AC keeps shutting off

[vraiblonde]

Yes, I'm running my AC today. Don't hate.

Anyway, last time I bought AC filters "the internet" said to get a MERV 8 or higher filter, so I did but it keeps freezing up my system and shutting it down. So the obvious answer is to switch to a lower MERV, which will be here tomorrow. I should have asked the HVAC guy when he was here checking things out a few months ago but I didn't think about it, or even know what MERV was or why it was important until I had to order more filters.

I love my little house and my neighbors and my city, but in my next reincarnation I'm going to go with an apartment where the guy comes and takes care of all this nitty stuff so I don't have to. When I was at Settler's Landing I didn't even change my own lightbulbs or smoke alarm batteries - the guy came and did it routinely. AC/heat goes out, call the guy. Washer/dryer on the fritz, call the guy.

 

[RoseRed]

What does Merv Griffin have to do with this.

 

[vraiblonde]

What does Merv Griffin have to do with this.

Exactly.

 

[Sneakers]

Filters that remove the most amount of dirt, dust, pollen, dander, etc... have the least air volume flow and can cause problems like you have. A cheaper filter changed more often is better.

 

[Grumpy]

Yes, I'm running my AC today. Don't hate.

Anyway, last time I bought AC filters "the internet" said to get a MERV 8 or higher filter, so I did but it keeps freezing up my system and shutting it down. So the obvious answer is to switch to a lower MERV, which will be here tomorrow. I should have asked the HVAC guy when he was here checking things out a few months ago but I didn't think about it, or even know what MERV was or why it was important until I had to order more filters.

I love my little house and my neighbors and my city, but in my next reincarnation I'm going to go with an apartment where the guy comes and takes care of all this nitty stuff so I don't have to. When I was at Settler's Landing I didn't even change my own lightbulbs or smoke alarm batteries - the guy came and did it routinely. AC/heat goes out, call the guy. Washer/dryer on the fritz, call the guy.

Now, most amateurs’ll tell you to get the highest-rated filter you can find, somethin’ with a number so big it looks like a highway speed limit. Big mistake. See, a furnace is a breathing machine. You choke it with one of those space-age, hospital-grade filters, and next thing you know the blower motor’s wheezin’ like Sneakers after stacking his pellets. The truth is, the best air filter for a furnace is a nice, sensible medium-grade pleated filter. Not too flimsy, not too ambitious. It’ll catch the dust, the cat hair, and whatever mysterious gray substance floats around every American living room—without making your furnace file a formal complaint. And of course—and this is something the so-called “experts” never mention—you gotta change it regularly. Because even the best filter in the world becomes the worst filter the minute it turns into a felt blanket of debris. So in summary: medium pleat, proper fit, changed on schedule. Anything else is either snake oil… or somethin’ that belongs in a clean room at NASA.

 

[Sneakers]

and next thing you know the blower motor’s wheezin’ like Sneakers after stacking his pellets.

I resemble that comment.....

 

[vraiblonde]

Now, most amateurs’ll tell you to get the highest-rated filter you can find, somethin’ with a number so big it looks like a highway speed limit. Big mistake. See, a furnace is a breathing machine. You choke it with one of those space-age, hospital-grade filters, and next thing you know the blower motor’s wheezin’ like Sneakers after stacking his pellets. The truth is, the best air filter for a furnace is a nice, sensible medium-grade pleated filter. Not too flimsy, not too ambitious. It’ll catch the dust, the cat hair, and whatever mysterious gray substance floats around every American living room—without making your furnace file a formal complaint. And of course—and this is something the so-called “experts” never mention—you gotta change it regularly. Because even the best filter in the world becomes the worst filter the minute it turns into a felt blanket of debris. So in summary: medium pleat, proper fit, changed on schedule. Anything else is either snake oil… or somethin’ that belongs in a clean room at NASA.

See, a bunch of us should get together and go around the country teaching adulting classes. Nobody teaches you things like that - I'd never heard of MERV until a few months ago when I had to buy filters. At the house I just bought the same filters it came with and I don't recall anything about MERV, so here I am a grown ass adult learning something fairly basic about home ownership after owning however many homes in my life.

My friend likes to tease me about when I was 28 and newly separated from my husband, and my car engine keeled over....because I didn't know you had to get regular oil changes. That's a true story. Nobody ever taught me about routine car maintenance and the husband had always taken care of it.

The internet is so filled with horseshit you can't trust it, and MAN do I hate learning things the hard way. Also you see people on social media who ask the damnedest questions - they can't even feed themselves because nobody taught them. There should be classes or something where people can learn all these nitnoid things that are important for successful living.

 

[Sneakers]

There should be classes or something where people can learn all these nitnoid things that are important for successful living.

In the past, it was growing up in a solid family unit with 2 opposite gender parents. You got educated from both perspectives. Learning how to learn and expand your knowledge came directly from my dad.

 

[vraiblonde]

In the past, it was growing up in a solid family unit with 2 opposite gender parents. You got educated from both perspectives. Learning how to learn and expand your knowledge came directly from my dad.

Certainly my mom got regular oil changes for her car but she never told me about them.

 

[Kinnakeet]

Yes, I'm running my AC today. Don't hate.

