I’ve really been enjoying your videos but I don’t recall discussion concerning your interaction with the local building inspectors. I realize why you probably can’t video the actual inspections but I think it would be informative to describe the inspections and the inspectors comments.
This is awesome im in the plumbing stage if doing my place then off to hvac and electric happy you made a full parts list for this because im doing everything i can myself. Did you do all you own electrical?
Do not route the heating/cooling like that, you are creating a health hazard and most areas would not allow humans to live in that house with poo air blown in to the whole house and re circulated by the air system. The air always flows from high pressure to low, only by extracting more air from the bathroom to the outside of the house than you blow in with your heater will this setup work. It is better to use the vent as a exhaust to the outside of the house as warm/cold air will enter around the door (even when closed) regardless. Building codes are not just to annoy you and drive up costs but to keep you (and your tenants) healthy and safe. PLEASE rethink your design, and do ask a professional for advice. You could/would(maybe even should) be sued if you rent out a house like that.
@@jackkern1215 In certain parts of North Idaho there are no building inspectors nor adopted building codes. They have zoning standards that are enforced but no building code enforcement. Wild west stuff.
@AmbitionStrikes Riley could you provide the model numbers for your MrCool system? Using the link in your list it brings up a 30,000 btu 2.5 ton system, not the 4-5 ton system you are installing. Have searched on line and cannot locate a system that is complete with line set ect..looking to replace a 4 ton Trane ducted heatpump that has a bad compressor with a replacement quote of $2,600. I'm sure part of it is due to a rust inhibitor that was sprayed in the line set that caused a failure of the reversing valve. I unfortunately didn't own the home during the class action law suit. So Trane won't accommodate any restitution. Figured a new MrCool system for a few hundred more would be a more efficient option. Thanks
I work in HVAC, and I think what mr cool has done is awesome for the DIYer! I will say, if you ever build a ductwork setup again, I'd assemble the hard pipe then drill all the holes, couldnt hurt to put some tape over the seam either. Its a lot easier than trying to assemble it after cutting the take offs. I usually just use a hole saw or step bit to get the hole started, then follow it with aviation snips. I would also suggest insulating all your splices and the any bare metal on the supply ducting to make sure theres no sweating in the summer and moisture getting into your drywall
If the air is sucked in from under the hvac, where does the fresh outside air com in? Here i sweden we dont have supplyair in the bathroom and kitchen, those are the places where foul air is created, or nice smelling if you are cooking something nice. Only returnair in Bath and kitchen. Supplyair to bathroom comes from the doorway or a venthole in the wall. The same goes for the kitchen. Supplyair to the rest of the rooms.
@@subdivera Outside air is not required in the US for electric only heating systems. If it were gas or fuel oil heat, then yes combustion air from outside would be needed.
Proper duct design is a bit more complicated than shown. For example, the CFM for a given room depends on its heat loss/gain, not just the square footage. So corner rooms with two exterior walls need more CFM than an equal sized room with just one exterior wall. The full procedure: 1) Based on the design outdoor high and low temperatures, and the construction of the building, determine the heat loss/gain for the building as a whole and for each room. 2) Select an appropriate sized HVAC unit and air handler, which will determine the total CFM and available fan pressure to move air through the ducts. 3) Apportion the total CFM to the various rooms in accordance with the fraction of the total heat loss/gain that room requires. This may require checking both heating and cooling, e.g. a south facing room will have a greater fraction of the total heat gain in the summer than it will have fraction of total heat loss in the summer. 4) Now design the duct system to deliver the necessary CFM to each room, while ensuring that the resulting duct static pressure loss for those airflows does not exceed the air handler's specs.
The corner room issue can be balanced with the dampers he put in if it becomes an issue. That was a step too often skipped. Having those allows for fine tuning a system in real circumstances for things that might not have shown up on the plans.
I doubt a lot of pro HVAC installers do all the calculation and adjust flow to reflect individual room needs. This DIYer actually did better than a lot of professional installation I’ve seen. I didn’t see a lot of Improper y insulated duct work or wrong length, with non-working or missing condensate line/ Shoddy seals everywhere and Ofcourse spaces that heat/cool unevenly. Those are some features that are very common unfortunately with pro jobs.
Because of your videos, I decided to build my own pole garage, 40x20, with a 9x12 bump out....I am not a contractor they describe me as an owner builder. Then when it came to heating and cooling the 400 sq ft office, bathroom and gym I decided to try the MR COOL mini split system...I have never done this before! Thanks! I checked with local HVAC contractors and they wanted 3x the cost of the 12ooo btu MR. Cool System I bought from Lowes. So I hooked it up as you suggested and it worked perfect! Now i am actually building the exact home you are working on now and thanks to those videos and help from the local building code officials, I am getting started! Might take me more than 90 days, however. Thanks for the videos!
@@KevinLauscher The plans came from America's best house plans under the "Modern" style. There are a number of homes that are similar to their current home build. thanks!
Look into a SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) they go up quick and take very little to heat / cool, The best ones have a 2 part poly insulation expanded in them..
As a retired pest tech, I would recommend wrapping the end of your condensation drain tube with a little piece of screen mesh. Easy and preventative step. In the summer, when critters are desperate for water and humidity is low, they will travel into any outside pipe with moisture. Lots of people get the large American roaches in their attics this way. The worst is when contractors just lay those drain pipes on the ground.
Hi, an HVAC contactor here. All exposed metal parts need insulation, or they will sweat in cooling. Bat insulation and tie cord will work or use insulation cut from extra heat pipe.
That's absolutely not universal, it really depends. Where I am metal parts of the ductwork in conditioned space will not sweat (and aren't at all insulated, since insulating ducts in conditioned space mostly makes no sense.
@@repatch43yeah from what it looked like their ductwork is all in the conditioned space. If that's the case insulation needs are minimal, if at all, and condensate won't be a concern.
Yeah, you need to insulate that especially up in that attic area where it’s gonna be hot that will condensate if you’re running the air condition I’m a mechanical insulator. I’ve seen it all and it can really ruin things.
Super awesome guys. You should get a harbor freight thermal imaging tool, run the heat full blast and see how tight the envelope is. Good or bad. Just for the fans. Cheers.
whenever using hole saws or drilling into things like masonry, I use the drill's clutch feature (the ring with the numbers on it adjusts to allow the drill to break free of the torque) - to avoid breaking your wrist.
I completely agree and to further say that if you can avoid using corded drills, that I still love, with out a clutch even though you can get a power reduction it's worth it to save the frustration and potential injury when that large bit grabs. good call on the comment
Did Mr Cool forget to tell you you need an air filter on that unit and be able to change it... insulate all that metal that is showing on your plenum and your boxes.... you did really good for the first time....😊
You could also get some wide straps to suspend the ducts from the rafters. This will reduce the chance of them getting crushed and and you can straighten them to improve air flow efficiency especially for the longer runs.
@AmbitionStrikes be careful with the placement and weight distribution of straps. Installer in our new house put a strap directly under a seam holding a lot of weight. After an enormous gas bill, I climbed up there and found a massive rip in the duct.
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Looks good but dont forget to insulate the octopus plenum and all.other uninsulated metal connecting your flex connections as the duct is in the attic and you will create moisture within the ductwork during summer season then leading to mold issues.
@@james6794 true if they plan on not spray foaming the ceiling and wall joists. But if they do then the house will be tight and will not have to insulate the boots
I retired from a company that made avionics communications. One job I had was building wire cables. We used zip ties and used a similar tighter/cutter for years. When I see TH-cam shows using the zip ties, I have wondered if those cutters were a big secret that no one knew about.. they are very handy!
I feel like every week I watch an Ambition Strikes video for which I am super excited. It ends. I'm sad there isn't more. Then sad remembering I have to wait another week for the next one.
Tip... For the condensate vent opening add a piece of screen and use a zip tie on it. This will keep the outside critters small lizards and Palmetto bugs (cockroaches) form getting into your duct work. Shape the screen like a ball for more airflow. Great video! I even have them on my sewer pipe vents on the roof. So far working great.
I may have missed it, But don’t forget a filter! I would also recommend adding some Bypass air in each bedroom to avoid door slamming due to imbalanced air pressure it helps with air circulations too
looks like he is using the factory A/H slot for a 1 inch filter. but its gonna be difficult to change since he installed the drain line right in front of it.
@@sparksalot4950What I’ve seen builders do is right above your door cut into the drywall example 2 8x10 Flat grills one on each side of the door and just offset them for noise reduction make sure no studs are in the way for a smooth transfer.. I would say that’s the quickest and most money efficient way of doing it
Every video I've seen on these MrCool DIY units the guy says the line set is charged. The line set is pre-vacuumed and sealed; not charged. The freon is in the condensing unit. I've seen every video you guys have made and have loved every one of them. Thank you so much for such good content.
