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About Bill Brainard
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I can solve most heating related problems with furnaces and air conditioners(natural gas,propane, electric)(no oil or heat pumps) & some boilers and most control problems. Iam a heating & air cond contractor with 30 some years behind me. I spent 12 years working for Sears doing this type of work.

Experience
I have graduated from 10 or 12 factory schools on gas furnaces ( 70%, 80%, 90%+ AFUE), basic air conditioning, air conditioning service, advanced air conditioning, oil furnaces, wall furnaces, floor furnaces, air handlers, coils, compressors, multi-speed (1 speed to 12 speed) furnaces, mobile home furnaces and air conditioners etc...

You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Appliances > Heating, Air Conditioning, Fridge, HVAC

Questions Answered By Expert Bill Brainard
In Category Heating, Air Conditioning, Fridge, HVAC

Subject	Date Asked

A/C Return Vent No Filterf	7/24/2009
Q: I bought a house about 5 years ago. The house was built in the 50's. I had to have a new unit ... A: The filter is usually inside the furnace. Open the blower door & look. They mounted inside the ...
removimg a gas furnace	7/23/2009
Q: I need to remove a furnace and cap off a gas line in order to have a heat pump/air conditioning unit ... A: Easy task. Don't make it so involved. Just shut the gas "Off" at the meter. The water heater pilot ...
Circulating Basement AIr through Furnace Blower	7/23/2009
Q: How do I turn on the blower to my forced air unit (Rheem) with out the heat running? When I turn ... A: Rheem made a lot of different furnaces. What is your model # and how old is it. Give me the serial ...
my air conditioner	7/21/2009
Q: I'm sorry but I don't know the make and model or the year of my central air so if can't fully help ... A: First I would get it cleaned out. Yes, it could just be that. Plus, it may be a bit low on freon. I ...
Ducane Heat,A/C will not run	7/18/2009
Q: System just stopped. No breakers tripped, replaced the thermostat thinking that was it. Fan blade ... A: If it is totally dead check for a fuse with in 2 feet of the furnace. Like on the ceiling, a screw ...
A/C vents have weird smell	7/17/2009
Q: Our upstairs unit (an Amana we put in in 2005) is starting to produce air coming out of the vents ... A: You are right duct, cleaning would not help & is a gimmick. Gold coils, another gimmick. It is not ...
Amana Air Command 90 Condensation Leak	7/14/2009
Q: I have an Amana Air Command 90 with central air, Model GUC (upflow), installed in 1993 (I think). I ... A: I doubt it. The pan is only 1" deep. It collects from under the coil. I would remove the metal that ...
Goodman AC fan stays on	7/12/2009
Q: Replaced an old t-stat recently with a new programmable t-stat (ritetemp model 6025). Initially had ... A: What do you mean "On A/C"? The hook ups belong inside the furnace. The Red wire looks wrong. Here ...
york diamond 80	7/4/2009
Q: water is coming out of the drain tube. is it possible there is a stopped up line? A: I assume you are running the A/C unit. A/C coils make water & it normally drains. Yes, the tube may ...
clearances, codes or specs	7/4/2009
Q: my question is rather simple. I live in Canada and my question is related to my wood burning ... A: I am in Montana & do not know your codes. But I have delt with insurance companies a lot. Here is ...
Motor burning up	7/3/2009
Q: We have a split system unit.We had problems with the blower motor not starting up properly.We had to ... A: Fluke! or it is possible the maintaince guy hooked it up wrong. But probably not. New motors have a ...
Carrier Model FB4ANF042 Split Heating and Air Unit	7/2/2009
Q: When I set the thermostat to cool, the fan comes on and air is blowing through the vents. The air ... A: The outside unit should have 2 fuses. One in the breaker box and one outside next to the unit ...
HVAC PAYNE - no AC no Fan	7/1/2009
Q: I have a roof-mounted gas fired combo AC and Furnace and live in southern California. My AC unit ... A: Did you confirm that there is 220 volts at the unit? Check the breaker box and the fuses up at the ...
A/C blower wheel	7/1/2009
Q: I have a central a/c unit and the blower wheel is cracked. I want to replace it and wondered if you ... A: Wonder what kind of unit you have?? age, SEER, etc??? Anyhow, it is easy. TURN "OFF" THE JUICE! ...
New Outside Fan Motor	6/30/2009
Q: I am in Houston Texas. I have a 15 year old GE A/AC. Recently the fan outside started making a high ... A: The way to avoid this problem is to buy an electrical exact replacement. That is not what you did. I ...
AC fan needs hand-starting, then unit stops after 15 mins	6/29/2009
Q: On the hottest weekend of the year (of course) our home's central AC unit decided to go on the ... A: I haven't got the fogest what unit you have. but In general, the outside fan motors do not have a ...
air conditioner	6/28/2009
Q: CA9660VKA1 SERIAL NUMBER; L942410378)that just stopped working. We just changed the air filter, so ... A: When you say the lights flicker, that tells me a lot. The unit is trying to start and can't. I ...
A/C unit	6/28/2009
Q: my Ac/C unit was working fine and then started blowing hot air inside the house. The unit outside is ... A: When you say it does not work, what does that mean?? Is the fan not turning?? If the fan does not ...
Replaced blower motor fan/stll not cooling well/Central air unit	6/27/2009
Q: Help. I'm a single mother with a child who has asthma and I've just spent alot of money on a Central ... A: You did good. That unit is a Goodman 3-ton, 10 SEER. That tells me a lot. Back to your symptoms. ...
Replaced blower motor fan/stll not cooling well/Central air unit	6/27/2009
Q: Help. I'm a single mother with a child who has asthma and I've just spent alot of money on a Central ... A: What state are you in?? Different states have different rules. I suspect you got riped off. He may ...
A/C drain pan, mold, duct cleaning	6/26/2009
Q: Okay, here goes: Had an a/c guy out to the house today b/c our a/c is definitely leaking something - ... A: I understand prices are high in Florida. Each contractor has a special state lic. & is supposed to ...
Thermostat Problem, I think	6/25/2009
Q: I have a White-Rodgers thermostat for my HVAC unit. The thermostat itself is about 2 years old. My ... A: They do not fix. It may be the T-stat and it does not cost very much to put a good one in. Look for ...
air conditioning	6/25/2009
Q: Our home is only 4 years old. The builder put the furnace that controls upstairs in the attic. In ... A: It's the duct design. You are probably up the creek & have no paddle. The attic is in my opinion the ...
General Question	6/22/2009
Q: I am at my wits end trying to find and HVAC person that can do the job and do it right. I've had 4 ... A: AH! Someone looking for quality. It is hard to find a shop that will do sheet metal work that is so ...
Central air conditioner	6/21/2009
Q: I just turned on the a/c for the first time this year. EVERY time it starts up there is a loud ... A: The average life is 10 to 12 years for a system. Start saving your money for a replacement. Run this ...
air conditioning	6/21/2009
Q: is there an ozone problem from using residential electronic filter and how I prevent it from happen? ... A: There is no way to adjust or prevent ozone from an residential electronic filter. (assuming a normal ...
Foul odor from floor vents	3/28/2009
Q: The odor seemed to appear suddenly. We have been congested and our sense of smell may have missed ... A: If the house is built on a slab, does that mean the ducts are burried under the slab?? If so, what ...
heater or thermostat malfunction	3/26/2009
Q: we've a carrier weathermaker 8000 gas furnace and a hunter energy moniter II plus thermostat. we ... A: First fix the code 12. If you want to know if it is the T-stat. Op-en the T-stat, unscrew the "Red" ...
Noisy Intake	3/24/2009
Q: I live in a home that is about 13-15 years old with the original Rheem unit installed. I recently ... A: Replacement motors come in different speeds and/or multi-speed taps. It sounds like the guy put it ...
main blower	3/24/2009
Q: Hey Bill, thanks for your thoughts. I have an older Olsen forced air furnace. having a fair bit ... A: It sounds like you can handle this. One thing comes to mind. There is a clean out access plate at ...
heat pump	3/23/2009
Q: I need to replace my heat pump and have received 4 bids. Each bid is different (13,14,15 & 16) SEER. ... A: Of course web sites avoid any answer that might get them in trouble with a manufacturer. (reality) ...
Sears wall furnace	3/23/2009
Q: Can you give me any info on a sears wall furnace M/N 867.736230? Is it convection or fan driven? I ... A: There is no book that has the old Sears part numbers in it. But I remember...... (Oh ya, I am old) ...
main blower	3/21/2009
Q: Hey Bill, thanks for your thoughts. I have an older Olsen forced air furnace. having a fair bit ... A: Ahh!!! Now things are clearing up. Give me the model # and serial # off of the I.D. Plate. I may ...
main blower	3/21/2009
Q: Hey Bill, thanks for your thoughts. I have an older Olsen forced air furnace. having a fair bit ... A: Older Olson furnaces used different controls (even on the same model that was made different ...
York International Gas Furnace diamond 80	3/20/2009
Q: Furnace burns short time then off. already replaced fame sensor. i have 4 flashes of diagnois light ... A: The limit sensor is in the middle of the firewall and detects how hot the main chamber gets. When ...
to much heat	3/20/2009
Q: I have a hot water boiler with no seperate zones. The water seams to be going through and heating ... A: You can't just add pieces to a system with out looking over the way it was designed. Hands on LOOK. ...
Trane XE 80 gas furnace hesitates	3/19/2009
Q: and thank you for taking the time to read my question. I have a Trane XE 80 upflow / horizontal gas ... A: You had me right up to your temporary solution. It should not work that way. We are missing ...
Attic ventilation/ solar vs standard 110	3/19/2009
Q: Living here in Florida I am concerned about the summer attic temperatures. I have considered using ... A: There is no data from the fan manufacturers on how much they save. It would be very hard to figure, ...
Load calculation and TESP	3/18/2009
Q: The townhouse I bought last summer is 30 years old and appears to have the original furnace and AC. ... A: Here's reality. We learn how to do the load calculation is training. Then after 5 or more years a ...
Furnace blower won't shut off	3/17/2009
Q: Howdy. I have a Carrier 58ZAV (about 14 years old). The blower runs constantly; no heat. I'm ... A: You are right it is probably the board. 80 degrees had nothing to do with the failure. Just dumb ...
Attic Installation	3/16/2009
Q: I recently purchased an foreclosed home with an inoperable heating system located under the house. ... A: Here in Montana where we heat a lot of the year it is best to put the heat in the basement (under ...
Can you give me a ballpark Idea?, Please!	3/15/2009
Q: I'm in the process of purchasing a foreclosed home. The home is about 3000 sq ft. and needs ... A: It all depends on where you are located. What is your economy like? Are you urban or rural, city & ...
Return Duct Openings	3/14/2009
Q: This question is about a forced air HVAC unit. (Central Air with the heater portion being natural ... A: The rule is, more the better. BUT!!! The design has to be proper. I know, that is a bull shit ...
Freedom 60 ignitor wows	3/12/2009
Q: I have a Freedom 60 American Standerd and my ignitors go out after 1.5 months. I have gone through ... A: Every where I buy ignitors, they have a 1 year warranty. Where are you getting yours. Who is the ...
Induced Draft Motor stays on	3/11/2009
Q: My furnace starts to work O.K. and after 3 to 4 hrs it blows cold air only. The burners are not ... A: It takes more than "Handyman" to fix furnaces. But that means you are willing to try & have basic ...
Heater Problems	3/10/2009
Q: Bill, I think my heater may have a couple of problems. When we turn it on we can hear it try and ... A: What kind of heater????????? I have to take a big shot in the dark. Sounds like a dirty sensor rod. ...
Ignition lockout due to recycles	3/8/2009
Q: I have a Coleman furnace a couple of years old. Which is indicating "Ignition lockout due to ... A: Any time you interupt the electricity to the furnace, it resets the control brain. Most furnaces ...
heating	3/7/2009
Q: Have a house that is 900' single level plus added on 1400' total 2 story. The 900 had electric heat ... A: The add on builder messed up big time. You are wasting money shutting the vents. They only close ...
how much return vent area is needed?	3/6/2009
Q: How much vent area is needed for the cold air return on a forced hot air system? The return duct is ... A: No, the 4" rule is "free" area. Each grill is rated for sq." of free area. Not normally, by that I ...
Heating imbalance in our home.	3/5/2009
Q: Our 3400 ft2 house, built 2007, with open atrium to the up hallway, heats the upstairs very warm, ... A: Sorry to say you are pretty well screwed. #1...The house is finished & out of warrenty. The duct ...
RUUD Silhouette II Gas Furnace no heat	3/4/2009
Q: I have a Rudd Silhouhette II Gas Furnace bought in 1995. serial number DH5D307F39955509.AFUE 80.1 ... A: Give me your address so I can move to Ga. $200 for a service call is steep. Here in MOntana, a ...
Heil gas furnace that will not stay on	3/4/2009
Q: I am the original owner, 1990 Heil N0LK075D06 forced air gas furnace. I also have the original ... A: The new control (module)(brain box) is acting up. They are under warrenty for 1 year. get the bill ...
heating unit does not restart	3/3/2009
Q: My home gas heating unit will start normally when I turn the thermostat to "auto-on". Temperature of ... A: There is a lot you did not tell me, so I can only guess. The furnace only runs about 20 min. I ...
how much return vent area is needed?	3/3/2009
Q: How much vent area is needed for the cold air return on a forced hot air system? The return duct is ... A: It depends on the # of BTU's the furnace has. (4 sq", per 1,000 BTU's)approx. You did not give me ...
gas hot wather heater	3/2/2009
Q: My whirlpool gas hot water heater makes at loud banging/knocking noise at times. It lasts for 20-30 ... A: It is full of sediment. The noise is: water heating at the bottom & then rising to the upper layer ...
heater will not turn off	2/28/2009
Q: My heater runs continuously. Even after it reaches its set temp, it keeps going. I'm getting pretty ... A: Until you can get a repair person, that is the best thing to do. He is right, maybe. Do you have any ...
intermittent gas fumes from furnace	2/26/2009
Q: In the past couple days I think I smell a slight odor of gas fumes in a laundry room where there is ... A: Possible, yes. Probable, NO! In order for that to happen the heat chamber would have to have a crack ...
Trane TWE036C air handler	2/26/2009
Q: I have a Trane TWE036C air handler in our attic. It is 3 years old. During this past winter I ... A: You have the wrong impression. They gave you the lowest price available. That means no extra's. An ...
Carrier vs. Trane	2/25/2009
Q: Please help, I have a 16 year old York gas furnace with a cracked heat exchanger. I am thinking ... A: I answered this allready. But here it goes again. ***** At 16 years old, replace it. Keep looking at ...
duct work	2/25/2009
Q: We installed a new Goodman furnace in an apartment 3 years ago. The unit sits in the basement. The ... A: I answered this allready. But here it goes again. There is no rule. Here is what we do. Figure the ...
Carrier 40QH fan relay	2/24/2009
Q: I have a Carrier 40QH 5060320 fan coil unit. The auto-fan mode stop working recently. When the ... A: I need the model # and ser# to know what you have. But generally. No, homeowners should not mess ...
Heat Pump	2/23/2009
Q: My furnace and blower is in the upstairs attic. It started out 33 degrees this morning and has ... A: YES!! That is why the attic is 85 degrees. Your money going, UP. The duct work was a poor job and is ...
Help,need heat..	2/22/2009
Q: Have a doublewide mobile home that did have boiler heater..which died ...it has 1246 square feet ... A: 60 Amp's is not enough. Upgrade to a 200 amp. service. BUT!!!! remember, electric heat is the most ...
Furnace will not stay on	2/20/2009
Q: Bill, I have a 12 yr old Rheem AC/Furnace (Gas) model RGDJ-15EARJR 9.5Amp 150BTU starts up, runs for ... A: Not the T-stat. Sounds like the sensor circuit. Look in the burner flame for a thin rod. 1/8" round, ...
TRANE XE90 LP GAS FURNACE	2/20/2009
Q: How low can I set the thermostat on the XE90 Trane LP furnace (7 yrs. old) when I am leaving the ... A: You can set it to 50 & be fine. You just need to keep the house above freezing. As to the humming. ...
heating unit	2/18/2009
Q: When i turn the thermostat to heat/auto the furnace tries to kick in for a couple mintues then shuts ... A: I understand. The heating guy is looking for a "cash cow". All that stuff is nice but not necessary. ...
heating smells like mildew when it's running	2/16/2009
Q: I have a 2 story home and the unit upstairs is what I'm concerned with. a few weeks ago I noticed a ... A: What kind of furnace? where is it installed? what AFUE? Make & model? does this unit have A/C in it? ...
career in HVAC	2/15/2009
Q: Long story short.... There is a very narrow window of opportunity in my community for someone to get ... A: Sounds like you have thought about this a bit. I live in Montana & 3 lights is an average town ...
a/c problem	2/15/2009
Q: I have a 11 month old ruud energy star a/c unit. When i lower the thermostat it clicks on but the ... A: It could be any one of 20 different things causing this problem. Yes, a breaker can go bad. Not ...
YORK GAS FURNACE NOT STAYING LIT???	2/12/2009
Q: YORK GAS FURNACE NOT STAYING LIT??? I have a York Stellar Plus Gas Furnace installed on March 18 ... A: The first thing to do is: Take some steel wool and wrap it around the sensor. Then draw it off. Do ...
Lennox G 16 Furnace Pressure Switch	2/12/2009
Q: Not more than 30 days ago I had my LENNOX IGNITION CONTROL MODULE replaced. Within a week the ... A: You have been taken. The module should be covered PEROID. The outfit that replaced the module amy ...
Replacing Propane Boiler	2/11/2009
Q: We purchased a lovely 3500 SF mountain home this summer, which we love. Now that the winter is here ... A: I don't know what unit you have, quality of insulation, windows & doors, etc..... BUT IN general, ...
Heil 5000 air conditioner	2/10/2009
Q: I have a Heil 5000 central air conditioner, model number CA5536VKD1. I am replacing my furnace and ... A: Does it still work? If so, leave it alone. They can support the coil & replace the furnace. We do it ...
Dirty - Geo Thermal Heat	2/9/2009
Q: I called a company to come out and clean my 4 year old GEO Thermal system because it kept shutting ... A: Once a system gets dirty it takes several months to get it clean. The filter should be changed every ...
Armstrong ULTRA V tech 80 furnace	2/4/2009
Q: This always happens in the winter time, the furnace shuts down and shows the ignition failure code ... A: Thought I answered this question allready. Repalce the wire & t-stat. Any Furnace shop, electrician ...
Armstrong ULTRA V tech 80 furnace	2/3/2009
Q: This always happens in the winter time, the furnace shuts down and shows the ignition failure code ... A: It should stay on longer that 5 or 6 seconds. Much longer. I suspect the control module is out of ...
Properly Sizing AC units	2/2/2009
Q: Can you please tell me if an AC system should be sized by "Total BTU" or "Sensible BTU" ... A: I don't understand why you are trying to juggle "Total" vs "Sensible" BTU's?? I live in Montana & ...
TEMP STAR FURNACE	1/30/2009
Q: I have a Model CGK100N06 Ser# L9030 35956 MFG # KUGK100DH06, Installed in 1990 in a new house. Has ... A: I think you are on the right track. In 1990 we in the industry, were going through a transition to ...
Amana Furnance Problems	1/29/2009
Q: Good Even Bill. Bought my first house in September and am now having trouble with the furnace. It is ... A: It almost seems you have 2 or 3 things going on. Maybe, but I doubt it. Anyway, the 4 to 10 seconds ...
temperature fluxuation on thermostat	1/29/2009
Q: I have a furnace, that is aprox. 6 yrs. old. Right after we moved in, I replaced the older ... A: What makes you think the free standing T-stat is reading correctly?? People think the T-stat's are ...
Lennox G20 recycles frequently	1/28/2009
Q: I live near Chicago in a 15 yr old split level frame house with the original furnace, a Lennox G20. ... A: When it is bitterly cold the cycle gets a lot longer. As I know living in Montana. It has been -20 ...
Failing Honeywell S8610U igniter	1/27/2009
Q: I have a 5-year old Burnham boiler and have had to replace the ignition control module 3 times. The ... A: That is excessive for either the ignitor or the control module. There is no way to mess up the ...
luxaire furnace	1/23/2009
Q: I have a luxaire furnace model# PBKM-LD16N120C SER#EKCM512019 THE FURNACE turns on and runs fine for ... A: I would suspect the flame sensor. Then the feed back circuit for the sensor (clean all connections). ...
stinky flue gas	1/21/2009
Q: amana air command 90, recently installed new ignitor, reset high limit, cleaned condensate lines. ... A: Never heard of this problem. Sounds more like something in the gas. Call your gas company & have ...
Inducer restrictor	1/20/2009
Q: First of all I quit working on furnaces just as condensing furnaces were coming out. Were looking at ... A: Yes & No. The restrictor plate matches the air flow through the burners with the amount of air ...
heating duct length	1/18/2009
Q: What is the longest duct length recommended for an 80% efficiency gas furnace? I am in a new home - ... A: There is no set duct length. It is all air flow & pressure as determined by various sizes. In other ...
Cold air return	1/18/2009
Q: I have two furnaces -- one serving my first floor and one serving the second. The first floor ... A: You are right. BUt there is no way to know, with out an inspection. If all the upstairs returns will ...
condensation leaks out exhaust blower	1/17/2009
Q: have a ARMSTRONG ULTRA SX 90 FURNACE PUT IN AROUND 1992 I now am getting moisture coming out of the ... A: You have to use a flash light & mirror to find exactly where the water is leaking from. (crack in ...
furnace exhaust blower condensation	1/16/2009
Q: The answer you have given about similar situation does not solve my problem. I've replaced noisy ... A: Ok, its an 90%. Relax, water inside the blower will not hurt it. Just outside the furnace, at the ...
furnace exhaust blower condensation	1/15/2009
Q: The answer you have given about similar situation does not solve my problem. I've replaced noisy ... A: 1st problem. It is an 80% furnace & is not supposed to be condensing moisture. On an 80% there is no ...
Gas Furnace Filter	1/13/2009
Q: Good Day Bill, I am a renter in my house, but have taken the responsibility of changing the furnace ... A: In the trade, we say to change the filter every 30 days during heating season. Crud has built up in ...
furnace and blower not on the same page	1/11/2009
Q: I have an Intertherm electric forced air furnace in my 1999 mobile home. The furnace came with the ... A: My thought also. Look for a Lux500 or Lux550 (heat/cool/auto/fan, digital. 5 days & 2 day week-end) ...
goodman hvac	1/11/2009
Q: I have a goodman gas furnace that seems to go through all the steps to heat but the flame turns off ... A: Sorry to hear you wasted so much money on un-needed parts. What you need is a meter. You are going ...
gas furnace thermostat problem	1/9/2009
Q: We have a gas furnace and it doesn't seem that the thermostat is registering, it's not turning off ... A: Yearly usage can not compared. It all depends on the "degree days" needed each year. BUT!!! Your ...
New HVAC system for my home	1/8/2009
Q: I need to get a new HVAC system for my home. I've collected 4 different proposals. My current ... A: I do not like the outside units. 1. Unbalanced air pressure 2. loss of flow by adding 30 or more ...
amana air command 80 does not light gas	1/7/2009
Q: furnace: amana air command 80 control: white-rodgers 50e47-843 (brand new - I had to replace the old ... A: Confusion. Forget the manual, that is general info and is not adjusted with each model. First "LOOK" ...
cast iron radiator query	1/5/2009
Q: I'm having a dispute with my landlord over the temp of the radiators in my apartment. The thermostat ... A: Bad question from my point of view. I get in trouble for my answer. Yes, you are costing the ...
Great room is too cold in winter	1/2/2009
Q: I have a large room that is our living, dining and kitchen. It is 760 sq. ft. with a 15' high ... A: Classic heat flow problem. The ceiling fan will not help. Infared will not do it either. ...
Intermittent Issues with Rheem RGLH Heater ignition	1/1/2009
Q: Happy New Year! So I am not at all HVAC oriented. Here is my situation (rather lengthy): I was ... A: I would call the HVAC company & tell them not to figure one getting paid. Since they did not fix the ...
Natural Gas Vented heater	11/1/2008
Q: Bill, I live in UpState NY, temps in the winter can drop into the severe minus areas. I am looking ... A: I am in Montana, so low temps are familar. 600 sq ft. w/bed room is a lot of space. I would go up 1 ...
return duct never connected	10/28/2008
Q: We have lived in this slab foundation house in Fort Worth, Texas for 28 years. Last week our ... A: Here in Montana we would draw the air from the floor. In Texas it is much hotter than here. So, A/C ...
ave temp setting	10/26/2008
Q: I have a 7 unit apartment building with a single boiler and radiant heat. The themastat is in one ... A: There is no such a thing as "average" temp. setting. Sorry The way to save money is to have 7 zones ...
Gas Furnace blows cold air	10/25/2008
Q: We had a new XE 80 Trane gas furance installed in 2001. We have had consistant problems with the ... A: Now that you have it. Fix it. UNLESS you want to get into a good furnace. 2 stage, 2 pipe, 95% AFUE ...
decision to replace the furnace	10/24/2008
Q: My 12 year old 80% single stage Rheem furnace fan stopped running after a minute. Looks like that ... A: There is no way to answer this question. If you have the money, go ahead. Your gas bill will drop if ...
forced hot water heating system	10/23/2008
Q: WE LIVE IN A CULDESAC AND ARE AWAY FOR 4 MONTHS(DEC THROUGH MARCH} The outside pipe has frozen on 2 ... A: Probably. BUT Shuting off the water will not keep the water line from freezing. The pipe will still ...
older wall mounted furnace	10/19/2008
Q: I inherited through work, a 50' era wall mounted furnace. Everyone has been in on this thing, and it ... A: Contact Williams furnace company. (customer service) ...
Identify Propane Valve	10/19/2008
Q: I am hoping that you can identify the gas valve in the attached images. The system was ... A: Sorry, I don't work on ranges. But I think if you called Unitrol customer service they can identify ...
Gas Hook Up Rinnai 1004	10/19/2008
Q: Please help. I am experienced in hooking up gas appliances, however I've never hooked up a gas ... A: Code calls for a trap at each gas appliance. So, yes. Put in a trap. The hook up can usually be a ...
Gas furnace size for house	10/19/2008
Q: For a 1900 square foot house in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, what size of one-stage high-efficiency gas ... A: The class to learn how to do this sizing, is 3 days long. There are way to many things to consider. ...
gas furnace filter	10/18/2008
Q: our home was built in 1998 and we moved in 6 mos ago. we attempted to change our furnace filter and ... A: That all depends on who designed your system. The filter is part of the ductwork system not the ...
New Air Conditioning	10/17/2008
Q: Good Morning: Yesterday the contractor that I hire replaced my outdoor A/C Unit and in the attic he ... A: The copper pipes do not need to be replaced (unless damaged). It is a common practice to re-use the ...
return vents	10/11/2008
Q: We have a 200 year old cape in NH that has been used as a summer house until recently. We have a 7 ... A: Covering returns will cause furnace problems. It will not help at all. Close 1/2 of the hot air ...
Changing an a/c transformer	10/10/2008
Q: Our dog chewed thru the a/c wires. We have re-attached the wires, checked the fuses and think it ... A: Don't jump to that conclusion. Does the unit (furnace) work at all? How did you check the fuses? ...
Tempstar 9000 furnace	10/8/2008
Q: I have about a ten year old Tempstar 9000 furnace in my home in Milwaukee WI. I recently had to move ... A: Take some steel wool & wipe the sensor rod clean. Do not scrub. Check ground connections at the ...
finding a draft inducer for my tempstar gas furnace	10/7/2008
Q: I have a Tempstar gas furnace and it has a broken draft inducer. I am trying to find one on the ... A: Call Tempstar customer srevice & ask them for a wholeseller and distributor for your area. You can ...
Sear Furnace - short circuit...	10/6/2008
Q: I have a 1983 Sears Natural Gas Furnace Model #867.764240 Serial#H41663015. Three weeks ago our ... A: 30 years easy. BUT! If you live in a COLD area like I do (Montana). I would replace it now, With a 2 ...
trane furnace xe80	10/5/2008
Q: . A: Look inside the blower door for the list of "blink codes". If not there, look inside the furnace or ...
Furnace size quandry	10/3/2008
Q: I have four quotes from professionals and all four told me a difference size of furnace to buy. ( ... A: I know what you mean, "temp. going down". I live in Great Falls, Montana. Forget the 45 & 60 units ...
Weil McLain PFG-5-PI gas hot water boiler	9/30/2008
Q: When the thermostat closes the circ. pump comes on but the boiler does not go to the 'ignition' ... A: Ok, I don't re-read the whole question. Just the new part. Anyhow, my Honeywell book says the 8620 ...
Weil McLain PFG-5-PI gas hot water boiler	9/29/2008
Q: When the thermostat closes the circ. pump comes on but the boiler does not go to the 'ignition' ... A: AHH!!! That info helps a lot. It is kind of hard to understand what is going on over the internet. ...
ac unit blowing out warm air	9/28/2008
Q: I just had refrigerant added 2.5 months ago to my outdoor unit. It is once again blowing warm air. I ... A: It all depends on where the leak is. AND!!!! if the guy can find it, sometimes it can be found in 10 ...
Weil McLain PFG-5-PI gas hot water boiler	9/25/2008
Q: When the thermostat closes the circ. pump comes on but the boiler does not go to the 'ignition' ... A: I don't mean to be a smart ass but who said it is not supposed to operate differently?? The temp. ...
Goodman A/C with H- coil	9/24/2008
Q: I'm so frustrated right now!!! We have only lived in this (brand new when purchased) house for 2.5 ... A: I am sorry you are having such a bad time. Switch companies, someone is doing POOR work on your ...
rheem furnace	9/19/2008
Q: I have rheem 90 plus furnace. After call for heat it starts blower, ignites burner and opens gas ... A: Not the board. Yes, I ment the fix kit for the flame sensor. It acts like a dirty flame sensor. ...
rheem furnace	9/17/2008
Q: I have rheem 90 plus furnace. After call for heat it starts blower, ignites burner and opens gas ... A: I don't think it is the control board. Rheem had a problem with some of these 90 plus furnaces. Take ...
Air Cond	9/15/2008
Q: I have a Goodman (Janitrol) Model GMP 075-3 revision A. SN 9803640115. My air conditioning went ... A: Never take the exhaust blower appart. I've tried this fix. Forget it. The way it is put together ...
problem with A/C Unit	9/14/2008
Q: I live in an apartment building and I recently noticed a terrible odor when my A/C is running. It ... A: Years of built up crud. Open the unit & clean everything & disenfect. Even undo the metal around the ...
AC coils	9/13/2008
Q: Our house is 7 years old and I came home one day to find a large puddle in my living room. I called ... A: Understood. I am a believer in God & Jesus. Time to call a different shop. Maybe Sears, they are ...
Air Cond	9/12/2008
Q: I have a Goodman (Janitrol) Model GMP 075-3 revision A. SN 9803640115. My air conditioning went ... A: What happens when you jump the "Red" t-stat wire to the "Green" wire. Both are 24 volts at the ...
Armstrong Furnace	9/9/2008
Q: I am having a problem that my service man has not been able to figure out, and it would be ... A: I would try a different T-stat. How many wires between the T-stat & the furnace?? Try a Lux 722E ...
RUUD inside blower	9/9/2008
Q: I have an outside condenser with an inside blower place in a small closet type area. I am seeing ... A: If an inside unit is set up right, it will make water. There is a pan under the coil to catch the ...
Freon in a Goodman	9/8/2008
Q: This is a follow up to the question you answered for me over the weekend, thanks for the advice! ... A: Easy. He may have over charged it. It is easy to add 2 lbs to a low system. The gauges have to be ...
air conditioning duct sweat on ceiling	9/8/2008
Q: In a two story house in North Carolina, the HVAC ducts sweat onto the first floor ceiling during the ... A: Where Exactly are these ducts that sweat?? In the attic?? Where is the air handler?? Are they buried ...
A/C Blower Works And Then Shuts Off	9/6/2008
Q: Lennox G40UH(X) Series: Good amount of water leaking into drip pan.System cools for about 5 hours ... A: Water into drip pan. GOOD. The new cap may have gone bad. Remove & check in a cap tester. Replace ...
gas hot water heater	9/4/2008
Q: I am getting conflicting advice from neighbors re Should I drain the water from my natural gas hot ... A: This is simple. Drain 5 to 10 gallons every month. Not the whole thing. Minerals are heavy, they ...
too much moisture in my house	9/3/2008
Q: I have a Trane hi efficiency air conditioner and furnace. It is probably 12 yrs old. My problem is ... A: Good God man where do you live?? That is a lot of moisture. A/C units are not made to remove ...
Blower on my ac unit seems to get stuck.	9/1/2008
Q: I have a Payne ac/furnace. When the blower is suppose to start up, it makes a humming noise and the ... A: I assume you mean the inside unit. At over 20 years old, it is working at 50% efficiency and at its ...
reehm criterion 11 air condition	8/31/2008
Q: insufficient return air flow. not drawing air from inside home drawing air from basement ... A: I don't know anything about the house or system. I just have to guess. Have you checked the filter? ...
airconditioner not cooling	8/30/2008
Q: our airconditioner is not cooling, it is blowing air just fine, but it is not cold. amana ... A: Ahh! more, info. I assume you mean the outside unit. When they humm, quit, then humm again. That ...
Condensing unit will not shut off	8/26/2008
Q: Good Morning, The problem that I have is as follows: I change out the transformer unit to my Trane ... A: Put a meter on the lines that go out to the compressor. Does it have 24 volts. Since the contactor ...
AC outside unit not working	8/25/2008
Q: While out of country for a little bit my central air quit working for my family. When I checked it ... A: It does sound like a compressor. I would get a quote for a compressor replacement. That will be $700 ...
LENNOX G60UH(X) SERIES	8/20/2008
Q: I just purchased my home 2 weeks ago and just getting a feel for the house. The age of the furnace ... A: A heat only furnace has no, "Fan On" switch. (normally) because people are cheap. You will have to ...
Installation of Honeywell Programmable Thermostat with Bryant Puron HVAC Syster	8/19/2008
Q: I have purchased the Honeywell 7-day Programmable Thermostat, Model # RTH7500, to install for my ... A: Something does not add up here. I hear that the furnaces are 6 years old & what are the A/C units. ...
HVAC Fan	8/17/2008
Q: I have a very old mobile home that I use as a part time residence. I came in today after being away ... A: The fan is bad. Replace it. The ice is a good sign. It means the compressor is working. Ice will ...
water & possibly mold in furnace/AC unit	8/15/2008
Q: I have an electric forced air central furnace/AC unit. I purchased this manufactured home new 6 ... A: I know what you mean about allergies. This is normal (water in the pan). This forms when the coil is ...
New unit causes loud wind sucking noise on returns	8/14/2008
Q: noisy returns may not be large enough for new 2 ton unit. How large shoud the return vents be for a ... A: You have to tell me more info. How old are both units (Inside & outside). Brands, SEER rating, AFUE ...
Comparable Carrier Models to Quoted American Standard Models	8/9/2008
Q: We are looking to get a new furnace/AC in September/October and I am in the process of doing my ... A: I do not like Carrier, they take too much repair, long term. Vs other Brands. Let me ask you why an ...
Time to Replace AC in Home	8/9/2008
Q: We own a 2800 sq ft 27 year old home in Northern California where we do get days that are 100 ... A: "Which way should we go?" .... ... With an additional quote. ... ... That's what I reccomend. ... ...
torch brazing	8/8/2008
Q: Bill, Should copper tubing be cleaned and fluxed prior torch brazing? Thanks for your help. ... A: YES!!! For a proper joint that will not fail fast. Clean the copper with a stainless steel brush ...
Hot Room	8/4/2008
Q: Brainard, It’s our first North Texas summer in our house (this summer is crazy hot 100+ degrees for ... A: I run into this all the time. It is a weakness in the duct design. Where is your furnace/air ...
ac	8/4/2008
Q: my mothers air conditioning will not cycle off. Runs with thermostat diconnected. Compressor also ... A: Sounds like the "contactor" (relay) in the outside unit has locked up. Outside by the unit there ...
Is evacuating lines always necessary?	8/3/2008
Q: I am considering buying a mini split system AC and heat pump. Several sellers of these units say you ... A: There is only 1 (major) company that manufactures that type fitting (although several companies use ...
Is evacuating lines always necessary?	8/2/2008
Q: I am considering buying a mini split system AC and heat pump. Several sellers of these units say you ... A: These kind of line sets have existed for over 20 years. They are the quick & cheap way to go. And ...
A/C will not cool house below 82f	7/29/2008
Q: I have an old goodman unit probably from the late 80's. I live in Dallas, TX. Unit was recently ... A: Anytime the large pipe is exposed to air it will frost up. This happens when the unit is working. ...
ACU	7/26/2008
Q: new acu fitted last year,bigger than previous model. Old model struggled to cool upstairs, and the ... A: It is not the size of the unit that will cool the up-stairs. It is the duct work design. Think about ...
circuit board	7/25/2008
Q: can you change out the relay on a Rheem Ruud 62-24084-82 Furnace Control Board. the cool relay will ... A: I know from doing circuit board repair on computers, that the reley can be replaced. BUT!!! Due to ...
closing vents in unused rooms in the house	7/22/2008
Q: We live in a ranch house in central Texas. I have been hearing about closing vents in unused rooms ... A: Let me tell you how we figure an A/C job. 1st we find the "Heat gain" for a house. That tells me the ...
Furnace blower motor	7/21/2008
Q: I have a Goodman furnace in my house, and today the blower stopped working. It tries to work, makes ... A: Bad motor. How old is the unit. The motor has a 5 year warrenty. The model & ser# will give the ...
Water leaking at the top of my furnace	7/20/2008
Q: I recently noticed when my Central Air has been running that I am getting water leaking from where ... A: When the A/C runs it makes condensation at the coil. The coil has a pan under it. The pan drain ...
Central air, initial charge, used unit	7/19/2008
Q: I recently installed a carrier central air unit (used) in my home, I did all of the soldering and I ... A: Before I answer, what kind of solder did you use? 2nd, I don't think much of Carrier. But lets move ...
Need furnace wiring manual / schematic	7/18/2008
Q: I have an Inter-City gas furnace, recently serviced by Sears and now it doesn't work - it cools ... A: They make 50 different models. Please give me the model # & ser# (not the Sears numbers) Like ...
A/c condensing unit giving inconsistant readings.	7/17/2008
Q: And in the evenings the temp inside the house gets up to 80. I put my gauges on the low side and the ... A: This is only part of the info needed. High side also. What do you mean the pressure changes (from 60 ...
intermittant daily problem fan on compressor off	7/15/2008
Q: I have a Trane residential Ac unit 1200XE that is almost 10 years old and it is getting to happen ... A: I suspect a bad compressor. It gets over heated, shuts "Off" on overload. Then cools off, then ...
air conditioner installation	7/11/2008
Q: I would like to install a small daewoo airconditioner into my window. However, I am renting and my ... A: You are right it will fall out. Happens every year. You need to have someone make a wood base that ...
ac	7/8/2008
Q: I have a 15 seer Sears Kenmore model EBV3600A, Serial A041074975 central heat/ac. I purchased it in ... A: The pan sits under the coil. The coil drips moisture into the pan. The pan collects it & puts it ...
Air Vent Temperature Difference	7/5/2008
Q: I am looking at purchasing a home. In our inspection we found that on one side of the house, the ... A: He is guessing. God, I love inspectors, they keep money coming in to HVAC outfits. Now that I've had ...
Leak in air handler and replacemet unit	7/4/2008
Q: This is a multi part question... I have a leak in my Gibson air handler for my upstairs unit. I ... A: Wow, that is an excelent question (s). NH should have enough latent moisture in the air for a heat ...
AC size, cooling, and attic fan	7/2/2008
Q: We installed a 2.5 ton Trane AC with an air handler in the attic and compressor outside. We live in ... A: The attic insulation does not help the ducts. Most of them are above the insulation. This takes a ...
Penthouse condo airconditioning problem	7/1/2008
Q: ..We recently moved into a new third floor/top level 1450 condo with small cathedral ceiling. The ... A: Since the condo is new. Tell them, It is not doing the job, replace it with a bigger one. (PERIOD) ...
Electric Furnace Wiring	6/29/2008
Q: I just bought a house which has a Chromalox 20KW eletric furnace. The #1 and #3 elements come on but ... A: Usually, Chromalox makes the elements. Look on the I.D. plate for the manufacturer. Anyway. It ...
Freon on Home Central AC Units	6/29/2008
Q: My question is about my home central air conditioning unit. I have been living in this home for nine ... A: A/C units are silver soldered shut. They normally do not leak. Sometimes the copper will have a leak ...
Smal leak in a/c coil	6/26/2008
Q: How can I repair a small leak in my coil? I guess a better question is : how should I go about ... A: I assume 15% HVAC brazing rod, not standard rod. Sounds like you can do the job. You are right, ...
Smal leak in a/c coil	6/25/2008
Q: How can I repair a small leak in my coil? I guess a better question is : how should I go about ... A: You don't solder a coupler Or remove sections. Do you know how to silver solder & have 15% silver ...
Direct-vent into the garage	6/21/2008
Q: I just had a Bryant 352 (heat) unit installed in a utility closet with louvered doors in our home to ... A: No and NO WAY!!! Bet it was not inspected. Call your city/county/state inspector & have them come ...
Heill AC unit not working	6/20/2008
Q: I have a 4 year old house with a HEIL ac unit and a gas furnace. Today the AC stopped working and ... A: Was the burnt wire Alum.??? Probably. It has nothing to do with the problem. You have a electrical ...
AC Unit	6/17/2008
Q: I replaced a bad contactor in my ac unit. The new contactor is the same 24 volts at the coil. I have ... A: What size wire runs out to the unit? At least 18 ga. The wire internally, goes through the ...
New HVAC or Gas Fired Boiler System	6/16/2008
Q: Just purchased a gut and remodel 4000 sqft rowhouse. The existing system is 30 years old, gas fired ... A: There is no, 1 answer for your question. But rather 50 answers, just depends on the point of view. A ...
A/C Attic Duct Work	6/15/2008
Q: My A/C unit is in the attic of my house and the flexible duct work runs across the top of the ... A: Putting the duct in an attic is a compromise. (poor compromise) When the ducts can only be run in ...
Heat Pump Troubleshooting	6/15/2008
Q: Bill, I have a heat pump, I've noticed that the inside fan seems run continuously. Upon inspection ... A: Some ice will form in &/or on the coil. (normal) Anytime the large line is exposed to the air, it ...
What's wrong in my new AC system	6/14/2008
Q: I am trying to install new AC system for my house, the AC is Carrier 24APA5 Series and I have a ... A: It is a control problem. With out looking at the wiring diagrams There is no way to know what is ...
Heat and Air Returns	6/11/2008
Q: Our upstairs bedrooms have returns low and high on the wall. Should we close off one set of ... A: Usually the high registers are for heat. Not return air. Someone may have changed the ducts. You ...
Electrical Problem (?) with Bryant AC Unit	6/10/2008
Q: On very warm days when my AC unit has to run for ~90 or more minutes in order to get/keep the house ... A: Call Bryant customer service. This is a very"Odd" one. Good luck. ...
Condensation on air duct	6/10/2008
Q: Our air conditioning air ducts are in our utility closet on the first floor of our two story town ... A: The A/C is very cold and making the ducts cold. Just like a glass full of ice cubes. The glass ...
a/c unit with annoying sound after cooling cycle.	6/7/2008
Q: Rheem 1 ½ ton 13 SEER home a/c unit with annoying sound after cooling cycle. I had a new a/c unit ... A: Yes. Tx valve my butt. It's a Rheem. .... Not foam, dense fiberglass insulation. They make a sound ...
modular home w/ no cold air return vents	5/31/2008
Q: 16yr old modular total electric..purchase new w/o a/c..just had it installed last summer..put in a 3 ... A: Tell me about the modular. Is it built like a trailer house?? (hallway on an outside wall) Are the ...
Central Aircondition compatibility with evaporating coil	5/30/2008
Q: I have 2.5ton Coleman Presidential II airconditioner with U36 coil unit inside my closet. The ... A: It is not the coil not cooling that is the problem. When units have to run this long it means the ...
ac installation	5/30/2008
Q: the installation of my new Trane furnace and ac is now complete. the ac is an XR-14 3 ton outside ... A: Yes, that sounds right. The lines do not hold very much. He did not have to add any because the ...
Maytag M1010 home A/C-heating unit	5/29/2008
Q: I have a one year old 4 ton system mounted on my roof....The blower keeps coming on by itself...I ... A: In cooling mode,the T-stat sends 2 signals to the furnace. #1. on the yellow wire, the t-stat sends ...
No Air Flow in York AC Unit	5/28/2008
Q: I'm struggling with an A/C problem that I haven't been to track down, and am hoping you will be able ... A: Normal operation. Anytime the large copper pipe is exposed to air, it will freeze up. The insulation ...
air conditioning	5/27/2008
Q: The suction line (gas) which is covered well with insulation is sweating excessively and dripping ... A: It has to be a refrigeration insulation. This kind will stop water vapor from contacting the copper ...
AC freezing up	5/25/2008
Q: I have a Ruud Heating/ac unit; quite a few years old. The coils on the inside unit have froze over ... A: This happens when the freon is low. Run the fan at "On". That will thaw it the fastest. It needs ...
Snyder Compressor failure	5/25/2008
Q: I was wondering if you can tell me what size an old Snyder General Model # AB042G Compressor is? I ... A: The wholesale houses for compressors have a cross reference for this purpose. Look for a "Johnstone ...
york diamond 80 furnace	5/24/2008
Q: I have a york furnace (9 years old). AC and heat work fine, as does the blower motor. the problem I ... A: The "brain box" has gone bad. This is the default setting for a bad control box. This running of the ...
AC fan keeps running, icing up	5/24/2008
Q: We live in central Virginia and have a Rheem Classic XI Super Efficiency AC central air unit. The ... A: Anytime the large copper pipe is exposed to the air, it is supposed to frost up. NORMAL Replace the ...
sears a/c 867 816211	5/21/2008
Q: I have an older Sears (Kenmore or Keeprite) air conditioner Model # 867 816211 / Serial # H11277125 ... A: I( can tell you it is over 20 years old. The average life of a home A/C unit is 12 to 14 years. But, ...
Ultra V Tech 80 Air conditioner	5/19/2008
Q: I have an Ultra V Tech 80 air conditioner. We turned the AC on today. The fan outside is running, ... A: Sounds like the coil has frozen up. Turn off the A/C. Put the fan switch to "On". It may take 30 min ...
a/c coils freezing and leaking over fins	5/17/2008
Q: My a/c repair man recently changed the accumulator because he said it was rusted and leaking paid ... A: Now I understand what is hapening. The price for what he did was reasonable. Better than most. ...
central heat/ac not working	5/17/2008
Q: we just moved into our first house and the reim ac (which we were told is only 5 years old) located ... A: When the fan runs & can only be shut "Off" by unplugging, it means the control board is shot. ($200 ...
a/c coils freezing and leaking over fins	5/16/2008
Q: My a/c repair man recently changed the accumulator because he said it was rusted and leaking paid ... A: Easy, Jennifer. Start over. Tell me about the unit (make, model, SEER rating, age, etc). I take it ...
building small cabin	5/16/2008
Q: 250sf basement and 500sf living with enclosed bath. Builder recommends Monitor K1 fuel vented ... A: I assume you have to use propane as a fuel. I would use a 95% AFUE (sealed combustion) unit, with a ...
furnace making electric humming noise	5/14/2008
Q: I have a DMO Industries WMSII that was installed back in 1992 (I am not original owner). This ... A: If the draft motor is humming it has to be replaced. The whole thing comes a unit. Call a "Johnstone ...
air handler-should I use it	5/14/2008
Q: I have a 25+ years Comfortmaker condenser unit that has just died. No name plate or visible markings ... A: Here is what the contractor does. Open the air handler & meassure the size where the coil goes in. ...
Rheem furnace	5/13/2008
Q: I have an older Rheem furnace and have to replace the draft inducer. The old part has a place to ... A: No you can't eliminate it. Each safety covers a different spot of the furnace. They are not ...
air handler-should I use it	5/13/2008
Q: I have a 25+ years Comfortmaker condenser unit that has just died. No name plate or visible markings ... A: Yes, keep the air handler. It is just a box to hold the fan & coil. The motor is the only part & it ...
AC Repair	5/12/2008
Q: My home ac unit is not cooling properly. I noticed that on the outside unit, ice is building up on a ... A: The pipe is sealed copper and any time it is exposed to air, it will frost up. (when the unit is ...
need size of dual capacitor :c/a kenmore model ckt36-1b	5/12/2008
Q: What is the size of the dual capacitor for: kenmore model ckt36-1b central air conditioner ? - a ... A: My book says 40/5 but I don't know if that is right for you. What motor is it running?? If the ...
carrier gas furnace/ air conditioner combo for 1000 sqft	5/11/2008
Q: I am just looking for something economical that is reliable and does what it says.Thanks A: Then look for another brand. Carrier in my opinion needs ongoing repair & money. I like a unit to ...
trane xv95 furnace	5/10/2008
Q: I am considering Trane XV95 furnace to replace the existing Bryant furnace. The installer says he ... A: He is mistaken. The 2 stage is lost, unless a 2 stage T-stat is used. If you doubt me, call customer ...
Gas Fired Forced Air Furnace	5/10/2008
Q: My furnace is about 15 years old. I heard dripping tonight and noticed quite a bit of water ... A: Yes, idea's. .... ... It is the A/C leaking. Under the coil, there is a factory installed drain ...
trane xv95 furnace	5/9/2008
Q: I am considering Trane XV95 furnace to replace the existing Bryant furnace. The installer says he ... A: Changes at the board make it operate as a 1 stage. That ruins the extra money spent for a 2 stage. ...
Is this unit worth the extra money?	5/8/2008
Q: I live in NW Arkansas and we are building a new home. We have quotes for a 3 ton Trane 13 SEER AC ... A: I answered this once & the answer got lost. So, let me start over. a 13 SEER is at the bottom and a ...
Replacing Central Air Conditioner	5/8/2008
Q: I have a 14 yr old, 3000 sq foot house with 2 2.5 ton 10 seer carrier central air units in NC. ... A: The tech's are trying to SELL. Units don't get manufactured at a 10 SEER & then drop to an 8 SEER ...
variable speed air handlers	5/7/2008
Q: Are variable speed air-handlers for Central AC worth the extra cost? How has their reliability been ... A: There is no doubt about their reliability. They add comfort & save a little bit of money. The ...
SEER dilema	5/5/2008
Q: I contracted with the best known, highly reputable company in our city to have new A/C systems ... A: Someone screwed up. Ever heatpump is certified before manufacture. PEROID..... Ask for $1,000 back ...
High Voltage Breaker to Heat Pump Tripping	5/5/2008
Q: I recently had an old heat pump replaced with a new unit. Everything worked great for about a week ... A: Of course that is what he would say. Here is what you do. Go out to the unit & look for the ID ...
Seigler Wall Furnace	5/4/2008
Q: We have an old Seigler, which is no longer available, I know the parts are interchangeable, but now ... A: My closest one here in MOntana is 235 miles away. Where on Earth are you?? Look up one & call them ...
Furnace doesn't fire	5/4/2008
Q: I have a 12 year old Trane package unit that was recently found to have a rusted out heat exchanger. ... A: Sounds like you are on the right track. Just some little crap wire, not hooked up right. Lets ...
Central Air Conditioner	5/3/2008
Q: Bill, I bought a rental house with a rooftop heating/air unit that looks original to the house. It ... A: Classic symptoms for low freon. BUT!!! A 25 year old unit should be replaced. The life should be 20 ...
cold air return	5/2/2008
Q: I am considering adding a sink and stool to our current closet/furnace room. This is on the first ... A: No. and No way! It violates several codes. The worst is the furnace code (mechanical code on ...
Replacing central AC	5/1/2008
Q: I am installing all 2 new compressors and new duct work in a 25-year-old house. The original double ... A: They sound reasonable. How many zones at 33,000 BTU's?? I would put in attic insulation up to R-32 ...
central air	4/29/2008
Q: What size condenser is needed to cool a 1,000 sq. ft. house. i live in chicago,il we have a ... A: Your question is: how many tons of cooling do I need. About 50 or 60 things effect the size of the ...
Duomatic Olsen Ultramax II furnace NG	4/27/2008
Q: My furnace will not stay lit the purge fan runs for the typical 30 seconds, the burners ignite and ... A: Open the front & watch it light. Look for the pilot light. When the pilot flame is lit, the sensor ...
Continuous drain from A/C	4/25/2008
Q: There is what I beleive to be a part of the a/c unit in my garage attic. Then, there is an a/c unit ... A: I am sorry. Didn't go far enough with the explaination. Depending where you are located & how much ...
hard start kit for my a/c	4/23/2008
Q: i live in southern arizona and just recently has a company rep come out and check out my a/c before ... A: A hard start kit is added (cost $20) when the compressor is having trouble starting. It will extend ...
leak testing Airconditioning system	4/21/2008
Q: I have a small leak for the last 4 years since my current unit was installed. The company has added ... A: Did you pay for 3 times? That takes away the incentive to find the leak. Yes, small leaks are hard ...
Thermostat off but heat still circulating	4/19/2008
Q: Had new Beckett burner installed february last year. Have forced hot water with baseboards in each ... A: Normally I would not take this question, because of the Beckett burner. But, I understand where you ...
air unit	4/16/2008
Q: Does freon leak even when the unit is not running? We have a 13 year old carrier unit (cheapest ... A: Yes. Freon is at about 100 PSI in a system. It will leak out until the pressure drops equal to air ...
Rheem AC	4/16/2008
Q: Bill, I have a 3 Ton Rheem Straight Cool 6 years old model RAK037JAZ 10 seer RBHZ 17JO7NFD air ... A: Some one is giving you FULL PRICE +, for their work. Clean the coils your self. Can you get a small ...
Heating and AC	4/14/2008
Q: We put a 2nd story addition on our home. We added a seperate unit in the attic for heat and ac. I ... A: Attic units are the poorest choice available. Did they use flex ducts. They restrict air flow. ...
ac	4/13/2008
Q: I have a 1800 sq ft house and currently have a xe1000 trane unit that is getting old. Am think of ... A: XE1000 is the model # & they come in sizes from 1 1/2 to 10 ton. Unless you are in a "Southern" ...
where should the air intake come from?	4/11/2008
Q: i have a whistling noise coming from the vent. i checked it out and i have a seal that came apart. ... A: The noise is caused when there is too high of a suction in the return. The 2 paths that have suction ...
Payne Electrically Non-Responsive	4/9/2008
Q: First, thanks for all you do here. I know it takes a lot of time, and it is most certainly ... A: It is an electrical problem. Did you check the fuse in the breaker panel? Get a meter & see if it ...
A/C inside blower not working.	4/8/2008
Q: Heat and blower works fine. When I turn the A/C on the compressor kicks on but the blower doesn't. ... A: There is one wire from the T-stat that could cause this problem. The "G" (green)( might be any color ...
where should the air intake come from?	4/8/2008
Q: i have a whistling noise coming from the vent. i checked it out and i have a seal that came apart. ... A: Easy friend. Where in Mich?? It is common to use the floor joists to make up part of the return ...
musty smell	4/5/2008
Q: I have a American Standard unit. It has a natural gas pack and a electric a/c. It is one unit ... A: With out looking at it in person I have to guess. You have things growing in the ducts & pipes & ...
Central Air System	3/28/2008
Q: I just bought a 1950's california ranch house in the hills of encino california. The breeze keeps ... A: I stay away from the 2 stage cooling units. 13 or 14 SEER is plenty (for 4 months a year). Drop, ...
Ticking and Popping	3/28/2008
Q: We have a new furnace that has replaced our 28 year old furnance. Great service, nice furnance but ... A: The new furnaces make a lot of noise. Older furnaces can be made to run VERY quiet. Anyway, relax. ...
Gas furnace in attic	3/27/2008
Q: I've been told that I cannot replace my furnace in the attic with a high-efficiency gas heater ... A: Any time it drops below 32, the furnace may freeze. It is because the attic is vented to the ...
new furnace and airconditioning	3/26/2008
Q: We have recently had an estimate for an Armstrong 2 stage variable 120,000 BTU 96%effic furnace with ... A: I would keep shoping for a furnace. Try 5 or 6 other shops. I do not like either units he carries ...
Gas furnance	3/25/2008
Q: I have an American Standard Freedom 80 (June 2001). It uses the White Rodgers Emerson Electric Model ... A: You have an "Odd" problem. The check line polarity "flash", does not sound right.. After 7 years, ...
Single Pipe Steam Converstion Project	3/24/2008
Q: I have an single zone oil furnace with single pipe steam in a 2 family home. I am looking to ... A: No, the existing piping can not be used with natural gas/propane hot air furnaces. Only with new gas ...
reliable ninety five	3/24/2008
Q: We bought our 1st house last June and this is the type of gas furnace it has. Lately when it turns ... A: Get hold of the realitor who sold you the house. Ask him to come over & show you where the filter is ...
Re: York Furnace Problem	3/23/2008
Q: I have a York Diamond 80, that has been nothing but problems. Currently my furnace fan and blower ... A: No reset buttons I know of. Shutting "Off" the juice will reset the board. (unless it is bad). Try ...
problem with heating properly	3/22/2008
Q: I have a tempstar 175000 BTU furnace unit.My house is 3000 sq feet. and the furnace seems to come on ... A: The exhaust pipe is only hot when the unit is making heat. This tells me the unit is working. The ...
americanstandardfreedom90	3/22/2008
Q: I had the power venter motor replaced because it was real noisy. Immediatly after the service man ... A: Yes, it is possible. It is also possible he screwed up wiring it. I would up plug it and then ...
Ruud Achiever 80	3/21/2008
Q: I have a Ruud Achiever Super Quiet 80 furnace that the fan will run constantly but the burners will ... A: This means, it needs repair. Usually the blink codes are inside the unit. Open it up & look on the ...
Home A/C Freezing-Up	3/20/2008
Q: By the time summer rolls around, my upstairs a/c unit can't keep up with the heat. The house and ... A: No. The symptoms say "low freon". .... Question? Does it work when they leave? If so, then it goes ...
propane furnace discharging water?	3/19/2008
Q: i just bought a 3400 sq. ft. home in southern ma(02343) and am having the experience of two ... A: The basement furnace has 2 pipes (1 for intake air and the other for exhaust). The 90% furnace ...
Faulty failed ignition indicator	3/18/2008
Q: I have a York Diamond 80 natural gas furnace that's been working fine for 6 seasons now. But in ... A: Sounds like the flame is not "proofing". Get some steel wool. Look for a small 1/8th rod that is ...
location of air filter	3/17/2008
Q: i have a crusader gas furnace model LG164-4. i can't find the filter i hope you can help me. i dont ... A: There is no one place that filters are installed. The filter is always on the return air ducts. ...
Running the blower on furnace	3/16/2008
Q: Is it best to keep the blower fan running on my furnace at all times? A: Yes & No. It all depends on what your goals are. I run mine all the time. That way the air gets ...
Wiring a programmable thermostat	3/16/2008
Q: ..I have a Honeywell RTH221B1000 programmable thermostat, but the wiring coming out of the wall does ... A: You don't tell me about the furnace. So I'll guess. There are 2 wires comming out of the wall. ...
New Air Contitioner?	3/14/2008
Q: My Carrier outdoor A/C unit (on a split-system) has failed and needs to be replaced. It is a 3 ton ... A: Most of the rating for SEER is with the outside unit. BUT ..... The inside coil needs to be replaced ...
Trane XE 90 - No heat - Water Build up	3/12/2008
Q: I have a 8 year old TRANE XE 90 natural gas furnace which has a blower motor to exhaust fumes thru ... A: That is how much water they make every day. It is not draining out of the furnace properly. Open ...
Weil Mclain oil fired boiler pressure is to much	3/11/2008
Q: We have a single family raised ranch with a Weil Mclain oil fired boiler And the pressure relief ... A: It lets out water because the pressure is too high. That is its job. & it is doing it properly. I ...
York Diamond 90 Furnace Shuts off	3/9/2008
Q: I have York Diamond 90 Furnace in my basement of a two story home in Toronto Canada. It appears to ... A: When the blower fan keeps on blowing & will not shut Off. That is the default setting for a bad ...
info about furnace	3/7/2008
Q: i am looking for some info on a furnace. The make is American Standard its a freedom 80 single stage ... A: It is an 80,000 BTU. I can not tell you how many feet it will heat. It all depends on where you ...
Heater Kicking Itself Off	3/7/2008
Q: I have a general question, as i no nothing about heating and a/c and can't give any details about ... A: That should be a minor fix. $200 to $300 tops & then be good for another 10 years. A furnace should ...
Propane usage--no meter	3/4/2008
Q: Mr. Brainard, I recently bought an older ('60s) home in what was then country. House has a propane ... A: There is no exact way to tell how much is in the tank. The gauges are for rough measurement only. ...
R-22 or R-410a	3/3/2008
Q: Have a quick question for you regarding the freon type i can use in my a/c system. My outside unit ... A: The outside unit is not made for 410A. Why would you want 410?? Yes, it does not warm atmosphere as ...
dettson heater	3/2/2008
Q: i have a dettson hot water home heating unit. model # hgrc 105or113 crn # ? 4559. when the pilet ... A: I have never seen the unit you have. Sorry. I would not think mounting should cause that problem. ...
Furnace Blower	3/1/2008
Q: We bought our house last year and the garage has a furnace!!! Great. Now the furnace comes on but ... A: What brand, how old, what AFUE, what fuel? Propane, nat. gas, oil, electricity or what?? When you ...
water running out of air conditioning return	3/1/2008
Q: i have an air conditioning unit (both cooling/heating ) formy ground floor apartment. there is ... A: I can only speak in general terms, since I have no way of knowing what units you have. All A/C units ...
Coleman central air handler	2/28/2008
Q: I have a Coleman Evcon C.A.M. II, coleman Air central air handler. It was installed in the early ... A: Time to contact Coleman customer service. If they can not come up with one, ask them which "Mortex" ...
clanging in heat/air ducts	2/27/2008
Q: I hope you can help us. We have central heat/air and in one room of our house, there is a clanging ... A: No way to tell what it will cost. I do not think it is the unit. I suspect a piece of sheet metal. ...
R/A ceiling installation issue...	2/26/2008
Q: This is a 2-story new home and it's still under construction. Master bed room is in the first floor ... A: It does not have to be insulated but should be tight (no air leaks). Does not have to be caulked. ...
Furnace needs several start attempts before lighting	2/26/2008
Q: Our RUUD Delux 90 Plus furnace, model #UGED-10ERAJS, has worked fine since 1995. A few months ago ... A: Since you are focused on the rough fan. Replace it, it is only $150 to $200 (usually). There is a ...
Furnace needs several start attempts before lighting	2/25/2008
Q: Our RUUD Delux 90 Plus furnace, model #UGED-10ERAJS, has worked fine since 1995. A few months ago ... A: What you describe is a dirty sensor. Take some steel wool & wipe the sensor "rod" clean. (don't ...
Blower constantly running	2/23/2008
Q: Will the blower constantly running make my utility bill rise above $500? The furnance comes on and ... A: No. The blower makes no difference on gas consumption. It will make the temp. "evener" in the ...
Janitrol furnace	2/22/2008
Q: I live in Southern Minnesota. The about 10 year old Janitrol AFUE 92.0 (Model # GMPNO80-4) is barely ... A: It is short cycling. (bad) Is it still runnning 2 min at a time?? What did he do for 4 hours?? This ...
Burner will not stay lit through heating cycle	2/21/2008
Q: I have a 4 1/2 year old GMC (I presume it is a Goodman/Janitrol)92% Furnace. I have bragged on how ... A: ***************************************** 3 blinks is a bad pressure switch. ...
Gas air heater	2/20/2008
Q: I hope you might be able to help me with my home heater. It is Lennox Industries Inc. unit. ... A: There is a sensor in the pilot flame. It is next to the spark. It is a rod, 1/8th" dia. and about 3" ...
Burner will not stay lit through heating cycle	2/18/2008
Q: I have a 4 1/2 year old GMC (I presume it is a Goodman/Janitrol)92% Furnace. I have bragged on how ... A: First, unscrewing the fuse, re-sets the control (good). Let it start & tell me each step it does ...
