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Message
New Construction Home Cooling Issues
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:15 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:15 pm
I have a new construction home, 1 year old. It has zero shade and I’m in Metairie so it gets blasted with sun and heat. I also had the attic fully insulated after i bought it, the builder put the minimum.
Currently during the day it can not get below 72.
My house has 10 foot ceilings and has open floor plan.
Is this normal because of how hot it is? Or should it be able to cool the home to the right temp? The ac is basically on all day.
I know it’s abnormally hot, I just want to make sure it’s not an issue and it’s something everyone is dealing with
Currently during the day it can not get below 72.
My house has 10 foot ceilings and has open floor plan.
Is this normal because of how hot it is? Or should it be able to cool the home to the right temp? The ac is basically on all day.
I know it’s abnormally hot, I just want to make sure it’s not an issue and it’s something everyone is dealing with
16
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:19 pm to jsk020
I would say its normal for these temperatures.
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:19 pm to jsk020
Getting below 72F in the middle of the day at the current outside temps will be a chore for any “properly” sized HVAC system.
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:27 pm to LSUtigerME
Ok thanks that’s good to know.
Currently my house has ridge vents. Would replacing that with power vents or whirly birds be a better option to help?
Also, would tinting the windows help out?
Currently my house has ridge vents. Would replacing that with power vents or whirly birds be a better option to help?
Also, would tinting the windows help out?
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:49 pm to jsk020
As others have implied sounds like your HVAC is properly sized. Design temperature for New Orleans is 93 F, meaning a properly sized HVAC will have difficulty maintaining a set point temperature of 75 F for much of the afternoon, much less 72 F, with temperatures in the mid to high 90s.
If it was sized to maintain 72 F at outdoor temperatures in the high 90s, it would be vastly oversized of 99% for the remaining days in the year, and vastly oversized HVAC is not a good thing.
HVACs are designed mechanically to run nearly all day during the hottest days of the year that exceed design temperature conditions, that should not concern you other than the high utility expense.
If it was sized to maintain 72 F at outdoor temperatures in the high 90s, it would be vastly oversized of 99% for the remaining days in the year, and vastly oversized HVAC is not a good thing.
HVACs are designed mechanically to run nearly all day during the hottest days of the year that exceed design temperature conditions, that should not concern you other than the high utility expense.
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:54 pm to CrawDude
I appreciate the insight that is good to know. Thanks!
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:05 pm to jsk020
With this heat, running all day might just mean your system is sized properly.
Get a hygrometer and find out some humidity levels. in the low 70's your relative humidity should be 50-55% possibly lower if your unit is really running all day like you say. 60%+ may indicate you have a lot of air leakage. 75* at 50% humidity is comfortable...imo 72 at 65% humidity is uncomfortable. My own home stays at 50-55% and I keep it around 78degrees. Humidity levels play a huge factor in comfort.
Any vaulted ceilings? Those things usually vary from poorly insulated to really poorly insulated.
eta, craw beat me to it. If you're comfortable and even if your ac is running all day you probably don't have anything to worry about.
Get a hygrometer and find out some humidity levels. in the low 70's your relative humidity should be 50-55% possibly lower if your unit is really running all day like you say. 60%+ may indicate you have a lot of air leakage. 75* at 50% humidity is comfortable...imo 72 at 65% humidity is uncomfortable. My own home stays at 50-55% and I keep it around 78degrees. Humidity levels play a huge factor in comfort.
Any vaulted ceilings? Those things usually vary from poorly insulated to really poorly insulated.
eta, craw beat me to it. If you're comfortable and even if your ac is running all day you probably don't have anything to worry about.
This post was edited on 6/28/23 at 10:11 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:45 pm to jsk020
Best thing I did for our house when building was to do foam insulation in the attic. My attic is within 10-15 deg of my house and my house is cooler during the day. Plus it helped tremendously with what my electric bill would have been.
This post was edited on 6/28/23 at 10:47 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 11:12 pm to jsk020
I have a home built 3 years ago with 12 foot ceilings with an open floor plan and I don't have those issues. My A/C will get below 72 easily. It could be that my house is well insulated too since we didn't go with the minimum.
