Need Advice from a Cooling/Heating Expert

[SethK28]

Ok here is the deal, I just rented an apartment that is probably 40-50 yrs old. The problem is that it does not seem to want to cool. I bought a new digital thermostat and the A/C runs 24 hrs a day and will not get below 80 degrees. It is also weird in the fact that the temp on the thermostat flucuates wildly. 1 minute it will say 83 then I will turn it off and it will go down to 79 or even up to 85, this is when the A/C has been running for 4-5 hours nonstop. I have weatherstripped all the windows and even around the attic door. Tommorow I am going to put a piece of plywood over the fireplace opening. The landlord came over today and said the thermostat was off by 3 1/2 degrees when it said it was 82 in here it was actually 78. The other problem is that when the thermostat says its say 82 and I set it to 82 it still runs all the time and wont shut off, it will only shut off if I set it to a degree higher than it is reading. I know this isnt a thermostat problem b/c I installed the same exact one in my other apartment and it shut off as soon as the temp got to the reading that I had set it at. My landlord doesnt seem to think there is a problem when I told him it ran all the time, he said "Yeah people complained about that, but because it is so humid out its gonna do that". I dont see how that is possible conisdering it just rained here and it is about 4-5 degrees cooler outside the place than it is inside and the damn A/C has been running for the past 2 hours. Someone PLEASE help.

 

[amnesiac]

Just call your local HPVAC tech and have him look at it.

 

[SethK28]

Yeah I dont really want/think that I should pay for it, isnt that the landlords responsibility? Will they come out and check it for no charge?

 

[SethK28]

anyone?

 

[JC]

You need to make the landlord schedule a HVAC tech to look at it. It's his responsibility.

 

[Gyrene]

I'd help, but I'm on vacation till next friday, and I'd rather not do anything to remind me of work. Sorry, I'm sure that makes me a jackass. But, local HVAC guy could tell you more than me, I just design the damn things. Tell your landlord to call them up.

Although it sounds to me like the thermostat's sensor is out. If it's out, then it can't sense the correct temperature, and the unit will run forever, as it never achieves the desired temperature. Though you say it's not a thermostat problem. It might be that the unit's coil is out, and it can't cool the air. Also causing the room to never reach the desired temperature. Do you have constant volume or VAV. I assume constant volume because you're in an apartment.

But no more from me, I'm on vacation.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: SethK28
Ok here is the deal, I just rented an apartment that is probably 40-50 yrs old. The problem is that it does not seem to want to cool. I bought a new digital thermostat and the A/C runs 24 hrs a day and will not get below 80 degrees. It is also weird in the fact that the temp on the thermostat flucuates wildly. 1 minute it will say 83 then I will turn it off and it will go down to 79 or even up to 85, this is when the A/C has been running for 4-5 hours nonstop. I have weatherstripped all the windows and even around the attic door. Tommorow I am going to put a piece of plywood over the fireplace opening. The landlord came over today and said the thermostat was off by 3 1/2 degrees when it said it was 82 in here it was actually 78. The other problem is that when the thermostat says its say 82 and I set it to 82 it still runs all the time and wont shut off, it will only shut off if I set it to a degree higher than it is reading. I know this isnt a thermostat problem b/c I installed the same exact one in my other apartment and it shut off as soon as the temp got to the reading that I had set it at. My landlord doesnt seem to think there is a problem when I told him it ran all the time, he said "Yeah people complained about that, but because it is so humid out its gonna do that". I dont see how that is possible conisdering it just rained here and it is about 4-5 degrees cooler outside the place than it is inside and the damn A/C has been running for the past 2 hours. Someone PLEASE help.

What kind of A/C unit is this in an apt. 40-50 years old? Thru-the-wall? Water-Chilled central air in a large building? Dedicated forced forced air unit all to your self, similar to what a single family home would have? I'm trying to get a picture in my head, so that I might envision the potential problems and possible solutions, but my experience is limited to the kind of systems I've seen here in the mid-west.

Please describe the type of system in greater detail.

 

[sharkeeper]

What's the split between supply and return?

