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Heating, Air Conditioning, Fridge, HVAC/Questions Answered by Expert Craig HVAC Expert

SubjectDate Asked
A/C HEAT PUMP CONTACTOR INSTALL1/31/2012
  Q: .we want to change the CONTACTOR. Its a single pole, 24 volt. Do we have to shut off BOTH inside ...
  A: If you have to ask these sorts of questions, you probably should not be doing this type of work. ...
flame sensor1/28/2012
  Q: How do I find the flame sensor? I want to clean it with steel wool, not sure which piece it is? ...
  A: I'm sorry, but the model number you gave me is not valid. A Bryant number starts with 3 numbers and ...
flame sensor1/25/2012
  Q: How do I find the flame sensor? I want to clean it with steel wool, not sure which piece it is? ...
  A: I was unable to figure out what brand of furnace you have... I have never heard of "Brand" as a ...
eletric furnace1/19/2012
  Q: my problem is that my heater works find it heat my house and the blower sound good,but when i switch ...
  A: I can not say without checking out the unit if the breaker or fan motor needs replaced, but the fact ...
Emergency Heat switch1/16/2012
  Q: Good Morning Craig, I live in NJ and today Jan. 15 it is 17 egress. I just moved into this condo ...
  A: Heatpumps are used all over the world, including Canada. I am not sure who "she" is, but there is ...
charging a refidgerator1/16/2012
  Q: my question is; I usually charge the ac in a fridgerator with the ac tank in upright position, for a ...
  A: Some refrigerants require they be charged as a liquid and the can it is in will give the proper ...
Electric Furnace with Existing Central Air1/12/2012
  Q: I am wanting to change my existing gas furnace over to an electric furnace. I cannot afford to ...
  A: You should be able to use the existing condensing unit. Assuming the old unit is R-22, the new air ...
Lennox furnace issue1/11/2012
  Q: lennox furnace model G26Q3/4-100-2 Intermittant igniter clicks and I can see the blue spark for an ...
  A: The nesting material can get picked up by the inducer fan. The material can then get blown into the ...
Lennox furnace issue1/10/2012
  Q: lennox furnace model G26Q3/4-100-2 Intermittant igniter clicks and I can see the blue spark for an ...
  A: Based on what you have told me, the problem is with the gas supply. There are several things here ...
Heil Heatpump Troubleshooting1/8/2012
  Q: Heil Heatpump Model No. CH3042VKB2 867.801051 A few days ago I noticed the outside unit had frozen. ...
  A: In heat or cool mode, the compressor is going to get hot! In cool mode as the outdoor coil starts ...
condo a/c , mold problem12/17/2011
  Q: I am in the process of hiring a contractor to replace an air-conditioning unit in my condo (florida, ...
  A: You have a package unit, as they are referred. Since you live in a condo, it is possible the unit ...
Carrier Air Handlers12/15/2011
  Q: I am trying to evaluate the fairness of a price change in a quote when going from: Carrier ...
  A: I do not have access to Carrier pricing. However I found a site that sells Bryant. Bryant is in ...
Lennox GHR26 Series Furnace Malfunction12/14/2011
  Q: I own in a condo with central heating in the building. Each batroom has a Lennox GHR26 furnace pump ...
  A: The LED flashing code is pressure switch. I am not sure what motor is getting hot, but since the ...
Carrier Air Handlers12/14/2011
  Q: I am trying to evaluate the fairness of a price change in a quote when going from: Carrier ...
  A: There is no way for me or anything to be able to give pricing to change out this unit sight unseen. ...
my blower won't come on12/13/2011
  Q: i have bought 2 new fan switches and they won't turn my blower on but i can bypass the fan switch ...
  A: I needed to know what it was you were looking at so I can make my best guess. The "fan switch" as ...
Dripping water12/12/2011
  Q: Water drips from defusher when the sun shines on the swamp cooler in the winter We have tried every ...
  A: If the unit is getting cold enough for water to freeze to it, then the sun melts it there is not ...
Noisey heat pump12/9/2011
  Q: Goodman 14 seer 2 ton heat pump model ssz140241 serial 0904050403 unit was installed 10/22/09 ...
  A: Sorry for the delay, somehow I did not see I had a question in my mail box... I am not sure what ...
liebert condensing unit12/6/2011
  Q: Liebert kept blowing fuses and unit would not start. WE replaced and removed vfd from circuit. Then ...
  A: Remote Liebert condensing units have pressure controls to maintain proper head pressure, the reason ...
Correct Issues12/4/2011
  Q: Most everything, HVAC wise, in my home is working fine. But, I would like to correct some things ...
  A: The rooms have to have a way for the air to return or there would be no air flow. The space under ...
Lennox HPX 1411/20/2011
  Q: i have a Lennox 14HPX that keeps shutting down on me. I was told it is the pressure switch. What ...
  A: It can me many different things and is also depends on which pressure switch. Without a manifold ...
Question from the TV show CSI11/17/2011
  Q: Craig. My name is Jon and I'm a researcher for the CBS television show CSI: Crime Scene ...
  A: In a commercial building air from the HVAC building is cooled or heated then supplied to a space ...
HVAC Motherboard11/15/2011
  Q: I had a new system put in (name unknown) had the freon placed in and the system worked for a couple ...
  A: A bad board is no reason to change out an entire system that is new. If the system is just weeks ...
Hear/air vent direction11/13/2011
  Q: I have a question similar to what was posted here: ...
  A: Since most of the heating/cooling load comes from the great outdoors, the vents blowing towards the ...
Heat loss thru return air11/9/2011
  Q: I have a Trane XL1400 Gas Pack, 2-story house, unit is roof mounted, 1st floor and 2nd floor returns ...
  A: Barometric are used in flue pipes to regulate flow of the hot exhaust gas. There are dampers that ...
Electric Furnace not blowing heat...11/7/2011
  Q: I have a Nortron 18-20 kw 240v-single phase electric furnace. Last year I changed old Honeywell ...
  A: Coils that look ok may not be. A meter is the only way to determine if the coils are ok. The ...
Ge blower motor with circuit board end cap11/6/2011
  Q: I have a Trane hvac system about 16 years old. The blower motor wont run, compressor runs fine. I ...
  A: All of the parts can be purchased. I am not sure where you will get the best deal, as you will have ...
Electric Furnace not blowing heat...11/5/2011
  Q: I have a Nortron 18-20 kw 240v-single phase electric furnace. Last year I changed old Honeywell ...
  A: Setting the fan to on will not make heat. That just keeps the fan running. If the contactor has ...
Vent damper wont open11/1/2011
  Q: I have a Valliant water boiler home furnace. My aquastat stopped switching on the circulator pump. ...
  A: I am not familiar with this unit, but a boiler is a boiler. Since your unit released water from the ...
Gas smell10/31/2011
  Q: hope you can help. I have a gas unit for my home. Whenever the outside temp drops to about 50 ...
  A: If you think the smell could be raw nat gas or propane, then turn off the gas to the unit or the ...
buzzing sound when heat is turned up.10/31/2011
  Q: I have a heatpump. Have changed out the blower in the last 12 months and had a new control board ...
  A: The buzzing could be coming from the heat strips or the contactor for the heat strips. There could ...
Carrier 58PAV070 continous blinking red light10/30/2011
  Q: SO I have been trying to troubleshoot this issue, the unit will not come on for heat, the AC has ...
  A: There is suppose to be a continous blinking light. The rate at which it is blinking is water ...
Weather King Gas Furnance10/29/2011
  Q: My unit will not stay on longer than a minute. I have changed the filter, reset the thermostat, and ...
  A: Most furnaces have a control board with a fault light. Check the flashing light and compare to the ...
heat pump lines10/28/2011
  Q: on my 2 ton heat pump on condenser the low pressure line is 7/8 and on inside coil it's 3/4 should ...
  A: There are some charts out there that offer the basics. The unit should have a pipe size chart in ...
gaps between doors10/27/2011
  Q: The other day I noticed there is a sizeable gap (between a quarter to a half inch) between the doors ...
  A: Commercial buildings have different requirement than homes. Most commercial units have fresh air ...
arkla servel parts10/26/2011
  Q: I was wondering if you know where to get parts for an Arkla Servel or Arkla Air model #428U its a ...
  A: I have heard of such systems, but I have never worked on one. It does seem to appear to be a very ...
Hvac replacement negotiation10/21/2011
  Q: I need my gas pack system replaced how do negotiate with the hvac company to get the best price ...
  A: The best thing to do is to get more then one quote. This is not like buying a car. Issues that ...
replace compressor10/19/2011
  Q: if i culd get the right compressor to replace the origanal i would call a qualified mechanic to ...
  A: I would think you can find someone out there that will install the compressor. They are likely not ...
replace compressor10/17/2011
  Q: i need to replace my comfortmaker outdoor unit #AJ030GA1 .at www.home-ac.com they have copeland ...
  A: I am not completely sure what you are trying to do here. People often refer to one thing and mean ...
Gas furnace service10/14/2011
  Q: I converted from oil to gas heat 3 years ago and am very happy with my decision, both from an annual ...
  A: It really depends on who you talk to. Some people never have the unit serviced until it breaks, ...
Trane Gas Pack10/13/2011
  Q: The nights are getting colder.All summer the A/C worked fine.One night last week,I turned the heat ...
  A: There is not much I can really help you with here. You can try to reset the unit by turning off the ...
a/c use during rain10/12/2011
  Q: I know of course, than air conditioners and dehumidifiers condense water vapor out of the air. But ...
  A: The rain is not going to affect the way the unit works, it might actually improve its operation ...
AC air flow and duck sweating10/12/2011
  Q: For the past 18 years my AC did great kept house cool etc. some 3 years ago the flow coming from ...
  A: You did not mention flex, and there are several different types out there. The sweating ducts are ...
gas/flame does not stay lit10/7/2011
  Q: My father and I just installed a whole house humidifier. When we turned the furnace on to test the ...
  A: Two short blinks just means the unit is locked out and has to be reset. There are several things ...
Split system heat pump condensing unit10/5/2011
  Q: Split system unit is set for "Cool mode" and Fan "ON". The Aux red light is "ON" on the thermostat. ...
  A: Not all units have safety switches and they are not really needed. They do in fact turn the unit ...
Split system heat pump condensing unit10/3/2011
  Q: Split system unit is set for "Cool mode" and Fan "ON". The Aux red light is "ON" on the thermostat. ...
  A: The problem could be the defrost board and you unit has one. I can see it in the picture. ...
A/C UNIT10/1/2011
  Q: I was having a problem with my a/c not blowing cold air(it was cool but not cold as usual) also when ...
  A: Something about this seem fishy, but since I was not there I can not say for sure. Finding a small ...
Split system heat pump condensing unit9/28/2011
  Q: Split system unit is set for "Cool mode" and Fan "ON". The Aux red light is "ON" on the thermostat. ...
  A: The problem can be any number of things. Based on what you are telling me I would start with the ...
Commercial Sizing help9/27/2011
  Q: I am working on a 50,000sqft open space for a children's gymnastics center. It is located in Phoenix ...
  A: I am not sure what the tonnage you will need sitting here with no plans and all the good stuff ...
tax credit+problems with trane unit9/18/2011
  Q: I had a Trane unit put in last March 2010 #4YCC3060A1120AB-had called to get a certificate for a tax ...
  A: The 2H/2C refer to the amount of stages the t-stat is capable of doing, not necessary the ...
Replaced multiple parts - still won't run on its own9/16/2011
  Q: I have a 3 1/2 ton Carrier unit (model #38YCC042360). Last year in May, I had to replace the ...
  A: The short answer is "YES". You have to have the unit checked by a pro. It is illegal for anyone ...
Replaced multiple parts - still won't run on its own9/15/2011
  Q: I have a 3 1/2 ton Carrier unit (model #38YCC042360). Last year in May, I had to replace the ...
  A: 1) The contactor is not pulling in because one or more of the safeties in the unit is keeping it ...
Carrier #58CMA -runs but no fan9/13/2011
  Q: My Carrier model#58CMA (oil furnace) starts and produces heat, but fan isn't working. My book says ...
  A: It could be the fan or could be the timer or even something else. They only way to find out is to ...
AC cooling problem8/30/2011
  Q: I have central AC system 3 ton, about 5 years old (dont use it that much) 1- the gas in/out ...
  A: Sorry, I live in the USA and use Fahrenheit. Units are designed to run in the 15-20F difference. ...
air conditioner air handler motor8/29/2011
  Q: 1) My air is not coming on= the air handler is making a gurgling sound- diagnosis "new engine ...
  A: I think I might know what the gurgling sound is and can be normal actually. The description of the ...
advice8/28/2011
  Q: I would like to know which one is more energy efficient and feasible for an office with ...
  A: The SEER rating is what determines the efficiency of a unit. A package and a split can have the ...
Master Bath and Bedroom hotter than rest of house8/23/2011
  Q: We recently purchased a home that is approx 3300 sq foot. We had the heating and cooling systems ...
  A: Something is not quite true about that... Unless the existing registers are running at max CFM, ...
New Central HVAC from Sears (Kenmore) not cooling well8/20/2011
  Q: Equipment installed new: (Kenmore) Condenser HXA660GKA100 (5-Ton), Coil EHD4X60AA, Furnace ...
  A: Do not worry about the refrigerant. The system was designed to work with it. The fact you have a ...
Trane Air Handler8/20/2011
  Q: There is a wet spot on the wall opposite the air handler (a Trane Model #twe024c140b0). At first I ...
  A: Looking at the front of air handler the drain pan is going to be under the coil. The drain line ...
Capacitor for my compressor8/19/2011
  Q: I have Goodman central ac unit installed about 3 years ago.It is 2.5 ton unit GSC 13seer unit with ...
  A: Run cap size is important and using the wrong size is bad news. From wikipedia "Run capacitors ...
Air Flow8/19/2011
  Q: We just moved into a rental home. Built in 2005, approximately 3000 square feet, open floor plan, 2 ...
  A: There are some things to consider and they can be checked out... Is the unit sized correctly for ...
Trane Air Conditioner defect8/16/2011
  Q: Are there any know design defects in Trane Model 2TGB3F36A 1000AA air conditioning units. Mine ...
  A: No issues that I am aware of. Common issues that seem to arise seem to fall back to maintance, ...
Trouble Cooling Below 80 Degrees8/15/2011
  Q: I had a new Bryant Air Conditioner (condensing unit and air handler) as well as had the duct work ...
  A: The unit is not a blast freezer. There is no such thing as instant cool. It is limited by the ...
Full drip pan shut off power to unit/hallway; fixed electricity in rooms but now AC won't work8/14/2011
  Q: Late last night, power went off to our hallway and sons' room. Air also cut off. Didn't find out ...
  A: I find it odd that the power to the unit and your son's room would be on the same circuit. ...
A coil8/11/2011
  Q: Somewhat confused as to the best route. I have a TEMPSTAR A coil that has a slow leak and have had ...
  A: Do not worry about the fact the units have different brand names. The system does not care. The ...
Asbestos Air Return8/8/2011
  Q: Roughly one year ago, I purchased a 70 year-old home. About a month ago, I tore out the old drop ...
  A: I am by no means an asbestos expert. As with many, the policy where I work if it is suspected we do ...
Geothermal too shallow8/3/2011
  Q: If a horizontal geothermal loop is buried too low, and has problems cooling when it is hot and dry, ...
  A: I really do not know. I have not worked with geothermal. From what I have heard/read, you need to ...
Air handler blower fan clicking not spinning8/2/2011
  Q: I'm having this problem with the indoor fan, clicking but it's not gettin enough juice to spin. I ...
  A: There no such thing as not enough juice. It is either on or off. Since the run cap did not fix the ...
nordyne/gibson GS3BA-048KA7/31/2011
  Q: I would like to find the manufactuer and part number for the capaciter,no problems yet, but would ...
  A: I do not see a point in keeping a spare run cap. They just do not fail that often, and when they do ...
HVAC Inspection7/30/2011
  Q: I have a question, we are selling our home and was notified by the inspector doing the home ...
  A: Reattaching the duct is not a big deal, though access and how much damage that needs to be repaired ...
Amana A/C - low V from running capacitor7/29/2011
  Q: I've had an issue with my Amana A/C unit (model VCC24C2B) that has stumped my HVAC service team. We ...
  A: There are many things that can cause a compressor to overheat. Blockages or restrictions in the ...
start assist capacitor7/28/2011
  Q: i haxe a goodman ac unit outside my mobile home the little round black start assist capacitor blew ...
  A: Maybe... The starting cap is there to give the compressor a boost at start up. It might or might ...
Erratic a/c temperatures7/27/2011
  Q: We have an 18 year old 4 ton Ruud central a/c unit. It was serviced about 2 months ago and the ...
  A: The outlet air temp for the handler needs to be taken at the air handler for an accurate ...
Amana A/C - low V from running capacitor7/27/2011
  Q: I've had an issue with my Amana A/C unit (model VCC24C2B) that has stumped my HVAC service team. We ...
  A: I think you are barking up the wrong tree. It appears to me the compressor is overheating. All ...
goodman furnace circuit board /// blower FAN WILL NOT TURN OFF7/26/2011
  Q: I really need your advice / guidance. The fan on my furnace comes on AUTOMATICALLY and will NOT ...
  A: Bad circuit boards are not rare. Although there might be problems that occur more often then bad ...
Excessive condensation7/25/2011
  Q: We have a two story house with a full basement. Our furnace is a Carrier Heat Pump Unit. It's an ...
  A: Congrats and a well performing unit removing off the moisture like they are designed to to. It ...
Amana A/C - low V from running capacitor7/25/2011
  Q: I've had an issue with my Amana A/C unit (model VCC24C2B) that has stumped my HVAC service team. We ...
  A: Testing the resistance of the cap does not mean a thing. You have to test the capacitance of the ...
Low air flow7/23/2011
  Q: I just moved in with my grandmother and noticed that her front bedroom is very warm, throughout the ...
  A: There are no simple fixes here to be honest, and starting from the beginning is important. Is the ...
AC condenser7/22/2011
  Q: Would it help any hosing my AC condenser down for a few minutes when its 96 degrees outside???? If I ...
  A: Rinsing off the coil to remove the dirt is a good thing. Since the unit does run when it is ...
Lennox air conditioner7/21/2011
  Q: I have a 5 year old Lennox air conditioner model 13ACD-024-230-01. It does not cool. The indoor fan ...
  A: There could be many reasons, but first thing is to check to see if any of the breakers or fuses (in ...
Geothermal vs traditional7/20/2011
  Q: If I have read between the lines correctly, the following is true of geothermal. Can you confirm? ...
  A: You are a bit off... The reason the unit uses less energy is because the performance does not ...
Central AC7/19/2011
  Q: We're looking to purchase a new AC for our home and are unsure as to which AC is better/suitable. We ...
  A: I am not a Goodman fan. Although many stand behind the brand and like it, I think there are better ...
Train XR12 Air Handler & Condensing Unit7/19/2011
  Q: Good Morning! I am writing in the hopes that you can give me a little insight so I can aid my 80 ...
  A: I would not consider the repairs you listed at major. Some of the problems could have been caused ...
tripping breakers in a 60-70 ton chiller unit7/18/2011
  Q: I have a 60-70 ton 3 yr old refurbished chiller system serving 36 units in a small apartment ...
  A: You have to confirm that all of the electrical connections are good and working. This also includes ...
Matching a-coil to furnace7/18/2011
  Q: We were told by a professional that our house needs a 3.5 ton a/c (we currently have a 2 ton), but ...
  A: Just as a too small of a unit is not good, so it too big of a unit. You ought to be able to use a 4 ...
I am trying to decide on a heat pump7/16/2011
  Q: I live in a small 2 bedroom condo, approx 1100 sq ft. The problem is my air conditioner died and ...
  A: A heatpump is very much like a straight cool. It just has a couple of more parts and a thermostat ...
Lennox A/c Start Capacitor Rating7/13/2011
  Q: I have a problem with my HVACR unit. It is a Lennox M/n 10ACC-024-230-01 unit. The unit would not ...
  A: I would remove all of the start components and just buy a new hard start kit and connect the wires ...
central air just stopped working6/29/2011
  Q: what would make my central air just to stop workimg i have checked breakers and fuses changed the ...
  A: There are many things that can stop the unit in its tracks. Using a meter and checking for power at ...
goodman circuit board B18099-13S6/28/2011
  Q: I need help with wiring in a new circuit board, have a 5 wire tstat harnes, and only 3 terminals on ...
  A: For heating and cooling it only takes 4 wires. From there wires are added if you have a heatpump, ...
contactor failure6/27/2011
  Q: I have a 2 pole 230v 30amp contactor w/ 24 volt coil,I keep having burn outs,some times they 2 ...
  A: Something in the system is causing a voltage drop. Voltage drops can be hard to find. Check all of ...
Crayon oder from HVAC6/26/2011
  Q: I have 3 Unico 2 year old HVAC systems w/ exterior Bryant AC units that use Puron 410A. I have a ...
  A: I am not aware of anything in the system that smells like crayons. I can not describe the smell of ...
Problem with 1 year/old lennox ac unit6/25/2011
  Q: I had a brand new ac unit installed in my house june 2010.A lennoxXC14-036 3 ton. Coil is CR33-48 ...
  A: You wrote a nice long story and I only really needed two key points. Your system appears to be ...
AC Unit outside6/24/2011
  Q: We had our entire outside ac unit replaced last year on May 8, 2010. Today it is blowing warm air ...
  A: Giving the fan a push to get it going tells me the run cap is bad. Sometimes just changing the run ...
AC Unit outside6/24/2011
  Q: We had our entire outside ac unit replaced last year on May 8, 2010. Today it is blowing warm air ...
  A: The fact it was hot to the touch would lead me to think the unit was running. It is possible the ...
ac not cold6/23/2011
  Q: My AC unit is running but the air is not very cold that comes out. It is a 2 ton Luxaire. It ran for ...
  A: The unit only dropping 1 degree does not always mean the unit is not working properly. There are ...
Carrier Weathermaker 9200 thermostat LED screen is blank6/23/2011
  Q: The LED screen on the programmable thermostat is blank. Is there a reset button? Fuse on the circuit ...
  A: There probably is not a reset on the pump. If so wired, the pump has a switch to shut the unit down ...
Heat Pump not cooling6/22/2011
  Q: The compressor and outdoor fan don't run along with the blower motor. I did jump the red and white ...
  A: It could be the stat. Keep in mind some stats have a delay time to protect the compressor. Reading ...
ac trouble6/19/2011
  Q: My unit (2 years old) appears to be working fine, the outside unit kicks on when I turn on the ac, ...
  A: The motor is located in the middle of the blower wheel. Looks similar to a hamster wheel. The ...
outside unit will not stop6/11/2011
  Q: the ac stops in the house when it reached the set temp but not outside unit. I need to manually turn ...
  A: The model number does not really help me. It is for the coil. The thermostat is a simple one. It ...
Central Air Cond6/11/2011
  Q: My 30 year old Lennox central A/C had decided to quit on me and I have been "agonizing" over a ...
  A: There are many types out there...There are also a lot of different opinions about what is good or ...
r410a refrigerant6/8/2011
  Q: .... I just added a 28.2oz can of r410a refrigerant to my AC..... I added the refrigerant in liquid ...
  A: You are NOT going to be able to remove all of the refrigerant from the can. Once the pressure in the ...
Do I need a whole new AC sytem6/8/2011
  Q: I just bought a house that has a newer outdoor AC unit( 02/2006) and a really old indoor handler. ...
  A: The condensing unit is a 13 SEER unit. It came with a 5 year warranty. The unit is a 3.5 ton unit. ...
air conditioner hissing6/5/2011
  Q: I have a amana GSX13 Distinctions Air Conditioner 13 seer less than a year old. It makes a hissing ...
  A: Keep in mind there is anyone to know for sure sight unseen, but I have a good guess. Compressors ...
low buzzing sound from fan ?6/4/2011
  Q: I have a carrier/puron system. And since installed I can here a low buzzing sound from the ...
  A: I did not say it was normal. I am not completely sure how the motors are made. I also do no know ...
low buzzing sound from fan ?6/4/2011
  Q: I have a carrier/puron system. And since installed I can here a low buzzing sound from the ...
  A: The fan speed is unimportant. You can not use the rate to which a fan spins to the amount if air it ...
MHI (Mitsubishi) "Micro Computer Control/thermostat "6/3/2011
  Q: I have a MHI (Mitsubishi) "Micro Computer Control/thermostat " and I would like to install a new ...
  A: I am not familiar with the unit you mentioned. Some units use thermostats that do not turn the unit ...
Thermostat replacement compatibility6/2/2011
  Q: "My elderly mother has an American Standard Freedom 80 furnace/AC, which she thinks sometimes goes ...
  A: I am sorry for the confusion. I must have misread or was sleeping when I responded. Please also ...
my Ac unit and fan blower inside will not come on6/2/2011
  Q: I am an a fixed income and need HELP!!!!!!!!! Monday my ac system seemed to stop working and the ...
  A: The clue is the bad wire you found. The bad wire may have caused the control power to be lost. It ...
air conditioner6/1/2011
  Q: my son turned on air conditioner and the cover was on the unit outside...it was left on for about 12 ...
  A: It can cause the unit to fail and not come back to life. At the minimum the compressor and outdoor ...
Trane XR905/31/2011
  Q: I have a Trane XR90 that the heat is cycling and the is not fault code on the dianostic led. The ...
  A: You will not get a fault code until all the attempts to light have been tried. The gas valve ...
American Standard Freedom 80 Single Stage5/31/2011
  Q: The blower motor has stopped working and is just making a humming noise and there's a overheated ...
  A: It could be just a run cap. You can try to replace just the cap to see if that fixes the problem. ...
Potential AC problem5/26/2011
  Q: Craig, I've got a 3-story townhome in Delaware (built in 2000) about 2,000 sqft, with a great deal ...
  A: Two things to start with... The physical size of the unit means nothing. The higher the SEER ...
TRANE XE90 AIR FLOW5/24/2011
  Q: I replaced the capacitor and the blower wheel yesterday. Last night the air ran great but as I ...
  A: There are quite a few things that can cause the problems you are having. A hot motor is a judgement ...
Disconnect line5/24/2011
  Q: The guy told me my warranty company won't cover the cost to replace the capacitor or the motor ...
  A: Building codes require that a means to turn off power be in line of sight. I would have to guess ...
Heil Package Unit Evaporator Coil5/23/2011
  Q: We have a 6 ton Heil package unit. Our AC is working now, but was told that we have a leak in ...
  A: I do not understand how it will not work next winter due to the amps. That does not make any sense. ...
New AC motor or new unit5/23/2011
  Q: I have a 12yr old York,seer 10, AC unit that has motor that I am told is leaking oil. Should I pay ...
  A: Motor leaking oil sounds a bit odd to me. If the motor is not noisy and is running, then I would ...
Good for Brand for Replacement A/C5/20/2011
  Q: I have a two-story 3,000 sf house in Texas (it's hot here in spring/summer/fall, and does get cold ...
  A: The footage is not and should not be what determines the size of the unit. The footage is only one ...
Airflow from duct5/19/2011
  Q: I recently purchased a new heat/ac unit and installer had to repair or replace some of the duct ...
  A: I would have the contractor fix the problem with the air flow. The problem is wether or not they ...
goodmen heatpump5/19/2011
  Q: I have a Goodman heat pump the airhandler is in my atic it will only reach temp. if i turn it to ...
  A: There could be any issues causing things to melt. It can be anything from faulty equipment to ...
HVAC GOODMAN AC FURNACE5/17/2011
  Q: I have a 4 year old Goodman Furnace and AC unit. The AC lines froze up back to the furnace on first ...
  A: If there are not wires connected to the pressure switch, then the board is going to flash that code. ...
acid burn out ac Compressor5/13/2011
  Q: The last contractor who replaced a 3 1/2 Copland copressore ( that failed via acid burn out) left ...
  A: I am not sure Copeland would do anything for you to he honest. Although filing a compliant might ...
outside compressor5/12/2011
  Q: .just bought 2 payne central air units, and have a lot of pine trees around here. whats going on is, ...
  A: It is not an issue to remove the top with the motor attached to clean out the unit. It can be done ...
Air Conditioner5/12/2011
  Q: I have a new portable ac unit in my house with the water draining into a 5 gallon bucket and the ...
  A: My dog drinks the water that drains on the outside of my home with no ill affects that I have ...
evaporator coil5/10/2011
  Q: your time is greatly appreciated. My evaporator coil continues to ice up. I looked at the coil and ...
  A: I am not sure where to get the gasket, but I would think any of the supply houses that sell furnace ...
evaporator coil5/10/2011
  Q: your time is greatly appreciated. My evaporator coil continues to ice up. I looked at the coil and ...
  A: The rust is normal, and unless severe does not require a coil change out. Since some of the metals ...
Perform Leak test or just replace the a/c unit?4/28/2011
  Q: I live in Los Angeles; 2 story, 3500 sf house with central air built in 2000. We have two Corsaire ...
  A: The ducts leaking have nothing to do with losing refrigerant. Ducts leak out air, if anything. ...
Heil package unit problem4/27/2011
  Q: I have a Heil package unit model#PHF342000K00A1. It is not working when I try to turn on the a/c. ...
  A: I need a bit more info. The next time the unit acts up and does not seem to be working, you need to ...
Central air unit4/26/2011
  Q: I live in a 2 family home. I live on the first floor and my tenant is on the second floor. They tend ...
  A: I am not sure if there is much you can do. Depending on the way the home was built, it may not be ...
RUDD AC/HEAT PUMP COMBO4/15/2011
  Q: We have an Older RUDD ac/heat pump combo. I hope u can answer a few questions. The only outdoor ...
  A: I am not sure what you mean by videos, but I do not have any... The small cap is the fan run cap. ...
My AC won't reduce the amount of humidity!4/13/2011
  Q: I recently found this past question for you and I am having the EXACT same problem! AC units are ...
  A: Lowering the air temp, increases the humidity levels! If moisture is not removed, then the RH% ...
air conditioning4/12/2011
  Q: air conditioningI have a 14x65 mobile home with a coleman gas furance inside the home which i use ...
  A: Base on the size, I would think the unit would keep up, but size alone is not enough. Depending on ...
Atomizing Humidifier4/10/2011
  Q: I am trying to hook up a 24 volt actuated atomizing humidifier and have some question When I ...
  A: Now that I have what I need, I think I can help... I am guessing the wires are the wires that go to ...
Heat Pump question4/7/2011
  Q: 3 months ago we had a new Rheem RHKL-HM4821JA variable speed air handler with 1-15KW strip heat & a ...
  A: Just has the unit will drain out water in the summer to the outside, the outside unit will also ...
Hvac contractor on outdoor unit4/2/2011
  Q: I had a local company come do an inspection on my ac system yesterday and the tech told me it is ...
  A: All contactors are clearly marked for the amp rating and coil voltage. If the marking is at a poit ...
G60UHV (X) Lennox3/31/2011
  Q: I have a G60UHV (X) heater, it stopped working suddenly. I looked thru the sight glass and the flame ...
  A: I believe this is the manual for your furnace. It has troubleshooting tips included. ...
Blower Issues?3/29/2011
  Q: I'm really hoping you can help!! I don't have the make and model # handy but here goes...What I've ...
  A: WHEW....this is clearly a problem and hard to deal with sight unseen. I really need make and model ...
Trane AC/Heater Blower will not stop running3/25/2011
  Q: I have a Trane AC/Heater unit and my problem is the blower will not stop running. I have check to ...
  A: I would guess the control board has failed. Granted there can be other issues that can cause the ...
fan motor belts3/25/2011
  Q: I have just replaced 2 bx 100 belts on a RTU, the old ones were damaged I assumed because the ...
  A: The pulleys do not get loose, the belts stretch with use. The pulleys need to be lined up to get ...
2nd level no heat-boiler system3/24/2011
  Q: I have a Weil-McLain VHE water boiler system with two thermostats. The second floor thermostat ...
  A: You have some sort of electrical problem with the zone system. Clearly I do not have knowledge of ...
HVAC3/20/2011
  Q: Is a 400 square inch return enough for ~1500 square foot of space. I have temperature ranges ...
  A: I am not sure what happened to this question. I normally get back much quicker. I did not remember ...
flashin light3/19/2011
  Q: I just got this house and I got a flashing light that blinks in a sequence 4 on a gmnt 100-4 could ...
  A: The code indicates that the unit tripped on high limit switch. Dirty air filters and poor air flow ...
Furnace running on Generator3/15/2011
  Q: I have a 3 year old Goodman natural gas furnace. I removed the off/on (kill switch) and replaced it ...
  A: That would have been my guess. One more thought...some generators produce DC voltage then convert ...
Heat Pump Question3/14/2011
  Q: I have a Heat Pump installed. I recently replaced my furnace with a new Lennox, but kept my 8 yr ...
  A: I would not think the problem would have anything to do with the furnace. Although I am not sure, ...
Furnace running on Generator3/10/2011
  Q: I have a 3 year old Goodman natural gas furnace. I removed the off/on (kill switch) and replaced it ...
  A: My assumption is the furnace is 110v. You need to verify you have the plugs wired correctly. The ...
