My mom's Furnace will kick on for 30-40 seconds then shuts off. Flame does not look right to me as well. Shouldn't it be bigger? In the past her gas line had what looked like cotton or spider webs in it. Almost wonder if that's the problem again and just needs to be cleaned out. Looking for some simple things to check before we call out a tech.

Inexperienced homeowner here. We recently had our water autofeeder fail due to a neighborhood power surge and overpressurize the system. The HVAC tech that came out to look at everything for us took some pictures of the heat exchanger and told us the corrosion he’s seeing here is indicative of a leak and that we should replace the boiler ASAP. We had another person from our home insurance out to inspect the boiler and he said he wouldn’t be too worried about this level of corrosion when we showed him the pictures. I’m new to all of this so just hoping to get some more opinions before making any decisions. Happy to answer any additional questions!

For what it’s worth, the boiler is probably 10 years old and was turned off and left off after the initial incident. Home insurance tech ran it as part of his checkout and said he’d be comfortable leaving it on, but we turned it off until we got some more opinions.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I was changing the ac filter that fits over this opening and started wondering if this is normal. I looked up pictures of other setups and they’re finished with wood or what looks like drywall over the pink panels. The house was built in 1989 and we’ve had a new hvac installed, including the copper line seen here, and no one ever said anything so I’m thinking it’s ok? It doesn’t seem logical to risk the material being drawn into the unit and ducts though but I also don’t know what it is. Anyone work in HVAC that knows? I’ll ask my tech on the next cleaning too. The last pic of the air handler shows the grate I opened to take these pics. So the air goes into white grate > through filter > into cavity with insulation > up into air handler.

I installed the equipment. This is a split system, attic horizontal airflow with gas furnace. Heater and air handler are working, airflow into rooms is fine. Next, I need the refrigeration lines flushed (old unit’s compressor motor shorted out), brazed to the new equipment and evacuated. I don't want to buy all the tools needed for that.

I want high-quality workmanship. How do I get a company to write a work order that has these types of items:

Solvent blast then nitrogen blast – repeat until the output is clear (that’s what the RX11 product user manual says).

Follow the install guide for the equipment that says hold 400 PSI for 30 minutes.

Schrader core removed, Decay test Vacuum measured at the port not the manifold gauge, the manual says 10 minutes before checking for a rise.

I spoke on the phone with a sales rep from a big company, then got a work order that was not even close to what I was asking for.

For a minisplit. To the left under the window(storage room, doesn't currently open). Or far right under the deck(6' ground to joist)

I have a ~1,728 sq ft, two-story house in Iowa with a partially finished, heated basement. My 23-year-old furnace needs replacement, but contractors disagree on the existing size: one says 60,000 BTU, another says 75,000 BTU.

I’m comparing a 60,000 BTU Ruud R95iT (95% AFUE) and an 80,000 BTU American Standard S9X1 (96% AFUE). The 80k model is slightly cheaper.

My second floor runs 3–5°F warmer than the first floor in winter, and the basement is cooler.
Is 60k sufficient, or could 80k be appropriate?
Could 80k cause short cycling or comfort issues?
Should I prioritize a Manual J calculation and ductwork assessment?
Does furnace size affect compatibility with my existing AC?
Which would you choose, and why?

So long story long we found some growth in my daughters bedroom closet. Mold remediation company came out and said it didn’t look serious and would be a quick fix. I had them go up into the attic and check out that area as well as my daughter has asthma and wanted to be safe. They found “significant” mold and growth in the attic. They recommended an AC tech to come look at the unit as they saw some rust/condensation in the drip pan. AC guy looks at the unit and says the insulation is wet and there is what he believes to be mold in several areas of the unit. Recommends a full replacement. I’m looking at 30K between mold remediation and a new AC. I’m looking for any advice or info to help me in this journey. Thanks!

Two year old furnace randomly started making this noise. I thought it was car outside but was my furnace near the inducer motor. Two stage 80%. Flue goes to chimney.

Any ideas on what’s causing this? The wheel and flame sensor are both clean.

Our furnace is getting pretty unreliable, so I’ve been looking at replacement options for our 1,900 sq ft colonial in the Capital Region. The furnace is in the basement, and I’ve gotten three pretty different recommendations.

• Option A: 80% single-stage, 10-year parts coverage, 1-year labor coverage.
• Option B: 96% two-stage, new PVC venting through the side wall, 10-year parts coverage, 2-year labor coverage.
• Option C: 97% variable-speed, a new return duct in the basement, 10-year parts and labor coverage, plus a smart thermostat.

