace a fuel oil boiler. The reason for the change is ... A: I am assuming that the boiler is a hot water boiler, and not steam. "Where the air is, the water ... | |
| heating boiler and adding water | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: We have what I think you call a condenser boiler. It is very efficient, radiators are hot and temp ... A: If you have pipes in your floor to heat the rooms they are suspect and could be the source of the ... | |
| In-floor Boiler will not fire up | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: We have a Peerless Pinnacle PIT80 boiler for our basement in floor heat. Installed in 2007, we ran ... A: I can help guide you to narrow down what the problem is with this unit. I will attach a link to ... | |
| Hot water radiators don't blleed | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: Two of the three hot water radiators on the top level of my house don't do anything when I try to ... A: If you have an automatic fill valve on your system it comes set from the factory at 12 psi. This ... | |
| Heat | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: Weil-McLain Boiler CGM-4-P1 Sometimes my boiler does not call for heat..So in order to get it to ... A: There are two small wires on the boiler that are probably black in color. If you have the wiring ... | |
| tripping breaker | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: when my unit runs on aux heat for about ten minutes it will trip the breaker, my unit is self ... A: This can occur if you have loose wiring connections (assuming that the wire is correctly sized, and ... | |
| Heat Pump in Very Cold Weather | 12/26/2010 |
| Q: I live in the mountains of NC and the heat pump wasn't putting out much heat at all about a month ... A: Heat pump thermostats are supposed to operate as a "two-stage". This means that the heat pump unit ... | |
| Beckett AFG burner | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a Peerless JO series furnace that's about 20 years old. The current burner is justr about ... A: Here is there contact page. ... | |
| Heat not working | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: Sometime last night our heat stopped working. The thermostat is working and is blinking heat,heat, ... A: It sounds as if the breaker has tripped, of the switch(s) going to the furnace have been shut off. ... | |
| Goodman Heat Pump | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: How can you tell if an expansion valve is bad? A: If you are sure that the compressor works, and the airflow is correct, then you will have too much ... | |
| heat pump | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: i live in Mississippi first time with a heat and cool pump my house thermostat says it is 71 why ... A: If you move your thermostat more than 2-3 degrees you will often cause the aux heat to come on. If ... | |
| Burnham Furnace Problems and Endless Plumber Bills | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: I have three gas Burnham furnaces each of which services an apartment in my building. In the past ... A: Really talented heating professionals for hire advertise at this website. Click on "locate a ... | |
| Hot water and heating pump failure. | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a gas boiler which heats water for heating and hot water. When I switch on, everything works ... A: If you have sufficient pressure in the system, and water exits the "bleeders" located on the ... | |
| PEX and boilers | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: Mike I have a oil fired water heater and a heat pump. I have access to free fuel (the burner has ... A: I think that I understand what you are trying to do. You are really on your own, as the ... | |
| hot water coil in house heater boiler | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: Would you be able to help me by explaining how a water heater coil inside a house heater boiler is ... A: It is cleaned with acid, that is circulated through the coil temporarily using a pump and reservoir. ... | |
| HVAC | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I have an Apollo HVAC dual system originally installed when house was built in 1990. I was just ... A: The Apollo unit is near or at the end of its expected usable life. There are a few manufacturers ... | |
| heat strip in self contatined goodman ac | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: I put in a heat strip everything works except fan won't come on in heat mode fan on mode works ... A: If this is not a heat pump, then your sequencer for the electric heat is not bringing on the low or ... | |
| Slant Fin GG-150 | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a boiler that is upwards of 15 years old. I have had mulitple problems with it. However, the ... A: The manufacturer should be able to supply wiring diagrams to show how to integrate zone valves with ... | |
| not enough pressure in boiler to heat home | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a Weil-McLain QB-180, and the normal operating pressure is 150. However when I serviced the ... A: If you are servicing the QB-180 burner, you should stop, and hire a service company to restore ... | |
| Boiler Noise | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: Our Weil-McLain circa 1970s LG-5 boiler boiler roars for about a minute when first starting up. It ... A: Is there any chance that you have low gas pressure supplied to the boilers' gas train #common in ... | |
| Hot Radiators Downstairs - Cold Radiators Upstairs | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: I've got an oil furnace with radiators in my house. My problem is that the house is warm in the ... A: your operating pressure is arrived at by dividing the distance from the height of the highest ... | |
| boiler timing | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: last year my boiler went out. For availability and cheaper operating cost(so I was told) I chose to ... A: You need a lead-lag controller which will control the boilers so that in response to a set-point, or ... | |
| Electric Heat Pump Smells | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: We have two systems, one for upstairs and one for down. The downstairs heat pump emits an awful ... A: You should have the drain checked to be sure that it is not tied into the "stack" of the sewer which ... | |
| 9 new rads, manifold and pipes only 4 getting hot | 11/4/2010 |
| Q: we recently had our radiant heat system ripped out and replaced with a new pex/upanor system with a ... A: Heating systems are pressurized normally to about 12 pounds. This is generally sufficient pressure ... | |
| btu | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: how many btu do it take to to move a cup of water frm 70 to 71 degrees and how did you get the ... A: It is approximately 1/2 a btu. It takes 1 btu to raise a pound of water 1 degree f. A cup, (8 ozs) ... | |
| Hot air plenum temperature | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: We have a propane converted to natural gas furnace and when it heats up the hot air plenum is very ... A: If there is not a problem with the fan, then you may have a problem with over-supply of gas to the ... | |
| Water Heater | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: I have this water heater that is leaking water, we are going to replace it soon maybe within a week ... A: Usually there is a valve on the cold water "inlet" to the water heater. There are two ways to ... | |
| 1999 CARRIER GAS PACK MODEL 48gs036090301 | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: October 11,2010 Dear Sir: I HAVE A 1999 CARRIER 3-TON GAS PACK, MODEL 48gs036090301, It was ... A: The local codes usually look to the manufacturer for clearances, as the manufacturer tested the unit ... | |
| Tempstar TX5300 heat pump | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: I have the Tempstar TX5300 heat pump electric unit. It defrosts even when it is not real cold. Can I ... A: If your unit has a defrost sensor or switch it is likely that this is where the issue is--it can ... | |
| Boiler | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: .I have a weil-mclain series 1 hot water boiler. Why does the relay on the transformer "chatter" ... A: You probably need an isolating relay to be installed between the boiler, and the zone valves. The ... | |
| replacing hot water tank - no heater needed | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: I had an Energy Kinetics 2000 system installed 4 years ago, that was connected to an existing older ... A: These folks make a stainless steel tank, which should be the last one you would buy. If it is too ... | |
| Sq.Ft. vs. Tonnage | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: What is the rule of thumb for the home square footage vs. the tonnage of the unit? Thanks for your ... A: the number we used to use was 600 sq. ft per ton. However, that was in the mid-Atlantic states, 20 ... | |
