not sure our unit is cooling well... - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| Mark19960
 |  "not sure our unit is cooling well..."
, posted Tue 10 Jun 20:04  
My wife is on me about the temperature in the house...
it's been ~100 degrees the last few days and my argument is that it's a lot of work for an AC unit to drop the temperature 25+ degrees.
But, she might be right...
I have had many yo-yos that our home warranty co. has sent out look at this system (3 times) and one failed to notice the hole in the ductwork once already (!)
The air going into the return is around ~76 degrees and the air coming out of the ducts is about ~64 degrees.
This is using an unscientific method of simply placing a thermometer that I have around which I believe is a bimetallic type (coil of wire with a pointer?)
This of course varies depending on the side of the house your on.
One side of the house is warmer than the other (side furthest away from the unit)
I measured the duct temperature using a duct closest to the unit.
Granted, it's 100 degrees out but looking at these numbers it seems off to me.
Should i call the home warranty people for a 4th trip or call someone and pay out of my pocket and perhaps get someone that wants to actually look into the problems with this thing?
Disadvantage there is that I have to pay for it :)
Ideas? or am I worrying over nothing?
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Replies:
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| yuri
| "Re(1):not sure our unit is cooling well..." , posted Tue 10 Jun 20:49:
As techs we measure the return air temp where it enters the furnace/air handler and 6-12 inches downstream of where it leaves the evaporator coil/furnace/air handler if possible. A cooking thermometer works good if it has small increments. Ideally you can expect 16-18 deg difference in Canada, low humidity where I am. Anything under 15 I would be concerned about. It may be worthwhile to get another co as the extra $$ in electricity a poorly charged/functioning unit will use will be more than the service call. Try get a referral from your neighbors,friends, co-workers as to who they use. Go outside with a garden hose NOT pressure washer and wash out the coil.
Yuri
[this message was edited by yuri on Tue 10 Jun 20:50] |
| | Mark19960
| "Re(2):not sure our unit is cooling well..." , posted Tue 10 Jun 22:02
Thanks for the info.
Our unit is an all in one unit, I believe it's called a package unit.
There is the coil that basically surrounds one whole side and half of the next side, where the external fan is.
I removed the cover earlier today and took a look at the blower motor that is on the inside.
I had some concerns because their was a hole in the ductwork on the return side that was probably there for years.
I don't know how to access the inner coil to make sure that coil is not dirty and restricting airflow in any way.
If I can keep this unit going a few more years, provided it does not cost me a fortune in power then I will replace it.
Should I be concerned with both coils or just the external coil?
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| | yuri
| "Re(3):not sure our unit is cooling well..." , posted Tue 10 Jun 22:26
I would wash the external coil. I don't do many package units but I am sure some of our other techs do and can help. What is the make and model #. The inner coil is not easy to get at. The temp difference test is still the same but you need to access both ducts as close together as you can if possible. The air increases in temp by the time it gets into the rooms so a reading there is not as accurate.
Yuri
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| | Mark19960
| "Re(4):not sure our unit is cooling well..." , posted Sat 14 Jun 17:52
I took a picture of the label.
I hope this provides enough information.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/9678/dsc00805uf2.jpg
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