a place to put random discourses on life
The struggle of construction
Published on August 3, 2006 By lifehappens In Home & Family
So our house is 1150 sq ft. It is becoming increasingly cramped as our two children grow. At some point we need another room. We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house that isn't cutting it anymore.

Right now we are looking at adding a 16x20 room on. That means evaluating contractors, talking to the bank about a loan or equity LOC, weighing the costs vrs the payout later.
I've talked to realtors to appraise the home's value now and with the addition. That was a nightmare, but it only served to reenforce my choice. Even if we don't get back the complete amount back, it will cost less than moving. So unless the Army reverses the black hole that is Fort Hood, we are stuck here. (and worst case, we rent it out)

Anyway, my new issue is the A/C unit. Both contractors have said that if I build on, I need a bigger unit. I conceed that this one doesn't seem to do a very good job, but as I research the topic I am 1)blasted with more information than I know what to do with right now and 2)not given any definitive comparison between manuf./brands/models

Any advice you have would be appreciated!

Back to topic, I have learned of other methods that would help reduce the strain on the A/C unit such as Attic Foil, ceramic paint and ridgeline venting. All great topics, but not stuff that comes cheap. Sigh. If you are building, upgrading or just looking to save a few bucks, check this stuff out. You would be surprised.

The A/C units though: higher SEER = better effiecency. This year marks the first year that 13 is the baseline. It's probably MUCH better than the one I have. Upgrading from a unit built in 1969 (SEER 7 at best) to a SEER 14 would save 50-60% according to some websites. However, I wonder if the Super-high models (ie: SEER 18-21) are a good idea. They are new, more complicated.....does that mean they are more likely to break in the near future? In '69 things were still built to last. Does the built in expiration of today mean that I should buy cheaper, knowing that I'll replace it again in 15-20 years? Or should I go for the energy eff., save money with my bills but have a bigger outlay upfront....and still possibly replace or repair in 15 years?

Oh, and back to the Attic foil and the other methods to reduce radient heat in the attic.....does this mean I'll struggle more in the cold months to heat my house? Or should the current level of insulation render the other changes obsolete in winter?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I've just brushed the surface.

Comments
on Aug 03, 2006
My aunt, uncle and cousin have been the the HVAC business for over 20 years. They sell and service many different brands but the one that is on the pad at their homes is a Trane. To me that speaks volumes. No one wants to have to work on what they own if thats what they do all day long.

As for the seer ratings, I'm not sure either. I think with most of the upper units though you would be looking at a longer warranty. I think Trane has a 10 year warranty.
on Aug 03, 2006

They sell and service many different brands but the one that is on the pad at their homes is a Trane. To me that speaks volumes.

Yes it does speak volumes!  Thanks for the recommendation.

on Aug 03, 2006
one other thing...

Last summer we replaced our indoor unit and went 'cheap' (read: inexpensive). While the unit wasn't a big name brand it was supposed to be quality. It was as large as the previous unit and did well for the remainder of summer. However, this summer has been another story. Some days it just can't keep up and we find temps 10 degrees above the dial setting. On the hottest days we have had, it wasn't able to bring the inside temp below 75 until after 10pm.
on Aug 03, 2006
I'd say go with the best unit you can afford as it will pay for itself in energy savings by not having to work as hard.

The foil will help keep the house warmer in winter as it will reduce heat loss through the roof.
on Aug 03, 2006
We have a Trane and it rocks. I'd recommend it.

When we re roof we are getting ridge vents. My uncle is a retired engineer type person and explained why they are so much better in winter and summer...but I couldn't tell you why...I was a bit glassy eyed by the end of it....haha.

Good luck!
on Aug 03, 2006
I also have a trane and it cools my home when it is 111 or so outside.
on Aug 03, 2006
On the questions of the attic foil and stuff like that, just about anything you do that adds insulation to your home is a good thing for both winter and summer. Areas like your attic, a basement, garage space, etc., that aren't well insulated are just areas where the heat is escaping in the winter and the cool air is escaping in the summer.

We had to replace our compressor unit (outside unit) last year. We got a RUUD unit. It seems to work pretty well though I'm still not at all impressed by the amount of air flow I feel coming from our vents in our home. It's always been poor and seems to me to just be a woefully inadequate fan unit inside the home (or perhaps a leak in the duct work that is between the two halves of my double wide mobile home).

New units are definitely more efficient than old, and can save you a lot of money pretty quickly. Get the best efficiency you can while still getting a recommended/reliable brand. Hopefully you'll save in service fees and in the cost of running the unit and over time you'll have it paid for with those savings.
on Aug 03, 2006
We had to replace our compressor unit (outside unit) last year.


From what I ahve read, replacing just 1/2 the unit causes less efficiency and greater dissatisfaction. Call someone and check it out. Most places will do it for free. http://www.appelheat.com/ has good info too.
on Aug 04, 2006
On the hottest days we have had, it wasn't able to bring the inside temp below 75 until after 10pm.


I have a friend whose husband is a H/AC guy. He says that the AC unit will only cool off to about 20 degrees less than the outside temperature so if it's 100 outside, your ac is still working if it's 80 degrees inside. It seems like mine has kept it about 75 inside even on our 100 degree days.

I have heard that getting a fan in the attic is also a great way to reduce your bill but I haven't looked into it further. I would love to get some of the dark window screens to keep the sun out. We have no trees so we just bake in the sun all day and of course, we have a huge picture window at the front and back of our house. Unfortunately, it takes a long time for trees to become shade trees.