-DAK-

 

[SethK28]

It is a Carrier unit maybe about 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, not a very large unit. The unit only goes to this apartment so I would imagine it is a force unit? The living room has 2 vents in the floor, the bedroom has 2 vents in floor, 1 in bathroom, and 1 in kitchen. It had an old school slide thermostat that I replaced with a $26 RiteCool home depot brand digital thermostat. This is the same type that I replaced my old apartments with. I am payin this guy $550/month and I am on student loans so $$$ is a HUGE issue. Georgia has about 3 more months of HOT HUMID weather and I cannot affored to keep this thing running like it is now. It rained earlier today and I put a fan in the window it was noticeably cooler outside but it still remains hot and humid in the apartment. Is the landlord responsible for this? I think he feels that he can fix it himself, because he has been renting properties for 20 years.

 

[Kelemvor]

If the ad for the apartment specified that it had Heat and A/C, then it has to be in working order. If the LL won't do anything, you can schedule a free estimate (usually) and have someone look at it. Then present the findings to the LL and have him fix it. If he refuses, contact your local business that regulates them or if needed give an attorney a call. Sometimes they acn tell you who to contact if you call one that is specifically a housing or landlord/tenant attorney.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: SethK28
It is a Carrier unit maybe about 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, not a very large unit. The unit only goes to this apartment so I would imagine it is a force unit? The living room has 2 vents in the floor, the bedroom has 2 vents in floor, 1 in bathroom, and 1 in kitchen. It had an old school slide thermostat that I replaced with a $26 RiteCool home depot brand digital thermostat. This is the same type that I replaced my old apartments with. I am payin this guy $550/month and I am on student loans so $$$ is a HUGE issue. Georgia has about 3 more months of HOT HUMID weather and I cannot affored to keep this thing running like it is now. It rained earlier today and I put a fan in the window it was noticeably cooler outside but it still remains hot and humid in the apartment. Is the landlord responsible for this? I think he feels that he can fix it himself, because he has been renting properties for 20 years.

It sounds like A. The wildly fluctuating thermostat is defective, and B, the AC unit is defective. I doubt it's cooling at all.

 

[Gyrene]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: SethK28
It is a Carrier unit maybe about 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, not a very large unit. The unit only goes to this apartment so I would imagine it is a force unit? The living room has 2 vents in the floor, the bedroom has 2 vents in floor, 1 in bathroom, and 1 in kitchen. It had an old school slide thermostat that I replaced with a $26 RiteCool home depot brand digital thermostat. This is the same type that I replaced my old apartments with. I am payin this guy $550/month and I am on student loans so $$$ is a HUGE issue. Georgia has about 3 more months of HOT HUMID weather and I cannot affored to keep this thing running like it is now. It rained earlier today and I put a fan in the window it was noticeably cooler outside but it still remains hot and humid in the apartment. Is the landlord responsible for this? I think he feels that he can fix it himself, because he has been renting properties for 20 years.

It sounds like A. The wildly fluctuating thermostat is defective, and B, the AC unit is defective. I doubt it's cooling at all.

I think I said that about 5 posts ago.

 

[SethK28]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: SethK28
It is a Carrier unit maybe about 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, not a very large unit. The unit only goes to this apartment so I would imagine it is a force unit? The living room has 2 vents in the floor, the bedroom has 2 vents in floor, 1 in bathroom, and 1 in kitchen. It had an old school slide thermostat that I replaced with a $26 RiteCool home depot brand digital thermostat. This is the same type that I replaced my old apartments with. I am payin this guy $550/month and I am on student loans so $$$ is a HUGE issue. Georgia has about 3 more months of HOT HUMID weather and I cannot affored to keep this thing running like it is now. It rained earlier today and I put a fan in the window it was noticeably cooler outside but it still remains hot and humid in the apartment. Is the landlord responsible for this? I think he feels that he can fix it himself, because he has been renting properties for 20 years.

It sounds like A. The wildly fluctuating thermostat is defective, and B, the AC unit is defective. I doubt it's cooling at all.

The thermostat is brand new I guess I'll return it and see if it stabilizes, but I really think the unit is porked