June 1, 2009
Dan wants central air: What brand of central air conditioner do you prefer? How about dealers?
Any of the major manufacturers-Trane, Carrier, Rheem, Goodman, Lennox, Ruud and others you've heard of-are good choices. If your house is newer, you may want to stick with the same brand as your furnace. Also, you can check with the HVAC company that regularly services your system to find out which brand they prefer. Finally, noise may be an issue. If the condensing unit will be near the patio or deck, then you'll probably want it to be as quiet as possible, so ask about a scroll compressor, as they are pretty mellow while operating.
No matter whom you choose to do the work or what manufacturer makes the system, you'll want three competitive estimates. Let the first company set the specifications-that is let them set up the apples-to-apples comparisons you'll make with the other companies. If they specify, say, a basic 3 ton unit with a 13 SEER (the minimum now required), then make the other two bidders stick with that spec. Otherwise, you'll never be able to compare prices.
Avoid the super-duper high efficiency models. Higher SEER ratings can cost hundreds more, but our cooling seasons is so short here that I don't think they make economic sense. Remember that the Department of Energy just raised the minimum SEER number from 10 to 13-so you'll be saving 30% more energy than you would have a few years ago with the lower allowed number.
You can expect to pay $3000 to as much as $5000 for the installation, depending on the location of your electric panel and distance to the furnace.
Dear Readers: As you may have heard, Colorado will require the installation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in all single-family homes and apartments, starting July 1st. They will be required within 15 feet of all bedrooms, so you may end up with two or three to meet the new requirements. Many folks want to know with more specificity where to locate them for ideal protection from this deadly gas.
Of course, follow the manufacturer's instructions, but here are some other considerations. My favorite detector is the nighthawk brand plug-in unit. Why? Because if you think about it, the outlets in your house are at about the same level as your head while you're sleeping. Since nighttime is when we are most vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning, you'll be warned when the gas enters your breathing space. Why not locate them at the ceiling level? Carbon monoxide is just barely lighter than air, so, in theory, it will take it a long time to get to the higher parts of your bedroom. Besides, the big worry here is CO in the furnace's warm air output. That air stream tends to hug the floor as it races back to the nearest cold air return, so, again, the floor level detector makes more sense. Now you know why I'm not a big fan of these combination CO, smoke detectors, since they are amounted high up near the ceiling. The bottom line: separate smoke and CO detectors is the best configuration to keep your family safe. If you have a hot water system heated by a boiler, place the first detector near or in the boiler room, followed by the bedrooms. Many condo units have a central heating plant located far away, so, in that case, with no gas fired appliances or systems inside, the CO detector would be optional.
AJ has some structural issues: Some studs in my basement are starting to bow out a little. Should I be worried?
Maybe. This may indicate that the concrete floor is shifting upward, applying pressure to the wall. You will need to cut or notch the studs to relieve the stress. Do this before the pressure affects the upstairs. If allowed to continue, you may soon notice drywall cracks and sticky windows and doors in the upper levels.
Check with a structural engineer for a drawing of the "floating wall" system for basements. It's a neat and simple way to accommodate this movement and keep it downstairs.
