Mini-Splits Air Conditioning Print

• Ways to connect with Dr. Sky & what he's been studying.
• Are we on a collision course with Mars?
• Dr. Sky teaming up with Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park are doing to educate the public & a few events you can attend. 

We focus on Cochise County & Kartchner Caverns State Park!

• Jennifer welcomes Jennifer Van Horn, the Discovery Center Supervisor at Kartchner Caverns.
• History & the discovery of the cave.
• What to look for in finding a cave.
• Keeping the Kartchner Cavern a secret for years!?!? Wow.
• Ways to maintain the caves and prevent human damage.
• What families can expect if they visit and when you can go.

More with Jen Van Horn on Kartchner Caverns:

• The history on the formation of the cave.
• This is the only cave in the US of its kind you can see. The only other one is not something you can see and is used exclusively for research.
• How to contact the officials there and to set up a time to see it for yourself.
• DON'T VISIT WITHOUT A RESERVATION!

*We discuss the recent award won by Bisbee, Arizona!

Trees, trees & more trees with Certified Arborist John Eisenhower with Integrity Tree Service!

Tree of the Month: (also John's favorite tree) It's the "Right Tree, Right Place" Guideline & we discuss how it was put together in association with the Arizona Community Tree Council.

• We discuss Aleppo Pine Trees, their unique canopy and the pros/cons.
• Tackling certain situations and which tree is right for shading that area.
• Using native trees for sun protection.

We invite Jeff Whitney, the Arizona State Forester to the broadcast!

• What Jeff's job entails and what he's been up to.
• The true & overall value of planting trees. The economical impact is huge!
• Romey recently won "The Palo Verde Award for Urban Forestry Enhancement." Congrats!
• Did you know Scottsdale was the 1st "Tree City" in Arizona?

Sissou Trees are a problem in Phoenix and we discuss why they are causing very big problems across the valley. Here's the link to an article on dealing with these trees.

Callers:

• Bob - He has 3 brazilian pepper trees and they're faily close to a fence. He keeps them trimmed, but he's concerned about them damaging a nearby block wall. What kind of distance should he need and should he install a root barrier?

Recommendation - He might be able to trench down close to the footing of the wall and install the barrier. It could be too late, but worth a shot. The good thing is that this tree doesn't have a very aggressive root system.

*How root barriers work & how roots tend to grow...how deep and how far.

• Lavonne - She wants to plant sour orange trees for privacy in her backyard and wants to know if she has enough room to put them in without damaging a nearby block wall.

Recommendation - This is a common problem & John talks about a similar situation. Citrus is a good choice but he'd need to see the space for himself to confirm. She could also consider a shrub that has a less aggressive root system, but will give her the same privacy she's looking for.

*General tips on preparing your trees for summer, specifically staking trees to keep it in place during storms.

Callers:

• Bee - She put in a Privet Tree 2 years ago and it doesn't seem to "Be Happy" or growing well. It's not blooming and she's not sure what's wrong with it.

Recommendation - It's in a container & drains very quickly and causes it to dry out quickly. It's getting full sun and while it's growing she might want to protect it from the afternoon full sun until it matures. She also might want to cut back on the water a little bit too. Romey suggest contacting Master Gardener Marylee Pangman for tips. Here's her site!

• Pierre - He has 2 medium sized mesquite trees he's taking out because they are damaging a few spaces in his home. Does he need to cut the root system out or can he just bury it?

Recommendation - The root system will come back, so he'll need to take preventative measures like grinding the stump or treating them with a contact herbicide. John describes what he should do.  

Remember John if you live in the Valley and need an expert to look at your trees. Just contact Integrity Tree Service!

• The remodeling industry is exploding! All our contrators are incredibly busy and are having trouble finding qualified help. If you're qualified, look at our contractor list!
• Rosie shares a story about a few recent projects and how the bidding and process transpired.
• The pricing increases over the years and the breakdown that is shocking homeowner's.

Caller:

• Bernie - The roof on his patio is leaking where it meets the main house. What's the best way to patch that damage?

Recommendation - The patio bolts up to a stucco wall and it sounds like the rim joist was not flashed properly and will need to be repaired. Rosie describes the process and shouldn't be too tough of a problem.

Caller:

• Chuck - His French Door out to his patio is creaking so badly he can't stand it! What could be causing it?!

Recommendation - He gives us the live sound effect throught the phone. It's hilarious and we can hear it perfectly! We investigate and he has oiled it and then even put graphite powder in it. It sounds like a hinge squeak and Rosie would take the pins out one at a time to find out which one is making the sound. One is in a bind and causing the noise. He might need to replace all of the hinges and start over.

Callers:

• Chris - He's remodeling his backyard and wants to know if he should go with block or metal stud for his patio island?

Recommendation - Since he's doing it himself, Rosie thinks he should go with block. If he goes with metal stud, it creates a lot of cavities for bugs to get in. Listen for a description that you could use too! Sounds like a great project!

