Jul 08, 2014
HEAT wave and no A/C
What is it with us and air conditioning? If you remember on our way back from Mexico this spring and while in Arizona with temperatures hovering at 104F we lost both our RV dash air as well as our overhead air. It took a few days and mucho pesos to get those two areas repaired.
Now we are having A/C problems here at home in Kelowna. This little tidbit was just released.
The definition of a heat wave is five days in a row of temperatures reaching five degrees or more above average, that’s according to the World Meteorological Organization, and that is what the Okanagan could be in for.
“Wednesday and Thursday we will cool back down to the high 20s or early 30s and that is the cold days, and then the ridge builds back with real strength towards the weekend,” he explains.
“We are expecting day time highs to get into the mid, and in some parts of the southern interior, the high 30s.”
With those temperatures expected to climb, Interior Health is now warning the public to be vigilant when going outside. They fear many could fall victim to dehydration or sun stroke.
Locally here where we live in the Okanagan that means a low of 31C/88F with highs of 35C/95F plus during the heat wave.
We have lived here in our new home for less than two years and so the A/C unit is less than 2 years old. Last summer was the first time we used it and I’m certain that was less than 14 days total. Mostly because it wasn’t this hot and I certainly would remember as I had my hip replaced June 28th last summer. Usually here on the lake we have a wee breeze. Well we haven’t even had a whiff of air lately and it is downright hot. This is our very first spell of sun, blue sky and heat since we have been back in Canada. It’s great for Colin to get all the jobs done that we have on the books but is is h*ll for me and the dogs to be inside. If I wasn’t working I wouldn’t mind so much, I could just veg outside in the heat in the shade. I’m okay inside until it reaches 87-88 F and then I need to cool down.
So my story begins the end of June while we were dealing with temps in the low 30C’s. We decided to turn on the A/C just to be certain all was right with the system. It wasn’t. So we called in Greg, a fellow we have used extensively regarding our propane fireplace. Before I explain about Greg, I have to go back to September of 2012 when our A/C unit was installed by George as well as our fireplace. As far as we know George did a good job ( now we wonder ) on the A/C part but if you recall he did not do well with our fireplace install. Just to keep it clear, we did not find George, he was recommended by our builder. So when it was time for George to set up our fireplace he blew it. He was out of his realm and finally he agreed with us that it was time to say adios. We paid him for his time and off he went. Then we found Greg ( it took a few weeks before he was free to come ) and he came to the rescue and got our fireplace installed and working, despite the wrong hole in our ceiling.
So over the last year we have used Greg for any fireplace issues. So naturally it was Greg we called to come and check on the A/C issue. Why was the house not getting cooler? He came last Friday, July 4th, and basically thought that we were down on refrigerant and added 3 lbs. It seemed that that was that and we paid him and off he went. We never used the A/C again until today, four days later.
It was too warm ( I say hot ) last night to eat dinner inside so we dined alfresco. Colin had worked all day was going to do yet another 4 hour stint.
Using the 20X zoom on my camera we noted that someone had pulled a picnic table into the water next to the golf course. I guess they wanted to dangle their toes in the lake to cool down.
The only folks enjoying the heat were Mamma and her brood.
Are you still with me???
So today when we went to turn on the A/C, it did not get cool, it actually got 2 degrees warmer. So we called Greg. He can’t come until next Monday. No way will I be able to endure 35C plus with no A/C and the sun coming through our floor to ceiling windows. Colin had the idea to call George. George arrived and threw a hissy fit to put it mildly when he saw Greg’s company sticker on the A/C unit. I had no idea that Greg had put his company stickers on it.
George
So after he calmed down a tad he told us that our warranty was no longer in effect as we had someone else tamper with his installation and that they had likely created a problem. We asked him to please try and solve the problem as he was already here. After 2 hours he could not find a leak nor a problem. We still had no cool air. So only after George added 3lbs and 12 oz of refrigerant ( and 2 hours later ) did the A/C start to spew cool air.
It was warm inside at 93F and 34C/93.2F outside. George would not allow us to open the windows as he worked. I think he was punishing us.
So after adding the refrigerant it did start to cool, a bit. In fairness it was very hot inside. Even now, 3 hours later it has only cooled to 85F.
George maintains that the temperature from this grill ( intake ) should be 18 - 21 C degrees lower that the cool air spewing out of a floor vent.
Finally he was done, Colin had already left for yet another evening ( 5- 11 PM ) of photography. Not sure when I will see Colin again in the evening. So I was dreading the bill 😥 I have to say that George was very fair and admitted that he could not find a problem nor a leak and that the unit was only working because he had added more refrigerant, which is what Greg had done only four days ago. So George said that if we were not getting cool air 7 days from now, we would not have to pay his bill. More than fair I think, but if we lose more coolant, than what? Somehow I don’t believe that we have resolved the issue.
Meanwhile I am happy to report that for the first time since leaving Mexico, my coconut oil is once again liquid 😆
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I have an extremely old AC here in the tropics of southern Indiana. It has had a known slow leak for many years … so I nurse it during the times it gets to 95F. The rest of the summer I use fans, windows open, blinds on the west side closed to keep the sun out.
In your case, as I ran the AC, I would also set fans near the vents and help that cold are move throughout your house. Mine took a few hours this summer to go from 88F inside to 80F.
I wonder if Greg had cold air coming out after his 3 lbs of coolant?
You are up late tonight Steve 🙂 We seldom use the A/C because we do as you do, windows open, blinds closed as the sun moves. On the West side where we only have 2 windows we sprayed foamed the walls and that is the cool side of the house. I do use fans but not near the registers, great idea. Yes Greg did have cool air coming out of the registers as you call them ( we call them vents ) and he measured the temps and they were lower than when he started. However he did not measure the difference between the intake and the vents. When George started there was only a difference of 8 degrees and in the end it was 20 degrees. Hopefully what he did will hold, although he says he is baffled as to why it was leaking. One day at a time for now.
9:30PM and although still warmer out then in, I’m going to open the windows.
I agree that your problem is probably not solved. Maybe you could go and sit in the motorhome to cool down.
It was hot here in Campbell River today and getting hotter tomorrow. Norma will be out with her lawn guy tomorrow and I will hang out in the TV room with the fan on.
Croft….The RV is now in the storage compound. I suppose we could go and turn on the generator and sit there but I wouldn’t get any work done.
George….don’t I know it. They say things happen in three’s and perhaps this will be the end of our troubles.
Longdog…..First we called the builder and he said we had to call the fellow who installed the unit. Today I will be calling the head office in Toronto.
Peter…..that is a good idea. I also used the A/C fan to try and move some of the air. Usually it cools down by 9PM but last night it was after 11PM. The new forecast shows highs of 36F.
Good luck with your A/C repairs, they can be very frustrating.
You’d think after George’s major screw-ups with your fireplace, he would have thought better about complaining about someone else. Hope you get it fixed soon. Maybe someone should be calling the manufacturer since it has been used so little and doesn’t work right.
No AC in our house, but when it gets hot Inturn on the air extractor fans in both the bathrooms in an effort to remove the warm air at night. It helps quite a bit.
We haven’t used ours since last year. I hope when we get home in a couple of weeks it will work. Glad yours is cooling. Big hugs.