| Dual Run Capacitor | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1991 Rheem 2ton 13 seer. I am needing to change out the Dual Run Capacitor on my condenser ... A: Hopefully, you can see the nameplate on the fan motor, and this will indicate the MFD required for ... | |
| octopus heat system | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: I rent a home with this system ..age unknown...can this system work without a blower? A: If you have an old furnace, and the ductwork has not been modified, then yes it can. Most people ... | |
| oil burner circulator stays on | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: Would a bad zone valve cause a circulator pump to stay on constant.If not what might cause this to ... A: It might--it depends on how it is wired. If your boiler also makes the domestic hot water it is ... | |
| replacing old boiler | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: How do I calcuate what size boiler I need to replace an old system in a very old house? I have all ... A: If you are going to purchase a new boiler through a contractor then they should do a heat load ... | |
| Transformer buzz, shuts off hydronic system | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: We have a three loop hydronic radiant flooring system in our basement. It was installed last spring ... A: You probably have a problem due to there being low voltage current supplies by more than one ... | |
| hot water heating | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: I have seen a plan where the gas hot water heater, not only supplies hot water to the home, but with ... A: There are now 90+% efficient hot water heaters (tankless) that also can provide heat. This may be ... | |
| central air | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: my central air is about 5 years old.my drain pipe is drining very good,my a-coil is clean, i'm ... A: You have a source of moisture that is entering the area of the grille. This can be by a window, or ... | |
| evacuation | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: after a system has been pumped down is it safe to evacuate?? A: I am assuming that you want to repair an item like a drier/expansion valve/poor flare connection etc ... | |
| HVAC IN 2 STORY HOME | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I HAD A NEW HVAC SYSTEM PUT IN MY 2-STORY HOME LAST AUGUST. THE 1ST STORY STAYS COOL IN THE SUMMER ... A: Temperature differences are common in systems that service two story houses with one cooling unit. ... | |
| Goodman PCK036-1 | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a home that has a Goodman 3 ton package unit PCK036-1. It seems to have low air ... A: There may be three or four colored wires that come off the motor that can be interchanged to supply ... | |
| Oil boiler & indirect water heater | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: Just had a new trio purepro (Peerless) oil boiler and a plug n go 40 gal indirect water heater ... A: Can you send a picture of the boiler and the piping in between the boiler and the tank? This would ... | |
| Boom and Flame Out | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a New Yorker FR 147K BTU oil fired boiler with a Beckett burner with a Sundstrand A2VA-7016 ... A: You might want to see if the boiler that you are planning to buy can be ordered less the burner. If ... | |
| AC coil drains blowing cold air | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I have been researching an issue and would like some clarification please. I have a coil unit in the ... A: Please check the link to a site that has photos of inline, and P-traps. ... | |
| HVAC 24v transformer keeps burning up | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a RUUD Model UBHA-17J11NFGAI that keeps burning up the 24V transformer. I first replaced the ... A: You may be missing insulation on the thermostat wire somewhere between inside, and outside--Very ... | |
| Boom and Flame Out | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a New Yorker FR 147K BTU oil fired boiler with a Beckett burner with a Sundstrand A2VA-7016 ... A: There are so many possibilities that you might want to direct your questions to the folks at oiltech ... | |
| Propane feed | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I am replacing my central air and furnace with a Trane. I was told because the propane feed to my ... A: I am not really sure what the question is. You might ask the contractor to provide you with local ... | |
| pump placement | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: i was wandering where is the best location to place a centrifugal pump in context to chilled water ... A: In HVAC systems it is typical for the pump to flow the fluid toward the radiators or coils, and away ... | |
| glycol leak and odor | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: We have underfloor heating with glycol and have a severe odor in a bedroom closet area. We have ... A: You will need to locate and fix the leak in the pipes--switching to water and letting it leak is not ... | |
| Rheem Furnace/A/C combo low air flow | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: I have a Rheem model no# RRKA-A018JK06E furnace and a/c combo, I believe it is a 1.5 ton unit. I am ... A: You might have another return grille somewhere in the home. I have found end caps and ducts ... | |
| Main Circuit Breaker Tripping | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: Our double 30 amp circuit breaker trips 2 or 3 times a day for no apparent reason. The inside fan ... A: On the name plate of your outdoor unit should be a rating for "minimum ampacity". Your wire from ... | |
| glycol leak and odor | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: We have underfloor heating with glycol and have a severe odor in a bedroom closet area. We have ... A: Isn't this someone elses problem due to it being under warranty? Are you sure that the odor cannot ... | |
| Compressor | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: With the power on and the thermostat set, we can't get the unit to work. When I manually closed the ... A: Bad control circuit wiring, control and transformer--blown control fuse. Open limit either manual ... | |
| air conditioner. | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what make and model air-conditioner I have with the serial ... A: I thought that it reminded me of numbers that I say years ago on Heil or Tempstar equipment. If you ... | |
| Trane 2 Stage Cooling/Heating Unit (10 Tonage= 6+4 compressors) | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: we currently have a Trane 2 Stage Cooling/Heating Unit; i.e. two compressors, 6 and 4. The unit ... A: I am not personally familiar with this unit, but it sounds as if there is a limit that opens and ... | |
| Kenmore Elite side by side | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: I have a Kenmore model 50592003/c25SSA0 and had thought over the last month(s) the refrigerator ... A: I don't work on refrigerators but I would say that you probably have an accumulation of dirt on the ... | |
| Lennox G61V | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: I need to add a duct fan to boost one one run in my home. I have sealed every opening in the ... A: This should work, you should however put an inline fuse to protect the board and the wire leading to ... | |
| 3 ton = ? lbs. of r410-a | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: How many pounds of r-410a does a 3 ton air condition need to be fully charged? A: All manufacturers provide information on correct charging--and it is all different. It depends on ... | |
| York deluxe diamond 80 2 stage furnace/airconditioning | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I can't get the a/c to kick on. I put my "white-rodgers" digital controller to cool, brought it down ... A: You should check with an electrical tester if you have power at the electrical disconnect outdoors. ... | |
| cooling | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: i have hotwater baseboard heat. can i cool my house with through the baseboard? A: A few problems here. The first clue was "my neighbors don't do it this way, how come?" Unless you ... | |
| A/C | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: My house is not cooling down properly during the daytime. I replaced the outside unit about 7 yrs ... A: The air in the house cannot cool down because you are letting it get too hot during the day. The ... | |
| heat pump systems | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a York heat pump system. I would like to know what the temperature of the air coming out of ... A: Unfortunately this depends. Generally, in humid areas, if the system has been on for a few days you ... | |
