YAHVACT

[AStar617]

1) Is there a specific name for those older kitchen stoves that also doubled (intentionally) as a heating source for a home? Do they even make these anymore (I doubt it)? I will need one for a floor of a multifamily home I'm purchasing that is currently using electric plug-in radiators 🙁

2) In my condo I have a forced air furnace integrated with a rooftop AC unit. I woke up uncomfortably warm with a rattling noise coming from theh furnace closet. It appears that my AC is freezing over. Pic of forced air unit here. What I believe to be the AC condensate drain line is frosting over visibly at the connector (the larger line with the ragged looking foam). I also feel cold air escaping from the horizontal seam between the silver upper chassis and the tannish lower chassis of the unit. I just turned it off and let it thaw so unfortunately you can't see the frost on the connector in the pic, but picture the large nut covered with a layer of snow like a freezer coil. Any thoughts? My research says these usually don't need "topping off"/"recharging" like a car AC without a determinable leak being present.

Thx

 

[Minerva]

1) We had them early on, they burned wood. 😀 I suppose an electric range could safely double as a backup heater. Using a gas range is risky because it consumes 02 and produces CO2. If the O2 level in the living space drops too low OR the burners aren't adjusted right from the start (producing yellow tipped flames) you will get CO which is very bad.

2) Most evaporator freeze-ups are caused by insufficient airflow over the evaporator (cold) coil. The coil fins could be dirty, the filter clogged or the blower motor may not be spinning fast enough. A pinched cap tube (part of the "metering device"), distribution tubes (your unit looks too small to have those) or AXV (automatic expansion valve aka metering device which again is probably not on your unit) can also cause excessive restriction which will cause freeze ups. Best way to tell is put a gauge manifold on the unit's ports and check your head and suction pressures. Open the cover of the outside unit and check the compressor. It should NOT be wet with condensation especially if the temp of the return air is warm (80F). Carrier units had the infamous "piston accurator" that sometimes would screw up causing frosted lines.

Get some duct tape and fix those transition leaks above your air handler! Any supply air leak is bad and easy to fix. Think of it as a dripping faucet.

 

[zixxer]

most like the evap coil needs cleaned (judging from the nasty look of the exterior of your air handler)

also those cast iron stove/furnaces are really dirty (i.e. make the air inside the home 'dirty' with soot)



get a ventless fireplace. the air is still dirty, but not as bad and you get 100% of the heat

 

[AStar617]

To clarify my "stove" requirement:

I'm not talking about a wood/coal-burning stove, or anything that looks remotely like these. What I am referring to is a modern range/oven appliance that also had some vents on the side to heat the living space. I wish I had a picture to better explain this. The apartment had one once upon a time and so did another aunt of mine.

It must be a cooktop/oven appliance because it is intended for a kitchen. There is no other way to apply heat to the unit (essentially a furnished attic) without opening up some major permit-requiring renovations. :roll:

 

[AStar617]

Bump...

My AC doesn't seem to have frozen over since... will still get some duct tape for the transition leaks (heh, this will be the first time I use duct tape as directed 😛)

My gf's mother seems to know what I'm talking about regarding the stove... they existed, I swear!