Furnace Problems	2/17/2008
Q: I have a very old furnace and it is a gravity furnace looks like a big old octopus. Well it will not ... A: The thermocouple is bad. That little "rod" that sits in the pilot flame makes a small amount of ...
Trane XE80 blower runs constantly	2/16/2008
Q: Furnace runs fine but blower runs constantly and will not shut off, only way is to shut off power at ... A: Contacts on the blower control are "Fused shut". Depending on which control board you have the ...
gas heater not working	2/15/2008
Q: I need help getting my furnace to work. I noticed it was getting cooler so I checked the thermostat ... A: OK, I'll try to help. With in 2 feet of the furnace there should be a fuse. Unscrew it, count to 10 ...
Where to start!?!	2/14/2008
Q: My husband and I are looking at buying our first home and we just finished an inspection of the ... A: Get me the make, model & ser # from the furnace. Does it vent in plastic pipe or metal pipe. I ...
nordyne g6ra fan problem	2/14/2008
Q: I came home today and my furnace isn't pushing air. I took off the cover and turned off the switch ... A: This is not a fan problem (maybe). Which control board is in this unit?? (make & model) Do you ...
Is the purge cycle time adjustable?	2/12/2008
Q: I have a Carrier 58PAV upflow furnace, and the thing won't stop running in our recent cold snap ... A: I doubt the purge cycle is adjustable. The factory sets them for the furnace requirements. Once they ...
5 jet furnace	2/11/2008
Q: How much more gas does a 5 jet furnace use as oppose to a 3 jet in a residential building A: Impossible to answer with out more info & why you ask? Here's why. Each furnace is rated by BTU's. ...
HVAC Question	2/10/2008
Q: I'm loosing a ton of warm air generated by my HVAC system this winter because the only return ... A: First, does it open to the roof or side wall?? Is the closet sealed ?? Does it have a "p-trap in ...
Programmable Thermostat Not Communicating with Gas Furnace?	2/8/2008
Q: Recently, I've noticed the temp in the house getting cool. When I check the programmable thermostat, ... A: What kind of furnace??/ (make, model, AFUE, Ser. #, fuel type) What T-stat??I doubt the April air ...
hvac goodman	2/7/2008
Q: i have a goodman furnace (gas) m#gmt070-3 when i call for heat everything comes on fine and in the ... A: Which control is on the unit? (model # and mfg) (White-Rogers, Honeywell, Unitrol, etc...) I will ...
Furnace doesn't always come on	2/6/2008
Q: I have a Rheem Criterion II gasa furnace that operates intermittently. We've noticed that when we ... A: You are cutting the juice to the "brain Box". This resets the box electronics. Hold the door switch ...
Armstrong Air Tech 80 problem	2/5/2008
Q: this furnase aprox 4-5 yrs old gives no codes on the so called smart valve only the heart beat ... A: Did you use a meter & measure things as the unit starts?? Does the current flow through the pressure ...
100 gallon tank for a Gas Grill	2/4/2008
Q: I have a gas log fireplace with a 100gallon tank outside my house to run it. I have run a line off ... A: It is not the gallons causing the problem. It is the 40' line reducing the flow of gas. For 40' it ...
New Furnace-Old Thermostat	2/3/2008
Q: A heating company in my town installed a Heil H9MPT-100 2 stage3 gas fired furnace three weeks ago. ... A: I can't find that model # on Heil. BUT I can say that a 2 stage furnace needs a special T-stat. The ...
Heater Help	2/2/2008
Q: I have a Frigidaire Central Heat and Air Unit. Model G6RA 096C-20. My problem is that is doesn't ... A: The control box is not getting the message that a flame is present. Look next to the "Glow" thing ...
Propane pressure	2/1/2008
Q: Having a problem with propane pressure. Whenever the water heater kicks on we lose pressure to our ... A: The water heater filling with SOOT. That is the hint. Improper combustion/ blocked vent. Time to ...
HONEYWELL CHRONOTHERM III	1/30/2008
Q: My aunt who lives in southern california is having issues with her heating/cooling system ... A: They have not made that T-stat for 20 years. Why do you think it is the problem? I am curious. ...
Toe Kick radiators freezing up	1/29/2008
Q: I had toe kick radiators installed in a recent kitchen remodel. We came home recently to find one ... A: They only freeze up when installed wrong. The carpender has to seal up the toe space so outside air ...
Lennox Outdoor Condensation	1/29/2008
Q: Our Lennox G32 furnace is almost 8 years old. In winter, (this is Canada) the exhaust drips causing ... A: Here in Montana I see that all the time. Is it causing a problem? Other than looks or fear of ...
trane xl 1100	1/28/2008
Q: my trane xl 1100 is not firing in heat mode. I hear the exhaust fan start, but burner does not ... A: You left out several other steps in the start up sequence. What kind of pilot does it have? Remove ...
Trane XL 80	1/27/2008
Q: "Will heat, turn everything off normal, in a few seconds the blower fan comes back on and continues ... A: What XL80 ??? They made a lot. Model & ser# off of ID plate & the make & model of the control ...
1983 100,000 btu older ruud furnace	1/26/2008
Q: The gas ignite but does not travel to the end of the gas rail inside furnace. A: Classic problem. The furnace needs a "tune-up". You take a small wire brush (brass) and clean the ...
hot water tank and radiant heating	1/26/2008
Q: I have two questions re. heating. I have radiant heating in the lower part of my home. It worked ... A: The normal pressure relief valve on a hot water heater is set to expell water at 175 PSI. Somehow ...
Heating unit has crack	1/24/2008
Q: Is it safe to run the heater when I know there is a crack? This is a gas central heater. We are ... A: There is no problem with waiting. Provided no one is living there. If the crack is big enough & the ...
Problem with International Comfort Furnace	1/23/2008
Q: I recently moved into a house with an Interantional Comfort Furnace Model NTN050FBG1 which is not ... A: Someone has miss-led you about ICP products. They are a MAJOR manufacturer in the USA. They make ...
Coleman Evcon 1993 furnace, sometimes ignores thermostat	1/22/2008
Q: I hope you can help me. My Coleman Evcon Presidential furnace is a 7900 series, the original furnace ... A: If it is a recall, they will pay someone to do the up-grade. This is usually a parts change. (minor ...
Coleman Evcon 1993 furnace, sometimes ignores thermostat	1/21/2008
Q: I hope you can help me. My Coleman Evcon Presidential furnace is a 7900 series, the original furnace ... A: Not the T-stat. What you decsribe is a furnace control malfunction. Coleman web site, phone # here. ...
thermostat install	1/20/2008
Q: I am installing a Honeywell CT2700 Round Programable Thermostat. I have 5 wires coming out of the ... A: Here's the trick. How many wires were hooked up on the old T-stat?? To what colors?? What furnace, ...
thermostat installation	1/19/2008
Q: We live in a mobile home and had our furnace replaced 3 years ago. We have a Miller(uses K1 ... A: First thing, lets get it straight. Do you have an Intertherm or Miller?? BUT the thing we need to do ...
furnace get going half the time	1/18/2008
Q: Rheem 80 Plus RGDC natural gas, forced hot air furnace. The furnace responds to the thermostat, a ... A: Call a shop. The burners (every one) need to light, every time the furnace tries to start. It sounds ...
First Time Home Buyers - Heat Pump/Furnace Questions!	1/13/2008
Q: My wife and I are looking to purchase a new home. We found one that we really like, but when we ... A: Older furnaces last 30 to 40 years easy. The outside unit is the heat pump. The inside unit, just ...
Burnham Furnace	1/10/2008
Q: We are first time homeowners and I attended a seminar regarding engergy conservation. Through this ... A: All furnaces "should" have a filter. They are usually located right at the furnace. Sometimes they ...
Heater leaking water	1/8/2008
Q: I have a Intertherm (nordyne) upflow high efficiency heat and air system that is 2 years old. We ... A: You need to be a detective to find the condensate leak. Check every rubber hose connection. If you ...
Older Gas Furnace	1/5/2008
Q: We have an older gas furnace that has never presented a problem until this winter. I have noticed ... A: The boom's are bad. This happens, when the gas on ALL the burners fails to ignite. When 2, 3 or more ...
no ignition	1/2/2008
Q: i have a trane xe80 that is 11 yrs old. for the last month it has called for heat, ran the purge ... A: That sounds like a sensor problem. Look in the first flame, near the "glow". Look for a 1/8 th" rod ...
new home owner with furnace questions	1/1/2008
Q: I just moved into my first home and have some questions about my furnace. It is a TRANE XR90 model ... A: a 20 x 20 is bigger than the min. of 16x25. The guy that made the ducts amy have put in 18" duct & ...
rheem 90+ exaust and intake	12/30/2007
Q: i work for a large oil company here on long island new york, insatalling and servicing oil fired and ... A: OK. Lets get started. The 90+ condensing furnace cools the exhaust air to about 100 degrees. The ...
Ruud Sillhouette 2	12/29/2007
Q: I have a Ruud Silhouette 2 gas furnace. It never seems to heat the house to the temp on the ... A: So you are telling me the furnace only has flame for 15 sec. and goes out. This is called short ...
Heat Anticipator as shutoff?	12/29/2007
Q: I have a large gas Lennox forced air furnace in my shop. I would like to turn it off at night, ... A: No safety reason. It is just that houses should be kept at 50 & above (to keep everything from going ...
Propane fuel	12/27/2007
Q: Bill, We have propane fuel for our furnace and water heater. I heard wrapping the outside propane ... A: I have lived in Montana for over 40 years & that is a new one on me. It gets down to -40 for about ...
furncae cutting out	12/26/2007
Q: would you think the limit switch might be the issue, or do these not brake much. CAn you describe ... A: It all depends on the furnace. There is a couple of "safety circuits" that protect the homeowner & ...
Changing gas furnace systems	12/26/2007
Q: My old GMP 100 3 furnace finally died. I am going to change it out to a higher efficiency model ... A: A 93 or 95% furnace vents in plastic pipe. This can not be run with the water heater vent gases. It ...
High Winds	12/24/2007
Q: I had my house built in December of 2001 and since we been in the house excessive high winds shuts ... A: Where are you located? What do you mean "High" winds? Here in Montana 50 to 60 mph winds are ...
TEMPSTAR SP80	12/22/2007
Q: I have two Tempstar SP80 heaters in the house. One for the downstairs and one for upstairs. The ... A: In my opinion "smart valves" should be re-named. (junk) Anyway, They have a small circuit board ...
Furnace does not stay running	12/20/2007
Q: I have a Armstrong Ultra SX 90 High Efficiency Furnace which has 2 zones.When the furnace starts ... A: Maybe, the board may be good & then malfunctioning when flexed. It is a $100 plus gamble to replace ...
Heating	12/19/2007
Q: We live in a 4 level townhouse in Chicago, IL. and have a duel heating/air system. The fist one is ... A: You have a bad one to fix. Service tech's do not usually deal with this kind of problem. This is ...
poor heating in lower level of a racnh	12/17/2007
Q: I have a Jannitrol furnace, a GMP125-4 RevB on the upper level and a GMP100-4 Rev B on the lower ... A: The lower level unit is "short cycling" & needs to be fixed. You do not need a bigger furnace but ...
igniter and sensor	12/16/2007
Q: I've been reading a lot of your previous answers and think that the problem with my Ruud 90 Classic ... A: Open the front of the furnace. Unscrew the fuse at the furnace, turn the T-stat up to 90. Sit in ...
Make up air	12/15/2007
Q: I am in the process of separating a home boiler room from the rest of the house. I am concerned ... A: 1 square inch of "free" air flow for each 1,000 BTU's of burning flame. Water heater & ...
A/C upgrade	12/12/2007
Q: Do I need to replace the copper refrigerant tubing when changing to a Puron A/C (R-410A) from Freon ... A: A flush is normal. I just replace the line set if possible. That is my personal preference. If the ...
new furnace	12/12/2007
Q: My unit is a rheem model (100,000 btu) heat exchange cracked. The original duck work poorly ... A: Rheem & Rudd are the same units, different name. Carrier & Trane take extra repair as they age (in ...
Trouble lighting pilot	12/10/2007
Q: We have an old Payne 70FAU-12 heater. Not sure how old, but the number on the installer's sticker ... A: You may be at the "bleed tube" for "over pressure". There should be a thermocouple that will sit in ...
Ignition problems with a Rheem furnace	12/10/2007
Q: Good afternoon Bill, I have a Rheem, natural gas home furnace with an electonic ignition. Recently, ... A: I hope you cleaned the "SENSOR ROD" not the "glow element". Cleaning the "glow element" will do you ...
Heating Furnace	12/9/2007
Q: Have a Payne model PG8Uaa upflow furnace that blinks code 33 cleaned filter same problem blower ... A: Limits are easy to change. How old is the furnace, what AFUE is it (90+ or 80% AFUE)( what material ...
Ignition problems with a Rheem furnace	12/8/2007
Q: Good afternoon Bill, I have a Rheem, natural gas home furnace with an electonic ignition. Recently, ... A: The term "pre burners" throws me. Do you mean the pilot light?? If so, Let me re-cap. The pilot ...
overheating on upper floor of house	12/8/2007
Q: I hope that you may be able to answer a question regarding sudden overheating problems.We have a ... A: From what you told me, there is no special reason for this. Look in all the ducts & registers. Make ...
Need to troubleshoot	12/7/2007
Q: I have a 19 yr old Lennox ES4-20-1 electric furnace that has quit providing heat. The blower ... A: Do you have an "Ohm" meter? If so, shut off the juice & disconnect the 220 volt supply. Undo 1 end ...
Rheem furnance cycling	12/6/2007
Q: I saw your answer to a similar queestion but decided to go further. My furnance also cycles are only ... A: The high limit switch is not a pressure switch. To find this kind of a problem I sit in front of the ...
adjusting the anticipator	11/30/2007
Q: I have a Honeywell T87 (round) thermostat in my tenant's house and he says that the furnace tends to ... A: You need a "Milli" Amp meter. Find the common side of the gas valve, wiring. When active, measure ...
york furnace	11/28/2007
Q: I have a York model G1HCO24AB in a summer home 6 hours from where I live. It was taking much longer ... A: I assume you have a electric furnace. Do you know how to use a meter? I suspect it is the ...
Goodman furnace leak water	11/26/2007
Q: Brainard, I appreciate your time for helping me. I live in Orange County,New York in a split level ... A: The humidifier wire is only hooked up in certain instances. Not every time. Water should not come ...
Gas Furnace (Rheem Criterion II)	11/24/2007
Q: Bill, I truly have no idea what to do so hopefully you can shed some light. My furnace just a ... A: Sounds like the sersor rod is dirty & keeping it from firing properly or The high limit is kicking ...
Heating System Question and need help	11/23/2007
Q: I need some help and was hoping this board can pull it off! i appreciate all the experts on here ... A: A return air register (vent) sucks air out of the building & into the furnace. Then the air is ...
No heat	11/23/2007
Q: Rheem Imperial 80 Plus-gas fired, hot air, looks like A/C air handler mounted above furnace, filter ... A: Sounds like an "Up Flow" furnace. The heat rises from the burners. The duct on the floor will never ...
Heating System Question and need help	11/22/2007
Q: I need some help and was hoping this board can pull it off! i appreciate all the experts on here ... A: Forget about jockey-ing to temp up & down. It is a waste of time & money. Air flow is the problem. ...
goodman gmnt 100-4	11/20/2007
Q: i have had my goodman gmnt 100-4 for 4 years no problems at all. yesterday i was changing the filter ... A: The question is too broad. Tell me what the furnace does when the T-stat calls for heat. Each step ...
furnace won't stay lit and fan continues to run	11/19/2007
Q: We have a Trane XL 2 stage gas furnace. I'm not sure how old as it came with the house. Lately, the ... A: It needs a repair. I take it you do not want to repair it your self. So, it is time to pay the big ...
Furnace shuts off before fan kicks in	11/14/2007
Q: I have a Lennox Merit Series unit (heat & AC) with a White Rodgers 36 series (thermostat, I ... A: Here is what is happening. The sensor is not confirming to the control, that the burners are lit. So ...
furnance question	11/11/2007
Q: Bill I have 15 year old evcon coleman propane furnance. When the furnance comes on and runs its ... A: What does the red light LED light "BLINK"? If it is a steady "Red" then the unit is "OK". If heat ...
New Lennox furnace venting	11/10/2007
Q: I just had a Lennox 95% efficient furnace installed. The were not able to vent out the side of the ... A: No! The pipe can not be extended outside around the house. The pipes are limited to 5-90 degree ...
Heating	11/7/2007
Q: I just turned the Heat on tonight and its blowing out cool luke warm air. The air conditioning unit ... A: Yes, it is a T-stat problem. It all depends on what unit you have & what T-stat you used. You did ...
Home AC	11/6/2007
Q: I came home to a loud buzzing in my garage. I have a furnace in my garage and an AC in my back ... A: Forget about the ice. That builds up when ever the copper pipe is exposed to air (& it is working). ...
furnace filter location	11/4/2007
Q: Help I can't locate the furnace filter in my carrier 58STA070-08. I have read the manual and it ... A: You are assuming there is one answer to your question. There is NO set spot for the filter. The ...
Going completely nuts!!!!	11/4/2007
Q: We have a goodman GDT0904A 1999, we have a small 3 bedroom in Louisville Kentucky. Here is the ... A: Take the model & serial number, then call Goodman customer service.(1-877-254-4729) Tell them what ...
RUUD Repairs	10/31/2007
Q: I have a RUUD Silhouette furnace that's about 13 years old. It sounds a little loud this winter, so ... A: I don't know what motor is in a RUDD Silhouette. Unless it is a 25 speed variable computer controled ...
Water Discharge from Gas Fired Hot Water Boiler	10/31/2007
Q: I have a 15 year old Hydro Therm gas fired boiler to hot water system (5 zones). We moved into the ... A: I agree with the second contractor. B.S., no such valve. It should be 12 to 15 lbs. There should be ...
gmpn100-4 ignition problem	10/30/2007
Q: I have a problem with my goodman gmpn100-4. When I turn it on it does not ignite. The gas valve ... A: There should be a red LED light. Is it blinking?? If so, how any blinks?? Do you have available ...
Furnace problem	10/29/2007
Q: I have an older Carrier furnace, the paperwork does not give much information but it appears to be a ... A: How old?? What is the AFUE?? Does this have a small alum. tube that feeds the pilot?? If so, turn ...
Janitrol space heater	10/28/2007
Q: I have a Janitrol space heater model #68-050.7. I would like to convert this unit to propane. What ... A: I was not aware Janitrol had space heaters. When I go to their web site, that model number does not ...
Funace	10/28/2007
Q: I'm new to this and was looking for help on how to get my furnace going. Heres my issue: I have a ... A: Pretty clever. I could almost make out the furnace. But I think the problem is the thermocouple. ...
HVAC gas furnance	10/27/2007
Q: I have a brand new gas furnace (KeepRite C8PN100F14B). It works well for a few days after it is ... A: At this point I suspect the control board. Look on your paper work for the company phone # & call ...
COOL FLOORS HEAT DUCTS IN CEILING	10/26/2007
Q: I was discussing with you the cold floors we have because the furnace in our home is either ... A: Generally, replacing the furnace will not get the floors warm. The duct work needs to be designed, ...
York diamond 80 furnace not starting	10/26/2007
Q: I have a York diamond 80 that will not start this season. I monitored the fault light and it ... A: It is an easy replacement. It has 2 wires going to it & one small hose. Take it out & put it on the ...
Thermal Zone gas furnace	10/24/2007
Q: We would like to convert our Thermal Zone gas furnace to propane. The model # is GU080M16B-S and the ... A: Never heard of a person doing this (except for spite or gas co. problem). You need to call a shop ...
Trane XR90 - why is light blinking?	10/21/2007
Q: I was going to turn my 2 year old furnace on the other day for the first time this season. I first ... A: You have got to tell me ALL aboput the furnace first. What do you mean "outside" of furnace?? Do you ...
Outside air conditioner unit humming	10/20/2007
Q: We live in Virginia and have an 8 year old Bryant air conditioner unit. It is dark, so we couldn't ... A: Ok, I hear you. However, the outside fans do not have capacitors. The compressor has a capacitor. ...
Rheem RCGA-36A2AS17	10/19/2007
Q: We recently spotted a small amount of mold on the ceiling. After bleaching it, I went up in the ... A: What is a "condensation pipe"? What is it attached to? Is this on the A/C unit of the furnace? I ...
gmpn100-4 ignition problem	10/17/2007
Q: I have a problem with my goodman gmpn100-4. When I turn it on it does not ignite. The gas valve ... A: A burn spot means the ignitor is bad. Look for a "Johnstone Supply" in your area (nationwide HVAC ...
gmpn100-4 ignition problem	10/16/2007
Q: I have a problem with my goodman gmpn100-4. When I turn it on it does not ignite. The gas valve ... A: Tell me how you tested for voltage between the leads. The reading has to be timed right to be valid. ...
Furnace won't ignite	10/15/2007
Q: I have installed a new high efficiency furnace made by Payne (Model No. PG9MAB036060AASA) I went to ... A: You have got to watch the glowing ignitor when the gas flows. If it is glowing & the gas hits it, ...
Furnace Inducer	10/13/2007
Q: We had our furnace serviced in June, when we purchased our house. A new heat exchanger and inducer ... A: The furnace stops blowing heat because it has an ignition problem. Yes, the blower is doing its ...
tempstar furnace	10/12/2007
Q: I have a tempstar m#NTC6075FBA1. Not sure of the manufacture date-was in the house when i moved in ... A: I doubt it is the gas valve. They seldom go bad. NTC6075... looks wrong. Never seen an NTC... ...
A/C Blowing - but not cold	10/7/2007
Q: My A/C al of a sudden stopped working. The outside unit is working and it seems to be blowing out ... A: This is confusing. "outside unit blowing colder than normal", "air into house but not cold". Let me ...
HVAC	10/5/2007
Q: My house is 12 years old. As far I am aware of so is the dual zone A/AC unit. 2 days ago I noticed ... A: Your unit is in DEEP trouble. Units last, on average 10 to 14 years. Yours is old. The compressor ...
Furnace turns off too soon	10/1/2007
Q: our furnace turns itself off way before it has reached the desired room temperature. Furnace and ... A: I doubt it is the T-stat. Lets do some checking. Who long in seconds or min. does the furnace run ...
coleman HVAC condensor coil	9/30/2007
Q: where can I order the coleman or aftermarket condensor coils for my inside unit (air handler)? The ... A: 2 things can be done. .... 1st. call Coleman (yes, it is a pain & takes a while to get through). ...
AC not blowing air	9/29/2007
Q: AC / Furnace under the house in the crawl space with the fan outside. Had a tech come out and say ... A: A motor costs under $100 for most furnaces. Available at a "Johnstone Supply", a nationwide HVAC ...
MY A.C IS GOING CRAZY!	9/27/2007
Q: We have had our A.C. little over 4 monthes... all of a sudden last night I was awakened by the air ... A: Are you talking about the inside unit?/ I will assume. Sounds like the coil is frosting up & you ...
Amana GSI 1070B40B gas furnace	9/25/2007
Q: :-) Everything seems fine with the furnace; it fires up, the small blower in the unit works, the ... A: Is there a small box (3" x 4" approx. and 1" thick)(has from 3 to 6 wires going to it. Some models ...
Armstrong Air Ultra Tech 80	9/21/2007
Q: ..The switch has been changed but problem is still the same...What do you suggest? ANSWER: ... A: I can't look it up in the Mfg. manual unless it is identified. Who made it (Honeywell, Robert-Shaw, ...
Expansion Tank	9/20/2007
Q: I'm doing some pre-winter maintenance on our very old gas boiler, and I was told a while back that I ... A: What do you mean "Losing water"??? Pressure on fill up?? Whoa... When you drain the system, refill ...
Armstrong Ultra 80 SX	9/20/2007
Q: My furnace will turn on the pilot, light, and run for 15 seconds then quit. Some friends say it ... A: Your friends are right. It is called a flame sensor, not a thermocouple. It is not finding the flame ...
Armstrong Ultra SX-90 Gas Furnace Cycles On/Off	9/11/2007
Q: There are two problems with my furnace. The 1st problem is a condensation problem, on occasion ... A: There should be an condensate drain on the bottom of the fan. The drain line sounds partially ...
Leaky furnace	9/11/2007
Q: My furnace is leaking. I have no idea why or who to contact. My hallway has a big wet spot. I ... A: You didn't tell me what kind of furnace so I will guess. I assume the furnace is a 90+, with A/C. ...
Tune up on Bard wall mount unit	9/8/2007
Q: I want to give my Bard wall mount a tune up. I know it does not leak freeon. All they have to do ... A: Vaccume it out & then use coil cleaner. Use a "non-corosive foaming coil cleaner". You can buy a ...
Model # gmpn100-4 Rev B Central Air	9/8/2007
Q: I just bought a house and for some reason the Goodman central air model # GMPM100-4 Rev B the ... A: The outside unit is where the heat transfer is done. If it does not work there is no cooling. There ...
Acid wash evap coils	9/7/2007
Q: I read a previous answer about acid washing coils in the compressor, but I have a similar question ... A: Slow down. Acid wash will damage the alum. fins on the coils. DO NOT do it. HVAC supply people sell ...
epa lic.	9/6/2007
Q: my card is mess up cant read can i get a new i took it in texas in 1997 A: I would think, YES! Mine did the same thing, so I called RSES (place I took it at). They charged me ...
Outside AC unit sometimes comes on	9/5/2007
Q: I have a 2 year old PAYNE HVAC. AC is 3 ton. Yesterday morning we noticed that air was blowing from ... A: Ahh!! If the outside fan motor is going bad it will not start all the time. Sounds like what ...
Air Conditioning	9/5/2007
Q: I have a tenant who would like to install a window unit in her bedroom, which has no window. So she ... A: Groan!! It is possible but a real pain to do. You need a LOT of air flow to cool off a room. I ...
Brand new system not working	9/4/2007
Q: Hey Bill - we had a new 80% efficient Carrier variable speed furnace and 3.5 ton central air ... A: The BTU's is not the problem. 150 used to be the "Stock" size that wholesellers carried. So, they ...
Tempstar 2200 (Smart Comfort ) residential AC unit	9/3/2007
Q: While removing weeds from around the unit, my weed wacker got tangled with the wires behind the A/C ... A: The two small wires are 24 volt & connect to each other. It does not matter which hooks to which. I ...
Rheem gas pack	9/2/2007
Q: I have a rheem gas pack model is unknown but is approx a 1995 model, tag is unreadable approx 2 ton. ... A: You have done every thing right. I suspect a broken wire (still covered with insulation), could be ...
Rheem gas pack	9/1/2007
Q: I have a rheem gas pack model is unknown but is approx a 1995 model, tag is unreadable approx 2 ton. ... A: Contractors are frequent problems. Replace it. Shut "Off" the juice & remove it. Look in your phone ...
ac	9/1/2007
Q: I have a Central Carrier AC unit about 20 years old. MOD 591ANX024000AAAA SN 2789EO6SOJ I live in ... A: I think you are right. Low freon. BUT!!!! A/C units average 10 to 12 years life. You are ready for a ...
water heater making troumbling noices	8/31/2007
Q: My water heater is making rumbling noises. It is Gas Water heater. Recently a technician came out ... A: Calcium builds up in the bottom of a water heater and fills it. There are little passages that water ...
Freon line questions	8/30/2007
Q: My question is regarding the two freon lines on a HVAC system that runs between the inhouse unit and ... A: Ahh!! Now things clear up. Your system is not working & the line is not cold. Simple, the freon is ...
air conditioning problem	8/28/2007
Q: In April 2007 A/C motor replaced in outside unit. ($480.00). Two weeks ago, while on vacation, ... A: I don't know where you live but $480 for a $60 motor is highway robbery. Unless you are back East. ...
New furnace and air conditoner	8/27/2007
Q: I thinking about using Sears, I need to replace my furnace, it not working well ,the air is warm. ... A: Unless you have lots of money to throw around. Don't replace either. A furnace should last 30 years ...
220 window unit	8/27/2007
Q: My heat pump keeps freezing up and I don't know why, so I am trying to cool my home with my window ... A: The heat pump freezes up because it is low on freon. Get it re-charged. ($130 & up) Take that ...
air conditioning/heat	8/26/2007
Q: In our house we have an air conditioning/heat thermostat upstairs for the second floor and another ... A: First tell me about the units, both inside & outside. (make, model, ser#) Now tell me about the ...
placement of air handler unit	8/26/2007
Q: is it acceptable to place an air handler unit in an unfinished CA basement (e.g. completely exposed ... A: Forget the attic, that has a few problems & a cost increase. Put a concrete pad on the dirt. Either ...
Down Draft Gas Furnance	8/25/2007
Q: I have a down draft gas furnace installed in a closet in the middle of my home. Right now there is ... A: I am 5' 11" and 200 lbs. I install ducts in 18" spaces all the time. It is not easy but do-able. ...
square footager versus AC tons	8/24/2007
Q: I built a two story 3150 square foot home two years ago. The builder installed a Bryant model ... A: Never heard of that "rule". The size is determined by a "heat loss" analysis. The class to learn how ...
aircondition system	8/24/2007
Q: I have a new Amanda heat pump and air conditioning system. I is just less than one year old. It ... A: I don't do heat pumps.... but.... I can't see you for all the smoke in the room.... 100 degrees ...
Heating/Ac selection & maintenance	8/23/2007
Q: I have a split level house with an 18 year old Lennox hot air furnace (100,000 BTUs) to which a 4 ... A: Use a HIGH quality filter (HEPA quality) & change it more than once a year (twice at least). The ...
Split System Central Air Ineffective	8/21/2007
Q: We hava a townhouse in Raleigh NC with separate central air systems for upstairs and down. The ... A: First, install two power vents in the attic (at the highest point possible). Have more insulation ...
Central A/C not cooling down upstairs in new home	8/17/2007
Q: I actually have 2 issues, both related to my central A/C in a new home. The home is 3,000 sq ft, ... A: New house, 1st summer & it doesn't work right. I'd be mad as hell!! Bet it was not cheap either. ...
New system or fix parts	8/16/2007
Q: I have a 10 year old Goodman heating/AC system with dual thermostats for down and upstairs. Noticed ... A: Odd to have a crack. What kind of a Goodman (model #). I would suggest different things depending on ...
New Home Central AC Performance	8/15/2007
Q: I live in DC, just got a new central AC installed in my home, 3 ton, Bryant/Carrier, AC+evaporator ... A: Do you have a way to measure temp. accuratly? If so, at the furnace, big insulation covered pipe ...
Evaporator Coil Replacement	8/14/2007
Q: I have a Trane XE1000 air conditioner that is approximately 15 years old. I believe it is a 10 ... A: I would baby it along & start setting money aside for a complete replacement. NO!! Trane & Carrier ...
Central Air vent	8/13/2007
Q: I have a central air vent on the wall in my room in my house - rather than a vent on the ceiling. I ... A: My clue is: The room used to get cold, now it does't. The other girl may have taken action. Unscrew ...
Rheem HVAC unit dripping sound in wall	8/13/2007
Q: My commerical size HVAC unit which is located on my roof sits above our master bedroom. For the ... A: It all depends on how it is installed. If they think it is the drain pan, get it replaced. It might ...
A/C	8/3/2007
Q: I installed a brand new comfortmaker furnace in my house this winter. It works great. I remeved a ... A: Check the outside fuse for the unit and the breaker box. It sounds like a wiring problem. Two wires ...
Condensate Tray	8/2/2007
Q: Our home has a Rheem RCBA 3765GG17, M1496. Approx. 12 years old, located on second floor. Last week ... A: If it never leaked before, there is a tray. They only run around the edge (about 2" wide, 2 sides). ...
air condition heating split system	8/1/2007
Q: wiring 24 volt from condenser toheater (gas) to t stat A: 4 wires from furnace to T-stat. Yellow, red, white, green. Inside furnace,Red to red, white to white ...
A/C Upgrade	7/31/2007
Q: I am looking to replace our current 1993 Rheem 36000BTU furnace and Rheem condensers. We have a ... A: Why?? A Rheem furnace should last 30 to 40 years. The A/C units last 15 years average, some last 30 ...
