I just bought a house and had the previous owner replace the heater.
I had it serviced yesterday and the technician indicated that they installed a heater which was too big for the house (5 tons versus 3 tons).
He tried to sell me a smaller one.
Anyone know the imact? Should this be a problem?
news:alt.hvac
A too-large unit might cut on and off frequently because it's so powerful it never gets to run, possibly allowing the far reaches of your house to stay too cold, and the on/off action may be considered annoying. If true, you're not going to rip it out, but you could capitalize by adding ducts and returns in additional places to do a tip-top job of circulating nice air everywhere. Then you'll have a better system than most people who have a few centrally located ducts and maybe one central return.
First, "tons" is typically used when referring to cooling capacity, not heating. A unit which is too large may have some problems - for example, it may not run long enough to remove humidity from the air since it can bring the temp down in a minimal run time. However, that doesn't mean that it will make economic sense to replace it.
Oh, and, unless the "technician" did a load calculation on the house, he's talking out his a$$.
Bob
Don't go to alt.hvac. The prima donna "HVAC Specialists" there don't like to impart their wisdom on mere homeowners for less than $100/hr. Call another company and get them to come out and do the thermal calculations.
Yeah, but some of us frequent both places.
AND some of them are a**holes....
HVAC Specialist = Prima Donna ??? That is an oxymoron if I've ever heard one. Why do you think the DIY craze has caught on, so you don't have to pay Moe, Larry, and Curly $100/hr.
Home owners should be aware that without EPA certs you will be in violation if you open the system. You can screw with the electrical components all you want, but don't boo hoo to us when you find that you've cost yourself even more grief than you had, unless of course you're ready to dish out that $100/hr. I'd be willing to bet that over half of the circuit boards and what-not that are sold to homeowners weren't the real problem. Why waste your money on "parts swapping" when in doubt. If it wasn't the board we hvac people will make it good, you OTOH are stuck with it when you buy it yourself.
There are many simple tasks that homeowners can take on themselves, and there are even several companies whose web sites give a rundown of things for the homeowner to check before calling. The majority of hvac problems are however well beyond most homeowners abilities. If money and health are no object, and your marriage is so stable that the old lady doesn't care how long she'll be without air, then by all means, DIY.
hvacrmedic
There are some experts there who are willing to give advice to home owners, and a few years ago one even described in great detail how I could replace the evaporator drip pan in my Rheem/Ruud packaged rooftop unit (not trivial -- much of the cabinet had to be disasembled).
The real problem with the alt.hvac newsgroup is that the person who calls himself the founder and moderator is a very angry person who not only dislikes questions from home owners but has been hostile even to s many HVAC professionals as well.
"RP" wrote > Home owners should be aware that without EPA certs you will be in
Especially when 9 times out of ten they think it's the thermostat.
"I set it on 72 degrees and it never gets below 78. That thermostat is BAD!!!"
there have been hostile comments made to me here, when I pointed out that a couple of the better known "hvac experts" in this group didn't know what they were doing, and needed to get a book
the discussion in question was flushing of the system, which can be the difference in a new compressor lasting 2-3 years or lasting 20, they apparently don't want homeowners to know how to spot the rare hvac tech that really knows what they are doing!
apparently, the stooges here need that compressor sale every few years to make their boat payment, and would like to suppress information beneficial to homeowners, they tried to tell me that flushing was bad, etc. even though I have been an HVAC engineer for 30 years, and a consultant to some of the largest HVAC companies, including Trane, Carrier, & Lennox
one even "plonked" me!
that's OK, no free consulting for him anymore!
LOL. I get alot of those.
hvacrmedic
I went over there, that Paul guy is a just some asswipe who likes to tell everyone to "Fuck off" and "Blow me"
he apparently has some anger issues, poor bastard
just killfile the jerkoffs, then the newsgroup reads real good
PS - no one there is the "founder" or "moderator", in a non-moderated newsgroup, everyone is an equal!
cheers!
I set a Rheem heat pump last year for a 'modular home.' On that unit, the plastic pan could be slid out by removing less than a half-dozen screws.
Dr. Hardcrab posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.
Think LUX
I believe the Faggots over in Faggotsville are celebrating Gay Pride Week...
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