Michael Holigan: Once you get the roof on, it's time to start roughing in the heating and air conditioning. That means actually installing the duct work and the unit that goes in the attic or in the walls.
Al Carrell: Now there's a tendency for people to just say "Well, I'll leave it up to the experts.". And if you get somebody who's a good, like this, it may work out all right. But you really ought to know some things that you want to ask your contractor about.
M.H.: There's a few little hints that can save you money every month after you move in your house and the family will feel a lot more comfortable. You'll want to make sure your contractor properly sizes the equipment for your new home. Often, heating contractors use rule-of-thumb estimates for sizing up equipment that is many times inaccurate. Make sure your contractor performs a Heat-Loss/Heat Gain Load Calculation for your individual home. What they do is, measure the volume of your home, the amount of glass windows, which direction the house faces, and the type of climate you live in. They combine all this together and figure exactly which size unit is perfect for your home. In the old days the unit size was measured by the square feet of your home and how many tons of air conditioning was needed. That was when homes were build with 8 foot ceilings and few windows. Today's homes are built with vaulted or raised ceilings, windows of all sizes, and new types of insulation, so the old theory no longer applies. Once you've decided on the proper equipment, then it's time for installation. Most new homes install the heating and air conditioning units in the attic, suspended from the rafters to cut down on vibration. Some are installed in a closet or a wall space. The new units have what is called flexible ductwork. You see how easy it is to install and move around in the attic. The flexible ductwork is more efficient because it's pre-insulated. And, if correctly installed, it won't leak. And it's quieter. It doesn't expand or make noise when it gets hot or cold like the old metal ductwork does. Another important part of installing your new unit and creating a comfortable home is where the thermostat is located. The thermostat should be placed near your return air vent. The reason is, you want air drawing from all the different areas of your house to get an accurate reading. And not in front of a supply grill, blowing air on the thermostat, which will cause the thermostat to cut air off and then back on again every few minutes. It's also important not to place the thermostat in direct sunlight or near a heat source. The thermostat should be placed five feet from the floor.
A.C.: Another thing to remember, if you get a unit that's too big for your house, it's liable to wear out sooner and it's probably going to cost you about 20% more to operate. Also, make double sure that your contractor places the thermostat as close to the return air vent as possible. It's going to give you a lot of added comfort in your new house.
Episode 35 1996 - 97 Season
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