No doubt…in the military…you knew it* all* then, too. LOL. :D:D:D
I’ll bet you could have ended the Viet Nam War with a message board post, too, if anyone would have just listened to you with all of your wit and wisdom.
I wonder how many inspection reports reflect material defects that were left behind by contractors who, like you, knew it all as well?
In all seriousness, while I am sure that you were good at your trade at the time you were doing it and that your guesses might be nearer to the mark than other guesses…sizing of a/c units is important enough - not only for cooling purposes, but for moisture issues as well - that no one has any business guessing at what to install. Neither you, as a home inspector, or you as a contractor.
Its not called guessing its experience proven in the field day in and day out what makes you believe in your narrow band of wisdom that energy efficient homes is a new thing they have been around for as long as I can remember just called by a different name???
Your limited vision and knowledge has you focused on sizing the unit properly which is very important but not nearly as important as a properly sized distribution system supply and return. I saw it when working in the trade and I see it today as a inspector that aspect has not changed in the last 40+ years the bad contractors far out weigh the good ones. Install slop grab their money and run
Yet, you were willing to size my unit from a message board post without asking me anything at all about the distribution system. That is very relevant to my point.
Wouldn’t it make a difference if it was leaking its average 30% of conditioned air into unconditioned space…rather than conditioned space? If it were flex that was loosely attached to the plenum with plastic ties rather than sealed with mastic at the joints and seams? If I had a return in every bedroom rather than one on a hallway floor covered with a throw rug?
In the end, I think you are going to agree with me. Perhaps, not publicly…
No Bushy I just E-mailed my last report out for the week and was bored I just like messing with you. I already knew way before you that you would not give me the info I asked for. If you prefer no public embarrassment send me the info Via E-mail and I will give you the same figure the J program indicated for your house
Oh BTW Plastic ties on Flex is the MFG recommended install and can be installed with absolutely no air loss if properly attached but I see only about 1 in a 100 contractors that know the proper way to install a plastic tie
…which is why, when someone attempting to size a unit from a message board post or email or by applying any other general rule of thumb, one has the likelihood of being incorrect* 99 times out of 100,* according to your statistics*.*
Ok I give up you won’t provide me with any info :shock: so I am going to estimate the size of your unit based on just one criteria 3 ton and you tell me what that criteria is.:D:D:D If I am wrong I will kiss your Butt in front of the Post Office and give you 45 minutes to draw a crowd;-)
OH BTW I just increased the views on your thread to over 300 that should be worth something. You have been preaching to the choir here or were you just trying to let the world know what you learned in BPI class. Back in 2006 when you first came on this BB you would not even post here in the Tech threads you have come FAR pilgrim :D:D
I appreciate the personal attacks, Chucky. You probably don’t understand…but it truly underscores the point of the thread. The last thing I expected when I started this thread was to have a cowboy contractor who undersizes/oversizes HVAC units by “guestimating” what is required…to agree with me. You didn’t let me down.
While I am sure that it is pretty obvious to anyone reading this that you and I personally hold each other in mutual low regard, it is you who brought personal feelings into the discussion.
Contractors like you who think they know everything…and shoot from the hip by “proving” they can do sight unseen sizing of HVAC equipment…are exactly why people need home inspections.
I will admit that you took this to an extreme that I never expected…by actually claiming an ability to size a unit by asking a small handful of questions and offering judgment by email without ever examining the building. That was great. It demonstrate the type of foolishness that can actually be applied when other contractors are applying various other ridiculous strategies when choosing what equipment should be installed. Like you, many of them think they know more than anyone else, too. Thanks for that.
Perhaps from this exchange other home inspectors can understand how…when they call out a “defect” in what they think is an undersized unit simply because of some rule of thumb application of square footage…they can be making a serious mistake.
Thanks for continuing to make that point.
Unless you have more to say on the topic of the thread, I think we’re done. I’m not interested in exchanging insults with you on the message board. We can do that by phone or email and not waste anyone else’s time.
