NONpolitical!! HVAC question

[MS Fowler]

I like asking questions like this one because I know we have the expertise here, and I do not have to worry that the answer is influenced by being a potential sale for the one giving the answer. Ask a contractor, and you just never know.

My son has an all electric house. ( in fact it was the model for this development in the 1960s, and, as a result, the electric rates are frozen at about a 1965 rate!!!)
Anyway, the house needs a new roof. Its about a 2:12 pitch. I am thinking of increasing the pitch to allow more room in the attic. Right now, its a real tough thing to even run wiring above the ceiling--there is just no room.
The house also does not have central A/C.
If we are going to steepen the roof pitch anyway, why not make it steep enough to install HVAC in the increased attic space. The house is also a slab-on-grade, so no way to run ductwork below the floors.
Doies anyone market a "kit" just for such an installation?
Probably going to have to involve a HVAC professional, bit I prefer DIY, when plausible.
Any ideas/ comments/ been there--done that?

Thanks, oh and can we keep the words "stupid", "moron" and other such out of this thread? Keep those insults in the political discussions, where they belong.

Thanks,

[kknudson]

I can't remember the site, I've seen some commericials on TV for them.
They are very common in the Caribiean.

The split units, I know Panasonic makes them.
A unit mounts in the wall, with a small compressor mounted outdoors, similiar to a normal AC.

It might be a bit more upfront, but possibly give you more 'zoned' like cooling by putting in several. Some have heat capabilities too.

[lutzTD]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

I like asking questions like this one because I know we have the expertise here, and I do not have to worry that the answer is influenced by being a potential sale for the one giving the answer. Ask a contractor, and you just never know.

My son has an all electric house. ( in fact it was the model for this development in the 1960s, and, as a result, the electric rates are frozen at about a 1965 rate!!!)
Anyway, the house needs a new roof. Its about a 2:12 pitch. I am thinking of increasing the pitch to allow more room in the attic. Right now, its a real tough thing to even run wiring above the ceiling--there is just no room.
The house also does not have central A/C.
If we are going to steepen the roof pitch anyway, why not make it steep enough to install HVAC in the increased attic space. The house is also a slab-on-grade, so no way to run ductwork below the floors.
Doies anyone market a "kit" just for such an installation?
Probably going to have to involve a HVAC professional, bit I prefer DIY, when plausible.
Any ideas/ comments/ been there--done that?

Thanks, oh and can we keep the words "stupid", "moron" and other such out of this thread? Keep those insults in the political discussions, where they belong.

Thanks,

Maybe if you find someone who will let you do some of the grunt work it could be a little cheaper, but the install and hook up needs to be done by a professional. If not, the local inspector will crawl up your butt and you will never get it passed. If you decide to do it on your own with no inspection or permit, it will void your insurance.

[kerry]

Steepening the roof pitch seems like a pretty big job for a relatively small reward. In Colorado, there are lots of swamp coolers mounted on top of the roof. While a swamp cooler wouldn't work in your climate, installing an AC unit on top of the roof doesn't seem out of the question. You could probably run the small flexible ducts in the existing attic.

[buffa98]

I have seen a retrofit of central ac into a 100+ yeae old house. What was done was running pvc pipe (3-4" with diffuser caps on them) thru the interior walls with all of them being tied into the main header up in the attic. The air handler was placed into a closet and the lines run thru a conduit type conection outside to the compressor.

[beevly]

Split units (also called ductless a/c) is what you need.

[Chas H]

Contact a truss man'f'er and ask about "bonus room" trusses. The elements of the truss are arranged to make a room under the roof. Usually for a bedroom, it might be just what your son needs to hold the A/C.