Is this normal for a new basement system?

[BillyBA]

I had a Trane heat pump system installed for my basement. But I don't think it is working as well as it should be. I did a test last night while I working on door headers ...the thermostat said 78, and I set it to 75, and I timed it to see how long it took to cool. It ran constantly for nearly two hours, and was only 76 by the time I went back upstairs.

The basement is not finished, ie it's like one big room since the walls are open studs, but this still seems wrong. The system does cool, but it takes forever to do so and constantly runs, which means my electric bill is sky high. I am worried the system is undersized for the space (about 1000 sqft).

Is this normal operation without the walls being up?

[John A. Weeks III]

You have two issues to deal with:

1) without walls, you do not have proper air flow. There are not vents and returns distributed around the room, and walls to force the air to flow from vent to return. As a result, the air just circulating in a big circle, and not cooling the area. 2) you may have heat soak. When you let an area get warm for a while, the heat is soaked up by the mass of the structure. Once you start cooling, the mass will radiate that stored heat out into the air. It might take days to cool a large room that has a lot of mass for the first time. Once you get it cool, it only takes a little A/C to keep it cool, also long as it remains cool and never lets the heat build back up in the structure.

Excess moisture can cause problems. You may want to dehumidify if you are over 45%. Small circulation fans also help.

-john-

[BillyBA]

Thank you. Yes, I suspected this was probably the reason I was not getting proper cooling, but it still *seems* like it should be able to do more. I don't get nearly the airflow out of the vents from the new unit that I do from my 1st floor.

I agree 100% here too. I suspected the concrete would be acting like a heat source, since there has not been any active cooling down there.

It's probably a safe bet, then, that I won't have any idea how well it works until the walls, ceiling and flooring are done?

[trader4]

Days to cool a room? Sounds like your AC is broken too.

Once you get it cool,

If it only took a little AC to maintain, then everyone would leave there systems running 24/7 and have small electric bills. In reality, it takes a lot to keep it cool too, though it certainly does take more initially to cool it down. But days to cool a room? Yikes!

[Bubba]

You are right. It should only take 1-3/4 hr to cool off that space. Not 2 hrs. If I were you, Id swap out your 1st fl system with your new basement system. No way is your new system big enough for 1000 sq. ft. Oops. No, wait a minute. You didnt tell us how big your new system was. Shoot. I guess I was starring at my crystal ball again. Forget what I said and come back when you have the walls up. Then we can all sit around, drink beer, shoot the shit and worry about how your measley system aint cooling worth a crap. Bubba

[Aimless in Charlotte]

Wow, what a great reply. I'm sure this guy was looking for just this type of ignorant post. Your information is worth what your IQ most likely is.......zero.

[Travis Jordan]

What did the heat gain calcuation say was required to cool the space in BTU (given the windows, insulation, orientation, etc.), and how big is the system you installed?

[Bubba]

and you, my "biatch" have earned the right to blow me! Bubba

[Aimless in Charlotte]

You spelled "bitch" wrong, fucktard.

[zero]

[zero]

[Bubba]

Wow! Hard to believe that there are actually people as stupid as you in this world. Bubba

[websurf1]

The "heat soak" makes perfect sense to me (not that that means much.. ;