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New to Maplewood
Citizen
Username: Newtomaplewood
Post Number: 59
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 7:45 am: | 
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The temperature in our house has been close to ten degrees higher than the thermostat. Yesterday, I had it set to 70 and it was 80 in our living room. The company that installed our unit said that it was due to the extreme heat and I was wondering if this is really the norm. The few friends I did ask said that they had little or no difference between thermostat temperature and the actually temp in the house. |
Bill232
Citizen
Username: Bill232
Post Number: 199
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 7:54 am: |
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I also have new system in a new home and have had the same problem each year. It is the high temps. Try pulling down shades and blinds to help keep it cooler. You may notice it does get better at night. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2587
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 7:59 am: |
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It's my understanding that you can expect AC to cool your house 10 degrees, plus a little. So with temps in the high 90's, 80 degrees in the house is about the best you can hope for. |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 277
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 8:47 am: |
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It must go to the quality of your insulation.We can show a 25-30 degree difference between outside and in on these 100+ degree days. |
bettyspaghetti
Citizen
Username: Bettyspaghetti
Post Number: 40
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 8:56 am: |
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Our old home had central air and after numerous calls to find out why it "was not working properly" we were told that central air can only cool a home about 10-15 degrees cooler than it is outside. So if it is 104 outside, you will still register in the higher 80's in your home. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12308
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 8:58 am: |
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The installation contract gives a guarantee of x degrees below the outside temperature. I don't have our contract here and I don't remember exactly.
Our new conventional system, installed by Custom Air, has no problem with keeping the house 25 degrees below the outside temperature, although I am not looking forward to seeing the bill, even with a 15SEER unit.  |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 278
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 9:11 am: |
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Additionally,I think its easier on a CA system to maintain a temp.as the day heats up,as opposed to trying to cool an already hot space.If we start the day at a temp.of say,72,the warmest the house gets on a 100+ day,is 74.Our unit was sized for our cubic feet,and was installed 3 yrs.ago. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1644
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 9:15 am: |
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My unit is a year old & stays where I set it...I'd say it's capable of being 25 or 30 degrees below the outside temp. (maybe more, but I have not tried)
Now if my new filters would ever arrive so it could do so more efficiently! |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 10:13 am: |
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http://www.oxyclean.com
I get my whole house filters at the above website - the price is great and they ship fast (and they send email reminders when they estimate you'll need to order new filters based on what they last sent.)
My good old (10 yr+) Carrier A/C keeps the house very comfy and at the set temp. We use a programmable thermostat which may be the difference. I just came in from outside and it initially felt freezing inside, but when I checked, the house temp said it was 77, and it was set at 77. (so I put it up to 78, thinking that might be enough for the rest of the day.)
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Mtam
Citizen
Username: Mtam
Post Number: 136
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 9:34 pm: |
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We're experiencing the same thing of being unable to get it down to less than 80 with our new unit. We actually have 2 units, the older unit being extra powerful, since it used to be for the whole house. Yet it's amazingly refreshing to have that one blowing on the basement and 1st floors and the temps are great. But I'm really dissatisfied with the one we installed in the attic just last year--it just is never that cold. They tell us the same thing--don't expect it to go below 10 or 15 degrees, it's been fitted scientifically, etc. But at the same time, when one half of the house is fantastic, and the other is weak, it's hard to accept, especially as we invested in another unit to create greater evenness and coverage in an old house. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 1139
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 7:33 am: |
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Here's a theory - since it seems to be people with new A/C units having trouble, perhaps the refrigerant has changed? I don't know how A/C's work, but if they are similar to a refrigerator, perhaps it has to do with not using freon, or something freon-like, any more due to newer environmental restrictions?
(remember, I said I don't know how A/C's work, so this may be a dumb theory.) |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4633
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 7:44 am: |
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This is a simple engineering issue.
The units will hold the house to the tempatures that they were designed to do.
To lower costs, you will find that installers designed newer units to work well most of the time, and will lag on the peak heat days.
Older units were designed for the peak heat days and can hold the house.
Insulation does affect this, but again, the older systems were designed to cool without insulation. Yes, they will cost more to run and will waste energy, but the house will stay cool.
When I had my C/A installend in 1999, I was more than involved in the design load calculations and made the installer increase the system size. He wanted to put in a 2.5 ton system, we ended up with a 4 ton system.
It cost me more on the hardware, but we are still very happy.
The refrigerant has nothing to do with the problem you are seeing.
Think about it. You go into Short Hills mall and it is 44 degrees. If all that you are being told is true, how can SHM be that cold.
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Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12319
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 7:56 am: |
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Mtam, look at your installation contract and the guarantee. As I posted earlier, how much cooling you can expect should be outlined there. If your unit doesn't cut it, the installer should make amends.
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Mtam
Citizen
Username: Mtam
Post Number: 137
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 7:57 am: |
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Excellent point--that's what I've been arguing to our company--since we have one system, which by their "calculations" is too powerful, yet it does the job well. The other is "perfectly calculated or fitted" as they say, and yet the air that blows out just isn't that cold. It's been on my mind to finally say, You didn't calculate according to the comfort level we want, especially since those floors with the new unit house our offices and we can't be working in drowsy eighty degree heat. |
Mtam
Citizen
Username: Mtam
Post Number: 138
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 8:43 am: |
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Yes, BobK I am going to--they made a big point of saying it was a 100% guaranteed, etc., though of course I may not have seen about how far they would cool. The discussion re. 10 or 15 degrees came up only after we complained. |
Jay060
Citizen
Username: Jay060
Post Number: 154
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, August 5, 2006 - 10:36 am: |
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You might be a PSE&G "Cool Customer". This program allows PSEG to install a box on your CA and cycle it on and off during the day during high electic demand (i.e this week). The prior owners of my house did this. We didn't realize this until yesterday when we had an AC guy come take a look. They did this to save a lousy $4 per month.
A quick call to PSEG will fix this. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12325
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, August 5, 2006 - 10:56 am: |
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Mtam, where is the thermostat for the unit? It should be in the warmest area, which would be the attic. We have a cape where the second floor is basically a finished attic. The thermostat was installed up stair for that reason.
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New to Maplewood
Citizen
Username: Newtomaplewood
Post Number: 60
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2006 - 9:50 am: |
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I looked at our contract and there is no specific guarantee regarding 10-15 degrees. Would the number of vents in each room play any part in this, also? We've been very unhappy with the way it was laid out. Our bedroom has two vents, while our kitchen, which is really two rooms, only has one. Our living room definitely needs another vent as well. |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4635
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2006 - 11:36 am: |
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The number of vents would have a play, to the extent that they are designed to provide a balanced air flow to each room. The size and number are a math calculation based on the size of the room. The location is a function of the room shape and should provide an even flow of air into all parts the the room. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12330
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2006 - 1:08 pm: |
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Another point is that not all that long ago heating and airconditioning people had to work out the heat loss or cooling need with a pencil, paper and worksheet. Now a days this is done on a PC in a few minutes.
I have heard that most installers used to guesstimate and that led to larger cooling units, and heating units, than were needed. |
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