airconditioning

When installing your furnace, you'll want to remember airconditioning and choose a furnace and airconditioning system that will be adequate for the size of your home.

airconditioning system ductwork
A forced air system uses the same ductwork for both the furnace and the air conditioner.

The air conditioning unit is placed outside the home, so the inside air can be exchanged with air from outside the home. The same thermostat that is used for the furnace controls the air conditioner.

There is a big difference between central air conditioning as opposed to a swamp cooler when it comes to cooling the air inside your home. A swamp cooler can only cool to about 80 degrees. When it gets hotter than 80 the swamp cooler has a hard time keeping up and becomes ineffective, basically.

Our electric company talked RL into allowing them to put a control unit on our new air conditioner in an effort to "save electricty". This unit allowed them to control the air conditioner during peak periods (during the hottest part of the day - from 2pm to 7pm)

We learned in short order that that was a mistake. Why even have an air conditioner if you have to live in a home at 80 degrees? And then when the air conditioner comes on it takes hours to return your home to even 75 degrees!

Within that first year with the controller installed, our air conditioner was "toast" and would not cool, and it cost us $140 to repair our new airconditioner . The start-up capacitor was "gone" or died, or whatever you want to say.

Our HVAC man said that this has happened repeatedly to people who allowed the electric company to put the "control unit" on their air conditioner. So we had the power company remove the controller. In the beginning they baited us with "we'll give you a check at the end of the summer" if you let us put this unit on. We received $25 for letting them install the controller, and for the whole summer we earned $20 but then I had it removed, so we may not see that $20.

This doesn't even begin to cover the cost of the repair. But even worse, the power bill rose from $150/month to over $200/month in July and August. Be warned, don't let the power company sell you on this idea.

Remember, if you have air conditioning, YOU control the system and you'll be much happier.

A step by step guide to building your home as owner/builder

airconditioning
Top of Page

Building a House