UV light whole-house HVAC air purifiers3/7/2011
  Q: Do these UV light air purifiers work? Placement is supposed to be near the AC coils or in the cold ...
  A: The UV lights work. They are installed inside the air handler/furnace. UV lights are used in ...
air handler will not start3/5/2011
  Q: I changed motor and capacitor because trusted HVAC tech told me that was the problem. Reapplied ...
  A: What hummed? It is hard to tell what the problem is. It could have been a bad motor/run cap. You ...
York rooftop m#zf036n08a2aaa1 -3/1/2011
  Q: Installed unit -9 flash limit , limit trip/ ignition failure- Have you heard of any info- the all ...
  A: Does the unit work in heat at all? How old is this unit? Are you the installer or owner? You need ...
High Humidity2/26/2011
  Q: I live in Miami where humidity is normally higher than most places. I moved into a new apartment 3 ...
  A: A unit that is low on refrigerant has a leak. If the leak was not fixed then the problem is going ...
Air filter for window unit AC2/23/2011
  Q: I cannot find anyone who has an air filter for my room air conditioner unit aka window AC unit. I ...
  A: I was not able to find anything, I called someone I know that works with that stuff often was given ...
AC upgrade2/19/2011
  Q: I need to know if its possible to upgrade an SEER10 air conditioner in to SEER 13 or more. Are there ...
  A: Not really. Companies use different methods to achieve higher SEER ratings. It all has to do with ...
nightly compressor noise now2/16/2011
  Q: For the past couple weeks we have been trying to troubleshoot why our HVAC unit is making a horrible ...
  A: It might be horrible noise, but normal for a heatpump and does not cause harm. There is groan ...
outflow/return equal?2/14/2011
  Q: Should the heated air outflow from the furnace hot air plenum be equal in area with the return air? ...
  A: In order to tell you what size you need and where, you have to know how much air you need to move. ...
outflow/return equal?2/13/2011
  Q: Should the heated air outflow from the furnace hot air plenum be equal in area with the return air? ...
  A: The return is bigger because the velocity is slower on the return. "If the hot air is say 360 sq.in ...
GE Zoneline 3100 - Heat pump issue2/3/2011
  Q: I have a GE Zoneline 3100, Model AZ31H12D3CV3, Serial # FM 888993, manufactured in 1995 The problem ...
  A: I think you have gotten your money's worth out of this 15 year old unit. I personally would not put ...
a/c install code violations2/1/2011
  Q: just had the complete system replaced by a licensed a/c company. Today the inspector came by and ...
  A: The contractor in most cases is responsible for any corrections and reinspection fees. You paid them ...
Air con Question1/29/2011
  Q: I have a reverse cycle ducted air conditioning system that has not been performing well for a while ...
  A: Since the unit was designed with two fans, both fans need to be working. The lack of the second fan ...
Spray foam and choosing SEER1/26/2011
  Q: I have 1100 sg feet office which is up and down. I am going to spray foam and was wondering does it ...
  A: The SEER is only serves on how much energy is required to produce cooling. The higher the SEER, the ...
Losing heat on AUX HEAT1/26/2011
  Q: I purchased a 5 year old manufactured home about a year ago. Last winter we were doing a lot of ...
  A: The unit ought to have a control board in it with a troubleshooting LED. It will blink a certain ...
Armstrong air Ultra v 801/25/2011
  Q: have an Armstrong air Ultra v 80. 2002 yr. First I had code blinking 4 times indicating high limit ...
  A: DO NOT LEAVE THE HIGH TEMP JUMPED OUT!!!!!!!! It serves an important safety. One of the common ...
dust on electronic products1/23/2011
  Q: I have a DC90 furnace, and the last couple of months we have found a light brown colored dust on TV ...
  A: Cleaning out the furnace is not going to get rid of the problem. The "dust" or whatever it is, is ...
heat pump heating mode results1/22/2011
  Q: I live in a 2nd story apt with an all-electric heat pump in Kentucky. I suspect my heat pump is not ...
  A: The heating temp difference is going to vary with the outdoor temp. Unless you have a low temp ...
Backwards TXV valve1/16/2011
  Q: purchased complete electric Carrier 13 seer 2005 HP from Large Dept store retailer. Had 20 + visits ...
  A: The pressures do not mean much to me, because I do not know what kind of refrigerant you are using. ...
Heater's White Flakes1/15/2011
  Q: I have an issue similar to one you answered in September, but mine is not going away - I live in a ...
  A: There is no telling what the flakes are. The only way to find out is to call a IAQ company out to ...
Trane Xe80 gas furnace1/15/2011
  Q: I have a unit that had normal blinking light until ther was a call for heat then it givave 3 flash ...
  A: Unless you have the proper tools to work on the furnace, there is no way you are going to know what ...
HEAT PUMP BLOWING COLD AIR1/14/2011
  Q: I live in Florida, and have a heat pump system. It's been blowing hot/cold air intermittently, and ...
  A: Welcome to life with an air source heatpump. A heatpump is limited by the outside temp. The colder ...
Digital Thermostat not maintaining set temperature1/13/2011
  Q: We are having trouble regulating the temperature in our home. It has never been an issue in the ...
  A: The problem could be your furnace. Before blaming the problem on the stat, some troubleshooting ...
Furance1/12/2011
  Q: I have a gas furnace with a electronic thermostat. The problem is the heat doesn't stay on. We ...
  A: Chances are the problem is with the furance. You need to sit by the furance the next time it tries ...
LP furnace blanket1/12/2011
  Q: i live in a house with the original LP horizontal furnace. it was just your "average" furnace 26 ...
  A: Insulating the furnace is not a bad idea, how much energy it will save you is up for question. I ...
electric oven to heat1/11/2011
  Q: I live in a small apartment that is cold, even with the heat on during the winter. Turning the ...
  A: That is not a good idea. The oven can overheat and cause a fire in the home. Electric heat is the ...
Intertherm defrost problem1/9/2011
  Q: I had asked you the question -I have a Nordyne Intertherm T3QC series heat pump. I had it serviced ...
  A: After digging around, I discovered that I was thinking of te wrong board. Below are a couple of ...
possible defrost problem1/7/2011
  Q: I have a Nordyne Intertherm T3QC series heat pump. I had it serviced this past summer and the tech ...
  A: To put the unit in test, remove the pin jumper from the time pins and place on test pins. The 30, ...
Internet Sales1/6/2011
  Q: I have two integrated split systems that are very old and in need of replacement. The most ...
  A: I am not rusty, but I will have this to say.. I do not like Goodman and avoid at all costs. Pros, ...
Furnace blowing cold air1/6/2011
  Q: We have a Rheem furnace about 4-5yrs old and it is blowing cold air. We shut off the heat and ...
  A: There can be many reasons for the unit not working. You need to turn the power completely off to ...
AC install1/5/2011
  Q: I was wondering if you can give your opinion on this. I just bought colonial 2300sq ft 4 bed house ...
  A: I do not do this sort of pricing on this site. It is just not possible without know the complete ...
condensation drain1/5/2011
  Q: I read your comment about using a dry well for the condensation from an air conditioner. I have a 4 ...
  A: There are many variables here. The amount of humidity that is normally in the air where you live ...
thermastat rewire12/17/2010
  Q: I HAVE AN OLD AMERICAN STANDARD MODEL NUMBER ASYSTAT606 IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY THERE ARE 6 ...
  A: The old t-stat is a two stage heat, the new one is only a single stage heat. You need to determine ...
CPH Settings for Honeywell VisionPro 800012/16/2010
  Q: I have just recently replaced my old thermostat with a Honeywell VisionPro 8000 unit to match my new ...
  A: The two stages of heat do operate at the same time, when needed. What actually happens is the first ...
CPH Settings for Honeywell VisionPro 800012/15/2010
  Q: I have just recently replaced my old thermostat with a Honeywell VisionPro 8000 unit to match my new ...
  A: The CHP has no affect on the TD. The CHP just restrict how many times within a 60 minute period of ...
heat pump / emergency heat12/14/2010
  Q: My thermastat is set on 70, but when I woke up this morning, it was 60 degrees in the house and my ...
  A: The problem can be the heatpump, the strips or both. You *might* get things working if you turn off ...
heat12/14/2010
  Q: I have a luxair heating /Ac unit. The Ac works but The heat does not work at all. THe blower just ...
  A: It is possible that the heatpump is not switching to heat. Turn the unit on to heat. Go and feel ...
system will not turn on12/12/2010
  Q: My heating and cooling system does not turn on at all. I noticed my home was a little cool so I ...
  A: Since I do not know what checking the breakers means, make sure you actually turned them off, then ...
2-stage heat pump + 2 stage cool wiring to therm??? HELP!!!12/12/2010
  Q: At this point it cools in both stages fine... but the heat is a joke. The heats turns on at first ...
  A: I my guess is the problem is not the t-stat. If you turn the t-stat temp. setpoint to the point ...
Heat Pump vs Conventional Electric heat12/11/2010
  Q: Im wondering if running emergancy heat on a heat pump uses the same amount of electricity as a ...
  A: Just running the heat strips will not harm anything. I would use the heatpump at much as possible ...
Heat Pump vs Conventional Electric heat12/10/2010
  Q: Im wondering if running emergancy heat on a heat pump uses the same amount of electricity as a ...
  A: The question does not have a cut and dry answer... In some cases is it cheaper to run strip heat ...
replacing a intermittent control12/8/2010
  Q: I have a lenox gas furnace. The intermittent corntrller is bad. Its the Honeywell S86H. The new one ...
  A: The wire that went to 24v 1 goes to 24v grd. ...
water to air heatpump12/1/2010
  Q: My 3 ton florida heatpump has a SEER of 12. I wonder how the SEER is calculated as far as the fact ...
  A: What is takes to get the water to the unit plays no part in the SEER rating at all. It is just not ...
water to air heatpump11/30/2010
  Q: My 3 ton florida heatpump has a SEER of 12. I wonder how the SEER is calculated as far as the fact ...
  A: The pumps plays no part in the SEER rating. The rating is strictly for the unit and does not ...
Hvac balancing/ Cooler 2nd Floor11/19/2010
  Q: We have a 2 story, 4 bedroom home, where for some reason the 2nd flr is colder than the 1st flr. We ...
  A: You are lacking in the insulation dept. The 6" is R-19. I would not have any less the R-30. The ...
condenser noise11/18/2010
  Q: Craig, I have an occasional rhythmic bang, hiss, bang, hiss etc. noise in the outside condenser ...
  A: Units can make all sorts of noises, that are for the most part harmless. You can make a quick audio ...
Hvac balancing/ Cooler 2nd Floor11/18/2010
  Q: We have a 2 story, 4 bedroom home, where for some reason the 2nd flr is colder than the 1st flr. We ...
  A: You have an odd issue. I say this because it is normally hotter upstairs. First thing..where are ...
standing pilot light on furnace will not light11/16/2010
  Q: I'm hoping you can help pinpoint my problem. I have a small natural gas furnace in my garage that I ...
  A: I would attempt to clean the pilot orifice out. It just comes apart and with a thin wire and some ...
HVAC11/12/2010
  Q: I recently noticed that it looks like we have a small amount of water dripping from the corner of ...
  A: Condensation will happen anytime the surface is at or below dew point. The ducts might be cold ...
Heat Pump issue - Carrier11/9/2010
  Q: HVAC guy said defrost board is the issue here ... but he didn't seem sure. At temps under 45 degrees ...
  A: I watched the video, and that seems a bit odd with the way it is running. The the hissing grunting ...
luxaire acclimate 8.t series11/7/2010
  Q: i been trying for over a week to turn on my heat it is luxaire acclimate series 8.t and the led ...
  A: What you need to do is watch and take notes. Once the unit turns on a series of events is going to ...
luxaire acclimate 8.t series11/5/2010
  Q: i been trying for over a week to turn on my heat it is luxaire acclimate series 8.t and the led ...
  A: The code just means the unit is trying to light, but for whatever reason does not have a given ...
Coleman 7970a856 ac works but heat will not stay on11/4/2010
  Q: I replaced a bad limit switch and tried a new thermostat but no luck. I also cleaned the pilot and ...
  A: The a/c might be running ok, but unless you connect a set of gauges and take temp readings you ...
Blower blowing cold air in heat mode11/3/2010
  Q: I have a R22 heat pump (Westherking 14 seer) which was recently installed to replace a defective ...
  A: It sounds to me the unit is not going into defrost, not defrosting quick enough or the heat strips ...
Coleman 7970a856 ac works but heat will not stay on11/3/2010
  Q: I replaced a bad limit switch and tried a new thermostat but no luck. I also cleaned the pilot and ...
  A: The limit switch may not have been bad. It is possible the limit switched opened to protect the ...
AC question10/30/2010
  Q: I am pricing a new furnace and central AC for our 2500 square foot, two story Saint Louis home. I ...
  A: No matter what type of system you have, a properly balanced system will keep the temps somewhat even ...
Ruud Deluxe 90 gas furnace not starting10/29/2010
  Q: I have a Ruud Deluxe 90 Plus gas furnace model UGEB-12EE-JS, 125,000 btu, just over 10-11 yrs old. ...
  A: There is a series of events that have to happen to get heat. I would appear from your description ...
Re: Janitrol AC Unit10/27/2010
  Q: First off hope you're having a good day. My question is we bought a new home in 2007 and in 2009 ...
  A: If there is truly a leak it needs to be found. Sometimes the lineset, cond unit and air handler are ...
Cause and Effect regarding Installation10/26/2010
  Q: An air conditioner was installed in a residence approximately one year ago. It appears that the ...
  A: Regardless of the pan switch, the pan should be able to support itself full of water. The pan ...
central home airconditoner10/25/2010
  Q: I plan to have my existing non-working home air conditioner replaced come spring. I was told by 2 ...
  A: The Amer. Stand. are good units. They company is owned by Trane. Both of the A S units I believe ...
central home airconditoner10/24/2010
  Q: I plan to have my existing non-working home air conditioner replaced come spring. I was told by 2 ...
  A: You might need a 2.5 ton, but you do not NEED a 14 or 15 SEER. You are going to get a min. of 13 ...
Custom job - Blower motor wiring help10/23/2010
  Q: I recently attached a used blower motor to the ceiling in my garage for ventilation. I dont know how ...
  A: The number you gave me for the motor is no good. Since different manufactures use different colors, ...
AC Flow10/19/2010
  Q: I have a brick ranch house with a Rheem AC air handler unit in the attic with AC vents in the ...
  A: The location of the duct in some cases can make a difference. I would consider some other problems ...
Rheem gas furnace blows the 24v fuse10/18/2010
  Q: My Rheem gas furnace stopped working. After taking some measurements I changed the 24V transformer ...
  A: The problem is not the run cap or the fan motor. The two have nothing to do with the blowing of the ...
Carrier 58APA upflow induced-combustion furnaces10/18/2010
  Q: We have Carrier 58APA upflow induced-combustion furnace. Since last weekend -It starts to fire up ...
  A: The flame sensor is either faulty or dirty and needs to be cleaned. I attempted to look up the ...
No heat-A/C is fine-power is fine10/17/2010
  Q: I have a Gibson MODEL# KG6RC 080C-16B AND SERIAL #KGD060909799 unit. Today is the first day we have ...
  A: The furnace has a control board in it that might tell you why it failed. The board is located in ...
Tempstar TX5300 heat pump10/17/2010
  Q: My electric Tempstar tx5300 defrosts even when it is not real cold? Does it have a thermostat or ...
  A: Some units have different means of defrost. Some are time and/or temp. Some units have a means to ...
crack in plastic induced draft blower10/16/2010
  Q: My system was vibrating loudly, I turned off and called AC repair. They found insulation from unit ...
  A: I find more and more a basic call is around $200. Prices vary greatly, but the price you paid is ...
Replace evaporator coil10/15/2010
  Q: Our upstairs AC froze up on us and after a service call we found out that both AC units have leaks ...
  A: To start with, your furnace might still be under warranty, just follow the link for more info ...
Replace evaporator coil10/15/2010
  Q: Our upstairs AC froze up on us and after a service call we found out that both AC units have leaks ...
  A: Your question to me has me thinking... I really need a bit more info from you to give you something ...
furnace blower turning wrong direction.10/14/2010
  Q: I just replaced the blower motor, but when it is running the fan is turning in the wrong direction & ...
  A: Some motors have wires or plugs that allow the rotation to be changed. You need to look the motor ...
Western Gravity Furnance: Therm0stat or thermopile pilot generator10/14/2010
  Q: I recently purchased a home that has a Western Gravity Furnace (model # 8G-75, BTU input per hour ...
  A: You need a millivolt thermostat. They are special for the application you have. A standard stat ...
comparison10/13/2010
  Q: I am thinking of replacing my heater/AC and was wondering how to compare a high efficiency gas ...
  A: I am going to start this way... Heatpumps and A/C units transfer heat from the indoor to the ...
cat urine odor coming from air return10/8/2010
  Q: The past few months I have noticed a cat urine smell in certain parts of my house. Some days it is ...
  A: I do not think I have ever heard anyone describe the odor from the a/c as cat urine and not have a ...
heating and ac10/8/2010
  Q: I have a 3 month old unit and from the day it was installed I have not been happy. I first had all ...
  A: The dirt is a result of the new unit moving more air then the old unit. The stuff that was in the ...
no heat10/6/2010
  Q: I have a Trane 1200xl ac/gas furnace system. My AC blows ice cold as it should. When I switched the ...
  A: I think you have done all that you can do. It is time to call for some help. The next steps are ...
THERMOSTAT10/4/2010
  Q: I RECENTLY BOUGHT A RTH111B THERMOSTAT TO REPLACE MY OLD DIAL ONE HOOKING THE 4 WIRES COMING OUT OF ...
  A: There are many variables that have to be considered when installing a new stat. It is not cut and ...
30+yr old sears furnace10/3/2010
  Q: I want to replace my furnace with a more efficiant model. I have a 130000btu input with what i can ...
  A: You do not *need* a 90 afue rated furnace. The afue rating is compared to how much money it will ...
Heil heatpump/ AC10/1/2010
  Q: the other day the fan on my outdoor unit stopped spinning, when it goes to kick in it clicks but ...
  A: You are at point in the game where a multi meter is needed to determine why the unit is not running. ...
Heater in my apartment9/28/2010
  Q: I recently moved into a brand new apartment and had the chance to run my heat for the first time ...
  A: Sometimes when heat strips are turned on for the first time ever things happen. Normally there is a ...
Drop Ceiling and HVAC requirements9/26/2010
  Q: Our church is in the process of renovating the youth group area. Their current plan is to remove the ...
  A: The height may not change things much. It really depends on the height to begin with and other ...
Replacement of old Miller thermostat9/26/2010
  Q: I am trying to replace a Miller thermostat with a new programmable Hunter thermostat. It is not ...
  A: The X wire can go to the common on the t-stat. The old stat with the W2 and W3 is just three stage ...
Air conditioner not cooling9/25/2010
  Q: My air conditioner is not cooling. It seems to be blowing air in one or 2 rooms. Air is cooler but ...
  A: At this point you are going to have to call for service. It appears that you have power where it ...
Air Duct Question9/23/2010
  Q: I own a double wide trailer. The vents lining both sides of the trailer blow out heat. However the 4 ...
  A: Well, I just wondering if you have elect heat strips, as they are the most expensive form of heat. ...
furnace blowing vents9/23/2010
  Q: I have a furnace with 15 blowing vents. I found very useful to block totally all blowing vents on ...
  A: You can compare what you did to trying to breathe through a straw. Units have to have the proper ...
Odor from A/C coil9/22/2010
  Q: Have you had reported incidence on Armstrong RPGE Units having foul odor coming from the coil? I am ...
  A: The odor is common with all brands. It really has to do with the way a unit works vs. the brand of ...
Air Duct Question9/21/2010
  Q: I own a double wide trailer. The vents lining both sides of the trailer blow out heat. However the 4 ...
  A: It is possible they are returns. You can find out if there is air moving though them with a piece ...
HVAC floor diffusers9/21/2010
  Q: I live in South Carolina, where it is humid and many homes have crawl spaces. What is the best way ...
  A: You can wrap and seal up the area with sheets of rubber type insulation. ...
rust inside furnace9/20/2010
  Q: We are purchasing a home. Our home inspector found rust inside the furnace, which appears to be ...
  A: My best advice if you are concerned about the rust is to contact a local HVAC shop to have the unit ...
replacing an existing furnace questions9/19/2010
  Q: I have a 21 year old Rudd 90% + efficient natural gas furnace that I am considering replacing ...
  A: I do not think the length does not exceed that of the units specs. I looked at some info and could ...
Possible irritating particulates in home.9/17/2010
  Q: A fellow employee came to me this morning with a question about a problem he is having in his home. ...
  A: It is hard for me to say what the problem could be, if the problem is even caused by the a/c unit. ...
Air Handler Runs - Compressor does not9/16/2010
  Q: I have a carrier FV4BNF002 Air Handler and a 38TSA024 (2 Ton) Puron compressor unit. I notice my air ...
  A: I had to think about this, though it could be a loose wire. Since banging the side of the unit ...
AC Main drain pan9/15/2010
  Q: My main drain pan has rusted out, can it be replaced my HAC is almost 17 years old.
  A: It is hard to say if the drain pan can be purchased. You might be able to have a shop make a new ...
Drywall mildew9/9/2010
  Q: Drywall in closet gets mildew during summer months. I tore out a piece of drywall, down as the ...
  A: It might be possible the duct work is leaking and will need to be resealed or replaced. There are ...
noice9/9/2010
  Q: ac unit locked up(not sure when maybe overnite),noticed this moring that it did. I shut unit off.. ...
  A: Your question is a bit hard to follow... Some units have a standing pilot, so it may not shut off. ...
spacepak9/2/2010
  Q: Craig, I'm renovating a 1 family home 20x60 2 floors and a basement. I had a Spacepak system ...
  A: The size and the fact the space is on the second floor is just not enough info to determine tonnage ...
lennox elite 12 series A/C unit water accumulation9/2/2010
  Q: I have central air unit in my attic that I recently noticed excess water accumulated in the drip ...
  A: Most of the time the water overflows the pan because of a plugged up drain line. If the drain line ...
DUCT SIZING9/1/2010
  Q: ! What rules on how to resize a ductwork on an add-on to an existing furnace? I have put in a ...
  A: Ducts are sized according to the CFM rating of the unit. We use a ductulator to determine duct ...
txv for benchmark coil9/1/2010
  Q: i have a benchmark coil...M- BV132 48+X2-AKX26... and the TXV on this coil has mechanical ...
  A: The 43 VGA, refers to a Sporlan part, but it is not enough info to order a new valve. There is a ...
Heat pump system8/31/2010
  Q: New system put in last October '09. Hasn't worked right since. Goodman system. I keep it set at 78 ...
  A: The problem can be many things and many problems. Based on the little info you have told me it is ...
AC troubleshooting8/31/2010
  Q: How do I check for 24 volts at the thermostat? I have a borrowed multimeter, but not sure how to ...
  A: You do not need to see if you have 24v at the stat. Things are coming on with the stat, so the stat ...
A/C unit won't cool8/30/2010
  Q: I've just moved into a home with an existing Armstrong Concept 10 A/C unit that's at least 15 years ...
  A: Anything from a power outage to a bad compressor can cause the unit to trip. Unless you have a ...
air not flowing right in home8/28/2010
  Q: I will give you the history before asking my question; I believe it will help in your answer. I ...
  A: You need to locate a company in your area that does "test and balance". They will have the proper ...
Closing off vents8/28/2010
  Q: I have 2 or 3 vents I would like to partially close. I tried using the magnets but they aren't very ...
  A: Most of the HVAC suppliers I deal with sell the bits and pieces you need. Most of them will not ...
Short to ground dead compressor8/27/2010
  Q: We had some recent work done on our building. During this time we realized that one of our two air ...
  A: If the cement in some way caused enough reduction in air flow, then that can lead to a compressor ...
Heat pump location8/26/2010
  Q: I just had my 20-year-old Janitrol heat pump and air handler replaced with a Goodman system. The ...
  A: Having the roof above the unit is a bad idea, unless it is clearly tall enough that no hot air from ...
ac not kicking on8/25/2010
  Q: We have a ruud achiever 12 unit, sorry the model numbers are bleached out by the sun. It has been ...
  A: Do you notice anything come on? Does the outdoor fan move? Does the indoor fan run? Try setting ...
return air for Goodman Unit8/23/2010
  Q: I have a yr old 4-ton, 2-stage Goodman 16 seer split unit. I'm located in North Alabama. The ...
  A: It is hard to really say what is wrong, but my guess is you need the air flow balanced out in your ...
Not enough air to Master Bedroom8/22/2010
  Q: The master bed room is the furthest room away from 4 ton unit in 2300 sq ft home. A/c company that ...
  A: It would seem to me that just balancing out the system will get more air to the one room. Adding ...
A/C pipe with black foam insulation frozen8/22/2010
  Q: We recently noticed our air conditioning isn't working as well as normal, we went into our utility ...
  A: The ice is not normal and a clear problem. A lack of a filter could be a dirty coil. The dirty ...
Should I buy a seer 16 or seer 13 system8/21/2010
  Q: How can I tell if it is worth the extra money to buy a Seer 16 system vs a seer 13. The cost ...
  A: That was helpful to me. In my opinion I would not use the Amana. Amana is made by Goodman. I am ...
Should I buy a seer 16 or seer 13 system8/21/2010
  Q: How can I tell if it is worth the extra money to buy a Seer 16 system vs a seer 13. The cost ...
  A: Knowing the size of the unit and the cost of power in your area, you can figure out how much per ...
Air handler cooling coil8/19/2010
  Q: I have a Trane TWE030C140B0 air handler combined with an XE1000. Both units are just 6 years old; I ...
  A: The rust is normal. The metal that holds the coil together is made of galv. steel. Almost all ...
Air unit will not come on.8/18/2010
  Q: Model(MC42B-1A) I checked breakers(good) I am getting 240v at the outside unit. When I push in the ...
  A: Sorry, I did not notice the model number in the first post. You must have an older system as the ...
Weatherking ahu txv placement8/17/2010
  Q: M#17AHSA36HMJ01,S#M160602118 Found txv sensing bulb just hanging loose outside of ahu. Suction line ...
  A: The bulb needs to be attached to the suction line under the insulation. The bulb should also been ...
Air unit will not come on.8/17/2010
  Q: Model(MC42B-1A) I checked breakers(good) I am getting 240v at the outside unit. When I push in the ...
  A: My first thought is the 24v control voltage is missing. You need to make sure there is voltage ...
recharge8/15/2010
  Q: What determines how long to vacuum a system before recharging after compressor replacement? Is ...
  A: Micron is for vacuum only. It is a special piece of equipment used to make the measurement. You ...
getting desperate, please help8/15/2010
  Q: Sorry in advance for lack of terminology/specificity..I am just a mom trying to keep cool in the ...
  A: The drier was likely added when the new coil was installed, a normal thing to do. I think you ...
recharge8/14/2010
  Q: What determines how long to vacuum a system before recharging after compressor replacement? Is ...
  A: The size of the unit to start with. You run the vacuum until you achieve the micron reading you ...
HVAC vs Split units feasibility8/12/2010
  Q: My company is going to construct a new building (ground + 2 floors). The design is for ground + 3 ...
  A: Chillwater is the way to go. It will be cheaper in the long run..do the math.. Two chillers, ...
air contitioner8/12/2010
  Q: yes i have a Goodman unit in the upstairs bonus room and i have had 5 or 6 different people to come ...
  A: I need you to start from the beginning here....Model number(s) of the system, type of t-stat. How ...
HVAC not cooling right8/11/2010
  Q: Our Weather King HVAC is not cooling right after just 4 months of use. The cool is only staying on ...
  A: As you might have figured I rejected the other posts because I have to in order to clear them out of ...
HVAC air handler problem8/10/2010
  Q: a/c running fine cold air - then suddenly smells like a real hot iron and air is now hot - vents hot ...
  A: The heatpump has a valve in it that cause the unit to go from heat to cool. It is possible the ...
dripping, puddling water from air unit into ceiling8/9/2010
  Q: We had a new roor put on last year, and have had extreme heat so far this summer, our house is 2 ...
  A: It sounds like the ducts need to be reinsulated and sealed up or replaced. The a/c person should ...
Air Conditioner Leakage8/8/2010
  Q: We have a Lennox Merit Series 10ACC air conditioning unit that is leaking water from somewhere. We ...
  A: It could just need the drain line cleared. The should be a PVC or copper drain line coming off the ...
how to open a closed air duct?8/8/2010
  Q: I moved into a house with air forced heating. I recently got Central air put into the house but in ...
  A: You might try and find someone that has a camera that can be placed in the ducts to look for ...
plenum connections8/7/2010
  Q: I'm installing a new heat pump split system and am down to two last questions. The supply air ...
  A: I am not sure how the ducts are meeting at the air handler, but a "pair of pants" might be a good ...
central air conditioner not working8/5/2010
  Q: I installed a RTH221 Honeywell programmable thermostat that did not require the blue wire to be ...
  A: You likely caused a dead short in the control circuit. You may have blown a control fuse, burned up ...
5 amp fuse blowing on IFC8/4/2010
  Q: I have an American Standard Freedom 80 with an AC unit attached. Unit is about 7 years old and has ...
  A: You have a bad device within the control circuit or a shorted wire. Do not replace the fuse ...
Air Conditioning running constantly8/3/2010
  Q: Our Central Unit (total electric) runs constantly never reaching optimal temperature until the temp ...
  A: This may not make much sense, but the unit running is better then the unit starting and stopping. ...
a/c problem8/1/2010
  Q: i have a simply comfort commercial a/c unit.... the problem im having is the a/c compressor ...
  A: A common problem when this problem occurs is a bad compressor contactor. The contactor sticks ...
Air Conditioner7/30/2010
  Q: Good Afternoon, About a week into our 10th straight day of 100+ temps, one of my two outside AC ...
  A: In order to troubleshoot a problem with the unit one must have a meter, knowledge of a/c systems and ...
New HVAC7/29/2010
  Q: My home is nearly 30 years old, located in the Northern Neck of VA, and is a small A frame, about ...
  A: To start with the SEER rating of a unit does not determine how well it cools, it only determines how ...
carrier tech2000 SS won't stay running7/28/2010
  Q: I have a carrier tech2000 SS system, model: 38TAU036300. For the past few days my condenser unit ...
  A: The model number you gave is not valid. It will come up on Carriers site. Since you did not ...
Crankcase heater in residential cooling-only A/C7/25/2010
  Q: I have a Trane XL 1200 split system air conditioner (cooling only, no heat pump). It's 14 years ...
  A: Since you do not run the compressor when it is cold outside, I would not worry about replacing the ...
A/C not working thermostat blank7/24/2010
  Q: We have a Rheem Prestige (Attic installed) 10KW Air handler model RBHL-25J11SMU, it is about 3 years ...
  A: There are three ways digital t-stats power...batteries, unit or both. You need to check to see if ...
Arcoaire HVAC units circuit board and wires caught on fire and ruined the unit.7/23/2010
  Q: Have you received complaints about ARCOAIRE units catching on fire? We have a unit that caught fire ...
  A: Generally units do not catch on fire. Arcoaire is made by a company call ICP. I have installed ...
Oil Under New Gas Furnce and A/C coil7/22/2010
  Q: My wife and I live in MA and recently converted to gas from oil. We had a brand new American ...
  A: The oil did not come from the unit. The oil if any in the motor is only a couple of drops. An ...
Air Compressor Split coming on and off7/22/2010
  Q: I have a 3 ton R22 Goodman compressor and a 3 ton R22 TXV Heil air handler. Brand new. We have 42' ...
  A: To start off with, 55 psi suction is too low and will cause the unit to freeze up. The pressure on ...
Residental AC problem/question7/21/2010
  Q: Since this seems like an AC issue, I am going to focus on house, AC, and summer information, but let ...
  A: The typical rule I use in the SE US is 400-600 sq ft per ton. Regardless of the zone system, the ...
Standing water in pan7/3/2010
  Q: I recently moved into a new condo, I have been in for about four months now and discovered standing ...
  A: The water in the pan is not going to lead to mold in the home. The mold in the home is normally due ...
a/c air handler trips circuit breaker7/2/2010
  Q: Janitrol heat pump air handler trips breaker in attic. The unit is cooling fine until the circuit ...
  A: How many amps is the breaker rated for? It is not common for just the fan motor in the air handler ...
air flow problem -- could it be electrical?7/1/2010
  Q: I have had ongoing A/C units for the last 3 months or so, based on my previous troubleshooting, I ...
  A: From your description if sounds like you have a zone system, with the 1st and 2nd floors each being ...
ac problems7/1/2010
  Q: "Good day to you and thank you and God bless you for the giving of your time because Lord know we ...
  A: I do not believe you need a prefilter before the electronic filter. Like anything else the filter ...
Reem Gas Pack6/30/2010
  Q: I have a very old unit, don't know the model no. My air has been working OK, until yesterday. The ...
  A: The fan and transformer are two different things. A bad fan motor normally does not cause the ...
Humidity6/29/2010
  Q: I keep my Thermostat on 68 all the time. My A/C still cools the same. I can find nothing different. ...
  A: To start with, typical A/C systems are not designed to work at 68. The comfort cooling range is ...
