Not Cool: Techman & Meplumber:

I really appreciate your input on my situation. I wanted to keep you informed.

I may have other issues with the replaced system. not seeming to work as well as the old, but one thing is that decreasing the heat gain is only a step forward. The attic insulation is a mess. Over the years, different people rooting around for alarm systems and cable TV systems have caused the insulation to be piled up in some places and non existent in others. I know the limitations of IR thermometer guns. But relatively, they show something. If the room is set at 79 in the AM and it is 80 degrees OAT, the inside floor is 75 degrees, and the ceilings are all 79+/- and one room is 78degrees, it gives you a guideline. But in the room that is 78*, there is a closet with an access panel in the ceiling with no insulation, and the side facing in measures 101 degrees, it is a good indicator that there is little resistance to heat gain in that area. I know that the area above this closet has had all the insulation pushed away and not put back. I'm going to have additional insulation blown in.

The issue I discovered should be of interest to you. My theory that adding additional attic ventilation (full length ridge vents) 3 years ago has added to the problem by increasing the humid airflow in the attic increases heat gain that is putting additional load on the system. I have three recessed ceiling lights in the ceilings. The three incandescent bulbs add heat to the building. They aren't IFC so they can't be covered with insulation because the air is part of the cooling part of the listing. So, I changed them to LED spots and dimmers and I will do something to cover them up so the insulation isn't in direct contact with the housing. The worst that can happen is that they might blink off and on if they get too hot. They are only 12 watt LED bulbs though. But when I stuck my hand inside to guide the new bulbs in to the sockets, I was surprised to feel how much humidity/moisture I could feel in the top of the housing. It was extremely noticeable.  I suggested that the moisture was traveling through the insulation and through the gypsum ceiling, where it was being absorbed by the cooler and dryer air. It never goes above 50% inside while yesterday, it was in the 80% range outside. The only place I get any condensation is on the closest and coldest metal ceiling registers. And the condensation shows up first on the ceiling, where the register meets the sheetrock and comes from under the grill. Yesterday, during the hottest part of the day, the structure gained 1 degree (78* to 79*) and the humidity outside went to over 80%. But the humidity inside stayed below 50%. The closet room with the access, the surface temperature went from 101* to 106*.

In my life as a Hydronic Heater, I found a lot of problems with cold air infiltration in recess ceiling lights. Enough so that in a well and properly ventilated unconditioned space that had recessed ceiling lights, you could have a 28 degree OAT day with 35+ MPH wind and not be able to get the room to a temperature above 60 degrees and the boiler is off on high limit. Go back on another day and the OAT is 10 degrees, the same room is 70 degrees inside and the boiler is cycling. On the cold, windy 28 * day, inside the light is 34 degrees inside the light housing. On the 10* day, it is warmer, maybe 45 degrees inside the light housing. It doesn't matter if they are IFC rated or not. They still leak/infiltrate air. If you ever have a lack of cooling call, and there are recessed ceiling lights, especially in cathedral ceilings, look there. I promise you it will be surprising to you how much is lost there.

Additionally, the AH has some EEV Motorized valve assembly that controls liquid going in to the expansion valve. It stopped working and the system stopped. It must be a "Normally Open" valve because when they by-passed it, it became fully opened and the vapor return line is now very cold and at the compressor, it is now sweating when it is running. That should qualify for something. I don't think it was ever working properly. I never saw the condenser sweat since it was installed. It does now. Like the one beside it.

I felt that it was extremely restricted in the return airflow. I have always used quality air filters. I change them once a month and I can see the dirt on the air side. If the AH is running when I take off a filter, it will try to suck it back. When I try to put it back, it sucks it right out of my hand. The louvered cover they send to use in place of a bottom inlet will do the same. It adds a lot of restriction to the intake. That's why I want to cut out the louvers. The other day, the inside temperature started to go up while running. I took off the filter and louvered panel. Air flow improved. If the bi-fold louvered door is not quite closed, the intake return fan will suck it closed. The better the filter, the more restriction it can add. I figured that out. Cheap filters have a place.

If you have done any small boat single handed sailboat racing like I have for most of my life, you appreciate the value of good, clean and undisturbed air.  It would have been better to use the bottom return because there is less turbulence in the air going through the louvers than when it is only a few inches from the intake.filters. Its what makes airplanes fly and sailboats sail.