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  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevo View Post
    Awesome info, thanks. There are only like 3-4 companies who do installs here. I've yet to find anyone who installs Trane.
    For some leads look for companies that do commercial HVACR (R=refrigeration). Call to ask if they do residential and if not they hopefully can give you some names of others.
    “The best argument in favour of a 90% tax rate on the rich is a five-minute chat with the average rich person.”

    - Winston Churchill, paraphrased.

  2. #27
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    Nov 2002
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    And so it goes. WFHr moves to the sticks, needs the mod cons of the city like A/C because they are building a house next door. Probably for some WFHr moving to the sticks. Don't be surprised when the HVAC guys are really expensive. They are busy, probably working on the house next door.

    But seriously, if you want to drop the ceddar, have at it. Seems to me like a pretty wasteful endeavor for a handful of weeks in July and August. If your house has decent insulation and good shaded, you should be able to keep it around 75 no problem.

  3. #28
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    Sep 2011
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    In our recent renovation I looked to add AC to radiant oil. In talking to installers they all recommended a heat pump as rebates made it the same cost. Might be worth asking when talking to companies.

  4. #29
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    Get a few air purifiers and good blackout curtains. Keep them closed all day.

    Do you think your house is so well air sealed that the indoor air quality is significantly different than the air quality outside when the whole region is blanketed in a haze of smoke for days or weeks on end? If so, I have a bridge somewhere to sell you.

    Also, if your HVAC system has an ERV, you're going to be tempering your stale, fetid indoor air with outside air regardless. Sure, it goes through a filter at the air handler, but it's a home appliance, not a clean room airlock.

  5. #30
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    Nov 2002
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    #buildingscience Let's make an airtight house that doesn't breath then introduce and air handler Lets fill the fucker full of closed cell and ignore the vapor gradient Lets an radiant infloor gym and huge S facing windows

    Luckily most people I work for have moved away from all that brain damage

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    #buildingscience Let's make an airtight house that doesn't breath then introduce and air handler Lets fill the fucker full of closed cell and ignore the vapor gradient Lets an radiant infloor gym and huge S facing windows
    That sounds like what I see quite a bit of around here.

  7. #32
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    Nov 2017
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    Teton air conditioning is not an AC business.

    It means opening up your house early and letting some cool, fresh air in. Then closing it and keeping the sunny side shades/blinds shut. Blackout insulated works great.
    Admittedly, it takes a little getting used to. Opening the house at 6 to 55* can be brisk.
    Makes us tougher.
    The vast majority of homes in this valley that are AC'ed, are Mcmansions that see maybe 4 weeks of habitation. Minimal original construction has it here. The smoke can be tough, but not common enough to be an issue for most folks. Unless it's close, like the Green Knoll fire was.

  8. #33
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    Dec 2016
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    In a van... down by the river
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    Quote Originally Posted by Djongo Unchained View Post
    Teton air conditioning is not an AC business.

    It means opening up your house early and letting some cool, fresh air in. Then closing it and keeping the sunny side shades/blinds shut. Blackout insulated works great.
    Admittedly, it takes a little getting used to. Opening the house at 6 to 55* can be brisk.
    Makes us tougher.
    The vast majority of homes in this valley that are AC'ed, are Mcmansions that see maybe 4 weeks of habitation. Minimal original construction has it here. The smoke can be tough, but not common enough to be an issue for most folks. Unless it's close, like the Green Knoll fire was.
    This is how we do it, and I live down on the Plains of Gorgoroth. And we *have* central A/C. We've probably used it for a grand total of a month in the last 17 years living here...

  9. #34
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    Nov 2002
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    Quote Originally Posted by skaredshtles View Post
    This is how we do it, and I live down on the Plains of Gorgoroth. And we *have* central A/C. We've probably used it for a grand total of a month in the last 17 years living here...
    Yeah but "I've got a really important call and I can't think with the backup alarm from the dumptruck next door going off!".

  10. #35
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    Oct 2003
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    Ogden
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    I usually open my windows around sunset and close when I wake up. Temp inside will be in the 50's in the am and in the 70's by the time it's time to open them again.

    As far as the construction next door, just develop a taste for Banda y Norteno cancions and you'll be ok?

