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Design DilemmaHeating & Air Conditioning
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Cooling Mini Splits

WestCoast Hopeful
21 days ago

We have debated heat pump, AC unit, other, on and off for almost six years now. The reality is we love having windows and patio doors open on the main floor. Heat pump would require replacing the furnace so it matches the heat pump to get tie rebates and our current furnace is only six years old. We have forced air so AC would work but we do have some heat distribution woes so would likely have cooling too.

What room based cooking options are there? Not window AC or fans.

Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Charles Ross Homes
    20 days ago

    The OP's question was simple and straightforward. Is it possible for posters get advice in this forum without your gratuitous self promotion?

    If your not-ready-for-prime-time videos have worthwhile content, they will rise to the top of organic search results.

    Comments (65)

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      18 days ago

      Olychick can you share info on your unit please?

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      18 days ago

      We aren’t interested in replacing the current system, which is why I am looking for room add on options. One of the hvac people who came two years ago said that we weren’t able to get more capacity with the current t system we had.

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    • Paul F.
      18 days ago
      last modified: 18 days ago

      I installed a heat pump with 4 slim cassettes which are placed between the ceiling joists so they are flush with my ceilings. It allowed me to remove all my forced air ductwork and it was transformational to my space with the higher ceiling in certain rooms. The one downside was that upstairs gets too hot when I'm heating downstairs. The stairwell chimneys the heat. It stays hot too and it stays cold down stairs all night so you need to keep it on. I clearly needed a 2 zone system since you can't run heating and cooling with one system. So, I'm going to buying another compressor to attach the upstairs units separately to cool it down upstairs.

      Maybe you should view it the same way, you're simply updating your system to a 2 zone. It is rather luxurious to control the heat/cooling in just one room in an entire house, not to mention cost effective.

      Costco has a DIY system that is 3 or 4 rooms but they are out of stock right now. It's an incredibly well priced system with Costco's lifetime warranty. MrCool does have slim cassettes like mine but not sold by Costco.


    • Olychick
      18 days ago
      last modified: 18 days ago

      Mine is a Mitsubishi floor unit. I think a couple of other manufacturers make them but these are highly rated and the HVAC company that installed them recommended them over the others they sell. They were a little more expensive, so that may have clouded their judgement, lol.

      Mitsubishi

      When I added the 2nd unit in the main area of my home, I asked about the ceiling mount and I can't recall why but it won't work in my room. Something about the way the rafters run or?

    • Paul F.
      18 days ago

      Mine are Mitsubishi as well. If you use a certified installer it doubles the warranty by the way.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      18 days ago

      I’ve got someone coming next week. I will ask him questions about the existing system and what capacity it is, how to improve it etc. I will also ask about room specific options.

      Stay tuned!

    • sktn77a
      18 days ago

      Your trunk line should have dampers at each branch line takeoff. This is how you "balance" the air supply to each of the rooms. If the three companies you've had in so far don't know how/want to do this, then keep looking. It's not rocket science!

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      18 days ago

      We have dampers on the main floor. I said that in my post.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      18 days ago

      Sorry I thought I said that somewhere. We have dampers on the entire first floor. This is already in place

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      16 days ago
      last modified: 16 days ago

      The problem with trunk line dampers is lack of automated control & if it's in the configuration of a long trunk line you have varying lengths of duct for the air to travel to a specific room (area that is being used) and the amount needed to heat / cool this area can change due to a number of factors related to the climate in which you live.

      ----Train cool cargo lack of control analogy-----

      So what happens if train leaves the station on an electric track and he's carrying cool cargo that is being called from a room (train station) on the other side from where the station terminal (thermostat) is electrifying the "track"... chug a lug, chug a lug. The cool cargo is dropped along the way because those other train stations don't have the communication to tell this train where the real cool cargo is needed.

      The return where the thermostat (train conductor) is pulls air back. The cargo that is dropped off first makes it back to the train conductor (thermostat) says that's it and cycles off. The cool cargo doesn't fully reach the long run. Everybody out we have to adjust all the train stations and start again....

