Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

Manitoba climate poses special problems for A/C systems

QUESTION: I wonder if you might offer some suggestions for a couple of problems we have had since the installation of an attic air conditioning system?

Six years ago we decided to rid ourselves of our one large in-the-wall A/C unit and put in a system that would cool the upstairs with the bonus of a couple of outlets on the main floor. The drawback was that each fall the system required insulation to stop the leakage of warm air up into the ducting, which was causing the first problem. We have excessive condensation and deterioration of the ceiling around each exhaust vent.

Over the years we have developed more and more elaborate stopgaps and paraphernalia to insulate the ducts in the upstairs. These include collar extensions to the original duct work coming down from the attic to stop seepage onto the ceiling plaster, additional foam insulation on the ductwork in the attic, and new vents that close more tightly. We also experimented by replacing one section of ducting with a pre-insulated duct that came right through the ceiling leaving no place for water to leach out onto the plaster and caulking.

Each year we stuff the ducts with a plastic bag filled with foam, which creates a tight seal on the inside walls of the duct. The problem with this is that the new vent covers now have a long central screw for opening and closing the louvers on the vent covers, which requires that the foam block be pushed up higher into the duct leaving a larger air-space. Each year we have had major condensation and the ceilings around the vents have been damaged and repaired over and over.

The second major problem is the smell. Each spring we have the system thoroughly cleaned. I go up in the attic with the serviceman to ensure that all the nooks and crannies, coils and fan blades are thoroughly sprayed down, brushed and cleaned, but as the summer progresses the pungent sour smell starts to increase.

We have had the pan in the attic tipped to ensure optimum drainage, but this doesn't seem to help. My husband buys quantities of Lysol, etc, which he sprays directly into the ducts. The rooms are closed up for a few hours after spraying and the smell is gone for a period of time but is soon back. I think this method just increases the contaminants that we are breathing in.

We have tried to work this through with our original installer, but it seems he no longer has any ideas, apart from running the system for the entire winter to solve the condensation problem. Debbie

 

ANSWER: I want to commend you on the very detailed question and well-described issue in your home. Unfortunately, that is the only thing I will be commending you or your "installer" on for the remainder of my response. Some ideas are simply bad and there is no way to make them right.

I have seen only a few systems such as yours for central air conditioning installation in older homes that may be difficult due to hot water or steam heat. I am assuming that this is the reason for the attic installation of this unit. Most of the systems I have seen have some issues with condensation, but some have major problems like yours. The problem with this type of installation is that it does not work well, for several different reasons, in our area.

The first problem with this type of system is due to our climate, which includes very hot summers and brutally cold winters. It may be next-to-impossible to properly seal any ducting that is going through the upper floor ceilings and walls in your home to prevent air leakage and condensation in the attic. When this condensation and frost melts, it will not only drip into the living space, but may also leak into the attic, wetting the insulation and plaster ceiling, which may be one cause of the smell.

The second problem is with the air-handling unit and coil installed in your attic. These units are designed to be typically installed in the basement of the home, where there is sufficient room for air movement and a proper drain. Central air conditioners cool partially by dehumidification, so they produce a large amount of condensation on the coil, which drips into a pan below the coil and must be properly drained to avoid leakage. On very hot days, the A/C may run almost continually and, if there is not enough air movement over the coil in the attic, it may frost up or sweat excessively. This or a blocked or poorly drained condensate hose may cause the attic and insulation to become wet and hot at the same time. This is a perfect recipe for mould growth.

Sometimes when experimental or new things are added to a home, the consequences are not properly thought out and major problems like yours, occur. In those situations, the only solution is to stop putting more good money and efforts after bad, and cut your losses. This poorly designed and installed attic cooling system should be dismantled and removed and the attic properly resealed and insulated. There are now higher-quality and more efficient interior wall-mounted units, that incorporate an exterior unit, which can be installed to properly cool the upper floor of your home. I recommend calling an experienced, licensed HVAC contractor for more information.

 

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the President of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors - Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be e-mailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P. O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.

trainedeye@iname.com

 

 

Ask The Inspector / Ari Marantz
April 19

Renovation & Design

Make your nest the best

TORONTO -- After the economic roller-coaster of 2008, design aficionados will be working to make their existing spaces cosier in 2009.

