351mach11647545510 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Whenever it's really hot like today, it seems our A/C at the house can't keep up. Had it running non-stop all day and the temp kept creeping up to a high of 77 (i keep it set on 68). Doesn't seem to blow cold at all when it's hot but it is moving air. Good air filter and condenser isn't clogged. Is this normal when it's real hot out? The house was built in 03 so to me it seems a little early to need a recharge. Just want to see before I harass the landlord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattKatz Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 It's actually pretty normal if sized right. At anything above 90 it should run constantly however, should keep Up a bit better if you do your part with window coverings and doors closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky31186 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 My house has been the same way.. Pretty normal to see a 20* temp difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bruh Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Yeah unless you have a badass system it will rise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
351mach11647545510 Posted July 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 It's actually pretty normal if sized right. At anything above 90 it should run constantly however, should keep Up a bit better if you do your part with window coverings and doors closed. good to know. ours is simliar. today hit 100 outside so it did well considering, keeping the house at 75 but the temp inside didn't go below 77 until just before sunset. runs all the time as the others are. Would putting some fans in the attic help at all? We have gable vents on, hat vents and of course the screens/vents on the soffets. Our system is 24 years old and it's still ticking...knock on wood. When we replace it we'll get a size or two bigger to insure it's cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedrx7 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 holding 75 just fine, refilled system and cleaned a coil. house built in 02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have geothermal so I don't have to maintain my system anymore but I would think that cleaning your A coil (inside your furnace) and keeping the condenser unit clean (that one is outside) you would be able to manage better. Also, new air filter can often make a huge difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyFKINPowerz Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have the same problem. My A/C cant keep up no matter what though. My house was built in 98. I have had 3 or 4 different Heating and Cooling companies come out over the last 3 years. They all tell me that it is working fine but it is to small for my house and I should have a 2.5 ton system on my house instead of a 2 ton. Apparently Dominion puts the same A/C unit on every house in my neighborhood no matter what the size of the house is. So next year I will probably spend the 3k to upgrade. I am tired of the 260.00 a month electric bills during the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractor Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 A properly sized and functioning system should keep up fine if the house is also insulated properly. My house is 5 years old and stays at 70 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky31186 Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Mine was built in 94, original AC unit. When we moved in the AC company did say that ours was too small also for the size of the house. On a 100 degree day it stays around 66* basement, 71-72* 1st floor, 74-75* upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustlestiltskin Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 A properly sized and functioning system should keep up fine if the house is also insulated properly. My house is 5 years old and stays at 70 degrees. This, my house was built in 1980 and is well insulated. I keep it at 70 and the ac unit has no problems. :fuckyeah: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franchi Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Built in 1968, old ac system sucked donkey balls, and had a whole new ac system put in this year, bigger then needed for our square footage. No matter what the temp is outside, it's always 2 degrees colder then inside then what the thermostat is set at. Best 3k I ever spent. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustlestiltskin Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Built in 1968, old ac system sucked donkey balls, and had a whole new ac system put in this year, bigger then needed for our square footage. No matter what the temp is outside, it's always 2 degrees colder then inside then what the thermostat is set at. Best 3k I ever spent. lol my house gets soo cold I can see my breath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyFKINPowerz Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franchi Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Then you can claim the whole house is a beer cooler! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustlestiltskin Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 My house ac gets soo cold that I only have 2 minutes to get clothes on after I get out of the shower before hypothermia kicks in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 Sounds like you need a bigger ac or a smaller house. Mine doesn't run constantly but it doesn't have an issue staying where I set it. 75F works fine in my house but I can make it 70F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyFKINPowerz Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Someone told me to block off some of the vents in the lower part of my house , and that would drop the temp by about 2 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Someone told me to block off some of the vents in the lower part of my house , and that would drop the temp by about 2 degrees. I'm no HVAC Guru, but I don't believe in doing that. That I said I only have two vents in our finished lower level (Basement) and do have them closed as they are within feet of the main trunk. However, I would not do this on the main floor. My understanding of how HVAC systems function would lead me to believe this could cause a back up of colder air in the main trunk and too much of a slow down in flow across the indoor coil and not only decrease efficiency but could cause the indoor coil to freeze. I've been trying to read up on installing fans in the gables of our attic spaces to help. However, I've read mixed reviews and we already have a ton of ventilation up there in terms of hat vents, gable and soffet vents and adding a powered version could disrupt the natural non mechanical flow already in place. I'm not sure what else I can do other than perhaps add more insulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyFKINPowerz Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I'm no HVAC Guru, but I don't believe in doing that. That I said I only have two vents in our finished lower level (Basement) and do have them closed as they are within feet of the main trunk. However, I would not do this on the main floor. My understanding of how HVAC systems function would lead me to believe this could cause a back up of colder air in the main trunk and too much of a slow down in flow across the indoor coil and not only decrease efficiency but could cause the indoor coil to freeze. I've been trying to read up on installing fans in the gables of our attic spaces to help. However, I've read mixed reviews and we already have a ton of ventilation up there in terms of hat vents, gable and soffet vents and adding a powered version could disrupt the natural non mechanical flow already in place. I'm not sure what else I can do other than perhaps add more insulation. We have a finished basement also and it is freezing cold on our 2 lower levels but the top 2 levels are probably 10 degrees hotter. I was told that by blocking the lower vents, that it would force the air up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 We have a finished basement also and it is freezing cold on our 2 lower levels but the top 2 levels are probably 10 degrees hotter. I was told that by blocking the lower vents, that it would force the air up. I would only close the lowest level vents and shut them at the trunk with the diverter levers there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyFKINPowerz Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I would only close the lowest level vents and shut them at the trunk with the diverter levers there. I have like 4 of those diverter levers and I have no idea which way is open or closed. I have played around with them for 6 years trying to get this crap right . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I have like 4 of those diverter levers and I have no idea which way is open or closed. I have played around with them for 6 years trying to get this crap right . Usually the lever is in the direction of the baffle. Thus if it's pointed down the middle of the pipe, it's open, if it's perpeducular, it's closed. The option we use in our master bedroom that's above the garage, has a vaulted ceiling and is huge is this: http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/FH09OCT_COLDRO_03.JPG Here's another external mount option. http://www.espenergy.com/booster_fan.htm it's a little louder in terms of a fan since the blade is small, but it really makes a huge difference. white noise at night and what's nice is it continued to run after the AC and HVAC fan stops thus it continues to pull cool air from the ducts for a few minutes. Turns on and off with temperature so once it runs out of cool air it shuts off - back on when the AC Starts. It's a simple $20 solution to helping keep the flow moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky31186 Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Finished basement with 3 vents, all 3 closed. Upstairs has 5 vents all only cracked open. 2nd floor has all fully opened. That dropped our upstairs temps 5 degrees. Basement is still 62 ish. First floor is always 69-72. 2nd floor is 73-75. Leaving fan ON instead of auto also helped circulate air upstairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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