The recommended sizes are different, too. One says 80K BTU, another says 70K, and the third didn’t list a size. I'm having a hard time figuring out which setup makes the most sense for our house. Is the higher-efficiency model worth considering, and how important is it o get the sizing right? =

Dealing with a 36 year old furnace that is short cycling and the cheapest landlord known to mankind who is trying to avoid paying for a new one. This guy shows up, fiddles around, says he bypassed that switch and that they're ordering something and will be back later. He left the heat at 75, said it was safe it, "just stops the furnace from overheating".

This is insane, right? Just trying to ake sure before I send my landlord a stern message that we want nothing to do with this company fixing appliances in the house we live in.

We have turned the furnace off at the switch.

Thanks!

Edited - thanks for the responses! More info was received and yes, that is what this guy did. The furnace is off. The landlord has been told this happened and it sounds like he will be going with a replacement FINALLY.

I’m about to pull the trigger on a Trane 2 ton variable speed cold climate system for my downstairs. It’ll be replacing a 2.5 ton single stage Goodman.

My concern is that our downstairs is 900sqft. Old house with no floor or wall insulation, and the air return is on the stair landing.

Not concerned about winter heating…more concerned about summer cooling issues.

Just wanted to check, I’m sure there is nuance to understand since I’m not a pro. Dr. Google and all other sources are saying exhaust should be above intake. The low horizontal pipe in this photo is exhausting air, you can kind of make out the gas’s cloud exiting

I’m looking into getting a swamp cooler for my house since it gets pretty hot during the warmer months, and running regular AC all day isn't really ideal for me. I’ve read that evaporative coolers can work well in the right climate, but I’m not sure which ones are actually worth considering or how well they perform in a real home.

For those who have used one, what would you recommend as the best swamp cooler for residential use? Also, how much does humidity affect the cooling, and is there anything I should know before choosing one? Appreciate any advice, thanks!

About me. I am new to this trade. I did 3 months as helper which I was making $16 an hour and I am now a full service tech making $25 an hour. My goal after 5 years is to work for myself. Now that I’ve seen how summer and winter looks like. I realize how this trade can be physically and time consuming. I have a couple of questions for the experience tech here.

1.) what are the better pay structure that works for you? Hourly or commission based? About me I’ve been told that I am in the top 3 in the company who’s bringing more money. I’ve been asked if I can would like to jump into commission based. I am unsure right now as I am trying to weight my options.

2.) which one is better hvac or refrigeration? I’m asking because I am thinking to jump into commercial after my 2 years here. I am thinking it may be a good skill to learn if I am planning to work for myself in the future.

3.) whats the work life balance looks like in refrigeration? Also, what is the pay difference?

BTW i am 32 and just trying to make a solid plan for myself since im kinda oldie now. Any output would be definitely appreciated.

Homeowner in Michigan, second-story addition. Our HVAC contractor ran a new gas line to the furnace, about 15–20 feet from the existing gas line to the furnace. It's a mix of black steel and yellow CSST flex, with roughly 13–14 joints over that short run. It's capped and on an air test only, not connected to gas.

What happened:
He set it at 7 psi. It dropped about 2 psi overnight.

The morning of the inspection, his crew topped it back up before the inspector arrived and asked me not to tell the inspector. They said the drop was "normal" and they'd fix it after it passed.

I told the inspector anyway. He failed it and required 15 psi.
It pressurized to 15, and it lost about 4 psi in 18 hours.
The contractor soap-tested every joint, found nothing, tightened everything, and refilled it. It's still dropping, about 1 psi in 7 hours, during daytime warming.

Part of the line goes inside a wall behind a shower that will be tiled, so it has to be right before it's closed.

His backup plan is to tear it out and run one continuous piece of flex, with fittings only at the gas line and the furnace.

Questions:
Is a single continuous CSST run the right fix here? Anything I should insist on (sizing, bonding, strike plates)?
Is the drop ever "normal," or should a new line hold at 15 PSI?
Should I bring in a second gas fitter to find the leak?
Any red flags I should watch for with this contractor going forward?
Thanks.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to purchase a Hisense UniAir dual-split system with the following models:

Indoor units: HAXU090AG (9,000 BTU) and HAXU120AG (12,000 BTU)

Outdoor unit: 2AMW42U4RGC

One indoor unit will be installed near a fireplace (i really can't chose another spot), so its built-in temperature sensor won't provide an accurate reading of the room temperature.

I'd like to install a **wired wall controller on the opposite side of the room** and have the indoor unit use the controller's temperature sensor for heating and cooling regulation.

I've found the Hisense YXE-C01U(E), YXE-C01U1(E) and YXE-E01U(E) controllers, but I haven't been able to confirm compatibility with my exact indoor units.