| Blower fan in attic unit | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: Have zoned units in attic and downstairs. When temp in attic goes >90F unit blower fan will not come ... A: If you are sure that during installation that the control wires were not crossed from upstairs to ... | |
| Compressor overheating | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: I am an a/c technician. I replaced a burned out compressor, but now when I start up the unit, my ... A: I would do an oil test and determine if the oil is acidic. If it is, then do the service required ... | |
| HVAC Service Cost | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: We currently have a Carrier air conditioner in our home that is 26 years old. It still operates ... A: As you have assumed, prices for service vary across the country. Please try to imagine how ... | |
| filter drier | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I work for a hvac company. We have a homeowner that we serviced today that has a bad compressor. The ... A: It probably has more to do with contamination that stems back to the original failure that was not ... | |
| seized compressor | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: The compressor is seized on my 2 ton York heat pump. Breaker does not trip, compressor hums, ... A: My experience with these units is that if you are correct, and the compressor is not grounded, or ... | |
| Radiant baseboard heating system | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: I recently moved into a 34yr old house in Madison, WI, which uses a radiant baseboard heating system ... A: If you have an older boiler they will have a pilot light. Unless you want to get down low, and ... | |
| Aquastat Relay? | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: Mike, I have recently purchased an older home which the lower unit is heated with a hot water boiler ... A: If you were able to post a picture of what you are working with it would make the answer more exact. ... | |
| cast iron radiant heat in floor | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: We have cast iron radiant heat in our 60 year old home. Most of it is in a concrete pad. We have ... A: Some boilers have an odor that comes from the insulation, adhesives, and sealers used during ... | |
| Relocating HVAC | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: My 1955, Texas, slab foundation, single story, 2,200 square feet home has what appears to be added ... A: I would be interested in seeing a photo. You might look into a condensate pump. Some people use a ... | |
| A/C replacement at the seashore | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: We are being told that our two story condo needs at new roof top A/C and that the new freon will ... A: Most units publish information on their corrosion test ratings. Trane makes allot of their products ... | |
| hot water radiators | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: I live in an old apartment building that has hot water heat which I have no control over.....they ... A: Your building has some problem with the control of the water in the boiler which someone who pays ... | |
| Amana A/C Unit | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I need to replace my old A/C unit & furnace. The repairman is suggesting an Amana SSX for about ... A: Many companies like lennox, carrier and trane have a second line that is sold a little cheaper, has ... | |
| HVAC | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I have a leak from my Bryant system. My HVAC unit is in the attic, there is a secondary/auxiliary ... A: It is possible, but unlikely that you can find a replacement primary pan, and successfully replace ... | |
| Repairs to rudd Heat Pump | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a 24 year old 4 ton Rudd heat pump. I had water collecting in the inside unit because the ... A: It sounds as if you are on pretty solid ground here. Their contract to you may outline that they ... | |
| Maytag Gas Dryer | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: Our Maytag Gas Dryer, about 10 years old, is making a banging noise when turning. It is very loud, ... A: This is out of my expertise. I did however have a similar problem once, and found that it was an ... | |
| central air conditioner | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: how can a hole in units radiator looking part be repaired. i heard the coolant leaking out. A: Most contractors will require that a very minimum a new coil replace the one that is damaged--it ... | |
| oil furnace | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: My oil ran dry. I added new oil, loosened the bleader valve, pressed the reset and the furnace ... A: You will need a service call from your oil supplier to set this right. Going forward, you must ... | |
| need new HVAC | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: my house was built in 2002 with size 2100 sq ft. It has 2x2.5 tons Amana A/C. I want to replace them ... A: You must match indoor to outdoor unit to provide rated performance. You can buy any brand unit that ... | |
| Steam heat | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 HW loops on my current steam boiler (in a basement): 1-basement tapped of bottom of boiler. ... A: I would leave myself the option of installing the coil and tank in the future. If the taps below ... | |
| replacing an a/c | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I live in a 3 story condo where most everyone here when they have had their a/c replaced has had to ... A: It sounds as if you are going from a packaged unit(all in one) To a "split" system (separate ... | |
| Cost to replace expansion valve on | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: A technician quoted me $500 for labor in replacing a thermostatic expansion valve (1.5 to 3 ton). ... A: Labor costs are not consistent across the country, nor are they between companies--ideally, they ... | |
| Air Conditioner Repair | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: My home warranty company sent an A/AC specialist in response to service call---water not draining fm ... A: I have never heard of this, but that does not mean that it does not occur. I would need more ... | |
| providing power to zone valve | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: I work in maintenance and at a complex with boiler heat, 1 of the upper floor apt lost heat I ... A: If the zone valve is only required to maintain the temperature in the space, and is not required to ... | |
| Air Intake | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a heating system question. I have a utility room used as a storage, w/d, water heater and ... A: If your dryer and water heater are gas fired then you need air for combustion, and the air should ... | |
| how to build a cheapest water cooler | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: what element is so cheap that it can build a water cooler that can coolwater in a short space of ... A: Do you need to consume the water after it is cooled, or is the cooled water used in a process? We ... | |
| pilot keeps going out | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: My "coleman evcon presidential standing pilot model#7970C856" pilot light went out this past winter ... A: Replace the thermocouple. Clean or replace the burner that the pilot is in. If you remove the ... | |
| thermostat | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: Trane Baystat 239 thermostat which needs replacing. Trouble is it has no less than 8 wires attached ... A: You will need to determine if your new thermostat requires 24 volts (a hot and a common wire) to run ... | |
| Heat Pump not working | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: How to change the fuse in a High efficiency weathertron heat pump Model XE 1000? The unit outside ... A: There is probably some component that is shorted or grounded. Be sure that there is power applied ... | |
| Propane to electric? | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: Propane is killing our budget. Heat and water are on it, the rest of the house is electric. Is it ... A: If you have the $, and you are going to stay, look into Geothermal. If you are only using certain ... | |
| black soot on boiler | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 year old System 2000 oil boiler. I have single pipe, no Tiger Loop, 1 Ai 25 General filter ... A: I am not familiar with an amulet. Sound like it was there before, so it should be there now. It ... | |
| APOLLO Cooling Unit | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I noticed the water pressure in my home was low. The water from the faucets came out very slowly. ... A: I have no experience with these units. There are all-in-one water heaters that can also provide ... | |
