Central A/C

[bob-loblaw]

You generally don't need to worry too much about having smaller ton units in Calgary because of how little they're used compared to places like the southern US. They will last a very long time here.

I've had AC for a long time and we're moving at the end of August so I'm wondering if I'll need it this year. The fall has been pretty warm the last few years. The one thing I always worry about is running it when it's below 15 degrees outside in the summer because it's generally colder than that at night.

Do the installers take care of the electrical permitting and city application these days or is that something the homeowner has to do on their own? When I had mine installed the city didn't need a permit.

[Calgary14]

When I had mine installed the company took care of permits and any other paperwork, I just had to register it for the warranty. I assume other companies are the same

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

The one thing I always worry about is running it when it's below 15 degrees outside in the summer because it's generally colder than that at night.

Ecobees are nice for that as you can set a minimum outdoor temperature for which your AC will turn on.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Does an AC unit use the same air filter as the furnace uses?

Yes the air is pushed through your furnace ducting.

[me_dennis]

Yesterday, it seemed like the air coming out of the vents was not very cold. I had this problem last year and the coil was all frozen over. It was because the air filter was old and needed changing. I changed it last night but the air still didn’t feel cool enough. Any other tips?

[keratosis]

You may need refrigerant recharge. And if you do the tech should check for leaks at the same time.

[vtec260]

First year having AC after 10 years living in Calgary. I set ours to 24.5 or 24C and it's plenty cool for us. Upstair unit runs much more frequently and cool air trickles down to the main floor, which runs very little. In hind sight, might have gone with smaller unit for the main floor/basement. Oh well. Waiting for the first electricity bill and seeing how much impact running two units will cost us for the month. But it's worth it after some mid to high 20C weather.



Shop around and get a few quotes. Action Furnace was the highest, BTW. Warranty paperwork taken care by the installer as well as permits from the city.

[Raekwon]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

What thermostat/app is this? Looks great

Aprilaire 8910W Wi-Fi Thermostat. Our house came with the non wifi model so I ordered a new one and only had to swap the plate.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also this one has a control panel that needs to be installed that everything connects to in the basement so I assume it would be easier just to get a Honeywell wireless unit of some sort.

Cheap example https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Ferarri

So I’ve decided to take the plunge and want to purchase central A/C for my home. Wondering if anybody has experience with these and could recommend a reputable company with a good price.

Don’t really know a lot about these but I have seen ads for around $2,900. Is that an average price or am I looking at a lot more?

Thanks in advance!

If you are a Costco member, go through them. They have a big promo now, plus you have the Costco warranty and you can always go to them if the contractor makes you unhappy. We used them last year and Arpi's were the ones who did the work. Perfectly happy with price, service, performance.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by me_dennis

Yesterday, it seemed like the air coming out of the vents was not very cold. I had this problem last year and the coil was all frozen over. It was because the air filter was old and needed changing. I changed it last night but the air still didn’t feel cool enough. Any other tips?

When was the last time you cleaned your ducts? You mentioned the filter was dirty last year. I wonder if your ducts have a ton of stuff that's making it an uphill battle for your AC unit as well as absorbing a ton of the cool air?

Overall tune up and refrigerant check might help too.

[MoneyGuy]

My AC unit has stopped working. The filter is clean. Last week I had it cranked up and the fan in the unit wasn’t running. Any ideas besides calling in a service tech? I’m a little disgruntled with the installers right now.

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

My AC unit has stopped working. The filter is clean. Last week I had it cranked up and the fan in the unit wasn’t running. Any ideas besides calling in a service tech? I’m a little disgruntled with the installers right now.

Check the breaker at your panel? (Probably a double pull 30)

Smart thermostat? Make sure it is set to 'Cool'

There is also a pull disconnect in the disconnect box outside. With the breaker inside at the panel off, make sure that it is seated and tight.

Other than that, hard to say from here.

[Ironhorse]

I have our AC on a 22C hold. One thing I noticed is that the house stays cooler and cools off quicker ever since we had the roof redone and installed a single long ridge vent instead of the dinky standard pop up vents. The AC used to run until 2-3 in the morning on hot days, now it cuts out by 11-12.