Depending on the line length they would also be charged. If you have a run longer than 15' there would need to be additional refrigerant otherwise the system would be too low.
You’re Technically correct. But as stated, Mr cool calls these pre-charged lines so the lay person knows they don’t need to use any special tools to make the connections or vacuum the lines. It’s marketing.
This is literal perfect timing we are going to be installing an all-new Mr Cool hvac system in my mom's house that does not currently have central air over Thanksgiving week and this answered a lot of our outstanding questions. Thank you guys so much, we love your videos
Just found your channel a week ago and love it! Been binge watching your videos and telling others about it. My son is a lot like you. He is currently working on his 2 story shop with an apartment for his parents. The apartment is just under 1200 sq ft (by law) but on the first floor. The shop, storage, crafts room and man cave together are about 3500 sq ft. All electric as CA law prohibits gas on new construction. Using ductless air mini splits with ceiling vents instead of being wall mounted. One handles the great room and bedrooms and another one handles the bathrooms and crafts room upstairs so we can turn individual areas off and on depending upon use. My son built a custom 3200 sq ft home that is about 100 ft from the house. I love your solar videos! He has to connect to the grid with his solar array but will be setting up a second solar array next year that will not be connected allowing the house and the shop to go off grid. He's on 5 acres so he built a structure to mount the solar panels on. He will DIY it but it's expensive with all the panels, inverters and battery storage.
Love Mr cool products, we swapped out our 4 ton gas furnace with a Mr cool universal 2-3 Ton which we set to 2 Ton in a 1500 square foot house been running perfect for 2 years now.
I always want the videos to continue forever. They are wonderful. I know it takes a lot of effort to put these together and I really appreciate all you guys do. It’s really fun watching everything you’re doing. Thank you for another great video.
Fantastic install and explaination. I had to replace my HVAC 2 years ago and wanted a heat pump system (Tucson AZ). My HVAC guy talked me out of it and now I totally regret it. I could have done this myself (with a little help from my friends). A problem would have been fitting the indoor unit, I would have had to move a wall a couple inches for clearance, which was a drag todo but doable. Thanks for the video Riley.
Love your style! If you've truly never done this stuff before, you're a pretty astute student. You capture a lot of the nuance "tricks of the trade" that most DIYers would never think of doing. Even if they were told, the average DIYer would likely not retain or understand when and how to apply them. I've watched a bunch of your videos and I'm convinced that you have a real natural talent for doing these types of projects. It's like you have a subject matter expert for each of the major trades on set - but, I'm guessing you don't and that is very impressive. You've found something(s) that you're naturally good at - run with it! Thanks for the entertaining vids that are filled with some really practical info and solid know-how. Nice work (even though you don't make it look like work).
I have this same unit except its not multi-zone. Its a great system since you can run it as a 4 or 5 ton. Other than being heavy, it was a super easy install and its super quiet. The only bad thing that happened with mine is the condenser unit outside went bad after 18 months. I reached out to Mr Cool and after a few tests they had me run with the multi-meter, they shipped me out a new one in a matter of days (no cost, they even shipped back the old one). Great customer service! Thank you guys for some great videos!
I guess you are right about this video title. Having millions of dollars in liability insurance, vehicles, taxes, workers compensation. Let alone schooling, license fees, tools, knowing how to correctly size ductwork, trying to be profitable etc etc etc. Telling someone all this can be done for $5,000 I can't even purchase a unit alone for that price let alone all the ductwork and those speediboots aren't cheap either. Love you videos and your knowledge so I am not bashing you at all but these vieo do make people think that HVAC contractors are ripping them off which we are absolutely not doing. Hats off to anyone doing it themselves. I try to do as much work on my own stuff as I can to save money too 🙂
I am one of those people who thinks that, and I appreciate your professionalism and restraint in your comment. I think you have eloquently provided a view to the other side of the proverbial coin without being nasty about it. 👍👏
Personally, as a retired commercial maintenance tech, I would mount your outside unit now. Run your siding afterwards. Just build out a box around the unit support, seal that to the sheathing and just trim and side around the box. You can use wood or metal for your box and can use hardware cloth and screen to allow necessary airflow. The project looks like it was designed and not just stuck on the building. It also hides all the ugly mechanicals. You can make the box unit removable, or a door for maintenance. It keeps snow, rain, birds, wasps and other critters form causing issues. AND, it'll be useful while working before you get to the siding.
I really love your videos! 😍 One hint for your house: Add multiple Cat.7 Ethernet runs from next to where your internet service might enter the house to each room and into the ceilings of the hallways on each level. This will save you from a lot of head scratching later when all the walls are finished and WiFi may not cover the house very well. The Ethernet runs in each room give you plenty of speed and reliability for work and video production, as well as the ability to place a big storage for footage somewhere in the house, removing noise and heat from your workspace. The in-ceiling Ethernet provides power and data for access points, which is much more stable than those wireless repeaters or wireless mesh systems. Add Ethernet also to the mechanical rooms and the garage, because current and future tech will need much more connections (e.g. some heating systems, solar, car-charger etc.) 🙂
You guys are great DIYers. AC leaks reminds me of calls about water in the computer room of a company where I did facility maintenance. I would remove the drain and blow it out with portable compressed air while water came out of the the hole in the pan. 20 minutes work got me 4 hours pay. They finally caught on, and had the HVAC guys clean the drains on a regular basis.
Suggestion put foil tape on the plenum and at all registers. Where the duct is at. Also little FYI when setting the outside unit. Do it off the ground do to the snow you all get. Also when you run the line set. Try not to have a lot of rolled up line set at the out door unit. Reason being is refrigerant has oil in it and when the line set is rolled up oil can settle at the bottom of the coils which in time will destroy the compressor.
Great comments. Does the oil in the line set apply to these pre-vac line sets too I wonder? The instructions mention vertical traps for regular tubing but not the pre-vac ones? Curious
Ryley and Courney, as an HVAC tech for well over 20yrs I was a little skeptical about watching this video, but you really showed how easy Mr Cool has made the process, and I LOVE that you gave us a full list of everything you used! The only thing I would have done differently because I live in the South East where it is much more humid, is insulate the main trunk and mastic all the insulation seams. All around great job guys!
Doesn't this system need a cold air return or is it not necessary? All I have ever seen in houses is cold air returns. I am pretty old so this new tech stuff is a little hard on me. Thanks for any response...
@@robertgregory2618 They can easily just use a louvered door and let the air return back to this hallway from the rooms. Smaller homes can get away with that, where as large homes have to have a ducted return air.
Awesome job! I will say you might want to add an opening right above the main drain because you WILL get algae growth in there over the summer months when you run the A/C as it dehumidifies the house. Best to just have something you can open/close easily and just pour some vinegar monthly down the drain to keep the algae away.
My first time watching your videos and I am impressed. You do a great job describing and your editing is on point. I have two observations that will improve the efficiency and comfort of your home: 1. Your vents are located over your doorways. Your doorways are your cold air returns. This setup has a tendency to suck the conditioned air out of the room, leaving the majority of the room stagnant. If the vents were located on the wall opposite the doors, your room will be more comfortable. 2. Your branches and vent bodies are uninsulated. It is incredible how much condensation will accumulate around the smallest exposed areas of duct work.
I’ve been in the HVAC/R trade for 9 years. Install then moved to service. Many installers don’t understand the CFM or how a heat pump works. You studied and delivered a lot of good knowledge to your viewers! Nice work.
I’m planning on replacing all the old HVAC in my 100 year old house soon, and since the house is all electric I wanted to use the Mr. Cool central air system but didn’t know enough about them to make a final call. Your videos are so helpful when researching heat pumps and have helped me solidify my choice with using Mr Cool’s HVAC system in my home!
Well Riley, you have done it again. A masterclass anybody can follow. Mind you, you lost me as soon as you said CVN. Once again i still watched. Cannae wait to see the unit working. $15,000 dollar Saving is some saving. Riley i am also with you on the gloves thing. I never could do the intricate things with gloves on AND ive got the scars to prove it. Later 👍
HVAC is basically a racket in my area. You can't do anything really yourself. Legally you can't hook up even precharged lines. If you MANAGE to find a place willing to sell you a condenser, evaporator and air handler, it'll be a tough slog to find someone willing to actually charge the system. HVAC companies will only install systems they themselves have sold you and install. It's so bad that I had to basically BEG a store to sell me a replacement universal condensor fan, when they found out I didn't have an HVAC license they told me it was too 'dangerous' to sell me the fan??? Total scam artists. You guys did a great job!
