Thread: We Have Skills Too !!

The first summer after I was forced by divorce to move into the Boars Nest my wall shaker air conditioner quit. My landlord was in China visiting relatives and I had no air conditioning the last two weeks of July and the first week of August. My apartment receives all of the morning, mid day and afternoon sun. I'd come home and find it 120F or more and then open the windows and doors, turn on a couple of fans and wait for the night cool.


The failed air conditioner was the original that was installed when these apartments were built about 25 years or MORE years ago. The apartment behind me still has the original and it's still functioning.



So once back in Walla Walla my landlord ordered a replacement. That one lasted about 7-8 years and it failed. It's replacement lasted 4-5 years. I would agree with the saying; "They don't make 'em like they used to." AND IT'S GETTING WORSE!!

Today my latest AC was installed and as usual I'm left with the mess, sealing etc. This unit like the others had dings in the fins which make them less efficient than they could be. The other two had far more damage and I did to them what I will show what I did with this one:



I just used a blade from my jackknife to gently pull the bent fins away so air could get by:



Anyway, the heat exchange should be slightly better than it would have been if I'd not taken a few minutes to tend to the fins.

I used to have a tool for fixing fins in radiators. Like a plastic comb.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I used to have a tool for fixing fins in radiators. Like a plastic comb.

I have a friend who lives walking distance from the Boars Nest and he owns and operates his own Heating and Refrigeration business and I'll ask him if by chance he as the proper tool that I could borrow to finish the fins. However, he works on BIG COMMERCIAL UNITS so he may not have the proper tool.

With that said, they are much better than before.

We have a large open-plan house.

The Central air from the whole house sinks and pools in the family room at the bottom. Consequently the house gets progressively warmer as we go up, the bedroom feels like the air has not been on but the family room where we watch tv in the evenings is so cold that we actually have a heater running to make it a bit more bearable.

Feels ridiculous that we have air to cool the house but a heater to warm it up again.

Originally Posted by STF

We have a large open-plan house.

The Central air from the whole house sinks and pools in the family room at the bottom. Consequently the house gets progressively warmer as we go up, the bedroom feels like the air has not been on but the family room where we watch tv in the evenings is so cold that we actually have a heater running to make it a bit more bearable.

Feels ridiculous that we have air to cool the house but a heater to warm it up again.

Sounds like you need to open the ducts more to the hot rooms and close down the ducts to family room.

Bob

Originally Posted by STF

We have a large open-plan house.

The Central air from the whole house sinks and pools in the family room at the bottom. Consequently the house gets progressively warmer as we go up, the bedroom feels like the air has not been on but the family room where we watch tv in the evenings is so cold that we actually have a heater running to make it a bit more bearable.

Feels ridiculous that we have air to cool the house but a heater to warm it up again.

You might also consider a more powerful blower on the furnace or a booster fan installed in the ductwork or on the register to force more airflow to the upper levels. [see https://homereference.net/do-duct-booster-fans-work/]

Originally Posted by BobH

Sounds like you need to open the ducts more to the hot rooms and close down the ducts to family room.

Bob

All the registers in the house are closed except for the one in the bedroom.

Originally Posted by DZEC

You might also consider a more powerful blower on the furnace or a booster fan installed in the ductwork or on the register to force more airflow to the upper levels. [see https://homereference.net/do-duct-booster-fans-work/]

That does sound like a good idea, I have thought about one of those register covers with a booster fan built in, they are plugged in to the wall outlet, Canadian Tire sells them.

Your link doesn't work for me unfortunately.

Originally Posted by STF

All the registers in the house are closed except for the one in the bedroom.

I was thinking more of the dampers in the duct work not the registers themselves. Also, have you had your ducts cleaned fairly recently?

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

I was thinking more of the dampers in the duct work not the registers themselves. Also, have you had your ducts cleaned fairly recently?

Bob

I didn't know i had dampers and no we have been here for four years and not had the ducts cleaned.