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I have a 3 story house with a 4' crawl space in Central NC, Chapel Hill area. I'm only doing the first floor unit at this time. The first floor is about 2300 sq ft and has two bedrooms on opposite sides of the house. One is our master. The other is my office which I work out of from home so I think control is important in the 3 areas.
There are two returns in the main living area. There are cathedral ceilings in the foyer and living room, which opens up to the second floor hall where the thermostat that controls the 2nd and 3rd floor resides.
We don't use the top two floors that much. They are run by a 10 SEER electric unit and my electric bills haven't exceeded $120, oddly enough. So, I'm just not worried about that. I considered having the extra loop installed since we have the extra tax incentive in NC, but I'll probably pass for now.
I am receiving quotes for a WaterFurnace 5 Series and a ClimateMaster TE30. If we are taking contractors out of the equation, all other things remaining equal, what is the better unit? Both contractors explained the top of the line 7 series and Tranquility 45 are like Bentleys. You only get them for bragging rights and the payoff is much, much longer.
Also, I read about a CM Trilogy 40 series, but there doesn't seem to be info on the web site for that. Any idea why?
What suggestions for zoning are recommended for the first floor?
The existing 1st floor unit is 4ton. We got a got for a 3.5 WF and 4ton CM. I don't see how the 3.5 makes sense, but that's another story. I think they need to recalculate that.
Regarding encapsulation, I received a wide array of quotes using various materials. I'm probably going to do this myself.
1. Should I go with closed cell DIY kits? If so, which one is recommended? Or should I go with foam boards? If I used the closed cell, can I come back and add a layer over it I didn't apply it thick enough?
2. What R rating is adequate for the crawlspace walls?
3. Some contractors recommend a dehumidifier. Some say that's a bad idea. Which is it?
4. Some say I need a ventilation fan. Some say I don't because it's just going to use more electric. Some say I need two because of the 2300 sq ft imprint. Someone else said he would use radon fans. Which is it?
5. Lastly, do I need to remove an existing vapor barriers or can I lay the new stuff on top. There's a bunch of loose vapor barriers down there now. It looks like the builder never finished laying it and they just quit. I don't know how thick it is, but I laid it all out and most of the crawl space is covered, but not all. Should I just fill the gaps or should I have someone verify the material is sufficient first?
I primarily want to get this in before the heating season. I was spending about $650 a month on propane so I can wait a couple of months if something better is coming out soon.
I know it's a lot of questions, but I see so much contradictory information, I figured I'd just ask.
Thanks in advance!
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