Installing Air-Conditioning at home?
 

I am looking in to installing A/C for a few of my rooms in my home.... I was wondering if anyone got a company they have used before and how much would the cost be?

I used to own those portable A/C's but they seem to leak too much water and make my carpet all nasty. Also those heat hoses are kind of shitty.

Thanks

so you want an in home system that will do your whole house?

wait a few days....the heat will go down and you will forget about the A\C.

installing a\c central air isn't cheap....especially when you only use it for 2 weeks a year....

i feel like that every year at the start of those 2 weeks i'm like :ohgodwhy: and want to get a portable A/C unit...then after it passes i'm like :fuckthatshit: and stick with my fans :lol

This exact same thread comes up every year.. then a few months later people go back to bitching about the cold and rain again :lawl:

^ gonna buy a clearance one this yr for sure

getting annoying
heat doesnt mix well with productivity

Take a cold shower. Take 2 or 3 if you have to. :fullofwin:

ac is worth it.. buy a cheap window one, cost about 100 bucks. keeps ur room cool

You could also buy one of those fans that blows air over ice... it won't dry the air (in fact it will make it more humid) but the air is definitely cooler. That should be enough for the 2-3 days it's really hot each year

you mean put a bowl of ice in front of a fan or is there a special fan that you're talking about?

There are fans that are designed to do it (common in Japan, here's a bunch on amazon), but I suppose you could create a makeshift one yourself!

http://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.ne...32315191_n.jpg

:derp:

I use a swamp cooler. All it is is a fan blowing air through a medium that's soaked in water. There's a pump that recycles the water over the medium and it actually works pretty well. It's not cold but does drop the temperature. Something like this would work, and is energy efficient compared to an air conditioner.

Buying Guides: Evaporative Coolers

This is what I use for my garage, though I only paid a few hundred dollars a couple of years ago.

Evaporative Coolers, Swamp Coolers in Stock - ULINE.ca

I think the leaking water problem exists for the 1 hose type of systems. The newer 2 hose types from Haier does not have this problem (reference: friends with the portable 14,000 BTU Haier systems of 3 or 4 years of 2 months per year usage). Only the 8,000 BTU Haier systems or 1 hose systems may leak after 2 years.

In regards to the cost of the AC combinations you might want to think about:

Keep in mind that central air or maybe even SPLIT air types MAY increase your house value (if you ever wanted to sell it in the future).

Split AC for 1 or 2 rooms:
Based on past experience and history, it's about $2,000 per unit + compressor (installation included).

1 unit can cool a 600 sq. feet room easily.

PM me and I can recommend you the same company my friends used.

Central Air:
Adding Central Air | Cooling | Plumbing, HVAC & Electrical | This Old House
"When added to an existing forced-air heating system, central air for a 2,000-square-foot home costs $3,500 to $4,000 and can be done by two technicians in two to three days, often with little or no change to the ducting."

"For a house that needs ducts, the costs and work time double. But a contractor experienced in retrofitting can cleverly hide ductwork behind walls, in the back of closets and up in the attic with minimal cuts into walls and the ceiling and very little mess. "

meh i bought a haier 14000 btu when it was on sale for 299.99 and bought the extended warranty on it for 30bux.. i put it on top of a tray so if it ever leaks water it's just going to be on the tray.. never had it drip yet.. i live in a 600 sq ft apartment so one of those is good enough for my entire apartment.. although i'm trying to find a place that sells plexiglass and can custom cut it along with couple holes so i can fit the exhaust in stupid casement windows..

anyone know anywhere locally that can custom cut plexiglass and not too expensive?? i tried calling and emailing associateplastic.. but no one picks up the phone nor replies their email.

as for central A/C i saw home depot is doing a 36months no interest equal payment promo if cash is tight atm but u want central ac

Can anyone recommend a specific model of portable AC for under $300? I tried checking out my local rona, and then HD and costco's website with no luck

Seems like the LG models had bad reviews and those are the only ones fitting my budget

For the record, we're getting an in-home split A/C installed in the house up in the Interior. It'll be blowing into the living room and kitchen (about 25' x 15'... though with a 14' vaulted ceiling). With installation, it'll be roughly $3000. Seems a little high compared to what you can get down in the Lower Mainland, but I assume that with the extended heated summer seasons you get up here, they figure they can charge whatever they want and people will still pay.

We've used those super powered window A/C units but the summer heat penetrates even the heat-resistant windows and overpowers the effectiveness of the A/C. :okay:




However, I've found that apart from maybe one or two small heatwaves in the Lower Mainland, it's usually not needed down there.

i lived in the lower mainland for 20years and i find i never really needed a/c.. maybe for a couple days a year i wanted to get one. however now that i moved to my apartment.. with those giant ass windows i find the need of a portable ac.. there's just too much sunlight shinning in even with the blinds down ~~ wayy too hot and cooked in there

Fair enough. I guess I've been lucky in the fact that apart from the place in the Interior, my houses have always been surrounded by giant oak and cedar trees. That certainly helps with cooling the surrounding air.

I can't imagine what it'd be like living in a top floor condo in DT if there's no A/C.

You want a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split ductless A/C home unit... this is the best option you can get for a home.... can double as heater as well, and it's silent. Too bad it's around a grand.

Has a 26 SEER rating (for power consumption, one of the best)

Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada Inc. - Air Conditioning & Heating

terkan,

Re: plexiglass cutting
A few years ago I just bought a piece of plexi at Home Depot that suited me and had it cut to suit at a local glass company. (I went to Vancouver Glass on Hastings and Commercial)

These are solid.

At home, I got a Danby portable A/C from Costco years ago for $280 IIRC. 12000 BTU. Does the job pretty well for a 600 sq. ft. apartment.

i feel your pain

I have a casement window that pushes out
its pricy enough just to retrofit the seal to it