Air Conditioning Ideas

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Author Message   tcedwards Citizen Username: Tcedwards Post Number: 51 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 10:18 pm:        Hi, I do not have Central Air and wish to open a discussion path of cooling ideas for the summer. I have one wall unit on each floor of a three story home. My goal is to improve the cool air flow with out significantly increasing the number of A/C units. My home has a small landing with a window just before second floor. The landing has about a 5 foot rise (via steps) to the second floor hallway. When you actually reach the second floor there is a noticable temperature change from the first to second floor (no surprise here). I am looking for a solution that would allow me to break up the trapped heat on the second floor (I have a ceiling fan in the master bedroom) to reduce the overall heat situation on the second floor. I have thought of three solutions and am looking some feedback: 1) Put a ceiling fan on the third floor to break the heat on the second and supplement air circulation for the A/C currently on the third floor. I think this would help reduce air trapped on the second, yes? 2) Put a small hallway ceiling fan on the second floor (I would prefer not to put a fan here). The second floor hallway is small area where once on the floor you pretty much decide with room to enter. 3) Put an A/C unit in the window at the landing before I reach the second floor. Here I hope to cool and/or reduce the heat air rising to the second. I think this A/C unit would serve to cool the first floor primarily with some of the air leaking into the second floor. Any thoughts here.   rssounds Citizen Username: Rssounds Post Number: 233 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 8:03 am:        Install an attic fan to help move the hot air out of the house. Location and size of the ac units would be your next consideration.   Flik Chik Citizen Username: Flikchik Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2004 Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 6:26 pm:        I second the attic fan idea. I have also heard that installing an AC in the attic (if you have a functional attic) helps, as cool air is heavier and comes down to the second floor. I have not tried the AC in the attic but the attic fan is a must.   tcedwards Citizen Username: Tcedwards Post Number: 52 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 8:24 pm:        Thanks for the input so far. Are you folks suggesting turning on the attic fan when the A/C is on? If so that is an interesting idea. Any commitments on item #3 where I was thinking of trying a window unit (A/C) at the stairway landing just before reaching the second floor?   Master Plvmber Citizen Username: Master_plvmber Post Number: 198 Registered: 3-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 9:37 pm:        Be careful with attic fans. If installed improperly, or in a house without adequate ventilation, they can suck the gases out of your water heater/boiler flue and bring them into the house. I strongly suggest you have your heating system and chimney checked before considering installing one. Having said that, I grew up with one in my house and it kept us nice and cool. We didn't have central air. Master_Plvmber   lefty Citizen Username: Lefty Post Number: 38 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 7:29 am:        regarding attic fans, what kind of contractor would install them?   melicious Citizen Username: Melicious Post Number: 56 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 7:35 am:        What are some of the keys to a correct installation? I know you said checking the heating and chimney... anything else? I have an air conditioner in my attic. Should the fan be on the opposite side? Thanks   bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 5037 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 7:36 am:        We have a finished third floor with a through the wall airconditioner. When running in the summer it keeps the second floor much cooler than when it isn't running. You can feel the cool air coming down the stairs from the attic to the second floor.   Master Plvmber Citizen Username: Master_plvmber Post Number: 199 Registered: 3-2003 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:19 am:        I don't have all the answers but the attic must be very well ventilated. The idea is that the fan shouldn't pull any air from the living space when it is running. It should pull fresh air in from the eaves vents(don't trust my terminology) and exhaust it out the roof. Master_Plvmber   mellie Citizen Username: Mellie Post Number: 463 Registered: 4-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 3:58 pm:        think about ductless a/c - it can hang on a wall and the workings are outside also, if using interior space is an issue, Unico systems use high speed air in smaller ducts (if you are thinking about central air) - it might be a thought   Richard O'Connor Citizen Username: Roconn Post Number: 225 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 5:36 pm:        I had central air put in ... from the top down (its in my attic) and its a HUGE improvement over window units ... and with the high efficiency filter on it ... my allergies are happier too ... can be a little costly (on the downside) Richard (ROC) --Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.-- --AIM: ROConn   rssounds Citizen Username: Rssounds Post Number: 237 Registered: 5-2001 Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 12:56 am:        Master Plumber is correct when he said that you should make sure that you have proper ventilation in the attic re an attic fan. Let me clarify my previous post and state that I recommend installing a thermostatically controlled roof fan. (8in diameter or so fan blade}. The specs for ventilating a roof/attic are readily avaliable through many sites. Check out This Old House, Old house Journal, or the major roofing manufactures such as GAF. they will provide you with the info you need. The roof fan has made a big difference in the overall comfort level in my house. I don't recommend intalling an ac unit in the attic. This is an expensive solution for a problem that can be solved in a more elegant and cheaper manner.   tcedwards Citizen Username: Tcedwards Post Number: 53 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 2:40 am:        This is great information thanks folks. I had a thermostatically controlled roof fan installed in my last place and it surely helped as suggested. Currently, I am reallying on A/C on each floor (not central) and there is an attic fan installed and operational on the wall near ceiling of the attic (finished room) in the stairway. Based on a suggestion in this thread I am going to try an run the attic fan when the A/C on the first and second floors are operating. I am hoping the attic fan will pull the rising hot air out of house leaving the house (in particular the second floor) cooler That ductless A/C unit sounds interesting...   mellie Citizen Username: Mellie Post Number: 467 Registered: 4-2002 Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 9:32 am:        Proper attic venting (ridge vents and the like) can alos help the hot air escape without ny artificial help Better insulation in the roof can also help Both necessary regardless of attic fan or a/c I think.   tmb Citizen Username: Tmb Post Number: 15 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 12:10 pm:        Richard, would you mind sharing the ballpark budget of your central air installation? Also, would you recommend the contractor? Thanks.   Richard O'Connor Citizen Username: Roconn Post Number: 228 Registered: 6-2001 Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 7:25 am:        Master Air (or is it Air Masters) ... anyway, they are in Fairfield and the total install in my 2.8 floor (its almost a complete floor up there) colonial was 12,000 (ish) (see last) Ultra High efficiency Rheem unit which I am VERY pleased with. Average electric bill last summer was MUCH lower than the previous 2 summers (by almost $75) with the window units and it made MUCH less noise and was SUBSTANTIALLY more even. I've also noted (you'd have to get how much free time I have) that if I run the ac Fan with the woodstove insert, I can heat my whole house to about 72 using firewood quite succesfully. If the fans are on, (and much of the time they are) I find the house as a whole, more evenly heated and well, I think there's even less dust ... but that may be my imagination. They did a beautiful job ... HOWEVER ... most installs are likely going to be a bit more (mine would have been an original estimate was 16k) as I had it done while there were no walls on the second floor post tree during re-construction. It made it easier for them to run many if not all of the ducts. only 2 had to be in closets the rest are in the 'new' walls. Certainly worth an estimate. The guy in charge is named Tom. Richard (ROC) --Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.-- --AIM: ROConn   tmb Citizen Username: Tmb Post Number: 16 Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 10:33 am:        Thanks Richard.