January 26, 2009
Charlie may have a furnace problem: You talked about lowering the thermostat by 10 degrees before bedtime, but should it take 3 to 4 hours to recover that heat in the morning? Our A/C runs all the time in the summer, but it never gets below 80. Are these related?
Could be. It sounds like you may have an airflow problem. I assume you change your furnace filter monthly-all year round since you both heat and cool. How about the return air grilles? Have you blocked them with furniture? Is there at least one or two on each level? Do you have good new vinyl windows and about 13" to 14" of attic insulation? Perhaps the fan speed needs to be adjusted. In most furnaces, there are two or three settings, mostly to adjust for the increased density of cold air while air conditioning. One other thing: In the "old days" we sometimes used smaller duct sizes than is the case today. These are all questions that your friendly HVAC technician can answer. Not all heating companies like to tackle these air flow issues, so interview until you find one.
PS: At my house, it only takes about 25 minutes to recover an 8 degree setback-so you've got some work to do.
Everett wants to know about CFL's: I have a rear porch light that is encased in glass. Is it OK to put a CFL in there?
You should be OK for now. Wintertime temperatures will keep heat from building up inside. You may not be so lucky in the summer. These bulbs have a built-in ballast (transformer) that produces heat; if it can't escape quickly, then the life of the bulb may be shortened. If this particular porch light is actuated by a motion detector or photocell, you should stick with an incandescent bulb. Otherwise, if it's on all night, the CFL will definitely save you money in the long run. Check out www.ge.com for some great tips on the usefulness of compact fluorescents. Remember, that they aren't appropriate for every single fixture in your home, but where they are used, they can save up to 70% on your electric bill.
H.H. has a noisy neighbor: I live in a townhome, and I can hear the people on the other side of the wall snoring! How can I quiet things down?
This is a fairly common complaint. (I suppose getting your neighbor nose clips is out of the question!?) There are at least a dozen "tricks" that builders use to prevent noise transmission through these party walls. It sounds like yours took some shortcuts. The only real answer at this point would be to add a "fake" interior wall on your side separated from the existing wall by an inch or two. It's that air space-plus of course some insulation or foam panels-that will prevent sound from traveling over to you. Check with the HOA. Surely you're not the only one affected.
Patty has a drip: That little pressure valve on the side of my water heater dribbles all the time. The plumber changed it, but it still happens. He mentioned a small tank they could install. What about that?
It's called an expansion tank. Usually painted red or blue, the tank is about the size of a one gallon milk jug and simply sits on the cold water line just before the water heater. Recall that hot material expands, so, when the water heater comes on, the now-expanded water has to go somewhere. That's why it drips out of the pressure valve-it's the only escape to the outside world. The expansion tank, on the other hand, has a rubber bladder inside-with air on one side and water on the other. So it can absorb that extra volume as the system heats up. The cost? The tank itself is less than $50, but, of course, you'll have to pay the plumber at least another hour's worth of labor to install it.
Alternatively, check your interior water pressure. If it's over 50 lbs., set the regulator back to a little under that level and the dripping may stop all together.
