ZoneAire PTAC Units ... Leaking?

[fazzies]

Hello.
We just moved into a condo unit with ZoneAire Electric Heat Pumps. I have a general question about PTACs. On a cold/windy day are you suppose to feel a draft at the bottom of the unit when it is off and the vent close button is suppressed? The unit is about 15 years old, do you think the vent is broken or is the thing just too old? All four units in my apartment is like that.
If we upgrade to an efficient model, will I still feel a draft when the PTAC unit is off?

Thanks for your input.

Regards,
Kelly

[2story]

if i understand, you are talking about a throught the wall PTAC, it sets in a sleeve. the unit itself mounts to the sleeve that is mounted in the wall. two screws hold the unit in place 2 on the left, two on the right. there is/was a gasket where the two meet, it is probably deteriorated, if you loosen the screws, pull the unit out slightly put some 1/2 inch foam gap sealer (found at a home center with the caulk)all the way around the unit, and tighten the screws.

the vent very well may be stuck open too, If you pull the unit out (with help) you can investigate further, you can manually close the vent. the draft you feel may just be that there is a gap between the sleeve and the framing, a bead of caulk would solve the problem, it is easy to caulk the top and sides the bottom is tricky. I recently replaced two GE zonelines that were 20 plus years old, they were still going strong. The beauty of these units is you do not have to replace all of them at once.

You would gain efficiency, quieter running, remote thermostat options, and better looks with new equipment.

[BaldLoonie]

No drafts if done right.

If you replace, look at the GE 5500 series. Very quiet, very efficient as the compressor runs with the backup instead of shutting off like the rest do.

[fazzies]

I will definitely try to manually close the vent tonight. I thought they were all breaking down on me.

Thanks!