      --------------- It's not that I can't do it (manually) it's that I am not a fiddler and don't want to do it. The guy telling you it's not rocket science isn't going to do it for you either. ------------------------

      The farther the thermostat is from this farther area out of a trunk line the less "control" you have when you are relying on a single control point from which to initiate the system (tell the system to run). You could damper yourself into oblivion and due to climate issues at the time / how you're using the system or 'want to'--- leaves a lot to be desired. (it's not to say you can't do it manually, but the drawbacks are more obvious to a guy like me.)

      If the climate is moderate sure. Manual dampers would be easier less expensive choice but more of a hassle. You could learn how to adjust the manual dampers and do it yourself than to have to schedule someone to do it for you, arrange the appointment, sit and wait for them to show up etc.

      Automation Advantage:

      But a properly installed HVAC zoned system with controls to specifically control the temperature in a given room (area) of the home no matter what outside weather is going to do. The zone system balances itself everytime the unit is called to start. If one zone closes, the system auto rebalances. You don't have to do any manual nothing except walk to the thermostat and select your desired comfort level for the area you want the comfort to go.

      You'll note in that review that I posted a few posts back that the home owner was some what nervous because the fix was made when the weather was cooler. The review wasn't posted until after the fears were put away by the actual performance of it during a heat wave that happened months later.

      Tales from a hot climate: I often make jokes of where I live... about 3 clicks west of the gates of HELL.

      I'm only explaining the choices in greater detail. If you like manual do manual, I know what I like. I have a 4 zone HVAC system at my house.

      I service the Katy, Texas area.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      16 days ago

      Where we live we would want cooling for a couple of months and only upstairs. It’s definitely getting hotter in the summer here in PNW Vancouver BC but we often still have a breeze and we live on a creek so I love windows open whenever possible to hear it.

      The original HVAC company said zoning the system is not possible. This was two years ago and I can’t recall why now.

      I now have two companies coming on the 22nd to talk to us about cooling options but also I’ve asked for their opinions on how to balance the system and why they think there are problems.

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      15 days ago
      last modified: 15 days ago

      The original HVAC company said zoning the system is not possible. This was two years ago and I can’t recall why now.

      Yeah for some builds it can be a challenge and costly. HVAC zoning is a tool in the tool box that I pull out from time to time when it's appropriate. There's certainly been a few who have wanted it and I told them it's not practical for the build they have. So that is entirely possible.

      Usually it's due to room. There was no room at the inn, so they had to sleep in the stable, sort of thing.

      The problem with manual balancing is that in my experience (which is long and winding road of over 30 years in a mostly too hot climate with bursts of occasional cold) you'll be rebalancing it. What happens in summer is opposite what happens in winter. The more extreme those are, the less balancing works with a single thermostat in a large structure and more than a few people fighting over the thermostrat setting.


      My definition of works above: Is that you're comfortable enough and everyone around you is in agreement with no need for further fiddling / dampering if you like that term. I know from experience with only two people involved they fight over the thermostat setting to the point that one of them thinks there may be something wrong with the system. So in terms of manual dampering working well I am probably the last person on Earth you'd want to talk to.


      Here in my neck of the woods we can go thru up and down cycles left and right in shoulder seasons. One minute it's hot, next it's cool, then hot, then cold, then warm, then cold, then hot. So some years you'd be manually dampering yourself in to oblivion as I said earlier in the thread.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      15 days ago

      We never adjust the dampers. The main floor is comfortable when heated and we don’t need/want cooling on the main floor so it wouldn’t really matter. There are also five of us in the home and the two rooms that are cooler seem to have kids which could kind of care less.

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      14 days ago

      Well then I don't fully understand the reason why you're doing this (looking into it)


      As from your first post you said:

      We have forced air so AC would work but we do have some heat distribution woes so would likely have cooling too.


