Recent content by F_Eddie

He should ensure that the ductwork system is designed to provide adequate airflow and distribution to all areas of the house. When the existing fan and ductwork are used, they should be examined to see if they are adequate, since an air-conditioning system may require greater airflow than the...

It is a measurement of the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner over the entire cooling season. It is determined by dividing the total cooling provided over the cooling season, in British thermal units per hour, by the total energy used by the air conditioner during that time, in...

It uses energy to take heat away. The most common type uses a compressor cycle (like a refrigerator), to transfer heat from the house to the outdoors. Using a special fluid called a refrigerant, heat is absorbed and released when the refrigerant changes back and forth between a liquid and gas...

It contains all the components and generally mounts through the wall or on the roof. Ducting to and from the unit conveys air to and from the rooms. This type is not commonly used in residential applications.

Use awnings, blinds or drapes to keep direct sunlight from entering the living space. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides of the house and wide roof overhangs will reduce solar heat gain to the interior in summer, while having only a small effect on heating in winter...

you can use a cotton string instead of a hacksaw or a hand saw. Wrap the string (such as the kind contractors use for form lines) half-way around the conduit and see-saw the ends. The friction will cut the PVC cleanly as quickly as a hacksaw and does not require the space. Nylon string will not...

You can bend PVC pipe with a bender. If you bend it to 90 degrees you will get a 45. It seems to work out pretty close to half of the degrees you bend it at. You will have to make 2 bends to get a 90 but it is much faster than heating the pipe! I haven't tried it on any pipe larger than 1 inch...

First lay the bender flat on the ground. Then raise the heel of the bender head enough to slip the pipe through the hole (most one-shot benders have these holes). Slide enough pipe out to where you are at a comfortable cutting position. Finally apply downward pressure on the bender (this can be...

Caulk and weatherstrip to seal air gaps, and ensure that the attic and exterior walls are insulated to meet or exceed the minimum recommended levels to minimize heat transfer to the interior.

Some room air conditioners, particularly those with larger capacities, will require a dedicated electrical circuit or have specific requirements regarding the current rating of the wiring and the breaker. Before you buy, investigate your electrical system. Identify which other electrical loads...

An inexpensive way to plug unused conduits is to use a balloon and spray foam. First the balloons were blown up to fit the conduit snugly and then the balloon was pushed about 6 inches back into the conduit and then filled with foam. The conduits can be opened easily for future use.

After your customer decides where they want the new devices installed in existing drywalls, you can drill (or nail) a 1/8 hole at these locations into the attic (or floor), push a bare #14 CU about 3 feet long into the 1/8 hole then go into the attic or crawl space and locate where you want to...

Room air conditioners offer an effective, low-cost approach to providing comfort in a small space, up to three rooms, with minimum installation effort. Central air conditioners and heat pumps are used to cool the entire space. Central air conditioners are cooling-only products, whereas heat...