I agree with this, In California its the same racket. I built and installed my own system in back in the 90's for my 1954 home. I became " friends" with the parts sellers of a local AC parts place. They were reluctant to sell me the outside AC unit as it was precharged with r-22. They made it clear that its not something they should be doing, but I think they were mandated by the Govt. and licensing of installers. The parts place also had installers who helped me lay out the vents and determine the tonnage of the AC unit, they would of charged me over $18K. I spent about 5K in parts and had my brother charge the system. that was over 25 years ago. it's still going strong, albeit a fan motor relay that ocassionally makes weird noises at startup, which im presuming is high resistant contact wear. Which was caused by the city supplying me with a bad pole on my 220v leg was only supplying about 70V due to a bad overhead wire. gotta love home ownership..
Great job Riley and Courtney, and of course Oliver! That was great to watch how you did this and what the real cost was in materials. You can sure save a lot of money by DIY!!
Give it respect, because sheetmetal can cut to the bone! I wear pvc dipped cloth or anti-slice gloves and clamp it to a tubafore for support when working with it. And you finally relented to both. LOL Riley, the next time you're in HFT, grab a pair of all their different glove types that you think would help in different tasks and try them out. They're cheap. Once you get a nice pair of gloves that fit your hands and give you the dexterity you need, you'll find that you wear them a whole lot more, protecting your hands more often.
I love the stuff you do and I love that you take things on and do them yourself. When you compare the cost of you doing the work to a quote you, to be fare you need to add your time in the price as well. Your time is money as well. You will still be cheaper then the quote. Thanks you for share this build.
18:04 We had the trap plug up over the years and flood. If you add a cap or clean out access now, even for that short drain run you won’t need chemicals to clean it later. It just made our life a bit easier. Thanks for the video.
My brother and I installed my bosch heat pump system. He is certified but he doesn't do hvac as a profession. He got tired of hiring "pros" that either didn't fix his stuff or made it worse. He found out it's pretty easy to get certified and did so. That aside, the bosch system comes precharged as well as long as your line set is 15ft or less. Unfortunately we were a little over that and he had a fitting failure in his gauge set and we lost almost all of the precharge. So due to that we did have to bust out the expensive specialized equipment. Had that not been the case the bosch system i would consider potentially diy friendly but maybe not as much as Mr cool. The bosch is also on the more expensive side of the spectrum but it's performance has been great so far considering my houses original ductwork is apparently all sized incorrectly. So that's going to be corrected in the future to get the system running as well as possible.
What a coinkydink! I bought the 2-3 ton universal system after seeing the one you installed in the shop apartment. 😁 Now I’ve got even MORE info to go off of for the install in my 1930’s Ogden house! 😊👍🏼
I worked in an office in Southern Ontario Canada. The thermostat was on the wall at the normal height. The hot air came from ceiling vents and the floor was concrete. When the heat came on you could feel the room warm up coming down from the ceiling but when it got to the thermostat the heat turned off. My feet on a concrete floor were cold all winter. You have a garage under the floor and it will be cooler than the heated area. Just a thought.
I am a capable DIY guy myself and certainly appreciate and applaud doing it yourself. On my list of constructive criticism, the biggest is this. You want to place your boots/registers over your biggest heat gain/loss areas in the room, which are your windows. You also want to sweep the air out of the room by placing further in to the room, not at the door. Many of your placements are not going to do this well and your comfort level / efficiency is going to suffer Good luck and enjoy your content.
Just did a trunk and branch runs, The template idea, wish thought of that, what works surprisingly well for cutting circles is one of those power battery operated metal shearing cutters, it makes cutting sheet metal so much easier including circles.
Nice explanation As an HVAC veteran, I feel cheated. Now, anybody can install an HVAC system. But I'm not out of my trade yet. Yes, cover your octopus and connection with insulation to prevent condensation, "not required," but good prictice. Make sure all connections are well sealed. Remember, lost off air flow cost money. What happened with electrical and plumbing videos????????
FYI putting the air handler in the attic is very much a southern thing. In the Midwest they’re almost always in the basement. I think the only time I’ve heard of them in the attic is when that’s part of the insulated area.
In Az they put 5-7 ton air units on the roof, in Mn 1-1/2 to 2- ton is all we need, but the old heat pumps don’t work below-20 you need auxiliary heat, yes every house has heat ducts under outside windows and a fresh air makeup uni, it’s physics
A lot of contractors in just about every trade (not all) these days are so busy and will simply throw stupid quotes to potential customers. They don't all need more business, but if someone is desperate enough to agree to this price they'll do it and rake in a small jackpot.
I'm an hvac tech. I'm impressed. Kudos for putting the dampers in. One thing you have to do..insulate the pletnum. One thing I would do different, put pampered return grills in every room instead of one central return. More efficient and comfortable and much less noise.
Great video, I'm an HVAC mechanic and $20k is far to high, no matter where you are for a rough in on new const. I would have pinned this at ~$7,500 and had it done in a day or three. I am a Mr. Cool installer though I would have not used Home Depot parts. I would have used professional grade ducting, insulated trunk throughout your home, ducted a return to each room, put the supplies over the outside walls / windows and provide you with a Manual-J and Manual-D. Home depot parts are a thinner grade material. But you clearly made it work for your install, but I would have to warranty and deal with any issues down the road. 6" flex, the duct turtles into the insulation, just pull it out. Unless your never going to change the filter, your primary drain is blocking, turn it 90' CW and you'll be golden. Good job!
I’ve never installed a Mr cool so I have a quick question, what is the design static pressure of the air handler he’s installing? The units I’ve installed are rated between .7 - 1.5” of SP therefore my trunk size for a unit this size would have been a 14” not a 16”. At 16” with a 1000 CFM it puts the SP at .05 and FPM at about 700 at the plenum. Then if you add up the friction losses dues to turbulence of the octopus plenum, dampers, flext duct, Y’s, turns and length of each run how will this system ever deliver proper CFM and FPM? As you know from a manual D prospective this would not work. Then from a manual J prospective using 1 CFM per square’ is also a big no no because it doesn’t take wall orientation, wall construction and R Value into consideration.
Lol, $7,500 is barely getting the airhandler and heat pump @ contractors cost, let alone all the material needed to do the install properly, labor, and other miscellaneous costs
When installing a take-off on a main duct and you have to have an opening all you need is a straight screwdriver a hammer and snips. Hold the screwdriver tip at a 45° angle to the sheet metal and give it a couple whacks with the hammer and it will go right through and create a slit that the snips can easily use to start your hole. No more drilling thin sheet metal. Cheers and good luck.
love this, could have gone with standard wall mount radiators (hydronic) or underfloor heating but with this you can inject fresh air into the intake so you can have fresh air in every room, so personally this would have been my choice too
Nice job! One point, HVAC systems usually heat/cool from outside in. Meaning you generally feed your ducts to the outside walls and use the interior walls for your cold air return. This ensures a more complete exchange of air in each room providing more comfort and efficiency.
I am a hvac/r pro watching this hurt my brain, but you are knowledgeable, what you have done thus far will work but I forsee some issues. Good job explaining what and why about install and great attitude 👍
@@JML542 is the system is sized right? (He estimated 100 cfm per 100 sq ft, not how that works.) Needs air filter. Undersized system runs all the time oversized can led to mold growth. Plenum needs to be insulated or it will sweat. pre-charged lines need to be measured very well and as you can’t modify the line set, move the condenser, or have loops in the line set. No way to take Evap panel off without removing condensation line. And probably a few others but that is what is what stands out. Now does he have time to address these, I hope so. As far as the unit size I hope that it works out for them and they don’t run into any issues. As they are building what looks like their own home while being mindful of their budget and I would hate to see something like this hurt their bottom line.
@JML542 The dampers installed should be installed vertically in this instance. I have come across dampers that have torn loose or rubbed a hole in the ductwork making a noise driving the home owners crazy. You should have 12 to 18 inches of unused plenum to increase even flow otherwise the supply ducts at the end will get most of the flow. On the drain line it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when, it will get backed up. With this in mind you need a capped tee before the p trap to be able to clean it out. Also did he say foam envelope? He needs to add fresh air to the home without a return plenum it would hard to add a erv in the future. I would also add a wet/float switch to the drain pan under the unit. I would rather have my customers mad the ac isn't running than have water damage. 90% of my job is fixing other people's mess ups.
IF Reckless Riley can do it Anyone can do it!!😆😁 The exterior looks good in green,. You were quiet Courtney!!, misse youre dulcet tones,🤩😀Great video Thanks. x x x
In my mind and with my experience, I believe that contractors ask not for what something costs, but rather charge what they think will not blow the lid off the customer.
Wow! You saved $15,000? That's incredible. Of coarse...you had help...the wife. But she's a darned great lady that knows a heck of a lot more than your average housewife. My hat's off to the both of you!
@@douglaspollock102I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t make $15,000 over the weekend. So if I can do something myself it’s well worth the time. I’ve saved thousands of dollars doing my own mechanic work on my cars and small engine equipment and I’ve never had to take extra time off of work.