  11. #36
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    Aug 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevo View Post
    My house has a forced air electric furnace that runs on an ecobee smart thermostat. Every room has existing duct work running to it,

    The furnace is in a crawl space about 20 feet from the exterior wall where I'd like to put an AC condenser. Getting a 220 line out to that side of the house should hopefully be easy enough.

    I'm in the process of getting quotes for adding AC.

    What should I know about the types of units and brands to look for or look out for?

    Are some brands significantly better than others?
    Maybe this has already been covered, but you really don't need AC in Teton Valley at all. You will seriously use it for like 4 hours a day, maybe for a a couple days tops, each year.

    Edit: I see it was somewhat. If you want to pay for it to avoid smoke, which in my 15 years here has been unbearable maybe twice, by all means do it, I just think you are going to realize pretty quickly you spent a bunch of money for a thing you hardly need. Mainly because it never actually gets hot enough here overnight to keep your house unbearably warm. It gets down to high 40's low 50's, regardless of daytime temps every night. You could keep your windows closed all day in August and your house wont get above maybe mid 70's.
    Live Free or Die

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by zion zig zag View Post

    As far as the construction next door, just develop a taste for Banda y Norteno cancions and you'll be ok?
    Hope and pray that's what you get, and not pop country.

  13. #38
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    Aug 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by glademaster View Post
    Get a few air purifiers and good blackout curtains. Keep them closed all day.

    Do you think your house is so well air sealed that the indoor air quality is significantly different than the air quality outside when the whole region is blanketed in a haze of smoke for days or weeks on end? If so, I have a bridge somewhere to sell you.

    Also, if your HVAC system has an ERV, you're going to be tempering your stale, fetid indoor air with outside air regardless. Sure, it goes through a filter at the air handler, but it's a home appliance, not a clean room airlock.
    Mine was. Because I closed the windows for 4 weeks and ran a home made air cleaner. It was noticeably different. I couldn’t open the windows though and didn’t have AC, so it sucked because it was hot as fuck in my house because it was in the high 90s outside.

    My parents with central AC didn’t have this issue. Relatively clean air, and a comfortable house.

    IMO - wildfire smoke is going to increase across the west. If you can afford to have a way to keep the air cleaner in your house and don’t have to open windows for long period it’s a no brainer.

    I’m saying this as someone who sucked smoke for a living for 15 years.

    Edit- I’m not in E Idaho or W. Wyoming.

  14. #39
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    Feb 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by old_newguy View Post
    Mine was. Because I closed the windows for 4 weeks and ran a home made air cleaner. It was noticeably different. I couldn’t open the windows though and didn’t have AC, so it sucked because it was hot as fuck in my house because it was in the high 90s outside.

    My parents with central AC didn’t have this issue. Relatively clean air, and a comfortable house.

    IMO - wildfire smoke is going to increase across the west. If you can afford to have a way to keep the air cleaner in your house and don’t have to open windows for long period it’s a no brainer.

    I’m saying this as someone who sucked smoke for a living for 15 years.

    Edit- I’m not in E Idaho or W. Wyoming.
    Similar boat for us. We are looking to buy a window unit at least this spring.

  15. #40
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    May 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by old_newguy View Post
    Mine was. Because I closed the windows for 4 weeks and ran a home made air cleaner. It was noticeably different. I couldn’t open the windows though and didn’t have AC, so it sucked because it was hot as fuck in my house because it was in the high 90s outside.

    My parents with central AC didn’t have this issue. Relatively clean air, and a comfortable house.

    IMO - wildfire smoke is going to increase across the west. If you can afford to have a way to keep the air cleaner in your house and don’t have to open windows for long period it’s a no brainer.

    I’m saying this as someone who sucked smoke for a living for 15 years.

    Edit- I’m not in E Idaho or W. Wyoming.
    +1
    I shut down the fresh air intake & the indoor air wasn’t good, but it was markedly different than the outside, which made all the difference for me & the fam not going to a hotel or something last Sept

  16. #41
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    Nov 2005
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    I am not opining on the smoke problems in Teton Valley, but if you have never lived in a place that gets incredibly socked in with smoke for WEEKS on end (like in Missoula) then maybe just pipe down. Our house cools off perfectly fine at night, especially because we have a whole-house attic fan, but there are times when it just too nasty to use it. It is basically an every summer occurrence that using it during fire season will literally suck ash into the house. It coats window sills and puts a layer of ash on glasses of water next to your bed. If you've never experienced this for six-week stretches then I consider you lucky.

