Central Air / Natural gas

[XTrmXJ]

Central Air / Np|ural gas

I have a HV@C sh|tem that h`s thi cnmboJA / NG unit that is outside of my house, I now its odd but its an all in one unit, Its `n nldeb$model.~% bding }hat NG`}nits are inside and reciculate heat inside its better, well mine has to go thr>ugh ductu, `ll tme way out to the back of mx ho4qe and back in again.. The ducts are all insulated and I have a vapor barrier under thd,hotse.n

My p(is can I btild g "LEAN TO" oveb,the unit and insulate it to help produce more heat efficiantly through the winthr.. I will install a dryer duct#and a one way valve to help when the unit dispences the hot moisture (steam) that hs pbmdubed fuom the unit at`uimds.. &During rhe sum|ar I would install a hatch over the AC coil vent, to open to disperse the moving air over the coils...

So whats the opinions from the guys that work on these units...

 

[scoobyxj]

You can do anything you want. If you want to, but I wouldn't mess with it. Your not going to make enough of a difference to make it worth wasting the time, or money doing it. The best way to get the most out of what you got is keeping it tuned up ( by a tecnition that knows what he is doing), and clean inside. Change the filter every month ( especially if there is a smoker in the house). make shure all the duct work is air tight, and the transition is insulated good. Also putting anythig at all over the A/C unit will decrese it's efficiency even having bushes around the unit is an airflow hinderence. Another thing to keep in mind is in the unfortunate event of a fire started by it. If your inshurance company comes out to do an estament and sees some hillbilly shed over the thing they may buck trying to cover the loss. The best way to get the most energy savings with heating is use electric (unless you have free gass, or some other free source) with a heat pump it's 100% efficient.

 

[XTrmXJ]

You can do anything you want. If you want to, but I wouldn't mess with it. Your not going to make enough of a difference to make it worth wasting the time, or money doing it. The best way to get the most out of what you got is keeping it tuned up ( by a tecnition that knows what he is doing), and clean inside. Change the filter every month ( especially if there is a smoker in the house). make shure all the duct work is air tight, and the transition is insulated good. Also putting anythig at all over the A/C unit will decrese it's efficiency even having bushes around the unit is an airflow hinderence. Another thing to keep in mind is in the unfortunate event of a fire started by it. If your inshurance company comes out to do an estament and sees some hillbilly shed over the thing they may buck trying to cover the loss. The best way to get the most energy savings with heating is use electric (unless you have free gass, or some other free source) with a heat pump it's 100% efficient.

I had everything serviced at the begining of summer and had a friend inspect all the gas lines and the NG areas.. I went though all the ducts and under the house over the summer to inspect and all was good.. I regularly change the filter and all, and keep the heat at 65, I turn it down during the day or when no one is at home, there has been only 30 days when I had it turned up to 70 only because it was cold out and had 38 knot winds.. My house was made in '42 and of course the walls are 3/4 plaster with no insulation (except for some of the walls and ceilings Ive had to replace) I was going to make the LEAN TO temporary, and or movable, and I was going to leave 1 foot of clearance all the way around the unit for an air buffer...
Heat pumps are very rare down here in VA. everything is natural gas in city limits, especially on a 2100sq ft house.. I have a chiminey in the house but it was chopped off the roof so I would have to cut the roof and rebuild that and I would still have to buy a wood stove, but of course that alot of $$$$ to do all that.. I grew up in NE Indiana with a Wood Stove and a Corn Stove in the house, and I miss that

 

[scoobyxj]

I just don't think you'll save anything worth while. I would gess you'll be lucky to save maby 5//6$ a month if even that (unless it is obviously under insulated). Have you ever looked into having insulation blown in? It's not all that expencive, and you should be able to rent the blower to do it yourself. That by far would be the most bang for your buck on saving heating money. While I'm talking about insulation. Something else a lot of people often look over is proper attic ventlation. Even in the winter attics need good ventlation. If not they sweat which causes the insulation to get damp. Damp insulation conducts heat very well. I don't know you can try it if you want. I just think you'll find you could use the resorces you'll put into it more effectively in other areas of energy savings. Got a craw space insulate the floor.

 

[XTrmXJ]

Floors have been insulated, they were done long before I bought the house along with all the windows.. The 2nd level is valted, isulated along with vented, also during the summer the 2nd level is warmer and during the dead of winter its a little chilly compaired to the rest of the house..

 

[old_man]

The single most important thing to do is keep the coils clean and free of dust/lint. Hose them off with compressed air or use a vacuum with a brush tip.

In dry climates, a humidifier on the air duct will increase the heat carrying capacity of the air, raising the efficiency slightly as well as make it feel warmer.

 

[XTrmXJ]

The single most important thing to do is keep the coils clean and free of dust/lint. Hose them off with compressed air or use a vacuum with a brush tip.

In dry climates, a humidifier on the air duct will increase the heat carrying capacity of the air, raising the efficiency slightly as well as make it feel warmer.

I just had everything Acid cleaned and service prior to the middle of summer, I have a humidfier built in to the air system, but the Servicing guy said they really dont do a whole lot or break most of the time.. Would it really make a differnce in the winter time, I turned the humidfier off when I turned the heat off earlier this year