      I only know what you tell me. I have no unique skills like mind reading, fortune telling, crystal ball gazing, etc...

      yeah kids are great customers (easy to please), if I could figure out a method of payment I'd be off to the races! LOL.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      14 days ago

      As I said in the first post we are looking for room specific cooling options for bedrooms only. The rest of the home is fine. We are concerned investing in AC when there are heat distribution issues two of the bedrooms mean those spaces won’t cool as well and it won’t be worth it. Opposite to that is that since they don’t heat well the two kids who sleep there don’t care as the like a cool room. In summer their room s currently hot and if we add AC I’m not confident will be cool
      Enough.

    • Olychick
      14 days ago

      I think you'd love the floor mini splits for your purpose. They are especially nice for bedrooms because they can be set to a very quiet level and still cool. I really hate the sound of forced air and these, when the fans are kept low, are nearly silent. I've turned them on a higher setting to cool the rooms fast, then lowered the fan to the lowest setting and it works great and quietly!

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      13 days ago

      As I said in the first post we are looking for room specific cooling options for bedrooms only. The rest of the home is fine. We are concerned investing in AC when there are heat distribution issues two of the bedrooms mean those spaces won’t cool as well and it won’t be worth it.


      The problem as I see it --- your furnace isn't that old, has issues related to heating the 4 rooms isn't great... some of that is ok because kids in those rooms don't care. In summer there's more care because those rooms get hot.


      HVAC works from a whole system perspective those areas that are fine become not so fine when you start dampering (if a manual damper is in your future due to money concerns) -- you take air from where the comfort is "good" damper down to try to force that air further out / down stream while hoping the system doesn't cycle too quick and ruin your plans. (Zoning fixes this, but there are limitations -- zoning in this fashion is a tool, not a miracle cure for a system with performance issues / design issues.) Maybe as you've been told zoning won't work for your house OR they've tried this function before and got a lot of call backs. OR they'd rather sell you a house full of mini splits? Like I said I don't know, never been there. I am merely suggesting what "could be."


      You could ignore the heating system problem and install mini splits for each room. In my view this could put you in a worse spot than you are now in the very near future.


      Why? because you already have a not so good HVAC system that it seems like you'd rather ignore and jump to some other thing (mini splits).


      I think you said the furnace you have is like 5 years old? I don't truly know if zoning is feasible or not for your structure as this is more of an in person job than chatting in forum board.


      If this is temporary, select the rooms put in the saddle mount window units for those rooms. It doesn't sound like you're in an extreme summer climate. Like more than a few months of cooling need.


      If the options for mini split are R32 refrigerant, that would not necessarily be a bad trade off as regular ducted HVAC equipment has yet to implement this. Then at least if the unit(s) get a refrigerant leak at some point the cost to fix won't become a reason to replace the unit that is leaking again. (see next paragraph)


      Just realize mini splits tend to be "more of" a throw away product than traditional ducted HVAC. Part of this very heavy equipment changes that include discontinuation of mini split models. They are sold in pairs and trying to mix match pairs isn't going to work. Like putting a head of one and mixing it with an outdoor unit of another because xyz unit model was discontinued.


      Usually warranties for these run out sometimes as little as 5 years. For a low use climate that might be ok for 10 years depending on a long list of variables.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      13 days ago

      So again, it’s two rooms that aren’t the temps we want. Two in a big house where the rest are.

      Window units are super ugly and won’t work for our window type.

      I’ll wait and see what the companies here suggest.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      7 days ago

      Just met with the first HVAC person and update is below.

      Our home is 3000 square feet. We are teetering on the furnace being possibly too small but a bigger one would be suitable for up to 5000 square feet and as a result too big. The bigger furnace would also not work because the ducting would be too small for it. Zones could be put in if we really wanted but he cautioned against it as said it would mean pressure on the furnace which is intended to service 2-3000 square feet.

      The wall units in each room are possible but not a cost effective option as they are expensive,

      Recommendation is heat pump or AC unit for whole home. Quote will be forthcoming. We don’t qualify for rebate for heat pump because we won’t be replacing furnace.

      Estimated price is $8-12k Canadian depending on what unit we choose.

    • PRO
      Charles Ross Homes
      7 days ago

      Has anyone done any performance testing on the ductwork system to determine how leaky it is?

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      7 days ago

      I don’t think so. But even if we knew it was leaky what would the fix be?