York deluxe diamond 80 2 stage furnace/air conditioning unit.6/28/2010
  Q: I can't get the a/c to kick on. I put my "white-rodgers" digital controller to cool, brought it down ...
  A: The problem can be any number of things. Before you do anything else, you can check the breakers, ...
Air Conditioner Coils and Motors6/27/2010
  Q: One of ours was blowing warm air. AC company came out and said the coils need to be replaced and ...
  A: The motor not holding oil seems kind of strange to me...I would not replace the motor unless it has ...
Multi-zone Residential AC6/27/2010
  Q: I noticed that you were the only expert who specifically listed air flow problems as a speciality so ...
  A: The first thing that has to be done is have the right size unit to supply the entire house at one ...
Valve needs repair6/26/2010
  Q: I had 2 lennox cb28uh units looked at yesterday. The technician said one unit was leaking freon ...
  A: I am not sure which valve is leaking and has to be replaced. I can not tell you if the valve is ...
R12 to R134a6/24/2010
  Q: i have a 60 yr old compressor running on R12 and want to convert it to R134a , any immediate ...
  A: R-134a runs a slightly different pressures, and you are going to loose some capacity. You also have ...
Commercial HVAC6/24/2010
  Q: Two questions. 1. I am currently getting quotes to heat and cool warehouse space about 8000 sp ft. ...
  A: It takes more then the size of the space to determine how much a/c is needed. I would guess two 10 ...
Not Getting to Set Temperature6/23/2010
  Q: I bought a 1.5 story house in Indiana roughly 6 months ago. The house was built in 2006 and is ...
  A: As bad as it might seem, mechs normally do not check ducts out on the first call. The general idea ...
My A/C and Coil combination are not in the AHRI directory6/22/2010
  Q: What are the eer and seer 'Carrier' Furnace Infinity 58MVC080-F-1-20 , Infinity Control ...
  A: A couple of things, furnaces are rated only in AFUE ratings. The evap coil and cond unit will give ...
HVAC cool setting not turning off automatically blower and compressor keep going6/22/2010
  Q: I have a TRANE Compressor XE1000 (model no. TWR048D100A1) and XE90 Control unit. Initial problem was ...
  A: There was likely nothing wrong with the old stat. You have a device or wiring within the 24v ...
Condisation of duct work under house in crawlspace6/21/2010
  Q: I live in a two story home with a crawl space that was built in 2007. I man who installed the ac ...
  A: The attic does not sweat because it is hot. The ground holds moisture and stays a pretty constant ...
3.5 ton cond. with 3 ton air hand?6/21/2010
  Q: what is the capacity of a Rheem RCBA-3765A517 air handler? It currently has a 3ton condenser unit on ...
  A: You can not put a bigger cond unit on a smaller evap coil. You can go the other way around by a .5 ...
Paring a Heat Pump with Air Handler6/21/2010
  Q: I'm confused and get more confused when I talk to the contractors I'm considering for a new heat ...
  A: I do not know. I would contact Trane directly to verify this. In some sense as long as the ...
Fan won't come on by itself in hot attic6/18/2010
  Q: Have zoned units in attic and downstairs. When temp in attic goes >90F unit blower fan will not come ...
  A: Swapping out the run cap is a bad idea, unless you verified they are of the same rating. Not all ...
ac size6/16/2010
  Q: hey craig, i am collecting estimates for a heating & cooling system for my 2 story 2800 sq ft home ...
  A: It takes more then what you have me to determine unit tonnage requirements. House construction, ...
toubleshoot6/16/2010
  Q: I installed a Payne 15seer Heatpump in April 2010, this problem started about 6 weeks ago. The ...
  A: When the t-stat completes is normal cycle, remove the wire from R on the back of the t-stat. Then ...
A/C and dehumidifier6/15/2010
  Q: My question is on the benefit of using a dehumidifier along with an A/C. I understand that normally ...
  A: A dehumidifier is going to create heat. At that point the a/c is going to then run. The ...
New Thermostat install question6/14/2010
  Q: Trying to replace an old mercury thermostat on my heat pump system with a HoneywellRTH3100C ...
  A: I am not sure why you are changing out the stat. You might actually have an issue with the unit. ...
Duct less split6/12/2010
  Q: I have been working on a mitsubishi ductless split for a server room. it gives a p8 code on the ...
  A: The high cond head is going cause by only a few things...overcharged unit, restriction in the cond, ...
refrigerant leaking from commercial HVAC6/12/2010
  Q: Craig - We are looking after our son's condo while he is deployed overseas with the Army. He has 3 ...
  A: There is always a concern when gas is added that there is a leak. Sometimes the leak is on the port ...
Heat Pump Wiring6/11/2010
  Q: I am considering installing a Venstar/Insteon remote control thermostat system in my summer home. I ...
  A: The emer. heat is there to provide heating when it gets too cold outside for an air source heatpump ...
AC outside Condensing unit6/10/2010
  Q: Craig, I have submitted an insurance claim on my outside ac unit. My Neighbor has 2 very annoying ...
  A: Well, I can tell you after the few years I have been on this site, dog pee will cause the coils to ...
HVAC filter drier6/8/2010
  Q: Is the filter drier considered part of the HVAC unit? I was told last fall my unit would have to be ...
  A: You are being taken for a ride and you need to find a new bus. First of all, as of the first of ...
Ceiling Vents Positions6/6/2010
  Q: I live in a small house (appx 1100) in the South where the summer heat and humidity can be pretty ...
  A: Although the size of the home will play a part in the electric bill, there are many other factors. ...
coastal rated central air conditioners6/4/2010
  Q: We need to replace our apartment's 2.0 ton, roof top, central air unit on a 5 story high condo a ...
  A: I am not sure what coastal rated means and to what extent. Is the unit made of more stainless steel, ...
thermastat wiring6/3/2010
  Q: I have a nordyne furnace model #m1mbo7oabw, in a new modular home, a carrier a/c unit came with and ...
  A: The furnace should have a wiring diagram inside the furnace. I did not have any luck getting a ...
HVAC6/2/2010
  Q: "I have an evaporator leak from my bryant system. to me it appears to be just condensation, or so I ...
  A: There is always going to be water in the pan when the unit is running, granted not very much. I ...
minimum distance6/1/2010
  Q: In your opinion, what is the minimum distance (in ft.)that I should have between a/c returns and ...
  A: As far away as you can is really the best answer. The key is not to short cycle the air. You can ...
a/c6/1/2010
  Q: I've been having an ongoing problem with my condo's central a/c system so I am contacting you again ...
  A: The black around the grilles can be dirt. The air that comes out can be moist and it also creates ...
Central air outside unit not working5/30/2010
  Q: A few days ago I was in the basement and heard a clicking noise when the air unit would turn pn It ...
  A: Which fan did not move? I am guessing the outdoor... It could be a fan motor, but it could also be ...
air conditioners5/28/2010
  Q: can you have a two-stage air conditioner with a single stage furnace? I have two installers ...
  A: Yes, you can have a two stage cond. unit with a single stage furnace. I would not do it though. ...
central aid5/27/2010
  Q: My air conditioning unit started making a clanking noise and continued to clank as it ran. Now, it ...
  A: The clanking sound could have been the sound of the fan blades hitting the unit. It could also have ...
A/C5/26/2010
  Q: 1300 sq ft home, 2 ton 15 yr old unit can't maintain temp to 76*been serviced for refrigerant, ...
  A: You need to replace the unit. A 15 year old unit is the problem. It is not going to work to is max ...
Air Conditioner5/25/2010
  Q: I had a new air conditioner installed last June. It takes the ac up to six hours to cool down from ...
  A: Six hours is not a long time to drop the temp in the house eight degrees. One degree or so is a ...
Freon Charge Cost5/24/2010
  Q: I manage a building with 27 units. What is the average cost of charging a 5 ton unit? I believe ...
  A: The charge of the unit will vary with the size and length of line runs etc. A leak check should ...
Ruud/Rheem 62-102637-01 Integrated Furnace Control5/23/2010
  Q: This afternoon (Saturday) my wife called me to say that the compressor of the AC wasn't running but ...
  A: I am not sure what the 12 blinks mean. I was not able to find anything about it. You might turn ...
Ruud/Rheem 62-102637-01 Integrated Furnace Control5/23/2010
  Q: This afternoon (Saturday) my wife called me to say that the compressor of the AC wasn't running but ...
  A: Before replacing parts, it is reqired that you check for voltages with a meter to determine where ...
need 3rd wire5/21/2010
  Q: i just had a lenox heater and air conditioner installed in my home. i had a guy that i know install ...
  A: I am a bit confused, because I am not sure what he means by a third wire. Most units with cooling ...
coleman unit5/20/2010
  Q: My Coleman unit will be two years old this Sept.In the past two weeks my unit is not working ...
  A: The problem can by any number of things. To start with I hope you have been changing the filter on ...
Maintenance / Cleaning - TWE040E13FA15/19/2010
  Q: I apologize in advane for the ignorance... As a fairly new [female] homeowner I'd like to take ...
  A: The indoor (evaporator) coil can be cleaned in place. Changing the filter and using a good filter ...
Honeywell EMM-3 Panel5/19/2010
  Q: Somtimes one of the heating zones does not work. This morning zone 1 was not working. The panel ...
  A: Joe, to start off with this site DOES NOT display any email address. It does not give me your email ...
Insulation in air vents5/17/2010
  Q: I recently read a post about someone else having problems with getting insulation in there air ...
  A: This is a something I copied off another website... "Fiber glass may cause itchiness and ...
Air freezing up5/15/2010
  Q: Ok, here goes. Last summer, my central air conditioner messed up. We called a technician out and he ...
  A: Since the unit is freezing up, then everything is not working properly. The unit freezing up could ...
A/C filter?5/14/2010
  Q: We had our A/C installed about 7 years ago and it has been working fine. The capacitor blew last ...
  A: judging by the black spot on the grille in the picture, I would say that is the return. I would ...
Heat Pump Replacement5/12/2010
  Q: I live in northern part of Florida and I'm interested in replacing my 18 yr old heat pump system ...
  A: More than anything beyond brand, is the installer. A system that is not installed properly just will ...
replacement of outdoor unit fan motor5/11/2010
  Q: i replaced the condenser fan motor with a universal kit that came with a two terminal capacitor but ...
  A: You can not replace the a dual run cap ( three terms.) with a single (two terms.). Normally, just ...
leaks in concrete encased ductwork5/9/2010
  Q: Our home heating ductwork is encased in the concrete floor. For the past few years, we have had ...
  A: At this point the best thing to do is stick a camera down the ducts to see if you can see what is ...
HVAC fan motor5/7/2010
  Q: The motor on the outside unit (ground mounted) is nosiy. I pulled it, wobbly shart, looks like ...
  A: The new motor must be close the old motor RPM in order for the right amount of air to move though ...
My 24V transformer keeps blowing up5/7/2010
  Q: I have a Corsaire home furnace. The control board part number is Rheem 62-24268-01. A picture of ...
  A: The problem is going to be something that is connected to the P1 plug. Follow this link... ...
gas ac unit5/5/2010
  Q: What type of coolant is used in a arkla servel gas ac unit? antifreeze like the kind used in a ...
  A: I have never heard nor worked on any of these types of units. Based on what I just searched, they ...
CAN U HELP ME5/5/2010
  Q: Is there a way to know that my condenser or compressor I don't know the difference, is bad. My fan ...
  A: The condenser is the entire unit outside (unless you have a package unit). The compressor is the ...
HVAC5/4/2010
  Q: my ac unit outside is OK but when the thermostat kick of the AC unit the blower not stop and ...
  A: The first thing to do is to check the on/auto switch and set it to auto. If already in auto, then ...
ac5/2/2010
  Q: I just cranked on the air for the ist time and it runs fine but does not seem to be blowing cold ...
  A: Did you take a walk outside to find out if the outdoor fan and compressor is running? There can me ...
heat pump4/29/2010
  Q: I thought i was set on a rheem 3 1/2 ton rpql jaz outdoor unit and rhkl varible speed indoor unit ...
  A: Heil is made by a company called ICP. ICP is part of Carrier. I have installed a ICP and have not ...
Coil replacement4/26/2010
  Q: I currently have a Trane Split System Heat Pump (3 ½ ton 4TWR4042C1000AA), Trane XS90 and an ...
  A: Installing a bigger coil is not going to increase the capacity of the system. The capacity is ...
damage compressor due to high voltage4/26/2010
  Q: recevd a letter from our customer regarding his burnout compressor. it was claimed that the ...
  A: Here in the US, the power company get be out of the norm by a given percentage, typical is 10% or so ...
Gas heater vent chatter4/25/2010
  Q: Craig, I have the same exact problem as Mark asked about. I bought a brand new house last year and I ...
  A: There is likely a damper in the flue to prevent a back draft. It just takes a bit of time for the ...
What should I buy?4/22/2010
  Q: Your Question was: We need to replace the furnace for our rental property that is 1080 sq ft. What ...
  A: Well, I would put all three units on the same playing field. They are all about even and more or ...
Output airflow speed/velocity4/21/2010
  Q: Science project: Can you tell me roughly what the airspeed and/or velocity of the output air that ...
  A: It is not that simple actually. The velocity of the air depends on the amount of air and in the ...
Compressor slugging4/21/2010
  Q: I just had a 5-ton SCROLL heat pump compressor, reversing valve, solenoid coil, bi-flow drier, ...
  A: All compressors blow out a bit of oil when they run, and the oil normally returns in time. It is a ...
heat pump4/20/2010
  Q: I have a split system American Standard heat pump installed 12/08. I assumed it would work correctly ...
  A: The coil should defrost completely and more to less even. I have seen cases when units are made the ...
SEER ratings in relation to cooling zones4/19/2010
  Q: I have 3 separate zones in my house, and I replaced the system for one zone a few months ago with a ...
  A: You can place any SEER rating in any zone, and in some ways is makes sense. Why spend the extra ...
HVAC4/19/2010
  Q: What do you think is the average price to replace a 3.5 ton copeland AC compressor on a 13 seer ...
  A: The refrigerant does not have to be replaced on every compressor failure. It really depends on what ...
Apartment A/C4/16/2010
  Q: I've got about a 900 sq/ft apartment that I can't seem to keep cool. I know very little about HVAC ...
  A: I have a feeling the word is charged, not changed. If the unit was charged, that could be a sign ...
HVAC4/15/2010
  Q: we are building a new home which is 2600sq ft heating and cooling,including a bonus room with half ...
  A: I am not sure which is right, as I do not have the heat load calculations in front of me. The size, ...
Coleman Evcon EB15B Furnace4/14/2010
  Q: I actually work for a Commercial HVAC Trane Company and none of my guys here have been able to solve ...
  A: You are not missing anything. The fact is, some units do not come with a filter rack built into the ...
heat pump condensation pump4/13/2010
  Q: My daughter moved into a home with heat pump that has the air handling system in the crawl space. ...
  A: I am a bit confused on what you are trying to do here. Most, if not all, condensate pumps I deal ...
replacing central a/c unit4/10/2010
  Q: I am in the process of getting quotes to replace my 13 year old Rheem a/c system in my house. I am ...
  A: Picking from the list you have given, I would put Amana at the bottom of my list. Trane and ...
AC Thermostat failing4/9/2010
  Q: OK My question is, last evening our son set the Thermostat to 65 and when I altered it back to 72 ...
  A: The description does not give me a clear answer on what was running and for how long. The problem ...
ac vent4/9/2010
  Q: I have a double wide mobile home and on one side of the home there is little to no air output while ...
  A: Just because it can not be seen, does not mean ducts have come undone. The flex duct has two parts, ...
Connecting Lower BTU input higher a MUST?4/8/2010
  Q: My hot water tank was leaking (old install in 86), & the Water tank rental company came to look. ...
  A: Well, anytime something major gets replaced in a home and a permit is pulled it has to be brought up ...
Heat pump / AC trips circuit breaker4/7/2010
  Q: I have a Ruud UPKB-024JAZ heat pump. During the winter it developed a buzzing sound whenever the ...
  A: I am assuming the breaker you are talking about is the main breaker to the cond. unit. This can be ...
Room above garage4/6/2010
  Q: I have a newly built home. My office is in the bedroom which is situated above the garage. The ...
  A: The more you insulate around a conditioned area, the better off you are going to be. Since the ...
swamp cooler4/4/2010
  Q: I have a Champion Evaporative Cooler model # WC50 that is 1 year old and used for 1 season. At the ...
  A: I viewed some info on the unit. The first thing that comes to mind is a wiring issue. With 120v it ...
Bathroom Fan ventilation4/4/2010
  Q: Craig. We just moved into our home and have problems with wind noise in the bathroom fan. I took ...
  A: Using a utility knife, you can get to the heads of the screws. I have done it before. I am not ...
AC Replacement Cost4/3/2010
  Q: Recent widowed mother in-law was quoted $10K for a replacement 5 Ton AC/Furnace/duct work in her 16 ...
  A: Considering some of the pricing I have been seeing, it does not seem unreal. Considering I do not ...
brazing lineset and startup4/3/2010
  Q: I just bought a Goodman gas furnace with a 13 seer ac unit with the new 410 gas. Getting ready to ...
  A: You can use whatever gas you want as long as it will get it hot enough to make the joint. You need ...
heater4/2/2010
  Q: I have a Carrier weather maker 9200/gas furnace. When it's turned "on", the fan starts and stops ...
  A: There is definitely a motor in there turning the fan to move the air though the furnace and into the ...
luxaire propane heater3/31/2010
  Q: My heater status light is blinking 3 times. It wont ignite the fans all work though.
  A: I copied this from a luxaire manual. You did not give me the model number, but my guess they are ...
Central Air Unit spewed Freon3/29/2010
  Q: My 1100 sq ft. home and central air are 13 years old. Never had issues since it was built. Until ...
  A: Well, I hate to have bad news, but you are going to need a new unit. The compressor is done, and I ...
window a/c unit exhausted to garage3/28/2010
  Q: So this is an odd situation but... My house has a garage that was once a carport. It has a dirt ...
  A: The unit is going to produce a lot of heat. Opening the door once a day is not going to be enough ...
Air Conditioning unit is will not shut off3/28/2010
  Q: My Armstrong Model # PGE10A-3 (Gas Heat/Electric Cooling Packaged Unit) air/heat conditioning unit ...
  A: I understand the lack of knowledge on your part to explain the problem. There can also be a lack of ...
Burndt fan control board3/27/2010
  Q: Last summer my central AC was blowing air but not chilled and had a new AC installed.He told me that ...
  A: Electrical problems can be hard to determine. There is not always a clear cut reason for things to ...
Air Conditioning unit is will not shut off3/26/2010
  Q: My Armstrong Model # PGE10A-3 (Gas Heat/Electric Cooling Packaged Unit) air/heat conditioning unit ...
  A: I do not see how holes in the heat exchanger will cause the fan to keep running. That does not make ...
Relation between Heat/Cooling load and Heat loss/Gain3/26/2010
  Q: Sir, While reading HVAC books i've come across the term heat loss and heat gain; I got confused ...
  A: Heat loss/gain are the same thing. In simple terms, it just means how quickly heat will transfer ...
Air Conditioning unit is will not shut off3/26/2010
  Q: My Armstrong Model # PGE10A-3 (Gas Heat/Electric Cooling Packaged Unit) air/heat conditioning unit ...
  A: I need to ask a couple of questions...Is the compressor and fan running outside? I am guessing the ...
Heat Pump3/24/2010
  Q: May I ask 2 questions ? (1) My neighbor is having a new heat pump installed, and the contractor ...
  A: You are only allowed to ask one question at a time here...:P I am not quite sure what it meant by ...
coleman gas furnace3/22/2010
  Q: A Coleman model# DGAT056BDE, the blower will turn back on after it cycles. then run until its ...
  A: Considering what you have done already, I would be checking the thermostat and the wiring from the ...
Thermostat installation problem...3/21/2010
  Q: I am writing you today to see if you could help me with an electrical problem I am having with ...
  A: From the way the unit is wired, you have a heatpump. You need to make sure the thermostat is set up ...
Quatro Tru Blue 90 furnace3/10/2010
  Q: I have a Quatro Tru Blue 90 furnace,I shut it down for a few monthes because I was out of town. ...
  A: I am going to guess you are using the heat. High eff. units have a drain line to remove the ...
noisy heat pump3/6/2010
  Q: Sir,I have a Trane XE1100 heat pump.I recently noticed the exhaust fan making a loud rumbling noise ...
  A: From your description of the problem the bearings/bushings in the motor are bad. The only way to ...
gas like fumes in our home3/5/2010
  Q: Almost everyone who enters our home comments on the awful gas like smell. I say 'gas like' because ...
  A: Propane has an odor to it that can not be missed. I am not sure what to tell you, but if you smell ...
ritetemp 6036 thermostat won't work in auto position3/4/2010
  Q: I recently installed a rite-temp model 6036 and only cools when is in on position, it does not work ...
  A: Not all units use the fan signal when a t-stat calls for cooling. Some units control board controls ...
Ruud heat pump 13 seer upne-060jaz3/3/2010
  Q: outside unit is not operating. Auxiliary heat comes on but not normal heat. less than 2 years old
  A: First thing it to check the breaker and/or fuses that supply power to the unit. If all that is ok, ...
Carrier Roof top heater failure3/2/2010
  Q: The blower motor does not work when heat is turn on. The blower motor works when the air ...
  A: As things has changed over the years, it is hard to say what it could be. It is something within ...
Heater Blower Motor2/25/2010
  Q: i'm replacing my Forced Air blower motor. My dayton 4 speed motor has white, black, red, ...
  A: Not all motors use the same wiring colors. All motors have the wiring diagram on the label that is ...
Heat Pump2/23/2010
  Q: I have a older house 1918, that I am trying to update for my retirement home. The present heating ...
  A: The amount of ducts does not matter as to the size of the ducts. It is better to use the less ...
Heating a small room in a garage2/18/2010
  Q: I have just had a 1.5 ton Goodman unit put in a detached garage that i have just finished. It is ...
  A: It seems to me the air flow needs to be balanced. By cutting down some of the air to one part and ...
Heat Pump2/17/2010
  Q: I have a 2002 Payne heat pump. It does not seem to be cycling correctly. I heat a heating and ...
  A: The colder it gets outside, the less effective the heatpump becomes. The cool air is because the ...
Blower in HVAC not working2/16/2010
  Q: I have a Carrier Model # FC4BNF048, It's an all electric heat pump system. Last night the heat quit ...
  A: You started in the wrong direction. The transformer likely did not cause the fuse to blow. ...
New to home, need help with HVAC system2/14/2010
  Q: We have recently purchased a home in Denver that is 1700 sf with 3 three stories, plus basement and ...
  A: It is quite simple. The cooler or hotter you set the unit will determine how long it will run. In ...
home heat, lack of2/14/2010
  Q: I have a rheem 14 seer model rapa-042jaz home unit. its about 13yrs oldIts the middle of the night ...
  A: It is possible that the t-stat is faulty, but t-stats do not fail all that often. Since it does ...
heat pump compressor won't start2/13/2010
  Q: I have a Goodman cpkj36-1ab heatpump.(I have 2 of these units side by side for upstairs and ...
  A: The "start assist" is a start cap with relay to give the compressor a boost to get started. There ...
Fan motor will stop working2/12/2010
  Q: My downstairs air handler fan motor will cut out after being on for a while. The heat pump will be ...
  A: It is possible for the run cap to be going bad. A bad run cap will cause the motor to heat up. ...
Heat Pump Blowing hot air2/11/2010
  Q: The way I understand a heat pump function, it first tries to draw heat from ambient temperature ...
  A: You are kinda right in your description, but have some work to do on it. The a "heatpump" works the ...
blower motor2/10/2010
  Q: How u doing,i replace my blower motor from my gas/ac air unit.The motor that i got dont have the ...
  A: I hate to give you the bad news, but you may have already ruined that motor. Wiring it up like you ...
HVAC2/10/2010
  Q: I am shopping for a new split system high efficiency electric/propane HVAC system. I am researching ...
  A: I have never heard of the brand, and I can not confirm if it is a Goodman. It is always more ...
Not enough heat on 3rd floor2/5/2010
  Q: "We have a 3 story ranch. The first floor has a wood burning stove, which heats the first floor ...
  A: You have to determine what the voltage and amps are for the fan. There are "line voltage ...
proper unit size2/4/2010
  Q: If I own a 2400 foot ranch-style home, what tonnage unit (gas pack) will I need to properly heat and ...
  A: The sqft of a home or space is just not enough to size a unit. You have to have a heat load ...
flame sensor2/3/2010
  Q: I have a 2 family home where each unit has an identical Amana forced hot air furnace, one in the ...
  A: It is hard to say why one over the other. It could be because it is in the attic. They flame may ...
ge zonelines2/2/2010
  Q: ihave 2 ge zonlines model az25e12d3bm1 and model az22e15d38bm2 they don't put out hot heat like ...
  A: Determine the size of the heat strips (i believe that is what you have) and take an amp draw ...
Carrier package funance2/1/2010
  Q: I am very experienced in trouble shooting a/c and heating units but this one has me stumped. On a ...
  A: The colder weather could cause moisture to build up in the pressure switch tube to the inducer fan. ...
13 SEER AH and 16 SEER Heat Pump2/1/2010
  Q: I just recently discovered that I have a 13 SEER Goodman Air Handler and a 16 SEER Amana Heat Pump. ...
  A: Amana and Goodman are one in the same with different labels. As long as the A/H and cond. unit are ...
Air in Lines Follow Up1/31/2010
  Q: I have a New Yorker FR 147K BTU oil fired boiler with a Beckett burner installed I think by the ...
  A: The check can be just about anywhere. It can be in or out of the tank. The check is likely ...
heater and compressor both come on1/30/2010
  Q: Recently when my furnace kicks on the first thing that happens is the compressor outside comes on ...
  A: To get heat for the mean time, you should be able to turn the breaker off to the outside unit to ...
2nd floor is cold, not enough air flow1/28/2010
  Q: All 3 bedrooms located on the 2nd floor are cold in winter hot in the summer. There is 1 vent and 1 ...
  A: Heat load is the amount of heating or cooling is required to heat/cool a given space. Each room or ...
2nd floor is cold, not enough air flow1/28/2010
  Q: All 3 bedrooms located on the 2nd floor are cold in winter hot in the summer. There is 1 vent and 1 ...
  A: I am not really able to help you sight unseen. The tonnage of the unit and the heat load for the ...
Trane condenser1/27/2010
  Q: Trane/Am Standare m#TTA12B300BA, S#KO9198950 2 compressor system, Y1 usually working, cool lately, ...
  A: A drier can last for years in a system that is closed and clean. When there are failures that is ...
Heat pump1/26/2010
  Q: I am a General Contractor and my heat pump stopped working, I went to turn it on one morning and no ...
  A: In order to determine what the problem is, you are going to have to start checking for voltage with ...
Payne furnace does not self ignite1/26/2010
  Q: I have a older Payne furnace that came with our house, 110,000 btu unit with model number ...
  A: A furnace should never be lit in any way other then the normal operating way!!!!! You are at great ...
Single-Stage vs. 2-Stage AC1/25/2010
  Q: I am getting ready to replace a 2.5 ton, 11 SEER, 15-year-old, single-stage AC in my 985 SF home ...
  A: It does not seem right to me that you only have two options due to the size of the closet. There ...
No power to thermostat1/24/2010
  Q: I was changing out a mechanical thermostat to a Honeywell RTH7500 and trouble shooting with ...
  A: The 24v control power is supplied from a transformer in the air handler, not the cond. unit. If you ...
Payne outdoor unit1/23/2010
  Q: I have a Payne heat pump system. I am running the system on Auto heat. The air handler is coming ...
  A: It can be a number of things. Both the high and low voltage circuits need to be checked. Some ...
HEIL furnace hum/buzz1/22/2010
  Q: Our HEIL furnace was new in 2005, but was made in 10/04. It is a 75,000 btu unit. We hear a ...
  A: I believe the item are are talking about the run cap. Looks more like a battery. There is nothing ...
air handler switching ground1/20/2010
  Q: i have a air handler that sends red to common and blue is 24V hot (was and is hooked to common on ...
  A: Personally, I think the diagram is not correct. Red is never grounded and I have never seen it ...
HVAC1/20/2010
  Q: We noticed some moisture forming on 2 parts of the exhaust pipe (through which the carbon monoxide ...
  A: I have never seen pvc fittings glued on the inside. They are always on the outside of the pipe. ...
Propane as a Choice?1/20/2010
  Q: I smiled when I read you may be the only HAVC guy who does not know oil! Funny, I have an oil ...
  A: Well, I am not John, but I might have some insight. You can figure out how much each BTU costs with ...
Furnace / Generator1/19/2010
  Q: I have a generator for when the power goes out. Heres my problem, The generator would run the ...
  A: Are both of the furnaces the same voltage? Are you connecting the proper voltage output from the ...
Blower fan won't shut off1/19/2010
  Q: My Climate Master geothermal fan will not shut off. It will reach temperature and then keep on ...
  A: I had to think about this one. I have come up with a logical problem, but it may not be the ...
air handler switching ground1/18/2010
  Q: i have a air handler that sends red to common and blue is 24V hot (was and is hooked to common on ...
  A: The typical air handler uses ground for the neutral. My guess is the unit has been working, so I am ...
Fixing my Ac unit1/17/2010
  Q: Ok so i replaced the blower cage...it had come busted off the hub....then about 2 days later i ...
  A: The two problems on not related, but the control wiring does go though the air handler. You should ...
Commercial RTU in a residential area1/16/2010
  Q: I am a home owner in Canada (cold temperatures). My neighbor installed a commercial RTU HVAC on his ...
  A: The some differences are size, noise, fresh air capacity and power. Residential units typically ...
Need help heating home1/16/2010
  Q: I currently live in NW Florida, in an open plan 1 story house with a vaulted ceiling. My thermostat ...
  A: You have a problem most people on the south have...extreme cold weather and heatpumps. Heatpumps ...
insulating an HVAC vent pipe1/15/2010
  Q: I am trying to help a property owner cut down on ice build up. They have 8 furnaces in their attic ...
  A: The only way to really reduce the stack temp is to get a new high efficiency unit. The newer high ...
inducer motor assembly.1/14/2010
  Q: I am trying to find the above mentioned part /rhemm gaspak model RRGG10E42JKR serial AYA4478 A HA A ...
  A: The inducer fan forces air into the burn chamber for more heat. It works much the way a turbo ...
furnace does not blow warm air1/14/2010
  Q: i have a lennox g 24 series gas furnace,the furnace runs all the time when its cold, the gas burner ...
  A: The problem might be a bad control board. Many of the units will only relight a couple of times ...
water leaking from airconditioning1/14/2010
  Q: We have seperate heating and airconditioning units. During the winter, we close all the vents in the ...
  A: The ducts in the attic are getting cold enough to have moisture, from inside the house, condense in ...
thermidistat1/13/2010
  Q: Furnace seems to have checked out okay last night by HVAC rep. Thermidistat "may" be the problem ...
  A: Some of the units require a specific thermostat to work with the unit. Without a model number of ...
Thermostat1/11/2010
  Q: I Have a Gas forced air furnace and forced airconditioning. I installed a honeywell RTH221B ...
  A: The fan speed is controlled inside the unit and not at the t-stat. This is the case for both the ...
#2 heating oil alternatives1/11/2010
  Q: I ran out and suppliers were out too. One told me to use diesel and I did some research and tried it ...
  A: #2 Diesel is the same fuel burned in trucks and cars. The fuel sold for furnaces can be dirtier, so ...
Armstrong 5-ton package Unit1/9/2010
  Q: Sir I have a A\S Model # PGE10B60D125A-2A ( gas unit ) . The unit on Heat, the burners will come on ...
  A: You need to determine what is causing the unit to shut down the flames. It could be anything from a ...
HVAC1/8/2010
  Q: I had recent maintenance 10/09 and was told 2lb low and added freon and possible leak. 3 days later ...
  A: The schrader can start to leak just by connecting a hose. It has a rubber seal, that once moves, ...
Replacing AC - good deal or snake oil?1/7/2010
  Q: Current unit 39 years old 1.5 tons, blower went out over the holidays (old unit couldn't cool ...
  A: The cost to replace units vary greatly. The type, location of the unit, access, ductwork, line ...
Tempstar heatpump1/6/2010
  Q: I have a 13 year old Temp star heatpump electric .I live in Ky.We are having 20 and below temps ...
  A: The first thing that comes to mind for me is you need a hard start kit on the compressor. Without me ...
Lennox G43UF furnace1/6/2010
  Q: Have zero humidity in house after install...where is the adjustment...pump on side of furnace taking ...
  A: There is no adjustment. The water that is being pumped is coming from the combustion cycle. ...
York fans blowing12/19/2009
  Q: Contractor installed a York D1NZ042N09006A last summer and the A/C worked great. However he never ...
  A: You can use the old stat for your unit. You do not have to use all of the connections and you could ...
Aquastst/heat issue12/18/2009
  Q: we hav a oil fired furnace in our basement. This unit provides our hot water as well as runs supply ...
  A: The setting for any stat should be whatever room temp you want to keep. If the sensor is in the ...
