New to Central Air & Heat pump system

[orangeburg]

I'm new to the Southeast and bought one of those southern big homes. Lived up north in western NY. Not sure about our cooling and heating system. I change the filter monthly. The summer month is struggles to cool the house and we used window AC to assist the cooling. An now it is cooling down outside and it is not heating the house enough. This moring outside temp is 32 and the inside temp is about 56 and not climbing. :(

What can I do to check my system out? We had a pro look at it when we moved to the south in May and they got it running with a kickstarter which is still hooked up. How and where do I check and clean the coils? I can hear the compressor kick on and off. Sounds like it is dumping air when kicking off like a regular air compressor does. Is this suppose to do that? :confused:

The EM light hasn't come on at all. What I have read, it should come on when the system isn't working proper or well below the setting. Is that correct?

I was told the system is a 3 ton and should have a 5 ton. This unit is only for the main floor of the house. We have another unit in the attic that isn't hooked up at all. Don't know that condition of it. Mostlikely a piece of junk up there. :D

Any help would be great!
Thanks

[Ed Imeduc]

Need more info here for just what you have. Is fan and compressor running out side and inside fan ok. Who said you had a 3 ton and need a 5 ton??? When it is on is the big copper pipe at the coil hot??? Why did they put a hard start kit on it?? Did they ohm out the compressor? did they have to put freon in it??


ED ;)

[orangeburg]

Thanks Ed for Replying! The air is coming out the Vents inside and and good draft at the return vent. Not sure where the inside fan is! Is it on the unit itself outside? The big fan on the unit outside is working in the coils area (I guess those are the coils for Cooling). I was under the house and all I see is ducting all the way back to the Unit (Inlet & outlet).

Where is this copper piping that should be HOT? Do I have to take a panel off to get to it? And Which Panel? :confused:

Is the compressure suppose to dump Air off and on? My son said he saw steam come out of the unit when it dumped the air? I didn't see it yet when it dumps. He said it was a lot of stream or hot condensed air.

The pro who came said it should be a 5 ton. He didn't ohm it out that I know of. The Compressure I think I can see it when looking down inside the big fan void area. I was standing there all the time when he was looking at it. He just took the side panel off the upper side. Did some testing and installed the kickstarter. He said it wouldn't hurt leaving it on it. We weren't sure how long the unit was just sitting as the house was forclosed on in September of last year. It looked like a piece of junk. But it worked. I guess. I plan on having a new one to be in the future But not right away. I just started my job here in the South. I may take a little while to get some money to buy a new unit. I hope this one will get us through for now!

[Ed Imeduc]

If , IF, every thing is right at the time When the unit goes into defrost mod. It will look like smoke comeing from the unit.


ED :eek: