Housecooling
Way back in 2012 I got some estimates for having central air conditioning installed in my ductless house. At that time, the estimates were far beyond my ability (or at least desire) to pay, so I stuck with a single window unit instead.
My desire to have central air conditioning never went away, particularly when cooking in the heat of the summer became a burden rather than fun. M also is someone who does not enjoy the heat, and while neither her childhood home nor her last apartment had a/c, she definitely wanted it. As such, this year I went and got some new estimates.
As it happens, the total estimates had gone up only a small amount in the intervening seven years, and my ability to pay had gone up substantially, so on April 15, 16 and 17 Slife Heating & Cooling had a crew here installing central air. The compressor is outside in my "alley", the main unit is up in the attic, and vents were dropped directly into the second floor and through three of my closets to every room on the first floor except for the Florida room, which has no closets over it. The vents are small 4" pipes, not the big ones, so this doesn't wreck my closets any significant amount. The system is a high velocity system which compensates for the inability to install larger ducts by speeding the air flow up. It also promises high efficiency.
My electrical panel was full, so the following week an electrician came and installed a larger panel with some empty spaces. With that complete, Slife returned yesterday to a final hookup and systems check, and now I have central air conditioning.
The unit is designed to handle 90 degrees and high humidity easily. At higher temperatures it may have to work a bit harder, and at really ultra-high temperatures (like 100+ with total humidity for days on end) it may not keep up. It came with a wireless thermostat so you can carry it around the house with you. Naturally, it will also require some new maintenance activities, like changing filters occasionally and having yearly service visits to keep the warranty from being voided.
Naturally, it's cold out right now, but I'm sure I'll find out in a few weeks how effective it is. Given that it wasn't particularly cheap (it cost more than double my last car), it sure had better be!
My desire to have central air conditioning never went away, particularly when cooking in the heat of the summer became a burden rather than fun. M also is someone who does not enjoy the heat, and while neither her childhood home nor her last apartment had a/c, she definitely wanted it. As such, this year I went and got some new estimates.
As it happens, the total estimates had gone up only a small amount in the intervening seven years, and my ability to pay had gone up substantially, so on April 15, 16 and 17 Slife Heating & Cooling had a crew here installing central air. The compressor is outside in my "alley", the main unit is up in the attic, and vents were dropped directly into the second floor and through three of my closets to every room on the first floor except for the Florida room, which has no closets over it. The vents are small 4" pipes, not the big ones, so this doesn't wreck my closets any significant amount. The system is a high velocity system which compensates for the inability to install larger ducts by speeding the air flow up. It also promises high efficiency.
My electrical panel was full, so the following week an electrician came and installed a larger panel with some empty spaces. With that complete, Slife returned yesterday to a final hookup and systems check, and now I have central air conditioning.
The unit is designed to handle 90 degrees and high humidity easily. At higher temperatures it may have to work a bit harder, and at really ultra-high temperatures (like 100+ with total humidity for days on end) it may not keep up. It came with a wireless thermostat so you can carry it around the house with you. Naturally, it will also require some new maintenance activities, like changing filters occasionally and having yearly service visits to keep the warranty from being voided.
Naturally, it's cold out right now, but I'm sure I'll find out in a few weeks how effective it is. Given that it wasn't particularly cheap (it cost more than double my last car), it sure had better be!