Air in Lines12/18/2009
  Q: I have a New Yorker FR 147K BTU oil fired boiler with a Beckett burner installed I think by the ...
  A: Oil is one of my weakest areas for heating. We do not use much oil down south for heating. I am ...
Chillers12/18/2009
  Q: What is the difference between low pressure & high pressure chillers,? What is the importance of ...
  A: What is the difference between low pressure & high pressure chillers,? Type of refrigerant used. ...
BTU per Square foot12/17/2009
  Q: I have a 16 year old furnance that needs replaced, it is 100,000 btu. I got an estimate to replace ...
  A: There are rules of thumbs, but it really requires an in home heat load calc. to determine what you ...
(Nordyne) Philco G6RA 80+ Upflow/Horizontal Forced Air Gas Furnace12/17/2009
  Q: I purchased the above model back in 2002 and since then I have had to replace the 3 amp fuse (1 week ...
  A: Roll out and flame sensor are two different things. Roll out is caused when the flames are burning ...
Heating Strip12/16/2009
  Q: I have a central heating system that was installed just under 2 years ago. We quit getting heat last ...
  A: Some units come with or can be bought extra, labor warranty. Make sure the labor is not covered. I ...
Trane Heat pump12/15/2009
  Q: I have a XE 1000 Trane 10 seer heat pump compressor and a Gibson air handler ARUF 182416 AB. I had ...
  A: The defrost cycle will only kick in if the cond. unit is running (compressor). The defrost board, ...
Atlas Furnace Heater ?12/15/2009
  Q: Penninsula Heating diagnosed my Atlas heating furnace to have a cracked heating exchange. The ...
  A: There is 3.414 btu's per watt of resistive heat load. You are looking about a 20kw elect heat strip. ...
Nordyne Electric Furnace Problem12/15/2009
  Q: Occasionally I notice that the blower on my furnace has been on awhile and there is no warm air ...
  A: The unit would appear to be tripping on a safety and turning the unit on and off resets the unit. ...
Bryant furnace not warming past 60.12/15/2009
  Q: I have a Bryant model 376CAV gas furnace. When I call for heat it will run up to no more than 60 ...
  A: Then I would guess it is not the motor. There is also a pressure switch that is connect with the ...
Placement of thermostat in new home12/14/2009
  Q: We moved into our newly constructed townhouse about 1-1/2 years ago and have been experiencing ...
  A: I have never heard of the term "pants", rather I consider your system to be a "zone" system. I am ...
Trane Heat pump12/14/2009
  Q: I have a XE 1000 Trane 10 seer heat pump compressor and a Gibson air handler ARUF 182416 AB. I had ...
  A: The icing is normal, and has it gets colder and wetter, the ice builds quicker. The unit has a ...
heat pump/air handler cycling12/14/2009
  Q: I have a new Trane heat pump and air handler with 15kw heat strips. 3.5 ton. Variable speed fan, ...
  A: To the best of my knowlege, the indoor fan should not be turning off. Anything is possible with the ...
Bryant furnace not warming past 60.12/13/2009
  Q: I have a Bryant model 376CAV gas furnace. When I call for heat it will run up to no more than 60 ...
  A: It is very much possible the inducer fan motor is getting hot and shutting off. The motor likely ...
heat pump runs all the time12/13/2009
  Q: My problem is on a 3.5 ton r410 heat pump janitrol 2 yrs old,House is 2100 sq ft 9ft ceilings ...
  A: To start with, heating with electric is always more expensive then cooling. Is has to do with the ...
small hermetic compressor12/12/2009
  Q: what are the best methods of starting a stuck 120V compressor? Putting a capacitor on the run term. ...
  A: A hard start kit is the only way. Using 220v will create an almost immediate melt down. The ...
Heater in the attic, floors are cold12/12/2009
  Q: We installed a new heater in the attic (for space reasons). The floors on the first floor are cold, ...
  A: There is normally a temp difference between floors when there is one unit. In order to fix the air ...
GMPN100-4 mysterious water leak12/12/2009
  Q: I have a GMPN110-4 made in 1993. 20 months ago, noticed water leaking on floor, called technician, ...
  A: The water is actually a by product of combustion. There should be a drain tube to remove the water ...
HVAC Unit Location12/9/2009
  Q: We are having a ranch built in DE and the HVAC unit was to be in the attic. They are now ...
  A: I feel the most important thing about location is service. If the unit is hard to get to, it will ...
line voltage thermostat12/9/2009
  Q: The line voltage thermostats in question control ceiling furnaces in an industrial environment. I ...
  A: Instead of 24v, you would be better off with line voltage digital t-stats. They can be bought ...
furnace condensation pump and overflow12/9/2009
  Q: I have recently had a high efficiency furnace installed in my home. Outside of the furnace is a ...
  A: Some condensate pumps come with a safety switch. The switch can be unit to shut down the system if ...
strip heat12/8/2009
  Q: i have an air handler believed to be GE in a condo located in the ceiling directly behind a panel ...
  A: The amp draw of the heater is based on the rated kw at the rated voltage. You have to know what the ...
heating not kicking on12/7/2009
  Q: Our heater isn't working. According to our home paperwork we have a Goodman model #PHK030-1, 2 1/2 ...
  A: I am concerned that something is not quite right. The goodman model number is indeed a heatpump. ...
strip heat12/7/2009
  Q: i have an air handler believed to be GE in a condo located in the ceiling directly behind a panel ...
  A: You can check to see if the strips are open or grounded with a ohm meter. With the strips powered ...
Pressure switch12/7/2009
  Q: Hey how it going i have a simple question i have an york affinty unit 48,000 btu and the pressure ...
  A: The simple question is not a simple solution. I am going to bet you do not have the proper tools to ...
combustion air, maybe?12/7/2009
  Q: Along with the two pipes going to our heater, there is a third insulated pipe going to the return ...
  A: The two "pipes" going to the furnace should be an exhaust and fresh air. The combustion part of the ...
heating not kicking on12/6/2009
  Q: Our heater isn't working. According to our home paperwork we have a Goodman model #PHK030-1, 2 1/2 ...
  A: To start with, I looked up the t-stat and it will work for a heatpump. At this point, I need to ...
rheem a/c12/6/2009
  Q: i had a new 2.5 ton 13 seer rheem condenser (RAND-030JAZ) and handler installed in august of 07. ...
  A: Does the air handler have a float switch in the drain line? The float can be connect to turn off ...
outdoor wood furnace electrical12/6/2009
  Q: I have purchased an outside Shaver wood furnace. I need to hook up the 110 volt water pump to my ...
  A: Since you have two different voltages, you will have to use a contactor to turn things on and off. ...
Air Ducts in slab foundation12/6/2009
  Q: I have a home where the air ducts to the HVAC are installed in the slab foundation. (not under). ...
  A: You can call a plumbing contractor out to run a camera into the ducts to find out what is happening ...
Intermittent or no defrost12/5/2009
  Q: I have a Trane Heat Pump Model 2TWB0048A1000AB Manf date 01/2004. It will not defrost when coils ...
  A: The frost is normal for a heatpump. The rate to which the ice forms has to do with the outdoor temp ...
price and quality comparison12/5/2009
  Q: For our church: We need to replace a 3 ton Sears unity that has been in operation for about 30 ...
  A: Most units rate somewhere about the same. As with anything, many will tell you one brand is better ...
HVAC12/4/2009
  Q: I had recent maintenance 10/09 and was told 2lb low and added freon and possible leak. 3 days later ...
  A: To start with, R-22 is not obsolete. (http://www.epa.gov/Ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html) New ...
ch/a Heil 6yrs old12/4/2009
  Q: My unit has started pulling power from other sources in my home.- lights, fans etc.. It is making a ...
  A: The problem you describe sounds like a wiring problem in the house. It could be a loose connection ...
Heat pump w/aux heat12/4/2009
  Q: I have a air conditioner/Heat pump with aux heat. Recently it stopped working. No warning signs for ...
  A: I am a bit confused. You stated the new thermostat will not work with our system. Are you still ...
My grandmother hvac unit wont light12/4/2009
  Q: My name is Josh Schecter. I am an electrician and I am trying to work on my poor grandmothers hvac ...
  A: The issue can be anything from the ignitor to a safeties that has the unit locked out. There ought ...
LG mini split, 12,000btu12/3/2009
  Q: I have been told that placing a mini split too close to the ceiling causes them to freeze up. I ...
  A: If the directions are followed for installing the unit, then freezing up should not be an issue. ...
ch/a12/3/2009
  Q: My unit has started pulling power from other sources in my home.- lights, fans etc.. It is making a ...
  A: I am guessing the lights are dimming and the fans are slowing? Do you notice the problem when you ...
No Warm Air Blowing12/3/2009
  Q: I have a York 12 seer split system unit(2003). The air conditioning works fine but when I turned the ...
  A: It can be one of many things. Sequencer, relays, contactor, control board, bad heat strips. If ...
moving existing HVAC unit12/2/2009
  Q: My wife and I are considering purchasing a home. The basement of the home is mostly finished. ...
  A: It is nearly impossible to price things out site unseen. Everything has to be moved. The power, ...
serial number match11/20/2009
  Q: Could you tell me if is possible to match the purchase of a heating unit if I have the Model,Make ...
  A: Manufactures do not keep track of who buy what on the small stuff. There is just too many units out ...
furnace selection11/17/2009
  Q: I am thinking of purchasing a carrier infinity 96 furnace what type of repair record would they ...
  A: I have a Rheem heatpump all electric. It was installed by the builder, not my choice. I have not ...
Ruud Compressor UPKB030BAZ11/17/2009
  Q: Compressor on Ruud model UPKB030BAZ must be replaced per service tech. It is only 3 months out of ...
  A: The reason for the fail compressor may not show up until the new is installed. Once the new is ...
Commercial Rooftop Furnace won' stay lit11/17/2009
  Q: Carrier Commercial Rooftop Furnace Model 48KL-024-311BF 48KL-024-300BF About 1 1/2 years ago, I ...
  A: The following is based on the wiring diagram I believe to be for this unit from the factory. The ...
Corsaire(Rheem)11/16/2009
  Q: Thermostat set to hold at 70' & a few seconds later it reads 60' hold. The flame ignites, but only ...
  A: I am not sure what the issue is with the thermostat. Since you did not tell my what type, I do not ...
Ruud Compressor UPKB030BAZ11/16/2009
  Q: Compressor on Ruud model UPKB030BAZ must be replaced per service tech. It is only 3 months out of ...
  A: You can contact RUUD with the model and serial number. They will tell you what warranty came with ...
Heat Pumps (and A/C, now) Won't Turn On11/16/2009
  Q: I have two heat pumps (3 ton and a smaller unit) and neither one will turn on (heat or A/C). I've ...
  A: The one common issue is power. You could be having a power problem to the units. You may have even ...
furnace selection11/15/2009
  Q: I am thinking of purchasing a carrier infinity 96 furnace what type of repair record would they ...
  A: Be to honest, I would put in the cheapest thing I could find with the brands "I" prefer. You can ...
Carrier furnace Model# 58SXC08100JG11/15/2009
  Q: I have a Carrier furnace Model# 58SXC08100JG with control board # CESO110057-00 that at time it the ...
  A: There are several things that can go wrong with a furnace. It can be anything from a bad pressur ...
american standard freedom 70 propane furnace11/14/2009
  Q: our furnace is 9 years old. It is american standard freedom 70 propane with one zone. Recently, ...
  A: Furnaces have many safeties and issues that can cause them to fail. A common issue is a dirty flame ...
Multi Position gas Furnace GMP series (Goodman Manuf)11/14/2009
  Q: This gas furnace is in the middle of a one floor apartment, inside a compartment adjacent to a ...
  A: There are many things that can fail on a furnace. Age can be a factor as well. As you did not tell ...
Intertherm electric furnace11/12/2009
  Q: I had to buy a new sequencer for my furnace and I need the wiring schematic to replace the new one.
  A: Some units have the diagram pasted on the inside or in the manual. I did a google search for ...
Conquest 90 furnace11/12/2009
  Q: I woke up in the middle of the night and the house was cold. I checked the thermostat and it was 59 ...
  A: From what I was able to find without a model number, you have a three speed motor. The problem can ...
Conquest 90 furnace11/12/2009
  Q: I woke up in the middle of the night and the house was cold. I checked the thermostat and it was 59 ...
  A: T-stats do not fail all that often, and it seems it is not the problem in this case. Your furnace ...
Amana Gas Pack Model PGD24C0702D11/11/2009
  Q: I had a technician come out and look at it. It was one of 4 things I thought it would be: Ignitor, ...
  A: I understand companies have to charge to make money, that is what they do (including the company I ...
AC Unit.... what to do???11/10/2009
  Q: I'm very confused about a problem with my outside AC Unit and would be really grateful to hear your ...
  A: You have an odd issue, one that I have never seen or heard before. When motor bearings go bad, they ...
Noma programmable thermostat 52-2557-011/10/2009
  Q: The fan on my gas furnace will not blow when it is set to 'auto'. It works fine when I set my noma ...
  A: The likely source of the problem is not the thermostat, but the furnace itself. Not that is does ...
Amana Gas Pack Model PGD24C0702D11/10/2009
  Q: I had a technician come out and look at it. It was one of 4 things I thought it would be: Ignitor, ...
  A: I am also not sure if the tech really knows the problem is with the valve, or just trying to ...
Amana Gas Pack Model PGD24C0702D11/9/2009
  Q: I had a technician come out and look at it. It was one of 4 things I thought it would be: Ignitor, ...
  A: I am not sure what an "upgrade kit" is. You need to call them and get very detailed info on what ...
Goodman unit heating question11/9/2009
  Q: The unit in question is heat pump unit, the inside unit model#ARUF049-00A-1A is and the outside unit ...
  A: That is good, because I have seen issues where that is not the case. There are a few things to ...
THERMOSTAT WIRE COLOR OREINTAION11/8/2009
  Q: WHAT DOES RED, YELLOW,ECT. STAT WIRE GO TO. LIKE YELLOW IS COMPRESSOR/ FOR HEAT PUMP AND STRAIGHT ...
  A: The typical wiring is Red to R (hot) Green to G (fan) Yellow to Y (cool) white to w or E ...
Flush refrigerant lines/ copper vs. steel coil11/6/2009
  Q: We have 4 contractor quotes on replacing our 15 year old central A/C. One contractor said he ...
  A: It is a requirement to change the lines or flush them out when going from a R-22 system to ...
No air blowing out through the vents11/5/2009
  Q: Currently, when I turn on my furnace, the thermostat shows that it's on and there is heat coming out ...
  A: With variations on the way different units are controlled internally, without the model number it ...
Commercial Rooftop Furnace won' stay lit10/28/2009
  Q: Carrier Commercial Rooftop Furnace Model 48KL-024-311BF 48KL-024-300BF About 1 1/2 years ago, I ...
  A: If the furnace will light each and every time with the fan off and not with the fan on, then there ...
Lighting gas furnace pilot10/26/2009
  Q: Last week when I went to turn on the heat it blew only cold air. I called in a technician and they ...
  A: I did a simple search and found this... ...
Robershaw 7200DER gas valve.10/26/2009
  Q: I have a 17-yr-old Robertshaw 7200DER gas valve that was malfunctioning; it would let a little gas ...
  A: Assuming the furnace is in good working order, there is no reason to replace it. You should be able ...
air velocity10/26/2009
  Q: Background: I must measure air flow in a firing range at the shooter's position. Guidelines ...
  A: If the velocity needs to be a constant 50-75, then is should remain that at all times. As I am not ...
A/C troublshooting10/25/2009
  Q: I've been doing building maintenance for over 10 years. I went to trade school for 1 year for basic ...
  A: I went to school for 5 years, and have worked hands on with others in the field. I still continue ...
Carrier A/C fan10/25/2009
  Q: I just purchased a house with a high efficiency Carrier A/C unit. Even with the thermostat is in ...
  A: The fan should not turn of with the thermostat set to off and auto. It might be possible to someone ...
Lennox G40UH Furnace/Air - - No Heat10/24/2009
  Q: I have changed out the silicon ignitor in the furnace 2 times in the last 4 years. They stopped ...
  A: All units are different, but the basics are there. Pressure switch, rollout, high temp etc. The ...
Lennox G40UH Furnace/Air - - No Heat10/24/2009
  Q: I have changed out the silicon ignitor in the furnace 2 times in the last 4 years. They stopped ...
  A: The voltage on the secondary side of the transformer is a bit high. It should be 24v. At 30v, it ...
AC COVER10/24/2009
  Q: I just purchased a new Trane XR15, 2.5 ton; 32 ins high & 32 x 35; Model#4TTR5030E1000AA. The heater ...
  A: Most people do not cover up the unit during the winter. Units just keep on working year after year ...
heater won't turn on10/23/2009
  Q: A/C works fine as well as the fan. A/C kicks on quickly, so does the fan on the auto fan switch ...
  A: There are common problems with certain issues. An issue with nothing happening can lead to many ...
Lennox furnace G40UH-36A-7010/22/2009
  Q: Just about to replace 17-year-old old gas furnace with new one. I trust my dealer implicitly as they ...
  A: I do not deal with furnaces often. I really can not say if one is better then the other. The key ...
Trane Air Conditioner Coil Leak10/22/2009
  Q: I've just had my annual HVAC check and was told that the freon was low, even though I did not feel a ...
  A: Without the model and ser. number of the unit, it is impossible to price out repairs on units. It ...
blower fan problem10/22/2009
  Q: I have a Carrier HVAC unit and a Totaline thermostat. recently i had to remove the blower fan ...
  A: Some units use different speeds for heating and cooling. It is possible the speed for heat is bad, ...
Furnace Bang/Hot Water Heater not working right10/21/2009
  Q: We recently had a friend of a friend work on our system. He replaced the A coil (I think that's what ...
  A: Any contractor that works with gas on a normal basis should have a pressure gauge for measuring the ...
fan motors blowing circuits10/21/2009
  Q: We have installed 4 2hp motors with trunking in our church attic to ensure ventalation, ALL on ...
  A: HEAT!!! Here is my two cents worth. Motor are designed to work at a give rise above the air temp ...
heat wont kick on10/21/2009
  Q: i have a HEIL heating and cooling system (gas) the air conditioner works fine but the heat wont kick ...
  A: Most of the new units have a control board in them with a blinking troubleshooting code. The board ...
central heat system blowing cold air10/20/2009
  Q: When i turn the unit on, it blows cold air of course. I shook wires, checked fans. I have 2 fans ...
  A: The unit contains a control board. Since the unit is not working, the control board should indicate ...
22 yr gas furnace repair or replace?10/20/2009
  Q: I have a 22 yr Payne gas furnace with a continuous running blower. Should I repair it or replace it ...
  A: To fix the blower problem will be cheaper then replacing the unit. A furnace that is 22 years old ...
Simple Comfort 3001 Reset10/20/2009
  Q: I have a Simple Comfort 3001 that has been reading 99 degrees as the house hold temperature since ...
  A: You can try a couple of things. Follow the directions to remove the cover. There should be some ...
Furnace Bang/Hot Water Heater not working right10/19/2009
  Q: We recently had a friend of a friend work on our system. He replaced the A coil (I think that's what ...
  A: The coil has nothing to do with the heat to start with. There doe seem to be a common issue, that ...
Transformer10/19/2009
  Q: I believe I have a bad transformer in my Coleman furnace, as there is a constant buzzing sound. The ...
  A: A buzzing transformer does not mean it is bad. Normally they do not make any noise, but I have ...
High Humdity in House10/19/2009
  Q: I recently installed a new 3 Ton Heat Pump and since then I have experienced very high humidity in ...
  A: One of the common reasons for high humidity in the home is an over-sized unit. Even with the ...
elle. furnace10/18/2009
  Q: I have a nordyne 53,000 btu ele. furnace model no# FEH-015HA-04. my problem is that the fan runs ...
  A: The problem is normally not the thermostat. It can be any of the number of control devices and/or ...
Ruud 90 plus achiver furnace10/18/2009
  Q: ..My furnace started and run for about 15 minutes and then shut down. This is the first time I ...
  A: Until a pressure gauge that is designed to read the pressure is used, there is no way to know if the ...
heating10/18/2009
  Q: my upstairs heat is warm but my downstairs is blowing cool air, stays on for about 2 min. an goes ...
  A: If the unit is going on and off, there nothing needs to be reset in the unit. Without knowing what ...
Furnace10/18/2009
  Q: My ruud achiever 90 furnace wasn't blowing hot air. I check the code for the flashing led light, and ...
  A: Until a pressure gauge that is designed to read the pressure is used, there is no way to know if the ...
ruud furnace inducer motor or switch10/17/2009
  Q: RUUD 90 UGED MODEL, THE FURNACE WILL NOT LIGHT OR STAY LIT,UNLESS I DISCONNECT THE RUBBER CONNECTOR ...
  A: Until a pressure gauge that is designed to read the pressure is used, there is no way to know. You ...
duct cleaning10/17/2009
  Q: .the house here is twenty something years old, and i have been here at least 12 years. during the ...
  A: It is rare that ducts ever get dirty enough to restrict air flow. It is not going to make the unit ...
miller gas furnace10/16/2009
  Q: MY MILLER GAS FURNACE,STANDING PILOT ,WILL LIGHT BUT THE FLAME DOES NOT GO HIGH ENOUGH FOR PROPER ...
  A: The problem can be any of the items you mention, and can also be the gas pressure. Cleaning the ...
heat pump10/16/2009
  Q: my heat pump is trying to cut off while it is running . you can hear it clicking. it is while the ...
  A: Something that is clicking can be several things. Since you do not know what is clicking and what ...
thermostat will not "talk" to air blower10/16/2009
  Q: I have a 2 year old central ac (do not know model or brand), but thermostat is reading current temp ...
  A: Only a very few thermostats "talk". Thermostats are dumb. All they do is open or close a switch, ...
Size of ducts to use with an airhandler10/15/2009
  Q: My house was just renovated (including new insulation, new floor ducts, new air conditioner/heater ...
  A: In order to me to determine if the unit is starved for air, I need to know how the unit is actually ...
commercial ac unit10/15/2009
  Q: the rooftop unit is not working because the thermostat is out. I changed the thermostat to a new one ...
  A: Some digital t-stats require batteries for them to work. Next thing to check is to see that there ...
tappan blinks twice10/15/2009
  Q: Tappan gas furnace, 1 1/2 years old, pvc uptake vent, attempted to turn on for the first time this ...
  A: There can only be two reasons for the problem. You are not moving enough air though the inducer fan ...
SUPPLY AND RETURN VENTS10/14/2009
  Q: my first experience with an electric heat pump unit. Last nite i turned on the heat for the first ...
  A: In some cases homes are ducted in such a way that it requires opening and closing ducts for heating ...
condensation10/14/2009
  Q: Upon replacing the furnace, I noticed the condensation pipe running to a small hole in the basement ...
  A: The water has to go somewhere, and it is possible it is ending up in the sump. You can use some ...
Oil furnace thermostat10/13/2009
  Q: My Hunter 7yr old digital thermostat, does not work correctly this season. It does not turn off oil ...
  A: The furnace has an internal temp control that turns and off the fan based on the temp of the heat ...
Furnace starting fan but losing electricity10/12/2009
  Q: Craig, We have an over 20 year old Carrier gas furnace, model #28RD036000. When the furnace is ...
  A: The model number you have me is a good number, but it is only for the cooling coil. It does not do ...
humidity control in MN10/12/2009
  Q: I am a new occupant in a relative new, but previously vacant patio home. The home does not currently ...
  A: Heating the air will allow the air to hold more moisture, but you actually lower the RH%. RH% ...
york furnace an10/12/2009
  Q: I have a york 80 P3HUA08N04801A furnace. The circulator fan runs on low for few minutes then cuts ...
  A: The problem is likely with the fan motor, run cap or both. Both a bad motor and bad run cap can ...
Condensation causing dry wall deterioration around ceiling air conditioner vents.10/11/2009
  Q: We live in Florida and have vaulted ceilings in our home. There are a number of AC vents in the ...
  A: My guess is the problem is actually occurring in the attic. My guess is the duct is not insulated ...
humidity control in MN10/10/2009
  Q: I am a new occupant in a relative new, but previously vacant patio home. The home does not currently ...
  A: As with the case with heating, most people humidify the air. The heat will lower the RH in the air. ...
"Open limit switch"10/10/2009
  Q: I have a Coleman Evcon furnace. The motor and control board were both replaced last winter. I ...
  A: There are all sorts of limit switches. Some of them are auto reset and some are manual reset. You ...
zoned system10/10/2009
  Q: I have been told that in order to install new HVAC system (Amana split system, 16 SEER and 82% ...
  A: The furnace has to move a certain amount of air to work. The bypass damper will all the right ...
Heating Filters.10/9/2009
  Q: I recently purchased the house and am trying to replace furnace filter prior to serious winter. ...
  A: If you have searched the system good and found no filter, then you need to have the unit checked ...
Heating Filters.10/8/2009
  Q: I recently purchased the house and am trying to replace furnace filter prior to serious winter. ...
  A: The RCBA number does me no good. That is just the coil, and does not play a factor for the filter. ...
old sears unit10/8/2009
  Q: what is the tonnage of a old sears model 816221 serial 67632. about 45 yrs old. want to use it in ...
  A: With the model number you have added with the age of the unit, I have no idea. There are other ...
Mortex blower10/7/2009
  Q: My sister just bought a mobile home.The blower went out. She was charged over $700 for the repair. ...
  A: There are many different types and styles of motors out there. I think from the searching I did, ...
Janitrol furnace wont start10/7/2009
  Q: I have a 1990 Janitrol GU125-4 furnace, nat. gas upflow. This is a standing pilot system. The ...
  A: You need to remove the thermostat as the problem. If you take the R (maybe the RH) W, you can see ...
Carrier Furnance Model 58PAV090-1410/7/2009
  Q: My brother-in-law has a carrier 58PAV090-14 furnace that cycles on. There is the 135s blower purge ...
  A: Using the trusty multimeter, check for power at the gas sol. valve. If there is power, then it ...
Hvac Venting10/7/2009
  Q: I have a modern gas heating system which runs out through a side wall. I am looking to get a new ...
  A: Without knowing what unit you plan on using and what you have installed already, I can not determine ...
Daikin Inverter Air Con Compressor Burnout10/6/2009
  Q: I have an FTXS series Daikin Inverter Room Air conditioner, with less than three months usage (but ...
  A: If the screw did not damage the "cable", then it did not cause the compressor to burn up. If the ...
pressure switch10/5/2009
  Q: my home is heat/cooled by an amana model # apg12360901a gas package unit. combustion air fan comes ...
  A: The pressure switch serves a very important function. It determines the fan is on and moving the ...
Payne Heater Plus 8010/5/2009
  Q: Have Payne heater Flame and motor come on for about thirty seconds and then flame goes out and motor ...
  A: The first thing I would check is the flame sensor. The verify the rest of the safeties from there. ...
Trame XE 1000 Heat Pump10/5/2009
  Q: Inside fan at first would try to kick off, but would kick right back on. Eventually it would not ...
  A: If the board was wet, contact cleaner will not help. The water can cause a short in the board. The ...
Ruud Heat Pump10/5/2009
  Q: The outdoor unit will run for @ 30 seconds and shut off for @ 1 min. and do it all over again, it ...
  A: The first thing that comes to my mind is the low pressure switch. It is common when a system is low ...
Heat Pump Not Dehumidifing10/4/2009
  Q: The following is a summary of questions remaining after 2 "best of phoenix" ac companies, with clean ...
  A: 1. Any idea what would be the point of taking the txv bulb from inside the unit and placing it ...
Room stinks due to Centralized Aircon System10/4/2009
  Q: just wondering if you could help me figure this problem out.... See the thing is, i just moved in a ...
  A: Since there is one unit, you are going to smell the rest of the house. There is no way with the a/c ...
Payne Packaged Gas Ht/Elec Cool Problem10/4/2009
  Q: I have a Payne PY1PNB036090AAAA Packaged Gas Ht/Elec Cool and I am getting an Induced Draft Motor ...
  A: The fault can be due to several things. Induced fan not working, blockage in the flue, faulty ...
new high efficiency units10/3/2009
  Q: I would like to replace my older (15 yr) unit with a high efficiency unit that qualifies for a tax ...
  A: Most manufactures make and sell good units. Getting the best warranty, along with the best ...
No spark or opening pilot valve.10/2/2009
  Q: I have an older Trane furnace that was put in in 1989. I have replaced the gas valve once and the ...
  A: This does not control how hot the air leaving the unit will be. It only turns the fan on and off. ...
heil gas furnace10/2/2009
  Q: I just moved into an old house that has a heil gas furnace in the basement. the model# is ...
  A: The typical reason for the trip is no or poor air flow. Make sure the indoor main fan is running, ...
furnace/AC run at same time10/1/2009
  Q: I bought a new house built by H&R with new furnace (Lennox) and new thermostat (Brand: Robertshaw ...
  A: The first thing that came to mind is the thermostat is set up for a heatpump. A heatpump still runs ...
No heat10/1/2009
  Q: I have an Olsen furnace Model-HAS.105^, Serial V-23452. I have brand new breakers, the pilot is on, ...
  A: I am not sure what the blue knob is for. If the pilot is light, then the blue knob may turn the ...
furnace wont fire10/1/2009
  Q: I used my ac about one month ago everything was fine - tried to start the furnace up - thermostat ...
  A: It is possible it could be the thermostat, but they do not fail all that often. Checking all the ...
fumes from natural gas fired water bolier10/1/2009
  Q: I live in a condo which has Weil McLain (Gold CGT) natural gas-fired water boilers with tankless ...
  A: I am not sure about the cough, but the headaches can be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning. You ...
No spark or opening pilot valve.9/30/2009
  Q: I have an older Trane furnace that was put in in 1989. I have replaced the gas valve once and the ...
  A: I am trying my best to follow, but I believe the problem is the limit. Whenever you read voltage ...
Wiring connection from HVAC to Thermostat & Outdoor Unit9/30/2009
  Q: I replaced the blower wheel but didnt mark the wires. The wiring diagram is partly damaged and I ...
  A: There are different varations for wiring coding with different units. Since I do not know the type ...
heil gas furnace9/30/2009
  Q: I just moved into an old house that has a heil gas furnace in the basement. the model# is ...
  A: Without troubleshooting the furnace, it is hard to say what the problem is with it. It could be ...
air handler / dryer lint duct in crawl space9/29/2009
  Q: Hey there We are looking to buy an old, but recently modernized house that has one of the air ...
  A: The inside of the ducts and unit should not be exposed to the lint. There would have to be a breach ...
RE: Installing a new hunter thermo from an old carrier9/29/2009
  Q: I didn't know if I could call customer support on this, but I just bought a Hunter set and save ...
  A: The thermostat you have WILL NOT work for you. You have a heatpump with emergency heat (according ...
Lennox ld24 gas duct furnace9/29/2009
  Q: Got a Lennox ld24.300 Which just blew cold air the other day so turned it off. We have replaced the ...
  A: Before you start replacing more parts, you need to diagnose the problem. The problem may not be the ...
Trouble with new A/C9/28/2009
  Q: I got a new airconditioner about a month ago. Since then, it doesn't work the way my previous (22 ...
  A: The old unit you had, and the newer unit should blow about the same temp difference. The science is ...
How to close off vents in office ceiling9/28/2009
  Q: My problem is that in my office, there are two vents above me that blast cold air for the duration ...
  A: What tools are needed depend on what was installed. Some can be adjusted just using your fingers, ...
furnace problems9/28/2009
  Q: I have a arcoair furnace 90+, and it works 4 min. then shut off the burner for a min. then starts ...
  A: You are going to have to clean the unit with a brush and the vacuum. You need to be careful not to ...
Help with an AC9/27/2009
  Q: Any suggestions on replacing my 22 year old carrier unit? It is a 4 ton unit. House is 2 story ...
  A: I have done calculations in the past and have found that the higher SEER more expensive units take ...
5 star9/26/2009
  Q: .i have 2 compressors and 2 furnaces here at home, and they are well over 12 years of age. now i am ...
  A: From the way you are trying to do things, I am guessing you do not have a ton of money. For now you ...
coleman ac unit9/26/2009
  Q: I have a Coleman presidential 2 in my mobile home. Its got propane for heat and a ac unit. It was ...
  A: You are right, normally the thermostat closes the switch and turn the unit on, although it is ...
Gas furnace sizing9/25/2009
  Q: I have a two story townhouse that is 1100sq ft. What size two stage furnace do I need. And what ...
  A: The sq footage of a home is not enough to determine how much heating and cooling is needed. The ...
Home electricity generation from heat9/25/2009
  Q: Is it possible to generate electricity from excess heat from the house? For example, would it be ...
  A: I have never heard of the heat that is given off used to make power. The that is produced and be ...
Must/Dirt smells from AC/Heat Vents9/24/2009
  Q: starting in September, our heating/Air vents emit a musty/dirt smelling odor during the evening ...
  A: The inside of unit is moist, dark and cool. This makes for a good place for mold and mildew to ...
Condenser drain pan9/23/2009
  Q: I was putting new sub floor in when I noticed water damage to the exsiting board. I found that the ...
