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Using A/C for first time after home reno. Not sure if this is normal operation.

2K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  yuri 
#1 ·
Renovated the home last year, during this process, i insulated the walls of the house with R-13. Before that it was just double brick walls home. I added another 2x4 wall and added R13 insulation. Ever sense then I noticed this winter, the house kept warm much better and my boiler did not work nearly has hard as previous years. At the time of the renovation I had a conventional A/C installed in the attic. The system was tested at the time and it worked fine, but since this was completed near the end of the summer, it barely was ever turned on and it was not that hot outside, so I assumed it worked fine.

Today I decided to turn it on for the first time as it got really hot out. 28C, feels like 33C with humidity.

The tstat was at 26C and I set it to 22C and the Ac turned on. it has now been 2 hours since I turned it on and the temp in house has only dropped to 25 and the A/C has not stopped working since i turned it on.

Should it take this long to cool?
Is it ok for A/C to run for this long ?
 
#2 · (Edited)
We need to speak degF as I am old school and my Southern friends don't understand Salsius. :laughing: 26=79F. That is quite a high spot to start it at in a house like yours. I would start it at 22C and let it get running and a head start on the heat load. Takes a LOT longer to cool the house down when it has to do a lot of dehumidifying. Check the temp coming out of the supply vent closest to the unit and subtract the house temp. Ie 74 return-56 supply =18 deg drop or what we call Delta T. Your unit should do at least 15-16 deg. If not get the contractor to come check the freon level Eh.:thumbsup:

It won't hurt it to run continuously unless the big line outside gets white and iced up. Then shut it down as it froze up and may be low on freon or have a dirty evap coil or filter.
 
#6 ·
Thanx I will try to post in degF :)
The temperature at the suply register closest to the blower is at 62.5 while the temperature in that area is at 74.5. A difference of 12F.

The line outside by the condenser is not frozen, and the filter at the return was changed just before i turned unit ON with a 3M Filtrete filter.

Will give it a couple of days and see and maybe go in attic and check evap coil and see it is dirty.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Yep, get him to check his ductwork in the attic for leaks in the return duct which may be sucking in extra hot air and overloading the unit. If it was started late last year and in not very hot weather it may need some more freon as that problem shows up on a hot day. Not easy to charge up unit in cool weather.
 
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