Love the way that you have installed the air handler! Having served several years as an installer, Perhaps on your next project, you may wish to locate your ducting should be located near sources of heat loss/gain against/over outside walls... over/near outside doors or windows. The goal is to moderate the impact of these areas that penetrate your walls to the outside. Good job overall!
BTW that plenum you built needs to be fully insulated because condensation will build up on it and you will have water all over your floors any bared metal needs to be fully insulated and pucky at all connections and ends btw if you have silver metal tape for a/c duct work wrap all ends tight then cover over with pucky as we call it here in Florida
Hi. As a HVAC installer myself. Nice job! Just few small things. As I install very similar air handlers, the bottom side of the unit has a removable washable air filter that you will need to maintain however your condensate drain line is running right through it, you need to route the drain to the side so that you can remove the filter. Make sure you have transfer ducts or undercut doors for return air to be able to get back to the units from all the rooms other than kitchen and bathroom.
As a retired hvac mechanic of 43 years I have to add my 2 cents. All ductwork in a non conditioned areas must be insulated or it will condensate in the winter or summer. A central return air does work but not as effectively as a return in each room especially if room doors are kept closed. Normally depending on your zone air conditioning returns are mounted high to remove the hot air near the ceiling.
Love your easy to build houses. Here in most of Cape Town we have to have double cavity brick walls. Which are then plastered on both sides. Love your easy building methods
Best Comment Ever!!! I had to remodel the whole interior of a house after a water damage incident… found 20 year old Coors Light cans behind the drywall and under the gas fireplace!!
you can mastic the flex duct ends too, and I would wrap the boots in insulation too. Since we are saving so much money doing it ourselves, I would also get an automatic Damper system. It nice to have some rooms colder or warmer. I also had it, so when the bathroom fans were on the HVAC duct would close but still allow fresh air to enter the room. I liked to oversize the bathroom fan and pull out way more air than needed, which is why I wanted to avoid sucking negative air from the HVAC unit
You will need to insulate the metal portion of the diffuser that is located up in the attic. Any cool metal surface in an unconditioned space will produce condensate and you will get water spots on your ceiling. You will also need to insulate your metal Octaduct. You didn't show it in your video and I just wanted to make sure you know. Fun watching your videos.
Not a bad HVAC install for a guy that hasn't done it before but I do have a questions and comments. You probably should read the manual and make sure that indoor unit doesn't call for a four to five foot metal plenum coming off the air handler. I have seen flex hooked directly to them but it's not recommended because of fire hazard. Also I couldn't tell but you may want to make sure that drain has a clean out T on top. You will have to clean that trap out at some point and why did you put the thermostat so low on the wall instead of eye level? But overall you done a good job. But definitely check your manual for plenum requirements may even call the company and ask them if you can take flex right off the top of the unit. Those heat strips get really hot.
I install HVAC systems for a living. There is a tool that goes on your drill that adjust to different sizes (4", 5", 6", etc.) you definitely want to put duct wrap insulation around you trunk line. Also wait to put pookie on when your completely finished with the job. That way you didn't get it everywhere like paint...lol... But you got it done so good job
One of your best infomercials. It sure beats watching you slerp some liquid green algae for breakfast. You explained the system so well that it makes me want to install one just for fun. I look forward to you reviewing the entire completed system. Stay safe.
Great video, but I didn’t see the part where you installed a filter into the system. Those are critical to you, keeping your air handler clean and working for a long time.
Did HVAC for years, only critique is to use pookie around all your ducting connections. Usually you paint a ring of it around the ducting metal and slide the plastic tubing over it. Kinda helps lube it up too. When in doubt, more pookie! Haha
I could be wrong because I am not a residential guy (commercial refrigeration). But returns are just as if not more important then your supplies. Open plenum are something you normally see in commercial environments where there are no ceilings. Once you have independent rooms where doors shut you really want to be able to get the air out of that room using a return. I am sure it will work but probably not as efficiently as you would want and some rooms will perform better then others. 20k is also way too high. Probably could've got all this done with proper returns for 10k
I have never seen returns in individual bedrooms or bathrooms in a home in a "pro" install, they generally rely on a gap at the bottom of the door to act as a pseudo air return. The closest I have seen to any returns at all in bedrooms is a buddy of mine got tired of how hot a few of the rooms of his house would get with the doors closed so he went in the attic and added registers in like 3 rooms then just ducted them to a larger register he put in the hallway, It didnt work quite as well as leaving the doors open but it was ALOT better than before and he eventually added a booster fan in between where the ducts came together and the large register in the hallway and wired it to come on when the AC fan was running so it essentially pulled air out of those rooms when the AC ran allowing conditioned air to replace it. But he was the only exception I have seen every other house I have seen basically relies on the rooms door to allow for some airflow and the AC system to basically force conditioned air in the space, at least for bedrooms and things like that.
@@CaptainBlueTech I have ducted returns in my bedrooms. No returns allowed in bathrooms or kitchens by code. Also if the attic is used as return plenum, all wires have to be plenum rated
You should put tape over the top to air pipe opening. Your house is going to get dusty during drywall/finishing. Drywall dust can be great for clogging low flow plumbing like a condensate line. Just be sure to remove the tape once the HVAC is running. Probs a good move for all rough in plumbing openings to tape them. Prevents sewer/septic gas intrusion too while rouged. Keep up the great work.
An 8” supply can’t supply enough cfm for an 8” and 6” trunk line. Bare metal needs to be insulated. Insulation on duct should not be exposed. You don’t use just panduit straps you should use the “Pookie” or “duct butter” to seal, the panduit takes the tension. airflow is strongest on taps closest to the cap, so those should be the furthest runs. You need to secure/support your duct work. Mechanical rooms should really be hard piped, it’s code in CA. I won’t continue but let me know in 4 or 5 years if it’s still working…..
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I’ve really been enjoying your videos but I don’t recall discussion concerning your interaction with the local building inspectors. I realize why you probably can’t video the actual inspections but I think it would be informative to describe the inspections and the inspectors comments.
This is awesome im in the plumbing stage if doing my place then off to hvac and electric happy you made a full parts list for this because im doing everything i can myself. Did you do all you own electrical?
Do not route the heating/cooling like that, you are creating a health hazard and most areas would not allow humans to live in that house with poo air blown in to the whole house and re circulated by the air system. The air always flows from high pressure to low, only by extracting more air from the bathroom to the outside of the house than you blow in with your heater will this setup work. It is better to use the vent as a exhaust to the outside of the house as warm/cold air will enter around the door (even when closed) regardless. Building codes are not just to annoy you and drive up costs but to keep you (and your tenants) healthy and safe. PLEASE rethink your design, and do ask a professional for advice. You could/would(maybe even should) be sued if you rent out a house like that.
@@jackkern1215 In certain parts of North Idaho there are no building inspectors nor adopted building codes. They have zoning standards that are enforced but no building code enforcement. Wild west stuff.
@AmbitionStrikes Riley could you provide the model numbers for your MrCool system? Using the link in your list it brings up a 30,000 btu 2.5 ton system, not the 4-5 ton system you are installing. Have searched on line and cannot locate a system that is complete with line set ect..looking to replace a 4 ton Trane ducted heatpump that has a bad compressor with a replacement quote of $2,600. I'm sure part of it is due to a rust inhibitor that was sprayed in the line set that caused a failure of the reversing valve. I unfortunately didn't own the home during the class action law suit. So Trane won't accommodate any restitution. Figured a new MrCool system for a few hundred more would be a more efficient option. Thanks
I work in HVAC, and I think what mr cool has done is awesome for the DIYer! I will say, if you ever build a ductwork setup again, I'd assemble the hard pipe then drill all the holes, couldnt hurt to put some tape over the seam either. Its a lot easier than trying to assemble it after cutting the take offs. I usually just use a hole saw or step bit to get the hole started, then follow it with aviation snips. I would also suggest insulating all your splices and the any bare metal on the supply ducting to make sure theres no sweating in the summer and moisture getting into your drywall
Thanks so much for the tips!! 🙌
Same here.
If the air is sucked in from under the hvac, where does the fresh outside air com in?
Here i sweden we dont have supplyair in the bathroom and kitchen, those are the places where foul air is created, or nice smelling if you are cooking something nice.
Only returnair in Bath and kitchen.
Supplyair to bathroom comes from the doorway or a venthole in the wall.
The same goes for the kitchen.
Supplyair to the rest of the rooms.
Yeah as a Tinkocker a Unibit is a must have, way safer and smaller than a hole saw.
@@subdivera Outside air is not required in the US for electric only heating systems. If it were gas or fuel oil heat, then yes combustion air from outside would be needed.
