Author: Kevin

This is a story of a homeowner whose heating and air conditioning reached the end of its life. For most systems, end-of-life can be anywhere from 12-16 years, but with some intermediate repairs, this system’s life was extended to 21 years.   In the fall of 2018, when the homeowners came home from a long trip, there was no air conditioning on the first floor of the house.  Interstate AC Service came out and added refrigerant to the system which appeared to solve the problem.  However, a week later, the refrigerant had leaked out and it became clear that something more would need to be done.  Interstate AC’s  system expert, Tommy Gentry,  discussed options with the homeowners.

The electric blower controls had been replaced two times in the last 10 years.  The existing HVAC unit was sitting on the basement floor, which made it subject to flooding.  So, the unit needed to be raised off the floor.  There were two rather small air ducts coming from the return and these needed to be enlarged.  Tommy took a lot of measurements and determined that a new 3-ton American Standard would fit the existing space and result in lower costs.  The existing heat pump was eliminated. Tommy drew up a reasonable estimate and the homeowner decided to proceed with the replacement.  Tommy provided drawings for the installers and made a list of parts that would be required. Three days later the truck arrived, and work with a two-man crew began.

1. First, the gas was turned off, then the refrigerant was drained from the existing unit so it could be recycled.   Next, the exhaust was disconnected from the existing unit, and the old unit was removed and recycled.  Then, the area was made ready for the new furnace.
2. A platform to go under the unit was put in place, then the blower, coils, and furnace were brought in and were put together.  Lines from the outside unit were brought inside and attached to the new unit.
3. After a short break, Tommy brought in a load of parts, inspected the job, and helped to rebuild the new unit’s furnace exhaust.
4. Next, they tackled the outdoor unit.  They cut the wiring and copper pipes to free the old unit so it could be removed and taken to the recycler.  The pad was prepared, and the new unit was unpacked and put into position.
5. Wiring and copper pipes were now fitted to the new outdoor unit.  Air was evacuated from the pipes and the coils and the new unit was filled with the new, more eco-friendly, 410A refrigerant.
6. The entire unit  – both heating and cooling – was tested.   Finally, the unit was buttoned up and connected to a new condensate pump.

The homeowner was impressed with the quality of the work and the care that Interstate AC Service took at each step of the way.  The new unit has a variable speed blower motor which makes a huge difference in reducing the noise coming from the unit.  We now have another very happy homeowner.

If you’re pondering a system replacement, let the folks at Interstate AC Service help!  If you live in the Nashville and surrounding area, give us a call at 615-802-2665.  We’re here for you!

This is part 3 of our 3-part series on alternatives to zoning. Zoning refers to creating separate thermostatically-controlled areas within your home.  But, before doing an expensive retro fit or buying a new multi-zoned system, try some of these things to address and possibly alleviate uneven temperatures in your home.  In this episode, we’ll focus on how Balancing Airflow and employing Spot Treatments may help.

Balancing the Airflow

Some rooms may be hard to heat and cool because of inadequate supply ducts or air register grills.  You may need to increase the size of the supply duct or add an additional duct to provide the needed airflow to the room. Any rooms with a lack of sufficient return airflow may benefit from relatively simple upgrades, such as: installing new or larger return-air registers, undercutting doors for increasing return air flow, or installing a jumper duct to create an air flow connection between rooms.  To see which of these solutions is best for your problem, contact an HVAC professional.

Manual Balancing

You might be able to “manually” balance the air flow by adjusting the dampers in the duct work. For example, in the summer time, you might try partially closing the dampers in the ducts going to the first floor and fully opening the ones to the second floor. This often takes a few tries to get them set right. If you have separate HVAC units feeding each floor, try setting the thermostat for the upstairs about 2-3 degrees cooler than the downstairs in the summer.  This is because heat rises.  In the winter, set the downstairs thermostat 2-3 degrees warmer than the upstairs.

Spot Treatments

Consider installing a ductless mini-split system in the rooms which are always too hot in summer and too cold in winter.  As the name implies, they do not require ductwork, so they’re easy to install and they’re super-efficient.  This will effectively make the rooms that are fed by the mini-split system their own zones, allowing you to control their temperature independently of the rest of the house.  Check out our many previous posts on mini-split systems.

Let the folks at Interstate AC Service help you sort out all the options and find the best solution for addressing your uneven heating and cooling problems. If you live in the Nashville and surrounding area, give us a call at 615-802-2665.  We’re here for all your heating and cooling needs.

This is part 2 of our 3-part series on alternatives to Zoning. Zoning refers to creating separate thermostatically-controlled areas within your home to help even out the hot and cold spots.  But, before doing an expensive retro fit or buying a new multi-zoned system, try some of these things to address and possibly alleviate uneven temperatures in your home!  In this episode, we’ll focus on how Reflecting and Radiating Heat may help… and best thing is these are do-it-yourself-type projects!

Insulate the Attic

Beefing up the insulation in the attic – not just around the ducts but all around the floor of the attic – is the one thing you can do that will help the most with both heating and cooling. Plus, you’ll save money on your overall heating and cooling costs year-round.

Insulate Garage

Adding insulation to your garage, particularly to the garage doors, will prevent heat from outside radiating inside in summer, and will prevent heat loss in winter.  Not only will it make your garage a more comfortable space, but it will help your HVAC work a little less hard to keep the adjoining rooms at your desired temperature.

Reflecting Heat

Do you have windows in your garage door or attic?  What about in that one room that always seems to be too hot in the summer and too cool in the winter?  Try Iining the insides of the windows with a UV-reflective window film, which can block 99% of the sun’s UV rays while also reducing heat loss in winter by 30%.  Many types and colors are available, and some are transparent and easily removable.

Radiant Barriers

Consider adding a radiant barrier in the attic to reflect some heat away. A radiant barrier is a highly reflective material that reflects heat rather than absorbing it.  Attics with R-19 or better insulation and a radiant barrier – such as foil-laminated OSB panels or thin sheets of aluminum – may reduce an attic’s temperature by up to 30°F.

A cooler attic or garage means less heat moving into your living space!  This increases the efficiency of your ductwork, prolongs the life of your HVAC, and saves on your energy bills.

While we can’t help you with many of these DIY projects, we can help make sure your heating and cooling units are maintained in top shape for peak efficiency, and help you find the best solution for addressing your uneven heating and cooling problems. If you live in the Nashville or surrounding area, call on Interstate AC Service at 615-802-2665. We’re here for all your heating and cooling needs.

In a previous post, we talked about zoning: creating separate thermostatically-controlled areas within your home to help even out the hot and cold spots. Although zoning can save you up to 30% in energy costs, it is not without cost itself. Suppose you don’t want the expense of replacing your current system with a new multi-zoned HVAC unit, or re-working your current ductwork layout to accommodate a retrofit. Never fear! There are lots of things you can do to address and possibly alleviate the uneven temperatures in your home. In this post (the first of a 3-part series), we’ll focus on how sealing and insulating ducts may help.

Step 1: Seal the ducts

Ductwork is used to distribute the heated or cooled air throughout your home.  In a typical home, 20-30% of the air in the ductwork is lost due to leaks, holes, and poor insulation.  The result is difficulty keeping the house comfortable no matter how the thermostat is set.  Check the ducts in your attic, crawl space, and basement, and look for holes or gaps, areas where the ductwork has been crushed or kinked, or has become disconnected.  Repair and seal the holes using mastic sealant or metal-backed (foil) tape – NOT the typical grey fabric duct tape! Contrary to its name, “duct tape” is not the best solution for sealing ducts.  Cloth-backed utility tapes are not recommended because they will fall off easily, degrade with extreme heating and cooling, and do not reflect heat.  Look for aluminum-backed tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo. Duct mastic is the preferred material for sealing ductwork seams and joints, especially irregular or jagged edges.

Step 2: Seal Registers & Vents

Check all the air register vents in each room, and the return air grill, to ensure there is a tight seal between the duct opening and the grill, that there are no tears in the ductwork from debris falling inside the register, and that the duct has not torn away from the opening.

Step 3: Insulate the ducts

Insulate the ducts, especially in the attic where the temperatures soar in the summer, and in the crawl space and basement where the temperatures are coldest in the winter.  Wrap all ducts with foil-faced fiberglass insulation having an R-6 value or greater and seal the joints with foil-faced duct tape.

Prefer a hands-off approach to your ductwork?  If you live in the Nashville and surrounding area, call on Interstate AC Service at 615-802-2665 to help with ductwork repair, or whatever heating and cooling issues you may have.  We’re here for you!