  A: Sometimes the drain pan can be fixed with some sort of putty, fiberglass, silicone, etc. The patch ...
Condenser fan motor replacement9/23/2009
  Q: Found a motor compatible to old motor. It is an inch and a half deeper so fan will be sitting about ...
  A: The blade needs to ride in the same plane at the one that came out. Some shrouds will allow for ...
A/C Evapoator blower9/23/2009
  Q: My evaporator only runs for thirty sec. After t-stat. stops calling for it,(Rheem heat pump). My ...
  A: Thirty seconds to a minute is all that is needed to remove any sort of heating or cooling left in ...
room over garage9/22/2009
  Q: Help please! I've recently bought a home that has a bedroom over the garage. The room is HOT in the ...
  A: Since the room is hot/cold, then at this point you do not have enough air conditioning in the room. ...
Condensation9/21/2009
  Q: Upstairs AC unit. When it is clogged I POUR A MIXTURE OF water and bleach into the unit. The ...
  A: Do you use a mixture, use straight bleach. If the line is too plugged up, bleach will not work. ...
Tempstar Condenser Fan motor replacement9/21/2009
  Q: Craig, Our fan motor has stopped and service guy says to replace motor and fan blade. He quoted $640 ...
  A: It is not the hardest thing to do, but if done wrong, you can really make things worse. You need ...
trane heating and ac will not turn on9/21/2009
  Q: I have a trane heating unit that is about 10 years old that will not turn on. My air conditioning ...
  A: My guess is there is some sort of electrical problem in the furnace, since nothing is working. At ...
shutting off ac/heat unit9/20/2009
  Q: We have a separate unit for our upstairs. My husband has shut it off after our daughter moved out. ...
  A: There is always a concern of mold in unconditioned spaces. You can use a humidistat to control the ...
New AC unit not cooling properly9/20/2009
  Q: I have a 1350 square feet rental home. I had a 15 year old Bryant 2 ton ac unit, which kept the ...
  A: With the info you passed along to me, I can not determine what might be wrong. It takes an entire ...
duct woes9/20/2009
  Q: trying to pick up where someone else left off! he built 1/2 the home, now I am trying to figure out ...
  A: I can not tell how big the returns need to be. I do not know how much air will be moving into the ...
cooling problem9/19/2009
  Q: my hvac scontractor installed a new compressor in my 5yr old unit trying to correct my problem of ...
  A: There should be about a 15-20F difference, not 8-9F. The cause of that can be one or more of ...
Rheem Corsair a/c 2.5 ton9/19/2009
  Q: The fan motor above the condenser was replaced in early July along with a new capacitor. They used a ...
  A: The motor did not cause the jump in power bills. I am not sure if you are looking at the price you ...
defrost board problem9/18/2009
  Q: I have a 3-ton Rheem pne heat pump system. The outside cabinet is shutting off while the air ...
  A: The five minute delay is there to protect the compressor from short cycling. Some digital ...
Lennox G89/18/2009
  Q: I have an old Lennox G8 (What the front says) which is making some noise. Every time the fan ...
  A: There is no need to replace the entire unit if the only thing bad is the fan motor. There could be ...
Refrigerant pressure-temperature charts9/18/2009
  Q: When viewing a refrigerant pressure/temperature chart, what does the temperature refer to, i.e., ...
  A: When we have a can that is unmarked, we can guess the temp close to the air temp. If it could be ...
Refrigerant pressure-temperature charts9/17/2009
  Q: When viewing a refrigerant pressure/temperature chart, what does the temperature refer to, i.e., ...
  A: The chart is based off the refrigerant sitting in the can not moving. If the refrigerant in the can ...
amaerican standard9/17/2009
  Q: How do I find what the model numbers on american standard stand for? Is there a web site? I cannot ...
  A: The instruction manual is the place it will be. There might be one inside the unit. You will not ...
heat pump odor9/16/2009
  Q: We have a 25-30 year old heat pump. Our air handler is in the attic. About 2 months ago we had to ...
  A: If the problem is not in the air handler, then it would appear the odor is in the ducts. The ducts ...
Trane XR90 problem9/16/2009
  Q: I have 4 year old trane XR90. When I try to turn on it. I hear electrical noise and no air blow out. ...
  A: The pressure switch is what tells the control board the inducer fan is running and air is flowing. ...
AC leak/blockage?9/16/2009
  Q: My central AC unit sits in my garage and lately I have been getting some water inside a closet in my ...
  A: The drain line is safe to pour bleach down. It should also be ok to use a hose and push the crap ...
AC leak/blockage?9/15/2009
  Q: My central AC unit sits in my garage and lately I have been getting some water inside a closet in my ...
  A: Any of the things you mentioned might work. Consider some bleach, or using a garden hose to flush ...
Tapping into a trunk line9/15/2009
  Q: When tapping into a trunk line, is there any reason not to tap into the bottom of the duct - it's ...
  A: If that is your only option, then go ahead. The side gives a way to give more support from above. ...
air blowing from return9/4/2009
  Q: I have a 3 zone system. Zones 1 and 2 are down stairs and seem to be working fine. Zone 3 is ...
  A: To start with, there is no way supply air will come out of the return. In some rare cases, there ...
5-year old split sys A/C with Aluminum wiring starting to trip CB periodically9/3/2009
  Q: I have a 5-year old Carrier split system (condenser model 38TZA060 - 331)that has been working fine ...
  A: There are a couple of things to check into. Loose electrical connections will cause an increase in ...
HVAC sound insulation9/3/2009
  Q: Is there a way to reduce the sound coming from an a/c unit that belongs to the house next to me. We ...
  A: If the noise is air, then there is nothing you can do. If the noise is from the compressor, a ...
air conditioning recommendation9/3/2009
  Q: We currently have a Freus that we purchased 4 years ago. It has been nothing but trouble from the ...
  A: I have never heard of a Freus. I looked it up and it seems like a bit over done for all its worth. ...
difference between air -con grille & diffuser9/2/2009
  Q: I would like to know the difference between ac grille & diffuser. how do i know when & where to use ...
  A: A diffuser is actually a type of grille. A grille is normally on a return and a register is on a ...
77 Cavco mobilehm (upgraded a/c&heat)9/2/2009
  Q: I live in a mobilehome rental in AZ. Management/maintenance not experienced...I've only lived in ...
  A: The unit functions the same way any home unit works. Your home appears to have the supply through ...
Installing a new A/C duct9/1/2009
  Q: I just did an Add on it’s a 13X25 room. There is a set of French doors that face south (Not covered) ...
  A: First things first, is the existing unit big enough to handle the extra load you are going require ...
AC Condensate Drain9/1/2009
  Q: I have a two year old rooftop Package Unit, 5 ton Carrier 48XP, and a 3/4" PVC drain pipe (with a ...
  A: The more moisture in the air, the more moisture that is going to come out of the unit. The trap is ...
AC Condensate Drain8/31/2009
  Q: I have a two year old rooftop Package Unit, 5 ton Carrier 48XP, and a 3/4" PVC drain pipe (with a ...
  A: Does the unit seem to be maintaining the temp in the home? Normally if a unit is not producing ...
Boiler Asbestos8/30/2009
  Q: I work for an HVAC company in western Massachusetts and recently had to remove an old (at least ...
  A: It was very common back in those days, so it is quite possible it was asbestos. Whenever I seen ...
ducts replacement8/28/2009
  Q: I need to have the duct work replaced in my home. Do you recommend metal or flex ducts. The one's I ...
  A: If I had the money I would install metal ducts. Metal is much more expensive, but I feel it is much ...
AC continuous run time8/28/2009
  Q: We recently bought a new Rheem furnace. Since it was installed, our (same old) AC unit has ...
  A: From reading this, I am gathering the only thing changed was the furnace. The evap coil and ...
a/c8/28/2009
  Q: All my vents are sweating and the cabinets under the sink are moist and damp. The house has good air ...
  A: I would be looking for a plumbing leak under the cabinets to start with. The sweating vents is a ...
Rheem Scroll Compressor Stopped Working After Wiring Incorrectly8/27/2009
  Q: I have a Rheem Scroll compressor unit outside and had wiring issues after a rain the other night. A ...
  A: Miswiring a unit can lead to all sorts of problems. Not any of which are any good, and normally ...
Registers in Return Air Plenum8/27/2009
  Q: Is it ok (and generally to code) to install a return air register in an electric furnace/AC return ...
  A: As long as the filter is in the unit or you install a filter back grille, that should be fine. Not ...
air condition8/26/2009
  Q: my unit is blowing air but it is not cold. what could I check before I call someone to come out.
  A: If you have a split system, check to see if the breaker(s) are tripped. Since there is air flow, ...
central air8/26/2009
  Q: Water accumalates around coils and runs out drain pipe to outside. Starting to drip into main ...
  A: You probably need to clean out the drain line. There might be some water coming out, but that does ...
New A/C not as cool8/25/2009
  Q: I just replaced a 20 year old Trane A/C with a new XR-15 Trane. The installers also replaced the ...
  A: The body feels a change in humidity before it feels temp. I would bet the unit is not removing ...
central air8/25/2009
  Q: the part of the ac above my furnace is leaking a fair amount of water. i think it may be the pump is ...
  A: If you have a condensate pump, then maybe the pump is bad. Most units do not have a pump, rather ...
WATER IN THE DRIP PAN8/24/2009
  Q: I'm starting to get a substantial amount of water in the drip pan below the unit in the attic. It ...
  A: Ice can be a cause for the water dripping. Ice means there is a problem. If changing the filters ...
Fridge Question8/24/2009
  Q: I was moving my 2 year old fridge & while maneuvering it I tipped it sideways on about a 30 degree ...
  A: I do not work on appliance as a rule, but there is a pan to collect condensate. The hot gas from ...
R-410a system with old R-22 lines8/24/2009
  Q: I'am about to upgrade my old R-22 3 ton AC system to a new system that uses R-410a refrigerant. Will ...
  A: The issue with the copper lines is the oil, not the copper. The oil from an R-22 system can cause ...
residential AC compressor8/24/2009
  Q: I have a 5 year old 2800 sq. ft. house with central air. There are two compressor units outside (10 ...
  A: The cost of power has gone up over the past couple of years. You need to check to see if the amount ...
hvac8/23/2009
  Q: my husband and i are have a problem with our ac unit keeping the house to the set temperature of 75 ...
  A: The problem can be one of many. There are limits to how cold a unit will get with the outdoor temp. ...
HVAC Cosaire Rheem not poweing8/23/2009
  Q: I turned on my ac unit and the unit (outside) does not come on. I suspect it might be the fuses. I ...
  A: The problem can be anything number of electrical devices in the units. Changing out the fuse may ...
replacement HVAC system8/23/2009
  Q: We are replacing our 15 year old split A/C and gas furnace as the E coil is leaking Freon and cannot ...
  A: Wow, that was a long read. With all that is said and done, I would go with the size of units the ...
Fog/Mist filling our house from HVAC8/22/2009
  Q: We live in Louisiana. Last week our system stopped working. We had a repairman come in and advised ...
  A: Funny, I just had someone else ask me the same thing....here is the post. My guess is the fog is ...
ac unit knocking8/22/2009
  Q: I have an outside central ac unit. Just recently, I turned on the ac and I began hearing a knocking ...
  A: I am not sure what is causing the knocking noise, but it should be a concern if there is no air ...
First Co. Air Handler leaking when running as A/C8/22/2009
  Q: It appears that my First Co. air handler is leaking all over my bsmt floor. After reading many of ...
  A: There has to be a drain line. Then end has to some somewhere. It might be a matter of cutting the ...
Intertherm A/C Leaking8/22/2009
  Q: We have an Intertherm A/C and heat pump in a double wide mobile home. The inside unit is leaking ...
  A: The problem can be one of a few issues. A cracked or rusted though drain pan, improper pitch on the ...
800 sq ft. home rancher8/21/2009
  Q: i have a very small summer home in nj, we only used it in the summer so it's been fine now,that my ...
  A: Units come in many sizes and many forms. They range from window units to split systems. ...
Reason of Compressor failure8/21/2009
  Q: What are the most common reasons of compressor failure in HVAC system.How Blockage of Capillary and ...
  A: Compressors fail both for elect. and mech. reasons. Most of the time, with newer compressors, it ...
strange odorless fog coming out of A/C8/21/2009
  Q: My husband and I this morning noticed a bizzare fog in our home in every room, we turned off the ...
  A: My guess is the fog is water vapor and harmless. I have never seen fog fill a home or business ...
Options for new heat pump system8/20/2009
  Q: I am looking to replace my heat pump system and interviewing contractors. 1)Would you recommend ...
  A: Adding a humidifier does what is needs to do, when sized and installed correctly. If the humidity ...
Separating one zone a/c into two8/19/2009
  Q: I have a 3000sq ft home in the Northeast, two floors built in 1994. The A/C system has never ...
  A: A split level home of your size would be better off with two units rather then one. Granted there ...
Air Conditioner not cooling properly.8/19/2009
  Q: I bought the air conditioner in my living room in 2006. It is 10,000 BTUs. It is not cooling as ...
  A: As small as the unit is, they are not worth fixing unless under warranty. Normally you can buy a ...
capacitor's8/19/2009
  Q: can you use a two terminal capacitor. with a three terminal cap. when the common terminal is ...
  A: A three post run cap is actually two run caps in one metal can. One post is common, one is for the ...
a/c foul smell8/19/2009
  Q: When the air blows a foul smell occurs like rotten eggs or dead rat? There is evidence of a rat in ...
  A: If the smell is not a musty, dirty sock smell, then it very well could be a dead critter. To me, ...
a/c8/18/2009
  Q: i have payne a/c units both units compressed does not kick in.the units inside come on but no cold ...
  A: The problem can be any of the named and more. The only thing to do at this point is to use a meter ...
New Electric Furnace and Air Conditioner Installed8/17/2009
  Q: I live in a 20-year old, 3 story 1300 sq. ft. condo in Cincinnati, OH. (It has a walk-out basement, ...
  A: I can not tell you if you need more return. I do not know the lay out of the home nor the size of ...
HVAC blower rotation8/17/2009
  Q: My Carrier 5T home Heatpump/AC had the sounds of the blower/air handler change this evening. In ...
  A: The motor should not run backwards for any reason. If the motor is running backwards, then ...
AC motherboard8/17/2009
  Q: our air stopped working suddenly - we had someone in who said we need a new motherboard an also need ...
  A: I have never heard of "draining the motor". If there is water in the motor, the motor should be ...
new equipment quotes8/15/2009
  Q: I have 2 quotes for HVAC equipment. One quote includes new copper piping and the other quote ...
  A: Seeing how I do not know what sort of equipment they are using does not help me here. I am not sure ...
central air8/14/2009
  Q: we are living in our current house for 2 years. we have a carrier 3 ton split unit that is probably ...
  A: Mechanics have a good sense when it comes to issues with units. We do not always need to use a ...
heat pump8/14/2009
  Q: I have approx. 2200sq. feet home and a 3 ton heat pump, is 3 ton large enough for my home? If not ...
  A: A three ton unit seems to be a bit undersized. Since I can not do a heat load calculation I can not ...
condenser noise8/14/2009
  Q: Our a/c condenser makes a kind of honking/squawking noise when it turns off. ANSWER: Is the unit a ...
  A: If it were a heatpump, that might explain things. I am not sure what the noise could be. It may ...
water leaking into drip pan8/14/2009
  Q: Got a 1995 Carrier unit in a 1800 sq. ft 2 story house, it is in the attic. Water leaking into drip ...
  A: The first thing you need to due to is clean out the main drain line. You can use a wet vac, water ...
Freon charge8/13/2009
  Q: How much freon does a typical commercial unit hold? For example, a 20 ton unit will hold how many ...
  A: There is such a broad range of refrigerant charges. There are too many factors to really determine ...
HVAC maintenance8/13/2009
  Q: Do I need a contractors license to do preventative maintenance on HVAC?
  A: Different areas required different licenses. The rules are always changing. It may also come down ...
Compressor size8/12/2009
  Q: I have a 10yr old 3ton seer 12 a/c unit. My house is 1500 sqr ft. and I live in deep south TX where ...
  A: No, for two reasons. You can not use a 5 ton cond. unit with a 3 ton air handler. I would also ...
air handler8/12/2009
  Q: my air handler fan goes off and the line freezes.. I shut the air off and I wait a few minutes and ...
  A: You need to verify the thermostat is actually calling for cool. I have seen many cases where the ...
type of door for the AC closet8/11/2009
  Q: MY ac sets out side and the heater is inside of my washer dryer closet which is located in the ...
  A: If the return air flow is though the doors, then yes it can create a problem. It is the same as you ...
inside unit freeze8/11/2009
  Q: my inside unit kept freezing over occasionally. if i leave the fan set to on, it does not freeze ...
  A: Without getting the operational readings, I can not tell you why it is freezing up. I can tell you ...
hvac blower maybe motor8/11/2009
  Q: I have a hvac system with a blower that when turned on produces lots of noise, the noise is not so ...
  A: It is normal to have some movement in the shaft. I can tell you if the noise or movement is good or ...
Attic Furnace8/10/2009
  Q: I have an attic furnace and water coming out of my emergency overflow pan. I checked the regular ...
  A: When water is blown off of the coil, it is caused by high air velocity. I see this problem when ...
what is average time for central air to cool given the following info8/10/2009
  Q: I have a central air system that is 15+ years old. It seems to take a very long time to cool the ...
  A: With the outdoor air temp at 70, one hour for one degree is a long time. With the unit at 15 years ...
Can you recommend an a/c book ?8/9/2009
  Q: First I thank you for saying, "I'd have to see your a/c unit to see why the ceiling leaks ABOVE the ...
  A: Turning down a thermostat too low can cause the unit to freeze up, if the temp actually gets too ...
very noisy central air conditioner system8/9/2009
  Q: First, thanks in advance for taking time to answer my questions. I have a 15+ year old AMANA central ...
  A: Gibson is made by Nordyne. I have not heard or had any sort of issues with them. They make a good ...
Condensing unit mismatched with blower size8/9/2009
  Q: Good Morning. I have a 2300 sq ft manufactured home. We purchased it used and discovered that the ...
  A: From what I have found, the furnace you have is only rated for 3 tons. It is not going to work with ...
air handler leaking, frequent on/off8/9/2009
  Q: We have a York Diamond 80 air handler, installed around 2000, in the basement of our townhome. ...
  A: It sounds to me the drain line is backed up and need to be flushed out. You can use a wet vac, air ...
NEW AC AND HUMIDITY LEVEL8/8/2009
  Q: Per recommendations from my HVAC company, I recently had my heat pump replaced with a 3-ton 15-seer ...
  A: Equal on/ off times is good, but 10 mins just does not seem long enough to dehumidify. I would think ...
Dehumidifier - whole house or standalone?8/8/2009
  Q: I posted another question related to this. If my humidity level is very high in my house, do I ...
  A: If the a/ac unit is designed, installed and working properly, then a dehumidifier it not required. ...
NEW AC AND HUMIDITY LEVEL8/8/2009
  Q: Per recommendations from my HVAC company, I recently had my heat pump replaced with a 3-ton 15-seer ...
  A: What is the temp of the inside of the house? The indoor temp plays a role in the humidity levels. ...
contactor8/7/2009
  Q: I have a rheem ramb0365jbz unit that the comtactor has gone out on. I want to replace it myself but ...
  A: The contactor can be purchased on the internet or at any local hvac or motor supply house. You do ...
installation code violation8/7/2009
  Q: It appears that the installation of the refrigeration lines from the condenser to the air handler ...
  A: If the nails went into the copper, you are going to have leaks. The unit will not run long in that ...
sweating coils8/7/2009
  Q: I have had the drains flushed out, and still I am getting so much water that the pan fills up and ...
  A: The drain line needs to have proper pitch for water to drain. The drain may also need a trap. You ...
heat in the summer?8/6/2009
  Q: . I just recently had and Central Air Conditioning installed in my home and my setting is set to 24 ...
  A: Some thermostats have an auto changeover. The changeover will turn on the heat or cooling to keep ...
air conditioner8/6/2009
  Q: My air conditioner is not working. I don't know how old it is but it is BDP Company and the model ...
  A: The BDP brand, and your model number dates back to the 70's. It is a Carrier company. There may or ...
home a/c condensing unit8/6/2009
  Q: Just last week rechrged the system with 4 +lbs r22. all fine for 2 days with pressure around 60 from ...
  A: You actually charge using both, at various stages of charging. Some refrigerants require that ...
rheem classic XIV air handler8/6/2009
  Q: model RBHK24J06FF IS A VARIABLE Speed AIR HANDLER AND IS IT A 14 SEER UNIT? Second question out side ...
  A: The air handlers themselves do not have SEER ratings, the cond. units do. They combine the air ...
home a/c condensing unit8/5/2009
  Q: Just last week rechrged the system with 4 +lbs r22. all fine for 2 days with pressure around 60 from ...
  A: Evacuating the system is not going to solve the problem. There needs to be a completely clear ...
Blower cfm8/5/2009
  Q: I have a blower from a 9 yr old furnace. It is Emerson, motor is 3/4 hp, squirrel cage is about 12 ...
  A: The issues with blower wheels is they are rated for cfms at a given static pressure. A 5 ton air ...
Heat Pump Repair8/4/2009
  Q: My split system heat pump is not functioning. The HVAC repair person thinks the problem is the ...
  A: Well, when pulling permits, there is a difference in upgrading and changing out. I believe that if ...
high humidity in house8/4/2009
  Q: Have lived here 17 yrs. Never had a problem with inside humidity. How have 70-85 humidity. Have ...
  A: If the person you are using needs to know what the measurements are, then they need to be not ...
home a/c condensing unit8/4/2009
  Q: Just last week rechrged the system with 4 +lbs r22. all fine for 2 days with pressure around 60 from ...
  A: The 60 suction is to low, and there is no way the unit would have been working with only a 75 psi on ...
Need new HVAC system8/4/2009
  Q: I live on the Texas coast and need a new HVAC system. Coils on my last Amana corroded out in 4 ...
  A: I do not know if one is better then the other as far as the coils go. There are some options, but I ...
high humidity in house8/3/2009
  Q: Have lived here 17 yrs. Never had a problem with inside humidity. How have 70-85 humidity. Have ...
  A: At this point I can not say why you are having problems. I was thinking you have new units, which ...
It's NOT homework.8/3/2009
  Q: I need to know if my 1-year renewable contract for repair is fair. (I'm sorry I conveyed impression ...
  A: Refrigerant recovery is required, by law, when the system has to be opened for repairs. This would ...
Liebert A/C unit8/3/2009
  Q: No cooling. 2 cast iron compressors. 1 Condensing fan/coil 1 Compressor not working Shorted to ...
  A: The compressor has bad valves or internal bypass. It might even be a case of hot gas bypass open ...
heat pump8/3/2009
  Q: I have been using the AC when it runs for about 1 hour it switches to heat. The system switches on ...
  A: The problem can actually be with any of the above mentioned. Since you have a heatpump, the ...
Home a/c8/2/2009
  Q: I have a 2.5 ton a/c unit for my home that probably needs to be recharged. I have the correct ...
  A: If you did not find any leaks and unit is not icing up, then either the unit is out of gas or does ...
A/C Breaker Keep Tripping8/2/2009
  Q: We have a 5 ton Day & Night split system on an 1100 sq. ft. house. We have #8 wire from the service ...
  A: Looking inside the control panel of the condensing unit will tell if there is a kit installed. ...
Moisture in Coils8/2/2009
  Q: My Ruud URMA-A042JK10E AC unit stopped blowing cold air. Turned out two attached coils came lose ...
  A: I am not sure what you mean by coils. I have found though the years, this is an issue Rheem/Ruud ...
Home a/c8/2/2009
  Q: I have a 2.5 ton a/c unit for my home that probably needs to be recharged. I have the correct ...
  A: If the unit is a standard Split or package unit, R-134a is not going to work. If put the R-134a in ...
HVAC Capacities8/1/2009
  Q: I am replacing two OLD two stage A/C and Gas Furnace systems. Old systems have 3.5 ton Copeland ...
  A: Manufactures has line sizing charts for the units to work properly. I can tell you the existing ...
A/C Breaker Keep Tripping8/1/2009
  Q: We have a 5 ton Day & Night split system on an 1100 sq. ft. house. We have #8 wire from the service ...
  A: Sounds to me the compressor needs a start kit installed. I would use the start kit before changing ...
Heat on in the Summer?8/1/2009
  Q: I live in a condo, with common areas for dining, activities, etc. Each apartment has its own ...
  A: Using heat has its place when cooling. It is used to aid in the controlling of humidity. Normally, ...
Strange Smell from registers8/1/2009
  Q: My house was built in 1929 and all the heat registers are flat in the floor (12" x 10"?). The ...
  A: Since I am unable to smell the odor, I can not tell you what the odor is. As with anything new, it ...
Air conditioner7/31/2009
  Q: The air conditioner outside works but the furnace fan is not blowing the air into the house. The ...
  A: Turning off the power to the unit should not have played a part in the fan not working. The problem ...
Air Conditioning unit7/30/2009
  Q: As a cost reduction method our company practicing to switch off our central Air Conditioning system ...
  A: Humidity control is a big issue. The humidity will be out of control with this practice. Not all ...
New Trane system poorly cooling7/30/2009
  Q: Had a brand new Trane 4 ton system with air handler installed in my home 2 weeks ago. For the past 2 ...
  A: Without know how the unit is running with some readings, it is not possible to have a clue to what ...
Lennox 90+ furnaces7/29/2009
  Q: The new Lennox G51 and G61 series condensing furnaces are now coming with a warning label on the ...
  A: My guess is Lennox has had issues with too cold of air entering the unit. The problem could have ...
Heat Pump Repair7/29/2009
  Q: My split system heat pump is not functioning. The HVAC repair person thinks the problem is the ...
  A: There is no such law in Florida, that I know of. The feds. have set most of the mandates and ...
Lennox CH22-65-TXV-17/29/2009
  Q: This unit was installed in 1995. The inside fan will only come on after resetting the breakers on ...
  A: Sounds like you have a bad evap fan motor, run cap or both. If the run cap to the motor is bad or ...
16 Seer A/C VS. 10 Seer and Cost Savings7/29/2009
  Q: I need to replace my A/C and trying to figure out the cost/benefit. Is it worth gettting a 16 Seer ...
  A: To start off with, there are no more 10 SEER units sold new. They are now at least 13 SEER. A new ...
Trane insufficient air flow7/28/2009
  Q: I have a Trane A/c unit and a Rheema Criterion gas furnance. Yesterday, i noticed that the house was ...
  A: Having cold wet pipes is a good thing. There could be an air flow issue, there could also be other ...
HVAC-attic air handler - Trane7/27/2009
  Q: Sir: I had an additional room & bath built in a portion of my attic which required the relocation of ...
  A: It is a common issue, but a not a good thing. Having the unit in the attic is one of the worse ...
New Bryant units bad install7/27/2009
  Q: I manage a new apt. complex we are energy efficient. We have Bryant Heating and cooling. Legacy . We ...
  A: The best place for a drier is next to the TXV. A heatpump will actually have two txv's or metering ...
"Emergency Heat"7/26/2009
  Q: I had a home inspection last week and the inspector said that the emergency heat did not work. It ...
  A: If the thermostat was able to call for emer. heat, then is should have come on. It is hard to say ...
Rudd ac unit7/26/2009
  Q: Honeywell FocusPro 5000 set at 70deg. and inside temp. got up to 84deg. yesterday. Fan outside just ...
  A: You likely have a bad fan motor, run cap, or both. Do not run the unit until you get the problem ...
thermostat7/26/2009
  Q: I noticed that I did not have power to my thermostat. I thought it had gone bad so I replaced it. I ...
  A: There can be a few reasons for the lack of power. You are going to have to use a meter and track ...
thermostat wiring7/26/2009
  Q: I'm trying to wire a Total Touch Thermostat to a Payne model PA13NR024 and having trouble figuring ...
  A: Here is a link for the wiring... http://www.totaltouch.info/documents/TT_wiring.pdf With the ...
Rheem Class 10 Seer Heat Pump AC Unit7/24/2009
  Q: My girlfriend has a Rheem Class 10 Seer Heat Pump Model No. RPKA-025 JAZ Serial No. 6388 M1700 ...
  A: You might get away with just changing the run cap. The run cap is in the control section of the ...
Thermostat placement7/23/2009
  Q: We have just recently moved into a 3000 ft. house, we have two AC units. One thermostat is down at ...
  A: Moving the computers is not going to make that much of a difference. It does not matter where they ...
removimg a gas furnace7/23/2009
  Q: I need to remove a furnace and cap off a gas line in order to have a heat pump/air conditioning unit ...
  A: The problem you may run into is closing the gas valve(s). Old valves that have not been moved, may ...
a/c7/23/2009
  Q: we recently replaced the condener unit outside (last year)and everything was running fine. well the ...
  A: The problem can be a low refrigerant charge and/or poor air flow. The air flow can be due to dirty ...
Blower motor won't come on sometimes7/22/2009
  Q: I have a Amana Air Command heat pump that is 20 years old. When fan on thermostat is set to auto the ...
  A: Not all units are wired the same way. They can vary on the control sequence. I the air handler doe ...
A/C freezes up7/22/2009
  Q: We have a Unico system ( the air handler & evaporator are in the attic) with a Trane ...
  A: A loss in refrigerant will cause both a loss in cooling, and can also cause the coil to freeze up. ...
Residential A/C Unit Problem7/22/2009
  Q: We notice the temp raising to 78 when it was set at 76. Checked everything and what is occurring is ...
  A: The issue with the fan motor sounds like a bad run cap. Replacing the run cap might solve the ...
HVAC Unit that thumps7/22/2009
  Q: We live in a 1000 sq ft condo which has an HVAC unit. The airconditioner is outside...the HVAC unit ...
  A: Units make noise. Most of the time an intermittent noise is nothing to really worry about. Like us ...
AC contactor problem7/21/2009
  Q: I have a problem with my condenser on my central AC. I will describe what I have done in detail and ...
  A: Since you are not using the cooling stat for heat, then you need three wires to the thermostat. The ...
Airflow7/21/2009
  Q: MY question is about airflow. I have a 2400 sq ft home with a 2 gsh13 heat pumps. One is 2 1/2 ton ...
  A: The size of the ducts coming off the air handler is just not enough to figure out what is wrong. ...
A/C problem7/21/2009
  Q: One of our 8 year old Lennox units is cycling on, turning of for a quick second and turning right ...
  A: Does the problem stop if you cycle the breaker for the unit off then back on? You might be able to ...
A/C Handler7/21/2009
  Q: Our A/C handler won't shut off when the temperature reaches the set temperature on the digital ...
  A: There is nothing wrong with the stat. What you do not see is tenths. They do not work all the ...
a/c compressor7/20/2009
  Q: What is the function of the compressor? Will using a filter like a 3M 1250 Ultra Allergen in a ...
  A: The compressor is the heart of the unit. Much like the heart that moves blood, the compressor moves ...
10 ton carrier rooftop unit breaker problem7/20/2009
  Q: we have a 10 ton carrier unit on rooftop the 70 amp breaker keeps popping, we checked the roof and ...
  A: First of all, do not reset the breaker again! You can actually cause more damage and expense. ...
Trane XE 807/19/2009
  Q: Blower Motor runs continuously. (The only way to shut it down is to trun off the Furnace at the ...
  A: Trane does not offer their manuals on the net. You might find one on a different site or by ...
new ac7/19/2009
  Q: we just had a new whirlpool 13 seer 2.5 ton ac unit and air handler installed in our 1250 sq ft ...
  A: The clicking noise is normal. It is normal for a unit to take time to cool the air down. When we ...
New vibration in air handler7/19/2009
  Q: I have an attic mounted gas and AC unit. Today I noticed a vibration like sound in the ceiling ...
  A: Something with the blower has come loose. Some blowers have balancing weights which can get thrown ...
HVAC airflow7/18/2009
  Q: We just replaced the cooling coil in our HVAC unit. The air flow seemed to be fine, it's just that ...
  A: The price to go from a 2 ton to a 4 ton is going to be a bit more then you might be thinking. Keep ...
Trane Central Air fan motor & capacitor7/18/2009
  Q: I have a Trane XE1000. I have replaced the fan motor and capacitor. The problem is that the old ...
  A: The new fan has four wires. The two (brown?) wires go to the new cap and the other two go on the ...
Goodman A/C unit does not shut off7/18/2009
  Q: I just had a new Goodman 5ton heat pump a/c unit installed. The unit works fine for about 3 weeks ...
  A: The problem might be the control board. Trying cycling the breaker and see if it will shut off. It ...
Poor airflow from central ac vents7/18/2009
  Q: forgive me I know almost nothing about a/c units, but I will give you all the info I have. Our home ...
  A: There are is a list of reasons for a unit to have poor air flow. Dirty coils and filters top the ...
AC not removing humdity7/17/2009
  Q: John, I have a 20 year old Trane AC unit which recently had 3lbs of freon added. After that for ...
  A: It is possible the unit is now over charged with the addition of the refrigerant. The over charging ...
HVAC airflow7/17/2009
  Q: We just replaced the cooling coil in our HVAC unit. The air flow seemed to be fine, it's just that ...