Proper duct design is a bit more complicated than shown. For example, the CFM for a given room depends on its heat loss/gain, not just the square footage. So corner rooms with two exterior walls need more CFM than an equal sized room with just one exterior wall. The full procedure:
1) Based on the design outdoor high and low temperatures, and the construction of the building, determine the heat loss/gain for the building as a whole and for each room.
2) Select an appropriate sized HVAC unit and air handler, which will determine the total CFM and available fan pressure to move air through the ducts.
3) Apportion the total CFM to the various rooms in accordance with the fraction of the total heat loss/gain that room requires. This may require checking both heating and cooling, e.g. a south facing room will have a greater fraction of the total heat gain in the summer than it will have fraction of total heat loss in the summer.
4) Now design the duct system to deliver the necessary CFM to each room, while ensuring that the resulting duct static pressure loss for those airflows does not exceed the air handler's specs.
I am pretty sure he already took measure on that.
The corner room issue can be balanced with the dampers he put in if it becomes an issue. That was a step too often skipped. Having those allows for fine tuning a system in real circumstances for things that might not have shown up on the plans.
I doubt a lot of pro HVAC installers do all the calculation and adjust flow to reflect individual room needs. This DIYer actually did better than a lot of professional installation I’ve seen. I didn’t see a lot of Improper y insulated duct work or wrong length, with non-working or missing condensate line/ Shoddy seals everywhere and Ofcourse spaces that heat/cool unevenly. Those are some features that are very common unfortunately with pro jobs.
Yeah Manual J, did that in trade school 26 years ago. Haven’t done it since, but I dont do residential.
@@markpashia7067 hope he can get to the dampers once drywalled
Because of your videos, I decided to build my own pole garage, 40x20, with a 9x12 bump out....I am not a contractor they describe me as an owner builder. Then when it came to heating and cooling the 400 sq ft office, bathroom and gym I decided to try the MR COOL mini split system...I have never done this before! Thanks! I checked with local HVAC contractors and they wanted 3x the cost of the 12ooo btu MR. Cool System I bought from Lowes. So I hooked it up as you suggested and it worked perfect! Now i am actually building the exact home you are working on now and thanks to those videos and help from the local building code officials, I am getting started! Might take me more than 90 days, however. Thanks for the videos!
Wow, that is amazing!! I’m so glad the install went well and congrats on the huge accomplishment. 👊
Did he post where he got the plans from? Where did ya get the plans from for your house?
@@AmbitionStrikes thanks for the kind words!
@@KevinLauscher The plans came from America's best house plans under the "Modern" style. There are a number of homes that are similar to their current home build. thanks!
Look into a SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) they go up quick and take very little to heat / cool, The best ones have a 2 part poly insulation expanded in them..
As a retired pest tech, I would recommend wrapping the end of your condensation drain tube with a little piece of screen mesh. Easy and preventative step. In the summer, when critters are desperate for water and humidity is low, they will travel into any outside pipe with moisture. Lots of people get the large American roaches in their attics this way. The worst is when contractors just lay those drain pipes on the ground.
This will lead to a clogged drain very quickly
Hi, an HVAC contactor here. All exposed metal parts need insulation, or they will sweat in cooling. Bat insulation and tie cord will work or use insulation cut from extra heat pipe.
Thanks for the tip!!
That's absolutely not universal, it really depends. Where I am metal parts of the ductwork in conditioned space will not sweat (and aren't at all insulated, since insulating ducts in conditioned space mostly makes no sense.
@@repatch43yeah from what it looked like their ductwork is all in the conditioned space. If that's the case insulation needs are minimal, if at all, and condensate won't be a concern.
Yeah, you need to insulate that especially up in that attic area where it’s gonna be hot that will condensate if you’re running the air condition I’m a mechanical insulator. I’ve seen it all and it can really ruin things.
Loose attic insulation will do the job. Plus more over all the ducting. R38 is 30 inches deep or so.
Super awesome guys. You should get a harbor freight thermal imaging tool, run the heat full blast and see how tight the envelope is. Good or bad. Just for the fans. Cheers.
That is a great idea!!
I love the work arounds, using what you have - the ratchet strap duct closure was inspired.
It's not a "how-to", it's "what I did".
whenever using hole saws or drilling into things like masonry, I use the drill's clutch feature (the ring with the numbers on it adjusts to allow the drill to break free of the torque) - to avoid breaking your wrist.
I completely agree and to further say that if you can avoid using corded drills, that I still love, with out a clutch even though you can get a power reduction it's worth it to save the frustration and potential injury when that large bit grabs. good call on the comment
Using the clutch properly is definitly key. That battery packs a punch when it comes slinging around. Ask me how I know... 😅
Did Mr Cool forget to tell you you need an air filter on that unit and be able to change it... insulate all that metal that is showing on your plenum and your boxes.... you did really good for the first time....😊
You could also get some wide straps to suspend the ducts from the rafters. This will reduce the chance of them getting crushed and and you can straighten them to improve air flow efficiency especially for the longer runs.
That's a great idea. I think Riley is going to go back and add some straps.
@AmbitionStrikes be careful with the placement and weight distribution of straps. Installer in our new house put a strap directly under a seam holding a lot of weight. After an enormous gas bill, I climbed up there and found a massive rip in the duct.
Looks good but dont forget to insulate the octopus plenum and all.other uninsulated metal connecting your flex connections as the duct is in the attic and you will create moisture within the ductwork during summer season then leading to mold issues.
Yes 100% insulate the plenum otherwise it will sweat big time in the summer and you will have water and mold issues
plus they need to better insulate the boots as there is exposed metal on those too
@@james6794 true if they plan on not spray foaming the ceiling and wall joists. But if they do then the house will be tight and will not have to insulate the boots
Literally none of my ductwork has insulation. But I need the heat loss in my basement to keep my pipes from freezing. 😅
The King of DIY!!!
Huge savings and knowing you did 1 more thing yourselves. Impressive
Man i swear there isnt anything yall cant do. Great job guys. Building a whole entire house and doing everything yourselves is a huge feat! Bravo
I retired from a company that made avionics communications. One job I had was building wire cables. We used zip ties and used a similar tighter/cutter for years. When I see TH-cam shows using the zip ties, I have wondered if those cutters were a big secret that no one knew about.. they are very handy!
I feel like every week I watch an Ambition Strikes video for which I am super excited. It ends. I'm sad there isn't more. Then sad remembering I have to wait another week for the next one.
Ditto
Tip... For the condensate vent opening add a piece of screen and use a zip tie on it. This will keep the outside critters small lizards and Palmetto bugs (cockroaches) form getting into your duct work. Shape the screen like a ball for more airflow. Great video! I even have them on my sewer pipe vents on the roof. So far working great.
If you want a clog
"I'm gonna finish this ... " immediate cut to Courtney finishing it. Excellent editing.
I may have missed it, But don’t forget a filter! I would also recommend adding some Bypass air in each bedroom to avoid door slamming due to imbalanced air pressure it helps with air circulations too
looks like he is using the factory A/H slot for a 1 inch filter. but its gonna be difficult to change since he installed the drain line right in front of it.
My bedroom door slams when the unit kicks on, how do I add bypass air, it is a new home.
@@sparksalot4950What I’ve seen builders do is right above your door cut into the drywall example 2 8x10 Flat grills one on each side of the door and just offset them for noise reduction make sure no studs are in the way for a smooth transfer.. I would say that’s the quickest and most money efficient way of doing it
@itsdrew712 thanks !
Every video I've seen on these MrCool DIY units the guy says the line set is charged. The line set is pre-vacuumed and sealed; not charged. The freon is in the condensing unit. I've seen every video you guys have made and have loved every one of them. Thank you so much for such good content.
I think you're right, but in the end the distinction is meaningless.
Not true
Depending on the line length they would also be charged. If you have a run longer than 15' there would need to be additional refrigerant otherwise the system would be too low.
@@mathehack1
Condenser units are pre charged for up to 50' of lineset from the factory.
The refrigeration linesets are pre- vacuumed from the factory
You’re Technically correct.
But as stated, Mr cool calls these pre-charged lines so the lay person knows they don’t need to use any special tools to make the connections or vacuum the lines. It’s marketing.
This is literal perfect timing we are going to be installing an all-new Mr Cool hvac system in my mom's house that does not currently have central air over Thanksgiving week and this answered a lot of our outstanding questions. Thank you guys so much, we love your videos
Just found your channel a week ago and love it! Been binge watching your videos and telling others about it. My son is a lot like you. He is currently working on his 2 story shop with an apartment for his parents. The apartment is just under 1200 sq ft (by law) but on the first floor. The shop, storage, crafts room and man cave together are about 3500 sq ft. All electric as CA law prohibits gas on new construction. Using ductless air mini splits with ceiling vents instead of being wall mounted. One handles the great room and bedrooms and another one handles the bathrooms and crafts room upstairs so we can turn individual areas off and on depending upon use. My son built a custom 3200 sq ft home that is about 100 ft from the house. I love your solar videos! He has to connect to the grid with his solar array but will be setting up a second solar array next year that will not be connected allowing the house and the shop to go off grid. He's on 5 acres so he built a structure to mount the solar panels on. He will DIY it but it's expensive with all the panels, inverters and battery storage.