| Boiler/Water Heater | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: I have an all-in-one unit (looks like a 4-foot tall fat water heater) that supplies domestic hot ... A: Boilers are classified certain ways by a group known as ASME. You would need to investigate how the ... | |
| Steam Boiler | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a 2200 Sq ft home in NY. The boiler is a Burnham V33 1970's vintage. It has a new b Beckett ... A: I have heard that the MegaSteam is a good product. You can calculate your boiler size required by ... | |
| black soot on boiler | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 year old System 2000 oil boiler. I have single pipe, no Tiger Loop, 1 Ai 25 General filter ... A: Generally, single pipe systems should have the boiler, piping and appliance at approximately the ... | |
| Admiral Capcity Plus Dryer | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: My Admiral Capacity Plus electric dryer isn't heating. It spins fine. The model # is LNC7764A71. ... A: I would say that of course your screen should be cleaned. Beyond that you might need to lean over ... | |
| Ac cooling problems | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: Guys I’m having issues with my ac system. It all started when I got my unit replace. The inside ... A: AC units and coils are subjects to matches that are rated for output and compatibility. You can ... | |
| multisplit for replacing one to one split a/c | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: sir, We are into hvac servicing and maintenance services, located in middle east. Many of our ... A: You cannot expect that equipment that has been engineered as a system to work under any other ... | |
| Role of Sleeves / Wooden frame for Pipes/ Duct penetrating through strucutural Elements | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: In a construction of building,Especially in Air-Conditioning systems, We do provide Sleeves for ... A: If I understand you correctly, you are asking why do we seal penetrations made when utilities go ... | |
| Capacitor | 4/2/2010 |
| Q: I cleand my condensing unit and the black wire came unhooked. Does it connect to one of the three ... A: There should be a wiring diagram on the door of the unit that you might make some sense out of. ... | |
| hw on demand and unico heat sysytems | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I am contemplating purchasing a navien cr210 hw on demand for my home. I am a contractor by trade ... A: I am told that these water heaters will work under these conditions within certain parameters. As ... | |
| Role of Bypass lines in liquid lines | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: Sir, I'm Engineering trrainee in MEP based company; In rooftop outdoor unit (Air cooled condenser ... A: I have attached a link to a manufacturer of driers etc. It depends on how critical the operation of ... | |
| Hydronic Baseboard heating | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I am buying a 36yr old ranch home in Wisconsin, which uses a hydronic baseboard heating system. We ... A: Pretty much all you will have that will support the radiant system will be the boiler. Unless you ... | |
| Air Conditioning | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: Sir, Why do we use Copper Tubing for Air Conditioning Appliances ? What is the Specific reason ? ... A: Copper is used for a variety of reasons that include high heat transfer rate, low corrosion rate, ... | |
| Limiter switch cycles | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a heat pump with oil back up. When the oil heat is used the limiter switch will cycle off and ... A: The most common thing that that causes this is an incorrectly wired system. Is it possible that you ... | |
| High Efficiency Boilers with Aluminum Heat Exchangers | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I need to put in a new boiler this summer. I'm looking at at (1) higher efficiency cast iron,or (2)a ... A: The cast-iron condensing/modulating boiler I was referring to is marketed under the name "Ray". ... | |
| trouble shooting reverseing vaulves | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: when a reversing vaulve doesn't close all the way ---be it cooling or heating ? what symptons, and ... A: There will be no cooling, noisy operation, and there will be no cooling of the compressor by ... | |
| High Efficiency Boilers with Aluminum Heat Exchangers | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I need to put in a new boiler this summer. I'm looking at at (1) higher efficiency cast iron,or (2)a ... A: concerning warranties, depending on the company, they are often prorated, and never include the cost ... | |
| True Freezer not cooling down all the way | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a True (2door)Freezer Model T49F with refrigerant R-404A but the temperature inside the box ... A: It has been allot of years since I did any refrigeration. For what it is worth, you will need a ... | |
| Blower fan not working | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: The other day you answered a question for me and this is a follow up. I was able to determine that ... A: you can use the ohms scale--it usually says R X 1 (10, 100, 1000, etc) Use the 1 scale. put the ... | |
| Octopus gravity furnace | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: Need help or suggestions: Heat went out on my daughter’s 90 year old furnace. (Norman Conversion ... A: These are simple systems--somewhere there is an open wire, or switch, or lack of supply power. If ... | |
| Radiant Heat High Pitched Noise | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: Our kitchen was just renovated and we had radiant floor heat installed. Love the warm floors BUT ... A: It sounds like you might have too large a circulator for the amount of water it is trying to force ... | |
| Constantly sanding Flame Sensor | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I have this ongoing battle with my flame sensor. I have to clean the thing about 2 or 3 times a ... A: I would check to be sure that your electric power at the panel is ok. You can buy inexpensive ... | |
| Heating Water Flow Rates | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: What effect would too much hot water flow rate have on heating a building. If water flow rate was ... A: Your radiation (radiators), whether they are made of steel, cast-iron, or copper-fin tube are rated ... | |
| cold house! | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: Our single family home consists of three levels. The basement is extremely cold, the middle is ... A: If your house is new, and all the other systems of the house seem to be of good quality, then I ... | |
| Blower in HVAC not working | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a Carrier Model # FC4BNF048 all electric heat pump unit. Last night the heat quit working. ... A: Your original problem probably dad to do with one of the 24 volt components that are operated to ... | |
| Circulator | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: I have a gas hot water heating system, with three zone valves, which is only two years old. It ... A: Please identify the manufacturer of your pump. They all have websites with helpful info like this: ... | |
| Gas Furnace | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: Just had a Evcon (Coleman)high efficient afe 95.5 gas furnace installed (old heater finally gave it ... A: If you have any concerns that the water could freeze, and cause property damage if you were to drain ... | |
| Reeme Criterian II | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a Reeme Criterion II gas furnace model RGPH-07EAUER. The furnaces lights and heats no ... A: You should remove and clean the flame sensor if the unit has one. It can be safely cleaned with ... | |
| boiler pressure way to high | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a four-unit building with an older ack-o-matic hot water boiler, 4 taco zone valves, 1 B&G ... A: If the tank is a large steel tank, you must be sure that after it is drained it is full of air, and ... | |
| shutting off vent | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: Does it help your furnace to completely close off a vent in a back bedroom so that no warm air can ... A: unless your furnace is a modulating type, the furnace will produce the same amount of heat. ... | |
| circulating pump hot water radiator | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: Just had a new circulating pump put on my gas hot water closed system gas furnace. Have oiled the ... A: If the new pump is noisy, and all other things are the same as when it operated correctly before the ... | |
