Anyone in the HVAC profession… please help! I am well and truly stumped. I am doing a gut reno of a 2 story, 3000 sf, hundred-year-old house in the South. No previous central HVAC so it’s a blank slate with regard to air handler placement and ducting. Consensus is that a two unit system would be best (one for each floor). I am encapsulating, sealing and conditioning the crawl space – so the first floor air handler is definitely going in there. But the attic will be (ahem) vented (not conditioned & super hot), so I would prefer not to put mechanical equipment up there.
My questions are
a. Is it possible/reasonable to put an air handler in the crawlspace to blow air all the way up to the attic above the 2nd floor (and then run super-insulated ducts to each room through the ceiling) Floors are 9′ each, crawlspace is 5′ tall, 2nd floor square footage is about 1100 sf. Is it just a matter of more CFM? Bigger trunk line to the 2nd floor? Are there other issues I don’t understand?
b. If that’s not a good option, I can build a closet for an air handler on the 2nd floor. If so, how big should a closet be for say, a 2 ton unit? Also, how fat is the refrigerant line bundle? Do I need to build a chase for it down to the crawlspace where it will then exit the building? Can it fit into a 2×6 wall frame?
Thank you so much in advance. Obviously, I will have an HVAC professional size and install the units. But the guys here all want to do it the “easy” way and don’t really want to discuss alternatives.
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"Optimal placement of air handlers is crucial for efficient HVAC performance. Install them in centralized, easily accessible locations to ensure even airflow and simplify maintenance, while minimizing noise and maximizing energy efficiency."