Love Mr cool products, we swapped out our 4 ton gas furnace with a Mr cool universal 2-3 Ton which we set to 2 Ton in a 1500 square foot house been running perfect for 2 years now.
I always want the videos to continue forever. They are wonderful. I know it takes a lot of effort to put these together and I really appreciate all you guys do. It’s really fun watching everything you’re doing. Thank you for another great video.
What an amazing savings! That 75% you saved will really help out with other parts of your build. Nice job guys.
Fantastic install and explaination. I had to replace my HVAC 2 years ago and wanted a heat pump system (Tucson AZ). My HVAC guy talked me out of it and now I totally regret it. I could have done this myself (with a little help from my friends). A problem would have been fitting the indoor unit, I would have had to move a wall a couple inches for clearance, which was a drag todo but doable.
Thanks for the video Riley.
Love your style!
If you've truly never done this stuff before, you're a pretty astute student. You capture a lot of the nuance "tricks of the trade" that most DIYers would never think of doing. Even if they were told, the average DIYer would likely not retain or understand when and how to apply them. I've watched a bunch of your videos and I'm convinced that you have a real natural talent for doing these types of projects.
It's like you have a subject matter expert for each of the major trades on set - but, I'm guessing you don't and that is very impressive. You've found something(s) that you're naturally good at - run with it!
Thanks for the entertaining vids that are filled with some really practical info and solid know-how. Nice work (even though you don't make it look like work).
I have this same unit except its not multi-zone. Its a great system since you can run it as a 4 or 5 ton. Other than being heavy, it was a super easy install and its super quiet. The only bad thing that happened with mine is the condenser unit outside went bad after 18 months. I reached out to Mr Cool and after a few tests they had me run with the multi-meter, they shipped me out a new one in a matter of days (no cost, they even shipped back the old one). Great customer service! Thank you guys for some great videos!
"Ducts in a row" is my favorite dad joke in a while. Love watching you 3 on your DIY journey! Look forward to your vids every Sunday.
I guess you are right about this video title. Having millions of dollars in liability insurance, vehicles, taxes, workers compensation. Let alone schooling, license fees, tools, knowing how to correctly size ductwork, trying to be profitable etc etc etc. Telling someone all this can be done for $5,000 I can't even purchase a unit alone for that price let alone all the ductwork and those speediboots aren't cheap either.
Love you videos and your knowledge so I am not bashing you at all but these vieo do make people think that HVAC contractors are ripping them off which we are absolutely not doing. Hats off to anyone doing it themselves. I try to do as much work on my own stuff as I can to save money too 🙂
I am one of those people who thinks that, and I appreciate your professionalism and restraint in your comment. I think you have eloquently provided a view to the other side of the proverbial coin without being nasty about it. 👍👏
Personally, as a retired commercial maintenance tech, I would mount your outside unit now. Run your siding afterwards. Just build out a box around the unit support, seal that to the sheathing and just trim and side around the box. You can use wood or metal for your box and can use hardware cloth and screen to allow necessary airflow. The project looks like it was designed and not just stuck on the building. It also hides all the ugly mechanicals. You can make the box unit removable, or a door for maintenance. It keeps snow, rain, birds, wasps and other critters form causing issues. AND, it'll be useful while working before you get to the siding.
That is a huge savings and I love the way you explained your layout for the HVAC system.
I really love your videos! 😍
One hint for your house: Add multiple Cat.7 Ethernet runs from next to where your internet service might enter the house to each room and into the ceilings of the hallways on each level. This will save you from a lot of head scratching later when all the walls are finished and WiFi may not cover the house very well.
The Ethernet runs in each room give you plenty of speed and reliability for work and video production, as well as the ability to place a big storage for footage somewhere in the house, removing noise and heat from your workspace. The in-ceiling Ethernet provides power and data for access points, which is much more stable than those wireless repeaters or wireless mesh systems. Add Ethernet also to the mechanical rooms and the garage, because current and future tech will need much more connections (e.g. some heating systems, solar, car-charger etc.) 🙂
CAT7 is honestly overkill, you can have whole home 10G with CAT6. You can probably manage that even with CAT5e (works in my house)
Amazing & informative video. Love that Riley explains everything so that it is easy to understand! You guy’s are the best🙏🙏🙏Blessing’s
You guys are great DIYers.
AC leaks reminds me of calls about water in the computer room of a company where I did facility maintenance.
I would remove the drain and blow it out with portable compressed air while water came out of the the hole in the pan. 20 minutes work got me 4 hours pay. They finally caught on, and had the HVAC guys clean the drains on a regular basis.
Suggestion put foil tape on the plenum and at all registers. Where the duct is at. Also little FYI when setting the outside unit. Do it off the ground do to the snow you all get. Also when you run the line set. Try not to have a lot of rolled up line set at the out door unit. Reason being is refrigerant has oil in it and when the line set is rolled up oil can settle at the bottom of the coils which in time will destroy the compressor.
Great comments. Does the oil in the line set apply to these pre-vac line sets too I wonder? The instructions mention vertical traps for regular tubing but not the pre-vac ones? Curious
Ryley and Courney, as an HVAC tech for well over 20yrs I was a little skeptical about watching this video, but you really showed how easy Mr Cool has made the process, and I LOVE that you gave us a full list of everything you used! The only thing I would have done differently because I live in the South East where it is much more humid, is insulate the main trunk and mastic all the insulation seams. All around great job guys!
Doesn't this system need a cold air return or is it not necessary? All I have ever seen in houses is cold air returns. I am pretty old so this new tech stuff is a little hard on me. Thanks for any response...
@@robertgregory2618 They can easily just use a louvered door and let the air return back to this hallway from the rooms. Smaller homes can get away with that, where as large homes have to have a ducted return air.
Awesome job! I will say you might want to add an opening right above the main drain because you WILL get algae growth in there over the summer months when you run the A/C as it dehumidifies the house. Best to just have something you can open/close easily and just pour some vinegar monthly down the drain to keep the algae away.
My first time watching your videos and I am impressed. You do a great job describing and your editing is on point. I have two observations that will improve the efficiency and comfort of your home: 1. Your vents are located over your doorways. Your doorways are your cold air returns. This setup has a tendency to suck the conditioned air out of the room, leaving the majority of the room stagnant. If the vents were located on the wall opposite the doors, your room will be more comfortable. 2. Your branches and vent bodies are uninsulated. It is incredible how much condensation will accumulate around the smallest exposed areas of duct work.
I’ve been in the HVAC/R trade for 9 years. Install then moved to service. Many installers don’t understand the CFM or how a heat pump works. You studied and delivered a lot of good knowledge to your viewers! Nice work.
I’m planning on replacing all the old HVAC in my 100 year old house soon, and since the house is all electric I wanted to use the Mr. Cool central air system but didn’t know enough about them to make a final call. Your videos are so helpful when researching heat pumps and have helped me solidify my choice with using Mr Cool’s HVAC system in my home!
Well Riley, you have done it again. A masterclass anybody can follow. Mind you, you lost me as soon as you said CVN. Once again i still watched. Cannae wait to see the unit working. $15,000 dollar Saving is some saving. Riley i am also with you on the gloves thing. I never could do the intricate things with gloves on AND ive got the scars to prove it. Later 👍
Super video Riley...Showing and explaining the fitting of the system....Very interesting...Stay safe and see you soon
HVAC is basically a racket in my area. You can't do anything really yourself. Legally you can't hook up even precharged lines. If you MANAGE to find a place willing to sell you a condenser, evaporator and air handler, it'll be a tough slog to find someone willing to actually charge the system. HVAC companies will only install systems they themselves have sold you and install. It's so bad that I had to basically BEG a store to sell me a replacement universal condensor fan, when they found out I didn't have an HVAC license they told me it was too 'dangerous' to sell me the fan??? Total scam artists. You guys did a great job!
I agree with this, In California its the same racket. I built and installed my own system in back in the 90's for my 1954 home. I became " friends" with the parts sellers of a local AC parts place. They were reluctant to sell me the outside AC unit as it was precharged with r-22. They made it clear that its not something they should be doing, but I think they were mandated by the Govt. and licensing of installers. The parts place also had installers who helped me lay out the vents and determine the tonnage of the AC unit, they would of charged me over $18K. I spent about 5K in parts and had my brother charge the system. that was over 25 years ago. it's still going strong, albeit a fan motor relay that ocassionally makes weird noises at startup, which im presuming is high resistant contact wear. Which was caused by the city supplying me with a bad pole on my 220v leg was only supplying about 70V due to a bad overhead wire. gotta love home ownership..