AC Unit in attic	7/30/2007
Q: I just purchased a home in Feb. My ac unit has leaked since day one. I had the drip pan changed ... A: The drip pan should catch any moisture from the unit. The pan installation is bad. Call the outfit ...
split unit	7/28/2007
Q: , but every two weeks im down on ref........the inside unit is leaking water badly, at times ... A: Get a new guy. Your guy can not handle this problem. It takes some work & a special tool to find ...
central AC	7/26/2007
Q: I have a central AC system, package unit, on my townhouse on the roof. It cools fine and it has ... A: No, a small hole will not cause that problem. It appears that there is a problem, since it will not ...
dryer heat	7/25/2007
Q: I have a stackable washer/dryer. recently, my dryer has been giving off so much heat it steams up ... A: Put your fingers in the air stream, outside. Does it blow a lot or only a trickle? When there is ...
central AC	7/24/2007
Q: I have a central AC system, package unit, on my townhouse on the roof. It cools fine and it has ... A: Who said there is nothing wrong with it? The outfit that cleaned it? Something is wrong now. What ...
a/c/cooling relay?	7/23/2007
Q: We have an older Intertherm elec furnace. We just moved and are having a huge dust problem!! The ... A: Yes & No. It is not "just a relay". It is a "Contactor" (220 volt, high amperage relay). Yes, it ...
Wet air filter in Heat Pump	7/22/2007
Q: I just went to replace my air filter in my heat pump and noticed that the filter was wet with drops ... A: What problem?? Drops of water will get blown around in the unit. An A/C unit will make water ...
robershaw control board. board # 62-24084-82	7/21/2007
Q: I do not have the flash error codes and I get five flashes from the middle green led. the orange ... A: That is not the right #. That looks like a Rheem OEM part #, not a Robert Shaw #. Anyway, the ...
Carrier heater shutoff	7/20/2007
Q: I have a Carrier roof gas heater model 58PIN025H71103. It has an intermittent problem of shutting ... A: I would get the circuit board checked. Here in the States I know which wholesellers have testing ...
R410 air handlers	7/19/2007
Q: I am looking to replace my 2ton split system with a R410 system. I need an air handler that measures ... A: There is no such thing as a R410 air handler. An air handler is just an air mover. I would not ...
water condensation in furnace	7/18/2007
Q: i just realized there is water underneath and inside ofr my furnace; it seems to be condensing ... A: It is just like a glass of ice in a hot room. It is sweating. This is normal. There is a coil inside ...
Water around AC unit/Furnace	7/16/2007
Q: When my AC goes on, water is forming around the bottom of the furnace on the floor. One thing I did ... A: Are you "down South"?? If you are in a humid hot area, the drain lines need to be cleaned every ...
House AC Blower	7/15/2007
Q: I have an older Carrier heater which was put in around 1985, and a Hunter four wire thermostat that ... A: 2 things here. #1. lines frosting up. NORMAL Every inch of the big copper line needs to be covered ...
10 YR OLD SPLIT SYSTEM	7/14/2007
Q: I HAVE A GAS FURNACE THAT HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THE AIR COND HAS STOPPED COOLING 3 ... A: Now the rest of the story. If the pan under the furnace (attic installation) leaks, the ceiling ...
AC not cooling in Extreme hot	7/14/2007
Q: I have 3 ton unit for 1600 sqft. its working good in tropical weather. whenever temp raise 85 to 90 ... A: Where are you? What is the humidity like?? Does it stop completely?? Both the inside & outside ...
frozen evaporator	7/13/2007
Q: My built in AC has been acting weak. The duct was cold,so I opened up the sheet metal on the duct by ... A: What kind of unit, How old, SEER rating, which freon???? Now to the heart of things. Lack of air ...
leaking A coil	7/12/2007
Q: My repairman says the A coil has a leak. He said he put freon in it. It starts to cool but the line ... A: If the big copper line is not insulated, it will always freeze up. This line freezing will cost you ...
10 YR OLD SPLIT SYSTEM	7/11/2007
Q: I HAVE A GAS FURNACE THAT HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THE AIR COND HAS STOPPED COOLING 3 ... A: STOP! Relax, you have been given some "bum" advice. Water in the pan is normal. An A/C unit is ...
Blower motor does not run in attic	7/9/2007
Q: I have a central A/C unit for a 1200 sq ft home. When I turn the A/C to COOL and thermostat down I ... A: The "thump" is saying, "I am a bad motor". Replace it. Look in the phone book for a "Johnstone ...
AIR CONDITIONER	7/8/2007
Q: It seems to me that my air conditioning unit is not working as well as I would like. I realize it is ... A: Ok, lets find out about the freon. At the furnace, large copper pipe, pull back the black ...
Not enough air flow	7/7/2007
Q: I have a heil NULK 100DHo2 LPG furnace about 15 yrs old.It recently started to blow less air than it ... A: Which A/C coil did they clean? There are 3 different coils. Did they take apart the metal bonnet on ...
2 year old air conditioner dripping water	7/5/2007
Q: I live in a three story townhouse. the central air is only two years old. Yesterday AC turned on and ... A: When a unit works properly it will make condensation. Under the coil (next to furnace)(sometimes ...
A/C not cooling	7/5/2007
Q: I don't know what make my central A/C is I do know that the model no is NAC024AKB2. I have an 1157 ... A: It may be the right size. No way to tell from here. It depends on where you live, quality of ...
AC freezing up	7/3/2007
Q: The past two evenings we have experienced our A/C freezing up. Can you tell me what that might be ... A: They freeze up faster, when there is moisture in the air but that is not the reason they freeze up. ...
ac blowing barely cool air, condensor runnig constently	7/2/2007
Q: i had a service tech come out and check 2 outside ac units, he said they were overcharged and ... A: I think, he did not know what he was doing. Get the company back (for free) because he did not fix ...
furnace located in garage	7/1/2007
Q: My brother is in the process of buying a home. The furnace to the house is in the garage. We have ... A: Furnaces are often in garages. New construction is different than existing homes. To meet code, the ...
Whole House Fan Interfering with Gas Water Heater	6/30/2007
Q: Whole House Fan Interfering with Gas Water Heater...if I turn on my whole house fan upstairs, the ... A: You can not run the water heater & fan at the same time, peroid. The house is tight enough that the ...
a/c not blowing cold air, ice on pipe on bottom line going into the house.	6/30/2007
Q: 2005 Bryant 10 seer split system airconditionerf 561 in Tennessee, Residential. Inside the house at ... A: Sounds like the inside coil is frozen. Run the inside fan on, "On" only. Turn the heat/cool switch ...
AC in Aparment	6/29/2007
Q: Our AC has been running 24 hours a day for the past week. We like to keep it set at about 68 ... A: I need a bit more info. What kind of unit (model, mfg & ser#)?? Both inside & outside units. 65 ...
HVAC not working	6/28/2007
Q: Central AC Thermostat gives command to start compressor and fan outside but neither come on. Buzing ... A: An electrical check at the outside unit is needed. I suspect the 220 volt "contactor " is bad. Call ...
air vent	6/28/2007
Q: We had two new 2-ton A/C units installed. Previously, the airflow into the master bedroom ... A: If air flow was a problem, a new 2 ton unit will not change that. Duct design determines where & ...
loud noise!	6/27/2007
Q: We just bought a 13 seer 2ton norydne 1 package unit for our 1170 square foot mobile home.My First ... A: About the right size, if there is good insulation & doors & windows. Sounds like the compressor is ...
trane air conditioner	6/27/2007
Q: I have a trane outdoor unit and yesterday it started making a noise and when I checked it out the ... A: Is your son "Handy" & knows about electricity?? If so, he can probably replace the fan. Look for a ...
Goodman heat and air	6/26/2007
Q: We have a two year old system...adp... model number he22236c14581601ap...two ton unit...on top of a ... A: Sounds like three problems. 1. The filter should be at the furnace. Either right next to it, in a ...
air conditioner	6/25/2007
Q: I have about a 3 or 3 1/2 ton Central unit in my 16*80 mobile home. It cannot keep up on hot days. ... A: You have to match the inside coil & outside unit. A old 2 or 2 1/2 ton coil will not allow 3 tons of ...
comfortmaker furnace	6/25/2007
Q: comfortmaker...age i dont know ..illinois ......house.... we had a bad storm yesterday 6-23-07 ... A: When the blower runs & will not shut "Off" it is the "default" setting for a Control Board (brain ...
Central Air	6/24/2007
Q: OK, we just bought our house in November and we were excited to see the central air unit outside, ... A: First relax. Frost is normal on the big pipe. It means the compressor is working. Anytime the big ...
Goodman and Wires	6/24/2007
Q: I have a goodman unit and the wires that come fropm the house have been chewed up from the previous ... A: I have to guess about a lot of things. So, give me a bit of help. What kind of "Goodman" unit??? ...
high pressure in an oil fired boiler	6/22/2007
Q: I have an oil-fired hot water heating system. The pressure in my system sometimes gets high enough ... A: First, close off the supply. That will stop any water line pressure from the boiler. Bleed the ...
Loose wire on outside compressor	6/21/2007
Q: I have a Trane XB1000 HVAC unit. After I opened the outside compressor to clean the coils, I ... A: Look inside the cover of the case (elect area) for a schematic. If there is not one, go to Trane's ...
Gibson GS3BA-024KA Central Air unit	6/21/2007
Q: I live (rental) in a four year old 2-story townhouse (central air unit, i believe is 4 years old as ... A: Usually it is next to the furnace. Sometimes inside the blower compartment door. Or if the furnace ...
2 story English Tudor home and air	6/19/2007
Q: We have 950 sq feet upstairs and 1950 downstairs. We would like to put a central unit for the ... A: No way to tell the size because of the insulation, windows, doors, air tighteness, etc........ about ...
Air vent	6/18/2007
Q: We live in a 2002 manufactured home. We have been running the central air with no problem since ... A: No. The light is telling you that the fan motor has gone bad & needs to be replaced. (On the roof) ...
ac unit	6/17/2007
Q: This past winter we heard an awful noise coming from our heating system, but it would eventually go ... A: I am afraid you have 2 problems. 1. the awfull noise. 2. the fan outside not working. There is no ...
Comfortmaker sx 2300 wiring	6/17/2007
Q: I just installed a comfortmaker sx 2300 and I can't get it to work. All of the copper is fine, ... A: First, you need to tell me what kind of an indoor unit, age, AFUE, brand, model, what kind of T-stat ...
Central AC not running, new furnace	6/16/2007
Q: I had a new ARCOAIR DLX90 furnace installed in my house last October. I didn't replace the central ... A: Let me give you the normal wiring. From the T-stat to the furnace. Green (hot 24 to the fan relay) ...
$14000 for a Infinity 24ANA7 full system ?	6/14/2007
Q: Bill, I live in a modest 1998 5 bedroom 2500 sq ft in Northern Virginia Loudoun County. A few nights ... A: $14k, only if you have more money than brains. I would bring both units to you & install for $10k. I ...
HVAC	5/10/2007
Q: I have a RUUD Central hvac and the blower fan inside only works when heat on will no come on when ac ... A: Turn the "Fan On/auto" switch (at T-stat) to "On". Does it activate the fan? If not, check the wire. ...
Air conditioning and furnace	5/9/2007
Q: the furnace has been working all winter i have turned it off because of the warm weather, went to ... A: Check the 24 volt control wires that run out to the unit. They start at the furnace & go out side to ...
How long should it take to cool?	5/7/2007
Q: We just replaced our 20+ year old 3 ton Lennox with a Trane XL14 3.5 ton (coil & furnace). We tested ... A: With out a team of research people, at your house, it is impossible to answer this question. (I ...
Coleman DGA090BTA air conditioner	5/7/2007
Q: I noticed that the drain hose of my ac/heating unit is starting to wear (6years old). Can I replace ... A: Get a hose from the hardware store (like ACE Hardware)(they have all kinds & colors of hose). It is ...
A/C outside working / inside not blowing	5/1/2007
Q: I tried to turn my A/C on for the first time today. The outside unit seems to be working, at least ... A: Try thr T-stat. Turn the "Fan" switch to "On". It should blow. If it does not, the wiring or T-stat ...
No condendation in line	5/1/2007
Q: Carrier unit installed in attic. 11 years old..original equip Model CK5AXA0420X1AAAA All vents are ... A: Go to the attic unit & grab the insulated copper line, that goes into the coil. If the copper is ...
further info on AC unit	4/27/2007
Q: Sir, Here's all the info that I could gather on my AC unit and hope that help you with my initial ... A: OK, now I can see what you have. Inside, with in 2 feet of the unit there is a screw in fuse (15 ...
Wanting to find out if my air conditioner for my home	4/24/2007
Q: First off, I want to thank you for your help, in advance :) I did notice that you are not into heat ... A: ***********************************************************Heat pumps work in places, with enough ...
Lennox 80UHG (fan works, no heat)	4/21/2007
Q: I just came back from holidays, and my furnace didn't work. When I turned the thermostat up, I heard ... A: Good start. That tells me a lot. Look for the little fan, that starts when heat is called for. It ...
new HVAC install	4/21/2007
Q: I am currently looking at opinions regarding a new install of an HVAC system. I used this website ... A: First off. Puron is a type of freon. R-22 or Puron (R-410), both work about equally. R-22 will be ...
pump down	4/19/2007
Q: I have some questions I cannot seem to find answers to 1:I read about pumping down the refrigerant ... A: Yes & No. Sometimes a tech can recover "liquid" freon & re-use it. But you have to be carefull not ...
Snyder General Comfortor furnace	4/18/2007
Q: Bill I have a Snyder General Comfortor furnace, probably around 18 years old. It has stopped ... A: Lots of things could do this. Start with the fuse. With-in 2 feet of the furnace there should be a ...
Boiler keeps cutting out/flame goes out	4/17/2007
Q: i am a young female in my first home and pretty useless when it comes to things like this, so i'd ... A: OK, lets find the problem. 1st, find the ID plate of the boiler. Get me the model # & Ser# and the ...
coil leak	4/15/2007
Q: I want to know the guidelines on checking a coil leak. My repaireman said i could have a coil leak. ... A: Those symptoms are "CLASSIC" low freon. Sounds like he guessed how much to add instead, of adding in ...
coil leak	4/14/2007
Q: I want to know the guidelines on checking a coil leak. My repaireman said i could have a coil leak. ... A: Oh boy!... ... I don't know what he was thinking, so I can't tell you why. But It sounds like he is ...
too much hot water baseboard heat	4/14/2007
Q: 2 of the three zones on our propane hot water baseboard het seem to be stuck on (assuming the other ... A: Look around the boiler for a fuse. Just un-screw it & the unit will not work. Some units have a "On" ...
Heat Pump...	4/13/2007
Q: Are you able to help me determine what's a better deal? American Standard 13 SEER-2.5 Ton, R-22, ... A: I would go with the Goodman. Those Texas boys are serious about their air-conditioning (where ...
Rheem blower motor	4/11/2007
Q: I have a rheem imperial 80 plus natural gas home heating system bought around 1990. When system ... A: At the very least the motor needs replacement. BUT!!!! It could be the wheel out of balance and the ...
Furnace 58dr100-ba	4/8/2007
Q: I have a 1988 carrier furnace model # 58dr100-ba Series # 121 serial # 4187c41362 and it quit ... A: I caddied at Plum Hollow Golf Club back in high school. Used to hitch hike out 10 mile to caddy. ...
Furnace 58dr100-ba	4/8/2007
Q: I have a 1988 carrier furnace model # 58dr100-ba Series # 121 serial # 4187c41362 and it quit ... A: Glad to help. I grew up in Detroit. Yes it gets cold, but here in Montana it really gets ...
coil leak	4/7/2007
Q: I want to know the guidelines on checking a coil leak. My repaireman said i could have a coil leak. ... A: Soumds like a leak somewhere. A coil is inside of the furnace, in back of metal. Unless he took the ...
Heating problem	4/7/2007
Q: I have a keeprite furnace in my house about 5 years, and now I got the problem is the furnace light ... A: You need to tell me a bit more about the furnace. BTU's input, mfg of unit (Keeprite is a ...
Gas furnace crack	4/6/2007
Q: My gas furnace would work fine for about 5 minutes then the burners would shut off and blow cold ... A: I'll go look at the picture. The big BANG! is delayed ignition. Watch the burners when they first ...
Gas furnace crack	4/5/2007
Q: My gas furnace would work fine for about 5 minutes then the burners would shut off and blow cold ... A: Any crack means a replacement. Peroid. Unless you replace the heat chamber. Depends how old it is; ...
furnace b vent	4/5/2007
Q: what is a B vent is a plastic vent tube or some thing like a sheet metal pipe ? high temperature ? A: Type B vent is for furnace exhausts. It has an outer shell of galvanized with a liner of aluminum ...
Residential Recommendation	4/4/2007
Q: I have a 17yr old Amana Air 80 gas furnace and 2ton Bryant Central air unit in my house. 1954 - ... A: Good news James. What you want is a two pipe, 95% AFUE gas furnace. (I assume natural gas) I ...
heater blower fan	4/3/2007
Q: Bill, i was at my rental 2 days ago and noticed that the blower on the downstairs heating unit would ... A: More than 1 problem. Start with the blower. Figure out why it is cutting out. Get a 110 volt sensor ...
Janitrol 99 gas furnace	4/3/2007
Q: Started this am. Ignitor glows almost white hot, fan kicks on...no ignition. I cleaned the flame ... A: The gas valve is not activating. Could be bad or a wire to the valve is loose. Time to call a shop & ...
heat returns	4/2/2007
Q: i was looking into upgrading to new heater and ac unit due to the higher gas bills my home is 17 ... A: The new heaters need lots of return air. 25 to 45% more than the old ducts. This means the return ...
gas furnace will not light	4/2/2007
Q: I have an older american standard gas fired hot water system. The auto gas control valve will not ... A: Yes & No. How did you measure 24 volts? You need to measure from each gas terminal wire (unhooked) ...
gas furnace	3/31/2007
Q: my Bryant furnace [not sure the age probably 10 years]starts up then within 5 or 10 seconds it stops ... A: Yes, it sounds like a dirty sensor. Get some steel wool. Look in the flame for a small 1/8th" metal ...
Rheem Criterion gas furnace	3/30/2007
Q: Furnace cycle begins, ignitor heats, gas begins to blow, first 2 or sometimes 3 (of 5) gas jets ... A: Every burner needs to light right away. The "flash" tubes need to be cleaned & aligned. (small wire ...
no air and freezing pipes	3/25/2007
Q: I have a 2 year new 2 story 1 zone house. The half bath downstairs used to be the coldest and get ... A: Get some "Armaflex" insulation & cover every inch of the large copper line. Use 3M, 33+ electrical ...
noise from heat and air unit	3/25/2007
Q: I have a Rheem unit: Model RPMD-042JAZ; man. date 02/2005. The house is new, 1900 sq.ft. purchased ... A: I have no idea. This is not normal. I would open the furnace, tape the safety switch closed. Turn ...
Air Condition placement	3/24/2007
Q: I'm going to replace our home AC unit and was considering changing its location. The outdoor unit is ... A: 10 feet or 30 feet, no difference. It does cost to move the electricity & a new line set. Are you ...
Dog chewed wires	3/23/2007
Q: My dog chewed the wires apart that run from my house (brown coated) to my A/C unit (1 yellow and 1 ... A: You are right, it is a simple fix. I assume you mean the small (door bell size wires, 18 gauge). ...
furnace won't shut off	3/20/2007
Q: I have an new comfortmaker furnace 92% efficency. It went in, December of 2006. Worked great all ... A: Open the furnace. Find the "red" wire that goes to the T-stat. Unhook it. This will kill all juice ...
Arcoaire furnace	3/19/2007
Q: I have an arcoaire gas furnace, model#guf07ha0ceain. Im unfamiliar with AFUE so im not sure where to ... A: Yes I need more info. I am working with both eyes closed. You are my eyes. AFUE, does the furnace ...
Tons and Ameristar?	3/19/2007
Q: I've got a brand new 3000 sq. house in suburban Chicago. I didn't go with the builder for the air ... A: I grew up in Detroit, so I know your city/area. A 3 1/2 or 4 ton is right. The guys who advise a 5 ...
goodman package unit	3/17/2007
Q: i'm about to buy a new package unit from wholesale will it already be charged or will i have to have ... A: Just so we are on the same page. A package unit sits outside on the ground (or concrete) and ...
Ignition Failure - Intertherm Furnace	3/13/2007
Q: I have a G5RA Series High Efficiency Upflow/Horizontal Furnace (propane). It used to have this ... A: This one needs an "eye ball" on the furnace. I suspect that the flame is "wandering" away from the ...
Condensation on furnace pipes in attic	3/8/2007
Q: I'm hoping you can give me some input, or at least point me in the right direction. Had my roof ... A: What kind of insulation?? You should use "Armaflex" black, closed cell insulation. Available at a ...
on and off	3/4/2007
Q: amana gas furnace comes on for about 2 mins then shuts off does not heat the house what could it be ... A: I suspect the sensor is dirty. Look in the burner flames for a small rod (1/8th" thick & 3 or 4 ...
Almost time to replace Hot Water Heater	3/3/2007
Q: I have a A O Smith hot water heater and it's more than 13 yrs old. The model number is 40 224 and ... A: Tankless heaters have been around a long time and 1. EXPENSIVE 2. expensive to install 3. ...
rheem gas furnace	3/2/2007
Q: Bill I have a rheem classic 90 plus gas furnice. The last several days the temperature drops below ... A: It is an ignition/sensor problem. Look in the pilot flame (or burner flames) for a small "Rod" (1/8 ...
Lennox tripped limit switch?	3/1/2007
Q: This is a Lennox G40UH(X) Series Gas Furnace about 4 years old - in Nevada (cold weather lately). We ... A: I think you got scamed the last service call. The limit switches, reset automaticly. What happens ...
Heater not coming on	2/26/2007
Q: This morning my house was cold cold cold. My thermostat said 60 degrees but my heater never kicked ... A: I need a lot more info about the furnace. AGE, AFUE, type, mfg., make & model, etc. Turn the T-stat ...
Rheeme furnace	2/26/2007
Q: Bill - It's a 90% efficency furnace with plastic venting. We've always had the problem. Should it ... A: Now a few gaps in info are filled. I do have an idea. The North winds are causing the pressure ...
Furnace vent	2/22/2007
Q: I just bought this older home and I'm having trouble with the furnace / water heater venting. It ... A: Only replace the "top" if it is rusted or rotted out. They are easy to replace. Usually there are ...
home boiler furnace	2/21/2007
Q: Our furnace (hot water boiler) seems to be having troubles. It makes a loud buzzing/humming sound ... A: The buzzing is a valve or relay trying to start (open or close). The valve sticking is something to ...
Standard Furnace Problem	2/20/2007
Q: OK, the model is a CUB100A93GC2 and the serial no: 3142SAB2GI have a standard furnace and when I ... A: I take it, the brand is a "Standard". Never heard of it. Is it possibly an "American Standard" ...
Furnace Comes on With Central Air	2/17/2007
Q: Brainard, I have a “RUUD Achiever 90 Plus” unit that seems to be having a problem that I hope you ... A: Sounds like some of the wires may be bad. Unhook the T-stat wires inside the furnace. (W,R,G,Y,Bl) ...
armstrong air furnace ultra 5 tech 80 model	2/15/2007
Q: sometimes furnace tries to light and ignitor glows and furnace comes on but shuts down.If I reset ... A: It is shuting down right away because it is not "Proofing" the flame. It is lighting but the ...
Is it the heat pump or the installers?	2/14/2007
Q: Trouble with new units. Briefly... we had new heat/air unit installed in our 2story home in ... A: I would write them a letter & tell them since they have not been able to fix it, replace it or ...
Heater Troubles	2/13/2007
Q: Bill here is the additional info. that you requested. Sears Life Clad Automatic Gas Furnace; Model ... A: Ahh!!! The big bang. I have seen this happen. It rattles you to see it happen. This happens when ...
Heater Troubles	2/12/2007
Q: We are desperate for help. I have a 1800 sq. ft home and it has a Sears heating unit with 3 ... A: I need some more info. Type of fuel used, age of furnace, AFUE rating, MFG, model,etc.... Explain ...
Standard Furnace Problem	2/11/2007
Q: I have a standard furnace and when I turn it on it turns on for about a minute or so then shuts off ... A: I need to know what kind of furnace, age, AFUE, model, etc.... Then tell me what you have allready ...
furnace	2/9/2007
Q: I have a ruud 90 plus furnace model ugeb-07nc-fs and I cant get the burners to stay on. After I call ... A: I am sure it has a flame sensor. Look for the sensor "rod" in the burner flames. It is about 1/8th ...
Furnace or T'stat malfunction	2/8/2007
Q: We have a quite new (2000) gas-fired furnace with a Honeywell auto thermostat. It has recently ... A: Furnace problem. Service the furnace & pray. It is not a photo sensor. Rather, it is part of an ...
BRRRrrrrr!	2/6/2007
Q: I live in a mobile with a Coleman Furnace #7966A856 that runs on propane. After relighting the ... A: How old is the furnace?? I would check for a bad heat chamber. Have the propane dealer check for CO ...
Heater returns	2/5/2007
Q: I am remodeling my home. There are 2 returns to my forced hot air gas furnace. Both are low on the ... A: YES!!!!! It should not be done. The return needs to pick up cool air from the floor. Not warm air ...
heating problem	2/3/2007
Q: It's forced air. It's a Trane XE 90...the house was built in 2001 so the unit has to be a 2000 or ... A: This just does not sound right. I am missing something. What controls the zones? (brand of ...
rheem gas furnace	1/31/2007
Q: i have a rheem gas furnace. the problem is the warm air only comes out in the daytime. but as it ... A: It is not the T-stat or anticipator. The anticipator allows the T-stat to keep the temp steady. Not ...
Furnace blower problem	1/28/2007
Q: I have a 10 year old Bryant natural gas furnace, 125,000 BTU. It has worked great until recently. ... A: No damage, no danger. There is a heat sensor in the main heat chamber. When the chamber heats up, ...
Heating unit filter	1/24/2007
Q: I just purchased a home so i decided to change the filter on the furnace. I am very confused (first ... A: Just measure the one you have. Standard sizes are, 16x20,16x25, 20x25, 20x20. Buy a high quality, $6 ...
Furnace heating cycles	1/18/2007
Q: My Goodmand gas furnace was cycling 4 min on 4 min off. I called a repair service and they ... A: I am in Montana, so I understand cold. Maybe it is normal. 4 min "On & Off" could be OK if it is ...
heating	1/18/2007
Q: I am in the military and I got a call from my grandmother who is living in Green Bay Wisconsin. she ... A: First off, relax, it's nothing major. With out knowing what furnace or T-stat, I can only guess. A ...
Annual Furnace Check	1/17/2007
Q: Can you tell me what the annual furnace check entails? I have someone who quoted us $69 for an ... A: What kind of a unit, age, AFUE, model, type of fuel, etc...... However, it is mostly a cleaning & ...
No Heat	1/13/2007
Q: I have a Rheem heat/ac combo unit which is at least 23 years old which quit heating. The air ... A: Does it then shut off & try again & again. but not light?? It is not sensing the pilot flame, so the ...
Cold Air Return	1/11/2007
Q: I was told to place a secondary cold air return to our existing furnace to enhance performance. I am ... A: The shape does not matter. Flex ducting looses is effectiveness, unless stretched as tight as a ...
No heating-All cooling/fans works fine	1/10/2007
Q: 1988 and no light was noticedHi Bill, We have a Carrier 376BAW036075AABA @1988 with control board ... A: What AFUE effeciency?? Measure 24 volt on the "red" wire going to the T-stat. Then measure the ...
Armstrong Air Ultra V giving (erroneous?) Pressure Switch error	1/9/2007
Q: I have an Armstrong Air Ultra V that decided to quit working last night some time. So when I opened ... A: The brain box (or controler card) wants the pressure switch to be "open" when the unit calls for ...
armstrong furnace	1/9/2007
Q: furnace will work then code will flash 6 times then 1 it says ignition lockout if i turn switch off ... A: When you turn "Off" the juice it re-sets the brain box. Lockout happens when the furnace fails to ...
Propane water heater exhaust	1/8/2007
Q: I got a new propane service company and they did an inspection of my 100+ year old farmhouse and ... A: The propane co. guy did not know what he was talking about. I do not know NY code. BUT!!! National ...
Rheem heating unit (residential)	1/7/2007
Q: We have a Rheem High Efficiency (Electric Ignition) heater for our house, it's about 15 years old or ... A: You do not need a new unit. What do you use for fuel?? Natural gas or propane?? The propane may be ...
Heater/AC won't respond	1/6/2007
Q: I live in Los Angeles California, and we have a Carrier heater and A/C unit (at least 10 yr old). ... A: Not the T-stat. Check the front blower door. There is a safety switch on the blower door. If it gets ...
York(yzb03011) vs Ruud(UPNK)	1/4/2007
Q: I have two estimates: York(yzb03011) http://www.yorkupg.com/PDFFiles/271457-YTG-B-1106.pdf $4800 ... A: Time to get additional bids. Neither one is a superior unit. Only a regular unit. The warrantees are ...
heater works but is acting up scaring me	1/4/2007
Q: my heater is a mobile home central heat and air and it is totally ELECTRIC. when it is time for my ... A: I would have to put a meter on it, to be sure BUT I suspect the motor is going out. The sequencer ...
High electric bill	1/3/2007
Q: I can get the make from my husband if you need it, but our house is five years old and it is a ... A: The controls may well have been damaged by the lighting. I would blame it on the lighting strike & ...
Rheem puts out no heat, but good air.	1/2/2007
Q: Had Saun work the thermostat and got a relay clicking behind the high-voltage cover, trying to feed ... A: That fan needs to work, to vent, the exhaust the furnace makes. Unless it runs the furnace will not ...
replaced corrided fuses	1/1/2007
Q: I'm not sure on what happened to my heating unit. At first the system is a Intertherm. It lives in a ... A: Dirt blows through the air & settles out. (moving air caused by the furnace blower) Anyway, you did ...
Rheem puts out no heat, but good air.	1/1/2007
Q: We have two Rheem model RRGG07E37JKR units on the roof. One suddenly doesn't put out heat, but A/C ... A: Now you know the trouble with roof mounts. Cold & ice and bitter wind are lots of fun. <BG> Anyway, ...
payne heater makes loud rattle noise	12/31/2006
Q: While the heater is running it makes a loud rattling noise which I suspect is coming from the fan. ... A: You did not say how old the unit is. Assuming it is more than 15 & a "low" AFUE furnace. Does this ...
furnace in attic	11/21/2006
Q: I have a furnace in the attic and noticed 5 return air vents at the base of the furnace. 4 of these ... A: When I hear "return air vent", that means the air that is returned from the rooms. Sometimes a guy ...
Limit settings	11/21/2006
Q: I have a Heil 125,000 btu natural gas furnace that has the adjustable switch that where you can set ... A: There is no standard setting, except for the "High" limit (about 200 degrees)(check the furnace ...
Thermostat wiring	11/20/2006
Q: Three wire thermostat wire shows continuity across all three with all ends disconnected. Wall short ... A: Only 1 fix I know of. Install a wireless T-stat. Do a google search. You will have to special order ...
furnace	11/20/2006
Q: I have a comfortmaker rpj2. The exhaust blower turns on, the burners burn for seven seconds. Then ... A: Right in front of the burners there is a "roll out" switch (small button size disc with two wires ...
Heil Forced Air Furnace Problem	11/19/2006
Q: I have recently bought a 2 family house and live in upstate NY. The furnace is a Heil, about 15 yrs ... A: It sounds more like an electrical problem with the motor. The bearings will bind & cause hard ...
Central heating unit fan problem	11/19/2006
Q: I just moved into a single wide mobile home built in 1983. I just got the landlord to light the ... A: If the fan runs all the time & will not shut "Off", that is one kind of a problem. BUT Yours cycles ...
LP FURNACE LIGHTS AND SHUTS OFF LIKE 20 SECONDS	11/17/2006
Q: TRANE GAS FIRED DIRECT VENT 2 STAGE CONDENSING FURNACE WITH VARIABLE SPEED INDUCER. This lights up ... A: Check the ground connections between the pilot & "Brain box". Wipe the sensor "Rod" with steel wool. ...
Finding a thermostat	11/17/2006
Q: We have a gas furnace. We've purchased about 5 thermostats in 3 years. HELP! The main problem is ... A: If the thermostats contain a merury switch, the door thumping will start the furnace (round ...
furnace	11/16/2006
Q: I have a comfortmaker rpj2. The exhaust blower turns on, the burners burn for seven seconds. Then ... A: The "brain box" is not getting the signal, that a Flame is present. So it shuts down in 7 seconds. ...
furnace help	11/15/2006
Q: My mother has a Janitrol funace, approx. 12 years old. There's a lightswitch type thing with a fuse ... A: The switch can be replaced. Ace hardware has them and most lumberyards, about $12 to $15. Anyone ...