    In contrast, the in-laws have AC and the air quality in their house is a million times better during smoky times, and so we are putting in AC when we remodel because the fires are only going to get worse.

  17. #42
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    Aug 2020
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    The sad part is that adding AC means more energy used, which means more burned fossils fuels which means more climate change which means more fires.

    It’s a sad feedback loop.

    Maybe solar helps with that equation.

  18. #43
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    Jan 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by RootSkier View Post
    in a place that gets incredibly socked in with smoke for WEEKS on end (like in Missoula) then maybe just pipe down.
    What location in the Western US has not been inundated by smoke for weeks on end in recent years? Seattle and San Francisco have had terrible smokey conditions that rival anywhere. It just depends on which way the wind is blowing. San Francisco might the be the place least likely to need AC (for hot temp purposes) of anywhere in the continental US, yet one could argue it is needed to hide from smoke.

    In Seattle, when the smoke has been really bad, the high temps are actually much lower than they would be but for the smoke due to smoke blocking solar radiation. So the smokiest days are not that hot.

    "wildfire smokes has a profound impact on surface temperature, causing cooling by reflecting the sun's rays back to space and absorbing some of it aloft."

    https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2020/...forecasts.html

  19. #44
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    Apr 2006
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    Thanks everyone.

    I fully plan to take advantage of open windows and common sense whenever possible. I consider AC to be an insurance policy against wildfire smoke and construction dust and noise. Hopefully I don't have to use it that often.

    RE: environmental considerations- Most all of the energy in this part of Idaho is carbon neutral because it is almost all hydro. Yes, there are environmental considerations for hydroelectric power generation, but it is way better than burning coal.

  20. #45
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    Dec 2010
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    Central AC was the best money we ever spent. Makes a huuuuge difference during fire season, not only in air quality but also stress level. Being able to shut out those hot, windy red flag days is amazing. We just added it maybe 5 years ago. We only put the AC in our upstairs because the walkout basement stays cool enough, and we had to add the duct work to the attic so there was really no easy way to get it downstairs. (We have hot water heat, so no existing ductwork.) Say what you want about only needing it a few weeks a year (it's actually a lot more in many parts of the West). It's worth it IMO.

  21. #46
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    Nov 2008
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    Woah ..... fight climate change with ...... forest fires? What's next - volcanos?!?!?

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kevo View Post
    Most all of the energy in this part of Idaho is carbon neutral because it is almost all hydro.
    The idea that if your local power supply is predominantly hydro, energy consumption should be of no concern is misguided. WA state is #1 hydro producer in US and yet until recently, coal accounts for "37 percent of the electricity flowing to Microsoft, Boeing and other cornerstone companies of the regional economy." How is this so when WA state power production is 62% hydro and 6% coal? Because utility companies sell "green" hydro to states without as much hydro at a premium. So states like CA can pat themselves on the back claiming they are green when in reality the states selling the hydro are making up for the difference by buying coal power (in WA's case, from Coalstrip, MT).

    https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...ertain-future/

  23. #48
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    Aug 2006
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    That may be the case in WA, but Fall River COOP, which is the power provider for Teton Valley and not very large, is almost exclusively hydro. 87%, with another 11% coming from wind (and a small amount of nuclear). That is about as good as it gets.

    I think most of us locals would still say its silly to put in AC, but in terms of the environmental effects, they are minimal given our specific power companies setup.
    Live Free or Die

  24. #49
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    Aug 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by AdironRider View Post
    That may be the case in WA, but Fall River COOP, which is the power provider for Teton Valley and not very large, is almost exclusively hydro. 87%, with another 11% coming from wind (and a small amount of nuclear). That is about as good as it gets.

    I think most of us locals would still say its silly to put in AC, but in terms of the environmental effects, they are minimal given our specific power companies setup.
    Except that green power could flow elsewhere to cool homes in places that actually need it.

  25. #50
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    Aug 2006
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    OK, if that is the bar then we all fail at it. I highly doubt you use power perfectly.

    Besides, Fall River is a coop and not in the business of shipping electrons around the nation to maximize profit. They exist to provide clean, reliable power to their owners (our community), and they do really well at it if you ask me.
    Live Free or Die

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