Great job Riley and Courtney, and of course Oliver! That was great to watch how you did this and what the real cost was in materials. You can sure save a lot of money by DIY!!
Give it respect, because sheetmetal can cut to the bone! I wear pvc dipped cloth or anti-slice gloves and clamp it to a tubafore for support when working with it. And you finally relented to both. LOL Riley, the next time you're in HFT, grab a pair of all their different glove types that you think would help in different tasks and try them out. They're cheap. Once you get a nice pair of gloves that fit your hands and give you the dexterity you need, you'll find that you wear them a whole lot more, protecting your hands more often.
always nice to have a little fresh air, especially in the winter when the house is closed up .
I love the stuff you do and I love that you take things on and do them yourself. When you compare the cost of you doing the work to a quote you, to be fare you need to add your time in the price as well. Your time is money as well. You will still be cheaper then the quote. Thanks you for share this build.
He’s cheaper because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Most of it isn’t bad, but he’s definitely not an A student. Lol.
18:04 We had the trap plug up over the years and flood.
If you add a cap or clean out access now, even for that short drain run you won’t need chemicals to clean it later. It just made our life a bit easier.
Thanks for the video.
My brother and I installed my bosch heat pump system. He is certified but he doesn't do hvac as a profession. He got tired of hiring "pros" that either didn't fix his stuff or made it worse. He found out it's pretty easy to get certified and did so. That aside, the bosch system comes precharged as well as long as your line set is 15ft or less. Unfortunately we were a little over that and he had a fitting failure in his gauge set and we lost almost all of the precharge. So due to that we did have to bust out the expensive specialized equipment. Had that not been the case the bosch system i would consider potentially diy friendly but maybe not as much as Mr cool. The bosch is also on the more expensive side of the spectrum but it's performance has been great so far considering my houses original ductwork is apparently all sized incorrectly. So that's going to be corrected in the future to get the system running as well as possible.
What a coinkydink! I bought the 2-3 ton universal system after seeing the one you installed in the shop apartment. 😁 Now I’ve got even MORE info to go off of for the install in my 1930’s Ogden house! 😊👍🏼
I hope your install goes smoothly and you're just as happy with it as we are!
started matching your channel last month to be honest I haven’t watched any thing else since .absolutely hooked watching your last three years 🇬🇧🇺🇸
I worked in an office in Southern Ontario Canada. The thermostat was on the wall at the normal height. The hot air came from ceiling vents and the floor was concrete. When the heat came on you could feel the room warm up coming down from the ceiling but when it got to the thermostat the heat turned off. My feet on a concrete floor were cold all winter. You have a garage under the floor and it will be cooler than the heated area. Just a thought.
I am a capable DIY guy myself and certainly appreciate and applaud doing it yourself.
On my list of constructive criticism, the biggest is this.
You want to place your boots/registers over your biggest heat gain/loss areas in the room, which are your windows. You also want to sweep the air out of the room by placing further in to the room, not at the door.
Many of your placements are not going to do this well and your comfort level / efficiency is going to suffer
Good luck and enjoy your content.
Saving money is always a plus if you can do it yourself!! Great job 👏!
Just did a trunk and branch runs, The template idea, wish thought of that, what works surprisingly well for cutting circles is one of those power battery operated metal shearing cutters, it makes cutting sheet metal so much easier including circles.
Nice explanation
As an HVAC veteran, I feel cheated. Now, anybody can install an HVAC system. But I'm not out of my trade yet. Yes, cover your octopus and connection with insulation to prevent condensation, "not required," but good prictice. Make sure all connections are well sealed. Remember, lost off air flow cost money.
What happened with electrical and plumbing videos????????
They're coming!
Agreed. Even this grandma learned something and Riley held my attention for what I thought was a boring topic. 👏 TY ❤
Way to go guys I live in the area too and it's getting cold outside great job on the video thanks for sharing with all of us
Thank you for another informative video. You all are terrific.
You make the HVAC installation look so easy. The house will be tosty in the winter and cool in the summer. Blessings to you.
FYI putting the air handler in the attic is very much a southern thing. In the Midwest they’re almost always in the basement. I think the only time I’ve heard of them in the attic is when that’s part of the insulated area.
In Az they put 5-7 ton air units on the roof, in Mn 1-1/2 to 2- ton is all we need, but the old heat pumps don’t work below-20 you need auxiliary heat, yes every house has heat ducts under outside windows and a fresh air makeup uni, it’s physics
$20K for an installation during an open frame phase of construction is an insane quote
A lot of contractors in just about every trade (not all) these days are so busy and will simply throw stupid quotes to potential customers. They don't all need more business, but if someone is desperate enough to agree to this price they'll do it and rake in a small jackpot.
$5grand when Trumps back!
@@ravneiv I find contractor bids in my area to be 4x the cost of doing it yourself.
North Idaho contractor pricing.....too much 1000 dollar a square foot build pricing at Schwitzer Basin Ski Resort.
Expends on location -nyc, DC Boston, quite frequently in that process range, rural NC could be 33-50 per cent less easily
You and Courtney always do nice work 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I'm an hvac tech. I'm impressed. Kudos for putting the dampers in. One thing you have to do..insulate the pletnum. One thing I would do different, put pampered return grills in every room instead of one central return. More efficient and comfortable and much less noise.
get registers with louvers that aim down
Great video, I'm an HVAC mechanic and $20k is far to high, no matter where you are for a rough in on new const.
I would have pinned this at ~$7,500 and had it done in a day or three. I am a Mr. Cool installer though I would have not used Home Depot parts. I would have used professional grade ducting, insulated trunk throughout your home, ducted a return to each room, put the supplies over the outside walls / windows and provide you with a Manual-J and Manual-D.
Home depot parts are a thinner grade material. But you clearly made it work for your install, but I would have to warranty and deal with any issues down the road.
6" flex, the duct turtles into the insulation, just pull it out.
Unless your never going to change the filter, your primary drain is blocking, turn it 90' CW and you'll be golden. Good job!
7500 seems low. most areas a system change out is going to be 7500 where ducts and line sets are already in place.
It wouldnt cover material@james6794
@@james6794I think 7500 is a good price. In this situation everything is accessible. No hot sweaty attic work. Two guys knock this out in a day.
I’ve never installed a Mr cool so I have a quick question, what is the design static pressure of the air handler he’s installing? The units I’ve installed are rated between .7 - 1.5” of SP therefore my trunk size for a unit this size would have been a 14” not a 16”. At 16” with a 1000 CFM it puts the SP at .05 and FPM at about 700 at the plenum. Then if you add up the friction losses dues to turbulence of the octopus plenum, dampers, flext duct, Y’s, turns and length of each run how will this system ever deliver proper CFM and FPM? As you know from a manual D prospective this would not work. Then from a manual J prospective using 1 CFM per square’ is also a big no no because it doesn’t take wall orientation, wall construction and R Value into consideration.
Lol, $7,500 is barely getting the airhandler and heat pump @ contractors cost, let alone all the material needed to do the install properly, labor, and other miscellaneous costs
When installing a take-off on a main duct and you have to have an opening all you need is a straight screwdriver a hammer and snips. Hold the screwdriver tip at a 45° angle to the sheet metal and give it a couple whacks with the hammer and it will go right through and create a slit that the snips can easily use to start your hole. No more drilling thin sheet metal. Cheers and good luck.
love this, could have gone with standard wall mount radiators (hydronic) or underfloor heating but with this you can inject fresh air into the intake so you can have fresh air in every room, so personally this would have been my choice too
Nice job! One point, HVAC systems usually heat/cool from outside in. Meaning you generally feed your ducts to the outside walls and use the interior walls for your cold air return. This ensures a more complete exchange of air in each room providing more comfort and efficiency.
I am a hvac/r pro watching this hurt my brain, but you are knowledgeable, what you have done thus far will work but I forsee some issues. Good job explaining what and why about install and great attitude 👍
Care to elaborate?
@@JML542 is the system is sized right? (He estimated 100 cfm per 100 sq ft, not how that works.) Needs air filter. Undersized system runs all the time oversized can led to mold growth. Plenum needs to be insulated or it will sweat. pre-charged lines need to be measured very well and as you can’t modify the line set, move the condenser, or have loops in the line set. No way to take Evap panel off without removing condensation line. And probably a few others but that is what is what stands out. Now does he have time to address these, I hope so. As far as the unit size I hope that it works out for them and they don’t run into any issues. As they are building what looks like their own home while being mindful of their budget and I would hate to see something like this hurt their bottom line.