Come on Bushy we both know from what desk job you came came from and what desk job you should go back to. Your just another spin doctor that should stay out of the Tech threads its over your head. How much did you have to pay for your 3 ton unit did you buy high efficiency or did you poor boy and buy a contractors special:D:D;-)
When I built my house in 2001/2002 I had an hvac guy figure out what I needed but I did not ask for anything on paper and did not end up hiring him to do the job even though he was cheaper. I wanted seer 14 heat pumps (R410) with variable speed airhandlers. I remember him saying “based on the house, you need 6.5 tons for heat and less for A/C so we have to do 6.5” The 2nd guy seemed to know what he was doing and I was way too busy to check on the details. He came up with the same sizes, a 3.5 and a 3 ton. Since the house is on a slab the cooling load is less than 6.5 tons but there are no issues with summertime humidity even with only two of us living here.
Heat pumps are hard to get exact since the cooling and heating demands are different on many houses.
There is no doubt in my mind that the speaker in this video knows less than Chucky does, too. We all do. Somehow though, we’ll just have to manage to figure out a way to get by.
Hey Desk Jocky you have never heard me say that the J manual should not be used my point is and has always been after doing thousands of J manual calculations the Experienced Hvac tech can and does walk through a home and based on what he sees knows exactly what the J Manual is going to recommend. Not ever single factor is going to be an adjustment in tonnage in the J manual some take a combination to make the tonnage go up or down but you knew that already;-) with all of your experience with the J manual.
Did you purchase a conventional 3 ton split system or did you go heat pump, perhaps a Package unit you have not declared your self yet what was the best set up for your house enlighten the rest of us with your new found knowledge.
Can someone please help me? I’m needing to replace both inside & outside units. What size heat pump/AC unit do I need. I have different companies tell me different things.
I have a unfinished basement 1400 S.F. with one unit down there, and main floor S.F. Is 1550 and 2nd floor S.F. Is 1400, the Bonus room has the upstairs unit in it.
We have a 2 ton now up there. That’s a 12.5 and 15 years old. And it seems to stay a little hotter due to four storage, attic spaces that are vented and needing more insulation in them and a better door, or something put around door to keep hot air coming in.
I was told I need a 2.5 ton or a 3 ton. But not sure. Then someone looked at what we have and said I might be ok with a 2 ton? I don’t know and need help. It does stay warmer upstairs.
The down stairs unit for first floor & basement is a 3.5 12.5 unit.
We are told to go with this model number on Bryant 2 ton 17 Seer Heat Pump System Model: 288BNV02400A-FE4ANF003L00, for upstairs and bonus room over garage. That model don’t make a 2.5 ton, we have 11 vents upstairs also.
Or should we go with a 3 ton? Needing help please anyone.
Then someone told us since we have a 3.5 ton now, since that Bryant 17 Seer don’t make .5 to go up to a 4 Ton? They said to get 4 ton 17 Seer Bryant Heat pump/AC unit for main floor & basement. What’s your thoughts, for the square footage for our upstairs and downstairs in Kentucky?
Or should we go down to a 3.0 ton and do a 3 ton also upstairs?
Or should we just do a 2 ton & 4 ton?
We don’t know because different companies say different things and they all say different things, we had like 6 companies to our house.
Please help us and tell us what you think? Thank you Christina
Christina as you can see this is an old thread and I am still here but my sparing friend quit the business perhaps he did not know as much as he thought he did.
You have described a unique type home a two story with a basement is not easy to design a proper system to heat and cool. A one story type rancher is a breeze not so much a 2 story. I would not begin to advise you from behind my keyboard. I could do a walk through of your home and be very close to what the J manual would recommend. Have you had any contractor perform a J manual calculation. I would recommend the J manual or a contractor that has been in business for a long time
Yes we had 6 different companies come out and tell us different things. Who do we trust and believe. Who just wants extra money and trying us to get more then we need. That’s why I wanted some other honest opinions. Thank you.
I would feel so much better and everyone told us the same thing.
Your not going to get every contractor to say the same unless you require them to compare apples to apples. Every contractor uses different equipment and some may be quoting high end high efficiency and others low end low efficiency, you would have to get all quotes on the same type of equipment and that probably is not going to happen unless you demand it.