  A: A 3400 sq ft home is going to need around 7 tons of cooling. Georgia is a very hot state. I know, ...
AC not cooling7/17/2009
  Q: Ok I live in an apartment that is quite old. My ac unit has not been cooling right since we moved in ...
  A: Clearly the people that are working on your a/c know very little about it. Even a unit that ...
air conditioning7/16/2009
  Q: I live in a condo with 30 foot ceilings ( a loft) and my a/c runs all the time....my electric bill ...
  A: Each system when installed is designed to maintain a certain temp.. In some cases, it might be 95 ...
Condistation in Air Ducts7/16/2009
  Q: What would cause condistation in the air ducts? How do you get it out of there when there is alot of ...
  A: That is a very common problem with the ducts under the house. It is a nice moist area. At this ...
follow up7/16/2009
  Q: how to i change the damper or air flow on a carrier unit model #FB4ANF030...i've looked through all ...
  A: You need a damper installed in the main trunk where the ducts split to go up and down. You might ...
insulation in hvac unit7/16/2009
  Q: my hvac in my house is @ 7 yrs old. Bryant. The foil-lined insulation behind the removeable panel ...
  A: You can buy foil backed fiberglass insulation or you can use a rubber type of insulation that comes ...
change the damper7/15/2009
  Q: how to i change the damper or air flow on a carrier unit model #FB4ANF030...i've looked through all ...
  A: There is no damper, unless it was installed after it left the factory. The attached link has the ...
Ruud Quiet 80 Water Drain7/15/2009
  Q: I have a Ruud Quiet 80 that is 4 years old installed in my attic. Since the beginning of the summer ...
  A: To start off with, it is normal and expected to have 5-10 gallons of water per day come from the ...
air flow7/15/2009
  Q: 3rd yr in a row my hvac runs all day til evening, then sweats & leaks under coil & sometimes after ...
  A: When I starting to think about this, my thought was the unit is too big. You mentioned the unit was ...
ac7/14/2009
  Q: what would be the operating pressures of a janitrol 4.5 ton ac about 12 years old w/outside temps in ...
  A: Adjusting the pressure alone is not going to solve a problem. In order to know if the unit is ...
Compressor Dont Turn Back On7/14/2009
  Q: I have asked this question before got a answer but still not working. Question I have three trane ...
  A: With the fan running, to me is seems the compressor is overheating. When the power dips (brown ...
Bryant central unit7/13/2009
  Q: The unit has been running for some time now and is not putting out any cool air at all - I just ...
  A: The fan can be at the top or bottom. It really depends on the unit. They come both ways. The fan ...
Home A/C unit overheating7/12/2009
  Q: my home HVAC unit (carrier) is having an issue. if I have the A/C unit shutdown for serveral hours ...
  A: Causes for compressor overheating. Poor refrigerant charge (slugging or short on charge) Dirty ...
Oil coating inside refrigerant pipes7/12/2009
  Q: Here in Australia a company offers a one time service to remove the coating of oil inside pipes, ...
  A: There is a constant flow of oil mixed in with the refrigerant. Unless there is a burn out or some ...
some rooms aren't cool or warm7/12/2009
  Q: My house is approx. 9 years old. I have a central heat and air unit. It does a good job of heating ...
  A: If you are willing to spend the money, you need to have a test and balance company out to check ...
heat pipe technology7/11/2009
  Q: I have been trying, without success, to find a company that can retro-fit my 3.5 ton Goodman central ...
  A: There is a company in Gainesville, FL that manufactures the product. (www.heatpipe.com) On the ...
ac7/11/2009
  Q: what would be the operating pressures of a janitrol 4.5 ton ac about 12 years old w/outside temps in ...
  A: The pressures will fall into a range. The suction is going to be between 64-80 and the discharge is ...
Bryant central unit7/11/2009
  Q: The unit has been running for some time now and is not putting out any cool air at all - I just ...
  A: The unit contains two fans. One outside and one inside. When the compressor is running, the bigger ...
Puron/R22 mixed system7/11/2009
  Q: Is there a way to change valves out of a R22 air handler to accommodate the use of a ( R-410-A) ...
  A: You can not use a R-22 evap coil with R-410a. The coil was never rated to run at the pressure of ...
air conditioner7/10/2009
  Q: My central air unit suddenly blows cold air into the back area of my manufactured home, and hot air ...
  A: It is possible the duct work as come undone. If the ducts are under the house, then climbing under ...
Air Returns7/10/2009
  Q: In a 2,500 sq. ft. house, with a 5 ton heat and air unit, how many air returns should there be? ...
  A: If you have filter back return grilles, then you need about 200 sq per ton of cooling. So you need ...
Unit Size7/10/2009
  Q: I have a four year old 12 seer two ton heat pump in my florida home which is 1083 sqft. I want to ...
  A: Without completing a heat load calculation, I do not know about the size. If the house was designed ...
humidity high while air is running7/10/2009
  Q: Mr. Borgman, I sent in a question yesterday to a Mr. McAuley -- who was nice enough to respond ...
  A: The amount of time the unit runs will vary greatly. The trick is to have is run long enough to cool ...
pipe size7/9/2009
  Q: I have an outdoor unit 6 tons capacity, I need to put this outdoor unit 7 floors higher than the ...
  A: You have to refer to the manufacture for the proper line size. The amount of floors does not mean ...
attic fan7/9/2009
  Q: I am planning installing an attic fan in my 2-story house. My attic size is approximately 1200 ...
  A: Well, It took me a bit to figure this out, but if you were to move 1000 cfm though the existing ...
compressor not turning on7/9/2009
  Q: I have a carrier unit with the unit in the attic and the compressor outside. When I turn on the ac ...
  A: The contactor should be replaced to be sure you do not have any more problems. If there is enough ...
humidity high while air is running7/8/2009
  Q: Mr. Borgman, I sent in a question yesterday to a Mr. McAuley -- who was nice enough to respond ...
  A: I read this and it was quite long. First, it is possible to have a space of the same size require ...
cycling of a/c unit, and too much condensate7/8/2009
  Q: i've just had a contractor install a split system: gas furnace and refrig pad mount unit. we had ...
  A: The big unit is a 4 ton and the smaller unit is 2.5 tons. I would estimate without doing a heat ...
Air conditioner contracts7/8/2009
  Q: Trying to help out my elderly father down in Fla. He is asking me about getting a service contract ...
  A: It is a good idea to have any unit at any age checked out. Even though it is old, a little TLC ...
Blower motor won't come on sometimes7/8/2009
  Q: I have a Amana Air Command heat pump that is 20 years old. When fan on thermostat is set to auto the ...
  A: The 35 VAC is on the high side. The voltage is rated at 24, and I do not like to see anything over ...
My Comfortmaker Central Air Unit Not Working7/8/2009
  Q: My central air unit just stopped blowing air thru the vents. when I set the thermostat to low you ...
  A: I do not think the noise you are hearing is water, is it more likely refrigerant. It is possible ...
American Standard v/s Payne Systems7/7/2009
  Q: I live in Irvine, in Orange County CA. My house is 29 years old. Its compressor (the outdoor unit ...
  A: Both units are good units, and I would install either one. The Payne is owned by Carrier, and the ...
Must reboot to get compresser to work7/7/2009
  Q: I have a Lennox furnace and A/C unit, maybe 12-15 years old. This year the compressor didn't start ...
  A: If the complete service call was 250, that is the going rate. It is nearly impossible for a service ...
Chiller unit7/6/2009
  Q: we have AC contractor for our retails store area around 7000sqmtr of 2storey building we get supply ...
  A: You can not get gpm with the gauge alone. You have to know what the design flow at a give pressure ...
Air Handler Blower7/6/2009
  Q: I live in the Phoenix Az area where most homes have a Heat Pump. Original Owner of my home for over ...
  A: Your handler is an old school simple control. The compressor has nothing to do with the indoor fan. ...
Home A/C7/6/2009
  Q: Living in Fl we are subject to a lot of rusting and high humidity. I have a dryer in line (outside) ...
  A: Anytime you treat rust, that is a good thing. I have seen driers last the life of the unit. I ...
not cooling.7/6/2009
  Q: Im a 5 yr. tech with my class 1&2 card, residential and comercial experience. Im helping with a unit ...
  A: Charging a unit strictly on pressure is a no no and a good way to cause all sorts of problems. ...
cycling of a/c unit, and too much condensate7/6/2009
  Q: i've just had a contractor install a split system: gas furnace and refrig pad mount unit. we had ...
  A: I have never seen or heard of a 4 1/2 ton unit. They come in 1/2 until 4 ton, then skip to 5. I ...
air con blower motor7/6/2009
  Q: My home ac unit only blows one speed, and the ac air flow is week. I can't figure out how to get a ...
  A: I was unable to find much about this unit. Due to the age, it is possible, the unit only has one ...
Air conditioner contracts7/5/2009
  Q: Trying to help out my elderly father down in Fla. He is asking me about getting a service contract ...
  A: I do not trust the contracts. The first time something breaks, they come up with excuses...rusted, ...
Fire Ants7/5/2009
  Q: Is it possible that fire ants have shorted something out on my compressor. I have Rheem residential ...
  A: Ants, lizzards, snakes, snails and so on can cause all sorts of shorts inside units. The 3 amp fuse ...
Air Conditioner's Compressor Locked7/5/2009
  Q: I have an XP15 HeatPump that is just two years old. The AC outdoor started to have all kind of ...
  A: The hard start kit installed, should take care of the problem. The problem you are having is ...
condenser fan not working properly.7/4/2009
  Q: I have a sears 36m btu air conditioner. This year when I turned it on the condenser fan was frozen ...
  A: Not replacing the run cap when you replaced the motor could have burned up the new motor. I have ...
Overheating condenser fan motor7/4/2009
  Q: Craig, here's the scenario. I have a 32 year old central air unit. Last year the bearings in the fan ...
  A: With the motor not pulling FLA, it is odd that it is overheating. From you description, the wiring ...
Air Conditioner7/4/2009
  Q: My central air conditioner is less than 2 years old. I turned it on for the first time this year on ...
  A: Insulating the pipe is not going to change the fact the unit is running so poorly. The lack of a ...
A/C blower catching fire7/4/2009
  Q: I had an ac man come out and change my capacitor on Wed. He recommended a cleaning and also told me ...
  A: There was a sign the motor may have been going bad already...a bad run cap. It is completely ...
vacuum pumps7/4/2009
  Q: i'm confussed on using vacuum pumps. wondering if you could help. does all the refrigerent have to ...
  A: The service ports on the service valves are opened to the line set. Get the vac on the line set, ...
Overheating condenser fan motor7/3/2009
  Q: Craig, here's the scenario. I have a 32 year old central air unit. Last year the bearings in the fan ...
  A: The heat coming out of the cond unit could cause the motor to overheat. If the fan is not spinning ...
compressor not turning on7/3/2009
  Q: I have a carrier unit with the unit in the attic and the compressor outside. When I turn on the ac ...
  A: Using a meter, the power needs to be checked at the cond. unit to see that the compressor contactor ...
Honeywell EMM-3 controller on Carrier split system7/2/2009
  Q: Its 105 in Texas and my AC is still acting up after two service calls, please advise? Symptom is ...
  A: According to the info in the link you sent me, if both zones are green and no system that means the ...
wiring a 15KW Goodman Heater7/2/2009
  Q: I am having a Goodman 15KW heater installed in my home and I am running the wire. I am going to use ...
  A: Local codes can vary, but generally speaking, the means to turn off the unit should be within line ...
Plenum?7/2/2009
  Q: I am building a 10'X 48 addition to my free standing metal building on 2' high blocks. Can I build a ...
  A: If the plenium is not going to support any weight, a good way to take care this is to take the ...
Lennox G60UHV (X) Series AC/Heat7/1/2009
  Q: Craig, I had this unit installed 6 years ago. When I started the A/C unit this season, it would run, ...
  A: If the transformer was bad, as you might think, nothing would work. I do not see transformers that ...
EVAPORATOR PAN7/1/2009
  Q: I HAVE A 4 TON BENCHMARK EVAPORATOR WITH A RUSTED PAN . I BOUGH A RHEEM WELL I THOUGHT BUT THE ...
  A: Clearly not all contractors are out to screw the public. I make a good living without having to rip ...
Plenum?7/1/2009
  Q: I am building a 10'X 48 addition to my free standing metal building on 2' high blocks. Can I build a ...
  A: Both drywall and plywood will absorb moisture, which can cause mold to grow. Although I would ...
Lennox G60UHV (X) Series AC/Heat7/1/2009
  Q: Craig, I had this unit installed 6 years ago. When I started the A/C unit this season, it would run, ...
  A: I need you to clear up some info for me. The model number you have listed is for a furnace. Which ...
dirty blower fan6/30/2009
  Q: i have been told that a dirty blower fan can cause you too lose cfms, i plan on cleaning it this ...
  A: Well, the building code for my state does not require it to be hung, joists count as support, it ...
a/c condenser not responding6/30/2009
  Q: my condenser is not responding when i turn on the a/c from the thermostat. i know the thermostat ...
  A: Someone is going to have to get into the control section of the cond unit and check for both control ...
central air conditioning6/29/2009
  Q: I have a 15 year old CA unit, where the model number is not readable anymore. I have no idea how ...
  A: There are other clues. Sometimes the coil will have a tag, the txv if is has one, and the ...
Trane XB 1000 air conditioner6/29/2009
  Q: We just purchased the house with this unit already installed. I turned it on for the first time and ...
  A: The click is likely the contactor, which gets power to work from the air handler. If the outside ...
AC not working properly6/29/2009
  Q: In the past couple days my AC is not cooling my house I looked at the inside unit and it is freezing ...
  A: The two common reasons for a unit to freeze up is low on refrigerant and poor air flow. The air ...
International Comfort Package units SWAMPED!6/29/2009
  Q: I probably have a wild question, but I'm looking at 2 International Comfort Package units: ...
  A: My concern would be the fast water causes things to rust and corroded. The other issue is how much ...
Iceing6/28/2009
  Q: Craig, My Trane XL1200 is 23 years old. Works perfectly for someone who does not have it serviced ...
  A: Two common reasons for icing are poor air flow and/or low on refrigerant. To start with, inspect ...
Required AC tonnage for small office bldg6/28/2009
  Q: I am converting a single family residence to office use in Austin, Texas. Very hot summers and ...
  A: Without doing a complete heat load calc. there is no way to know what sort of tonnage you need per ...
Circulation issues?6/28/2009
  Q: I live in a 2800 square foot, two story house. We have two units, one for up and one for down. ...
  A: The location of the t-stat could have been part of the issue. If the up and down are open to each ...
excessive water from new Trane gaspack HVAC6/27/2009
  Q: Please advise the best manor to handle the drainage of water from my new Trane EER12, SEER 14, 3.5 ...
  A: It is a good thing to have this much water, and it can be hard to get rid of it. The one thing I ...
Air condition in the attic?6/27/2009
  Q: I'd like to add central air conditioning to my one-story house. The problem is: there's no place in ...
  A: Although anything is possible, I have never seen anyone install a cond unit in the attic that works ...
help6/27/2009
  Q: I have a Lennox air handler. It is approximately 16yrs old. My question is, I can not get the house ...
  A: The gauge pressure is not enough to know if the unit is working ok. However, 85 psi for R-22 would ...
Compressor/Condensor Fan not working6/27/2009
  Q: About 5 pm today my ac went from cooling to blowing warm air, we had this problem one other time but ...
  A: Since the fan seems to want to work, then at least power seems to be getting where it needs to go. ...
Residential HVAC problem6/27/2009
  Q: Unit is runninng for long periods of time and not cooling the house very well. There is cold air ...
  A: The temp split you gave me is not very good. The split should be in the 15-20 range, anything more ...
Central Air Condensing Unit6/26/2009
  Q: I have an existing 3.5 ton inside/outside central a/c. Can I replace the outside unit with a 5 ton, ...
  A: You can not put a 5 ton cond. unit with a 3.5 ton handler. You will not have the required air flow ...
Residential HVAC problem6/26/2009
  Q: Unit is runninng for long periods of time and not cooling the house very well. There is cold air ...
  A: Although you do not have all the tools, you can take some basic readings. Check the temp. of the ...
relay switch6/26/2009
  Q: Hi I have a heil central air unit the fan on the unit only comes on when you hold down on the switch ...
  A: The way to find out if the switch is bad, is to check for 24v control voltage being supplied. If ...
air cond6/25/2009
  Q: outside unit changed cond motor had 3 wire, new motor has3 plus 2 for cap
  A: Hopefully you bought a new cap, do not reuse the old cap! The wires are typical..Two hots or a hot ...
Honeywell Programmable Thermostat6/25/2009
  Q: I have a Honeywell 5-1-1 programmable thermostat, Model # RTH6400D, that I bought and installed ...
  A: Yes and know, and it is common for them to work this way. Since the thermostat might cycle the unit ...
transferable warrantys6/25/2009
  Q: Can a licensed HVAC contractor move a HVAC unit from one house to another and not void the warranty?
  A: Maybe...if the unit has never had a claim or registered, then it may not have a name and address ...
Emerson central air conditioner6/24/2009
  Q: I have water come out from under unit and it is getting my carpet wet. Can you tell me what to do ...
  A: My bet is the drain line needs to be blown out. Compressed air, water hose or a wet vac will all do ...
HVAC problem6/24/2009
  Q: We have installed 8.5 Ton duct able split A/C in our office - but in one perticular area which is ...
  A: You need to have a companies that specializes in indoor air quality (IAQ). I have heard of these ...
cental air conditioning not working6/24/2009
  Q: was wondering why my house is not cooling off looked out side and unit not coming on
  A: There are many reasons from electrical to mechanical failures. Before you call for service, you ...
HVAC system6/23/2009
  Q: We installed a new frigidaire hvac unit in 2004. We have had nothing but trouble w/ the temperature ...
  A: As I do not know, there is a good chance the pipe travels a good ways under the slab to the great ...
HVAC system6/23/2009
  Q: We installed a new frigidaire hvac unit in 2004. We have had nothing but trouble w/ the temperature ...
  A: Most of the time the water is due to the fact the drain line is not cleaned out enough. Some drains ...
Central A/C Shield From Sun?6/23/2009
  Q: Will my central a/c run more efficiently if I shield it from the sun? It is located on the South ...
  A: Shielding the unit is a good thing to do no matter which way you look at it. The direct sun is ...
Honeywell vision pro 8000 TH8110U1003 cool system won't turn on6/22/2009
  Q: All the wires were set up correctly Red(the 'hot' wire) to C, yellow to Y, green to G, and white to ...
  A: At this point in time, I need more info from you. What kind of unit do you have? Heatpump, elect ...
Outside unit not running6/22/2009
  Q: I have a Bryant 10 seer split system heat pump. 6 years old. Noticed the outside unit was making a ...
  A: I can not be completely sure what is wrong without checking things out. My guess is the cond. fan ...
boiler/air conditioning6/22/2009
  Q: Is there such a thing as a hot water boiler/ air conditioning unit? A few years ago I thought I ...
  A: It is called a water to water heatpump. It requires ground loops or wells to work. It is also ...
air conditioning question6/21/2009
  Q: My son who lives at my house called and said the unit was running all day but not cooling. I went ...
  A: The switch that you are referring to, I think is the compressor contactor. They do go bad, and if ...
New HVAC High Humidity in House6/20/2009
  Q: I just had a Lennox Signature XP15 heat pump and CBX32MV air handler installed. The system cools ...
  A: Here are the things to consider...The new unit is too big, and not running long enough to remove ...
AC Unit fuse6/20/2009
  Q: I have a Goodman AC unit in my back yard. The box attached to this unit has 2 red lights, with a ...
  A: I am not sure what the "attached box" is, but I am guessing it is a fused disconnect. Do stick your ...
A/C quits blowing condensor freezes6/19/2009
  Q: A few years ago my relay switch went out on my heater so i replaced it. This last yr. and more ...
  A: When the indoor(?) blower quits working, is the thermostat calling for cooling? Is the the outdoor ...
Smell from air coniditioning vent6/18/2009
  Q: We have central air, each time the air is turned on a awful smell comes from the vent closest to the ...
  A: A/C systems are good places for mold and mildew to grow. As things heat and cool, moisture forms, ...
evaporator6/18/2009
  Q: I live in texas and my central air is not cooling. It is fine when outside temp is 70 or below. I ...
  A: If there is no moisture on the coil or in the pan, then there is a problem. You did not mention it, ...
return air grill6/17/2009
  Q: my return air grill is located on the hallway wall a few inches above the floor, and feeds the chase ...
  A: It really should not matter either way. Some homes have them in the ceiling, and others close to ...
No blower on Carrier Furnace6/17/2009
  Q: I just replaced my main control board per my local Carrier dealer. Had no blower operation, still ...
  A: The problem could be a new faulty board, I have seen it before. There is not any way for me to say ...
swamp cooler6/16/2009
  Q: We bought house few months ago and the evap cooler looks fairly new however was unplugged from power ...
  A: It might be normal, if the area you live in freezes up. Water in lines will freeze and bust lines. ...
central air has hard time kicking in commpressor6/16/2009
  Q: Craig, my home central air compressor will only start if you hose of the coils on the compressor ...
  A: If the compressor does not have one already, then a hard start kit may solve the problem. If is has ...
A/C drain pipe is plugged, won't un plug6/16/2009
  Q: I have a central A/C unit. The blower+coils are in the attic. For about a week now I have been ...
  A: Normally units do not drain into the sewer. In may places, it is illegal to dump the condensate ...
NOISY DUCT?6/15/2009
  Q: HELP!!! My name is Mark and I live in South Jersey in a two story colonial house built circa 1970. ...
  A: You need to determine if the problem as anything to do when any of the appliances fire. As you did ...
Compressor Oil and Freon6/15/2009
  Q: I am involved in a unique situation. A clients A/C line set was punctured by a roofing nail ...
  A: The refrigerant should have cleared out after a bit of time. If the system was running normal, I do ...
New Goodman 16 seer split heat ac/ central6/14/2009
  Q: Good morning Craig: Here is my question; I recently had a new system installed in my home to replace ...
  A: The cover on the compressor is not needed, but it is there to help keep the compressor warm in cold ...
The outside a/c unit breaker trips all the time6/14/2009
  Q: my outside a/c unit breaker trips off every hour, so the fan not running when it trips(the blower is ...
  A: One of the common solutions for the problem is to install a hard start kit on the compressor. It is ...
AC Unit6/13/2009
  Q: My fan on the outside ac unit is not turning. There is some air coming thru the vents but it is ...
  A: Do not run the unit until you get it fixed, otherwise you are going to cause more damage. The ...
Goodman 2.5 ton, make it colder?6/13/2009
  Q: I want the compressor to turn off after an hour. I live in 29 Palms CA where the summer temps are ...
  A: The way I described it, is the way ALL a/c systems work. Cool is created when liquid is boiled off. ...
Goodman 2.5 ton, make it colder?6/13/2009
  Q: I want the compressor to turn off after an hour. I live in 29 Palms CA where the summer temps are ...
  A: It is not possible...plan and simple. The difference in the outdoor and indoor for one, and at 65 ...
central a/c system6/12/2009
  Q: This is kind of an odd question but i need to be able to cool my downstairs but not the upstairs. I ...
  A: In order to do what you want to do, you have to have a zone system or two units. You will not be ...
Air conditioner won't cool6/12/2009
  Q: Craig, A service tech examined my 10 year old Bryant 2 ton A/C unit and stated that it needs a new ...
  A: There are some fan motors out there that are that expensive, but on a 10 year old unit, my guess is ...
Trane Heat Pump6/7/2009
  Q: Our Trane heat pump stopped working, we could hear it hum when turned on, but have turned it off. ...
  A: The hum can be any number of elect. components, and may not be caused by the problem you are having. ...
HVAC equipment /sizing6/6/2009
  Q: I need to replace my outdoor condenser unit compressor model no. is H21B283ABCA is this a 2 tons ...
  A: Given the info of the compressor, I gave you my best guess on the size of the unit. The next step ...
a/c + heat unit 2 tons6/6/2009
  Q: Sirs, which model (name too if possible) and how many tons will you recommend for us to purchase ...
  A: Condos can be tricky. Depending on what floor, how exposed the unit is to the sun all play a factor ...
Corroded coils on furnace6/5/2009
  Q: An HVAC technician just left after inspecting my upstairs unit, Carrier 38YCC, which is a little ...
  A: Once things start to rust, a coating is not going to stop it. The coating should have been applied ...
Central AC model AJ030G26/4/2009
  Q: I had the same problem the following guy has: ...
  A: As in the previous response, you need to check to see if you are getting 24v control power to the ...
Air Conditioning Problem6/4/2009
  Q: We have a Trane Central Air Conditioning unit. It is model number BTD 730 A10080. When we turn it ...
  A: There are a wide range of problem from electrical to mechanical that can cause a unit to ...
no power to heating and air unit6/3/2009
  Q: My condo heating and air unit(the outside portion) is only 5 years old. I had it serviced last ...
  A: In some cases, a unit can fail if it is not properly maintained. I would not think that not ...
zones6/3/2009
  Q: I am considering leasing a 2500 sq ft leasehold space. I would like to have 4 zones with positive ...
  A: My guess is you are dealing with a commercial space. Since commercial spaces have such a wide range ...
return size6/3/2009
  Q: I have a 4 ton seperate heater/a/c and the flow out the registers is weak, I have checked for leaks ...
  A: I would expect the air flow to really get moving when you opened up the door, and at that point ...
leaking ac unit6/2/2009
  Q: my unit is blowing water off the coil into the supply air duct.my drain is working well and my coil ...
  A: The coil can be cleaned inside the unit, but removing the coil is the best way to get it completely ...
AC not working, fuse kept blowing out6/2/2009
  Q: I have tow sets of Goodman GMS8 furnace and GSC130301AE air conditioning systems less than two years ...
  A: Likely one of the devices that uses 24v is bad, causing the fuse to blow. It can also be a bad or ...
leaking ac unit6/2/2009
  Q: my unit is blowing water off the coil into the supply air duct.my drain is working well and my coil ...
  A: Water blowing off can be cause by several things, including high humidity in the space. It is ...
PTAC unit6/1/2009
  Q: I have an old GE PTAC unit that was purchased used from a contractor. Turns out the AC doesn't work ...
  A: Ptac units are nice, but with such a small space, I would just go with a "window shaker". They are ...
condensor icing up on furnace5/31/2009
  Q: Will an additional cold air return help? will a booster fan in a cold air return help move more air ...
  A: More return will only help if the return is too small to begin with. There are many reasons for a ...
Janitrol A/C Unit5/30/2009
  Q: I recently bought a house, the seller installed a new Janeiro Heat and AC unit. The heat worked ...
  A: With a split level and one unit, it is very common for the upstairs to be a bit warmer the the ...
leaking condenser pan5/30/2009
  Q: My home central A/C is working fine (coil and compressor). The problem is the water than condenses ...
  A: Depending on the brand of unit and the age, there are a few different ways this can go. Sometimes ...
Janitrol A/C Unit5/29/2009
  Q: I recently bought a house, the seller installed a new Janeiro Heat and AC unit. The heat worked ...
  A: You may not be able to get below 75. It is normal for a unit to only be able go get 20 degrees ...
High Energy Bills5/29/2009
  Q: We took the Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick, we entered our last 12 months of power bills, the ...
  A: Energy bills seem to be increasing, but the actual power usage is not. You need to check to see how ...
blocking heat5/28/2009
  Q: We no longer use swamp cooler thus no use for upducts in ceiling for swamp cooler and I notice alot ...
  A: The best thing to do is cuts the ducts off in the attic, and patch over the holes. The ducts are ...
R410A5/28/2009
  Q: does anybody have a good way to "sweep" the lineset with nitrogen when using R410A equipment ? I ...
  A: They sell regulators that have flow control built in. They are used when working is gasses for ...
ac5/22/2009
  Q: i have a comfortmaker furnace and a frigidare c a and it was just charged but it dosent seem like ...
  A: There are several reasons for the unit to be performing as you describe. The first thing you need ...
Air conditioning5/21/2009
  Q: questions! I recently purchased a 4 story historic building and need to install an air ...
  A: There are a lot of issues with adding A/C to a building that has none. There are units that can be ...
AC5/21/2009
  Q: My outside unit seems to be working fine but under the house it's making a rattling noise only when ...
  A: The problem can be any number of things from a bad motor to just something loose or dirty. Until ...
Air flow niose5/20/2009
  Q: Craig, We have just had the air handler portion of one of our 20 ton units in our church replaced. ...
  A: The reason for the noise is the velocity of the air. Slowing the fan down is one way to control the ...
balance temps5/20/2009
  Q: I have recently asked questions about partially blocking vents in cold area of house which is right ...
  A: No matter which way you look at things, having the air flow balanced is the best way. You might ...
a/c will not turn off5/19/2009
  Q: When I'm running my central air and the thermostat reaches and goes below the desired setting my ...
  A: Well, this not happen very often where everything keeps on going. It could be one of several ...
Contactor switch5/19/2009
  Q: We have a switch that should be holding at 24V however on the A-1 and A-2 prongs on the contactor ...
  A: The voltage can not be adjusted per say. You need to check the voltage at the transformer and see ...
Replacement good idea?5/19/2009
  Q: We live in Orlando, Florida and have a 3 ton Rheum (SEER 10)Condenser Unit which was replaced in ...
  A: Even though you have a 10 SEER, as long as it is good working order, I would not replace it now. ...
1100 sf Michigan Home5/19/2009
  Q: I am purchasing a home in south east michigan without a furnace in it right now. The house is about ...
  A: Without doing a heat load calc. on the home, I can not determine what size you need installed. The ...
central AC model comparison5/18/2009
  Q: Please, Consumer Reports doesn't address this: How do Carrier, Luxaire (York), Trane, Heil, compare ...
  A: Word of mouth is probably the best. My state has website where you can check out the contractors ...
Heating a humid home5/18/2009
  Q: Craig, my home, a 2000 sq.ft. bi-level contemporary, does not have an affordable heating system. ...
  A: Heating air will actually reduce the RH%. Heating does not add or remove moisture. In order to ...
no ac cool5/18/2009
  Q: Graig,not sure the exact size of my ac but but i think its about a 2.5.in cool mode fan comes on ...
  A: There is more then one reason for a compressor to run at lower then normal RLA. Once a set of ...
central AC model comparison5/17/2009
  Q: Please, Consumer Reports doesn't address this: How do Carrier, Luxaire (York), Trane, Heil, compare ...
  A: The funny thing is, they are all on pretty even playing ground. Although I feel Trane may be the ...
ac/heat pump5/17/2009
  Q: lost power for a minute,came back on and since then my ac/heat pump blows hot air on cool ...
  A: Hard to say. Try turning off the power to the unit and resetting. I am not sure how much time as ...
Compresor current operation5/17/2009
  Q: I have a 24.000 btu a/a. The nominal run current (specifications) is 11 amps. I check currents a I ...
  A: That can be a sign of problems to come. If the compressor is drawing that many amps, it can cause ...
Furnace not lighting5/16/2009
  Q: After having my furnace diagnosed by a tech, I replaced the control board and gas valve. The ...
  A: You have to use a meter and check to make sure the power it where it is suppose to be when it is ...
Air Conditioning5/16/2009
  Q: I have a Lennox 3 Ton Air Conditioner that is about 15 years old. About 2 years ago we had a ...
  A: The unit cycling can be caused from various problems. If you have a pump down type system, then it ...
HVAC Quotes5/15/2009
  Q: I am trying to replace coil and condenser at my Mom's house. The quotes that I have that I am ...
  A: Goodman is not my first choice of units. I am not saying there is anything wrong with the brand. ...
how well is my house insulated5/15/2009
  Q: Is there a standard for temp differences from outside to inside to determine how well insulated a ...
  A: The outside temp is not the only factor. The sun beating down on the roof and walls will add more ...
3 ton vs 4 ton unit5/14/2009
  Q: I am planning to replace my central ac unit. My house is 1200 square ft. I am wondering about the ...
  A: You barely need a 3 ton unit more like a 2.5 ton, unless the home is older and poorly insulated. ...
HVAC Quotes5/14/2009
  Q: I am trying to replace coil and condenser at my Mom's house. The quotes that I have that I am ...
  A: The Trane and American Standard are the same, both made by Trane. The Bryant is owned by Carrier. ...
Leak Test5/13/2009
  Q: I have been quoted a leak test by 2 different guys. The cheaper guy uses a electronic device to ...
  A: They both work. It might be quicker to find the leak with an electronic. It could be possible that ...
Air Conditioner is Blowing Warm5/13/2009
  Q: Craig, I currently have a 10 year old split system. Up until this year the unit has run great, ...
  A: The unit is probably smaller because of the lower SEER rating. The newer units with the higher SEER ...
temp balance5/13/2009
  Q: So I have been trying to adjust a/c vents to direct more air flow to west side bedrooms in our az ...
  A: The thermostat was not tricked, it is quite dumb. All it knows is the air temp in the space that it ...
Have air but the panel not working5/13/2009
  Q: We have a White Rogers AC/Heating Unit, been 2 and half year in the new house. Just recently we have ...