| No air blowing out of diffusers | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: We just bought a new house and had the heat pumps and air handlers serviced. He checked all of the ... A: It sounds as if your ductwork has come apart. This should be easy to find--especially if the attic ... | |
| Smith boiler ingnition lockout | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: what can i check for or do to correct this problem A: check that the black power wire to the boiler is "hot" (polarity), and that you have a good neutral ... | |
| baseboard hot water heating system | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: Will regular foam pipe insulation work to insulate the supply pipes for my baseboard hot water ... A: In commercial buildings, fiberglass insulation, with a white foil wrapper is the choice, and is ... | |
| Rheem 3 ton unit | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: We have been told that we have a crack in the coils/ condenser and that the whole unit must be ... A: It depends on the age, and avaibility of a replacement coil. Many contractors cannot get a customer ... | |
| heat pump problem | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: my heat pump is blowing cool air most of the time. it will throw warm air after a while, but then ... A: the simple facts are: the heat loss of your house increases as the outdoor temperature decreases ... | |
| goodman furnace | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I have a goodman furnace that has started scting up the past month. sometimes the heat will come on ... A: I do not know what the single blink on the board means--it may mean that the unit is simply "on', ... | |
| Nordine heat pump? | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a log cabin and got a price on a Reem package.I ran into another contractor,that ... A: Spend money with a contractor that you have heard good things about from neighbors, and other ... | |
| furnace and filters | 1/24/2010 |
| Q: Do all returns require filters, even if they are screwed in to the wall, around the house. A: If your return "grilles" are not "return air filter grilles" then no, you will have a single air ... | |
| dead heat pump | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: My heat pump died and need to replace. I have an less than 2yr. old Trane 2TGB3F36A1000AB air ... A: There are two problems you face. The first is does Trane make or stock an old model to match this ... | |
| Themostat? | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Can anyone shine some light on this matter for me. I recently bought a house with a Buderus Logano ... A: I have attached the link to Buderus site where you look under Oil-fired boilers, and open up the ... | |
| Outlet temperature? | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: What should the temperature of the air be coming out the ducts for a non heatpump system - ... A: The only way to figure this out is to have a heat-loss calculation done on the residence, and then ... | |
| What's the right thermostat | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I just had my heat pump and indoor coil replaced. The 5 ton Goodman heat pump with matched coil was ... A: Why don't you try this approach: Get an adjustable electronic delay-on-make timer adequate for 24 ... | |
| Heat Pump | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I had problems with my heat pump. Guy came out to fix it, said he replaced a sensor. After 3 weeks ... A: Most contractors are very wary of replacing parts on any piece of manufactured equipment with ... | |
| Fan Coil - Electrical Issue | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: My fan coil carrier unit FC4 keeps on tripping the circuit breaker switch to the off position. It ... A: It is probably either a loose electrical connection at the air handler, or at the panel box. This ... | |
| hvac freezing up | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a trane hvac system. the part of the unit that is inside the house is icing up. Can you ... A: you should direct this question to a few of the contractors in your area. If the parts were under ... | |
| Air in heating system | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: I have air in my system, how can I check my air scoop or air valve above it, Should there be water ... A: Air scoops only work if the system operates, and they have been installed properly. The link below ... | |
| Heating | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a 2 boiler system that heats a 96 apt building.The heating coils are in all apts. Under these ... A: It sounds as if there is a problem with the piping, where heaters closest to the boiler, or hot end ... | |
| hvac freezing up | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a trane hvac system. the part of the unit that is inside the house is icing up. Can you ... A: If it is freezing up, and you are needing heat, then if it is a heat-pump you may find that the ... | |
| Boiler buzzing/humming sound | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: My Teledyne Lars JVT-100C boiler suddenly developed a rather buzzing/humming sound whenever the ... A: If you have baseboard radiators, or panel radiators this is an indication that you are not moving ... | |
| oil furnace | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: no heat in attic from radiator A: If you have a hot water radiator in the "attic" (3rd floor room) this is caused by air in the ... | |
| HOT WATER SHUT OFF VAVLE | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I want to eliminate heat in a small room, it is too hot, the slant fin baseboard heat is on its own, ... A: No you do not--however, if there is a chance that it could freeze, and crack, and leak after it ... | |
| Lack of heat | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: What is wrong? We had a new Frigadire Split system installed: 4 Ton 13 Seer split system w/ 10KW ... A: The sizing sounds correct, so it is probably that either the heat pump, or the 10 k heater are not ... | |
| Heat in Central Florida | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: We just moved from Indiana to central Florida in October. The realtor advised upon move in that ... A: Imagine a big toaster in from of a fan--this is what you have going on when you turn on the ... | |
| heat pump problem | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: my heat pump is blowing cool air most of the time. it will throw warm air after a while, but then ... A: I may have mentioned that I have a heat pump in our 17 year old home. It recently stayed below ... | |
| American Standard A/C unit | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a recurring problem with my A/C unit. While away, we turned off the unit during the winter ... A: It sounds as if you are getting a surge from your power connection, or a lightning strike. Probably ... | |
| LUXAIRE FURNACE | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: WHEN THE BLOWER TURNS ON THE FURNACE RATTLES AND SO DO THE PIPES ONLY WHEN THE BLOWER TURNS ON NOT ... A: Your blower wheel, also known as a "squirrel cage" is out of balance. If there is by chance an ... | |
| gas boilers and propane usage | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: We rent a 700 sq ft apt, 2 br 1 bath. We're in PA around 20-30 degrees at night, 30-40 during the ... A: Contact your landlord and find out if the cost is what they had calculated for. $500.00 to heat an ... | |
| Furnace making sqeaking noise | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: my furnace is making a horrible squeaking noise while running. I took off the cover to shut it off ... A: Yes it sounds like a dry bearing. You will need to remove the blower assembly to get access to the ... | |
| Oil Burner acting strange | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I have an old Beckett burner in my house and have an apartment in my basement with it's own ... A: I really don't have a good answer except to say that due to the proximity of the boiler to occupants ... | |
| Air in Lines | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a New Yorker FR 147K BTU oil fired boiler with a Beckett burner installed I think by the ... A: Discover if your state/region has financial assistance to remove your "UST" It is a huge liability. ... | |
| heat pump problem | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: my heat pump is blowing cool air most of the time. it will throw warm air after a while, but then ... A: You may choose to get help from a legal adviser as how to proceed to get a successful resolution to ... | |
| Boiler is Troubling Me | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help! System: Bryant BW5BAH000140ABAA No. 2 Heating Oil With a hot water coil ... A: The device you mention is generally not a solenoid--it is a weighted valve that stops the gravity ... | |