    • PRO
      Charles Ross Homes
      7 days ago

      One way to improve the performance of an existing forced-air system is by reducing duct leakage. Doing so will put more of the air you're paying to heat/cool where it is intended to go, improve comfort and reduce heating/cooling costs. Ducts can be sealed from the exterior with mastic if they are accessible or sealed from the interior using a product like Aeroseal https://aeroseal.com/residential/

      Your HVAC contractor should be able to perform a duct blaster test to assess the amount of leakage. I'd aim to get it down to 5% or so.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      7 days ago

      Thanks! I’ll ask the next hvac person to do this. Will report back

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      6 days ago

      Our home is 3000 square feet. We are teetering on the furnace being possibly too small but a bigger one would be suitable for up to 5000 square feet and as a result too big.


      It's not uncommon for HVAC sales people to manipulate you for an outcome they want. They come in looking know your current furnace isn't that old so they have to persuade you that sizing is an issue and a reason to replace it.


      It's an argument used all the time. Maybe your furnace isn't sized properly or maybe it's ductwork.


      So in terms of sizing here are some common furnace sizes along with maximum air flow rates.


      click to enlarge.


      So while there are limits as to what sizing can be a combo can be made to get to 3000 sq ft structure vs 5000 sq ft structure.


      The big limit is more or less the room you have for the solution in your house.


      Say your structure needs 160,000 BTU/h and your current furnace is 100,000 BTU/h you could add another 60,000 BTU/ h furnace. (no room, yeah big problem)


      Another option to get to 160,000 is two 80,000 BTU/h furnaces twined together. OR if room allows (2) 80,000 BTU furnaces as seperate units (zoned) to a particular area of the structure.


      Similar things can be done for cooling in the event of a twined furnace system. But given your climate in Canada that is probably not necessary as heating is typically the larger concern.


      There are plenty of other options between a 3000 and 5000 sq ft structure. Sounds to me like they are manipulating you to get what they want. ( I could be wrong, but I've seen this kind of thing before in person going behind others.)


      One such one was in a review I took down from refrigerator to show you about 20 posts back in this thread. (it's not always an equipment problem, not to mention sizing -- in some instances it's control of the unit.)


      I think if you had this wildly leaky duct system, someone viewing your system in person by now would have mentioned it to you.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      6 days ago

      No one is suggesting we get a bigger furnace. In fact the hvac person from yesterday said it wasn’t a good plan at all. He stared the ducting we have works for the furnace we have and a bigger furnace would need different ducting. As a result doesn’t make sense to consider it. We also have no space for a second furnace so it’s not even on the table.

    • PRO
      Charles Ross Homes
      6 days ago

      The point about evaluating the ductwork is to ensure the existing system is performing as close to rated capacity as is practical before replacing it or adding to it.

      Leaky ductwork is pretty common in older homes. In fact, EPA estimates duct leakage of 20% to 30% in a typical home https://www.energystar.gov/saveathome/heating-cooling/duct-sealing That's a potential capacity improvement of 20% to 30% which might be all it takes to achieve the OP's desired comfort level. I would expect duct leakage to be less in newer homes, particularly if leakage testing is required by code, as it is here in Virginia. HVAC techs who routinely work under permits and get their work inspected will be familiar with the testing procedures.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      6 days ago

      Charles, I asked about this for the guy coming on Thursday and was told it’s not a part of the call out. It requires a separate paid appt from the quote for AC. So we are having the quote done and when he’s here I’ll ask about if he thinks necessary etc.

    • PRO
      Charles Ross Homes
      6 days ago

      It's not a free service in our market either. Some utility companies in the U.S. have cost sharing and/or rebate programs to help offset the cost. I suggest you check with yours. For a system older than 10 years, I consider the cost of leakage testing to be a smart investment. Compare the cost of your annual heating bill to the cost of the testing. What percentage reduction in duct leakage would it take to pay back the cost of the test in, say, a year?

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      6 days ago

      Our house is 5.5 years old.