  A: The White Rodger is just the thermostat, WR does not make units themselves. It can be a number of ...
small AC for a generator5/12/2009
  Q: I have a Honda 2000i (2000 watts (16.7 A)- I'd like to run a small AC (5000-7000BTU) on a ...
  A: Since the compressor is the biggest user of power, the compressor amps need to be known. Then you ...
HVAC troubleshooting5/12/2009
  Q: I am having trouble with my AC unit. I have found some of the pipes in the unit's "closet" to have ...
  A: The frost is a sign of a problem, which is going to require some service. The frost can be caused ...
small AC for a generator5/12/2009
  Q: I have a Honda 2000i (2000 watts (16.7 A)- I'd like to run a small AC (5000-7000BTU) on a ...
  A: I have a link to Honda's website... ...
Noise5/11/2009
  Q: I have a package A/C unit on my roof above the bedroom, resting on four concrete solid blocks. Is ...
  A: They make rubber pads that can be placed between the unit and the sleepers (the blocks). It comes ...
my ac is not blowing cold5/11/2009
  Q: when i turn my ac on in my home everything comes on and the compressor kicks on then kicks off after ...
  A: It might be a sign that the unit is low on refrigerant, but other things can cause that sort of ...
HOME AC UNIT (CARRIER)5/11/2009
  Q: I know I'm going to sound silly but I have a Carrier home AC unit. I know that there is a part of ...
  A: Hopefully, you will get a honest repair company with good people so you do not get ripped off. If ...
Adding in-line duct fan to AC/Heater Unit5/10/2009
  Q: I have some knowledge of HVAC, however not much electrical. I have installed Suncor 6" duct fan and ...
  A: I am guessing you have a gas furnace. You do not want to connect to the inducer fan, but you want ...
Trane XB13 heat pump outside unit5/10/2009
  Q: Installed 15 months ago & has worked fine until this afternoon. Outside unit not working (fan ran ...
  A: Using a meter, it needs to be determined if the power is actually going to the unit. Both the 24v ...
2nd Floor Air Flow5/9/2009
  Q: I have a 2.5 ton 14 SEER Trane. the air flow to the two second floor bedrooms and bathroom could be ...
  A: Closing off some of the vents might help to force more air upstairs. If the t-stat is on the first ...
Replacing heat pump5/8/2009
  Q: I have a old heat pump 3 ton 17 years old...it died. We replaced the air handler under the house ...
  A: It can and has been done, just changing out the cond. unit and leaving the air handler. Some ...
Coleman Furnace AC unit5/7/2009
  Q: I have a very old probably early eighties in a mobile home. I have two questions, where do you oil ...
  A: Not all motors have a place to oil them. If the motor you have requires oil, there will be a small ...
Gas furnace5/6/2009
  Q: I have a 2002 Bryant gas furnace. I bought this house in September 2008 and was told that the ...
  A: The SEER rating (which is what I believe they are referring to)does not play a part in size, just ...
Advice on package units5/6/2009
  Q: Craig, I've spent countless hours researching and have not been able to find the answers I have ...
  A: To compare here with what you have is kinda hard with the different tonnages. However, if you were ...
HVAC Coil Still Icing & house not cooling after Cleaning5/5/2009
  Q: Coils recently started icing 2/3 up from the bottom. they'll de-ice within 2 minutes after shutting ...
  A: The unit you have is only 2.5 tons, using the given model number. It may not be big enough to cool ...
central heat/air problems5/5/2009
  Q: The unit won't turn on. We replaced the thermostat but still won't kick on. The exhaust fan is ...
  A: It could be a control board bad in the unit. When boards go bad, units can do strange things. If ...
a/c unit5/5/2009
  Q: how much should 6 pounds of freon cost
  A: I do not really keep track of pricing. The price changes offen, and there is a wide range depending ...
refrigerant leak detection5/4/2009
  Q: I saw your previous answer regarding use of Bacharach H10- I wanted to know if you still felt that ...
  A: I stand behind the H-10 Recently my company purchased me another type...and it is a piece of crap. ...
Central A/C noise5/4/2009
  Q: When I first switched to A/C this month, I turned on the unit and I hear a rattling noise, like ...
  A: Some units have different fan speeds for heating and cooling. It could be a case of a change in fan ...
Selection and installation of UV C Filters5/4/2009
  Q: Good day, I moved in the apartment and live there for nearly 4 years, all was good & then start to ...
  A: A UV light, HEPA filters in the unit can help to control dust, pollen etc. I think you ought to ...
single pole contactor5/3/2009
  Q: I am trying to replace my single pole contactor and purchased a 2 pole. Can I use the 2 pole to ...
  A: Other then the fact that the single has one, and the 2 has to sets of contracts, they are wired the ...
Water in drain pan5/3/2009
  Q: All of the sudden I am seeing water in the drain pan under my HVAC. It is operating fine just like ...
  A: The main drain can be just about anywhere, but most of the time it is somewhere near the unit ...
Gas furnace5/3/2009
  Q: I have a 2002 Bryant gas furnace. I bought this house in September 2008 and was told that the ...
  A: You did not need a matching brand name system, but everything needs to match size wise. If you ...
Goodman gas furnace5/2/2009
  Q: My daughter has a Goodman furnace that has been acting up on and off for the past couple of years. ...
  A: Remove the stat and remove just the red wire. If the fan stops, then you have a bad stat again. If ...
TRANE XE-80 heating problrm5/2/2009
  Q: Problem with Trane XE-80 heating. ( A/C works fine ). When set to heat, flame comes on, then fan ...
  A: You may actually have a problem with the unit for the high temp cut out. It is also possible the ...
Air Conditioning5/2/2009
  Q: Our downstairs a/c unit stopped working. fuses are ok. electricity is going from the pressure switch ...
  A: It can the relay. If you have 24v, then I would not think anything wrong with the transformer. ...
heat pump ceiling air vents4/30/2009
  Q: Noise is coming from my ceiling vents constantly for the past few days with the heat pump not in use ...
  A: I really need to hear the noise, but I bet is could be the transformer in the air handler. It is ...
condenser won't run4/29/2009
  Q: i have a ruud 3 ton condenser that will not run. I also have a twin of that right next to it. I have ...
  A: To me, it sounds like there is something wrong in the wiring. It could also be a case of you not ...
condensing unit.4/29/2009
  Q: i've been told that to add oil through the suction port, the unit has to be running and charged. ...
  A: You need to have the compressor running to add the oil. If you do not, then the oil can sit where ...
Fan4/29/2009
  Q: I have a Courier a/c unit where the blower fan stays on continuously. The Thermostat fan control on ...
  A: The problem can be a wide range of things, and that will vary depending on how old the unit is and ...
outside central air unti4/23/2009
  Q: where on the unit does it tell the size,or tons,on how big the unit is?
  A: The model number normally will have the tonnage in it. The tonnage is normally listed as a number, ...
comfort maker4/23/2009
  Q: I have a comfort maker model 397H air condtioner. I came home and found that it was not cooling the ...
  A: When the coil iced over, the best thing is just to set the unit to off, and turn the fan to on. The ...
3 phase copeland compressor.4/23/2009
  Q: how do you add oil to a condensing unit compressor. what are the proper steps and what kind of ...
  A: If there is not a valve near the bottom in the oil sump, then you can pump it in the suction. You ...
removing cooler4/22/2009
  Q: Were getting roof redone and want to get rid of swamp cooler. What is the best method? Roofer says ...
  A: You can remove the cooler, but you also need to remove or seal up any of the ducts. This will stop ...
Air conditioner4/22/2009
  Q: My ac unit seems to start up and turn off several times per hour. Could there be a better ...
  A: This problem can occur for a few reasons....The thermostat can be one of the problems. You might ...
Ducane Furnace Problem4/20/2009
  Q: I noticed that my furnace ( Ducane Model #MPGA075B3 ) seems to be delaying a bit before lighting. I ...
  A: Right now is sounds like is could just use a good cleaning. You also need to check the flame ...
furnace4/20/2009
  Q: A heat loss calculation of 52,000 was done on the house. My question is should a 45,000 or a 60,000 ...
  A: I am not a fan of Goodman and would install something else. That is not to say that there is ...
HVAC Question4/20/2009
  Q: my question is about the thermostat wires that run from the thermostat to the outside unit. This is ...
  A: You should only need two wires. You need to see that you have 24v going to the contactor for ...
Ducane Furnace Problem4/20/2009
  Q: I noticed that my furnace ( Ducane Model #MPGA075B3 ) seems to be delaying a bit before lighting. I ...
  A: Which blower, the induced draft blower or the main air flow blower. You could be having issues with ...
Upstairs A/C4/19/2009
  Q: Greetings from a fellow All Experts Volunteer! Just became an empty-nester, we're in a 2-floor 3600 ...
  A: Closing off that much air flow to one unit is going to create many problems later. You are better ...
furnace4/19/2009
  Q: A heat loss calculation of 52,000 was done on the house. My question is should a 45,000 or a 60,000 ...
  A: You are probably better off with the bigger unit. Depending on the unit, they can have variable ...
air conditioner does not cut off4/18/2009
  Q: When the air conditioner is set on 70 degrees it will not cut off. Gets down to 60 and you have to ...
  A: You have what is known as a zone system. The system contains a zone controller, which gets it ...
AC handler4/17/2009
  Q: I've sent another email to you. I saw a question on ac from last year, hope you can still give me a ...
  A: The problem can be one of a few things. You need to check to see if the motor is getting the proper ...
Airconditioning Unit4/17/2009
  Q: I am building a new home with about 1800 SF 1st floor, 2100 SF 2nd floor and 1600 sf basement. The ...
  A: I do not think the units are going to 120 tons each. The return needs to be big enough to handle the ...
New Furnace and Heat pump4/16/2009
  Q: I am in the market for a new furnace and heat pump. Are there a few brands that are known for ...
  A: Brands is a matter of choice. Trane being one of, if not, the best out there. Trane is probably ...
New Trane unit doesn't blow hot air4/15/2009
  Q: New 19KW Trane unit installed 6 months ago and it only blows luke warm air. Installer has been out ...
  A: Ok, wow...why would anyone install elect. heat strips as the main heat where you live... One kw is ...
heat pump replacement4/14/2009
  Q: ..just read your response and help to Doris and thought i would make a plea for help also...i have ...
  A: Trane is probably one of the most expensive out there. Trane is probably one of the best as well. ...
Refrigerant blends4/11/2009
  Q: Can R409 be used as a drop-in for R12; in others words, can the two refrigerants be blended? How ...
  A: It can be used for R-12, but not in cars. You have to completely remove and evacuate the R-12 ...
Boiler working but losing hot water down the system4/10/2009
  Q: We are working on a system that seems to be pretty old. We got in between 150 to 200 degrees out of ...
  A: It could be the mixing valve, but it could also be the dip tube in the tank. If the tank is vert. ...
Coil fin replacement4/10/2009
  Q: The coil fins on my exterior condenser unit of my rental property have been damaged by dog urine. ...
  A: You might be able to get a new cond. coil for the unit. With the unit being 12 years old, I am not ...
converting from electric to gas heat4/9/2009
  Q: I live in NJ and have a ranch which is approx 3000 sq feet. I have electric baseboard heat ...
  A: The difference is not that much, and with the variable speed, should not make a difference. Adding ...
Peerless4/9/2009
  Q: I have a Peerless boiler w/double coil. I have endless hot water. The boiler needs to be replaced. I ...
  A: Anytime you are storing hot water, there is going to be heat loss. You may not have "endless" hot ...
Air conditioner4/8/2009
  Q: What causes my air conditioner to freeze up.
  A: There are quite a few things, and any number of a combo of things. dirty coil dirty filter poor air ...
transformer wiring4/8/2009
  Q: I have to put a transformer on my outdoor unit because my electric furnace inside doesnt have a spot ...
  A: A transformer is not going to have a place for Y. To run the cond unit, you should only need the ...
Auto fan function isn't working4/8/2009
  Q: I have a Rheem Imperial Ad Plus heater, older model. The heat works great. When I don't have the ...
  A: Not all furnaces have a way to turn the fan on only. If you remove the t-stat from the wall, there ...
gas hot water heater4/8/2009
  Q: my gas hot water heater works fine has no leaks on the tank but the presser vales is leaking a small ...
  A: You should be able to get a new T & P valve at just about any hardware store that sells water ...
Indoor unit motor4/7/2009
  Q: I have a trane split unit TWR024C100A in my house that has been having a few problems of late. When ...
  A: The model number of the condensing unit does me no good to know what air handler you have. Changing ...
HVAC gas pack replacement4/7/2009
  Q: I am having a tough time finding good information about the gas pack in HVAC systems. I am buying a ...
  A: There can be some confusion with the term "gas pack". It is typical for a gas pack to be considered ...
Residential spark ignited boiler, inop4/6/2009
  Q: Nat gas fired boiler. Will not heat, do not know if A/C works- it's still <40F ambient in this area. ...
  A: If the gas valve is getting power, then the t-stat is working. It also means that all of the ...
Carrier heat pump unit lock out,4/5/2009
  Q: Notes: We have 23 Carrier roof top units. On 4 of them (Model # 50EWQ028) we have a problem: in cold ...
  A: The unit has a control board. The control board has an LED that blinks. Counting the blinks should ...
Frigidaire FG7TK Furnace Filter4/5/2009
  Q: I have just installed a new Frigidaire furnace FG7TK series but cannot locate any air filter ...
  A: Manufactures are not installing filter racks inside the unit any more, which I find to be "dumb". ...
New Heat pump and electric Furnace4/5/2009
  Q: I am currently in the market for a new Heat pump and Electric Furnace. I live in central Ohio, cold ...
  A: Pricing is not something I can really do on this site. Considering I really do not know your needs, ...
Copper Tubing4/4/2009
  Q: I am doing the installation of the copper tubing for my ductless AC Unit. I have damaged the 3/8" ...
  A: You should not use the tubing, unless it is ACR tubing. There is a difference. ACR tubing is ...
converting from electric to gas heat4/4/2009
  Q: I live in NJ and have a ranch which is approx 3000 sq feet. I have electric baseboard heat ...
  A: Personally, being somewhat old school, I like metal ducts. I would have preferred metal in my new ...
2009 Energy credit for AC4/3/2009
  Q: We are interested in upgrading our 10 seer AC unit to a 16 seer and getting the energy tax credit. ...
  A: I know the tax credits to exist, but I am not sure on the rules. A furnace is the air handler. A ...
converting from electric to gas heat4/3/2009
  Q: I live in NJ and have a ranch which is approx 3000 sq feet. I have electric baseboard heat ...
  A: Most new homes these days are built using flex. Like anything else, keeping the runs as short and ...
ac insulation4/2/2009
  Q: Craig I need to replace the insulation surrounding the copper line that runs from the compressor to ...
  A: None, of the stuff is going to last in the Fl. sun. The key to keeping it around is to paint, ...
Replacing Residential HVAC4/2/2009
  Q: my apologies; the recommended replacement unit is a Trane supposed to be a 14 seer unit. Can you ...
  A: The SEER rating is a funny thing. Manufactures work the unit to work at a given SEER rating with ...
Replacing Residential HVAC4/2/2009
  Q: We're replacing a 1992 carrier 4 ton unit in a 2100 SF home with 22 windows. Live in Frisco, TX, ...
  A: Everything listed there should match with no problem. Trane is good with making sure that what you ...
Air duct leaking water4/2/2009
  Q: We have water leaking from our basement thru the airducts. The water is coming from the place where ...
  A: It is rare that water coming from ducts is a plumbing problem, although I have seen some strange ...
HVAC in the humid south4/1/2009
  Q: I am trying to figure out how to get my oversized AC unit (4ton) to better remove humidity in the ...
  A: Besides slowing the evap fan down and having a TXV on the coil, there is not much you can do. The ...
HEAT PUMPS4/1/2009
  Q: Sir, I live in Ft. Myers Florida and presently have an old Trane system with a heat pump (1987) and ...
  A: Most units install the same, but some units are harder to buy. Trane is one of the top units, if ...
HVAC Compressor Grounded Out4/1/2009
  Q: My local HVAC service company is telling me that my compressor has grounded out due to a power surge ...
  A: As far as I know, all of the parts in your unit can be purchased. Granted, there may not be an ...
outdoor coil cleaning4/1/2009
  Q: My outdoor coil is 12 years old and has never been cleaned. I brought a acid cleaning solution for ...
  A: Take the acid back! Most of the time using a Degreaser like Simple Green, Greased Lightning etc. ...
HEAT PUMPS3/31/2009
  Q: Sir, I live in Ft. Myers Florida and presently have an old Trane system with a heat pump (1987) and ...
  A: Heatpumps cost less to run then heat strips for heat. Now, in Ft Myers I would be willing to bet ...
No Heat3/31/2009
  Q: Morning, Two days ago my heat was working fine, then yesterday I noticed that it wasn't kicking on. ...
  A: It might be the thermostat. Turn off the power to the unit. Remove the wires that go to the R W ...
gas furnace not working somtimes3/30/2009
  Q: i have a armstrong air ultra tech 80 down flow.Just lately it will try to go through its cycle three ...
  A: When you cycle the power, you reset any alarms. I believe your unit has a inducer fan in it. If ...
thermostat instalation3/30/2009
  Q: i purchased a low voltage hooked it up turned on ac it sparked and shut down. Now went out and ...
  A: I do not understand what you are trying to say. You disconnect the "higher voltage" from what? ...
power switch to furnace3/30/2009
  Q: I was going to replace my thermostat (current is original builder) for my heat pump. When I went to ...
  A: I am not quite sure what you have. A furnace is the term used when a fuel source does the heating. ...
Power3/29/2009
  Q: t_stat comes on ,but when i move slider to ask for heat or cool it shuts off, I hear a click from ...
  A: You were confusing, because when I think of a slider, it think if a non-digital type t-stat. On the ...
Residential HVAC - New Carrier Unit3/29/2009
  Q: We purchased a new Carrier unit both the compressor and the air handler. The compressor is ground ...
  A: When converting to R-410a, the line set should be changed out, or needs to be cleaned out. When the ...
Power3/27/2009
  Q: t_stat comes on ,but when i move slider to ask for heat or cool it shuts off, I hear a click from ...
  A: You need to know how to use the voltmeter and what sort of reactions you are going to get when you ...
A/C drain lines3/27/2009
  Q: I have a 2story house where the drain line from the pan comes out in above the a window of the 2nd ...
  A: Most places make it against code to have the water drain into the sewer. It is common to have the ...
ac repairs3/26/2009
  Q: We just had roof ac repair done under our home warranty. Unit is bout 12 years old and tech said he ...
  A: I am not sure what you mean by replaced the condenser...Anything that got replaced, should look new ...
heater or thermostat malfunction3/26/2009
  Q: we've a carrier weathermaker 8000 gas furnace and a hunter energy moniter II plus thermostat. we ...
  A: You can removed the t-stat from the wall and disconnect the wire that goes to the R term, normally ...
rheem filters3/25/2009
  Q: donna: I have a Rheem Criterion II gas furnace. Trouble finding correct size filters. I have been ...
  A: It may have come with a filter, but those filters are crappy. Many hardware/ home improvement ...
payne heater3/25/2009
  Q: I have a payne heater that is about 19 years old. It has been working fine up until recently. I ...
  A: Since you are asking for help here, and you have not indicated you have done anything to ...
Wall unit for "bonus room" in attic space.3/23/2009
  Q: We have a shop/garage building which has a "bonus room" above the garage. The room is approximately ...
  A: Give the small size of the unit you are going to need, there is not much out there with ducts. Your ...
AC ELECTRIC3/23/2009
  Q: i HAD THE OUTSIDE AC UNIT COVERED AND THE BREAKER A-OK OFF. uncovered THE UNIT, EVERYTHING WAS OFF, ...
  A: If the unit has been powered off for a while then you can get some oil wash out. If the compressor ...
fan on outside a/c unit3/23/2009
  Q: what is the cost of replacing a fan on the outside a/c unit, & coil was replaced one year ago, heat ...
  A: I would 200-300 to replace the fan motor, assuming a standard type motor. As to why it will not ...
Rusted AC3/21/2009
  Q: I have central ac and heating unit in my townhouse. The ac unit has "fried." The entire unit is ...
  A: In FL, a unit that lasts 15 years is pretty good. Anywhere near the ocean and salt, that is a ...
good hvac company3/21/2009
  Q: How can I choose a honest company for a hvac tune up? Just bought home and want it tuned up before ...
  A: It can be concerning to get a good company to service your A/C. I would ask people you know. Check ...
Cental AC3/21/2009
  Q: Hey Craig, I am in the process of having my AC replaced. After 2 estimates I am a bit ...
  A: This is now possible for me to answer. You gave a correct term for the wrong part. The coil that ...
Nozzle line3/20/2009
  Q: . i have a Riello Mectron M5. Apparently there was some sludge in the opil tank. the oil company ...
  A: I am not surprised, nor concerned the service manager does not know the part number. He/she may not ...
Rheem Corsaire series Heating unit ignition problem3/20/2009
  Q: We have a Rheem Corsaire series heating unit Model# RHS-80PJ07EAR01. The unit is approx 4-5yrs old. ...
  A: If you are getting a pressure switch, the igniter will not glow and no gas will flow. The pressure ...
Compressor location3/20/2009
  Q: Craig, I have a house with 2 HVAC systems (basement and second floor). Currently, the larger of the ...
  A: There are limits to the distance a line set can be. The shorter the distance, the better off. I ...
Drain Qs!3/19/2009
  Q: I have a 60TR AHU around the 50´s still working pretty good, but I doubt the drain is original cause ...
  A: The unit needs a trap to drain. The key to the trap is the depth of it, not the length. A longer ...
hope you can help3/19/2009
  Q: I AM WORKING ON A 20TON HEAT PUMP ITS A 2007MODLE AND PUT IN NEW COMPRESSOR AND REVERSING VALVE AND ...
  A: You either melted the guts of the rev. valve when you installed it, there is a valve closed, or a ...
Commercial hvac sizing3/18/2009
  Q: I know this needs to be calculated but am just looking for an opinion on the typical size found in ...
  A: Oversizing will cause more problems then undersizing, but there is a fine line between the two. ...
Central AC Thermostat3/17/2009
  Q: I have a Whirlpool package central air unit, possibly 15 to 30 years old. All model #'s are faded ...
  A: As old as the unit is, with the controls of the time, I would lead towards a bad thermostat. Newer ...
heat pump3/17/2009
  Q: is it likely that a 10 seer heat pump w/ electric emergency heat would cause a 2 person family ...
  A: Wow...that sounds crazy! I do not think it is realistic to use that much, but it might be possible ...
Office buildings3/16/2009
  Q: Is it true that office buildings don't really use their heating systems very much because they get ...
  A: It really depends on where the building is, the condition of the building, size of the building, how ...
Forced Hot Air - Oil Fired3/16/2009
  Q: ok, well here's my problem. I have 1 bedroom that only has 1 heat vent in it. This 1 heat vent ...
  A: If there is not enough air entering the room, adding a return is no going to fix the problem. If ...
Heating unit not coming on automatically3/16/2009
  Q: My heating unit does not come on when I set the thermostat to auto. If I set it to on it comes on ...
  A: It could be one of few things...the control board inside the unit (if it even has one). sequencer, ...
AC fan cycles slow on off3/15/2009
  Q: I have a Bryant central AC Unit #661CJ042. After a power surge our unit was not working properly. ...
  A: Power surges can do a number of things to a unit. It may not look like anything is actually wrong. ...
compressor keeps running3/15/2009
  Q: I have a Florida heatpump ground source pump & dump system. When the unit shuts down sometimes the ...
  A: Any time there is discoloration, that is a sign that things are not making good contact and getting ...
Black Dust3/14/2009
  Q: I rent an apartment where the vents are in the floor. After moving in, I noticed my lace curtains ...
  A: The flex ducts have a plastic type of lining, with the fiberglass on the outside. There also has to ...
New Goodman coil smells3/14/2009
  Q: We just had a coil replaced on our system -the minute it was put in and the unit started up it ...
  A: From what you are saying, this seems odd. New coils will have some light oils and other things left ...
compressor keeps running3/13/2009
  Q: I have a Florida heatpump ground source pump & dump system. When the unit shuts down sometimes the ...
  A: A circuit board not flashing any problems, does not it is not fautly. My first guess would be a ...
Air Handler odor3/12/2009
  Q: About 6 months ago we had to have the air handler coil pulled and chemically washed. The tech ...
  A: Did the "cleaning" we had done in Aug 2008 cause "Dirty Socks Syndrome" by not properly being ...
Heating and air conditioning3/12/2009
  Q: My local HVAC company is offering a free Lennox furnace (with $885 for installation0 if I buy a ...
  A: There is nothing wrong with Lennox. If the price is right, I would install one. I am not sure what ...
AC on Heat Pump out - Heat works3/11/2009
  Q: Question - Our heat pump's ac is out, but the heat works fine. Background - have had it charged ...
  A: The "fix-it" crap does not work. They sell it at the auto parts store for cars also, which is only ...
Air Handler odor3/10/2009
  Q: About 6 months ago we had to have the air handler coil pulled and chemically washed. The tech ...
  A: It is not just Trane. The problem is common in all makes, models and sizes. If you read thought ...
dirty sock smell3/10/2009
  Q: Last night we turned the air on to cool the house since it was in the upper 70s inside. My wife ...
  A: It could be a dirty evap coil, but could also be the drain pan, drain line etc. It can also be in ...
Carrier Error Code3/8/2009
  Q: I do not know what model Carrier I have, but i came home the other day and the thermostat read low ...
  A: When the dog chewed the wires, they shorted out the control voltage fuse. The fuse is in the air ...
Air handlers3/8/2009
  Q: I have a Trane air handler model # TWE087E18FB0 can I install in attic and lay this unit horizontal ...
  A: Most of the air handlers Trane makes are concertable. Trane's website does not have manuals on it. ...
Odor present when a/c engages.3/7/2009
  Q: Hey there, 4 years ago I had a 4 ton payne gas furnace and condenser installed in my house carrying ...
  A: For one reason or another, some homes have more problems with the odor then others. The fact the ...
Covering grills3/6/2009
  Q: We have floor registers where the heat/air comes out from the heating unit also there are registers ...
  A: There can be some debate over this issue, but I will say that most homes do not have both high and ...
floor vents3/6/2009
  Q: I am considering purchasing an entertainment center. It is wide enough to partially block two a/c ...
  A: The size of the vent may not be a true indicator of the amount of air flowing. You can use the same ...
Emergency Switch3/6/2009
  Q: During a second floor addition I had a new gas HVAC unit installed in attic which is accessed by ...
  A: I am not quite sure what you mean by emergency turn off. Most, if not all, building codes require a ...
HVAC3/5/2009
  Q: I just finished building a new elevated "Charleston" style home. We have 3600 square feet and two ...
  A: The fact you have water coming from the unit tells me it was cooling instead of heating. This can ...
Radiator vent hole stripped3/4/2009
  Q: This may not be in your line, but I'm hoping you might know something about it. Last night I tried ...
  A: This is not looking too good for you. The "grooves" are called threads. There are different types ...
Trane XL1100 exterior unit3/4/2009
  Q: While replacing the fan motor (bad sleeve bearings)on my 10 year old XL1100 (and the capacitors as ...
  A: Most crankcase heaters can be changed. Compressors use a strap-on/belly band type or a well type. ...
Moving a floor register to a wall register3/3/2009
  Q: The existing floor register is located in a walkway. The floor register is located about 4 inches ...
  A: Without seeing where things need to go, I can not tell you what you need to do to move the grille. ...
Carrier Furnace Quesiton3/3/2009
  Q: I came home today and heard a funny rattling noise coming from the furnace. The furnace was blowing ...
  A: I believe you have a code 33...If I had your model number I could hunt down the info on your furnace ...
Bryant brand Condensing unit3/2/2009
  Q: The outside condensing unit in question is a Bryant. The unit is heating the house, however the ...
  A: Ok, just making sure. I have had this question and they did not have a heatpump. The fan needs to ...
how big of heater for my needs3/2/2009
  Q: I have just finished building a cabin in the Colorado Rockies we are at an Elevation of approx. 7900 ...
  A: Without doing a heat load, it is hard to say. I will tell you there are heating systems that do not ...
Gas Furnace - Burners have trouble starting up, sometimes causing a loud boom3/2/2009
  Q: I have a 1994 Lennox Diplomat Gas furnace. Recently, I've heard it make a kind of a "boom" sound so ...
  A: If the burners slide back into place, then that may not be the problem. The problem you are having ...
gas furnace ignition3/1/2009
  Q: My gas furnace is not fully igniting. The glow plug lights, and the nearest burner ignites, but the ...
  A: The problem can be low gas pressure, faulty valve, dirty orfices etc. Furnaces, for the most part, ...
LENNOX G40UH-36A-070-33/1/2009
  Q: THE INDUCER FAN WILL NOT COME ON?? BLINKING LIGHT DIAGNOSTIC SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT A LIMIT SWITCH??
  A: If you are getting a limit switch alarm, then the unit will not heat. Turn the power off to the ...
central ac in a townhouse3/1/2009
  Q: I am currently renovating a 100 year old townhouse and adding central ac. I don't want to include ...
  A: Not all bathrooms and walk-in closets have a/c supplied to them. You should be ok without. As I ...
Intake Vents in rooms in house2/28/2009
  Q: We have forced hot air in my home and there are 2 vents in every room of the home. In most of the ...
  A: Going back a few years ago, the gap under the door was considered enough return air. Any room that ...
Heatpump using electric strips2/27/2009
  Q: I am using my Payne Heat Pump through its first winter. After the first 10 minutes of regular heat ...
  A: In order for me to help you, I need the model number off of the t-stat and the unit. I need to try ...
RE : Suction Pipe Size2/27/2009
  Q: I am trying to change existing Daikin Multi Split AC system ( R22 - 3 phase- Constant Speed ...
  A: To start with, I do not know metric sizes. Larger then recommended suction lines can lead to oil ...
HEIL HEAT PUMP2/27/2009
  Q: I aks for a advice about my HeatPump about 3 days ago I'm not a expert on hvac but I have some ...
  A: If one probe is on ground, and the other is on the contactor term, you will only show 24v from the ...
Knocking coming from heat pump refrigerant lines2/26/2009
  Q: I've copied in an old thread below as a reference, to a problem I'm having that's very similar. ...
  A: As in any case, any condition beyond normal, can be harmful to equipment. If there is a change in ...
ruud heat pump condenser fan motor2/26/2009
  Q: my heat pump condenser fan motor, Ruud, Achiever 14 series, froze up due to lack of grease ...
  A: In the field it is common for to use aftermarket motors. I would be willing to bet they two motors ...
Knocking coming from heat pump refrigerant lines2/25/2009
  Q: I've copied in an old thread below as a reference, to a problem I'm having that's very similar. ...
  A: A line set for a given tonnage should be the same for any brand. It is going to require a certain ...
not enough air flow2/25/2009
  Q: when turning heater on buners ignite and the vent blower to outside is on.The main blower to ...
  A: If you have a cooling coil, that can get blocked causing air flow problems. You can also have a ...
ruud heat pump condenser fan motor2/25/2009
  Q: my heat pump condenser fan motor, Ruud, Achiever 14 series, froze up due to lack of grease ...
  A: The bushings in fractional HP motors do not use grease. They only use a light turbine type oil. ...
RUUD package unit2/24/2009
  Q: I just bought a brand new package unit at my home. When outside, I noticed that there is a constant ...
  A: The noise is likely coming from the transformer. It is normal for some noise to emit from it. ...
No air flow2/24/2009
  Q: One vent in my house has no air flow. All others are OK. It is located in the room farthest away ...
  A: If you have metal ducts, the knocking noise can be the air flow stopping. Metal will also expand ...
heil heat pump2/24/2009
  Q: I had a heil unit, it was runing fine, but three weeks ago it star making a noise, I call a ...
  A: Your unit was made the 19th week of 2002. It is about half way through the average life of a unit. ...
compressor shorted to ground2/24/2009
  Q: would like to know reasons that this could happen on a unit that is only 6 months old. please ...
  A: There are many reasons for a compressor to go to ground. It seems that in most cases, it is caused ...
Lennox Gas Furnace....Possible Gas Valve/Control Module Issue2/23/2009
  Q: I've had this gas furnace system problem for awhile that I've luckily been able to manually ...
  A: As a homeowner without great furnace knowledge, I think you really need to bite the bullet and call ...
A/C UNIT2/23/2009
  Q: Hey Craig, I had few questions if you can help out. There is a guy on Craig List selling 3 ton York ...
  A: You did not give me a price to consider. Like any contractor, be careful with who you are dealing ...
19 yr old furnace & noise2/23/2009
  Q: I am tentatively purchasing a home with a furnace in a closet in the hallway. There is no basement ...
  A: A unit that is 19 years old, for the most part is old. It is time to replace. The 70% is really ...
Cleaning permanent air filter in Carrier Heat Pump system2/23/2009
  Q: We have a permanent air filter in our system and I need to know how to clean it. Should I buy a ...
  A: There are different types of filters, so I am not exactly sure what you have. Most perm filters can ...
want to add heat and ac to attic for finishing2/22/2009
  Q: I have an 85000 btu furnace with central air in my basement, the supply duct is 12x8 and the return ...
