Firebrid: The Prius v Powered Hybrid Convertible

let's see... you were 16, so that would make you 54, happy birthday!

 

I just noticed a familiar car model in the background.
My first car was a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass, purchased used. The engine had been (poorly) rebuilt and I got rid of it when it got 200 miles to the quart of oil
The engine was 330 cubic inch wth a 4 barrel carburetor. When you pressed the accelerator, you could watch the gas gauge drop.

 

you're showing your age.

 

You need that new air-conditioned garage you have been designing.

 

that's my big fear, a/cgoes out in july, no one came come for two weeks, and when they do, it's top dollar. sometimes i think it would be wise to make a preemptive strike.

 

How olds your system? When we bought our current house, the system was 22 years old and you could hear it running on the opposite end of the house.

Replaced the unit as the repair cost would have been 25% of a new unit.

+1 for a pre-emptive strike.

 

mine is finishing its 10th summer. i've read that's the lifespan?

 

That's what is quoted. Depends on many factors. But if not giving any problems and is serviced regularly, you can probably stretch it out.

 

never serviced, what can i do besides changing the filter? i actually asked my oil company, who instlalls and services a/c, when they sent me a $99. tune up special, the filter was all they do.

 

A filter is one thing you can do and much cheaper than $99. Seems like they took advantage of you.

What I also do is inspect the system for damage particularly the outdoor coil. Ours is on the east side of the house and not near any potential damage (rock from a lawn mower as an example). I also clean the coils to ensure good heat transfer. If you have a very efficient system, it's worth also ensuring the condenser drain is clear. Our unit is on the second floor and if the drain is clogged, it could rain down from above. Happened to the inlaws house a couple of years back.

Just some other simple things that you can do.

 

thanks! i have a high speed system, and yes, on the second floor. i will check the drain pan more often. how do you clean the coils?

 

I take compressed air to the coils every so often (probably twice a year). More important if you live in a dusty area. When we lived in Kansas we were right next to fields that put a fine layer on the coils.



Think of it as a very large radiator. The dirt will act as an insulator and reduce the efficiency causing the unit to work harder.

Hope that helps .

 

will do, thanks!

 

You might want to make sure you use filters that do not impede the airflow more than necessary. A number of years ago when we got the heat pump at out former house, the technician sold us washable electrostatic filters.
He called the fine disposable allergy filters we had "heat pump killers".

 

huh, the only filters i see at the depot are paper. i've been using 3m.

 

We have dust allergies & small dogs. We were buying the better filtering 3M Filtrete one that were the "heat pump killers".
I cannot remember the brand, but we bought some washable electrostatic filters that restricted air flow less., We vacuumed them about twice a week to clean off the dog hair & dust. They worked well until we sold the house early last year.