This post was edited on 6/28/23 at 11:15 pm
Posted on 6/29/23 at 6:33 am to derrick0356
Does your house have shade? I’ve planted two trees that will hopefully help out eventually
Posted on 6/29/23 at 6:36 am to jsk020
If you want to try a simple experiment, replace all of your filters with those blue spun ones today. If there is any difference and you want to see what’s possible, educate yourself about hvac and airflow. Do not ask a contractor, they eithe do not know or will lie.
But, 72 in this heat is not bad at all.
But, 72 in this heat is not bad at all.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 6:51 am to jsk020
No but I wish it did. We have a palm tree but it doesn't provide much shade.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 8:58 am to jsk020
quote:
Currently during the day it can not get below 72.
If you are seeing peak summer heat, that right there is a sign of GOOD hvac design. That is normal.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 8:59 am to jsk020
quote:
Currently during the day it can not get below 72.
72?? You must have $500 bill. Thats nuts
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:32 am to CrawDude
quote:
As others have implied sounds like your HVAC is properly sized. Design temperature for New Orleans is 93 F, meaning a properly sized HVAC will have difficulty maintaining a set point temperature of 75 F for much of the afternoon, much less 72 F, with temperatures in the mid to high 90s.
If it was sized to maintain 72 F at outdoor temperatures in the high 90s, it would be vastly oversized of 99% for the remaining days in the year, and vastly oversized HVAC is not a good thing.
HVACs are designed mechanically to run nearly all day during the hottest days of the year that exceed design temperature conditions, that should not concern you other than the high utility expense.
Great post with lots of good logic.
Leads me to a question: could you oversize and utilize a fully variable system? In other words, size it for 100F and just allow if to modulate and almost never operate at 100% except on the most extreme days such as today?
Posted on 6/29/23 at 10:40 am to jsk020
I think I remember reading that 15-20 degrees cooler that outside temp is considered normal for AC systems.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 12:34 pm to TSmith
quote:
Great post with lots of good logic.
Leads me to a question: could you oversize and utilize a fully variable system? In other words, size it for 100F and just allow if to modulate and almost never operate at 100% except on the most extreme days such as today?
To a certain extent you have to because staged & variable capacity systems dont do half ton sizes. So if you need half ton (like a 2.5 ton system), you typically have to go up a half ton to the next whole ton stage (like 3-ton).
But in reality, variable capacity systems really excel in zoning systems more than any other application.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 1:57 pm to TSmith
quote:
Leads me to a question: could you oversize and utilize a fully variable system? In other words, size it for 100F and just allow if to modulate and almost never operate at 100% except on the most extreme days such as today?
That is a common consumer question on HVAC websites I peruse, and though the most common answer by those more knowledgeable than me is that the system should be still sized based on Manual J calculations (which actually does in itself provide a bit of over-sizing cushion) which takes into account the design temperature for a location, they will also acknowledge that over-sizing a fully modulating HVAC (fully variable speed system) so as handle the “extremes” that exceed design conditions is by and large OK, or they’ll usually state it shouldn’t cause issues that over-sizing a single stage HVAC could result in.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 5:53 am to jsk020
we installed clear carbon ceramic tint on our home windows and there was a very noticeable difference in the afternoon/evening. fwiw the whole back side of our house is windows facing west/northwest. it was also tax deductible.
we are located in south carolina so i'm not sure how much that would help w/ the sweltering heat down there. damn man, i do not miss that.
we are located in south carolina so i'm not sure how much that would help w/ the sweltering heat down there. damn man, i do not miss that.
Posted on 6/30/23 at 6:20 am to jsk020
My house also gets full sun. I have my thermostat set on 77 which works great along with my ceiling fans. I open up my Sunsetter awning on my deck to keep the sun's heat from getting into the house.
If you have ceiling fans and can shade your windows it will help a lot.
If you have ceiling fans and can shade your windows it will help a lot.
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