Furnace fan question	11/15/2006
Q: I have a question regarding the fan on my furnace. When we turn the heat on it works fine BUT when ... A: Yes, that is a safety feature. The fan is supposed to blow for awhile after the heat stops. The fan ...
steam radiator	11/14/2006
Q: I have a steam radiator leaking at the value. I tighten the value-but it is still leaking. Someone ... A: That advice is wrong. How & what are you tightening?? Where is this leak?? Is it leaking around the ...
Armstrong furnace cycles	11/13/2006
Q: My Armstrong Ultra SX 80 sometimes runs fine but usually it cycles continually. When calling for ... A: The 4 pins give the fan, "On" time for the purge. Where is the jumper set now?? When the furnace is ...
Rheem Home Heating System	11/12/2006
Q: Our forced air heating system kicks on okay, but when the temperature is reached and it turns off, I ... A: What is the AFUE of the furnace?? (plastic or metal vent pipe)?? I agree, the Lux is a good T-stat. ...
furnance noise	11/12/2006
Q: My forced air furnance frequently - but not always - makes a loud bang when the main jets ignite. It ... A: One or more of the burners is out of alignment. When the mains light, there is a gas build up. Then ...
Furnace not igniting	11/11/2006
Q: I have a Goodman furnace, about seven years old. The unit kicks on and seems to go through the ... A: If the part that glows is not working, it is easy to replace. Undo it & take it to a supplier for a ...
No Heat in Daughter's Room	11/10/2006
Q: I live in a 3-level townhouse that was built in 1988. I have a forced-air gas furnace that is about ... A: The ducts controling air flow have been messed up. A sheet metal shop is needed. They will have to ...
no cold air	11/9/2006
Q: I have a Trane xe1100 ac unit. It is blowing air on the inside, but not cold. The unit outside ... A: If it is cooler outside (56 ), why don't you open the windows? If 56 is a typo & it is "Hot" ...
Trane XE 80 filters	11/9/2006
Q: I've got the above heater in my house which we just bought--it's ~12yrs old. Works fine! I'm ... A: You are right it is "Odd". Where does this 12" high box connect to? Where does the 16 x 25 connect ...
floor furnace	11/8/2006
Q: I rent my house that was probably built in the 40's and I have a floor furnace that I believe is ... A: The chamber is full of soot. It will plug up any small leaks. Where does it put soot out?? (out the ...
Sears/Kenmore SP80 furnace	11/7/2006
Q: This furnace is about 16 years old.recently installed a smart valve. then notice flame roll out of ... A: The exhaust is blocked. Either inside the chamber, in the vent pipe, in the stack. Somewhere. Does ...
Janitrol furnace	11/7/2006
Q: I read the one about the guy that had the Jantrol system that would ignite but not stay lit. Mine ... A: You need to tell me more about the furnace. (model & ser #) If it shuts off that fast, it means the ...
Heil Model 1125320A3	11/7/2006
Q: Bill, Our home is equipped with the 2002 Model Heil, propane fueled furnace model listed above. The ... A: Put your fingers on the small blower motor. Careful it may be hot, it is the exhaust blower. If you ...
condensate	11/6/2006
Q: coleman gas heater gets condensate in pressure sensor tube 3 times in one week. I empty water and ... A: The sensor needs to be re-located, so the tube runs, UPHILL to the sensor. Then this will not ...
Baseboard heating not working.	11/5/2006
Q: Three rooms in my house, each with baseboard heating, don't work. All of the other heaters in the ... A: This is outside of my expertise. But I know the heaters need 220 volts to operate. I suspect one ...
Residential Furnace Problems	11/4/2006
Q: I stumbled across this web site searching for some tips on troubleshoot residential furnaces. ... A: How are you with electricity?? Did you check at the furnace for a fuse? There is usually a white ...
fan won't stop	11/3/2006
Q: I have a Goodman PGB036100-1A unit approx 4 years old. I live in the Atlanta, GA area in a single ... A: That is where the relay is located. Bad board maybe, even though it is new. Get a Warrenty ...
HEIL Natural Gas Furnace problem	11/3/2006
Q: We have a fairly new HEIL furnace in our house. I'm not sure how new, as we have only been living ... A: It could be any of 50 different furnaces. No way for me to help, unless you provide more info. What ...
Pressure Switch	11/2/2006
Q: Furnace wont ignite due to the diagnostic flashes. 3 Flashes means the pressure switch is stuck ... A: Easy fix - Unhook the rubber tube to the pressure switch. See if there is any water in the tube. ...
Furnace exhaust and drain	11/1/2006
Q: Bill I have a Goodman 100K 90+ furnace (no air) that is 2 years old in my garage kneewall and if you ... A: The pipes slope so the condensate will flow to 1 spot (warm spot), & not freeze. The heat in the ...
Noisy Furnace	11/1/2006
Q: I see that you have answered this question before but i need a little more help. I have a Thermal ... A: Normally the motors have 3 or 4 speeds. The highest is for A/C. The next speed is for heating. The ...
Room too cold in winter/too warm in summer	10/31/2006
Q: We bought a new home, new construction, and have had problems with one of the upstairs bedrooms not ... A: It is a crock. Each room is supposed to get enough air to properly heat & cool it. The duct work was ...
Blower No Go	10/31/2006
Q: I have an American Standard Freedom 80 gas furnace. On a call for heat the pilot ignites and 45 ... A: The pilot ignites but do the main burners ignite?? If so, I think the blower motor is out. Get a ...
Question - replace?	10/29/2006
Q: Mr. Brainard - I'm not sure how old our AC & furnace are. My husband feels if 'it ain't broke, ... A: Your husband's idea is right (usually). BUT Sears/Homart is over 30 years old (guess). The life is ...
replacing thermostat	10/29/2006
Q: I just bought a honeywell RTH230B programmable electronic thermostat. I previously had a honeywell ... A: OK, lets give it a try. I'll have to guess, since I do not know what kind of furnace etc..... ...
Goodman ignition sequence	10/28/2006
Q: Bill, I have a Goodman GMS80904BNA (propane fired) that was installed last spring. The AC worked ... A: Dan: .. .. .. Do not despair. I do think it is the board. Sounds like he was incompetent. However, ...
GOODMAN GAS FURNACE MALFUNCTION - UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE	10/27/2006
Q: Would you please help me with my faulty gas furnace? Here are my specs and problems below. make: ... A: The "brain box" is not sensing the flame at the burners. That is why it shuts "off". Look for the ...
Cracked Furnace	10/24/2006
Q: I own a house that was built in 1955. It has a natural gas floor furnace that I suspect is original ... A: Simple. It can kill you. A crack lets carbon monoxide into the house & it puts you to sleep. Have ...
Janitrol model GMP100-3	10/23/2006
Q: When my furnace blower goes on, it ignites and only stays lit for a few seconds and does this ... A: The sensor cuts "Off" the gas, if it does not "sense" a flame. It is a safety device. Take some ...
HVAC: Refrigerant line length	10/22/2006
Q: I'm having my attic finished and consequently replacing my existing HVAC system (approx 2 ton)with a ... A: Someone screwed up. 1/4" by 3/4" is too small. You will not even get 2 tons of cooling. He is trying ...
Carrier Weathermaker furnace	10/22/2006
Q: The gas on our Carrier model #58WAV090-GC (S/N 4593A14920) will not start. Last spring before I ... A: When the fan runs continuously it is the "default" setting, this tells the homeowner the "Brain" is ...
Rheem Furnace	10/21/2006
Q: I have a down force Rheem airhandler, the other day we finally started to use the heater. but heres ... A: What AFUE is the unit? What age?? I assume you mean a "furnace", not an air handler. Air handler ...
Rheem furnace will not turn on	10/21/2006
Q: I have a rheem gas furnace with electric ignitor. Ran fine last year, this year it will not turn ... A: Can you send me a picture of the wires & coil they form? Find the "Red" & "White" wires that run to ...
rheem furnace	10/20/2006
Q: I am working on a rheem furnace Model # RGDG-15 EAR JR The furnace will light for six secounds and ... A: I had to think about this one. You have done the normal things. This short cycle is usually caused ...
new heat duct in garage	10/17/2006
Q: I recently had a "duct hit" placed in my garage. The main trunk in the garage is encased in dry ... A: God, is the contractor ever, "cheap" & "Lazy". The duct should have a metal seleve out of the dry ...
Heating	10/14/2006
Q: I have a residential Frigidaire/Nordyne high efficiency gas fireplace Model Number G6RC. It is ... A: I would suspect the "high limit" is tripping (after 10 min operation). Use a meter & try to find the ...
Problems with Rheem furnace staying on..	10/13/2006
Q: I have a Rheem Weatherking furnace(rcba 375GG17xI) that is about 2 years old in my upper apartment ... A: You may be able to fix it. I would suspect the sensor. Look at the pilot flame, there should be a ...
TRANE Air Conditioner, does it need replaced?	10/11/2006
Q: Mr. Brainard- Hello and Help! At the end of the summer, my air conditioner started acting ... A: A/C average age is 10 to 12 years at failure. Triping the breaker is the key. It is quiting. Plan ...
Amana/Goodman Furnace	10/8/2006
Q: How do I close an OPEN ROLLOUT or mre specifically, my funace is on steady blower only with a blink ... A: Call for service. A steady "On" blower means the "brain box" has gone bad. (Default setting, "On") ...
sealing off heating duct in concrete	10/7/2006
Q: We are redesigning our family room and there is a air duct coming out of the concrete slab floor, ... A: You still need heat in the room. If you cut a grill in the toe space under the cabnet, heat will ...
heil furnace won't ignite and LED flashes 3 times.	10/6/2006
Q: this heil furnace code led flashes 3 times over and over and it won't ignite A: Of course it will not work. There is a problem that has to be fixed first. Look inside the furnace ...
propane heater pilot light	10/6/2006
Q: I just bought a cabin that has a sears propane heater in the living room. Although there are ... A: Look for a 1 inch round disk, that rotates out of the way. That will give you access to the pilot. ...
furnace malfunction	10/5/2006
Q: I submitted the following question last week and received an autoresponder message saying the ... A: It is not the T-stat. It is in the heating circuit. What kind of a "reset" button is it? Where is it ...
furnace replacement	10/5/2006
Q: I will be changing out my furnaces. I live in a cold climate in a 40 year old home. Questions: 1. ... A: I live in a Montana house, built in 1890. Go with a 2 pipe ultra efficient, 95%AFUE, 2 stage ...
Noise in wall when furnace is on	10/2/2006
Q: We have our furnace in the basement. The gas furance is a Coleman model and it is about 5 years old. ... A: Is this a "Pre-built" or "Modular" home? Some manufacturers use a Coleman that has a Fan installed ...
a/c heat problem	10/2/2006
Q: Bill, I just installed a Rheem a/c unit at my home . Went well, works fine. I took the old Carrier ... A: Is this a "split system" or a "package unit"? If it is two seperate units, each with their seperate ...
Air Conditioner/Three High Electric Bills	10/1/2006
Q: We have a Carrier air conditioning/heating unit, model 50JS-04---301-- and have lived in our house ... A: Since the unit has a heat strip, it is a heat pump. Heat pumps are different. They have a "control ...
can I run furnace blower all the time	10/1/2006
Q: I have a fireplace and I was wondering if I can wire the blower on my furnace to run all the time to ... A: Does the furnace have air-conditioning? If so, just turn the "Fan" switch to on. If not put a switch ...
Leak in A/C Drain Line	9/28/2006
Q: as a fellow Sears employee (11 years), I hope that you can assist with my personal problem. I closed ... A: Some idiot forgot to glue a joint or the concrete guys broke the line. The contractor will have to ...
replacing electric with propane	9/27/2006
Q: I purchased a retirement home in northern Virginia that was built in 1982. It is an all-electric ... A: Easy on the replacement. A heat pump is a good way to save money. I do not know of any way to ...
R-22 indoor coil and R-410A Condenser	9/25/2006
Q: I had a new Puron 38TXA030 Carrier installed exactly two years ago. Aside from needing a pound of ... A: The coil is a "miss-match". This will hurt efficiency but not cause a failure. This will cost a bit ...
electric furnace wiring	9/23/2006
Q: i am installing a interthem 53,000 btu electric furnace with 2 breaker in the furnace and 2 in the ... A: Maybe the wire is the correct size. Look on the ID plate, for the "Amp" rating. That will determine ...
Furnace does stay on?	9/21/2006
Q: I have a four year old furnace that wont stay on. The HSI turns orange and ignites the flame, it ... A: What kind of furnace & what AFUE?? ... . . .I would have said to clean the sensor (or replace). ...
furnace blower	9/19/2006
Q: my furnace blower will not shut off it runs after air conditioner shuts off and will not stop i have ... A: But what kind of furnace & what AFUE & age is it??? I can only guess. A lot of high efficiency ...
A/C freezes	9/18/2006
Q: my A/C freezes and forms ice blocks on the cooling coils. I just had it serviced three weeks ago ... A: When the system is low on freon, it will freeze up the coil. Put the fan to "On". It will melt the ...
Gas exhaust pipes into chimney reapir	9/17/2006
Q: What do I need to do to repair loose cement around 2 heating systems exhaust pipes going into ... A: I assume the pipes are metal and the chimney is brick. Remove the pipes & clean the pipe entrance, ...
Air Conditioning	9/16/2006
Q: I was wrong in my calclations. I only have 154 square inches net free area return air for the 2.5 ... A: 200 to 250 Sq. inches for the 2 1/2 ton and 250 to 300 for the 3 ton. Roughly. Your units have ...
Air Conditioning	9/15/2006
Q: (2) American Standard units, both 10 years old, one 3 ton and one 2.5 ton, austin, texas, 13 seer, ... A: When did they start acting up?? Lately or 10 years ago?? Did he open the blower compartment & ...
Furnace blower runs, but A/C condenser will not turn on	9/14/2006
Q: I have a LENNOX Diplomat 80HGF3 furnace...12 year old (original in house). For a few weeks now (off ... A: If you can be safe with 220 A.C., open the back of the outside unit. Turn the A/C "On". When the ...
HVAC new service - opportunity to make the best choice	9/10/2006
Q: I am about to renovate and construct 2 90 year old homes into one home. Size will be about 5200 sq ... A: Mild winters but how many days below 45 degrees. When the temp drops below 45 the heat pump does not ...
New A/C system	9/7/2006
Q: I am currenty looking to replace my home a/c. I plan on overhauling everything from the ducts and ... A: The fan can have from 4 to 12 speeds. The contractor will decide which type of control to use. Some ...
return duct	9/6/2006
Q: I have a hvac contractor that is going to install a heat pump and variable speed air handler. He ... A: It does not have to be made out of metal. We also use "duct board", which is a compressed ...
Changing from a Propane furnace to Electric Furnace?	9/5/2006
Q: I am considering buying a newer doublewide home with property. Although it has propane as its ... A: You think propane is costly, wait until you get the electric bill. My partner had an all electric ...
Air Conditioning Leak	9/4/2006
Q: Last year, I was told by a repairman that I my outside airconditioner was very low on freon. Rather ... A: Take a spry bottle with water & a teaspoon of Dawn dish soap. Squirt every joint (nothing ...
Heating for our basement	9/3/2006
Q: I have a 17 year old, 3100 sq,ft home in Southern Ontario. It is very difficult to maintain a ... A: Blocking vents doesn't really work. What is wrong with the system that it does not heat the ...
York vs Ruud furnances and A/C	9/2/2006
Q: Recently PSE&G told me my hot air furnace and central air unit to be changed due to age of unit ... A: OK, lets have a go at it. I leave in about 8 hours, to fly to Detroit. Work & vacation. Anyway,The ...
filter	9/1/2006
Q: Heil/867815014/6-89/Alabama/home. The filter light is blinking on my ac digital control box but I ... A: The filter should be at the furnace. Did you open the blower door. Sometimes they are inside or ...
HVAC thermostat removal for replacement	8/30/2006
Q: My question is probably relatively simple as HVAC question go but I'm stumped. I bought a new ... A: I think the next thing is to un-screw it from the wall. Then look on the back for the wire screws. ...
Standing Water in HVAC vents of mobile home	8/29/2006
Q: I kid you not, I removed 23 GALLONS of standing water in my daughters bedroom vent that wasn't there ... A: I believe you. Every A/C unit makes condensate. There is a pan under the A/C coil that it is ...
Condensation In Air Handler Closet	8/28/2006
Q: I have a Bryant 10 SEER 3 ton all-electric unit that is about 6 years old. I live in South Alabama, ... A: Honest HVAC contractors are like "Army intelligence", hard to find. <BG> Anyway, I have no idea ...
A/C compressor fails to respond - Bryant 2 Ton Unit w/air handler	8/27/2006
Q: Could you perhaps elaborate on that a little bit. For example why does it (contactor) work ... A: There is no explaination for this type of failure. Experience teaches & the "gut". Do you pay these ...
Furnace fan stays on	8/27/2006
Q: I have a Armstrong furnace 80 afue that stays even when the thermostat is turned off. Can you please ... A: Easy one. These furnaces have an "electronic brain" that runs them. When the "Brain" goes bad, a ...
Refrigerated Air Unit Size	8/27/2006
Q: I currently live in El Paso, TX and have evaporative air conditioning. I installed a new heater and ... A: You are being taken advantage of. SEER is the energy rating, amount of energy used by the cooling. ...
Condensation under house around floor vents	8/26/2006
Q: I have a two year old York 4 Ton 12 Seer Gas heat Electric Air All in one Unit with an AFUE of ... A: The only time condensate forms, is when warm air hits cold metal or glass. Like a glass of ice ...
fan quit blowing	8/25/2006
Q: i woke up this morning and their was no air blowing from my vents. the unit was on and sounded ... A: Anytime the black insulation exposes the copper pipes, they will frost up. It only means you are ...
Combustion Air	8/25/2006
Q: I am remodelling my basement. I have a 10 x 7 foot room that houses both my hot water heater (gas) ... A: 1. Use a 7" duct and put a p-trap (heat trap)in the duct. That way inside air will not flow up the ...
Leaking Cooling Unit	8/24/2006
Q: I live in Arizona. Most homes have the A/C unit installed outside and the furnace stored on or ... A: I answered this earlier. Did it get to you? Get back to me if not. Later ...
Best placement of ac unit	8/24/2006
Q: We are having a new home built and the builders claim better efficiency with the ac unit in the ... A: yes & no. You are right, because most attics are very "HOT"!! What special things have they done to ...
Drain pan	8/24/2006
Q: Greetings! I trust all is well! We have a brand new installation of a 13+ SEER residential (3 ton) ... A: 80% furnaces do not condensate, so they never need a drain pan. An extra drain pan under the coil is ...
Home A/C	8/23/2006
Q: I have a 3 ton outside unit that was assess as being about 8 SEER (is a mid 1990's Nordyne). The ... A: I would run the unit until it dies. Then replace the coil & outside unit at the same time. So you ...
Home A/C	8/23/2006
Q: I currently have a 3 ton outside compressor/cooling unit.(est at being an 8 SEER) We replaced the ... A: Is the current 3 tons working??? 3 tons, is 3 tons. Cost of running the units does not change the ...
A/C wont shut off	8/22/2006
Q: The outside unit turns off, but the inside fan stays on all the time. How easy is the Fan Relay to ... A: Fan relays are easy to change. BUT !!! If your furnace is of the newer type. That is not the ...
physical sizes of a/c units	8/22/2006
Q: I am in the process of designing my home in the florida keys and am wondering if any compressor ... A: The A/C unit does not count for set back. Just to be sure, check with the city building dept. Max ...
Airconditioneer does not turn on.	8/22/2006
Q: Sorry for not giving clear details. Dual zone means, I have 2 identical units, one for each floor. ... A: Each unit has a fuse with in 2 feet of the unit. Get in the attic & check it. Can you borrow a ...
air conditioning expense	8/22/2006
Q: I live in Sun City Az. In the last three months my ac bill has gone from $240 to $270 to $385. I ... A: It costs extra money if the T-stat is changed, up & down, durring the day. Put it in one spot & ...
Outside fan motor cycling properly , but no compressor	8/21/2006
Q: I have a GE model BWV924G110D0 central AC unit in my home....home is about 25 years old and I have ... A: If you feel the big pipe right where it enters the furnace. What temp. is it?? If it is somewhat ...
What size A/C	8/20/2006
Q: I am in the process of installing a new heating and cooling system in my house. I am one of those ... A: If this were my house I would put the time & money into a regular system & the re-modeling ...
airconditioner ice	8/20/2006
Q: I have a carrier ac unit modle cd5bxao42ooaaaa s# 4496xo6788 9years old Inside the house everything ... A: To melt the ice. Turn the fan to "On" and the A/C to "Off". This will put room air through the coil ...
Gas Hot Water Tank Stand	8/20/2006
Q: I'm considering installing a Rheem Direct Vent Hot Water Tank (Fury DV50). It has a fixed base to ... A: Use brick & morter, concrete, welded steel, treated wood, etc........ Anything solid & lasting. I ...
Rudd Furnace	8/19/2006
Q: Rudd UPGH-10eamer, 4 years old, NJ single family home. After returning from a vacation I found ... A: Sounds like you are having "brain" failure. Since I do not know what kind of unit you have, this is ...
AC Fan Running ALL THE TIME	8/19/2006
Q: I've seen this question on your site and have read your answers. My problem is this. I live in an ... A: Since it shuts "Off" when you bang on the furnace. That indicates something is "hanging up". Like a ...
No AC, thermostat is dead, and blower fan stays on	8/19/2006
Q: I'm at work, so I don't have make/model info. Home and AC unit is 6 YO and we live in Colorado. Our ... A: Yes, I know what is wrong. The "brain box" is dead. Have you had any storms lately?? When a brain ...
Evaporator Coil Repair	8/19/2006
Q: Bill- My 7 year old York model UA036S14B stopped cooling the lower level of our 2500 sq ft townhouse ... A: Air flow does not care about a "level" furnace. You were being sold a bill of goods. (he lied) They ...
Low side psi/inside vent temp.	8/18/2006
Q: That is one piece I was kind of scared off doing.I helped the guy put it in in 98 seems like it ... A: No, no! No !!!! You are not thinking like a lazy HVAC tech. Go to a "Johnstone Supply", nationwide ...
air conditioning repairs	8/18/2006
Q: Followup To question - 1. Does duct work coming from the inside ac intake systems need to be ... A: Air intake means "return air" to me. Not the supply side (hot air). If this hole is in the return ...
air conditioning leak	8/18/2006
Q: How do I stop a leaking air conditioning unit that fills an auxiliary drain pan with an attached ... A: You miss understand what is happening. The aux. pan is there to protect the house if the primary pan ...
air conditioning repairs	8/17/2006
Q: 1. Does duct work coming from the inside ac intake systems need to be sealed and caulked? 2. How ... A: All this depends where you are located. 1. Do you mean the duct work inside the building?? Or is ...
Fan Will not Turn Off	8/17/2006
Q: We have central air conditioning in our house and turn it off during the day when we are not home. ... A: The fan on what? The outside unit or the inside unit???? If it is the inside unit. I can guess ...
Central Air Unit	8/17/2006
Q: We have a 12 year old Carrier central air condionng unit. We had trouble with it last week, where ... A: Water draining, tells me it is partially working. Condensation is made when the unit works. Now as ...
furnace	8/16/2006
Q: I have a coleman evcon propance furnace - central air unit serial #028996. The furnace is in a 1993 ... A: You can do it yourself (if you are some what handy). The ungrade comes as a "kit", with ...
Condensation on walls of furnace ducts	8/15/2006
Q: I have an outside air conditioner/inside furnace (basement) set up. We are currently having our ... A: 2 things cause most freez-ups. 1. low freon 2. blocked air flow. It sounds like you fixed the ...
used drain cleaner on air condition coils	8/15/2006
Q: ,, the maintenance person used drain cleaner (the same cleaner used to unplug a kitchen sink) to ... A: You are in deep shit. That will unplug it fine but it will eat up the alunimun fins on the coil. ...
Cleaning hvac and continuously running a/c	8/9/2006
Q: We were having problems with our air conditioner not working. We called someone and they came out. ... A: Caution. You got some strange advice. Yes you can clean it yourself. Pro's don't like to do that. It ...
Air Conditioner - Not blowing Cold	8/9/2006
Q: I don't know much about A/C units so bare with me please. A couple weeks ago the air stopped flowing ... A: The furnace & outside unit (with inside coil) are different pieces of the system. Like tires on a ...
central air	8/9/2006
Q: I recently purchased a home with central a/c, which is new to me. I had been leaving the fan in the ... A: Miss wiring or a bad T-stat, probably. You are not saving much turning off the fan. Like $4 a month. ...
Replacement for Central Air	8/8/2006
Q: We just had a service call on our 2nd floor a/c unit. The tech says the unit needs to be replaced. ... A: Janitrol/Goodman is made in Texas and those boys are serious about A/C. In my opinion Trane is a ...
air conditioner won't turn off	8/8/2006
Q: I have a white-rodgers control unit for air conditioning and heat (all electric). For some reason, ... A: It probably is the "contactor". It is a 24 volt relay in the outside unit. Turn the breaker (220 ...
Outside Unit stays on	8/8/2006
Q: Our unit is a Nordyne 10 SEER Split system Air Conditioner S3QA Series. It is almost 10 years old ... A: The ice will not hurt anything. It is on the outside of the pipe. It never gets on the inside. ...
trane xe 1000 AC	8/7/2006
Q: Bill, for your quick response! If I take the cover off, is it readily apparent where to try the one ... A: Oil usually does not work because the bearings are sealed. I assume the motor you are talking about ...
bad smell	8/6/2006
Q: I am noticing a rotten smell in my bedroom; it smells somewhere between a skunk or a dead animal or ... A: Duct cleaning is not the answer. Most duct cleaning is a scam & not worth the money. Duct cleaning, ...
Central A/C	8/6/2006
Q: I have a Goodman A/C unit, serial number 9704059367. Model # CK24-1. My oldest son was searching ... A: Maybe. First check the two t-stat wires outside at the unit. There should be 24 volts between them. ...
HVAC blower fan replacement	8/5/2006
Q: The fan blower motor just went out on my old Sears central air unit (model# 867.761950). I purchased ... A: No, you should not use the old capacitor. The two brown wires go to the cap. The white to "netural" ...
filter for central air unit	8/5/2006
Q: I had a central air unit installed two years ago. The contractor mentioned I should have the Freon ... A: Yes you can do this. First, locate the return air duct. Some of the big ducts have a filter, in back ...
new central air won't cool	8/5/2006
Q: old cooling unit suddly quit blowing cold air ,just cool air. had a new unit and furnace installed. ... A: How long were you with out A/C??? Was it very hot out? A building & things inside warm up. Thermal ...
Condensation on HVAC Unit	8/4/2006
Q: We have an old HVAC unit (not sure how old, we've been told anything from 10-20 yrs) and it is now ... A: Yes, it can be repaired. But, it is a lot of work and not worth it, unless you can do it yourself. I ...
Evaporator Coil	8/4/2006
Q: We just had a service tech at our house to check on the 2 1/2 ton Rudd Air Conditioner. He told us ... A: Oh Boy!! The average life of a unit is 10 to 12 years. Yours is how old. Humm..... If the coil is ...
Gas Furnace	8/4/2006
Q: I have a Weather King Furnace. Model # WGPH-073E mgr. It is about 8 yerars old. It just started the ... A: Have there been any storms in yur area lately? The furnaces have a control "Brain box" that goes ...
Repair HVAC or Get New One?	8/4/2006
Q: My AC pipes outside and inside were frosted over--the tech checked for leaks and showed me two ... A: Where are you located? Here in Montana, that would go for about $4,500. I doubt you need a new ...
residential air conditioner condensercompressor	8/4/2006
Q: is it unusual for a contractor to charge $3200.00 to install a condensor only for a residence? unit ... A: I feel you got ripped off. I do a whole installation replacement (coil & outside unit) for $1,800. ...
When is aproblem due to the age of a system as apposed to its maintenance	8/4/2006
Q: I have a home warranty and called someone out to look at AC because it runs but does not cool. He ... A: He just conned you. There is a very small grain of truth in what he said. Very small. If a system is ...
ge blower	8/4/2006
Q: ge motor model#5kcp39h6 and p538as is beside the model ...can you tell me the blue wire is to one ... A: Not all motors can be used at 220 volts. Look on the rating plate attached to the motor. or go to ...
AC/furnace fan blowers not working	8/3/2006
Q: Our A/C stopped working a few days ago. Its only 2 years old.We went down to the basement and ... A: He did right. After you work with these units, you know where the problems are. He knew the problem ...
Is this really true? A/C question	8/3/2006
Q: I have to replace my central A/C with a 2 ton untit. I replaced my gas furnace last winter with a ... A: That is the nature of "salesmen". Sorry. Ask for a quote & refuse to tell them what anyone else ...
Help! New A/C is driving me crazy!	8/3/2006
Q: I live in central Florida in a single story, concrete block house (1980's) with 1,283 sq. ft. The ... A: Coleman, yes. Good units but they are a little rough. They gave you extra "tonage" to cool you off. ...
one AC zone failed	8/3/2006
Q: I went down to the basement and checked the furnace. It's labled as American Standards. I saw one ... A: The fan switch needs to be at "Auto" and the other switch to "Heat". "off" or "Cool". Every time ...
Mold/Mildew Smell coming out of only one vent.	8/3/2006
Q: Central heat and Air. I recently opened a floor vent that had been shut off for a long time. That ... A: Open the ducts up & keep cleaning. Cut a hole if necessary. That is what the pro's do. or Get a long ...
How to adding the freon in home central AC	8/3/2006
Q: My home has a central AC, it works and cool only a few minutes, after that it only give air without ... A: Sounds like low freon, all right. You can not buy the freon or rent the equip. Plus, you have to be ...
Is this really true? A/C question	8/3/2006
Q: I have to replace my central A/C with a 2 ton untit. I replaced my gas furnace last winter with a ... A: He is full of crap. The furnace will handle up to 3 ton. You can use a 2 ton, just fine. A 80% AFUE ...
Drain problem	8/2/2006
Q: I have Central AC system connected to the gas furnace. The system is working fine. but the problem ... A: The drain pan has two outlets. Primary drain & secondary drain. They are hooked up to a drain line. ...
Open window vs. closed circuit AC?	8/2/2006
Q: We live in a Cape Cod style house in the balmy SE (humidity 85%, temp. upper 90's). My husband puts ... A: You both are right. If you can keep the heat from building up in the second story, the whole house ...
HVAC Drainage	8/2/2006
Q: Is there a "best practice" around how an HVAC drainage pipe should exit a residential structure? ... A: There is no best practice. How does the buried one terminate below ground? I take a 5 gal bucket ...
water around outside a/c unit	8/2/2006
Q: We moved into our house a few years ago, and I am uncertian of how old our furnace & central air ... A: The outside unit, is it both heat & cooling? If so it is a package unit. They have the fan & coil ...
Furnace produces fog and odor.	8/2/2006
Q: This is a bit long, don't fall asleep. I know little about furnace/ac/home appliances, but I will ... A: They sealed the attic one because they probably installed a filter grill. Check the big return air ...
A/C Fan Stuck On	8/2/2006
Q: How do I open the points? Or do I need to get a professional? Thanks, ToddHello, The a/c unit ... A: You can not "open" them. They are fused together. The metal is so thin. It used to be the metal was ...
AC Unit	8/2/2006
Q: I have a Carrier AC Unit Model FB4ANF024 that is about 11 years old. It is in my attaic over one of ... A: Simple. The pan has a drain. the drain is pluged. Followe the edge of the pan, it has to be there ...
stopped up drain pipe	8/2/2006
Q: Could you please tell me how to go about unstopping the drain pipe on my central air conditioning ... A: Stand in front of the furnace. Look for the spot where copper pipes run into it. The copper pipes ...
Evaporator coil	8/1/2006
Q: I am in search of a c Cumberland 2 ton 10 seer split airconditioner air handler evaporator coil.I ... A: What kind of a compressor unit is it? 10 SEER units are no longer made. Coils are still made. If the ...