Anyway, last time I bought AC filters "the internet" said to get a MERV 8 or higher filter, so I did but it keeps freezing up my system and shutting it down. So the obvious answer is to switch to a lower MERV, which will be here tomorrow. I should have asked the HVAC guy when he was here checking things out a few months ago but I didn't think about it, or even know what MERV was or why it was important until I had to order more filters.

I love my little house and my neighbors and my city, but in my next reincarnation I'm going to go with an apartment where the guy comes and takes care of all this nitty stuff so I don't have to. When I was at Settler's Landing I didn't even change my own lightbulbs or smoke alarm batteries - the guy came and did it routinely. AC/heat goes out, call the guy. Washer/dryer on the fritz, call the guy.

Merv 8 is fine sounds like you a problem with your system low refrigerant /dirty indoor coil/ stuck or clogged TXV or metering device could be a more problems..It is also difficult to get a refrigerant charge at 50* outside air temp.

 

[phreddyp]

Merv 8 is fine sounds like you a problem with your system low refrigerant /dirty indoor coil/ stuck or clogged TXV or metering device could be a more problems..It is also difficult to get a refrigerant charge at 50* outside air temp.

Amen to that!

 

[itsbob]

Yes, I'm running my AC today. Don't hate.

Anyway, last time I bought AC filters "the internet" said to get a MERV 8 or higher filter, so I did but it keeps freezing up my system and shutting it down. So the obvious answer is to switch to a lower MERV, which will be here tomorrow. I should have asked the HVAC guy when he was here checking things out a few months ago but I didn't think about it, or even know what MERV was or why it was important until I had to order more filters.

I love my little house and my neighbors and my city, but in my next reincarnation I'm going to go with an apartment where the guy comes and takes care of all this nitty stuff so I don't have to. When I was at Settler's Landing I didn't even change my own lightbulbs or smoke alarm batteries - the guy came and did it routinely. AC/heat goes out, call the guy. Washer/dryer on the fritz, call the guy.

Would that GUY be considered a kept man?? I've always wanted to be a Kept Man..

 

[itsbob]

Yes, I'm running my AC today. Don't hate.

Anyway, last time I bought AC filters "the internet" said to get a MERV 8 or higher filter, so I did but it keeps freezing up my system and shutting it down. So the obvious answer is to switch to a lower MERV, which will be here tomorrow. I should have asked the HVAC guy when he was here checking things out a few months ago but I didn't think about it, or even know what MERV was or why it was important until I had to order more filters.

I love my little house and my neighbors and my city, but in my next reincarnation I'm going to go with an apartment where the guy comes and takes care of all this nitty stuff so I don't have to. When I was at Settler's Landing I didn't even change my own lightbulbs or smoke alarm batteries - the guy came and did it routinely. AC/heat goes out, call the guy. Washer/dryer on the fritz, call the guy.

Is the Merv the ONLY filter, or do your air inlets also have filters? We have the normal cheapo filters at the inlets, and the MERV at the Inside unit.. the air inlet filters need to be replaced more often and can actually tell when they need to be changed by the sound the Heat Pump makes when it turns on.

 

[vraiblonde]

Is the Merv the ONLY filter, or do your air inlets also have filters? We have the normal cheapo filters at the inlets, and the MERV at the Inside unit.. the air inlet filters need to be replaced more often and can actually tell when they need to be changed by the sound the Heat Pump makes when it turns on.

I don't know why you ask me questions you know I don't know the answer to. I have one filter that I'm aware of, and that's the one inside the house that goes between the living area and the big pipe thing where air or heat comes through (not the air vents in the ceiling). This is the air filter I change.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

I don't know why you ask me questions you know I don't know the answer to. I have one filter that I'm aware of, and that's the one inside the house that goes between the living area and the big pipe thing where air or heat comes through (not the air vents in the ceiling). This is the air filter I change.

There is a filter, supposed to be anyway, in the air handler as well. That's that big box looking thing most likely sits outside your place as most are in Florida. Your evaporator coils, (which are inside that air handler), are most likely clogged with dust and debris restricting the flow of air and that causes the freeing and shutting down. Also, the coils on your outside condenser unit, (that's the one with the big fan on top), could be dirty and in need of a cleaning.

 

[Ken King]

Surprised no one has suggested obtaining operators manuals for these things (probably came with them or easily found online). They tell you little tidbits like filter location recommended type of filter and replacement frequency. You know, kind of like with vehicle operating manuals that give you recommended maintenance schedules to keep your vehicle at an optimum level of efficiency.

 

[Sneakers]

Surprised no one has suggested obtaining operators manuals for these things (probably came with them or easily found online). They tell you little tidbits like filter location recommended type of filter and replacement frequency. You know, kind of like with vehicle operating manuals that give you recommended maintenance schedules to keep your vehicle at an optimum level of efficiency.

RTFM is a last resort.

 

[Kyle]

RTFM is a last resort.

I always heard it was cheating.

 

[Ken King]

RTFM is a last resort.

I always heard it was cheating.

You guys just look at the pictures anyway.

 

[RoseRed]

You guys just look at the pictures anyway.

IKEA directions?