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Started By
Message
Ways to keep house cool while waiting to repair AC situation.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 9:31 am
Posted on 6/16/23 at 9:31 am
Our upstairs AC has been struggling any time weather hits the 90s. Had AC repair guy out a few times last summer. Problem is everything is fine until about 2 in the afternoon on those super hot days. Tech came out one morning and said everything looked fine. Came out again and said maybe it just needs a cleaning and they did that. Then the next time it wasn't hot enough that day. Then fall came. No issues until this week.
Since we exhausted the AC opinions, we reached out to the roofer that replaced our roof last spring. New vents could be the issue, but problem didn't show up until months later so not sure. In any case roofer is changing up (at no charge) some ridge vents that may be too close to the powered vent, but can't get to it until next week. (Note attic isn't unreasonably hot, so not sure if that's even the problem). So in the mean time, we are stuck with an upstairs that is in the upper 70's to 80's in the evening.
What are some options to mitigate this until it's fixed? Got a window unit for the master. Cranking the AC down in the mornings when it cam actually keep up. Any thoughts that spraying the house down in afternoons will pull some heat out of the bricks, or other wild ideas like that?
Since we exhausted the AC opinions, we reached out to the roofer that replaced our roof last spring. New vents could be the issue, but problem didn't show up until months later so not sure. In any case roofer is changing up (at no charge) some ridge vents that may be too close to the powered vent, but can't get to it until next week. (Note attic isn't unreasonably hot, so not sure if that's even the problem). So in the mean time, we are stuck with an upstairs that is in the upper 70's to 80's in the evening.
What are some options to mitigate this until it's fixed? Got a window unit for the master. Cranking the AC down in the mornings when it cam actually keep up. Any thoughts that spraying the house down in afternoons will pull some heat out of the bricks, or other wild ideas like that?
9
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:03 am to Jon A thon
Run a sprinkler on your roof.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:08 am to Jon A thon
Keep the air running the whole time. It's better to keep your house running the air instead of turning off to cool down even harder, putting more work on your unit.
Was insulation damaged/removed during any type of roof job?
Keep curtains/blinds closed the entire time.
If you have rooms you don't need to access right away, close the damper vents either in the room itself or from the handler itself.
You might not notice since your upstairs is relatively warmer than normal.
Use fans to disperse the cool air in rooms.
Was insulation damaged/removed during any type of roof job?
Keep curtains/blinds closed the entire time.
If you have rooms you don't need to access right away, close the damper vents either in the room itself or from the handler itself.
quote:
(Note attic isn't unreasonably hot, so not sure if that's even the problem).
You might not notice since your upstairs is relatively warmer than normal.
Use fans to disperse the cool air in rooms.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:09 am to Jon A thon
Check to see if the coils on the a/c are clean.
You can spray the coils with water and it will help the unit.
You can spray the coils with water and it will help the unit.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:15 am to bbvdd
AC has been fully checked several times. Roof decking wasn't replaced. Insulation not disturbed. However we are getting a quote to blow in insulation since the house is 22 years old. Maybe it'll help efficiency anyway.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:22 am to Jon A thon
quote:
Our upstairs AC has been struggling any time weather hits the 90s
Main reason not to have a two story house.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:28 am to WPBTiger
Well, if the issue is attic ventilation and I o ly had o e story, then the whole house would have an issue. As of now upstairs buffers the heat and allows th downstairs unit to work
Posted on 6/16/23 at 10:33 am to WPBTiger
quote:
Main reason not to have a two story house.
I'm glad my upstairs is just the master bedroom/bathroom AND it has it's own dedicated 2-ton AC unit for like 700 sqft
Posted on 6/16/23 at 11:18 am to gaetti15
We are missing important information to help figure out your problem.
How long have you lived in this house? Has there always been a problem cooling the upstairs or is this a new problem? Has anything changed the would affect cooling load ... such as shade tree now gone? Did the cooling problem start after installing the new roof? Are you sure the "felt paper" and plywood were cut so that the opening under the roof vents allows good flow?
What size is the upstairs A/C unit and how many square feet up stairs? What type A/C filter are you using and are you using something different now? Have the coils in the attic and outside unit been cleaned in the past year?
Have you replace any part of your A/C system that might be causing your cooling problem? Is the air flow coming out good at each vent and is the air cool? Air temperature should be 60 F or less.