Air conditioning doesn't cool	8/1/2006
Q: I was mistaken the air conditioner is a Tapan that I purchased in 2002. There is an 8 year warranty ... A: I would go to Tapans web site & call their customer service. Since it is under warrenty ask them ...
Strange AC situation	8/1/2006
Q: 2-zoned meaning 2 separate units. 1 supplies the bedrooms and the other supplies the living, ... A: Your main floor unit does not cool the rooms. Did it used to cool them? How long ago? How much air ...
air not getting cool	8/1/2006
Q: I noticed our whole house air conditioning seemed to "whistle" a bit this summer. Now the temp is ... A: I have a feeling that the coil is frosting up. When air flow is restricted (closing vents), the coil ...
no subject	7/31/2006
Q: Bill, in using a punch-type swaging tool should I heat tubing and allow to cool before swaging to ... A: Do not heat. The tubing is not tempered. If you have tempered tubing it is not the kind that can be ...
wall furnice	7/31/2006
Q: we have a wall furnice that started to have the light go out and now we can only light the pilot ... A: There is a thermocouple (bulb that sits in the pilot flame), it is bad. Unscrew the old one & put in ...
ac trips breaker	7/30/2006
Q: Armstong concept 10, house is only 8 years old in Indiana. My outside ac unit on some humid days ... A: You need to find the problem. Putting the units under a porch, is a poor choice. Putting a larger ...
A/C Repair	7/30/2006
Q: I have a TRANE XE1000 model number TTR736B100A0 a/c unit. I noticed that the house was not cooling ... A: Trane is the first problem. Call someone else for a second opinion. Call Sears for a price. They are ...
blower speed	7/30/2006
Q: have a quatro true blue 90 furnace/ac unit. the question is, is there any way to slow down the ... A: Yes. But it is risky. Most furnace motors are multi speed. On the motor, black is high speed, then ...
Cooling House	7/30/2006
Q: We live in a two story house with a fully developed basement where I have my office, computer, files ... A: Bigger is not the fix. Cool air is heavy & take bigger ducts. I suspect yours are maxed out (4 1/2 ...
Cooling problem	7/30/2006
Q: Last winter I purchased a New Carrier Infinity System: Carrier 60,00BTU Infinity Furnace Model # ... A: No, the coil is not the problem. The compressor size is what determines the max cooling available. ...
Oil furnace	7/30/2006
Q: I have a 5 year old oil burning furnace that was installed before I moved into my house. Ove the ... A: No, on the conversion. That is a real snake pit. It can be done "sort of". Stay away from that. Put ...
Central Air - frozen coil	7/30/2006
Q: We have a central air conditioning system......compressor unit outside the house, fan/blower unit in ... A: When a unit gets low on freon, it allows the coil to frost up. This cuts air flow and then more coil ...
air conditioning repair for my new home	7/29/2006
Q: I am in the process of buying a pre ownedhome. at the end of inspection the inspector said the air ... A: The inspector has his head in Theoretical clouds. A 3 degree difference is nothing. There is nothing ...
New A/C	7/29/2006
Q: We live in a single family elevated ranch house in a suburb of Chicago, IL. Our central A/C (3 ton ... A: Forget the Carrier. Sounds like he has one of the older 10 SEER units. Take it. Ducane is OK. Get ...
Air conditioning doesn't cool	7/29/2006
Q: I have a Trane central air conditioner that's almost 3 yrs old. Never have had a problem but now, ... A: I assume that you are talking about the outside unit. If that motor (compressor) hesitates and the ...
Central AC is slowly dying	7/29/2006
Q: I have a house in Maryland with a Kenmore central AC unit of uncertain age. The heating system was ... A: He is right the valves can not be replaced. You can just replace the coil over the furnace. The ...
A/C filter	7/29/2006
Q: This is gonna sound like a stupid question, but bear with me. I moved from IL to FL and now own an ... A: Sounds like you have a good quality filter. (necessary with A/C). The arrow points in the direction ...
central air conditioner	7/29/2006
Q: How about if the big fan in the condenser does not ever shut off even if the temp is achieved on the ... A: The fan doesn't hurt BUT is the compressor running also? (should be). The outside fan & compressor ...
tempstar furnace	7/29/2006
Q: i had an inspection of a 1988 tempstar gas furnace an was told the heat exchanger had cracks.then a ... A: Vestabule is not the right word. I have never seen that on a parts list. I believe he is refering to ...
Equipment Pad for my condensing unit	7/28/2006
Q: I hope you are doing well... I am a homeowner that recently had some nightmares with a contractor ... A: We fasten to the pads to make it harder to steal the A/C unit. People come in and cut electrical & ...
line sizes/220 volts	7/28/2006
Q: Bill, in wiring a central air unit,is there any difference in polarity of the two 110 wires(220) ... A: Go ahead & ask. I enjoy helping. It does not matter which leg goes on which side (L1 or L3). What ...
central air conditioner	7/28/2006
Q: We live in Arizona where it has been hot (between 105 and 118) We have two condensers, one for the ... A: Frost does not hurt anything. It just covers the pipe & costs a bit more money to run the A/C. ...
ac works but trips circuit breaker	7/28/2006
Q: the outside home ac unit is old. last fixed 10 years ago with a new or repaired compressor. now the ... A: If you were in Montana $1,800. Get a new unit & coil. (always a new coil)(matching coil). It is a ...
Bad smell in air vents	7/28/2006
Q: I recently purchased a house and have been doing some remodeling. This is the first summer here. ... A: Simple fix. All women can do it and most men. <BG> <joke> Anyway, the furnace has a coil in the ...
New Furnace	7/28/2006
Q: I have a forced air furnace with central air. The blower died in the furnace and I am deciding to ... A: The first guy is clearly correct. There is no need to replace the coil. I suspect the 2nd guy is ...
Amount of water coming from heating unit while air conditioning is running	7/28/2006
Q: I live in a townhome built in 1985 and recently I have noticed a larger amount of water overflow ... A: When a unit cools properly, it takes moisture from the air. If the humidity goes up, the amount of ...
AC Leak	7/28/2006
Q: I have been reading the AC leaking problems, as I have some, with other complications. I live in an ... A: Yes, it is connected wrong. The drain should go into a trap. Then the pipe. Sounds like he tapped ...
Air Conditioning	7/28/2006
Q: My wife and I are currently looking to install an air conditioner and furnace. Our house was built ... A: Are talking about the asbestos paper wrap, that was put around joints? If so, just paint it with a ...
Heating/AC unit 22 years old	7/28/2006
Q: 22 year old Bryant furnace and 2 ton A/C unit. I live in Atlanta. AC stopped working this year. ... A: The average age of A/C systems last is 10 to 12 years. At 22 years it is toast & not worth ...
hvac replacement	7/27/2006
Q: I live in condo complex that is 26 years old, on top floor. The present electric powered central a/c ... A: You need to know that, if it still works, leave it alone. Yes it is old. Yes it is time to replace ...
water from ac use found in furnace closet	7/27/2006
Q: We have an old (1980-ish) Payne furnace (central heat and air) in our single-family home and an air ... A: Get a wet & dry vac. & start sucking. The drain line from the coil may be pluged. Clean or replace ...
dirty filter on AC	7/27/2006
Q: I was told that the reason my AC unit is bleeding water all over, is that it has a dirty filter. Is ... A: Who on Earth told you that? Friend or professional? Usually the drain line from the pan is plugged. ...
Were we sold the right AC?	7/27/2006
Q: We were just sold a Lennox 13ACX 5-ton unit ac unit set up with zoned (two zones) controls in our ... A: Yes & No. It probably needs a 7 ton. BUT the old ducts will then be too small. So they chose a unit ...
Central Air Water Leak problem	7/27/2006
Q: Our central air, a York unit, has started leaking water from the condensor pan. The drip line is ... A: How old is the unit? I do not use York so I've never tried to get one of their pans. My 3 brands all ...
Air Conditioner Replacement	7/27/2006
Q: I am having my central air replaced. Should some type of filter/cleaner be installed in the ... A: A new unit (good brands) have an internal filter allready installed. What happened to the old unit? ...
Flex ducting	7/27/2006
Q: I have done commercial HVAC work for over 25 yrs. for a large company. I am forced into residential ... A: The most important thing to do, is keep them streched tight. I have seen a 25' 12" flex put on a ...
...in addition to previous question...	7/27/2006
Q: Bill, after some further reading of your Q and A's I went out and put the meter on the contactor. I ... A: I don't have any idea what the question was. I answer and delete. What you found is the normal ...
Condenser Fan Nuked	7/27/2006
Q: Bill, recently the condenser fan-stopped/ comp was making a an ugly sound(valve blow-by I assume). ... A: The contactor coil should have an Ohm reading. Isolate it & try. An "infinate" reading means the ...
Burning smell from AC	7/27/2006
Q: I was working in my home office which is in the center of my home directly below where my AC unit ... A: That has to be the motor, wiring or 24 volt transformer. Have the wiring , every inch, inspected. ...
fan motor on hvac	7/26/2006
Q: I recently had a service tech tell me my electric motor on the fan for my hvac was bad and needed to ... A: I know it is silly, but is the motor an exact match? What kind of a place did you get it from? If it ...
lightning zapped our house last night...a/c not working, help	7/26/2006
Q: We have a TRANE XE 78 central air/gas furnace unit installed in our basement, home built in 1993 ... A: Lighting caused. Call your insurance agent & get them to pay for the repair. However, you may be ...
Fan on Outdoor Unit not turning on	7/26/2006
Q: the fan on my outdoor air conditioning unit is not clicking on. I have turned off the A/C, reset ... A: The fan is direct wired to the outside unit. When the compressor turns on, it runs. The motor is ...
Installing Central Air	7/26/2006
Q: Want to install central air into 50 year old brick rancher with 1500 sq. feet. Have received 3 ... A: With out looking at the house, it is a bit hard. But here goes. Bryant Plus 80 furnace is an OK, ...
Ice On Compressor	7/26/2006
Q: We have a RUUD 1991 air conditioner. It was here when we moved in 8 mo. ago. This is a single ... A: Anytime the big copper line is exposed to air, it will frost up. That means the unit is working ...
central air water accumulation	7/26/2006
Q: I have two central units in a house I just bought.One in basement, the other attic. with both on ... A: A central unit removes moisture from the air, if it is operating properly. The water forms at the ...
room A/C fan motor	7/26/2006
Q: Brainard: A/C in mother's bedroom is a Friedrich, about 30 years old, doesn't blow cold air when ... A: The motor is shot. Oiling is just a short term fix. (1 or 2 weeks) If you can find a motor to fit in ...
Central A/C unit	7/26/2006
Q: Sorry , I do not know the model number but the outside circuit breaker trips when the inside ... A: RC at .8 ohms - that is the bad one. (if I am reading the printing right). I would put a clamp on ...
ID Blower problems	7/26/2006
Q: I have a Tappan FG6RA-072C-16B furnace, in the cooling mode the call for C will satisfy at stat, fan ... A: I am afraid it is the "Brain box". With out a wiring diagram I can't tell for sure. ...
Condensation drain	7/25/2006
Q: We rarely run out central A/C unit but it has been on for about two weeks now and I noticed alot of ... A: In normal operation an A/C unit removes moisture from the air. This gets collected in a pan under ...
Outside unit does not turn off!!	7/25/2006
Q: Make: Goodman Model: CK42-1C Serial No. 9803508690 Age:8 years AFUE: 3.5 ton 10SEER Condensing unit ... A: The large tube is supposed to be covered with amaflex insulation. Then it will not freeze. Look in ...
a/c pressures	7/25/2006
Q: I am goint to install a new Rheem a/c unit (2-ton r-22). I am retired with 42 years experience in ... A: You are on the right track. Yes, it is charged & sealed.. Can you silver solder? Can you get a ...
frozen airconditioner lines	7/25/2006
Q: Central air CR42K6-PF6 I noticed my house was not very cool with air conditioner running. I went ... A: That line should always freeze over, if exposed to air. It is supposed to be insulated with armaflex ...
air conditioner	7/25/2006
Q: I just moved into a home with a central a/c. Never had one before!! I noticed that there was a ... A: An A/C unit will remove moisture from the air as it works. There is a drain pan under the coil. This ...
AC compressor start-up problem	7/25/2006
Q: BACKGROUND: New condenser installed 9/05, Payne PA-10, and covered over/protected for the winter to ... A: He is full of BULL! This unit should be under warrenty. Call up the person who installed it & tell ...
A/C not coming on/off	7/25/2006
Q: I have a 20 year old a/c unit, a Lennox brand, and last week it konked out. The thermostat wasn't ... A: The tubes get blocked & cleaning them is normal maintance. Just so the water drains where it will do ...
freon leak making mom sick	7/25/2006
Q: My 75 year old mother lives with my sister in a two story 10 year old condo. Mom's bedroom/living ... A: No. With R-22 it is safe to breath. I have heard of special purpose freon's causing breathing ...
Water coming from under furnace	7/25/2006
Q: I have a problem with water coming from under my Lennox furnace. The furnace is at least 20 years ... A: Turn the A/C back on. When the A/C is properly working, moisture is taken from the air as it is ...
a/c wont cool down once house is hot	7/25/2006
Q: We have a coleman-evcon unit model#dgaa056bdta approx.2 years old -it's a 3 1/2 ton unit- in an 1104 ... A: Not near enough info. The insulation should not be beat up. Why is it? (dog, weed eater, kids, etc) ...
A/C Hose	7/24/2006
Q: I have A/C tubes running on over the roof of my upstairs game room. One of the tubes is stretched ... A: This is easy to fix. But not if you don't have the right tools. Have a shop fix it. They have to be ...
A/C not putting out cold air	7/24/2006
Q: We have a 30+ house with I believe the original Air Conditionare. We live in Mission Viejo,CA We ... A: Units last 10 to 12 years average. At 30+ you are golden. Plan on replaceing it. Get a bid from ...
central ac won't cool house	7/24/2006
Q: I have a carrier ac that came with my new townhouse that I bought from builder 1.5 years ago, so its ... A: Sounds like you have a small freon leak. When that happens the coil "frosts up" and this cuts off ...
replacement	7/24/2006
Q: I live in Los Angeles California. I've been searching the web trying to find reliable information ... A: Built in the 50's, tells me that the units have out lived their life span. Things have changed ...
A/C - Intermittent Odor	7/24/2006
Q: We live in the Pacific Northwest, so not overly hot or cold as temperatures go. However, if the ... A: Go to the inside A/C coil. Located at the furnace, look in the drain pan. If the pan does not drain ...
AC cannot cool the house	7/24/2006
Q: I just changed the vent and the filter and I made sure that the filter is installed the right way ... A: Depends on your location. Here in Montana we design for a week of 95 degree high. In Las Wages, they ...
Locked-Up Fan	7/24/2006
Q: and thanks for your input. I've tested the black and white wires as you suggest and indeed there is ... A: Motor only. Remove it from the blower. Look in your phone book for a "Johnstone Supply", nation wide ...
A/C not doing job.	7/24/2006
Q: Unfortunately we bought the house in its current state. Basement finished out with new vents in ... A: Nope, a new furnace will not solve the problem. It is the duct design causing the heat build up. ...
either condensor works or the fan works not both	7/24/2006
Q: we went and got another thermostat(honeywell) and easier operating one. rewired it same thing ... A: Do you have an air handler & split system or a furnace & split system? Makes a difference in wiring. ...
Black Soot	7/24/2006
Q: I am hoping you can give me some ideas here. We seem to have a black soot problem. It is on the ... A: There is no other reason I can think of. If an electric motor was going bad, it would not be long it ...
A/C Problem	7/23/2006
Q: Residential, California, Lennox A/C 29 Series and Lennox G24 Furnace Approx. 15 yrs old, 5 ton unit ... A: Open the blower door on the furnace. Is there a fan belt on the motor. It may be bad. Some older ...
HVAC Field Matching	7/23/2006
Q: I have a 1998 Goodman model A4215. We will be replacing the outside A/C unit through a warrantee. ... A: As long as the "Tons" of cooling is the same. They are a match with the air handler. Air handlers do ...
Payne heater furnace blower won't shut off	7/23/2006
Q: We have an old Payne furnace model number 80-FAU-12, series number 150 in our house, in Los Angeles, ... A: The summer switch just moves air for comfort. You have a different problem. Furnaces have a "brain" ...
Frozen A/C parts	7/23/2006
Q: I'm not exactly sure what type of unit we have as we just bought our house about two months ago. I ... A: Classic case of low freon. You have a leak, get it fixed. Such things should be paid for & fixed by ...
either condensor works or the fan works not both	7/23/2006
Q: I have a 20yr old Payne split system. Changed the thermostat(hunter) it worked for awhile then ... A: Its still wired wrong. Or the T-stat is fried. "Auto" & "On" are the only choices. This applies ...
New A/C recomendation	7/23/2006
Q: Brainard, I live in Sacramento, Ca (ave. summer temp @ 100+ deg. for around 3 months/year) and will ... A: Goodman/Janitrol, they are made in Texas & those boys are serious about A/C. They have a "Lifetime" ...
ac	7/23/2006
Q: My ac does not cool my house, I went outside to the central air unit, and the fan does not seem to ... A: If both fans are running slow. I would put a meter on the juice & see if it has dropped. It needs to ...
Compressor hums and stops	7/23/2006
Q: The duct work going to the registers is 6" round. The old downflow furnace is a GE model # ... A: The duct work is too small for a 5 ton A/C unit. Time to treat her to a motal with a pool. <BG> ...
air flow in other room is weak	7/22/2006
Q: This house was built in 1988 and the Trane a/c and furnace replaced the old unit. Furnace normal ... A: This changes the picture. The second story rooms are above the furnace & used to get cool. Right? ...
AC working, blower not!	7/22/2006
Q: AC went out after a power outage. Replaced the fuses and the AC came back on but the blower isn't ... A: Do you mean the inside blower? The motor may have gone bad. Can you safely use a current detector? ...
Compressor hums and stops	7/22/2006
Q: I have am old GE central air conditioner, built Jan 1983. Model number BTB736A100A2, The problem is ... A: Coil & system design change all the time. Designs for efficiency are quite different than they were ...
tempstar centeral air for my home leaks fre	7/22/2006
Q: My tempstar furnace and outside compressor has a small leak somewhere.before it would cool good for ... A: The leak needs to be found or you will continue to pay for freon when needed. Your choice. Here is ...
A/C not doing job.	7/22/2006
Q: It's been brutally hot lately and my A/C can't keep up. We bought this house 3 yrs ago. A/C appears ... A: All A/C's are an add-on. Before finishing the basement, did the upstairs get cool enough (when ...
Payne Furnace PG8 JAA/MAA	7/22/2006
Q: I have a Payne Furnace PG8 JAA/MAA, and it says is air conditioning ready. What do I need to buy/do ... A: A/C ready is a sales gimick. It means the blower is big enough to handle A/C (larger than what is ...
air flow in other room is weak	7/22/2006
Q: TRANE XL90 for upflow TRANE XL14i air conditioner Installed 2005 California, Residential w/ 2700 sq ... A: I suspect the duct work. When using heat, a second story heats easily. Heat flows up, so a weak air ...
1 yr old modular with full basement...	7/22/2006
Q: Our house has a full concrete basement with an Agway sold Carrier oil fired furnace. It is 82% ... A: I'll help with what I can. Dryer,yes the dryer could be the cause. Use Alum. to vent to the outside. ...
Thermostat on Air conditioner reads two degrees higher within minutes of turning on	7/21/2006
Q: Well, I looked up the anticipator, and called Hunter tech support, and the guy knew nothing, but ... A: Have you tried to set the T-stat at one spot (like 78 or 79) and leave it alone (all day). Then set ...
refigerated air condition	7/21/2006
Q: Greetings, I purchased a 2-story house with refrigerated air; I have 2 units one downstairs and one ... A: Two air vents are not doing the job. They need a power vent or two. Regular vents are $10, power ...
Thermostat on Air conditioner reads two degrees higher within minutes of turning on	7/21/2006
Q: the thermostat (or is the better word temperature controller) is a Hunter brand. It is a carrier ... A: T-stats can vary 2 or 3 degrees & be normal. They are not made to be "exact". Just to operate. ...
Wiring a furnace blower fan	7/21/2006
Q: I have extracted a fan and blower motor from an old electric forced-air furnace. I want to use this ... A: That is a 220 volt fan. A 110 volt fan would have , 1 white, 1 green, 1 black, 1 red, 1 blue, etc. ...
Split system central air problem	7/21/2006
Q: So the HVAC guy came out today and now the air is blowing again and he said he added freon - no ... A: So the guy added freon. No charge is proper. HOWEVER!!!!!!! If the leak drops freon every year, who ...
Split system central air problem	7/20/2006
Q: I live in S. California, 2 story residential home, my furnace (Trane) and coil are about 15 yrs old, ... A: Possible loss of freon & the coil is freezing up. Caused be a poor solder job. Anyhow. Is there a ...
condensor fins	7/20/2006
Q: I have a restaurant and one of my units (5 ton I think) has been severely damaged by hail. It is so ... A: My Grandmother owned & ran a restaurant so I understand the money part. Anyhow, fins can not be ...
a/c	7/20/2006
Q: If the big line is froze up and covered. the little line get hot then cools down. Can it be that I ... A: The big line can be covered with frost/ice & it is just fine. The small line is normally "Hot". The ...
Trane heat pump - a/c works but the fan doesn't turn	7/20/2006
Q: I heard a horrible sound and notice the fan didn't turn on our Trane heat pump but the a/c was ... A: Which fan did not turn "on"? I assume the inside fan. The horrible sound was the bearings going. You ...
Smell in House	7/20/2006
Q: Just recently there is a smell in my house...it seems to be on the main floor. When you first walk ... A: Two things pop to mind. Pour a quart of water in each floor drain, shower, sink, etc (unless they ...
additional gas valve question	7/20/2006
Q: Now my friend tells me that he may have to have the valve shut off for 4 days. Is that OK? ... A: 4 days is fine. The reason we "plug" them is so that workers do not accidently, knock the valve and ...
Central Air-Sparking Noise	7/20/2006
Q: I just bought a house, and the central air isn't cooling as well as it should. One some days it's ... A: Sounds like you have an electronic "Electro-static" air filter. They do spark, when dust hits the ...
Broken Central Air	7/20/2006
Q: We have Central Air ( was with the house when we bought it ). I can not find a date or model or ... A: It sounds like you have a leak and have lost enough freon to reduce the cool air. Yes, it can leak ...
replacing gas stove	7/19/2006
Q: My friend is replacing his counter-top stove, which is powered by natural gas. He is concerned ... A: Turn it off & relax. I assume he is replacing the stove & it will be off a short time (24 hours). ...
Propane furnance	7/19/2006
Q: Not sure what brand. I was wondering if I can take the gas blowers out of my propane heater and ... A: It is something that only a skilled tech should try. Too many things to go wrong. My question ...
a/c	7/19/2006
Q: The lives froze up and the inside fan is not working. I had the unit off all night and now the ... A: The large line will always freeze up, if exposed to the air. It is supposed to be covered with ...
Undersized AC?	7/19/2006
Q: My contractor installed a 2.5 ton 14 seer Goodman AC about 6 weeks ago. We live in the NE and until ... A: Depends on the house size, quality of insulation - doors - windows, etc. There maybe some things you ...
Airconditioner	7/18/2006
Q: We have a Tempstar High Effency 5000 airconditioner unit, we live in South Louisiana, it is about 7 ... A: Does the water seem to be comming from in or under the air handler?? I suspect the drain pan may be ...
Repair Estimates	7/18/2006
Q: I am need of some repairs on my home heating and air conditioning unit. I recently had a service ... A: You need about 10 years experience in the trade. Then the answer will be a bit clearer. Depending ...
new ruud install cant cool small house	7/18/2006
Q: Last August we had a ruud 12 seer 3 ton condensor/air handler installed by a local contractor. We ... A: Where are you located? How hot does it get & stay? What color is your roof? How hot does the attic ...
air return	7/18/2006
Q: I have a Trane XE60 upright gas furnace. It was installed in my 2 floor townhome 15 years ago. The ... A: Time to beat my drum & message. Poor duct design allows uneven temps (upstairs & down). What kind of ...
HVAC AC Problem	7/18/2006
Q: Bill, This is a revised question for its clarification. I recently purchased a rental property in ... A: Yes. In order to remove a coil, the system charge will have to be isolated and re-done. I do not ...
Cental air and gas furnace	7/18/2006
Q: I am replacing two central air units and two gas furnaces (upstairs and downstairs). Several ... A: In my opinion, Carrier takes a lot of "Long term", maintance. (And $$$$) Lennox a is better unit. ...
A/C coils Frosting	7/15/2006
Q: we live in S.E. Texas in a mobile home. Then home is 2300 square feet and have 5 ton unit. The home ... A: Classic symptoms. You are low on freon. There is a small leak somewhere and the freon level has ...
central air conditioner repair	7/13/2006
Q: I have a YORK system(models H1CC012 thruH1CC060) which I believe is original with the home built in ... A: The fan motor in the outside unit. It is just a 110 volt motor. Does the compressor outside run? ...
Lennox 10ACC Fried Compressor	7/13/2006
Q: My Lennox unit is 2 years old and has probably been used a dowzen times. This summer, when i turned ... A: Lennox has their own labor list. (about 4 hours)(replace, evacuate & re-charge) There is no way duct ...
AC replacement needed?	7/12/2006
Q: Brainard, We have a HVAC unit for a townhouse. It is 10 years old. We live in Virginia. The unit ... A: Yes & no. He is right about just adding freon. From his standpoint. But if you are in a bind & call ...
Disconnected dryer vent	7/12/2006
Q: I have already paid for cleaning the dryer hose, and that didn't help. I opened a hole in the wall ... A: There are no rules for length, elbows or angle. How did they clean it?? How far into the pipe did ...
Rebuilt compressor for a York CA91-25E	7/12/2006
Q: I'm hoping that you can help me. I own a furniture store in Colorado that's in a former, origional ... A: Call York customer service and ask them for what compressor to use. York has been sold twice since ...
AC fan on, blower runs intermittently	7/12/2006
Q: The ac unit runs, however, the blower runs on/off continuously. I can cool down the house, but it ... A: The motor is on its way out. Time to replace it. About $50 to $60 at a "Johnstone Supply" near you. ...
air condioner	7/11/2006
Q: we have a new 3zone heating and airconditioning system being put in house, as we are adding inlaw ... A: **************************************************************************************** Warren: ...
Lennox Pulse furnace	7/10/2006
Q: Do we need to get a service guy in to fix or can we do our own repair? If we can do it ourselves - ... A: As long as you dry things out & clean up. Nothing should be hurt. Long term if this continues, yes, ...
air conditioner	7/9/2006
Q: My AC broke and now I am going through air conditioner hell trying to find out what I need for a ... A: The higher the SEER #, the less it costs to run each month. If you need to use A/C, 6 or more ...
Dog urinated on grill covering the a/c unit	7/8/2006
Q: I have a single family house with a central air unit. The unit is outside in the backyard and the ... A: 1st. Put up a fence to keep the dogs away. If you mean the alum. fins are gone. That is bad. The ...
heating/air	7/7/2006
Q: my ac is leaking - freon lasted 2 days - need to buy 3 1/2 ton - any advice on product- am confused ... A: Where in the country are you? Pipes usually do not need replacement. Look for other brands (Sears, ...
Central Air freezing up and not cooling	7/5/2006
Q: I live in Austin texas - I have an American Standard Freedom 80 unit with a Lennox COmpressor - the ... A: Anytime the coper coil inside the furnace, "Ices up" (freezes), the unit is low on freon. This does ...
Freon leak	7/5/2006
Q: I have been in my house about 8 years, it was a new house when I moved in. For the past 2 years i ... A: Call a different company. Yes, it is hard to find a leak. It may cost $300 to $400. That is a whole ...
water on inside unit dripping and under unit.	7/5/2006
Q: the unit inside is from 1973. i replased the outside last year. two days ago i noticed water ... A: Most companies, do not want to replace the drip pan. It is a real pain (& does not earn much money). ...
correct size hvac	7/3/2006
Q: I am replacing a 16 yr old Heil split propane system. I have a one and a half story plus full ... A: The answer to your question is, a factory class, lasting a week. Use manual "J" for sizing. A lot of ...
Furnace blower motor	7/3/2006
Q: I just had central air added to our forced hot air system. I think the blower cannot move the cool ... A: A lot of "old" units had to have a bigger blower added. Because the origional guy saved $22 on the ...
Lennox Compressor	7/3/2006
Q: My air handling unit works fine ( will come on in auto ) ,but the condenser will not , but if I push ... A: There is a 24 volt contactor at the outside unit. It controls the 220 volts, that run the outside ...
Trane xe1000 , 12 years old, 2000 sf cooling area	7/3/2006
Q: A repaimen came to my home and said that my unit had to be replaced. He also said the compressor ... A: At 12 years old the Trane is at its life end. Replace the whole thing (outside unit & the inside ...
nordyne 5 ton package unit	7/1/2006
Q: i keep hearing a buzz whenever my unit kicks on coming from my inside fuse box. a electrician said ... A: This is a critical problem. Not an immediate "EMERGENCY". But it needs to be fixed ASAP. The problem ...
Air Conditioning Compressor Coil	6/30/2006
Q: I have heard two different stories and I am curious to know the truth. I had a repair man out to ... A: Apples (MacIntosh) & apples (Fuji). Both are sort of right. The coil is copper and the fins (pressed ...
A/C Techs visit 4 times - Still not repaired	6/30/2006
Q: Tempstar 3.5 ton (I believe) History: Renters of our old house complained that the A/C was not ... A: WOW!!! You have been through the mill. The first service call sounds legit. (freon & a contactor). ...
Rheem blower cuts in and out constantly	6/26/2006
Q: We have just moved into a rental condo with what seems to be a really old Rheem furnace unit. When ... A: Call the electric company & tell them. They should help find out what is causing the bill to be so ...
A/C fomr ice on line to house	6/26/2006
Q: Noticed the temp was rising this afternoon in the house and realized the a/c was not operating ... A: Yes, it will continue. A properly operating system can run 3 or 4 days with out shuting off & be ...
Evaporator coil freezing	6/24/2006
Q: What I meant by dual zone is I have 2 heat pumps. One for the upstairs and one for downstairs. ... A: Let me start with. I do not work on heat pumps. Not enough latent moisture in the Montana air, for ...
Evaporator coil freezing	6/23/2006
Q: I have dual zone A/C. Upstairs unit was frozen up at outdoor unit. Looked closer and found the ... A: What brand, dual zone?? Wait a min. Thought you said "Looked closer and found the evaporator coil in ...
Trouble with Kenmore AC unit	6/22/2006
Q: I had a Kenmore AC unit installed in 2002 (live in SoCal). Have always had some trouble with ... A: That frosted line is good. It means the system is still sealed & working. Anytime the big copper ...
furnace blower override	6/22/2006
Q: It's called a Air pro. I was told the company went out of Business. I only have 2 wires that are ... A: 3 wires, GOOD. How old is the unit?? AFUE ??? Do a test, first. Take a 3 or 4" wire. Open the ...
central air comparison	6/22/2006
Q: I am in the market to add central air conditioning to my house that curently has a gas furnace. I ... A: Real simple. Trane is not worth the extra money. That T-stat is not easy to operate. Look for a Lux ...
A/C unit not pushing air through vent	6/21/2006
Q: The air flow is weak, if any, and there is no change after ten minutes, 30 minutes, etc. But when I ... A: The inside coil may be so dirty that it is plugged. You want to look at the bottom side of the coil ...
Air conditioning/air handler	6/21/2006
Q: I live in arizona and my air conditioning went out last week. It was 10 years old. He said the ... A: Scrape & clean the mold. Clean with water & bleach mix. A little rust is normal. Sand the rust & ...
not cooling properly	6/20/2006
Q: Rudd Model- RCBA3765a517 Serial m1094 My house will be cool in the kitchen, den and living room. ... A: Time to call a different dealer. It is low on freon allready. Ask them if they have an ultra-violet ...
Air conditioning compressor runs all day	6/20/2006
Q: I have an York HAVC unit that is 9 years old. I live in the N.E. corridor of the country. This unit ... A: Let me make a couple of assumptions first. The unit used to shut off & keep the house cool.Is this ...
AC recharge	6/20/2006
Q: I have central air conditioning which no longer blows cold air. I think it needs recharging but am ... A: As long as it is not totally empty, it will be just fine. If all of the freon is gone & air gets in ...