@JML542
The dampers installed should be installed vertically in this instance. I have come across dampers that have torn loose or rubbed a hole in the ductwork making a noise driving the home owners crazy. You should have 12 to 18 inches of unused plenum to increase even flow otherwise the supply ducts at the end will get most of the flow. On the drain line it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when, it will get backed up. With this in mind you need a capped tee before the p trap to be able to clean it out. Also did he say foam envelope? He needs to add fresh air to the home without a return plenum it would hard to add a erv in the future. I would also add a wet/float switch to the drain pan under the unit. I would rather have my customers mad the ac isn't running than have water damage. 90% of my job is fixing other people's mess ups.
IF Reckless Riley can do it Anyone can do it!!😆😁 The exterior looks good in green,. You were quiet Courtney!!, misse youre dulcet tones,🤩😀Great video Thanks. x x x
In my mind and with my experience, I believe that contractors ask not for what something costs, but rather charge what they think will not blow the lid off the customer.
We often wonder if our costs rise when contractors drive through one type of neighborhood into our neighborhood
After so much time I finally found put why you don't like gloves! For such, I actually recommend getting black nylon gloves, better than nothing!
Wow! You saved $15,000? That's incredible. Of coarse...you had help...the wife. But she's a darned great lady that knows a heck of a lot more than your average housewife. My hat's off to the both of you!
Only saved $15K if your own value is $0.
@@douglaspollock102I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t make $15,000 over the weekend. So if I can do something myself it’s well worth the time. I’ve saved thousands of dollars doing my own mechanic work on my cars and small engine equipment and I’ve never had to take extra time off of work.
@@douglaspollock102 No one is worth $15k for a 2 day job.
'coarse' or 'course' ? Hard, hey, english lingo ? 😉
Love the way that you have installed the air handler! Having served several years as an installer, Perhaps on your next project, you may wish to locate your ducting should be located near sources of heat loss/gain against/over outside walls... over/near outside doors or windows. The goal is to moderate the impact of these areas that penetrate your walls to the outside. Good job overall!
BTW that plenum you built needs to be fully insulated because condensation will build up on it and you will have water all over your floors any bared metal needs to be fully insulated and pucky at all connections and ends btw if you have silver metal tape for a/c duct work wrap all ends tight then cover over with pucky as we call it here in Florida
Hi. As a HVAC installer myself. Nice job!
Just few small things.
As I install very similar air handlers, the bottom side of the unit has a removable washable air filter that you will need to maintain however your condensate drain line is running right through it, you need to route the drain to the side so that you can remove the filter.
Make sure you have transfer ducts or undercut doors for return air to be able to get back to the units from all the rooms other than kitchen and bathroom.
That plenum needs to be insulated because it will sweat. You can't screw it to wood!
💯
👍
As a retired hvac mechanic of 43 years I have to add my 2 cents. All ductwork in a non conditioned areas must be insulated or it will condensate in the winter or summer. A central return air does work but not as effectively as a return in each room especially if room doors are kept closed. Normally depending on your zone air conditioning returns are mounted high to remove the hot air near the ceiling.
You are a genius, much love from kenya 🇰🇪
That was very informative. Keep them coming.
I am a fan from Thailand. I like watching you very much and have watched all your videos.
Love your easy to build houses. Here in most of Cape Town we have to have double cavity brick walls. Which are then plastered on both sides. Love your easy building methods
You forgot to leave beer cans and Red Bulls laying everywhere.
Best Comment Ever!!!
I had to remodel the whole interior of a house after a water damage incident… found 20 year old Coors Light cans behind the drywall and under the gas fireplace!!
This is the difference between DIY and professional lol
And the occasional Pepsi bottle of piss... 😑
And the condensate water. Is collected. And used for irrigation on your hedges. That's what I do. It's almost free irrigation.
you can mastic the flex duct ends too, and I would wrap the boots in insulation too.
Since we are saving so much money doing it ourselves, I would also get an automatic Damper system. It nice to have some rooms colder or warmer.
I also had it, so when the bathroom fans were on the HVAC duct would close but still allow fresh air to enter the room.
I liked to oversize the bathroom fan and pull out way more air than needed, which is why I wanted to avoid sucking negative air from the HVAC unit
You will need to insulate the metal portion of the diffuser that is located up in the attic.
Any cool metal surface in an unconditioned space will produce condensate and you will get water spots on your ceiling.
You will also need to insulate your metal Octaduct.
You didn't show it in your video and I just wanted to make sure you know.
Fun watching your videos.
Not a bad HVAC install for a guy that hasn't done it before but I do have a questions and comments. You probably should read the manual and make sure that indoor unit doesn't call for a four to five foot metal plenum coming off the air handler. I have seen flex hooked directly to them but it's not recommended because of fire hazard. Also I couldn't tell but you may want to make sure that drain has a clean out T on top. You will have to clean that trap out at some point and why did you put the thermostat so low on the wall instead of eye level? But overall you done a good job. But definitely check your manual for plenum requirements may even call the company and ask them if you can take flex right off the top of the unit. Those heat strips get really hot.
I install HVAC systems for a living. There is a tool that goes on your drill that adjust to different sizes (4", 5", 6", etc.) you definitely want to put duct wrap insulation around you trunk line. Also wait to put pookie on when your completely finished with the job. That way you didn't get it everywhere like paint...lol... But you got it done so good job
Nice job. Better thee than me. I HATE working sheet metal. Sliced my hands way too many times.
One of your best infomercials. It sure beats watching you slerp some liquid green algae for breakfast. You explained the system so well that it makes me want to install one just for fun. I look forward to you reviewing the entire completed system. Stay safe.
Great video, but I didn’t see the part where you installed a filter into the system. Those are critical to you, keeping your air handler clean and working for a long time.
The filter installs in the bottom of the air handler (on the return air side).
@ thanks for the clarification!
@@AmbitionStrikesbut you have the drain line in the way
Did HVAC for years, only critique is to use pookie around all your ducting connections. Usually you paint a ring of it around the ducting metal and slide the plastic tubing over it. Kinda helps lube it up too. When in doubt, more pookie! Haha
You might consider also wrapping the fittings in your ducts so you don’t get condensation drips where they are exposed.
Didn't know Mr. Cool made larger units. Definitely going with this system in my home. Thanks for the video!
I could be wrong because I am not a residential guy (commercial refrigeration). But returns are just as if not more important then your supplies. Open plenum are something you normally see in commercial environments where there are no ceilings. Once you have independent rooms where doors shut you really want to be able to get the air out of that room using a return. I am sure it will work but probably not as efficiently as you would want and some rooms will perform better then others.
20k is also way too high. Probably could've got all this done with proper returns for 10k
I have never seen returns in individual bedrooms or bathrooms in a home in a "pro" install, they generally rely on a gap at the bottom of the door to act as a pseudo air return.
The closest I have seen to any returns at all in bedrooms is a buddy of mine got tired of how hot a few of the rooms of his house would get with the doors closed so he went in the attic and added registers in like 3 rooms then just ducted them to a larger register he put in the hallway, It didnt work quite as well as leaving the doors open but it was ALOT better than before and he eventually added a booster fan in between where the ducts came together and the large register in the hallway and wired it to come on when the AC fan was running so it essentially pulled air out of those rooms when the AC ran allowing conditioned air to replace it.
But he was the only exception I have seen every other house I have seen basically relies on the rooms door to allow for some airflow and the AC system to basically force conditioned air in the space, at least for bedrooms and things like that.
@@CaptainBlueTech I have ducted returns in my bedrooms. No returns allowed in bathrooms or kitchens by code. Also if the attic is used as return plenum, all wires have to be plenum rated
You are so easy to understand as you explain each piece, I love that !!!
Maybe there's a plan for fresh air & exhaust air. Maybe a HRV / ERV unit exhausting the bathrooms and supplying back into bedrooms.
bathrooms have to a window or exhaust fan by code
You should put tape over the top to air pipe opening. Your house is going to get dusty during drywall/finishing. Drywall dust can be great for clogging low flow plumbing like a condensate line. Just be sure to remove the tape once the HVAC is running.
Probs a good move for all rough in plumbing openings to tape them. Prevents sewer/septic gas intrusion too while rouged. Keep up the great work.
An 8” supply can’t supply enough cfm for an 8” and 6” trunk line. Bare metal needs to be insulated. Insulation on duct should not be exposed. You don’t use just panduit straps you should use the “Pookie” or “duct butter” to seal, the panduit takes the tension. airflow is strongest on taps closest to the cap, so those should be the furthest runs. You need to secure/support your duct work. Mechanical rooms should really be hard piped, it’s code in CA. I won’t continue but let me know in 4 or 5 years if it’s still working…..
I give it 4 to 5 months not years.
You guys have done great work with this home build series.