How long have you lived in this house? Has there always been a problem cooling the upstairs or is this a new problem? Has anything changed the would affect cooling load ... such as shade tree now gone? Did the cooling problem start after installing the new roof? Are you sure the "felt paper" and plywood were cut so that the opening under the roof vents allows good flow?
What size is the upstairs A/C unit and how many square feet up stairs? What type A/C filter are you using and are you using something different now? Have the coils in the attic and outside unit been cleaned in the past year?
Have you replace any part of your A/C system that might be causing your cooling problem? Is the air flow coming out good at each vent and is the air cool? Air temperature should be 60 F or less.
This post was edited on 6/16/23 at 11:29 am
Posted on 6/16/23 at 11:24 am to Jon A thon
Have you done a temperature reading at every vent? It would be expected to increase the further you are from the unit, but if it's dramatically higher it could be the attic insulation, insulation around ducts, leak in the ducts, or your a/c needs to be recharged (put last as this would be one of the first things your a/c would have checked).
These were all things that my a/c guy had me go through when I was having similar issues. My problem was my master bedroom is the furthest point from my unit and receives direct sunlight all day since we lost our trees.
These were all things that my a/c guy had me go through when I was having similar issues. My problem was my master bedroom is the furthest point from my unit and receives direct sunlight all day since we lost our trees.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 11:26 am to BilbeauTBaggins
quote:
Keep the air running the whole time. It's better to keep your house running the air instead of turning off to cool down even harder, putting more work on your unit.
This is a myth fwiw.
No idea how the idea of running a machine 24/7 is somehow less straining than it running 12-15 hours a day.
To OP, what square foot are you trying to cool, how much ac power, and what is your duct situation?
Posted on 6/16/23 at 11:26 am to gerald65
Not really asking to fix my AC problem. I have people working on that. Just can't do it until next week. Trying to find ways to lessen the heat problems in the afternoons to evenings.
But to answer the question, been here since 2019. No issues prior. Changed roof in the spring. Same color, just changed to an updated vent. 3 ton upstairs unit for ~1100 sqft I'd guess. 4 ton unit cools the remaining 1600 sqft downstairs. Nothing has changed on the AC. Again had several repairmen take a look and all parameters seem fine and it was cleaned inside and out last summer when the issues were first noticed.
I think it am attic ventilation issue from the change when the roof was installed, but not sure. Will know more next week and if it isn't fixefld then, I'm adding insulation and calling a 3rd ac company.
But to answer the question, been here since 2019. No issues prior. Changed roof in the spring. Same color, just changed to an updated vent. 3 ton upstairs unit for ~1100 sqft I'd guess. 4 ton unit cools the remaining 1600 sqft downstairs. Nothing has changed on the AC. Again had several repairmen take a look and all parameters seem fine and it was cleaned inside and out last summer when the issues were first noticed.
I think it am attic ventilation issue from the change when the roof was installed, but not sure. Will know more next week and if it isn't fixefld then, I'm adding insulation and calling a 3rd ac company.
Posted on 6/16/23 at 1:14 pm to Jones
quote:
This is a myth fwiw.
The machine doesn't have to run for 24 hours a day. At some point the air cannot cool any lower than what you set it to. The point is that you don't want to cut power to the air for an extended period of time (i.e. turning off when you leave the house for work then turning back on before arriving).
Posted on 6/16/23 at 2:36 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
I was going by the 'putting more work on your unit.' I read it as leaving the unit on is better because its less work on the unit
Posted on 6/16/23 at 4:46 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
Trying to find ways to lessen the heat problems in the afternoons to evenings
Pick up a window unit or two. When the main AC is fixed, put them back in the box. You’ll have them available for power outages.
Posted on 6/17/23 at 6:33 am to Jon A thon
Sounds like AC is fine. Just can’t handle the heat load. Either need a bigger unit or better cool/insulate the attic.
Posted on 6/17/23 at 10:52 am to Jon A thon
Make sure the HVAC guy is looking for any loose ducts leaking air into the attic. This would both cause you to loose conditioned air and also create a negative pressure inside which would pull outside air in from any possible air leak.