Gas Furnace	6/19/2006
Q: I am a home inspector in the North Texas area. When I was performing a home inspection, in the attic ... A: I would have to read the I & O for that model to be sure. BUT !!!! I think that is wrong. The flame ...
types of refergerent	6/19/2006
Q: we are over here in iraq fixing a/c for the army anyway we are waiting for supplys we are out of ... A: The operating pressures are different and they use different oils. The compressors/oil/refrigerent ...
air conditioning	6/19/2006
Q: Within the past two hours our area (Houston) received quite a bit of rain. Our neighborhood isn't ... A: Yes, the fan must run. Time to replace the fan motor. Do you have a big square box fan. You could ...
HVAC with ICE on Compressor and line to the house	6/19/2006
Q: The HVAC cut off. The thermostat tries to cut it on, lights dim, but it doesn't cut on. Outside ... A: Relax. Anytime that copper line does not have insulation covering it. Ice will form. It does not ...
York AC Question	6/19/2006
Q: You indicated that you did not understand my problem. We have a 6.5 year old York system. When you ... A: "What could these noises mean? " The rock noise, is the compressor getting ready to die. It may run ...
ac	6/19/2006
Q: my house was rebuilt after hurricane francis took the roof off in 2004. they took it down to the ... A: In Florida they have a state agency that police's, contractors & their work. No cool air, should be ...
Outside unit air conditioner	6/18/2006
Q: Yes, the thing he is holding down is on the outside unit. He had to unscrew some screws to get ... A: That is not the start button. It is the 220 volt contactor. No need to tell him to be carefull, ...
unfreeze a central air unit	6/18/2006
Q: how do I unfreeze a central air unit? A: Do you mean, how can the inside coil be unfrozen? Turn the ("heat" "Off" "On") switch to "Off". Then ...
Thermostat	6/17/2006
Q: I have a new (Jan 2006) 13 Seer Lenox Heat Pump and Aprilaire Programmable Thermostate. It cools ... A: Ahh! Common problem. The unit is slightly oversized. It cools the air too quickly. Then shuts off. ...
central airconditioning	6/16/2006
Q: 1987 carrier 2ton, 2nd floor twnhse 900 sf in nw suburbs of Chicago. Compressor is gone. Am shopping ... A: Two stage compressors & multi speed fans are "bells & whistles". your choice. Not needed. A scroll ...
AIR CONDITIONING :: OLD HOUSE	6/16/2006
Q: I profusely apologize for asking this question to more then 1 person here, but I know how busy you ... A: 1st mistake (in my opinion) is an 80%. A two pipe 92%, is the way to go (long term gains). Anyway, ...
air conditioning not cooling sufficiently	6/14/2006
Q: Not sure of exactly how old air conditioner is but it is a rheen refrigerated air untit. House was ... A: Look in your phone book for a "johnstone Supply". They are a HVAC parts supplier. Ask them for a ...
can I replace the evaporator coil and teh	6/13/2006
Q: Mr. Brainard, My a/c system is about 15-20 years old. The evaporator coil is currently working ... A: The average age of units is 10 to 12 years , before failure. You are on borrowed time. If the coil ...
Replace central air	6/13/2006
Q: Bill: Thanks for your reply. It is my understanding though that Freon and its equivalents are being ... A: You have been misled. Puron is a freon. ********************************* Are you sure that you ...
Replace central air	6/12/2006
Q: My central air unit is 20 years old and stopped working. I now have to decide on a new system and ... A: Puron is just a type of Freon. Don't buy the sales pitch about Puron. Freon is freon. The type may ...
Residential Air Conditioning	6/11/2006
Q: We have central air conditioning in our two story home. In past years water runs out of a drain ... A: The freon charge has dropped. It still has enough to work but not enough to extract water from the ...
Boiler cycling	6/9/2006
Q: I have a Weil-McLain HE II natural gas fired boiler, White Rogers 36C98-303 gas valve, Honeywell ... A: It is not "proving the flame". It starts & then checks to be sure things are operating properly. The ...
Vents in home not distributing air evenly	6/9/2006
Q: The vents in 2 of our bedrooms release very little air and heat. All the other vents in the other ... A: To answer that, I would have to see the duct system. Stand in the basement & look at the ducts. Find ...
ac not cooling house-constantly running	6/8/2006
Q: Ok, so I just thought I had a well insulated house. It is R-30 in the attic. However, the IDIOT ... A: I am sorry you have such a problem. Do not close off over 3 vents. That cuts down the air flow & the ...
HEATING AND COOLING	6/8/2006
Q: I'M A NEW TECH GETTING INTO HEATING AND COOLING AND WANT TO KNOW OF ANY PDF FILES EXIST ON LINE THAT ... A: Go to the Inter-city (Heil Quaker)(Kenmore) school in Tenn. (Nashville). It is the best one I've ...
ac not cooling house-constantly running	6/7/2006
Q: I have an Armstrong Concept 1200. 7 years old. My house is aprox. 2100sf (70x30-) Well insulated, ... A: What do you consider "well insulated"?? R-60 & higher is well insulated. What kind of insulation, ...
air conditioning	6/7/2006
Q: My Mom has a home that is heated with the hot water registers, but would like to put in central air. ... A: The climate (# of days of "HEAT" or "COLD") is totally different. Flex ducts are a poor way to run ...
Split-System Air Conditioner Install Question	6/6/2006
Q: My split system (Kelvinator S3BA-024KA) AC was originaly attached to the heating Zone Valves for the ... A: I have no idea. The plumber screwed up not making a diagram before demo. Plumbers do not know how to ...
FRIGIDAIRE CONDENSING UNIT	6/5/2006
Q: I just had my system checked by Keyspan and they found a Freon leak. They want $189 an hour to ... A: Central A/C units come with any of 20 different freons. They do not mix. Retail places sell 134a for ...
A/C condensing unit stays on with thermostat off	6/5/2006
Q: I have a 20 year old Goodman A/C condensing unit that stays running even with the thermostat off. ... A: Freezing the lines does not matter. It means the Armaflex insulation has come off the lines & needs ...
lp gas conversion kit	6/4/2006
Q: I would like to convert the following furnace to LP gas. do you know if I can get a kit to do so and ... A: New gas valves do not come with an LP kit. Some valves have to be changed, some don't. Go to ...
Air conditioner leak	6/4/2006
Q: Four years ago we replaced our 18 year old Trane Central Air unit with a Janitrol AR49-1 system. ... A: The leak is not under warrenty. (of course) Small leaks are hard to find. That is why he just filled ...
hvac low side pressure	6/3/2006
Q: I have a 3ton split unit it is made by payne; it is about 6yrs old; came with trailer house. I live ... A: There are 7 additional measurements that I need, to add to the 70 PSI, to get close to an answer. ...
central air conditioning	6/3/2006
Q: MY A/C AND HEAT SYSTEM IS A SPLIT UNIT. I NOTICED THE FAN ON TOP OF THE OUTSIDE UNIT DID NOT TURN ... A: The ice does not hurt anything. Just wastes a bit of money (efficiency). The fact that it makes the ...
AC tripping breaker	6/3/2006
Q: I have a residential house with an older unit. When the ac is turned on it energizes the contactor & ... A: The outside fan usually does not have a capacitor. The outside cap. is hooked to the compressor. ...
FRIGIDAIRE CONDENSING UNIT	6/2/2006
Q: I just had my system checked by Keyspan and they found a Freon leak. They want $189 an hour to ... A: Could be any one of 6 or 8 different freons. The unit is marked. You can not buy the freon (federal ...
put just the fan on and the a/c goes on	6/2/2006
Q: The thermostat indicates the a/c is on the "off" position- I want to put just the fan on to ... A: What kind of a unit? What kind of a T-stat? When you look out the window at the outside unit is the ...
Geothermal Unit freezing	6/2/2006
Q: We have a 10 year old Hydroheat geothermal unit (59,800btu cooling cap.) that over the last 2 ... A: I have never worked on one of these. I just do not know. Sorry. ...
Ac ice build up...	6/2/2006
Q: I have a outside carrier AC unit for house. it is 1988 model 38eno24310. the house is not getting ... A: Clean the filter & furnace. Just to make sure the air flow is OK. Outside ice means nothing. Inside ...
Air Conditioning	6/2/2006
Q: I live in a new (less than 1 year)colonial home. Each floor is approx. 2000 sq. ft. (4000 total). ... A: The furnace is American Standard. The A/C is an Ameristar, I do not know brand that is. It does not ...
HVAC	6/1/2006
Q: Internal air handler (Rheem) is very old and near end of life, but just recently the coils began ... A: An air handler is just a box, to hold a fan & coil. Unless the case is rusted to pieces, I don't see ...
HVAC Air returns	6/1/2006
Q: I live in a three story house with the main and upper level that are finished. There are two air ... A: It will cause problems. By restricting the return air flow the coil will start to frost up. With ...
A/C transformer update	5/31/2006
Q: I'm getting 24v now to the thermostat, but the only thing that will work is the fan when the auto/on ... A: Sounds like the new T-stat has an internal jumper. "R" cooling to "R" heat. What you explain is ...
A/C transformer	5/31/2006
Q: My transformer was not putting out 24v. I had to get a different style to replace it. The new one ... A: A normal furnace has 110 volts supplied to it. So, you hook up the input wires at the 110 volts ...
Central AC on, but blower off	5/31/2006
Q: The followings is what I have done so far: 1. I turn the FAN switch from "Auto" to "On" on my ... A: The "red" at the T-stat feeds both the "yellow" and the "green". If you short the red to the green, ...
air conditioning	5/31/2006
Q: I have a 3 ton Aire-Flo air con unit that does not cool our 1600 sq foot well insulated double wide. ... A: Start with the windows. Get sun block on the glass. Check the attic. Is it hot? Get attic vents put ...
Air Conditioning	5/31/2006
Q: I have a question about my central air conditioning, the other day it got very hot here in Minnesota ... A: I assume the unit is several years old & used to work. Sounds like the freon is low. No, you can not ...
Bryant Central Air Unit running but little air from vents	5/31/2006
Q: I have a Bryant 561CJ024-D about 6 1/2 yrs old. It sits outside on a small slab and has 2 pipes that ... A: The coil inside the bonnet is frosting up. Turn the A/C to "Off", then the fan from "Auto" to "On". ...
Central air freeze	5/31/2006
Q: Howdy Bill. I think I found my answer a few times on how to resolve the frozen pipes inside and ... A: Any pipes that freeze, should be covered with Armaflex refrigeration insulation. Available at a ...
A/C	5/30/2006
Q: I have a tempstar condensor unit that the compressor runs for about five minutes and then the ... A: The end result will be, that it is time to call, a service professional. Sorry, BUT We can get an ...
Variable speed motor + AC	5/30/2006
Q: We had a new Carrier Infinity 96 furnance installed recently that features a DC variable speed ... A: Each furnace operates differently. The settings can be changed. The furnace should operate on a very ...
Vent in gas unit not shutting off	5/30/2006
Q: Recently my inside unit drain stopped up, causing it to leak back through the coil into the unit.The ... A: Do you mean the little exhaust fan? or the big blower? The little fan is controled by a relay. ...
Air Conditioner Blower Limited Flow	5/30/2006
Q: I can hear the compressor kick on and the fan is working outside. When you place your hand near the ... A: The inside blower is controled by the T-stat. The switch should be "Auto" & "On". Can you confirm ...
central a/c	5/30/2006
Q: my one year old unit blows air that does not seem cool enough. Then it blows for awhile then no air ... A: The inside coil is frosting up. As it frosts up, the air flow slows down, then stops. This is ...
AC thermostat	5/30/2006
Q: My AC does not shut off, even when turned to "auto" or when I turn the temperature up higher. Is ... A: It can be fixed. Tell me about the unit. Age, type, make, AFUE, etc..... When you say it "does not ...
Central air and furnace blower	5/29/2006
Q: Yesterday morning I turned ont he central air, everything was fine. I came home to a hot house and ... A: If you have done all that & the inside fan does not come "ON". The motor is bad. You could,bypass ...
2 old stats replaced by 1 programmable	5/29/2006
Q: residential home; hot water baseboard heat with Honeywell T87F (old) stat for heat only. seperate ... A: You have it figured out pretty well. To bad you are using Honeywell T-stats. Oh well.. Anyhow, On ...
Air conditioner on, cool air blowing, but not cooling the house	5/29/2006
Q: I turned my whole house air conditioner on for the first time this season and it is not cooling the ... A: When a house gets above 80 degrees, before you turn the unit on. It means all of the therma mass is ...
Kenmore Softsound 1000	5/29/2006
Q: I have just moved into e 14 year old house, and my Kenmore Softsound 1000+ Central A/C unit is 5 ... A: Put the "key" in and with "On" upright. This puts juice to the unit. The T-stat is the control. Now ...
Differential cooling	5/29/2006
Q: Just moved into a house three months ago. The AC "works", but there is a noticeable temperature ... A: The design on the duct work is incorrect. This is how guys do "cheap" work. Poor job. Short of ...
frost on the left side of evap.coil (inside house unit)	5/29/2006
Q: I have "Goodman" Split system A/C 3 years old. First time this year turned A/C on . No cold air, ... A: When the freon gets low it will allow the inside coil to frost up. The frost cuts the air flow down. ...
air conditioner noise	5/28/2006
Q: Is there a way to reduce noise from a central AC unit? I am wondering about the usefulness of sound ... A: Do you mean the outside compressor? You would need a product that is weather proof, glueable, not ...
Central Air	5/28/2006
Q: I am sorry I am not sure of the model of ac unit but we just bought our house 2 and 1/2 years ago ... A: Units freeze up when low in freon. From what you say, it has a leak. They should check for it. When ...
heat exchange heating system, eletric	5/28/2006
Q: Just bought an old house heated by electic Lennox heating/airconditioning/heat exchange system, ... A: Roughly how old is this system? If it appears to be older (50's) you probably have a "sequencer" ...
Air conditioner wont cool my mobil home	5/27/2006
Q: ------------------------- My home is 28x60 with a 3 1/2 ton 13 seer ac/heat. As far as the ... A: The unit size appears right, it should cool the house. Get a carpender/installer. Blown in ...
Contactor not engaging	5/27/2006
Q: 15 yr old Split system. Fan & Compressor run when contactor held in manually, however, cannot get ... A: You need a meter & need to confirm the 24 volts on the small control wires, (out side) at the unit. ...
air conditioning question	5/27/2006
Q: If its possible, do it ourself is always the first option. Where do we get the part from and how do ... A: Do you have electrical skills available? The outside unit top, will have to be removed. The fan will ...
Return air support box	5/27/2006
Q: I am DIYing central air. One remaining issue...How do I specify the measurements (to the sheet ... A: It is a return air "Drop". (big deal huh) Give them the size of the point, at which it hooks up, to ...
Air conditioner wont cool my mobil home	5/27/2006
Q: Mr. Brainard, I own a double wide home. The home itself is about 16 years old. But, we renovated ... A: What "R" value did you put in the ceiling?? Here we use R-60 in efficient houses. R-19 is cheap and ...
Central Air Conditioner	5/27/2006
Q: We check the unit outside when it's not blowing inside the house. It's not frozen. The unit will ... A: No Terri, it is not the T-stat. Common mistake. Both the inside & outside units should start their ...
A/C not cooling well - Water around Furncace	5/27/2006
Q: I turned on our a/c for the first time this season. I noticed the next day that it was not cooling ... A: When water runs on the floor, it tells me that the drain line is plugged. You can clean it as well ...
Air Conditioner won't cool house	5/26/2006
Q: The air conditioner won't cool the house past about 75 degrees. It seems to blow out semi-cool air, ... A: I assume this is a whole house central air-conditioner (that is part of a furnace)? How old is the ...
HVAC Filter	5/26/2006
Q: Bill, I have a silly question for you so I will just let it fly. I am not sure where the filter for ... A: A HVAC unit is just a furnace (with or without A/C). Fancy name, higher price. Open the blower door ...
air conditioning	5/26/2006
Q: We live in Southern California. Our home is 16 years old and we have the origninal air conditioner. ... A: There is a "relay" (contactor) that turns the juice "On" & "Off". The points are stuck together. ...
Hvac installation	5/26/2006
Q: I have not received a printed document from either bid, perhaps we're pricing to high end of a ... A: When it is not in writing, it is smoke & mirrors. (mostly bull) Get it in writing. Central Wash. ...
Hvac installation	5/26/2006
Q: we live in central Washington state, I have two more estimates coming in the next few days. One from ... A: No question is dumb. I doubt any old parts are being used. It just does not pay (for the ...
Upper floor furnace	5/25/2006
Q: I have been living in a townhome where the furnace is located on the upper floor. There is an open ... A: The duct design is poor. To late to rip it appart & start over. A lot of companies, do not know how ...
Cold Air Return Modification	5/25/2006
Q: We are renovating our basement. To meet code, we need to adjust the depth of one of three cold air ... A: BIG concerns. The newer furnaces need an increased amount of return air. Older duct systems are ...
Both HVAC units not cooling	5/24/2006
Q: We have two eight year old Goodman HVAC units (2 Ton each). We have not used them since the fall. ... A: They should both be running. 8 years is not very old. When you say they are blowing air, do you ...
ac problems	5/24/2006
Q: took the motor apart and clean it use 800 sand paper and clean it good and put some oil i know i ... A: Sounds more like the outside fan is bad. The smell is the windings, going out. Your cleaning just ...
ac problems	5/24/2006
Q: mi ac was got lots of ice in the garage unit and outside unit this was 3 weeks ago i founf that ... A: Use an electrical meter & find out if 220 volts is at the outside unit. There may be fuses at the ...
Goodman CK3418 Air conditioning Unit	5/24/2006
Q: Residental- Missouri- Unit is less than 10 years old (sorry can't find paperwork from Sears on when ... A: Do you know how to be safe, with 220 volts, electricity? When you are listening to it, trying to ...
Air Conditioners	5/23/2006
Q: My husband and I just bought a brand new Whirpool air conditioner. I know we are supposed to cover ... A: No, they do not need to be covered. Do you cover a car? They are made of metal & expected to get ...
Replace thermostat on central A/C	5/22/2006
Q: My mom s house has a central A/C with a very complicated programable thermostat. I would like to get ... A: I know what you mean. I've been to a class on a Mfg's thermostats. 3 hours of hell & a 17 page book ...
A/C unit running non-stop	5/22/2006
Q: My central air unit can be set as high as 80 degrees and will run almost non-stop. It is obviously ... A: Not quite enough info. I assume the unit sits on top of a furnace. Start the A/C, let it run. Go to ...
preventive maintenance	5/19/2006
Q: I had a new gas furnace installed two years ago, and the contractor suggests annual "preventive ... A: Here in Montana where heating is critical, I love to sell yearly contracts. They are a money maker & ...
chimney pipe sizinf and info on old Lennox uniit	5/19/2006
Q: I own a 1970's house that originally had an inefficient gas furnace in it. This gas furnace used a 6 ... A: Common problem. Yes, 6" is too big. Run 3" all the way out the roof. (inside the old 6"). Put a flat ...
HVAC, part of the unit that sits outside	5/17/2006
Q: I have a TRANE Heating/AC unit that sits outside adjacent to my townhouse on a cement slab but it's ... A: Poor idea, but possible. The unit needs air flow into & out of it, to work. You can build next to ...
Rooftop A/C ... pitch of freon lines	5/16/2006
Q: My 5 year old Tappan rooftop A/C unit has stopped blowing cool air. My repairman found oil from the ... A: Your repairman is probably right. It all depends on the rise in heigth, from the coil, (at the ...
Furnace Blowing Circuit Breaker	5/14/2006
Q: Lennox Conservator III G16 Cincinnati, OH House This furnace is about 20 years old. We moved into ... A: Sound slike a "short circuit". The safety switch may be bad. Or a wire may have frayed & is ...
Rheem Furnance problem	5/13/2006
Q: I live in northern IL and have a frame house. I have a Rheem Gas furance, Imperial 90+ Model ... A: What you found is not a switch. It is a "flame rool out" sensor. Manually re-setable. If flame ...
Rheem Furnance problem	5/13/2006
Q: I live in northern IL and have a frame house. I have a Rheem Gas furance, Imperial 90+ Model ... A: What you describe is the safety switch. It kills the juice when the door is open. It does nothing ...
Heating and AC	5/13/2006
Q: I have an Amana Comfort Zone heat/ac window unit in my four season room that trys to start but won't ... A: This is a kind of heat pump. This means it has a reversing valve. They fail often. To get heat, the ...
AC outside unit	5/11/2006
Q: I have a mobile home with colman unit. I replaced the fan on the outside unit and now it does not ... A: Once you shut the breaker "OFF". does the fan stay "off", when the breaker is turned back on? If ...
BTUs	5/10/2006
Q: I have a three-story, three-family property in NY State (one (3) bedroom apt on each floor). I am ... A: 3 bedrooms can easily have 4 or 5 people living there. 30 gal. water heaters are too small. Insulate ...
NEW HEATING AC	5/6/2006
Q: We just purchased a 3 split-level home in northern New Jersey. I have a buried oil tank that is ... A: Long term, natural gas is the best & cheapest. I would use a Janitrol/Goodman unit. Usually the best ...
Heating vent placement	5/3/2006
Q: How do you determine (and what are the guide-lines) of where to locate heating vents in a 1200 sq ft ... A: First off. Heating units in the attic, is wrong. They work, sort of. Hot air rises & the blowers, ...
flue	5/2/2006
Q: I've noticed that the new furnances have 3" PVC flues. Is it cheaper to have this type installed ... A: Cheaper, yes. BUT not the way you think. Furnaces that vent their exhaust gases in PVC, are about ...
Forced air electric furnance	5/1/2006
Q: Bottom line is that when i came home my furnance had quit running. It is an early 90's or late 80's ... A: If you want help figuring what is wrong, I need a bit more info. Is it a "pure" electric furnace? Or ...
zone dampers	4/29/2006
Q: I had a vague idea about that. The air handler has a maximum debit of 1020 cfm and I plan to put ... A: Sorry. There are just way TOO many things that can go wrong here. This takes REAL expertise to do ...
Heat Pump/AC Freezing Up	4/27/2006
Q: My wife and I noticed a few days ago that it did not seem to be as cold as it should be with the AC ... A: The pipe going in the house will "freeze up" when operating normally. Older "pans" tend to rust. ...
Digital vs. Mechanical Thermostats	4/26/2006
Q: Installing new central a/c and heating system in home (Southern Louisiana, 1500 sqft). Boyfriend ... A: I had an old style mechanical for 12 or 15 years (Honeywell $150). Got rid of the thing & put a Lux ...
HVAC unit	4/24/2006
Q: I have a TRANE XE1000 model #TTR06C100A4 mfg. 7/98. I had the service contractor come out and check ... A: Bad compressors can not be un-seezed with a blow, pressure etc. The bearings are bad. Just like a ...
Supplemental heat	4/24/2006
Q: I have a two year old ranch home in Wisconsin with 2400 sq feet on the first floor and 1600 sq feet ... A: The guy that installed the heating system, gave you the cheapest installation method available. Cold ...
heating and a/c unit	4/23/2006
Q: my little fellow hit my heating and a/c unit with a gokart and denting three coils. it ran for ... A: The fan can be replaced if you can find a friend who is skilled with electricity. A fan is just a ...
AC unit not draining properly	4/21/2006
Q: The pan is not distorted in any way. It drains extremely well when the unit is not running and I ... A: You have an outside "Package unit". Now I can look at the right units. Something is wrong. The "A" ...
heating and a/c unit	4/20/2006
Q: my little fellow hit my heating and a/c unit with a gokart and denting three coils. it ran for ... A: Call Sears to come & fix it. Tell him from the start to just fix. He should be able to do that. It ...
A/C system configuration	4/20/2006
Q: I have a two story house with a built in garage and a split A/C system. The inside ... A: If only it was that simple. Yes & No. Is that confusing enough? It all depends on duct design & the ...
AC unit not draining properly	4/19/2006
Q: The drain is not plugged. I can actualy see through the drain pipe and into the pan. The piece of ... A: I do not mean at the pan junction. I ment further from the pan. Now you say the pipe has been broken ...
Upstairs is always too hot	4/17/2006
Q: We built a new home in 1995. Story and a half. Second floor is open loft, then two bedrooms. We ... A: Builders ignorance. Same as here is Montana. Hot air always rises, there is no way to get the ...
Sears "80" Gas Fired Furnace	4/15/2006
Q: We bought this house last October and I am trying to figure out how everything works and checking ... A: What you have is a "basic" heating unit. With A/C added (Total line). The units are seperate and ...
How do air conditioners work	4/14/2006
Q: I have a Fujitronic FA1300 portable room air conditioner that has never worked very well. Tuesday I ... A: I also have allergies & a touch of asthma. So I know what you mean. Explain it to a ...
Central Air Conditioning Refr Line Bent	4/4/2006
Q: I have a central air conditioning unit that was moved a little recently and the refrigerant line ... A: How bad of a kink? You can not just splice it. The freon needs to be removed (filtered & stored). ...
Air Conditioning Ducts	4/3/2006
Q: I need my a/c replaced & new ductwork. I've had 2 estimates with 2 different ideas re: the ducts. ... A: The first contractor is "more" correct. The hose analogy is bad. That puts too much pressure on the ...
New heat and AC	4/3/2006
Q: I am in the northeast where the summer temps sometimes run up to the nineties with humidity, and the ... A: Now I see what you are up to. Radiant heat does not work good below carpet. I am in Montana, have ...
Refrigerated Air Unit Size	4/1/2006
Q: I am currently in the process of purchasing a new two-story home in El Paso, TX and want to have ... A: Two, 5 ton units is OVER KILL!!!!!!!!!! or a scam. I would think one, 5 ton should do the job. It ...
Heating, A/C flues and ducts	3/31/2006
Q: I own a two-story condo for 4-yrs and have not yet thought about having the flues (?) and the ducts ... A: A much more important thing to do is, keep the filter clean. Change it as soon as it looks dirty or ...
New heat and AC	3/29/2006
Q: I'm building a new house and am not sure how to approach efficient and comfortable mechanical ... A: Where in the country are you? How COLD does it get & how HOT?? What fuels are in your area? Have ...
Bryant Central Air - won't start up!	3/28/2006
Q: this is actually a follow up to the previous question I sent you concerning our central air that ... A: No, it probably not the "coil". Start here. Undo the small wires at the compressor. Use the T-stat ...
Bryant 559G Central Air Unit, not working	3/27/2006
Q: We have a Bryant 559G Central Air Unit (made in 1987), the unit has never caused us a problem til ... A: The contactor is run by 24 volts from the furnace. The "click" from the furnace ,is the relay in the ...
Oil smell	3/23/2006
Q: I recently changed the filter and nozzle, but I'm getting a oily smell through out my house. Like ... A: Contact your oil distributer. He may have a CO detector. This will tell you if the heat exchanger is ...
MAY GAS FURNACE	3/21/2006
Q: My gas furnace is 14 years old and has quit working. I have a gas contract with U.G.I. and they ... A: The way gas prices are going, only consider; 92+ AFUE, two pipe, two stage furnaces. What every list ...
central air conditioning	3/20/2006
Q: I have a 2400 sq ft colonial, and currently have room a/c, in the bedrooms, and one in the family ... A: This year, the federal Gov't is giving a tax credit for high effeciency A/C installs. Since you will ...
broken heat exchanger	3/17/2006
Q: i have a 15 year old luxaire high effeciency propane furnace(model pcmu-ld1270678) with an air ... A: Boy, are you in deep xxxx..... IF !!! Luxair can come up with one, $400 to $500 plus 5 or 6 hours ...
Heating a Basement room	3/14/2006
Q: I am looking for the most efficient and safe heating solution for heating a couple of rooms in my ... A: Electric is the most expensive kind of heating available (Per month). BUT It is the cheapest to ...
Noisy Baseboard - Follow Up	3/13/2006
Q: Bill, I sent you a question about noisy baseboard hot water and wondered if adjusting the boiler's ... A: Here's the trick. When it gets cold outside & the home does not get warm enough, boost the temp. up ...
Furnace Filters?	3/13/2006
Q: I'm 24, live at home, and recently our furnace stopped functioning properly. First we had our ... A: He is probably right. ,,,,,IF,,,,,,,,,,,,, the filter is plugged, it will reduce the air flow. When ...
Furance Accessory panel problem	2/23/2006
Q: I installed a humidifier without any problem, but when I went to hook up the power to the furnace ... A: No way to know. I would look over the wiring diagram. There may be a HUM sensor control, that turns ...
Proper duct materials	2/23/2006
Q: Residential home, 980 sq.feet, Electric HVAC, home over 20 years old, hip roof (no crawl space) have ... A: Get a high grade air mask from the auto paint seller in your area. And a suit (tyvek suit w/hood). ...
Furnace running every 15 min.	2/22/2006
Q: I'm in Colorado down to teens at night 80% AFUE, one common wall. I think the Furnace should run to ... A: I think it is with in, normal operation. The programable T-stat allows the temp to drop at night. In ...
Heating system	2/22/2006
Q: It does help, I actually thought about booster fans. How can I tell which ducts go to the upstairs? ... A: Follow the ducts & make a drawing to show where all ducts go. Detective work. The booster fans use ...
Heating system	2/22/2006
Q: My home is heated by gas, It is a forced air unit for heat and of course central air. My residence ... A: The duct design is poor. The metal duct work needs to be re-done. Sorry (expensive) The house is ...
Location of Return Air Duct and Cracked Heat Exchanger Question	2/21/2006
Q: I have a couple of questions. Hope you can help. 1) My first question is more a peace of mind ... A: 1 foot from the furnace through a wall, with no opening with in 6 feet, is OK........... BUT, BUT, ...
Furnace Short Cycles	2/21/2006
Q: I have a Rheem Criterion 80 AFUE furnace that is 3 1/2 years old. It seems to want to run/stop/run ... A: The rod that glows is the ignitor. Never touch it. Oils from the skin will cause it to go bad. Plus, ...
Furnace Short Cycles	2/20/2006
Q: I have a Rheem Criterion 80 AFUE furnace that is 3 1/2 years old. It seems to want to run/stop/run ... A: The spring time "Look see", is a money maker for the dealer. The sensor is not working right. In the ...
electric heater problem	2/20/2006
Q: I experiencing problem with my electric heater made by trane. I am not sure the model but the house ... A: Check the circuit breakers. 220 volt furnace means 2 breakers control it. They are side by side & ...
gas fired boiler making noises	2/20/2006
Q: I have a gas fired boiler for my hot water, this normally works as always on as in I always have hot ... A: You have air in the system. Micro bubbles settle out of the water over time. There should be a "air ...
heater won't heat to emp	2/19/2006
Q: Followup To Question - It's a trane 10 years old heat unit only The heater comes on but ofter 15 ... A: A steady glowing "red" light is normal. Any blinks, means problems. How long do the burners stay on? ...
heater won't heat to emp	2/19/2006
Q: It's a trane 10 years old heat unit only The heater comes on but ofter 15 to 20 min the burners go ... A: One thing to try. Unscrew the T-stat. Short out the "red" & "white" wires. That should start the ...
Coleman Electric Furnace with A/C 3400-820	2/19/2006
Q: Bill, Please help me I messed up I was replacing Relay-fan and failed to mark wires properly and ... A: Here's what you do. Look on the cabnet doors & inside the front of the furnace. There should be a ...
heater won't heat to emp	2/18/2006
Q: It's a trane 10 years old heat unit only The heater comes on but ofter 15 to 20 min the burners go ... A: It is not the T-stat. What kind of Trane? 80% or 90% AFUE? Does the furnace vent in metal pipe or ...
furnace filter	2/17/2006
Q: I am renting a house here in the Midwest. The furnace has no model #'s on it. The front panel says ... A: Stand in front of the furnace. Which ever side the cold air drops & goes into the furnace. There, is ...
Natural Gas Furnace Won't recycle	2/15/2006
Q: I have a 10 year old Janitrol Natural Gas Furnace recently it would not cycle on when the thermostat ... A: The guy did not know what he was doing. I would demand the whole first call to be refunded. Then get ...
