Allow me to pick your brains

Kinja'd!!! by "TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
Published 08/04/2017 at 19:22

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What do you guys know about hooking up a heat pump condenser to an existing home HVAC network? My house has natural gas heating and no AC and I want AC. Who do I hire to install it? Is it easy? Is there an inlet that the pump can hook up to? TELL ME DAMN YOU.

Kinja'd!!!


Replies (12)

Kinja'd!!! "DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
08/04/2017 at 19:27, STARS: 0

Just get a window unit ¯\_()_/¯ 

Kinja'd!!! "TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
08/04/2017 at 19:33, STARS: 0

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Kinja'd!!! "DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
08/04/2017 at 19:34, STARS: 0

Ja

Kinja'd!!! "CB" (jrcb)
08/04/2017 at 19:36, STARS: 2

Kinja'd!!!

Buy one for each room and leave the door open.

Kinja'd!!! "Birddog" (maintmgt)
08/04/2017 at 19:36, STARS: 1

A new air handler and condensing unit is all you need. The air handler takes the place of your existing furnace.

Or, are you thinking of building a hybrid where you keep your existing furnace?

Kinja'd!!! "TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
08/04/2017 at 19:37, STARS: 0

If the one unit can do both, I’d love to get the carbon monoxide time bomb out of my home.

Kinja'd!!! "just-a-scratch" (just-a-scratch)
08/04/2017 at 19:40, STARS: 0

There are a lot of potential incompatible bits in an existing system and a new one. Just installing a condenser and a couple valves is very unlikely to work.

Look for a company that specializes in HVAC and has a decent reputation. Whatever you decide, it may be too late to get relief from today’s hot weather. It’s a busy time for AC technnicians.

Kinja'd!!! "Aremmes" (aremmes)
08/04/2017 at 19:42, STARS: 1

I was thinking that residential heating furnaces and air handlers come in standard sizes, and so all that’s needed is to add an evaporator unit to the current unit’s outlet and connect it to condenser/heat pump outside. At least that’s how it’s set up in my house. Then again, I’m an IT geek and not a refrigeration technician, so I might be way off.

Kinja'd!!! "TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
08/04/2017 at 19:43, STARS: 0

I was thinking about having it done in the winter anyway.

Kinja'd!!! "Birddog" (maintmgt)
08/04/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 0

It depends on your climate. Moderate areas like the PNW are close to ideal. Areas like the Midwest usually require a backup system like a furnace, boiler or fireplace.

Kinja'd!!! "Birddog" (maintmgt)
08/04/2017 at 19:55, STARS: 0

You’re not way off. My experience is with full replacement. Most people here were/are going to Geo or HP for the efficiency upgrade. The labor costs to retrofit an existing HVAC system could be prohibitive.

Kinja'd!!! "TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
08/04/2017 at 20:40, STARS: 1

Bonus: easy access ice for your drinks.