Which brings up another point, if you have a bunch of recessed/can lights they leak like a sieve if not air sealed. Which brings up another point, you mentioned a powered vent, those things are almost always worthless. Not that they don't move air but they cause more problems than solve. #1 is they can create a negative pressure in the attic which causes some conditioned air to be pulled from any of the aforementioned air leaks. (can lights are a big one). This is made worse if you have limited intake/soffit ventilation.
Contrary to intuition, the temp of the attic air isn't as big of deal as you would think. Best money spent is usually on better insulation.
To address your specific question, DON'T get one of those portable "one hose" ACs. I won't go into why those things are such garbage but you can youtube it for a demonstration. If no duct leakage, and sans a bunch of leaky recessed light, a window shaker or 2 hose portable until is your best bet until you can upgrade your system.
Which brings up another point, if you have a bunch of recessed/can lights they leak like a sieve if not air sealed. Which brings up another point, you mentioned a powered vent, those things are almost always worthless. Not that they don't move air but they cause more problems than solve. #1 is they can create a negative pressure in the attic which causes some conditioned air to be pulled from any of the aforementioned air leaks. (can lights are a big one). This is made worse if you have limited intake/soffit ventilation.
Contrary to intuition, the temp of the attic air isn't as big of deal as you would think. Best money spent is usually on better insulation.
To address your specific question, DON'T get one of those portable "one hose" ACs. I won't go into why those things are such garbage but you can youtube it for a demonstration. If no duct leakage, and sans a bunch of leaky recessed light, a window shaker or 2 hose portable until is your best bet until you can upgrade your system.
Posted on 6/17/23 at 11:56 am to Jones
quote:
This is a myth fwiw.
No idea how the idea of running a machine 24/7 is somehow less straining than it running 12-15 hours a day.
The myth has to do with efficiency, not absolute comfort.
Shifting *some* of the load from the hot afternoon to the morning hours is in fact effective at reducing the load in the hottest part of the day.
Posted on 6/17/23 at 11:57 am to Turnblad85
quote:
Turnblad85
Very good post and right on target.
Many, and most often underestimate the importance of ductwork (sizing relative to tonnage). HVAC techs on the forums I peruse say the biggest issue they see with home comfort issues is over-sided equipment (tonnage) with under-sized ducts. OP based the tonnage figures and sq ft you provided, you don’t lack for cooling capacity unless you live in a very leaky house with little insulation. If your equipment is working correctly, as the as techs say it is, your ducts should be investigated.
Power ventilators can definitely put the attic under negative pressure potentially pulling cooled conditioned air from the house into the attic. LINK
Posted on 6/17/23 at 12:37 pm to CrawDude
Ducts are something to be looked at if somethings been compromised. But again, this is a house thats been operating fine for 4+ years. And probably many years before we purchased. Everything but ductwork updated in 2018. We are pretty sure the culprit is the roof ventilation, but it'll take time to clarify. Not worried about system sizing, light fixtures, or the like. We know it operates properly under the conditions of the house usually. Either simethings broken or the roof ventilation was adjusted incorrectly. We had powered fans before, so know it's not just that. But may be installed improperly. I have people looking into it all. It just takes time. And during that time it's hot.
The thread was to find ways to cool or somewhat counteract the overload in the meantime. I know window units work. Already have one, but they arent cheap to buy one for 6 different rooms. Closed all window blinds. Cut off rooms we don't use. Stuff like that. Hosed off the bricks and roof at about 5. I'm an engineer and have taken some HVAC classes, so know there's a build up of heat in the roof and walls that's released later. And it shows as the biggest problem is from 5 to 8, after the hottest part of the day. Think it helped a little is we only hit 79 instead of 85 upstairs. But it's a pain in the arse. Just trying take advantage of any tricks that may exist.
The thread was to find ways to cool or somewhat counteract the overload in the meantime. I know window units work. Already have one, but they arent cheap to buy one for 6 different rooms. Closed all window blinds. Cut off rooms we don't use. Stuff like that. Hosed off the bricks and roof at about 5. I'm an engineer and have taken some HVAC classes, so know there's a build up of heat in the roof and walls that's released later. And it shows as the biggest problem is from 5 to 8, after the hottest part of the day. Think it helped a little is we only hit 79 instead of 85 upstairs. But it's a pain in the arse. Just trying take advantage of any tricks that may exist.
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