HVAC Heat Pump	2/14/2006
Q: Bill, First, thank you for your service. I must have come to this site a dozen times for ... A: You do not need emergency heat. When the outside temp drops to freezing (32 degrees), the heat pump ...
gas heater	2/12/2006
Q: My heating unit will not turn on. The electic thermostat is on and working saying that we want the ... A: The T-stat is good. Tell me about the unit. (Age, make, model, AFUE, vents in metal or plastic) When ...
furnace problem - II	2/11/2006
Q: Brainard, Thanks for your response to our earlier request for help with our gas furnace. We have ... A: OK. Things will work out. I assume he did the replacement for free. Assume/hope. A 2 stage, can be ...
size of new ac unit.	2/10/2006
Q: We just got quotes from 2 different contactors for a new gas furnace and ac unit. One contactor gave ... A: The one with a 3 1/2 ton fan, is his standard fan. Comes from the factory that way. The size of the ...
Scroll compressor	2/6/2006
Q: American Standard 5 ton R-22. Compressor was replaced, yet the same problem exists. High side 150, ... A: The low side pressure is high. You will have to trouble shoot the tubing & inside coil. No that is ...
Repair Coleman Heater	2/4/2006
Q: Followup To Question - Bill, What a great sevice. Here's the question. My Grandmother (93 ... A: First, I would replace the combustion air switch. All you need to replace it is a screw driver & ...
flame sensor problem?	2/3/2006
Q: I have a Goodman gas furnace, new in October 1999. Currently, it will not stay on. The exhaust ... A: That is called a "short cycle". Take a piece of fine steel wool & wipe the sensor rod. Don't scrub ...
The burners in my furnace are not staying lit	2/2/2006
Q: I have a furnace made by Goodman Manufacturing Company; model no: GDT090-4B. It was installed less ... A: Contact Goodman. There was a time peroid when some burners were mis-manufactured. They caused a ...
replace 8 yr old Trane 80% when replacing 23 yr old York AC unit?	2/1/2006
Q: We just bought a 2300sf ranch with a York model 4ton ac about 23 yrs old. It was connected to two ... A: He was right to check close & find the second coil. There is nothing wrong with an 8 year old ...
Heater does not come on	1/31/2006
Q: the system is a bryant, i dont know thw model but we have a upstairs unit and downstairs unit, the ... A: I am not sure what the problem is. The "Auto/On" switch only runs the blower. Either automatically, ...
heating return vent	1/27/2006
Q: I recently had heating contractor at my home. The contractor put calking all in the return vent, to ... A: Sounds like you really got screwed. Sorry. Duct tape on lasts a short time. The joints should be ...
Repair Coleman Heater	1/27/2006
Q: Bill, What a great sevice. Here's the question. My Grandmother (93 yrs old) has a Coleman ... A: There's not a lot of the operational parts left. Lets go over things, at the furnace, turn the ...
Fuel oil heater	1/26/2006
Q: I have a fuel oil furnace that heats the back part of my house. It is an Airco, probably 10-15 years ... A: Here in Montana we do not use oil, so my experience is limited. I am guessing. The fuel line needs ...
Repair Coleman Heater	1/25/2006
Q: Bill, What a great sevice. Here's the question. My Grandmother (93 yrs old) has a Coleman ... A: Where are you located? I consider those "RIP OFF" prices. Also, I think the parts carry a 5 year ...
Heating furnace and hot water boiler	1/23/2006
Q: Answer - Scalding kitchen water, is normal. Some cooks want water this hot. You just have to ... A: Go to the water heater & turn the "temp." control down. Then see what temp it is at. Re-adjust if ...
Forced hot air heating..fan / blower problem	1/22/2006
Q: My problem is when the thermostat satisfies itself and the fan/ blower shuts off, within a min the ... A: I do not know what kind or age furnace you are talking about. BUT Older furnaces have a "mass" of ...
Heating furnace and hot water boiler	1/21/2006
Q: ------------------------- How can I adjust the incoming water that: 1 - I shouldn't run out of hot ... A: Scalding kitchen water, is normal. Some cooks want water this hot. You just have to remember to ...
Temco floor furnace	1/21/2006
Q: I have and older Temco floor furnace[ducted]. natural gas, model 506-1, serial no# 22032, 50,000 btu ... A: I have no idea where or how to get a wiring diagram for this unit (or any info). I assume, you ...
Heating furnace and hot water boiler	1/20/2006
Q: I am going to try to explain the problem but have patience as I don't know too much about these ... A: 1. 30 to 40 gallons. 2. low pressure means the hot wtaer flow is restricted. On purpose or by ...
getting my heat to rise to the upstairs	1/20/2006
Q: I HAVE NATURAL GAS THE DOWNSTIRS HEAT WORKS GREAT BUT THERES NOT MUCH HEAT GOING UP WE HAVE ... A: Are there zone vales on every zone (area)? Are there seperate T-stats in each room or 1, for the ...
FAHeater blower problems	1/19/2006
Q: Bill, Thank you for taking the time to answer this. This morning I noticed that my forced air gas ... A: When a furnace does this, it means that the brain box has gone bad. Inside the front of the case, ...
Central air and heat	1/18/2006
Q: We just bought a house in SC. This is the first house we lived in with central air and heat. The ... A: It sounds like it is "dead". (no electricity) Look on and/or at the unit, for an additional breaker ...
hot water furnace	12/16/2005
Q: bill I live in a house now with a newwly installed hotwater furnace, from the previous owners.It has ... A: In some areas of the country, forced air heat is "uncommon" & hot water ie the normal. Anyway, each ...
Central Heat Stuck ON	12/15/2005
Q: I'm in a 1200ft end unit town home in NC. My heat will not turn off, despite me switching the ... A: It should be safe. BUT it will cost a lot of money to let it run & run & run............. I would ...
Heating	12/14/2005
Q: We just purchased our house 6 months ago. We are now using the heater but it is not heating up the ... A: The unit is "short cycling". I would check the grounding connections in the furnace. They get crud ...
carrier gas valve	12/14/2005
Q: i have a carrier furnace on gas.when i start it the ignitor lights and stays on until the valve ... A: The valve is working right. The flame circuit is not complete. The flame starts and does not tell ...
Heat	12/13/2005
Q: Florida. Block home...1200 square feet. Electric heat and air....Air is blowing, but not warm ... A: When you use the phrase "Emergency heat", that tells me this is a heat pump. Sounds like the ...
HVAC help	12/13/2005
Q: Random question. Our thermostat is constantly making a clicking noise, the same one it usually ... A: Exactly, what issue does the fan have, on getting the house to temp?? Does it take too long?? Does ...
furnace/water heater combo	12/13/2005
Q: We moved from California to the New York Metro area a year ago. We bought a 90 year old house with ... A: Here in Montana we also have "cold" water. So I know what you mean. On demand heaters use a lot of ...
programmable thermostat	12/10/2005
Q: My question is do you really save money by using a programmable thermostat? I leave my house about 7 ... A: YES, they save money. 65 for a low temp is about right. Set each cycle to warm the house 10 min. ...
furnace bangs really loud	12/9/2005
Q: every once in a while, my furnace makes a really huge bang, as if someone is pushing a dresser over ... A: They can probably fix it. BUT It is 50% efficient & old. Replace it!!! Tell them I said they can ...
NO HEAT	12/9/2005
Q: I have an American Standard Gas Package Unit,when there is a call for Heat,NOTHING happens..I have ... A: You have to take a meter & follow the wires from the "Hot" side of the 24 volt transformer; to the ...
Condensate drainage problem on Lennox G26 series furnace.	12/8/2005
Q: I'm having trouble fixing a condensate drain on my G26 series Lennox Furnace (seems like a common ... A: Where does the clear tubing go to (the one that backs up)? Follow that line, there has to be a plug ...
Electronic Ignition not firing - help.....	12/8/2005
Q: Please help.... I am in San Antonio, TX. Warm here? No, not right now! Is 28 degrees and our ... A: When a furnace blower runs all the time, it is the "default" setting. This means the "brain box" has ...
radiant floor heat	12/7/2005
Q: Hey its me again, my Trane unit is an XV80 variable speed, high eff, two stage installed back in ... A: If the unit vents in metal pipe it is an 80% AFUE (second rate). If it vents in plastic pipe it is ...
radiant floor heat	12/6/2005
Q: I currently live in a 2 story home with a finished basement, each floor is about 1000 sq ft. I have ... A: I live in Montana & have a night time set back to 64 degrees. The low temps fall to -40. In the ...
continuous flow water heater	12/4/2005
Q: Am building new home and being encouraged to use the Rinnai system. What do you know about these ... A: They are a good system & popular (right now). They are more expensive to run, over a normal, water ...
furnace/thermostat	12/4/2005
Q: I have a carrier furnace and thermostat. for a few months, the thermostat has not kept time when ... A: Some flame roll out switches have a "red" reset button. You need to push in the button. Some are ...
lighting pilot light on heater	12/2/2005
Q: I have a Ruud gas heating system in my 50 year old home. I don't know how old it is but at least 20 ... A: Simple fix. Go to the lumber yard, hardware store, etc & get a thermocouple. About $5 Replace it & ...
home heating unit	12/2/2005
Q: Is this something I can install myself? I'm pretty handy with most repairs. If it's a simple ... A: You can do it. There are 6 to 8 wires on "push" tab's. (1/4" wide spade ternimals). Make a drawing ...
lighting pilot light on heater	12/1/2005
Q: I have a Ruud gas heating system in my 50 year old home. I don't know how old it is but at least 20 ... A: After the pilot is lit, will it stay lit for 30 seconds? If it goes out get back to me. If it stays ...
home heating unit	12/1/2005
Q: Bill, Sorry the delayed response, we are trying to saell the house and have a lot going on. I did ... A: Since resetting the brain does not work, it is a real problem. The brain should have no blinking ...
Basic operational question re: sears wall furnace	12/1/2005
Q: ------------------------- Followup To (see end of message) Question - I have an old (came with the ... A: When replaceing them we use generic snap disc's. You have to be carefull to get the same exact ...
home heating unit	11/30/2005
Q: I have a York heating/ac unit. The heating portion of it (gas) does not seem to be blowing hot air. ... A: Turn off the electricity for 1 min. Then start it up.(turn on juice) Stand in front of it & Watch ...
Basic operational question re: sears wall furnace	11/29/2005
Q: I have an old (came with the house over 20 years ago) Sears wall mount furnace heating my attached ... A: No schematic available. Start unscrewing the front metal covers. Somewhere in the middle of the ...
Is Gas Furnace blowing hot?	11/29/2005
Q: Bill, I had an Amana HVAC put in my home in March. It is a 2 stage, 70,000 btu 80% AFUE. I ... A: This is one of the new high efficiency furnaces and that is a proper temp. range. The older "gas ...
not enough heat	11/27/2005
Q: I got a problem with a Coleman DGAA056BDTA central gas heating system. Details are: - furnace ... A: The flame is set by the size of the oriface. The attic fan is accessed from the roof. Go up on the ...
Payne Central unit code 6	11/24/2005
Q: Bill, I am a fairly astute guy- I do computer/driveability work for Daimler/Chrysler, so I think ... A: Check to be sure the vent is clear (outside). Then check to see if it is "blowing". If it is ...
Pump on gas furnace	11/23/2005
Q: Brainard, I have a problem with a pump attached to my gas furnace. The pump is made by Beckett Co. ... A: What you have is a "condensate pump. It shuts off the furnace so the floor does not get flooded. Run ...
Blower does not appear to be working	11/20/2005
Q: So I checked the motor and it is not fan driven, so I am guessing that it could have blown and now ... A: STOP!! Lets re-do. The whole furnace is "dead". That means electricity is interupted. Check the ...
Heil pilot light lighting procedure/location	11/19/2005
Q: Bill, My nephew has a Heil model number 867.815030 hvac home system in north central MS., which I'm ... A: ********************************************************************************************* What ...
Blower does not appear to be working	11/19/2005
Q: First thank you for the quick response. Not to familiar with the terminology, so I apoligize if I ... A: Carl: ..... When you put the switch on the T-stat, Fan - to "On", that cuts the furnace out & ...
Blower does not appear to be working	11/19/2005
Q: I recently turned on my furnace and it appeared to be working after a few days but now something is ... A: Was the blower motor replaced last year? You say "blower", do you mean the blower wheel & housing or ...
Fan Setting	11/18/2005
Q: I'm sure this is a simple question for you - Do you suggest keeping the fan setting on the ... A: The efficiency is not effected by the fan. "Auto", will allow the fan to turn on when needed (for ...
Coleman Furnace	11/17/2005
Q: I have a question about my Coleman furnace model# dgah077bbsa. It has an electric ignition and I've ... A: What do you mean "ignition switch"??? Do you mean the electronic, "brain box"? Static electricity, ...
central heat	11/16/2005
Q: Is the Compressor outside supposed to run when the heat is on for a central heat & air system? We ... A: At 6 years old it should be wired right. The T-stat may be bad. Kill the juice to the inside unit. ...
Flame sensor in Natural gas furnace.	11/14/2005
Q: General question about the "electric" flame sensor that replaced the old capilliar tube type of ... A: What the sensor does, is to connect the flame to the "brain box". The control puts voltage on the ...
Furnace bang	11/13/2005
Q: My furnace makes a loug bang every time it shuts off. Any ideas? A: Lots of ideas but no way to tell what is going on. What kind of furnace, age, % AFUE, fuel, forced ...
Heating a basement	11/13/2005
Q: I have a 1600 sq ft modular home on a walkout basement. The basement has never been heated and gets ... A: A modular home has a furnace sized "JUST" for itself. NO extra capacity. They do that to save ...
No heat from Furnace	11/12/2005
Q: Regarding our 11 year old American Standard Freedom 80 furnace. It will not ignite burners. I have ... A: That "code", tells me, that a safety has been tripped & needs to be re-set. Follow thw wires from ...
Air Conditioner	11/8/2005
Q: I live in central FL. I seem to have a mystery problem. My AC is blowing damp, humid air. My air ... A: If, the maintance man must do all repairs, you are in trouble (sort of). He must have been the guy ...
fan running blowing cold air	11/5/2005
Q: norge airline heat by borg warner corp............the fan kicked on and blowing cold air all the ... A: I do not know this furnace. BUT The controls (brain box) has a default (run the fan to get ...
air conditioning unit coil	11/1/2005
Q: Each year I have my air conditioning units cleaned and inspected in an attempt to keep them running ... A: Close. Turn the juice off & clean the outside units. Hardware & lumberyards, do not have the wash. ...
Gas Leak	10/31/2005
Q: I am a residential home inspector and although I have not come across this problem as of yet, what ... A: Unhook the meter from the house. Put a cap on the line with an "air" attachment. (like a car tire ...
air conditioning unit coil "acid wash"	10/31/2005
Q: Each year I have my air conditioning units cleaned and inspected in an attempt to keep them running ... A: A gallon of coil wash costs about $11 and it dilutes to 5 gallons. It takes a gallon to clean a ...
gas furnace	10/29/2005
Q: I have an armstrong upright gas furnace built probably '59 with a dayton blower.(it may be newer) I ... A: Time to replace or baby it along & save money up for the replacement. If you want to save some money ...
a/c returns	10/29/2005
Q: Bill, Hope this doesnt sound too confusing. My new house has forced hot air heat. It's ready to go ... A: Oh boy...... The blind leading the blind.......... (I jest) 1. flex ducts restrict air flow, streach ...
Purchasing a new furnace	10/26/2005
Q: I heard that the new furnaces are really sensitive now and won't kick on if any of the saftey ... A: That furnace is a "bottom of the line" unit. I would suggest getting a good furnace. Check other ...
heating costs	10/25/2005
Q: I,m trying to save on heating costs (like every other American). I own an older ranch home. In my ... A: Reduce the heat but do not cut it off. Yes, the heat will rise & if you let the basement get too ...
Weil Mclane Nat Gas burner	10/24/2005
Q: My burner kicks in and then shuts down after running for about a minute. Which control needs to be ... A: If it shuts down right away, that means the "brain" is not getting the info that there is a flame & ...
Furnace Blower	10/24/2005
Q: Carrier Weathermaker Gas Heater (1987) - The blower never shuts off even when the thermostat is set ... A: If this is a heat pump, I have no advice. Heat pumps have a special circuitry and special boards. ...
GAS Furnace is dead need help to find new one	10/24/2005
Q: ------------------------- Follow up To Gas Furnace is dead Question - have quotes not sure which ... A: How many weeks of 90 degree heat do you have? How many months do you need to run the A/C? I would ...
Blower Motor	10/24/2005
Q: I have a Payne (don't know the model number; it is about 10 years old) central Heating and Air unit. ... A: Time to take a meter and see if there is 110 volts sent to the motor (when the burners run 2 or 3 ...
Propane Fireplace "bangs"	10/23/2005
Q: Our 2 year old direct vent propane fireplace (Heat-N-Glo 6000TRXI) has been plagued with this ... A: The bang on start-up, is usually miss-aligned burners (flash tubes). Open the front so you can see ...
DOG CHEWED THROUGH A/C WIRE	10/22/2005
Q: MY NAME IS ROBBIE. MY DOG CHEWED THROUGH 2 ELECTRICAL WIRES THAR RUN TO MY OUTSIDE A/C UNIT. THEY ... A: Replace the wire completely. Go to the lumber yard or Ace Hardware and get 18 ga wire. This wire ...
wattage	10/22/2005
Q: we have a central air conditioning system that - obviously - runs on electric. can you tell me - ... A: There is no "roughly" estimate available, not even a guess. It all depends on the system. The ...
heating a garage workshop	10/21/2005
Q: I am anticipating my first western Pennsylvania winter in my newly purchased home. I have an ... A: You are in trouble now. There are 100 or more ways, to do what you ask. Propane heaters are good. ...
furnace	10/21/2005
Q: I have an older furnace for my gerage, it came out of a house that was is natural gas do i need to ... A: Natural gas is 3.5" water column and propane is 11" of water column. So, propane is 3 times more ...
Gas Furnace Burners with oxidation	10/20/2005
Q: I am a Realtor representing a seller with a gas HVAC system. The furnace, while running fine, ... A: brainard@in-tch.com . ..... Why don't you take a tank type vaccum & brush & clean the furnace ...
GAS Furnace is dead need help to find new one	10/20/2005
Q: ------------------------- Followup To Gas Furnace is dead Question - Gas, Electric, or Heat Pump? ... A: Electric is more expensive to run than gas. Peroid. Unless you have free electricity. Here in Great ...
Older Rheem furnace	10/18/2005
Q: I have a Rheem furnace that was made in about 1975. It still runs great. I'm sure it's not too ... A: Turn off the juice, just to be safe. Open the front. Look for a "rod" about 1/8th" dia. and 3 inchs ...
luxaire furnace/air conditioner	10/18/2005
Q: Luxaire furnace/air conditoner with a space air filter. about 5 years old. bought in the usa. Last ... A: Where are the wires you refer to? (inside furnace - at T-stat - outside -etc) If you mean the small ...
heat safety	10/18/2005
Q: i have a question about this...there is insulation above the unit for the central air unit in the ... A: Depends on what kind of insulation. If it is fiberglass, (blow in or batts) it is safe. Other kinds ...
GAS Furnace is dead need help to find new one	10/18/2005
Q: Good morning, My house is over 35 yrs old and the gas furnace is dead. I have been told to get it ... A: Ahh!!! Furnaces, my speciality. Here in Montana we take furnaces very seriously. (especially at -40) ...
heat/ac duct	10/15/2005
Q: I have a 2 ft section of 6" flexible duct (mylar/fiberglass/metal coil) covered with plastic to use ... A: A plenum gets too hot for any kind of a "foam". Use fiberglass insulation. Wrap the metal & tape the ...
heat/ac duct	10/14/2005
Q: I have a 2 ft section of 6" flexible duct (mylar/fiberglass/metal coil) covered with plastic to use ... A: No! Throw it away. Sorry. If you need a flexable 6", look for one that is all metal. Ask a shop for ...
condensing unit	10/14/2005
Q: I have a goodman 4 ton unit about 6yrs old the problem is that the wire on the capacitor that starts ... A: Do you mean the end (crimp connector) on the wire has burned off? If so, put a new one on. It was ...
Furnace temp.	10/13/2005
Q: I replaced my furnace recently. It is a one stage Arcoaire 75,000 btu 80% eff. gas forced air ... A: The new furnaces move a lot more air, quicker, than the older ones. (causing increased noise). The ...
Snyder gas furnace	10/12/2005
Q: Snyder Model #gau120a020ain with White Rodgers control relay #50e47-140. You solved my problem with ... A: When the blower runs & will not stop. That is a default setting to alert the home owner. Sounds like ...
New Gas Furnace Air Return	10/12/2005
Q: I am not actually doing the installation (Sears is doing it) but I wanted to make sure they install ... A: When the return goes across the ceiling a guy counts square inches of each grill that feeds the ...
Comfortmaker furnace	10/12/2005
Q: Have a 1988 Comfortmaker furnace. 80% efficient. Gas. Single stage. The unit will light and stay ... A: Go to the Mfg. web site & give them the model # and serial #. About this time peroid there were ...
New Gas Furnace Air Return	10/11/2005
Q: I'm about to have a new 100,000 BTU gas furnace installed in my home. What I'm trying to determine ... A: The drop should be 10x24 or 8x24 on certain units. The hot air system is a design function. The ...
I am looking to have installed...	10/11/2005
Q: I am looking to have installed in my tri-level home, 1600 sq ft, a Lennox brand furnace,(model g600h ... A: Here in Montana people have learned the ugly facts about 80% furnaces. Buy a 90% +, two pipe ...
my gas furnace will not start - blower problem?	10/11/2005
Q: Yes, I did make sure that the pilot was turned to "on" position. Is there any way you can tell me ... A: The thermostat wires enter the furnace in the side and are like "doorbell" wire. Verry small wire ...
heating system	10/10/2005
Q: My wife and I are looking to buy some income property, a duplex, and want to live in one and the ... A: It is not possible to give a price with out looking at the homes & how the system is installed & ...
HVAC	10/10/2005
Q: Well, it appears the code is 34. I'm guessing if I wait long enough it will switch to 14 (Ignition ... A: One thing comes to mind. Look in the burner area. There should be a "Rod" that gets hit with the ...
i have a coleman forced air...	10/9/2005
Q: i have a coleman forced air funace i think its from the 50s. i changed the thermal coupler and ... A: Sounds like the thermocoupler is still bad. Cheapest thing is to try another one. I am assuming that ...
HVAC	10/9/2005
Q: I have a forced air, natural gas furnace -- about 10 years old. It works fine with one exception: ... A: The "teaser" gives it away. The cooling uses different control circuits than heating. The T-stat is ...
Central A/C problem	10/8/2005
Q: My A/C will cool for about 30 minutes, and then still runs but no air comes from the vents. When I ... A: Classic symptoms. The system is low on freon. How old is it? The coil inside, freezes up & cuts off ...
Central Air Indoor Unit Evaporator Coil	10/6/2005
Q: --Bill: Thanks for the very prompt and informative reply. I am sorry to bother you again with a ... A: Let me be real blunt. You are being cheated. You need to have it fixed now (for free), not next ...
OUTSIDE UNIT	10/6/2005
Q: YES IT IS A HEAT PUMP/AC UNITTHE OUTSIDE UNIT OF MY HOUSE WAS NOT WORKING. SO I CALLED MY LOCAL GUY ... A: Sorry to tell you, I know very little about heat pumps. VERY LITTLE. Here in Montana they do not ...
furnace inop	10/6/2005
Q: as I had said the pressure switch is working. there is enough vacuum to close the switch right away. ... A: You forgot to tell me you jumpered the switch. I did not know. Oh well. Are you sure there isn't a ...
furnace inop	10/5/2005
Q: I have an Ultra V Tech 80 furnace. Problem: Blower and draft blower never shut off unless power is ... A: That 4 flashing, does not mean an electrical problem. It means the pressure switch is not getting ...
Central Air Indoor Unit Evaporator Coil	10/5/2005
Q: Bill: We have a Comfortmaker 12 SEER condenser with matching updraft evaporator coil (Model U424881 ... A: I smell a rat. You are being played. When you find a leak it will cause leak detectors to "bubble". ...
insulation	10/5/2005
Q: first, thank you for your answer about the attic insulation. ok, i dont think they will take it ... A: They call it "un-faced" or "faced". The facing is a vapor barrier & it should be on the inside of ...
A/C works but furnace does not	10/4/2005
Q: Bill, I am having a problem with my furnace. I live in Michigan and my furnace is a Bryant 90 ... A: Where are you findimg 15 volts? Open the furnace & unhook all the wires that go to the T-stat (red, ...
air duct system	9/30/2005
Q: I'd like to ask you a question about my 2 story mid 60's home. On the upper floor, I have 2 air ... A: One of them is probably a "supply" & the other an "intake" (return air). Turn on the system & figure ...
AC compressor wont run	9/26/2005
Q: My son has a Lennox G60UHV(X) furnace/ac. The compressor won't run because the contactor relay ... A: Try the contactor relay, on the 24 volts supplied at the outside unit. It used to work (I assume). ...
Janitrol furnace	9/25/2005
Q: I have a 92%AFUE furnace and it tries to start but won't keep running. It acts like the flame sensor ... A: Flame sensor is doing its job. It is shutting down because of a problem. (It may be the sensor, to ...
furnace	9/24/2005
Q: We live in a 50 year old brick house,approximately 800 sq ft. one story, with a full basement, and ... A: I live in Montana where it gets to -40 every winter. I grew up in Detroit. Heat pumps work pretty ...
Heat/AC for addition	9/19/2005
Q: I am designing a small 500 SF addition to my home in Alexandria VA. Central air in the main house is ... A: Two things come to mind. A through the wall heat pump. Like motels have. They work but cost a bit ...
popping noise in wall furnace	9/18/2005
Q: Gaffers & Sattler-Mission wall furnace, the house is 33 years old. After the heater has been on ... A: A repairman needs to sit in front of the unit & watch it make the noise (Ball of fire). Then it can ...
sufficient vents for heating & a/c	9/18/2005
Q: We're in the middle of an addition, and in our new 14x16 bedroom, with 2 north-facing windows and ... A: You have a set amount of air, each vent supplies. A guy puts in a vent (or two, or 3) to supply the ...
drayton digistat rf1	9/17/2005
Q: I have a heating control drayton digistat rf1 which is showing a flashing battery indicator. ... A: Where on Earth are you located? That is a European product. I do not know if they can be bought in ...
air conditionionig sizing..to big or to small	9/16/2005
Q: .my house...21 years old needs a central air conditioning unit...is aprox.22.000sq f.3b/2bath(I ... A: *********************************************************************************First the easy ...
air conditionionig sizing..to big or to small	9/14/2005
Q: .my house...21 years old needs a central air conditioning unit...is aprox.22.000sq f.3b/2bath(I ... A: The factory class to figure A/C is 2 1/2 days long (8 hour days), and is it ever boring. Most guys ...
HVAC	9/12/2005
Q: I have a 5 ton Carrier unit and live in northeast Tennessee the unit is about 7 years old and in my ... A: Forget the frost, its OK (normal). Go ahead & turn on the breaker. An outside unit, is made so ...
HVAC	9/12/2005
Q: I have a 5 ton Carrier unit and live in northeast Tennessee the unit is about 7 years old and in my ... A: First question, is it cooling the house? 2nd, When the outside unit runs, is the inside unit blowing ...
Payne A/C outside unit blows air sideways	9/11/2005
Q: ....my Payne PA10 central A/C unit blows air out of the sides of the top of the unit instead of ... A: Do you mean the outsiade unit? Do the fan blades look bent? It is not normal for air to blow out ...
Central Air	9/11/2005
Q: Trane - I assume 15 years as I just bought the house recently. The A/C was running fine up until ... A: If the pipe was frozen, it means the outside unit (compressor) is running correctly. Frozen does not ...
Central Heat and Air	9/11/2005
Q: I live in Kansas, where we are remodeling a house. My Son told that you could put a central ... A: Yes, this can be done. I would not choose to do it. Unless there was no other option. Each model is ...
Changing over to new furnace...deciding on oil or gas	9/10/2005
Q: We live in an old Victorian house that has radiators (steam) heat and is oil fired. The boiler is ... A: Gas will require less maintenance. (peroid) Go with a 92% AFUE 2 speed furnace & a "two pipe". ...
pilot/thermocouple problems	9/6/2005
Q: I live in a small apartment in Brooklyn, NY that has it's own gas heating/ hot water system. In the ... A: Bad "new" gas valve. Inside the gas valve is a small coil. The thermocouple makes enough ...
Attic ventilation??	9/4/2005
Q: I moved into an older (1955) home in Tallahassee, Florida about two years ago. It's about a 2000 ... A: Put in a couple of power vents and 12 to 15 soffit vents. Not to solve the problem, but to save ...
AC condenser fan and compressor not running	9/4/2005
Q: The unit is a Trane TTP048-60D combination furnace/AC that is about 4 years old. I asked for help ... A: You found the problem. There should be 220 volts at the relay (outside) not 110 volts. Check the ...
burner ignition	9/2/2005
Q: I have a Peerless Boiler,Beckett Burner Model AFG It has an Honeywell R8184 G 1427 Intermittent Oil ... A: I do not know oil controls. The problem is electrical. Try to trace down what is tripping the ...
Charging central air followup	9/1/2005
Q: The tech got the gauges on right and we checked and charged the system to 70 low side and 185 high ... A: AHH !!! I knew something was wrong. Sounds like the school is second rate. The readings are GOOD. ...
Central air puzzler	8/31/2005
Q: Air conditioning is important in South Carolina, but I've recently experienced a puzzling problem ... A: yOU GOT A tech that does not know what he is doing. As soon as the air starts blowing warmer. At ...
central a/c fan problem	8/30/2005
Q: i have an intertherm central unit (in a single-wide mobile home) which is approximately six years ... A: There is a switch (fan switch) that engauges the electricity to the fan, when the chamber heats to ...
gas furnace	8/30/2005
Q: I have two propane floor furnaces in my home. I would like to do away with propane and use electric. ... A: Why do you want to do away with propane? Propane is a efficient & good heat source. Floor furnaces ...
air conditioning	8/30/2005
Q: .. i have a condo with an hvac unit. just recently, the ac stopped working. the ventilatating fan ... A: I assume you mean the outside unit "opens" the breaker & the inside unit just keeps blowing air. ...
Charging my home air conditioner unit	8/30/2005
Q: I had a tech come out and look at my air conditioner, and I don't think he knew what he was doing. ... A: The gauges look to be hooked up right. Small line is the high side and the large line is the suction ...
Contractor's A/C System	8/29/2005
Q: Comfortmaker dual zone gas furnace/A/C units. Downstairs unit is a "gas pack" which sits outside ... A: Both of you are right. When the system puts cold air in metal ducts they will sweat. Just like a ...
extracting heat from a solarium	8/29/2005
Q: I live in a mountain environment where temps fluctuate dramatically during winter days. The house ... A: Where in the mountains are you? I am in Great Falls, Mt. Anyway, Draw the heat from high, suck the ...
Air conditioner condensation?	7/22/2005
Q: We have a Lennox central a/c unit and have it inspected every year. The unit and house is about 13 ... A: Sounds like the condensation drain line. The amount of dripping depends on the relative humidity. ...
water leaking from furnace	7/22/2005
Q: I have some water leaking from somewhere from the furnace. Its the original furnace about 30 years ... A: Does this furnace have an A/C unit in it? An A/C coil (inside the furnace) has a drain pan. The ...
AC unit	7/21/2005
Q: I would like to ask a question regarding air conditioning unit problems in a split-level house (3 ... A: Oh God. What a mess. Sorry. When a coil freezes up it is because of 1. low freon 2. poor air flow. ...
Central heating and air	7/21/2005
Q: I live in Chico, California in a small house and My outside unit, which is a York (I have no idea ... A: OK, Here is what to do. Turn off the juice. Then remove the blower housing. Cut the motor wires ...
air conditioner and furnace inop	7/21/2005
Q: I have a Janitrol GMP series furnace and air conditioner in my home. It is 13 years old, and came ... A: Any of the large pipe that is exposed to the air will frost up. Re-insulate the pipe. Now to the ...
charging an hvac system	7/20/2005
Q: A set of Robinair gauges were givin to me and I wanted to know is the blue side the low pressure ... A: You have it right. Now note, there are different scales on the gauge. One for each freon & they are ...
New central air system	7/19/2005
Q: ------------------------- Followup To Where's the best place to get 'honest' info. on costs to ... A: Consumers Report, Midwest Gas Assocation. A two pipe furnace uses outside air for combustion. A ...