I catch myself from time to time spending money on things that I just don’t need to. Whether it’s the cool action video I think I will watch after the (wife selected) romcom, the twenty piece Mcnugget vs. ten, or the third hot dog at Home Depot, it’s all waste – well, usually anyway.
A simple item that builders are wasting money on is the HVAC line set. Locate your air conditioning unit as close as possible to your air handler. There are a lot of factors to be aware of when locating the condenser: noise, grade slope, etc. Take these items into consideration and optimize the line set distance. Too many times I have seen the furnace on one side of house and the A/C on the opposite side. If this is the case in any of your houses try this quick test: If you can move your condenser unit closer to your air handler without negative ramifications then you can eliminate waste/cost.
Correctly locating your HVAC systems can easily save you $100 per house – for that kind of bread you could rent all the Die Hards and Stallone action movies ever made. Pretty sweet.
Related Stories
Codes & Standards
Heat Pumps: The What, Why, and How
Understand how to install heat pumps, what they do, and the future of heat pumps
Construction
Small-Duct, High-Velocity HVAC: What It Is and Why It Pairs Well With Modular Homes
Modular home manufacturers, builders, and owners now have many choices when it comes to indoor climate systems, but small-duct, high-velocity (SDHV) systems may be the perfect fit for these types of homes
Construction
Guest Column: Residential Construction Trends to Follow in 2023
PERC shares homeowner trends to keep on your radar in the New Year.
Construction
A Case for Compact Duct Layouts
Energy and building codes now require a high level of insulation, high-performance glazing, and better air sealing—compact duct layouts may help
HVAC
Fantech Filtration
The HS300 whole-house HEPA filtration unit is designed to be installed directly onto the return air plenum of forced air heating/cooling systems.
HVAC
Battery-free Touchscreen
Crestron Electric's new smart touchscreen thermostat, ditches the batteries of typical smart thermostats in favor of a simple, two-wire install.
Products
Broan-NuTone bath fan with Bluetooth speaker
Transform a tired incandescent bath fan into an efficient LED light featuring a Bluetooth speaker
Best Practices
Resilient Design: Ready for Natural Disasters
Resilient design creates homes that can survive natural disasters and stay functional in the aftermath
HVAC
Nest Thermostat
The Nest “learning” thermostat adjusts its temperature controls to your personalized schedule.