    • dan1888
      6 days ago
      last modified: 6 days ago

      I'll mention an evaluation of your attic insulation and attic ventilation. If your utility does a complete evaluation, keep those factors in mind. Yu mentioned dampers for the main floor. If these are registers at the wall outlet that isn't the trunk dampers others have talked about.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      6 days ago

      We don’t have an attic. We also don’t have trunk dampers and won’t be putting them in.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      6 days ago

      This is a copy and paste from HVAC person regarding current system.

      Your furnace is a 80k BTU / 3 Ton B cabinet furnace. CFM is 1250 - 1300. These furnaces and heat pumps at 3 Ton size can service up to 3200 sq ft.

      Your return air is 10x20 which is perfectly sized for the furnace. To go larger you'd really need 10x24 in the return air drop which is a redo of your ductwork around your furnace. That could be done, but you would be looking at another 8000-10000 for a larger furnace plus additional money for the ductwork.

    • HU-280009712
      5 days ago

      We live in the PNW also and have recently considered a cooling unit. Never felt we needed it before. We live in a split level home and downstairs is always cool. Upstairs we have been overheating the last few summers. Upstairs is where we spend all of our time. Are the floor units the same as a mini split that goes on the wall? Is one more efficient at cooling than the other? Would we need one for each room, or is one able to cool the whole upstairs floor (about 1200 sq ft) if it is placed centrally?

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      5 days ago

      We were quoted $5k per room for wall units that aren’t connected to our forced air system. So for us that’s cost prohibitive as we have four rooms to cool upstairs when the quote for AC is more like 10K for whole house

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      5 days ago
      last modified: 5 days ago

      Our house is 5.5 years old.

      So it was a builder made problem? Charles the builder has left the chat. ~ha, ha, ha! It is to laugh.

      So if it's a duct sealing problem? the builder did it. If it's air flow problems? The builder did it.

      If you're not comfortable? the builder built that into your home as a selling point. LOL.


      NOTE: 80K BTU furnace is typically rated for 4 ton. Provide your furnace make / model / serial number to further see what it truly is capable of.

    • mcarroll16
      5 days ago

      If you are adding whole house AC, you should probably just get a heat pump. Painful to replace a 5-year-old furnace, yeah. But when it does finaly die, you aren't going to want to switch to a heat pump and throw out the relatively new AC unit, .... rinse repeat. AC units are a lot more expensive than furnaces, and rebates from switching to a heat pump may make the cost pretty comparable (not sure what the Canadian rebates are).

      For the rooms that don't get good heat, you might investigate improving air return flow. Having overall sufficient return can still leave cold (or hot) air stuck in one room. There may be solutions like various types of jump ducts that don't require modying your duct system.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      5 days ago

      I’m not blaming anyone for anything and haven’t this whole thread. I’ve presented the info as it is. The house is how it is. Do I wish during the build we had better understood many things that are now behind the walls, you bet, do I blame others for that, not at all. The thing that is lost in this thread, and I do get why, is that we aren’t planning on doing anything dramatic here. The choices are, at this point, add AC or do nothing. We aren’t making holes in our walls, getting a new furnace, adding zones or special dampers. It just isn’t needed for our space. Yes it’s not perfect with two bedrooms cooler than I like in winter but to me that’s not a reason to make massive changes.

      The furnace is American Standard. Info in pic. I’m sure Austin Air will find some dramatic issue with this now too. Can’t wait.

    • PRO
      Charles Ross Homes
      5 days ago

      Ray,

      It may be different in your area, but here in Virginia, residential HVAC systems are installed by licensed mechanical contractors. The mechanical contractor is responsible for the design of the system which is reviewed by code compliance (manual J, S and D) before a mechanical permit is issued. Performance testing is mandated so there's no guesswork regarding duct leakage. If the system is substandard, the folks who installed it are responsible. The OP"s builder's problem is that he/she hired the wrong folks to do the work which is usually the product of awarding the job to the lowest bidder.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      5 days ago

      There is no builder problem here. No one is being blamed for anything. This forum is mind boggling with assumptions and judgement.

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      4 days ago
      last modified: 4 days ago

      No one is being blamed for anything.

