Can you put an air handler in the attic?
The argument that there may be some physical advantages to putting the air handler in the attic as opposed to taking up living space may be valid, nonetheless, one must understand that cooling systems have fixed limits of cooling capability.
Can you install an air admittance valve in the attic?
If you have a house, you can install the system anywhere, including the attic above the isolation or the basement connected to a sewer system. If you have a wall cavity, you can install the Air Admittance Valve there. In that case, you should purchase the model with a recess box and a grill, so that the air can come in and out.
How much does replacing an air handler cost?
Your current system can limit your options at times. If you’d like to install a variable-speed air conditioner, you may need to replace your furnace or air handler as well in some cases. Replacing a furnace or air handler typically costs anywhere from $3,300-$7,025.
How to install radiant barrier in an attic?
- Determine if you have enough attic insulation. Radiant barrier foil is not a substitute for regular insulation. ...
- Check for air leaks in the ceiling. ...
- Check your attic ventilation. ...
- Attic ventilation is real simple: holes in the top of the roof (exhaust vents), and holes in the bottom (soffits or eves). ...
Where should I put my air handler?
Best Places. If space permits, the most convenient place for the furnace, or air handler unit (AHU) if it's equipped with air conditioning, is in the basement of the home. The ductwork can branch up from the AHU in a central trunk, and divide into separate sections that supply each room.
Is HVAC in attic a good idea?
Choosing attic HVAC systems is not necessarily a bad idea. In fact, it can sometimes result in better energy efficiency, less noise, and lower risk of water damage.
Is it safe to have AC unit in attic?
Attic HVAC Units are Potentially Inefficient Attics are, for the most part, unconditioned, meaning a leak here could significantly reduce your home's overall efficiency. To avoid this, HVAC contractors must take care to properly seal and insulate air ducts—something not all of them do to the same degree of precision.
How do I insulate my attic air handler?
2:485:17HOW TO Insulate Your Air Conditioning HVAC Unit ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipActually lay it across here each way and then make sure it actually stays up on here the metal tapeMoreActually lay it across here each way and then make sure it actually stays up on here the metal tape works really good and will stay for a long long long long time.
How do attic air handlers work?
Simply put, an air handler “handles air” around the house via ductwork. An air handler is installed inside and works with an outdoor air conditioning and/or heat pump condenser unit to make the air hot or cold.
Why do builders put furnace in the attic?
Using your attic clears storage space If you have your furnace in the garage, the basement or a closet, you lose that space for storage. Attics are often left empty, making them a good choice for the furnace and freeing up storage space elsewhere.
Is it better to have ductwork in attic or crawl space?
AC ducting will work better in the attic as the colder air will enter the rooms and flow down. Hot air will rise into the returns. Where are you getting the info that crawl space is more efficient? Maybe less heat transfer into the ducts, but air flow will be worse.
What is the disadvantage in having ducts in the ceiling?
Cons of ceiling vents Exposes HVAC system to unconditioned spaces – Attics tend to be dusty and prone to extreme temperatures, which can add wear-and-tear on the equipment and increase heat transfer loss.
Why do they put AC units in the attic?
Attic HVAC Units Save Space Extra space is the most obvious reason for attic HVAC installations. This makes it an ideal option for homeowners who may have issues with space restrictions. While the concern of leaks may be an issue, it is something you can negate by properly sealing and insulating the ducts.
Is it common to have a furnace in the attic?
If you're looking to increase livable space in your home, consider moving the furnace into the attic. This installation is more common than you think.
What causes condensation in attic?
The causes of condensation are also called the lack of attic heating and a good fan in the attic. By the way, before you decide to install the fans you need to know about attic fans pros and cons.
Why do log houses need air conditioning?
The attic of a log house needs ventilation and air conditioning. The need for the installation of quality climate control equipment is due to overheating of the room in the summer. Strong indoor air heating has a negative impact on the state of the interior decoration, making the stay in the room uncomfortable.
Do you need an attic AC unit?
If you needed to maximize the available space in your home, installing an air conditioning attic HVAC unit will play a significant role in this matter .
Does an air conditioner prevent condensation?
A modern air conditioner will avoid the appearance of condensation and strong air heating.
Can an attic air conditioner be ignored?
There is another problem that is inferior to the previous one, but it still exists and cannot simply be ignored. With attic air conditioners, malfunctions can occur that you may not know about for a long time at all.
Can you hear sounds in a loft?
But you do not hear sounds so distinctly in a loft, and you visit it very rarely, therefore it can take a long time before you understand that something went wrong. And the longer conditioner is working in an unstable mode, the more expensive for you the repair in the future.
Can a small air leak cause a large utility bill?
Despite this, the chance of a small air leak, while small, exists, and you should consider it. These seemingly small leaks can later cause huge utility bills and reduce the comfort of your private home. So, think carefully about this issue: whether or not you’re willing to pay a little too much for electricity.
Why put an AC handler in the attic?
An additional benefit of having your AC handler in the attic is that it can lead to a reduction in your utility bills. Since it can cool the home more evenly, it won’t have to work as hard. This will lead to a reduction in energy bills.
Why is it important to have an attic AC handler installed?
Easier to Cool Higher Levels. One of the advantages of an attic AC handler installation is that it makes it easier to cool the higher levels of the home, if you have a multi-story home. Without a handler in the attic, circulating air to higher levels can be more challenging.
Why is attic insulation important?
