Vibrations, Noise, Water Temperature Issues in the HVAC System
From: The Residents
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2011 7:29 PM
To: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease·com>
Cc: The Residents
Subject: Re: The Residents Agreement
Hello,
Bob was in our house today and was unable to determine the cause of the vibrations and noise, which were very intermittent and weaker today. The difference between today and last Tuesday was the high winds on Tuesday while there was almost no wind today. However, on Tuesday, the noise and vibrations were present only when the units were running. When they were off, there was no noise and no vibrations. So the wind alone was not the cause. Wind might be a factor that contributes to spreading the noise, but it certainly cannot cause the house to vibrate.
I believe Bob has turned off or disabled the unit right across the utility door because only the unit on the East end was working after Bob's departure. I don't think turning off or disabling the unit suspected to cause the vibration and noise is an acceptable solution.
I will be there on Tuesday, Jan. 11, most of the day for sure, and I would like to ensure all those units are on and working in full capacity so that we can pinpoint the cause of the noise and vibration and have it corrected.
Thank you,
Resident
REPLY FROM AIR-EASE:
From: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease>
Sent: 1/7/2011 9:01 AM
To: The Residents
Subject: Re: The Residents Agreement
{Resident},
I DID NOT turn off or disable anything prior to leaving yesterday. I am not providing you a solution for a noise I did not hear. However, to assist you in resolving this noise issue, I showed you how to remove the disconnect from a unit IN THE EVENT THAT UNIT WAS CAUSING A NOISE IN YOUR PRESENCE. This was to help isolate IF the noise was coming from any of my geothermal equipment. As we discussed, this noise being heard on the exterior of the home is most likely not caused by any geothermal equipment.
The unit we looked at together was operating when I left yesterday and providing heat as I am sure it is today. If this unit was off at some point yesterday, it was because the thermostat was satisfied and the room had reached temperature.
Robert, Air-ease Geothermal Heating & Cooling
IGSHPA Accredited / GeoExchange CertifiedMitsubishi Diamond Designer
REPLY FROM THE RESIDENTS:
From: The Residents
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 11:23 PM
To: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease>
Subject: Re: The Residents Agreement
Hello Bob,
As I said, we will be spending more time in that house now, so once the vibration+noise situation repeats, we will disconnect the unit as you instructed. Once we do determine, the noise+vibration is not caused by your system, we will immediately issue the portion of the payment due at this time.
We do not wish to have conflicts with Air-Ease and hope to be able to be happy with the HVAC system you have designed and installed in our house. This is our mutual goal we hope.
{Resident}
REPLY FROM AIR-EASE:
From: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease>
Sent: 1/11/2011 8:33 AM
To: The Residents
Subject: Re: The Residents Agreement
{Residents}:
Unfortunately this bears repeating; my payment request is due now and past due with or without noise or vibration. The final balance is left for any adjustment the system may or may not need.
There most definitely will be conflicts if this payment is not forthcoming immediately.
Robert, Air-ease Geothermal Heating & Cooling
IGSHPA Accredited / GeoExchange Certified
Mitsubishi Diamond Designer
REPLY FROM THE RESIDENTS:
From: The Residents
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 9:52 PM
To: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease>
Subject: Re: The Residents Agreement
Hello,
We are awaiting your revised contract - this is what you were working on based on one of your previous emails. Quote: " The drafted agreement will require modification."
We have never received it. Please make sure to include the mailing address!
Two issues that are there:
1. The unit across the door is set to a status were it does not work in its full capacity - the way it worked when the vibrations and noise took place. Bob might claim otherwise, but I did make sure all thermostats were not satisfied and so both furnaces were supposed to work at their full speed. The one on the East side of the building did, the one on the West side was humming quietly, as though maybe pumping water, but it was not running the motor with belt (I am sure there is such a thing inside that unit).
2. There is no hot water in the house at all. How does the hot water ASSIST work not that the heating is on but produces no hot water?
Thank you,
{Resident}
REPLY FROM AIR-EASE:
From: Air-ease Heating & Cooling <info@air-ease>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 10:56 AM
To: The Residents
Subject: Re: Recent Concerns
{Residents}:
I recognize your need to understand the operations of this geothermal system. I have already tried to educate you and explain the mechanical workings of such a sophisticated system; however you cannot expect to gain my 20+ years of geothermal knowledge in a short jobsite visit or an email reply.
To simply answer your recent concerns: the west unit across from the door – Synergy3D – is a boiler on the bottom for radiant heat and provides radiant heating in the winter. In the warmer or summer months, the top of this ducted forced air unit provides cooling. So when you state “not working at full speed” you are only hearing the boiler on the bottom. The top of the unit is not for heating. This is the forced air section for cooling. There is no belt on this unit.
The hot water assist is the ErgoMax tank. This is hot water ready to be delivered to the electric water heater when the valves are turned on. If you do not have hot water, contact the contractor who installed your electric water heater. Maybe the unit is valved off?
As I stated to you previously, operating instructions along with owners’ manuals etc. will be provided with my final invoice.
Bob, Air-ease Geothermal Heating & Cooling
Failing GeoThermal HVAC Equipment Picture