      Correction: Except for me.

      Luckily it matters not one bit to me.

      I’m sure Austin Air will find some dramatic issue with this now too. Can’t wait.

      Break out your duct sealer then and start sealing air leaks. LOL.

      PS: Your furnace is a 60K BTU furnace / not 80K BTU. How's that for drama?

      I suspect a whole lot of fun is coming your way..... enjoy. (more drama) --- because the people you are using don't even know the proper size of your furnace. If they don't know that, what else (more important things) do they not know either?

      I leave little to the imagination: some call this drama, that's ok you have that freedom to think however you want to think -- give your builder reprieve / the mechanical contractors etc. Some people have to experience the fun for themselves. I know what it's like to be uncomfortable all summer long, this is drama too.

      So if you use xyz contractor and due to their understanding (or the lack thereof that even you do not know?) and your understanding are you going to also not blame them? Hey everything is ok, we'll pay for whatever mistakes are made / have been made in the past? no problem were setting asside some money to pay for others mistakes?

      This is essentially what you're saying. Two sides to every coin, unless you're a magician.

      At what point do you break and start blaming someone? (we all have our limits)

      I have a over 30 year career (HVAC) going back behind builders. The review I took down from the refrigerator? (posted earlier in the thread)

      Yeah that house in that review was about 6 years old at the time of the repair(s) I made to that system. (They weren't blaming the builder either, BUT it was the builder's fault.)

      At over 30 years... it's more about the stories for me than anything else. Why else would I get involved in a thread for someone that lives on the other side of the world from me with an AC season that is nothing more than an elaborate blink of time? (my season is typically 9 to 10 months long -- drama!)

      In order to be a straight shooter, you have to tell it like it is... no matter whose feelings are going to be crushed. (drama --- even if that means you and the way you are thinking.)

      If you didn't want drama: don't search for it on the internet. ~ Abraham Lincoln

      I service the Katy, Texas area.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      4 days ago

      Listen, I’m not sure if get it or not but here’s the thing. I’m close to my breaking point with this thread where it feels like I’m constantly being attacked which is ridiculous. But I’m not remotely near any breaking point in real life as the HVAC workers coming in are lovely and helpful and in real life have lots of suggestions. By next week will will have had four different, local and reputable companies in to provide quotes and options that work for our system and meet our needs. The likelihood of all four separately trying to screw us and send us in the wrong direction isn’t high. Let’s face it a home in Vancouver, BC, Canada doesn’t remotely have the same HVAC needs as one in Texas.

    • dadoes
      4 days ago

      WestCoast Hopeful ... what you've experienced is the order-of-the-day in the HVAC forum. Houzz would do well to provide a "Beware: attacks and off-topic rants will occur" warning at top of the index page.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      4 days ago

      @dadoes I don’t scare easily and have been on the forum for almost a decade but it’s annoying for sure

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      3 days ago

      How are you being attacked?


      How am I being attacked? Was it not you who said --- I was 'supposedly by your definition' giving you drama and you encouraged me by saying: I’m sure Austin Air will find some dramatic issue with this now too. Can’t wait.


      Now you are providing drama too?


      But WISDOM entered the Chat:

      As more information that you provided came to light --- did this not provide important details that "you" thought best to not divulge? (The actual size of your furnace vs what you were being told by so called pros with honey that runs off their deceiving lips?) It's either that or they don't know? which is worse? You choose. I'm just giving you a dose of common sense.


      Now because you didn't provide that info from the start ---let's make claims of being attacked? When being discredited as to what your Furnace is capable of?


      I know truth is a bitter pill to swallow. So we make an excuse of being attacked? I don't make excuses --- to bad for you.


      But I’m not remotely near any breaking point in real life as the HVAC workers coming in are lovely and helpful and in real life have lots of suggestions.


      They have an incentive to be lovely, but clearly you can't see the forest from the trees. Lovely telling you your furnace size isn't what it is. Great. (It's known as 'they selling you bro')


      I've done nothing but provide you truth from what you've divulged information wise. When you didn't like that (drama) I told you to break out the duct sealer and start sealing ducts. So I guess I was attacking you with duct sealer now?