With attic insulation, it is easier for the HVAC system to distribute cool air throughout the home evenly. This is particularly helpful, as it will keep upstairs bedrooms cooler at night.
What happens if you don't insulate your attic?
Without proper insulation, cool air could be lost, and excess moisture could develop. An air conditioning service firm will be able to determine whether your attic’s insulation is sufficient or needs to be improved.
Is Trinity Air Inc. a reliable HVAC company?
For any of your installation, maintenance, and service needs, you should contact us at Trinity Air Inc. Heating and Air Conditioning. We are a trusted and reliable HVAC service firm that has served the community for over 20 years.
Is there an air handler in the attic?
An air handler is an important part of your home air conditioning system as it helps to circulate cool air through your Peachtree City, GA home. A common place to install this is in the attic.
Why is my attic cooler than my house?
The only reason a "well ventilated" attic may be much cooler than one that is not is due to conditioned air leaking from the home and into the attic, and leaky ducts - when they are in the attic.
How much diff between roof sheathing and ventilated attic?
Building Science has proved that there is only a max temp diff of ten degrees at the roof sheathing between a ventilated attic and one that is not. Shingle manufacturers have eliminated it as a cause to not honor their warranty.
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Is an attic cooler than a vent?
An important point to remember is that a properly vented att ic will be much cooler than most attics.
Do air handlers have external mechanical stress?
We install them on a suspended platform, and hang the supply and return plenums, so there is no external mechanical stress at all on the air handler.
Can you put an air handler in the attic?
There should be no problem with an air handler in the attic as long as its in a good accessible area for servicing. I've not noticed much difference between the life of an air handler in the attic as opposed to one in a closet. As for needing a bigger unit, the load difference should be less than 5% between the two assuming the duct work is in the attic on both. Now if you're talking about putting the duct work in a conditioned space that could be somewhere around 10 to 15% difference. Personally I think the morons who write the codes should require a mechanical space either in the house or a garage and attics and crawl spaces should be off limits for the air handlers.
What is the importance of an air handler in an attic?
The important part of this attic installation is that the air handler has plenty of drains and a safety cutoff to ensure that the air handler turns off before the secondary drain pan overflows into the attic.
What is the drain pan under the air handler?
Notice the drain pan under the air handling unit to catch condensation if the primary pan were to overflow . This is the secondary condensation pan which is installed under the air handler to save a ceiling.
Can horizontal flow air handlers be left to right?
Horizontal flow air handlers can be configured in left to right or right to left configurations upon installation. This makes it helpful to retrofit a new AHU to existing ductwork as necessary. It is simply a matter for the installer to flip the evaporator coil so that the condensation pan is under the coil to catch the condensation.
Do you need two heating systems for a ranch?
A ranch with a walkout basement doesn't need two systems. The heating/cooling load of the basement is negligible, compared to the main floor. It's more economical to simply install a system that can handle both. It will be just slightly larger than a system sized for the main floor alone.
Does the access issue kill the attic?
The access issue alone kills the attic installation as far as I am concerned. There are plenty of other reasons not to put it up there.
Do attics have ductwork?
Also to be fair, most attics have ductwork in them since most houses are not ranches. So the HVAC guy is just used to that. And with good duct sealing and insulation, the loss in efficiency is not that bad. Obviously, ducts in conditioned space or basement is superior, but like I said, just playing devil's advocate.
Can air leak out of ductwork?
Air doesn’t just leak up into the attic from downstairs; it can leak out of the ductwork, too, if the ducts get pierced or damaged. In both cases, the air that enters the attic can be quite humid. The result is a moist, sticky environment in the attic that’s not only unpleasant (and adds to energy efficiency problems), but that can also start to cause problems with mold and even rot on wooden structures.
Does the attic affect air in ducts?
The attic’s ambient temperature doesn’t just affect the air in your ducts. Think of all the places the ductwork must go down through the ceiling to create a vent into one of the rooms on your lower floors. Each of those points represents another place where air can escape upward into the attic and, ultimately, out of the home. A loss in heat translates into more work for your HVAC in the attic, which means higher operating costs and more problems too. Because the equipment must work so much harder, it raises the likelihood of failure.
How hot can an air handler get inside?
If the outside air is 100 degrees the system can only cool a difference of +/- 20 degrees (system in perfect condition) resulting in 80 degrees inside. If I have the air handler put in the attic which is at least 30 degrees warmer than the living space, in South Florida, this is not the best solution, unless you have it very well sealed ...
Why does my attic unit sweat?
High temperature differentials in attics as opposed to the cooling temperatures of the units also cause the unit to “sweat”. This condensation is inevitable and only prevented with a perfect insulation process that is often costly.
Is an air handler insulated?
The air handler is both poorly insulated with the greatest temperature difference (the evaporator) of any location of the cooling system. “The air handler also has the greatest negative pressures so that some leakage into the unit is inevitable. Evidence for this influence is contained in an informal study of air conditioning energy in 48 Central ...
Is it bad to work in an attic?
It is perfectly understandable that an AC Repair technician is not at his best when working in an attic. Spending too much time in those extreme temperatures creates concentration issues at the very least. Anyone that has ever done it knows it is a significant health risk, just one small one example is that the technician’s perspiration rolls down his arms to his fingers when doing electrical testing — this creates a path for current to flow.
Is it better to put an air handler in the attic?
The argument that there may be some physical advantages to putting the air handler in the attic as opposed to taking up living space may be valid, nonetheless, one must understand that cooling systems have fixed limits of cooling capability.
