Heaters and Coolers

[ides]

We currently have a working gas heater and a/c for our two story house. The problem with it is that it makes the upstairs boiling and the downstairs is cold. I literally have the windows open and fan on upstairs and it's frigid downstairs. It appears the only way to solve this issue would be to move to a two system system - heater and cooler for upstairs and one for downstairs with each on a separate thermostat. We also couldn't keep the current heater and cooler as they are two large for one floor so we'd have to buy all new. We got one estimate today and I'm calling two other places this afternoon for more estimates. Currently we have a Lennox heater (that's 12 years old) which works fine but it appears that different companies have a certain brand they only use so that I couldn't necessarily pick the contractor then the heater brand, does this seem right? So the place today uses Lennox and I know another uses Traine.

So, anyone have brand preferences? Anyone do this sort of change? What sort of things did/do you look for in a business - reviews, length of time in business, etc? Any general advice?

[SuzySunshine]

We went through the process of getting HVAC bids last fall because we know ours are old and will probably die any minute - anyway every. single. vendor. told me that it didn't matter which brand we put it - it mattered WHO put it in and WHO serviced it. They each had brands they preferred but it was because they could get the same service/support from the mfg. that they expected to give their customers. They said all of the motors are made in the same places, parts, etc. So I would look up the installer on Angie's List or the local BBB or yelp or other review sites. Make sure the servicing company is reliable!

All of our bids also came with 2-5 years of service meaning they would come out twice year, once in the fall and once in the spring and maintain them and ready them for the switch from heat to AC. Change filters, clean coils, check freon, etc.

Good luck, its not cheap!

[ides]

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying hard to find a reputable installer. Not such an easy task and yes, it will be expensive. Blah. I'm so thoroughly sick of being frozen downstairs and cooked upstairs.

[poky]

Is your heat/ac forced air? Can you shut the vents on the upper floor in the winter and shut the vents on the lower floor in the summer? We have four floors if you count the basement and attic (just the guest room) and just one thermostat, and there's a bit of discrepancy between the attic and basement, but not a whole lot. There are a bunch of valve switches on the heating ducts on the ceiling of the basement, and someone who lived here at some point helpfully marked them all with "S" and "W", so we switch them when we switch from heat to cool and back, and it keeps it pretty even.

[ides]

It's forced air. I think its a pressure problem. The air goes first upstairs to the attic where it comes out strong and very warm. It then comes downstairs underneath the floor and comes out lukewarm at best.

[Meenah]

Check your duct work. I honestly don't remember how or why but there was something wrong with our duct work years ago and we had the same problem. It was accessible in the basement.

[ides]

We don't have a basement, just crawl space. Good idea. I know the guy today looked in there at the ducts but didn't get inside and crawl around.

[SuzySunshine]

Does your duct work have dampers? Besides opening and closing vents in rooms we can adjust where the air goes out of the system by turning the dampers. We've never done this but if it does have them an experienced HVAC guy should be able to adjust them...

[ides]

No dampers that I know of. I'll be grilling the guy who comes out Friday.

[Meenah]

That was it, was dampers in the ductwork.

[poky]

That was it, was dampers in the ductwork.

Yeah, that's the "valves and switches" I was talking about; didn't know the real word for it.

[ides]

Maybe. I'll ask about dampers. I know so little. Trying to get up to speed. Thinking about it more I'm not so sure its pressure. There plenty of cold/lukewarm air blowing out of the vents.