  A: Considering the amount of space you are adding, you might need to up the size of your furnace and ...
One of my York units not heating one side of house2/22/2009
  Q: I justed moved into a 3400sq ft home that has two large york HVAC units (one for one side of the ...
  A: I am a bit confused. You stated that one of the units does not cool one side of the house. You ...
heating and air conditioning2/21/2009
  Q: the display on my thermostat is not illuminated and the fan is running continuously.
  A: If the t-stat uses batteries, then change them. If the stat uses power from the unit itself, then ...
Asbestos paper on heat ducts2/21/2009
  Q: We need to replace my mother's 1950 Holland gravity furnace. The heater salesman said we could ...
  A: No matter what form it is in asbestos is asbestos. It has to be removed following strict guidelines ...
Pressure switch HVAC2/20/2009
  Q: Craig: I have a luxaire Acclimate 9.5 Series high efficiency natural gas furnace. The furnace sat ...
  A: If you google search "furnace pressure switch picture", I had it bring up a few. It is a square or ...
High Efficiency Gas Furnace - smell plastic2/20/2009
  Q: We recently had our Trane High Efficiency Gas Furnace repaired. First a professional replaced the ...
  A: Any kind of odor is not a good thing. You might get something the first time heat is used for the ...
blower fan2/20/2009
  Q: i have a 3 year old goodman 5 ton ac (outside) with a goodman 20 kw electric heat unit (inside). the ...
  A: There is a difference in fans, so you need to know what kind you have. There are fans that are ...
Theremostat only shows up to 60 degree even I set it to 702/19/2009
  Q: I am not sure if there is something wrong with my Air/Heat system in my house or not. I thought ...
  A: Since you did not state that you were always too cold and the t-stat is saying 60, I was thinking ...
Theremostat only shows up to 60 degree even I set it to 702/19/2009
  Q: I am not sure if there is something wrong with my Air/Heat system in my house or not. I thought ...
  A: What I would do now is get an stand alone room thermometer. Any type will do. Place in areas ...
hvac HEATER ISSUES - followup2/19/2009
  Q: I had a problem last week, and though i fixed it. (I replaced teh Intermittent Pilot Control ...
  A: I actually had the same question with the same follow ups appear twice in my inbox. I then post a ...
Trane Intellipac unit2/19/2009
  Q: I am responsible for approx. 30 Trane Intellipac rooftop units; 80-130 ton. Having intermittent ...
  A: It sounds to me that when the dampers are closed, there is not enough building return, or the ...
Rudd 90 plus gas furnace2/18/2009
  Q: The unit is 3 1/2 years old and was serviced a month and a half ago. At the same time I added a ...
  A: To me the whistle is caused by too much air trying to move though too small of a space. The coil ...
Coils on forced air unit2/18/2009
  Q: I am removing my forced air unit and was wondering if there was a certain way to drain the coolant ...
  A: The refrigerant does not "drain". It can be pumped down into the condensing unit using the ...
hvac HEATER ISSUES2/17/2009
  Q: I had a problem last week, and though i fixed it. (I replaced teh Intermittent Pilot Control ...
  A: Try removing the hot wire (normally red) from the back of the stat and see if the fan stops. If that ...
home natural gas unit2/17/2009
  Q: the unit isn't very old an started to cycle on an off many times before it lites,the air flow switch ...
  A: I am not sure what kind of stat you have with a light...It could be a bad stat. Try turning the ...
Blowers going but no heat from furnace2/16/2009
  Q: Heil DC90 Ultra High Efficiency furnace is not generating heat. The blowers are going but no heat ...
  A: Turning off the power might reset it. Unplug/turn off the breaker to see if it will reset. Your ...
Furnace problem2/16/2009
  Q: Last week I noticed that I have no heating in my house, I checked the thermostat, which is digital ...
  A: Measure the voltage coming into the 24v transformer. It needs to be what the rated voltage of the ...
Gas furnace blowing cold air2/16/2009
  Q: Our 1970-somthing gas furnace has stopped working and just blows cold air. Could the pilot light be ...
  A: If the thermostat is reading high, it might be the stat. Turn the stat as warm as it will go to see ...
blower/fan for heater2/15/2009
  Q: there is very little air flow, heat, coming out of the vents. how can i adjust the fan speed? the ...
  A: Not all units have speed adjustment. You did not give me a model number so I do not know what ...
furnance2/15/2009
  Q: furnance works sometimes but sometimes i have too take the cover off and hit the inducer fan switch ...
  A: You could have a problem with the pressure switch, the lines that connect the switch, you may even ...
hvac motherboard2/14/2009
  Q: hey, how much should I be paying to change out a blown board? They started out at $684 and I got the ...
  A: I have found the Internet pricing for the board to be $200-300. The prices do seem to vary. If you ...
Heating/Conditioning Unit verses space in House2/14/2009
  Q: I need to get a new gas/electric heating/air conditioning unit for my home. I have approx 1750 ...
  A: The amount of space an a/c unit has to condition is the most important thing when sizing. There are ...
Thermostat2/13/2009
  Q: Just got a house and the owner while moving out took the cover plate and controls but left the wall ...
  A: You are going to have to buy a whole new t-stat. You are also going to have to find out what type ...
Flame Sensor problem2/13/2009
  Q: I have a Coleman Evcon T.H.E. 90 Model #2985E766 95,000 BTU furnace. Installed around 1992. In the ...
  A: The flame sensor is there to see a flame. It does not open the gas valve. The flame sensor keeps ...
Problem with my AC2/13/2009
  Q: Then an hour or 2 my girl turn the A/C on cause i turn the heat on she turn on the A/C to get cool ...
  A: The problem can be any number of the 24v control devices or wiring inside the unit (inside or ...
Furnace Problem2/12/2009
  Q: I have a Frigidaire Furnace and Honeywell TH8000 thermostat. The thermostat seems to cut out prior ...
  A: If the room t-stat is cycling the unit off, cleaning the flame sensor is not going to help. You ...
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 problem could be a flame rollout. The flame rollout turns the unit off. A typical reason for ...
one side of home not cooling as well as other side2/11/2009
  Q: i have a 2yr old trane xli19 a/c unit that is in the attic, but mounted on one side of the home. so ...
  A: Adding a return to the other side of the house is not going to do a bit of good unless the entire ...
bleading propane lines2/11/2009
  Q: I ran out of propane and my home now has air in all the lines. It is below freezing and I can't get ...
  A: If you have an electronic start, let it go thought he cycle a few times. You might have to turn the ...
Home Heating Unit2/6/2009
  Q: I have an Train unit in my home how do i know if I have a heat pump for heat? My air handler only ...
  A: Some units (outside) have the word heatpump on them. The model number can be looked up. If your ...
payne heat pump2/5/2009
  Q: I have a new payne heat pump unit.Sometimes when the heater is on and the outside unit is ...
  A: The results of what you are seeing is defrost. It sound though the defrost is just not staying on ...
Thermostat Placement2/5/2009
  Q: IS against natural gas code to place a heating unit thermostat on an outside wall.In Ontario Canada ...
  A: I do not know about the issue of code, but placing a t-stat on any wall that can be affected by ...
New Unit Not blowing through vents.2/5/2009
  Q: I had a new Ac/Heater unit installed on top of my roof last month. The heater works great. Blows ...
  A: When you say A/C, I am guessing cooling. It might be possible the unit froze up. Turning the ...
Payne furnace2/5/2009
  Q: I have a Payne heater, gas, model pg8uaa, up-flow , I would like to know how to turn on the blower ...
  A: I have worked on Payne, and your unit from what I can figure is new enough to have the fan on wiring ...
hvac shuting off randomly2/4/2009
  Q: My gas hvac unit is causing problems. It seemed to start with the flame sensor not catching. The ...
  A: Normally the main fan is off until a predetermined point in time after the flame is lights. This ...
Payne furnace2/4/2009
  Q: I have a Payne heater, gas, model pg8uaa, up-flow , I would like to know how to turn on the blower ...
  A: I am guessing that your t-stat has a fan switch, but only two wires from the furnace. This is also a ...
buying a new heating and air system2/3/2009
  Q: We are buying a new 3 ton system for our house. We have quotes on systems from American Standard ...
  A: Both brands are good. American Standard is a Trane for the most part. Ruud, also makes good units. ...
Trane XE1200 Heat Pump2/3/2009
  Q: I have a Trane XE1200 heat pump and the condensing unit will not come on.
  A: Check the breakers for the cond. unit. Turning them on and off might reset the unit and get things ...
Screw Hit & Emptied Copper AC Line2/3/2009
  Q: refrigerant line emptied in basement. Question- I would like to close the ceiling and finish my ...
  A: You do not have to wait...The line can be fixed, and using nitrogen, the line set can be pressurized ...
2001 American Standard electric heat pump unit2/1/2009
  Q: The unit is on "auxiliary" (heat strips) until the temperature outside reaches about 55. Have had ...
  A: The problem could be an outdoor thermostat that is keeping the heatpump off and the strips on. It ...
A/C low temp setting2/1/2009
  Q: We recently moved from St. Louis to northern FL and this is our first experience with a heat pump/AC ...
  A: You were luckly the old you did not freeze up. Because of the way units work and the pressures they ...
Condensation Pump Options2/1/2009
  Q: Craig --we have a 3yr old Trane heatpump with a TWE031E13FB1 air-handler. The front of the air ...
  A: There are condensate pumps out there that will fit directly in a drain pan, however they will not ...
Heater problem1/31/2009
  Q: I have central air/heat system(gas) on my roof.The heater comes on when it wants to. I have followed ...
  A: In order to find out what is happening, a meter is going to have to use to check the point where ...
freezing outside Trane Unit1/30/2009
  Q: The Trane unit on the outside of the house freezes up all the time. I have a 1500 sq.ft. ranch with ...
  A: The freezing and noise is normal. The amount of ice that builds will depend on indoor temp, outdoor ...
pressures1/30/2009
  Q: R410 pressures are 95 low side high side 360,the elevation here is 2515 ft,does elevation have any ...
  A: If the gauges are calibrated for the elevation, then you should not see much of a difference. The ...
Location of filters1/30/2009
  Q: We have a honeywell whole house filter at the furnace and a contractor is recommending that we ...
  A: No matter what you do, dust will get into the system. How long will depend on how much dust, how ...
home warrenty on heat pump1/29/2009
  Q: We bought a home in Central Texas with an existing 11 year old heat pump/air handler (5 ton unit). ...
  A: I would say 15 years is the average. Once a heatpump starts to get over the 10-12 mark, I look at ...
ruud achiever heat pump1/29/2009
  Q: I built my new home in 2005 i hired another contractor to design and install the heating system due ...
  A: I think an air source heatpump is a poor choice for the primary heat in Maryland. It works great ...
Lennox HVAC1/29/2009
  Q: I just installed (less than 6 months) a new Lennox HVAC a/c system. When the a/c comes on it smells ...
  A: Yes, this can happen. The coil and inside the air handler is nice wet, dark, cool place were stuff ...
Return vent pipe makes lots of noise1/28/2009
  Q: Can you please tell me what can I do to reduce noise in my return pipe vent located on second floor. ...
  A: Noise can be cause by different things in a system. Insulation the pipe could be the answer to your ...
Traps and solder1/28/2009
  Q: I have two questions. I live on the sixth floor of a two and a half year old condo. The HVAC units ...
  A: All solder and metal for that matter, will tarnish to a degree at some point in time. "I" prefer ...
Heating with a new high Efficiency Furnace1/28/2009
  Q: I have a 24 year old home with an old 70% Lennox Furnace. I have been told it is time to replace it ...
  A: Each furnace is designed with a given temp rise. I do not know what you have now, and what you ...
Traps and solder1/28/2009
  Q: I have two questions. I live on the sixth floor of a two and a half year old condo. The HVAC units ...
  A: There can be quite a bit of cost difference, when you consider the amount. The 15% stuff is 15% ...
Heat Pump Abnormal Pressures in Heat mode1/27/2009
  Q: I'm an a/c technician (over 10 yrs exp) and currently work as a tech support tech--over the ...
  A: If there was a restriction in the metering device in the cond unit for heating mode, then the suct. ...
Traps and solder1/27/2009
  Q: I have two questions. I live on the sixth floor of a two and a half year old condo. The HVAC units ...
  A: Although I can not say for sure, I believe most building codes require they solder that is uses to ...
lowering heat bill1/26/2009
  Q: If I open a window in a room of my house which is not the room where my thermostat is will my heater ...
  A: You will not get more heat. You will use more gas/oil so the boiler can keep the water leaving the ...
HVAC - Am Std. 90% efficiency unit question1/25/2009
  Q: Greetings, I have two Am. Std 90% efficiency units - installed mid2007. The in/out pvc pipes were ...
  A: The smaller blower can be called, exhust, combustion air or induced draft fan. I have heard them ...
lowering heat bill1/25/2009
  Q: If I open a window in a room of my house which is not the room where my thermostat is will my heater ...
  A: You really lost me. Anytime you open a window or door, you allow more cold air get in. The room ...
gas furnace1/24/2009
  Q: i have a lennox model g21q3 that will not kick back on after the temperature setting is met. have to ...
  A: Copy and paste this link...."http://hvacpartsshop.net/G21_Series.pdf" It is the directions for your ...
Gas Valve1/24/2009
  Q: My 18 year old Kennmore warm air gas furnace's original gas valve was a Honeywell VR8440P2088. ...
  A: The 3.5" W.C. on the furnace is the max pressure the furnace is designed to work with. It may or ...
Fan Coil Unit1/23/2009
  Q: i recently moved into a condominium and just this past week my coil burst and hot water came pouring ...
  A: It might be possible to freeze up a coil, but only if your whole condo turned into a freezer with ...
Luixaire acclimate 97% efficieny series 9.c1/22/2009
  Q: New unit, been having 7 red flashes error code today, this happened a month ago and then stopped now ...
  A: Nomally there is something inside the unit that will tell you what the flashes mean. I do not know ...
Bryant gas furnace1/22/2009
  Q: I have a Bryant gas furnace that is 8 years old. Never had any problems previously. When ...
  A: I am guessing that the unit comustion gas fan does not start and stop with the t-stat removed. If ...
Reworking1/22/2009
  Q: My goal is to improve the efficiency of my HVAC system by eliminating unnecessary ductwork. ...
  A: The installation directions will tell you how far you have to leave anything away from the unit. ...
central heat1/21/2009
  Q: what do i need to check when my electric central heater runs almost constantly?
  A: Taking an amp draw of the heat strips, will tell if they are working to full amps. Changing the ...
Moisture in duct work1/21/2009
  Q: I have moisture in my duct work for my a/c - heat that is ran though my attic space and vented ...
  A: Close off all of the vents and see if that help. Leaving the fan running helps, you might even be ...
undersized system?1/19/2009
  Q: Will 3 ton heat pump system that also has a zone system on it be enough to cool a 2100 square foot ...
  A: There are heat load calc. that can be done to determine how big of a unit you need. Generally ...
heater smells when it defrosts1/19/2009
  Q: We have a miller a/ac heat pump unit. we just got it this past summer 2008 so this is our first ...
  A: The cause is likly due to the heat strips. The heat strips come into play when the heatpump goes ...
rheem gas furnace mod rgka-10eags1/18/2009
  Q: the blower motor stays on,hooking only the 24 volt transformer leads up the blower relay still kicks ...
  A: I do not have any wiring diagrams. It should be pasted inside the unit. If not there, then ...
Noise from airflow.1/17/2009
  Q: This question pertains to an A/C problem at my place of work. About 6 months ago, I started to have ...
  A: The box is a VAV box (variable air volume). They tend to get noisy when they are completly open, ...
Heat pump1/16/2009
  Q: At what temp. should I switch my maytag 2.5 ton unit to emer. heat?
  A: Once the temp starts to get to the mid 30's, most heatpumps start to loose heating capacity. You ...
Heating - Townhouse1/14/2009
  Q: I'm living in a townhouse where there is only one unit downstairs. It seems the heat has to be on ...
  A: The fact you have one unit, may not be the problem. There are limits to how much a unit is able to ...
Arkla Gas Furnace1/14/2009
  Q: The motor for the blower fried, it was so hot it burnt the specs which were attached to it. The ...
  A: I have never heard of the brand. I would take the motor to a local motor shop. They should be able ...
Gas forced air furnace1/12/2009
  Q: I have a conquest 90 gas forced air furnace (installed '04). I had the furnace inspected in ...
  A: Your furnace probably has a circuit board with a trouble light. A LED will flash on the board a ...
a/c compressor cover1/12/2009
  Q: This has been asked before but there was not an acceptable answer. I have a Carrier 2 1/2 ton R410 ...
  A: It can be purchased from Carrier, if Carrier will sell it. Carrier sells parts under "Totaline", ...
hvac1/12/2009
  Q: ANSWER: Is the unit a straight heat, or does it also cool in the summer? ---------- FOLLOW-UP ...
  A: This is not an impossible problem, but because it cools too, it is not as easy as it could be. ...
heat component not working1/11/2009
  Q: I have electric ac and gas heat and the unit is located outside. When set to ac/auto the fan will ...
  A: There can be many reasons for gas heat to not work. Turning the power off and then back on to the ...
Circuit Breaker trip1/11/2009
  Q: I originally asked same question to Electrician and I want to confirm this with you. My problem ...
  A: Before anything is replaced, the amp draw of the heat needs to be checked. You also need to check ...
Furnace dusty smell and noisy air return1/10/2009
  Q: I have a fairly new house/HVAC system, built in 2000. The house is two stories 2500 sq ft, and the ...
  A: The noise is due to the size, and not the length of run. The return opening is probably too small. ...
Pilot Failure1/9/2009
  Q: I have a Kennmore gas fired warm air furnace 867.768031 which is about 18 years old. It has an ...
  A: It could be a gas valve problem. If it is hanging up once in a while, then it may not open. It ...
Thermostat1/8/2009
  Q: I have in floor radiant heat that is controlled by "WR 1f35-910" themostats. I would like to ...
  A: Picking out a brand for you is not really an issue. You will just have to hunt around to see what ...
Thermostat1/7/2009
  Q: I replaced an older thermostat which had 2 mercury bulbs with a Hunter programmable one. My problem ...
  A: The problem may not be the thermostat, but rather the way it was programmed/installed or the way the ...
car exhaust smell in one room1/7/2009
  Q: The last few days I have noticed an odor that smells like car exhaust in my daughter's room. It ...
  A: The odor can be caused by any number of things. This can include mold/mildew. Mold/mildew can make ...
Pellet stove1/6/2009
  Q: We recently had a pellet stove installed in our finished basement. Does a very excellent job. What ...
  A: I would use a round duct booster fan. They come in different sizes, and should be quiet and safe to ...
Mobile home heat pump replacement1/6/2009
  Q: I have three estimates from Rheem contractors to replace the 15-year-old heat pump in my ...
  A: According my calculations you need an 18" return duct. You want to keep the fpm to no more then ...
Goodman Draft Induction Fan Keeps Cycling On and Off1/6/2009
  Q: Here is my situation: I have a Goodman (gulp) gaspack Model PGB042125-1 that is approximately 8 ...
  A: The problem can be the board, thermostat or short. If there is a short in the wiring, that can ...
Comfort heat pump1/6/2009
  Q: The electric was turned off for this house for about 1 1/2 years and turned on for the first time ...
  A: This may not be what you want to hear, but I think you should have the united checked. When things ...
HVAC Power Supply12/20/2008
  Q: Before retiring to Santa Cruz Bolivia I purchased 5 Amcor split air condition units. At the time I ...
  A: I have never had to deal with this issue myself. Although I find it common that motors will have a ...
no heat12/19/2008
  Q: I have carrier 90+ gas furnace that won't start.I'm getting the error code #13. If I let the unit ...
  A: As you may not may not know, the code is for high limit or rollout. I am going to aim more towards ...
Carrier gas heat unit blowing but not lighting/heating12/18/2008
  Q: I have a 15 year old Carrier combo gas heat/AC unit (48NT) outside my house. My thermostat is a ...
  A: From your description I am going to guess you have a combustion fan in your unit, and also the main ...
Presure Switch12/18/2008
  Q: I own a Nordyne electric furnace kg6rc 080c 16b The led on the control pannel says that the ...
  A: The pressure switch can be ordered from any of the numerous websites out there that sell parts. The ...
thermocouple/pilot light12/17/2008
  Q: I was asked by a friend if I could replace a thermocouple in a wall furnace. I went over to see what ...
  A: The knob in the pilot position allows the gas to flow to the pilot to light the pilot and give the ...
Furnace Blower Motor not working12/17/2008
  Q: My wife and I are looking at buying a new house. The house was built in 2005 and has a 90% efficient ...
  A: WOW, in this crappy housing market, they will not fix the motor to sell their house to you! Here ...
Furnace has excessive condensate buildup12/16/2008
  Q: I have a 12 year old 90-plus efficiency Day&Night furnace (MAV250) that recently stopped blowing ...
  A: Brushing and using a vac is the best way to clean off the burners. You may not actually be able to ...
heating12/16/2008
  Q: We have a newer two story home, but half of the 'second story' is a vaulted ceiling from the first ...
  A: Closing off the vents it not going to help, and could cause damage to the furnace. It is hard to ...
American Standard - Can I reduce the amount of coils being used.12/16/2008
  Q: I have an 2005 American Standard TWE031E13FB1 electric furnace. We replaced a fuel oil furnace for ...
  A: Even with the high cost of oil, elect heat strips are NOT the way to go. That is probably one of ...
Carrier Furnace no heat12/15/2008
  Q: I have a Carrier 58SXA060 furnace, occasionally the thermostat calls for heat but the furnace locks ...
  A: It is possible the problem is with the gas valve. The can be hanging up causing the problem. I ...
Carrier Furnace no heat12/15/2008
  Q: I have a Carrier 58SXA060 furnace, occasionally the thermostat calls for heat but the furnace locks ...
  A: It is hard to say what is locking it out. It could be any number of the safties build in to the ...
bard heat pump12/15/2008
  Q: stat shows fault on display. ive turned off power for 5 min and anything else the owners manuels ...
  A: If you turned off the power to reset, then it can be a number of things. It could be a saftey that ...
heat pump thermostat12/14/2008
  Q: I had a power outage in my house today. Not sure how long it lasted, but I called it in to the power ...
  A: When the power is off to the unit, that should turn off the thermostat. If it does not, then you ...
Cond. Unit Fan12/13/2008
  Q: After replacing a bad Defrost board on my Rheem/Ruud/Weatherking model # 10PJA4201 Heat Pump the FAN ...
  A: Ok, just wanted to make sure. My feeling is the run cap is weak. Using a piece of wood or plastic, ...
Cond. Unit Fan12/13/2008
  Q: After replacing a bad Defrost board on my Rheem/Ruud/Weatherking model # 10PJA4201 Heat Pump the FAN ...
  A: What all did you do to the unit when you replaced the board. How many wires, and where did you ...
Luxaire heat pump12/13/2008
  Q: I have a luxaire heat pump installed 2 years ago. It runs good in cooling but when it is in the ...
  A: Without getting my hands on the unit, it seems like the rev. valve is not hanging up or a check ...
Heater Not working with panel on12/12/2008
  Q: I have a roof GE HVAC, it woked ok last year, this year I had to replace the thermostat. The problem ...
  A: The unit looks like a heat and cool unit. The problem can be a blocked cooling coil. Looking at ...
Dual Zone or No Dual Zone12/12/2008
  Q: Attached are some pics of the AC/Forced air unit at my two story, 2700sqft house. I'm paying a huge ...
  A: Considering it is more then 20 years old, the unit has probably seen its better days. You should ...
Health problems with HVAC cleaning solutions12/11/2008
  Q: Do you get many questions concerning health problems after an HVAC system is cleaned? Friends tell ...
  A: No, not really. Most problems occur before units are cleaned. There are cleaners on the market ...
heater12/11/2008
  Q: I turned on my upstairs heater and I heard the thermostat click and I heard the heater in the attic ...
  A: Since you did not give me any info on the unit, it is hard for me to determine what it might be. ...
steam pipe too hot12/10/2008
  Q: The steam pipes, which run from floor to ceiling in each room, are ugly and give off way too much ...
  A: There is pipe insulation on the market that pretty much blocks all heat from getting off the pipe. ...
Heat pump air unit12/10/2008
  Q: I just recently turned on my heat and it was snowing last night so the high was 20 degrees. The bad ...
  A: For the most part, heatpumps have a limit to which they will work well. The cooler it gets outdoors ...
Oil Filled Portable Radiator12/9/2008
  Q: Was referred to H/AC section by another section expert. If this is not the right section, would you ...
  A: I went looking at the manufacture's website. I am not sure what you you have, but did look at other ...
air ducting12/9/2008
  Q: Jim, My problem is that in heating my second floor, I over heat the first. I am in MA. The house is ...
  A: You are going to continue to have problems with this system until it is designed, installed, and ...
heat12/7/2008
  Q: i had programmable thermostat installed honeywell th8000 visionpro i live in a double wide and have ...
  A: The wait is there to protect the compressor. If the unit was running, turned off and back on too ...
Furnace Efficiency12/7/2008
  Q: I have a Janitrol/Goodman Furnace. Model # GMP075-4 REV B. It has a AFUE of 80%. Here recently i ...
  A: It is normal to see moisture coming out of the flue. Water vapor is one of the by-products of ...
HVAC12/6/2008
  Q: We have two heating zones in our home. Upstairs and downstairs. They have two separate thermostats. ...
  A: The problem can be in the t-stat or the unit. If you take the wires from the back of the stat and ...
blower moter12/6/2008
  Q: If yuo have a york ac unit do you have to use a york blower moter or can you use another brand
  A: If the motor is a normal frame size, hp and rpm, then you can use a generic motor. Sometimes ...
Pressure Switch Rheem Furnace12/5/2008
  Q: Craig, At times, mainly when the furnace is turned down at night, the heat will not kick on. The ...
  A: The pressure switch can not be clean. You can attempt to clean out the tubes that connect the ...
har to heat space12/4/2008
  Q: I live in an old water treatment plant which means empty spaces made by large concrete "tanks" under ...
  A: The size of the unit can be a factor along with the floor. In the long run, it will be cheaper to ...
rheem heat pump humming loudly12/3/2008
  Q: my hr\eat pump is humming loudly ive replaced the contacter and the capacitor on outside unit heat ...
  A: The hum could be the rev. valve sol. Some cond. units have a transformer in them as well. If you ...
Fan not spooling up12/3/2008
  Q: I have a Bryant AC system about four or five years old, model number of the air handler is ...
  A: Before you start doing anything yourself, you need to determine if the unit is under warranty. You ...
Arcoair Furnace11/26/2008
  Q: My furnace quit working, the transformer went bad I thought becouse I had no power going thru it. I ...
  A: The new valve might be bad, I have seen it happen before. You need to make sure the coil for the ...
Carrier 58PAV short cycling11/25/2008
  Q: I am a novice and will try to explain what is going on and see if you can help me out. I just bought ...
  A: You should be able to touch the motor without burning yourself. A motor that is too hot is a sign ...
mold growing on wall adjacent to the fridge11/25/2008
  Q: I have purchased a new Amana refrigerator in October, and already I had to clean mold forming to ...
  A: My first thought...The doors on the old fridge use to stop the cold air from hitting the wall. The ...
Carrier 58PAV short cycling11/24/2008
  Q: I am a novice and will try to explain what is going on and see if you can help me out. I just bought ...
  A: Your furnace has two fans..one we call the combustion fan, and the other the blower wheel. If the ...
Rheem furnace, pilot light / flame sensor problem11/24/2008
  Q: Rheem furnace, pilot light / flame sensor problem. Model RRGE-05E30JKR Flame sensor does not heat ...
  A: Using that propane torch is a good way to blow you, your neighbors and your home up. The pilot ...
Good vent air flow but not hot enough/Trane HVAXC 3.5ton system11/24/2008
  Q: I have a Trane (outdoor) HVAC 3.5 ton gas system. Air flow seems good, but temp of heat isn't much. ...
  A: The model number does not tell me the age of the unit. I can not tell you if you should replace the ...
Return air efficiency11/24/2008
  Q: "I, myself, recently install a new high efficiency heat pump with a gas high efficiency backup ...
  A: You stated you noticed a large amount of air moving, but you did not say if it coming though the ...
Rheem heat pump11/22/2008
  Q: Our heat pump when working in the winter, and only in the cold mornings, will run for a while, quit, ...
  A: The problem can be a number of things. The problem can be a board, low on charge, elect problems, ...
Air Conditioning system Rattle11/22/2008
  Q: My heating and air system has an air intake/filter located about 4 feet below the ceiling. If I use ...
  A: You might need to increase the size of the filter grille. The more surface area, the slower the air ...
florida heat pump11/21/2008
  Q: I have an older a/c system here in Fla. I have an outside compressor and an attic air handler. When ...
  A: When heating using heappump mode, and not em. heat, the compressor should be running. There are ...
Rheem Criterion Furnace ignitor not glowing11/20/2008
  Q: I have a Rheem gas furnace, 1999 model. Last year it worked fine, now it will not. When I kick the ...
  A: Since, what I believe you described is the combustion fan, is running, then the pressure which is ...
Carrier central air conditioning blower motor noise11/20/2008
  Q: Upstairs attic unit Horzontal unit. when I turn the fan only switch I hear a rattling grinding ...
  A: When power is applied to a motor it causes forces on the motor that are not there when it is free ...
furnace filter never gets dirty11/19/2008
  Q: I'm puzzled why my furnace/central air filter on my forced air system never gets dirty. I have ...
  A: If the filter is installed in the air stream, then you may just have a clean house. There really is ...
heating11/19/2008
  Q: I am a service tech for an apartment complex and want to know what is typically wrong when the ...
  A: Unfortantlly there is nothing typical. Stuck contactors and shorted, melted, loose, burned wiring ...
gas furnace11/19/2008
  Q: this is the sequence of my gas furnance,turn on t-stat,flame comes on ,fan does not come on until ...
  A: You did mot give me much to work with. I would start off by saying the t-stat (inside the unit) is ...
gas furnace11/18/2008
  Q: I asked you yesterday about a flame sensor. Well that was not the problem. Once I got the cover off ...
  A: Since the controller is not indicating a problem, they is could be the control board. They can do ...
Air FIlter Installation11/18/2008
  Q: I recently purchased a new home (for me) and replaced the air filters in the air handler. When I ...
  A: The arrow is the direction of air flow. The arrow should point towards the air handler. Some ...
air conditioning release of water through hose11/18/2008
  Q: I am renovating my basement in doing so the release hose cannot be run towards the drain. I hear ...
  A: You need a condensate pump. They are easy to install, just a little bit of pipe and run the hose. ...
Issue with home heater11/17/2008
  Q: Several years ago I had an outside fan motor replaced and a relay unit on the inside replaced. (I ...
  A: That device in the picture is called a sequencer. If you have a multi-speed motor, the unit can use ...
American Standard Freedom 8011/17/2008
  Q: I have a 12 year old American Standard Freedom 80 Furnace. Tonight it started to act up. The igniter ...
  A: The most likely problem is the flame sensor. It might just need a bit of cleaning or replacement. ...
Armstrong Air Handler11/17/2008
  Q: We put air handler in last yesr. I can not locate the paper work and need the wiring digram. We ...
  A: Since your cond. unit will work in cool, it seems kind of strange that it will not come on in heat. ...
Looking for the filter11/15/2008
  Q: I have a Janitrol furnace in my home (model # GDE 080-4 Rev S) and I am looking for the filter. I ...
  A: Not all units have a filter built into them. If you were to remove the front covers, if there is a ...
AC Outside unit Motor screetching11/15/2008
  Q: 2 of my 4 AC cap nuts broke off and top 1/2" of motor mounts broke off also. Motor mounts were about ...
  A: In my experience, when this happens it is because the motor and fan blade need to be replaced. The ...
hot water furnance / pressure11/15/2008
  Q: I have a chromolox hot water furnance and my question is this - my thermostat is basically off (set ...
  A: Yeap, that sounds like what you are looking for. The first valve is a pressure reducing valve, and ...
Knocking noise from Heat/Air compressor unit11/15/2008
  Q: I live in a apartment where the compressor unit (electric) is directly above the roof and whenever I ...
  A: The problem sounds like a fan. It could be dirty, loose, something sticking though the guard, out ...
hot water furnance / pressure11/14/2008
  Q: I have a chromolox hot water furnance and my question is this - my thermostat is basically off (set ...
  A: Most if not all, closed loop systems have a water makeup valve. The valve takes city pressure and ...
Thermostat hook up11/14/2008
  Q: Craig,I have a new stat T-87, A new air handler with a new outside AC unit, That I hooked up to my ...
  A: They Y from the t-stat (yellow is common color wire) goes directly to the cond. unit. It does not ...
whirlpool furnace m/#WFAUO75B16_1B11/14/2008
  Q: ITS A RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC IGNITED(NORTON IGNITER) GAS FURNACE THAT WE GET 7(SEVEN) FLASHES ON THE ...
  A: Since you appear to be getting no flame, there is a gas problem. You need to check that the gas is ...
Furnace flow of air11/13/2008
  Q: My return duct seems smaller than the output duct. How is this affecting my cycles/ gas ... <