My questions are:

Do the HAXU090AG and HAXU120AG support wired controllers? Which exact models?

Can I configure the system to use exclusively the wired controller's temperature sensor, rather than the indoor unit's sensor?

Can the built-in Wi-Fi / ConnectLife app continue working simultaneously, allowing remote ON/OFF, temperature and mode control?

Does anyone have a service manual or PCB wiring diagram showing the relevant controller connector and pinout?

Each indoor unit should be controlled independently.

I'm particularly interested in preserving the original inverter temperature regulation, rather than using a third-party thermostat that simply switches the unit on and off.

Thanks for any technical documentation or firsthand experience!

Hi there, I'm writing on here to get some advice.

Been renting this house for about 6 years, there is a nice double car garage that I use as a workshop and home gym. It is very well insulated. The garage has a very old 70000 btu furnace, but its not included in the rental agreement. I've never fired it up as its quite old, and the landlord's had it wired up using Christmas string lights. (Which sketched me out). I looked inside and the electrical connections appear to be corroding and overall I don't feel safe about it.

I'd like to have a modern hanging garage furnace, I found a 50 000 btu Mr heater from princess auto and it's a reasonable price. My gas fitter friend said he would extend the gas line and run the venting for me.

However, the garage does not have an electrical subpanel and the ceiling is 8 feet tall. To power it I'd have to just plug it into the wall outlet and the instructions say the heater has to be minimum 8' clearance from the ground. For these 2 reasons I doubt it would pass an inspection.

The landlords said in passing that it would be ok if I installed a new heater, but I don't think she considered the inspection part etc. I want a solid plan before I go to them with my install plan of action.

I don't want to tell them "my friend could help me install it but it wouldn't pass an inspection".

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome, thanks for your time

This is currently happening with my Bryant 80T furnace. Haven't used it all summer, just starting it up now that it's getting cold out and it won't go. Blower fires up right away but no flame starts. I cleaned the sparker? But it didn't seem to help. Any advice?

Just moved into a condo in Pathum Thani where the outdoor unit sits on the open balcony edge, west-facing. By mid-afternoon it gets direct sun for a few hours. Not sure if this is actually hurting efficiency or if I'm overthinking it.

The unit itself runs fine. Nicely quiet, bill came in reasonable last month. I just notice the casing is warm to touch around 3-4pm, which obviously is partly from doing its job but partly also the sun on the metal. There's maybe 40cm of clearance on all sides, which is within what the installer said is the minimum.

Options I've been thinking about: one of those cheap plastic sunshade visors you see installed above some units around Thailand, a reed blind on the balcony railing to block the afternoon sun, or just leave it alone. Don't want to restrict airflow or trap heat under a cover and make things worse.

The unit is a Comfee Gusto 1.5HP installed in July, split wall. PCB has UV conformal coating per the spec sheet so I don't think the board is my concern, more the heat exchanger side. Toshiba Thailand services it.

Is afternoon direct sun on the outdoor unit actually a measurable efficiency hit worth addressing in SEA conditions, or am I overthinking it?

This is in my apartment, I removed the Merv 1 filter on the bottom to take a look at things, and I'm wondering if those fans need to be boxed off to draw only through the filter? From what I can see it's drawing air from the crawl space and blowing a bit of musty smelling black stuff.

Question: any concerns with opening 2nd return vent in living room?

2023 was first winter after buying flipped house. Furnace kept overheating, HVAC company added return vent (pictured) that is just before filter and blower (basement is open to upstairs). Haven't had issues since. Upon further investigation, seems that intent was for return to be placed in living room via wall cavity; you can see the seal job at top of picture that leads between joists to ductwork on the opposite wall (not pictured). Original contractors just neglected to create a return vent.

I'd like to open the wall in living room above duct work to improve circulation, especially while cooking.

Any concerns with this idea? Would it be safer to seal current return vent before running or try with both vents opened?

Is it safest to just get HVAC tech to test static pressure?

Thanks for any guidance.

Got a price estimate to replace our 41 year old gas furnace (80% efficiency) and AC compressor with a 96% Evcon unit.

My google searches found some mixed reviews. any thoughts? run away from it, or give it serious consideration?

the cost estimate is for $9,700

Hi there,(29)(F) just had an interview with someone for an HVAC position and originally I had applied for install apprenticeship but they called and said they thought I would be a better fit for service. Do you think service would be good for someone who has little to no experience with HVAC systems? Also, is it bad if a company doesn't have their HVAC service techs on comission? Thank you in advice for your replies!