More AC problems

[Russianwolf]

So a couple days ago I hear the AC grumbling (not the normal sound when it's pushing air, but something like it's stuck) so I check the vents and sure enough, no air moving. I kill the fan and wait thinking that it's likely just frozen and needs to thaw. Next morning in a warm house I turn it on. Air moves, cool.

Flashback - at the beginning of the season we noticed that the unit wasn't keeping up with some of those hot days we were having early. Figured it was likely just the age of the unit (about 20) and nothing could really be done for it. bought a window unit for one space that gets very little conditioned air and it worked fine. Was planning on having the unit serviced just in case the freon was low. hadn't gotten around to it yet.

Back in the present....er yesterday.... LOML calls and says the AC isn't moving air again and I'll be sweatin' tonight. Okay, that's it, I've had it.

I get home and go up to the attic (first time up there, lot of space, needs some flooring so I don't put a foot/body through the ceiling, blown in insulation, not too shabby, at least no junk is stored up here) So I go over the the AC. took 2 seconds to see the main problem. One of the ducts had blown off the manifold. Meaning, my attic was nice and air conditioned. I thought it was rather cool when I opened the door.

Call down to LOML...... I forgot to tell her I was coming up here...... I yell....I yell again...... I scream........ I scream bloody murder down through the opening..... I finally had to go ove to a place that I knew would be ceiling over her and knock on it.... Finally she comes up. " I need duct tape" after she returns, I use about half the roll on reattaching the one duct and reinforcing the others. Look the unit over and back down I go.

Checked the register, blows pretty hard now, No clue how long we had a air conditioned attic. I slept fine last night, but will keep an eye on it.

Now, what can I do with all that space in the attic?

[crokett]

Now, what can I do with all that space in the attic?

Unless it is tall enough to be a walk-in and you are desperate for space, I wouldn't do anything with it. Our last house we used the attic for storage and I will never do that again. It is always hot, I always had to drag the ladder out to get up there and at one point some of the boxes fell over and cracked the ceiling.

[jyang]

... I use about half the roll on reattaching the one duct and reinforcing the others. Look the unit over and back down I go.

You may want to check on the tape in a month or three. Duct tape of the normal silver cloth variety is horrible for HVAC use. It comes undone rather quickly when the adhesive wears out. A better choise is to go to the borg and get some of the metal foil tape designed for HVAC/duct use. Remove the old silver cloth duct tape and replace with the metal foil tape. it keeps a better seal and won't fail like the normal 'duct tape'. Or if you can't remove the old cloth duct tape, just overwrap with the foil tape securely. I've had to fix the duct tape special repairs done by the previous home owner in my house with the foil tape when the bathroom exhaust duct fell off the fan, providing me with a nicely humidified attic. Use the foil tape, it'll last much longer than the cloth kind.

[Tom Miller]

You may want to check on the tape in a month or three. Duct tape of the normal silver cloth variety is horrible for HVAC use.

Yep -- of all the uses there are for duct tape, using it on ducts is ill-advised. It'll help that it's being used on cool ducting, though.

I think foil tape is really only marginally better, and would rather use some type of mechanical fastener (hose clamp, sheet metal screws, etc.) if possible.

...we used the attic for storage and I will never do that again. It is always hot...

Sounds like Mike's got that problem covered.

Use of attic space will somewhat depend on how easily accessible it is. I think a minimum is a fold-down attic ladder. With that, you might expect to store seasonal items up there. That's our setup in our garage, and it is definitely useful, but I'm not making weekly, or even monthly trips up there.

Regards,
Tom

[Russianwolf]

Noted on keeping an eye on the tape.

As far as using the space. I was standing up up there and the pitch of my roof is pretty steep (I don't like getting on the roof on this house at all). I was just surprised by how much room is actually up there. I don't know if I'll ever use it for anything, but it's nice to know I have it if I need it. I could make an entry with stairs from our loft into it so access wouldn't be a problem.

If nothing else, the idea of vaulting the ceiling in our bedroom has some appeal.

We have a separate attic space over the garage with the fold up ladder. I've already got plans bouncing around in my head on using that space as it will be a simple matter to open a door from the loft into it. That will add about a 20x10 room. I just have to figure the best way to change the architechture of the trusses to make it more usable.

[JimD]

Mike,

We have used the attic for storage in our last two homes. This house has 2x6 framing for the roof so I added a second 2x6 over the first to give me 11 inches of insulation underneith and put 7/16 wafer board down as a floor. With the roof rafters on 2 foot centers I would probably not have tried it except that is what the builder did in a very small area so I just copied it when I expanded into something usable (maybe 20x20). If flexs a bit bit but doesn't break. We have pull down stairs in the room over the garage we use for access.

In our previous house, the roof framing was trusses. I added a web to the truss to put the floor, again, about a foot up so adequate insulation could go underneith. The roof pitch was less, 5 1/2 in 12, so the only space I could stand up was right down the center. We kept that clear for walking and put the stuff on either side. Pull down stairs provided access.

You have to be careful what you put in attics due to the heat but we put luggage, books, boxes we keep in case we ever return something, some Christmas decorations, etc..

Jim

[Russianwolf]

oh, if I do anything with either space it will be insulated/Air conditioned space, not unfinished storage any longer.

I have an unisulated storage room in my bedroom that I am in the process of insulating and turning into a closet. It will be interesting due to the roof pitch, but I want my own space (nothing against LOML but we need more closet room)