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Heating/Cooling guys come on in! (Hot upstairs, cold downstairs) :(


Slimpsy1647545505

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One of the Reasons I love my first floor Master!

 

Have a similar issue with a new house-closing all but a few select ducts to the first floor/basement, and remembering to keep doors shut did the trick

 

Just know that your new found comfort come at a price. Try keeping track of how often your system runs and how long it stays on. Then try opening everything back up and keep track of what it does long. Your system "should" be properly sized to your house. If you shut vents and doors you are cutting sq ft off of your house and you will essentially have an oversized system that will short cycle. All of this cuts a lot of life off of a unit. I understand that comfortability is the name of the game but sometimes there are more economical ways to correct the problem if you look at things from a 15 year perspective.

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Just know that your new found comfort come at a price. Try keeping track of how often your system runs and how long it stays on. Then try opening everything back up and keep track of what it does long. Your system "should" be properly sized to your house. If you shut vents and doors you are cutting sq ft off of your house and you will essentially have an oversized system that will short cycle. All of this cuts a lot of life off of a unit. I understand that comfortability is the name of the game but sometimes there are more economical ways to correct the problem if you look at things from a 15 year perspective.

 

Would it really short cycle or would it run longer and at a higher back pressure? If the thermostat is on the first floor it will take quite a bit of time for the cool air upstairs to make it down. I've also heard that the increased back pressure can kill the blower motor quicker.

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This might be a dumb question, but having something switched to on vs auto raise cost much?

 

What is being discussed is leaving only the fan ON, not both the heat pump and the fan. Ordinarily the fan cycles on only when the outside unit is running, so keeping the fan running will circulate the air better and keep the upstairs from holding heat/humidity.

 

As for added cost, yes it will cost a bit, but the fan is really only a small part of the energy draw to cool your house.

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Would it really short cycle or would it run longer and at a higher back pressure? If the thermostat is on the first floor it will take quite a bit of time for the cool air upstairs to make it down. I've also heard that the increased back pressure can kill the blower motor quicker.

 

Depends on system, situation, location a lot of things. Generally yes I would say it will run longer, harder, and use more energy. The short cycling was in reference to keeping the doors shut. You could be cutting a large amount of sq footage out of the house and away from the thermostat. If I have all the doors open in my house on an 85 degree day my a/c will come on every 14 mins and run for about 7. When I shut the doors on the same day it will come on every 9 mins and run for 4 on average. I have logged it all. Not all systems will act alike either. My house is different due to the way it was constructed and ductwork is not perfect. House was originally equipted with base board heating.

 

I wouldnt refer to any of it as back pressure but there is a high increase of pressure within the system. You can easily run much higher pressures but don't effect fan motor. It does however kill compressors.

 

This might be a dumb question, but having something switched to on vs auto raise cost much?

 

Many times you would be shocked to know that it lowers electricity usage. Motors like those use much more energy to start once then they do to run for a longer specific time. Our modulating furnaces come equipted with a motor that takes more energy to start it once than it does to run all day. This motor takes less energy to run it on low fan speed all day than one lightbulb uses for a day. My fan stays on 24/7 365. This gives the motor a much easier life.

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Just know that your new found comfort come at a price. Try keeping track of how often your system runs and how long it stays on. Then try opening everything back up and keep track of what it does long. Your system "should" be properly sized to your house. If you shut vents and doors you are cutting sq ft off of your house and you will essentially have an oversized system that will short cycle. All of this cuts a lot of life off of a unit. I understand that comfortability is the name of the game but sometimes there are more economical ways to correct the problem if you look at things from a 15 year perspective.

 

I am all about long term savings. I will try the Fan action-doors open.

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Never really thought about it that way lol. But yeah, the only reason stopping it is bad is because it means you have to start it again.

 

;)

 

I test industrial motors for a living. I like it when people start and stop them too much. Makes me money.

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