      We don't have any complaint with anyone? That didn't last long. (ooh I'm being attacked with words I said) yeah because it paints a picture.


      If you choose the wrong thing --- what other things will begin to unravel. -- To some this is an attack, to others this is words of WISDOM. --- I have traveled in these footsteps for over 30 years (HVAC).


      Things are changing in HVAC. If you want rainbow confetti and purple farts --- sorry I can not provide that to you.


      You have a problem with a roughly 5 year old HVAC system. So lets ignore the truth of the matter so we can make more mistakes? Yeah we have no complaints with anyone? What happend to that?


      Truth cuts deep and quick. You can run from it, you can ignore it, you can say whatever you want to avoid it... but given enough time it always shows up.


      I understand why? Truth is described as a two edged sword.


      Looking 2 min down the street the future as it were: The words here are not necessarily for you. These words of wisdom are for those who read thru this sometimes years later searching for reasons why they continually have problems with their HVAC system and are at the point of wanting to know the real truth of WHY. I can only do what I do in person. There are nuggets within the text I provide, but only for those who can handle the truth. (not riddle off excuse after excuse for avoiding it)


      I service the Katy, Texas area.


    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      3 days ago

      @austin air companie feel free to not reply anymore. Clearly you aren’t content with what I’ve posted or shared, questioning my motives, if I’ve shared enough, the motives of the people I have in, how upset or not I am, how frustrated or not I am with the existing system and my general feelings on the whole process. So please go ahead and take a step back then, no need to offer help.

      For the record it is possible to just make suggestions or give a couple ideas. One doesn’t need to write a novel and expect a homeowner to essentially redo their entire hvac system when they ask about adding cooling options.

      Have a great day

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      2 days ago
      last modified: 2 days ago

      WestCoast Hopeful

      The truth always comes out. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC contractor. The rules I play by are far above that of what you have displayed here. I don't send minions to do my bidding.

      I have to be "on top of it" for my climate. Other climates "like yours" --- appears to me to be lackluster don't worry about it type attitude. My climate does not afford that kind of luxury. (make excuses and just live with them -- no complaint against anyone)

      Comfort is a fickle beast. I am well aware that some don't care as much about it as others.

      I don't have a fish to fry in your situation (CANADA so what is a 100% unbiased opinion worth in Canadian Dollars?), but I get involved in these kinds of things to provide clarity "when you have the wherewithal to not make excuses and accept the truth for what it is."

      When you only go to those who provide you what your ears want to hear you get responses like duct sealing and silver bullet mysteries during an eclipse -- so called simple cheap fixes that aren't fixes for "design issues". Given the climate they could appear as fixes for a time until an extreme weather event comes and proves otherwise. My solutions work in 80 degree weather just as much as 100F weather... a snapshot that many do not realize.

      Design issues are fixed by a new design... "OFTEN" this ignored --even here-- with a house (structure) that is under 10 years old. (Yours is only 5 years old)

      I've set myself apart with what I do. The truth has to be a part of it --- OR the story continues changing like the wind. The truth (sets you free) --- So given what I know about the truth and what it does to people?

      Now throw in money into the equation. From the very beginning of the thread how does money come into all of this? Plus you've been debating a heat pump since you owned this "new" house. Not just new to you --- but actually BRAND NEW home.

      Telling me not to respond will often get a response ---because it gives me yet another opportunity to provide clarity not to mention context. If it were some other area of interest of mine besides HVAC probably not.

      I don't have any mixed feelings against you -- you answer for what you do I answer for what I do. The words I provide you with only hurt you if you continue to IGNORE THEM. That is on you, not me. Not a judgment, a warning.

      In 30 years time... How many people with similar attitudes have I come across in my career?

      Even in other areas --- there is a separation of the wheat from the tares. (Testing all things --- tells you essentially all you need to know.)

      Those that I am leaving bread crumbs for people ( that never respond to forums like these) those people will find them and find me.

      I service the Katy, Texas area.