| Rheem Fury Model # 42V50-40F Thermocouple | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a Rheem Fury Model 42V50-40F Water Heater, and the pilot light has gone out 2x in the last 24 ... A: The manufacturer requires this to be sure that the safety devices of the heater are in working order ... | |
| Thermostat on my boiler | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: Situation: The house was built in 57 and added onto twice which may be part of the issue. ... A: Most likely when you put the two wires from the old thermostat together, the pump, or zone valve ... | |
| Watts Series G steam traps | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: firstoff, thanks for any consideration of my question, your collective knowledge as a resource is ... A: If you had a picture of the radiators, and one of the pipes around the boiler I could tell allot ... | |
| Is this a reasonable quote for new Lennox #CB3OM | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: We have a quote to install a new Lennox CB30M-31 into a 1,000 square foot one story home in Seattle ... A: Lennox has made very good equipment for a long time. It probably says something good about your ... | |
| heat pump problem | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: my heat pump is blowing cool air most of the time. it will throw warm air after a while, but then ... A: This can be complicated. Your installer may not have the test equipment, or the motivation to ... | |
| room cold in winter, hot in summer | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a bedroom that is always colder than the rest of the house in the winter, and hotter in the ... A: Depending on where you live, by 1996 there should have been stringent energy saving requirements in ... | |
| Heat pump banging | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: In the fall and winter time my heat pump makes 2 loud banging noises when it turns off. It also ... A: I am thinking that you might have one of the older units that had the scroll compressors when a ... | |
| when the furnace comes on the water pipes rattle | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: We have base board water heat. When the furnace comes on the water pipes start to rattle please I ... A: You might have a water velocity problem. If you have shut off valves in the line going to the ... | |
| Steam | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: Hallo Mike, I am a student and I'm studying draughting. Currently I'm specializing in Piping so ... A: I am guessing here: 1. I would think that valves fail "safe"--meaning off. There might be a manual ... | |
| Side arm heat exchanger | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I have an outdoor wood boiler and I am going to install a sidearm heat exchanger on a separate water ... A: What you are looking at is a gravity circulation of heated water through the heat exchanger. As the ... | |
| Central heat unit | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a payne central heat unit .It has a self lighting pilot,but it will not light.Can i light it ... A: Sorry for the delayed response--emergencies at the home. It is probably the ignitor or pilot--But ... | |
| Steam | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: Hallo Mike, I am a student and I'm studying draughting. Currently I'm specializing in Piping so ... A: I am encouraged to hear about your choice of study. After mastering drafting, learn all you can ... | |
| Trane Air Handler | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: Trane Air handler Model 2TGB3F36A1000ab.The Step Down Transformer in my Air Handling Unit ( six ... A: You can contact Trane, to see if they have an answer. You can get authorization for a warranty ... | |
| Townhome won't get heat on the first floor | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: I moved in my townhome in June of 2009 everything was inspected prior to closing well here it is ... A: Many of these type of systems have volume dampers on the main ductwork that can be adjusted. A ... | |
| Boiler question | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: "I moved into a home that has a year old new yorker cl series boiler, and attached to it is a ... A: I have no experience with wood boilers, and their operation, but let me offer these thoughts. ... | |
| re: water to ice.. | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: We have a York affinity 3 S series installed for heating and cooling. It was great this summer, and ... A: Whoa, where do you live that it is 0 degrees!!??? I am assuming that this is a condensing furnace, ... | |
| boiler pilot problem | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: i have a slant fin enerjet boiler, my pilot lights but the burners will not come on unless i fan the ... A: The pilot burner manufacturers recommend against it, but you can disassemble the burner, and clean ... | |
| Steam heat not working so well | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: My name is Michele. I have a cape house and live on Long Island, New York. I have lived in this ... A: There are allot of options for insulation. Some you can do yourself, and still you might want to ... | |
| Central Air Conditioners for private homes | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: Where can one find a list of manufacture's air conditioners with specifications and costs? I want to ... A: I looked quickly on the ACCA site, but that is primarily for contractors. Energy Star has a good ... | |
| Snyder General home unit filter? | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: Have a house built in 1988, it has a heating/cooling unit in the attic that is uses natural gas for ... A: Snyder-General morphed into a company called Comfortmaker some years ago. You might contact them ... | |
| 50E47-070 control box | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: This control box on my HVAC furnace has a red light that blinks only once when the blower motor ... A: I would say that it is probably the ignitor again. You can check for electric (voltage) at the pins ... | |
| In duct fan | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a Thermo Pride Furnace and the board has an EAC connector which I understand can power an in ... A: I am not personally familiar with this furnace; however, if this is the same function I am thinking ... | |
| hot water heating lines | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: what is the standard practice for valve placement on heating lines? the valves i'm asking about are ... A: It really depends on how much control you want, or need. I have had success with simple systems ... | |
| Sears Kenmore Series 70 Gas Dryer | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: My dryer doesn't heat. The ignitor never engages so I realize that it's probably the value that ... A: This is way out of my area of expertise, however, I did change an ignitor once. I seem to remember ... | |
| sizing a sears replacement | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: Hey Mike, I had a friend call me up and tell me his AC/Furnace was on the fritz. He would like to ... A: I away right now, please resend this to me on Sunday if you still need this info-- I do have an old ... | |
| sqealing sound | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a out door heatpump for air and heat with the blower inside,its only about 4 years old,im ... A: I would say yes. Additionally, see if you can find someone who installs your brand of unit, or ... | |
| ruud gas furnace | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: My ruud gas furnace goes out almost immediatly after ignition. Fan keeps going but no flame. Blows ... A: Do you have a powerful shop vac? I see no problem with using a snake if you need to. The furnace ... | |
| sqealing sound | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a out door heatpump for air and heat with the blower inside,its only about 4 years old,im ... A: Does the noise continue when the fan stops when it goes into defrost? Heat pumps run all year long, ... | |
| Coleman Evcon Furnace | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: Sometimes when my furnace comes on it just clicks like normal but doesn't ignite. If I turn the ... A: You might have the "polarity" of the incoming power reversed. On furnaces with electronic ignition ... | |
| Bypass on a Cast Iron Rad. | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I have hot water heating system in my home. 2 zones, 1 for the first floor, 1 for the second. On ... A: Can you reverse the flow of water so that it goes through the baseboard first, then into the ci rad? ... | |
| Kickspace Radiator Heaters | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I had my plumber install three Smith Quite-One 2000 Kickspace Heaters in a kitchen we remodeled. The ... A: are you sure that there is flow through the kickspace heaters? It sounds like everything is right? ... | |