• Eric - He's replacing the ceiling in his patio with tongue and groove pine and wants to know which way to nail this up. A nailer or using a brad?

Recommendation - With the pressure set correctly, he can use his nailer and it should work great, but with the 6 inch wide panels, he might need to surface nail to hold it in place.

• Mary - Her home has a crack on the flooring through a big portion of the home and now she's found a hairline crack on a wall in her kitchen. What can she do?

Recommendation - She might need to contact Arizona Foundation Solutions to get an expert eye on it. They would put her home through a manometer test to measure the home and verify it's level. That would tell us if it's heaving or settling in places.

Caller:

• Tony - He has a bunch of pavers leftover from a project and he's wondering if he can put pavers down on a base of concrete already set?

Recommendation - It is partially covered and he should be okay to lay it down. In a very large area it can be a problem. He'll want to mortar down the edge peices and fill in the middle with sand before laying them down. Rosie talks through the process.

• Romey talks about Water Use It Wisely's "Drab to Fab" Landscape Makeover "Drab to Fab" Landscape Makeover with Blaine of Integrated Landscape Management. Listen and learn about the benefits of Zeroscape Landscaping. 

Andrew with Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating is here to talk AC and Mini-Split Air Conditioners.

• Andrew explains the history of Mini-splits and ductless Air Conditioning, plus how it works.
• The S.E.A.R. ratings of mini-splits and their incredible efficiency.
• It saves big $$$ compared to a swamp cooler.
• These are NOT loud like a hotel AC unit.
• They're great for hot spots in homes & it's confusing why they took so long to become big in the market.

Caller:

• Bruce - He needs to replace his AC unit after 23 years and he had trouble replacing a 3-phase AC unit, but found a company to do it. Most of his neighbors have been talked into a single phase unit. He wants to know what we think of going with the triple phase?

Recommendation - We will tackle it in the next segment.

We answer Bruce's Question:

Recommendation - 3-Phase is normally reserved for commercial applications, but sound like this is a good idea for Bruce. Andrew wants to take a site visit, but he thinks he has a fix for Bruce. Listen to make sure you understand the situation. Equipment will cost a little extra up front, but the bill should be about the same with the new high-efficiency units. He should start with a whole home energy audit.

• Bob - His Trane unit is 4 years old and it's almost impossible to get the home down to 74 degrees. It takes forever.

Recommendation - Andrew would have a company other than the one that installed the unit come out to verify that everything was sized correctly. Most situations we find AC units to be over-sized, but it could be that he does have too small of a unit.

*We talk Mini-splits and the one downfall. They don't filter the air like they do with standard AC units. Andrew recommends adding a filtration system.

Callers:

• Justin - He's lives in a rental and the AC is not very efficient. Would it be possible to add a mini-split unit and then how hard would it be to take it with him when he moves?

Recommendation - No. Most of the cost is in the labor and we recommend picking up a portable unit instead.

• Rusty - He's going to build a new home and is considering a geothermal unit, plus considering importing a unit from Dubai that is incredibley effiecient. Does that make sense?

Recommendation - Geothermal, in general, according to the experts is a bad idea in Arizona. We talk about all the reasons it is not cost effective. Finding parts for a unit that is all the way from Dubai is really hard and expensive.

Letters From Listener's:

• Joe - He wants to cool his garage where he does woodwork. With what we said about how the mini-splits don't filter the air, is that going to be a problem for him?

Recommendation - He'd need to wash out the filter after each time he uses the unit, but he'll need to be diligent about cleaning the filter each and every time it's turned on. It will damage the unit if the filter gets plugged.

• Is a 4 car garage too big of a space for mini-split units?

Recommendation - No, that should be fine. Not a problem!

*Second downside to a mini-split.....You are in the breeze or not. Andrew says some do rotate now to help eliminate that issue.

Caller:

• Pete - His 4000 square foot home has two units, but they were installed on one end of the home. The master bedroom on the opposite side of the home never gets above 88-90 degrees. He's replaced the units and several have tried to change the ductwork and recently was told to put a package unit with a heat pump on his roof, but his H.O.A. doesn't allow anything on the roof. What do we recommend?

Recommendation - Hot and cold pockets in the home are a major concern in AZ. Testing for leaks is the starting point and will show duct leaks. Registers need to be used to balance the air and a variable speed blower to fix it.

Caller:

• John - He has a cabin that gets warm for about 3 weeks every summer. Would a mini-split be a cost effective solution?

Recommendation - Yes! It would be a simple installation and a great application and most any AC experts can work on these.

• Rosie & Andrew discuss the trouble with finding qualified certified AC techs. If this is you, we need you! Call Andrew at Intelligent Design.

If you're in the East Valley or Southern Arizona, contact Andrew at Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating.

Join Rosie On The House Every Saturday Morning!!!