This move toward nesting, which was called cocooning during the last recession and dubbed "anchoring" by trendsetters this time around, doesn't mean that spaces will be boring. On the contrary, bright pops of colour and embellishments have appeared on the scene.

"I think the home is going to be a really important place" in 2009, says interior designer Nadia Geller, from TLC's While You Were Out and Date My House, in a phone interview.

"There will be more family dinners, more friends over to entertain," she adds. In these troubled economic times, "one thing we can make happy in our lives is our house."

Shauna Levy, vice-president of MMPI Canada and co-founder of the Interior Design Show, echoes this moving inside trend.

"What we're seeing and feeling and hearing, based on previous recessions, (is that) when times get tough, people go in," she explains. "I think it's all about reinvesting in your home, keeping your nest cosy to guard against what's going on (in the economy)."

She expects higher levels of renovations in 2009, such as adding a floor or finishing a basement, rather than moving, as well as a renewed focus on garden design to help "extend your environment outdoors."

As well, she says, with more people spending time and entertaining at home, there will be "an increase of technology in the home," such as home entertainment systems.

Geller says tough times also mean creative times, with a new focus on details, reusing or repurposing existing furniture and a "handmade kind of vibe."

"I see people looking at what they have and embellishing upon it," she says, for example by repainting or reupholstering current pieces. Geller adds that she purchased swan bathroom fixture accessories for towels and hooks, which she will have dipped in a new finish before using to add a touch of whimsy to a bathroom.

Both women say they expect a focus on quality furniture pieces. Levy says purchases will be less "but they're more specific. Less mass, more quality."

She adds that consumers will be drawn to limited-edition and quality furniture, as "they're putting a lot of care and thought into what they are buying."

Geller adds that she expects to see more mixing and matching, for example, pairing antique pieces with modern classics for a whole new look.

People "don't have to completely stick with a style. They can mix and match and have a cohesive space," she says.

This mixing and matching will also apply to walls and colours, she says, explaining that wallpaper will continue to be a great option, as will "pretty natural tones" such as linens, wood and white, complemented by pops of bold hues such as purple, rust, teal and gold and bronze metallics.

"Stronger neutrals," such as gold and soft yellow, will be hitting the palettes in the new year, says Johanna McLellan, assistant brand manager with Para paints. She says Para is also forecasting a lot of blues and greens, such as a "deeper, more smouldering" navy, an offshoot of the cobalt-blue trend from two years ago, and a natural "mossy green" for those who aren't ready to embrace hues such as "lime soda."

"We're still saying 'try colour,"' she adds, noting that while they look to home decor and fashion for colour inspiration, "I don't think Canadians are ready to go as deep as they are in the runways." For example, she cites the company's "gift of the gab", which she describes as a fun purple that blends the deep plums of the runways and the neutrals.

"Canadians are going back to the use of great colour," Levy agrees. "My theory is when things are not always so positive, I think people are looking for that kind of positive energy in their environment."

She describes purple, which is the chosen hue for this year's interior design show, as "a happy colour" and adds that soda green "is going to be hot this summer. It's a happy, fresh vibrant kind of colour."

"It's all about being happy."

McLellan says that homeowners should look at 2009 as a chance to let their paint and colour choices reflect their own style and personality.

"Instead of taking one colour throughout the entire house, let each room showcase your own runway," she says. "Every room can have a different look, if that's what you want."

She, like Geller, also sees opportunities for adding details in 2009.

We saw "a lot of embellishments in fashion. In 2009, we're encouraging consumers to also consider embellishments in the home," she says.

And when the economy's tight, she says, "we want to brighten up our lives. Paint is the cheapest way to do it. It's something you can do on your own."

"People are looking for ways to not spend as much going into next year, so maybe you buy two gallons of paint to do that rather than picking up more expensive art or a new lamp."

For example, she suggests painting a wall in a matte finish, then take a gloss in the same colour to create a wide stripe. Another option for embellishment, she says, is to paint a matte on the wall to hang a picture over. "It's a good way to test the water with colour if you're not ready to take the plunge," she says.

-- The Canadian Press

By Jennifer Wilson-Speedy
April 19