Central Air for home

Good luck with your project. I had central air duct work installed just 2 years ago (I know, I must be the last person in SE PA to do this). My house has electric ceiling heat, a grid of resistance wires stapled to the ceiling drywall, then covered with a skim coat of plaster. It is no longer popular, and if you look strictly at your electric bill, not very efficient. But, if you factor in the total lack of any maintenance cost in 25 years, it's not as bad.
Anyway, in order to maintain the integrity of the grid, we had to ensure that no duct holes were cut through any of the grid wires. We waited till a good cold winter day and used a remote infrared sensing thermometer to trace the grid wires and mark them on the ceiling in light pencil mark. Then when it was time to do the ceiling cuts we did it very carefully and were rewarded with only a single wire break in an upstairs ceiling which was easily repaired via attic access. I used a recommended HVAC contractor from the area to do the sizing, run the lines and ducts, hook it all up and am very happy. Coincidentally, I was doing some other remodeling including new siding, and buried the refrigerant lines in an chase drilled through wall for a completely invisible run from ground to third floor attic on the back of the house.

Thanks guys for the reply. Hey Jere, I think I'm the last guy to do this! I'm just west of you in western Lancaster Co. I do have air, it's just not central. My neighbor two doors down the road got CA put in last year. I checked out his system and man what a difference! You can hardly hear it run. They did a first class install on his house so I'm going to get them to give me a quote. :trink39:

get multiple quotes and INSIST they run a manual J on your home. this insures the system is sized properly. too small and it won't cool it, too large and it won't remove enough humidity. also unless you have easy access to the air handler, insist they put the filter in the return(s) in the house. i absolutely hate having to go in my attic to change filters. i'm going to go back to putting them in my 2 returns so i don't have to climb up there. i may actually change the dang things on time then!

i would have them put a small furnace in it, just as a backup in case your main one is down or needs help. it won't cost much more and in some cases is actually cheaper.

cadman56 said:

Thanks guys for the reply. Hey Jere, I think I'm the last guy to do this! I'm just west of you in western Lancaster Co. I do have air, it's just not central. My neighbor two doors down the road got CA put in last year. I checked out his system and man what a difference! You can hardly hear it run. They did a first class install on his house so I'm going to get them to give me a quote. :trink39:

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I grew up as west as you can get in Lancaster County, right on the Susquehanna River, and spent hours every Fall morning literally mid-river in a Duck Blind. Good luck, sounds like you've got a lead on a good installer.