BlackJack

I am finding more and more builders are under sizing their Air Conditioning units on new construction. Their view is that new construction is more efficient and Air Conditioning units do not need to be as large, even when they are installing only 10 seer units. During sales pitch one 2000 sq ft home buyer was told he was getting a 4 ton unit, only to find out from me that a 3 ton 10 seer was installed. Builders seem to be using an 80 - 90% rule. Deeming it acceptable for home owners to endure a lack of adequate Air Conditioning up to 20% of the year. Something like 73 day a year, it is acceptable for the unit to run non-stop. When the homeowner calls the builder out, they send a HVAC tech out to say that the unit is working to capacity. Or with the law of averages, some homeowners have no one home during the hottest hours of the day and only notice it on weekends. To me this is nothing more than a bate and switch scam. IMHO. Builders gear up to handle the calls for those days of the 1st year that are over 90 degrees, then they wash their hands of it. I am documenting on my reports a picture of the AC faceplate and Air Conditioned sq. footage, verbalizing my opinion that the Air Conditioning capacity is or may be marginal. I tell he client how the differential temperature my not tell the whole story depending on the day, and that over time it may get worse. Should I be doing that? What are you guys doing on this? Any comments appreciated.

You can only go 1 page at a time. Gave up befor I went thru the table of contents. So isn't it just about useless? Ahhhh, the power of javascript.

Most new systems come pre-charged. This way they can be installed on a cool day and have a reasonable chance of working, since they work on temp and pressure, testing them on a cold day has almost no chance of getting accurate readings. You have to stress the system to get it really good. So if your new condenser is pre-charged for a 25-50 run to evaporator, and evaporator coil is 25-50 foot away, when you open the valve you should be good. The Install Tech should take a superheat reading (on a hot day) to test it properly. In addition, iced coil could be overcharged condition, if someone added too much. 25% of the units I see are overcharged. Tech will come out and add a couple of pounds when not needed to make a few extra bucks. If it is in a high humidity area, hot humid air from the attic could be getting into the air intake and cause the icing. All the things said here could be true, and need to be eliminated one by one. Why did you say using the "term Freon makes me nervous". It’s a term used at the EPA certification school required for Freon Recovery Cert. in all 50 states. Refrigerant and Freon are mostly used interchangeably.

If you have Hardi-plank, its not so bad. Goes on very fast and evenly, using much less paint than on any type of wood product. Seems to last longer also and if the wifey changes colors on ya, its easily covered.

Same situation or worse exists in garages where freezer is connected to GFCI. I say worse because the $ loss can be much greater because you don't go to the freezer as often. Years ago your insurance might cover such an expense but nooooooo more. I have to point this out to my clients. Same as I point out metal lines on the all in one toilet valves that are notorious sources of home flooding. Just my opinion, could be wrong.

Federal Pacific 100 Amp for a 4 bedroom 2 bath 2,600 sq ft single story house with a Swimming Pool. Luclily the buyer is an master electrican by trade. This foreclosue is a match made in Heaven. Download Attachment: 100 amp FP Service.jpg 620.78 KB

how about this for the a/c condensate drain? I thought it was pretty good. Download Attachment: 2005-06-18 08-00-30.jpg 391.29 KB

The pipe is the hot water heater drain pan. The T&P is pointed to the pan. It is the wall of the utility room.

Can a pattern of mold and mildue indicate maybe a leaking pipe behind a wall. The soil on 2 sides of the house are 12-18 inches below as here. The other 2 sides have grading problems, a pool and wood decks up or middle of the first course of bricks. Not one weephole to be found. Not to put it in a report. Buyer passed on this one. Just for dissussion here. Download Attachment: 2005-07-21 14-34-18.jpg 654.5 KB

Here is a picture of the Mech. Room. I would say its about 10x8 or so, but the heater sits down about 18" from the walk leading up to it. Very little workspace in front. So you have no room to observe the flame. Texas is becomming a place where the new home builder can never be held accountable for anything not identified on the walk thru. Download Attachment: 2005-07-12 11-57-02-a.jpg 278.74 KB

What do you think? Acceptable or Not? Secondary drain connected to a float switch wired as a A/C lockout device. Comments? Download Attachment: 2005-07-16 10-28-48.jpg 55.79 KB Download Attachment: 2005-07-16 09-35-32.jpg 72.15 KB

Now the real gonads would have put the jumpers on the HOT wires!

I can't say as to the history. I do know they had to install a new igniter just to get it to light. No, it had no neg. drafts, straight up and out. Here is how I had to caculate combustion air. Here is the formula I used to calculate the combustion air for the water heater where it is located in a mech. room with door closed, and 12 foot of Hardi-soffit being the only visiable source of conbustion air. =PI()*((((13/64)/2)^2)*188)*12) 12 = Number of feet of Hardi-Soffit 188 = Number of 13/64 inch holes drilled in 1 Sq. Ft. of Hardi-Soffit 13/64 = Diameter of hole (Radius is 1/2) Answer = 73.10646 Sq. Inches. of combustion air available. 40,000 BTU Water Heater requires 10 Sq. Inches (1 Sq. In per 4,000 BTU) Don't know if this is correct, but it was a high enough number, that I felt safe.

I could not tell, maybe 7/12/04 but here is the nameplate. Bradford White. Im told they left it outside standing in some water, but dont know for sure. Download Attachment: 2005-07-12 10-28-06-xx.jpg 55.87 KB

I have a habit of noting the A/C seer rating in my decription in my report if known. When the client cornered the builder asking why he had a 10 seer unit instead of the advertised 13 seer, the builder said they installed 13 seer ducts! SHAMZAM!

Here's one I did on the 7/12/05. This was a new townhome install. $379,000 - 2000 Sq. Ft. home. I called it out for visible corrosion on the gas valve housing and enclosure fins and missing the temp. control knob. Drain pipe connection not glued either. Heard today the builder wiped it down with WD-40 and called it good. #@$%^!! Guess $379k doesn't buy what it used to. Client is threating to back out of the deal. Not for just this item, but others. Download Attachment: 2005-07-12 10-26-28-x.jpg 63.48 KB

I went to some Pool Heater Manufacture websites, and downloaded the instruction - install Manuals. Each and every one said something to the effect: Bonding Caution This heater must be connected to a bonding grid with a solid copper wire not smaller in diameter than 8 ga. The National Electrical Code and most other codes require that all metallic components of a pool structure, including reinforcing steel, metal fittings and above ground equipment be bonded together with a solid copper conductor not smaller than a number 8 wire. The heater, along with pumps and other such equipment must be connected to this bonding grid. A special labeled bonding lug is provided on the right side of the heater to accommodate this requirement. _____________________________________________________________________ The heater must be electrically grounded and bonded in accordance with local codes or, in the absence of local codes, with the latest national electrical codes ANSI/NFPA No. 70. Guess the Manufactures have some saftey concerns. signed puppy

To make it work good, Sizing the return is important. And all Flex Duct returns terminating on the return air plenums would be best. Though not popular, it all needs to be as leak proof as possible. Standard placement.... I don't think there ia a requirement..... Seen them all over. Oh Yea, did I say size is important.

I think that this additional safety bonding is required because its part of the water circulating system as water can be a conductor (E4101). Even though the piping is plastic, the water may encounter metal via the motor impeller, pump, filter and water heater. etc. I could be wrong.