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      2 days ago

      So not going to take a break from replying then. Got it. If I stumbled across this thread I definitely know who I wouldn’t want to work with.

    • kevin9408
      2 days ago

      After 61 comments still no options yet for cooking in his room, eh? You can't really cook with an AC or fan so try a hot plate buddy.

      It could be the language barrier, eh? Calculations need to be backward like how they write write a date. I believe buddy wants some poutine with his double double and believe you chaps took a Larry where a Roger should be been, eh?

      I spent 30 years learning to understand Blonde to get my wife to nize it and works well to communicate with hosers. Maybe stop the Kerfuffle and focus on his question, eh? and stop thinking he needs a warmer togue and bunny hug just to cook so don't get your gotch all in a bunch, eh?

    • WestCoast Hopeful
      Original Author
      2 days ago

      What in the world is this nonsense?

      There are ideas already flowing. We’ve had 2/4 companies come to provide AC and heat pump quotes. We are roughed in for cooling with a pad at the side of the house, all set up on the electrical panel and access to furnace too. We have two more hvac companies coming Monday then will move forward.

      We are asking everyone the same thing and so far getting the same answers.

      Is the size of our furnace appropriate for our house? Yes but barely. Bigger would have been better with bigger ducting too. The size of ducting is suitable for furnace size and a bigger furnace would mean a ducting change which is likely cost prohibitive.

      Is it possible the current system is leaky and that needs to be addressed? The two cooler rooms are still getting heat. When the furnace is on you can feel heat coming out of the vents. All other spaces are heating well. The two cool rooms are farthest from the furnace and will likely always be different than other spaces closer to. Unlikely this is leaky ducting.

      What are the options for cooling just in the bedrooms? Wall units at about $5k a piece. Can be done. Perhaps not a good cost options since you need for. Recommended brand Mitsubishi

      What is better AC or heat pump? AC will be a bit cheaper now but local municipalities are starting to phase out AC usage and in some areas it’s already no longer allowed to be installed. Recommendation is to lean toward heat pump for ease of repairs as well as long term alignment with municipalities rules.

      Brands given quotes so far are: Bosch, Mitsubishi, Comfortaire, Daikin

      Reasons we didn’t put in cooling when we built the home were cost saving but we did future plan for it. 6-10 years ago AC or cooling in homes in Vancouver wasn’t as common. Since then several heat waves and a change in temperature in summers has shifted things. For reference in 50 years I’ve never lived in a home with cooling.

    • PRO
      Austin Air Companie
      yesterday
      last modified: yesterday

      The two cooler rooms are still getting heat. When the furnace is on you can feel heat coming out of the vents. All other spaces are heating well. The two cool rooms are farthest from the furnace and will likely always be different than other spaces closer to.

      yep, design issue. In some instances I've found it to be a messed up duct connection, but usually those types of problems are in much older homes. Along with a few leaky ducts.

      I've been in / repaired systems with leaky ducts but not the leaky ducts (because the owner facing money problems was better inclined to spend the money on actual "cooling" problem. Is it ideal, no. (when the design is good, it makes up for a lot of piddly stuff like duct sealing. Not a license not to do it, but I'm not going to deter a paying customer who doesn't have the money for leaky ducts that 9 times out of 10 better off to just replace the whole duct system. (ducts don't last forever either, unless they are hard pipe insulated metal and no one steps on them, which is rare these days in residential HVAC systems.)

      There's pros and cons to anything and everything you do. IF someone is only telling you the pro side of the coin? What would that tell you? In order for you to make a good decision you should be told everything. The good and the bad.

      Many of these things you're offered are going to gut type decisions. Look at it from the perspective if things go wrong you have someone to call. (The people who do the work on this system). If you don't trust them fully, don't choose them just because there price was more of your liking.

      Hopefully your experience with AC is a good one.


      Probably one of the most common reasons I am called was because the home owner had gotten a good deal on the unit that was installed. When I ask why they didn't call the installing contractor?


      If the unit is new, new like 1 year old? It's extremely rare that I would even look at it. Deal of the century kind of stuff.

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