| gas furnace hot surface ignition does not glow | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: We have a bryant 373LAV horizontal gas furnace. it failed 1st time we turned on this year. when ... A: You need to be sure that the pressure switch is closing its normally open contacts before you ... | |
| furnace not firing up | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: We bought a house recently that has a old Olsen (HTL-100B) furnace. Today we had the the tank ... A: Sorry about the confusion. You really need to get a service relationship with your fuel oil ... | |
| furnace not firing up | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: We bought a house recently that has a old Olsen (HTL-100B) furnace. Today we had the the tank ... A: It sounds as if you should call the propane company for service to determine if there is a problem ... | |
| Boiler in apartment building | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I just bought a 11 unit apartment building with a hot water boiler. The old owner shut the boiler ... A: If the boiler is condensing the flue gasses, because the boiler is cold, or is not piped correctly, ... | |
| heating | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: The inducer fan motor is turning on then blower motor kick in then I hear the spark doing his job ... A: I would of course check that the gas is on, and the gas control and shut off valves are all turned ... | |
| Rheem RBHC Air Handler | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a newer Rheem RBHC Air Handler installed horizontally in my attic. The installer had to come ... A: If the filter is in the air handler, it is at the end opposite, or at least furthest away from where ... | |
| PILOT ASSEmbly | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I need a pilot assembly for a York Heater thats about 30 years old. Where might I be able to find ... A: check locally to you in the yellow pages for air conditioning and heating (sub: parts, ... | |
| Heap Pump Fan and Heat Issues | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: We have a 10 year old heat pump. It cooled fine this summer, but when we switched it over to heat ... A: You should call a service technician to do a diagnostic on the system. It sounds like the"reversing ... | |
| Boiler related question | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a question related to troubleshooting my boiler. There is a vertical glass tube with valves ... A: What you have described does not sound too unusual. Steam heat systems require a special technician ... | |
| Radiant Baseboard Bangs! | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: We have a boiler system that heats our 1 and 1/2 story home. We haven't had any problems with it ... A: If you make your hot water for your taps from the boiler that you heat the house with you will have ... | |
| residential heating | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: My daughter and son in law recently purchased a smaller raised ranch with full basement built in ... A: You can benefit from running the fan--but if the ductwork is installed in an unconditioned space, ... | |
| cold air return capacity | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2000 s.f. 2 story farmhouse I restored myself. I put in a 2 ft X 2 ft air shaft from the ... A: If I understand this correct, and you have essentially a 2'square duct connected to the return side ... | |
| FLOODED WEIL-McCLAIN BOILER | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: .I STUPIDLY OPENED THE WATER SUPPLY VALVE ON MY WEIL-McCLAIN OIL FIRED STEAM BOILER AND WALKED AWAY. ... A: The biggest problem that you may have caused is that you have stirred up allot of sediment that may ... | |
| Malfunctioning Weil-McLain Boiler | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a Weil-McLain HE Series 3 boiler that began malfunctioning about a week and a half ago. ... A: I worked on allot of these--the information that I provided is based on what I did to get these ... | |
| commercial baseboards | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a commercial building with a boiler. I have a few 50 plus year old rads with a fan. It is ... A: Wow, a picture of the equipment would make this allot easier Try Modine for a source, very good ... | |
| radiant heat in bathroom floor | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: Remember us? You switched the steam boiler to hot water in our Capitol Hill rowhouse over 5 years ... A: I have rfh in our master bath. It was expensive, and allot of work, and I can still feel where the ... | |
| Carrier furnace not heating. | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: The furnace is around 10 years old. It was working great and just quit. I power cycled and blower ... A: If this is a hot surface ignition system it is likely that the ignitor is cracked and needs to be ... | |
| Adding a zone and domestic hot water in boiler replacement | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a commercial building being heated by two split systems. The climate controlled sq. footage ... A: You may be able to get an air handler now with enough push on the air side to overcome the loss ... | |
| radiant heat in bathroom floor | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: Remember us? You switched the steam boiler to hot water in our Capitol Hill rowhouse over 5 years ... A: Wow, Small world. I think about your family, and the job when I am in that part of town. Nearly ... | |
| Air Conditioner Compressor Inline Dryer | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I was just told that I have a bad compressor on my downstairs American Standard Condenser. I have a ... A: You should get a copy of the original manufacturer installation directions and read them--then have ... | |
| trane outdoor pump | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: Live in West Virginia. Outdoor Trane pump "freezes up" stops running when the heat is on and the ... A: What you are describing CAN be normal winter operation of a heat pump. Usually, after one operates ... | |
| using pex for old hot water radiators | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: i recently aquired a large 3 story brick house in pittsburgh pa that is divided into 3 apartments, 1 ... A: Old radiators, and convectors are held together with "push-nipples". If your radiator is held ... | |
| anti freeze | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: what type of ante freeze do you use in a wet system and how do you put it in? A: The boiler manufacturer may have recommendations about this. I am pretty sure that propylene glycol ... | |
| steam heat leak | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: In our community center we have several leaks in the piping of our steam heat system. Is there some ... A: No, sorry. When I remind you of your experiments with distillation in school, you will remember ... | |
| Baseboard Radiator System Maintenance | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: Last year we moved into an older home with a Weil-McLain, Boiler Model# CGM-4, natural gas, ... A: You now have an "air-out" system. Due to the need to maintain air above the water in the old tank ... | |
| using pex for old hot water radiators | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: i recently aquired a large 3 story brick house in pittsburgh pa that is divided into 3 apartments, 1 ... A: Get a few quotes to do the work that you are describing. Get someone to help you crunch the numbers ... | |
| boiler buzzing | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I just got a new boiler heating system put in, the old one was broken. I think it is a combi (if ... A: The only thing I have ever heard that may be similar to your noise is when these boilers fire, then ... | |
| using pex for old hot water radiators | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: i recently aquired a large 3 story brick house in pittsburgh pa that is divided into 3 apartments, 1 ... A: Please realize that the gas company will charge for each service usually on a monthly basis. (three ... | |
| Baseboard Radiator System Maintenance | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: Last year we moved into an older home with a Weil-McLain, Boiler Model# CGM-4, natural gas, ... A: You should contact Weil-Mclain, and get the piping diagram to this boiler, or the cg boiler. If you ... | |
| Radiator Question | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I have been searching and searching but haven't come across anything specific to my situation. I ... A: What you are describing sounds like a steam system problem; however, the only time I have seen the ... | |
