What people keep running into with heating and cooling
Complaints tagged heating and cooling, each raised by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
49 recurring problems · 507 people · 16 forums we read
Raised more than once
Most people first.
- 3Propane boiler vs combi boiler: how to choose?Choosing between a propane boiler with an indirect water heater and a combi boiler is overwhelming when trying to switch from an oil system. Homeowners get stuck trying to figure out how domestic hot water and heating work together while dealing with high equipment costs.
- 2How to secure a horizontal evaporator coil to a furnaceManufacturer instructions for mounting the equipment are vague and typically supply only a single, flimsy flat bracket. This lack of clear guidance leaves installers guessing about how to properly attach the coil to the furnace and whether additional hardware is required.
- 2Why won't HVAC contractors follow my Manual J report?Contractors routinely dismiss independent load calculations and insist on using old rules of thumb or installing oversized equipment instead. This leaves homeowners unable to find someone willing to install the correct size system for their home.
- 2AC unit humming with no air coming out of ventsThe system runs or hums while failing to blow any air through the vents. This leaves the space without cooling or airflow, rendering the HVAC system unusable until the airflow issue is resolved.
- 2What to do when your return air vent is too smallAn undersized return air intake causes the AC condenser to choke, creating loud noises outside and terrible system efficiency. Routing additional returns through walls and crawlspaces is difficult work that typically requires a professional.
- 2Why is my combi boiler so unreliable?Combi boilers frequently suffer from inconsistent hot water, heating failures, and persistent operational issues that defy diagnosis. These breakdowns leave homeowners at their wits' end and often drive them to regret ditching older, reliable systems for a combi setup.
- 2Can you pair a larger air handler with a smaller condenser?Pairing a larger air handler with a smaller condenser can sometimes boost SEER efficiency ratings, but it raises questions about whether the cost is worth the minor gain and what negative impacts might occur. Finding the right AHRI data and ensuring blower compatibility between mismatched furnace blowers and heat pumps makes figuring out these variable-speed systems difficult.
- 2Is the builder supplied HVAC system sufficient?Homeowners lack clear ways to verify if a standard builder system or a cheap 9k BTU mini-split will adequately heat a specific space like a 450-square-foot ADU. This uncertainty leaves them questioning if affordable units are too good to be true, causing hesitation before installing equipment even when the drywall is already open.
- 2Which plug-in space heater is actually the most efficient?All standard electric resistance space heaters convert electricity to heat at the exact same efficiency, meaning no single brand or model will produce more heat per watt than another. This prevents people from finding a high-efficiency plug-in option to offset cold air from a heat pump water heater or reduce heating costs.
Comes up alongside
Topics that keep appearing on the same problems — not topics with similar names.