| Payne electric heat pump system | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: I am wondering why I am blowing a 5 amp fuse consistently. I have checked the 24 volt wires for any ... A: Somehow you have a direct short. You should turn off the high voltage to the air handler, and using ... | |
| Heil Dc 90 Furnace. | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a Heil Dc 90 Model # NUGM074EGb1 Propane Furnace that when the thermostat is turned up the ... A: I would be sure that I have adequate gas pressure across the gas valve, before I installed a new ... | |
| my furnace will not kick on | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: i got a 1978 heil model HUGC105CG01 and it wont kick on after i turn up the themastat till it ... A: You should temporarily install a jumper wire across the R and W terminal of the furnace at the ... | |
| Regarding Package Ac | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: Hey Mike what's up man i need a favor to ask you because iam a student in HVAC field.My simple ... A: A package unit is used in small residences, and light commercial applications. They are available ... | |
| Steam Radiator Reflector | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a small (20" x 20") steam radiator in my bathroom. It is set about 1/2 of the way into the ... A: I would think that you could use cardboard sheets wrapped with aluminum foil on the cheap--Have a ... | |
| Boiler burner problem | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I had a local Plumbing and Heating contractor service my home heating oil fired boiler. It is a ... A: Please find a local contractor who will use test equipment to set up your burner. It has been years ... | |
| Humidifiers | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: i have a few questions regarding my furnace and installing a humidifier on it. What kind of ... A: One of the things that should be done is to find out where all that humidity is going. Unless you ... | |
| baseboard heat | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I bought a new house with an oil fired boiler.On the second floor the pipe comes up through a small ... A: Codes are a regional thing, this you would have to check--If you mean practice, then yes it is ... | |
| rheem furnace circuit board | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: guess first off better make sure thats what i need. my basement flooded. by the i realized to throw ... A: Call your insurance company. Every manufacturer that I know of somewhere in their literature ... | |
| Heil forced air furnace pressure switch | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: My gas forced air furnace will not start due to not enough vacuum coming from the draft inducer to ... A: You need to get a copy of the set-up and diagnostic service directions from the furnace, and a ... | |
| burnham boiler operates with no call for heat | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a new burnham alpine 105 modulating boiler, it heats up supply water to 170F constantly even ... A: It sounds as if there is a problem with the set up of the warm weather shut down, or the domestic ... | |
| Heat Pump Dehumidification | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: The following is a summary of questions remaining after 2 "best of phoenix" ac companies, with clean ... A: Your company may be following a service procedure from the manufacturer. While you ask many good ... | |
| heil heat pump | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a older model Green body heil heat pump but cannot tell the model number. It is oblong ,with ... A: The best way to determine what size unit should be in your home, you should have a heat load ... | |
| Vents | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: Building an 800 square foot rec room, how many cold air returns,cooling and heating vents do I need? A: You always need to perform a heat loss/gain calculation on new construction. I am assuming that you ... | |
| new boiler | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: my boiler just went that heats my home and hot water, it is being replaced with a columbia csfn 4100 ... A: The prices that you mention do not seem to be out of line. It sounds as if they are changing ... | |
| float switches | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: How do you hook up a float switch to you air handler? A: Float switches are normally installed when the system is new. They are attached to the side of a ... | |
| electric heater | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I turned my heater on this morning and I heard it cut on but the blower didn't kick on. My blower ... A: I am assuming that this is an electric furnace without a heat pump unit. It is possible that there ... | |
| Nordyne G5RA Blower | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a Nordyne G5RA Furnace. with no AC. I want to run the blower to circulate the hot air from my ... A: Oh yeah, r to g will give you the cooling fan speed. If you have a 3 or more speed blower motor, ... | |
| Home Boiler Questions | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old, Lennox GWB9-IH, High-efficiency, gas-fired, hot water heat boiler. Bassebord ... A: OK--Two problems here--I have never lived much above sea level, and the other is that Lennox does ... | |
| Nordyne G5RA Blower | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I have a Nordyne G5RA Furnace. with no AC. I want to run the blower to circulate the hot air from my ... A: you should be able to run a pilot duty switch from the r to the g terminal to turn the fan on at ... | |
| central heat/ air conditioner | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: Greetings! I have a 3000 sq. ft. home and it is time to replace the heat/ air unit. I want the ... A: Top three brands are probably Carrier/Bryant, Trane and Lennox. I sold and installed allot of ... | |
| hot water kick heater | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: I am thinking of installing a kick heater in one of the cabinets in my kitchen since it gets a ... A: You will probably be successful installing the heater with the diverter tees if you do not have any ... | |
| oil fired water heater vs. indirect water heater | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: I'm in the market for a new oil fired boiler with an oil fired water heater or indirect water ... A: Any indirect tank hooked up to a boiler will give you a never-ending supply of hot water due to the ... | |
| oil fired water heater vs. indirect water heater | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I'm in the market for a new oil fired boiler with an oil fired water heater or indirect water ... A: It is my opinion that the indirect heater is the best way to go. Simply this, the boiler will tend ... | |
| how big a furnace do we need | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: We would like to know how many BTU's , or what "size" forced hot air furnace we need to heat a 2,00 ... A: Contractors rightly charge for the time involved in doing a heat loss calculation. It should be ... | |
| Replacing Coils | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: Mike, I bought my home in 2005 and I have no knowledge of central units. Please help. I have a ... A: If your furnace has not been taken care of well, you should get a new furnace. (If the blower ... | |
| ansi code- or local code | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: My house is in Katy, Texas it was build in 2000, and the question is does the furnace needs a ... A: I am not clear what you are asking. What blower assembly are you referring to? The model number ... | |
| a/c thermostat | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: today i was weed whcking and I hit the wire from the ac unit to the house ...it stopped running ... A: This is a low voltage cable that is unprotected and vulnerable to repeat damage. It is possible ... | |
Heating, Air Conditioning, Fridge, HVAC
Answers by Expert:
Mike Reavis
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Questions related to "Wet Heat". This is heating your home, office etc. with radiators, panels, and convector apparatus. Steam and water heat. I can answer questions about boilers, piping,and associated parts of these systems. Please do not ask for specific information about how I feel about one boiler, etc. over another--These questions should be directed to a licensed contractor that you know of, or that your neighbors and colleagues look to to provide solutions.
Experience
I have 20 plus years experience, which has lead to passing my state master HVAC license.
Organizations
PHCC, NAOHSM.
Education/Credentials
Completed college
Past/Present Clients
I work on the manufacturer's side of the business currently
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