Raising Air Handler temporarily

19 years ago

I have a split HP system with my compressor on the roof and air handler in second floor utility closet. This closet is also our laundry room.

I would like to refloor this room. I took a look from below and joists are in excellent condition, but I might (or might not) replace the subfloor.

Th air handler has around it on the floor an old custom sheet metal drip pan. The drip pan is from an earlier old air handler but the installers left it in place when my air handling unit was replaced about ten years ago. It projects about six inches all around the new air handler because the original air handler was considerably larger.

I am certain the outflow air of the air handler goes through a hole the floor directly under the air handler into duct work in the floor (all registers are in the ceiling on the first floor and on the floor on the second floor).

Looks like disconnecting, power, the return ducting at the top of the air handler will be easy, but I don't know what is going on below.

Since I have to take out washer, dryer, utility sink, drip pans and drip pan pvc pipes, and intend to replace wall boards, floor, paint, build some nice shelves and really spruce it up, the idea of just kind of working around the AC doesn't strike me as doing it right as long as I have to do so much already.

from the way the copper refrigerant lines look they would not be damaged if I lifted the unit up six inches or so.

Can I attach straps to the ceiling joists and lift this baby up to do this work?

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Comments (2)

bob_brown
19 years ago
Hello,
If you support the Ah, so that it will not fall and hurt you while doing construction, I don'r see any problems with suspending it off of the ground. However, to effectively work on a floor, I would expect you need about 2-3 feet of height. Depending on the size of the area, maybe 5 feet of height. Consider suspending the coil and removing the air handler. I would not use the system while suspended.
tl45
Original Author
19 years ago
thanks Bob. this is a "downflow" installation in a supply plenum directly in floor crawlspace below.

I agree best would be to move the air handler out of the room. I open the access panes to take a look. I now don't know about moving the coil out without stressing the copper.

I guess I have several options and would appreciate your ideas.

Do you think an hvac company would remove refrigerant and condenser coil (I guess that is half the weight), seal both sides, and put back the coil and refrigerant in ten days or so? How much would such a job for both removal and reinstall coil and fluid cost ballpark in an urban area (DC)? I could throw in paying them to clean the five year old condenser as well. Would it be the same as asking them just to move the whole unit outside the room for ten days?

I might want to rebuild supply plenum, replace floor drip pan (it is 30% bigger than needed)). I might ask them to do this as well.

Ages:
roof unit compressor, 2 years
air handler housing, electronics, squirrel fan all 14 years
condesnor coil, five years
floor (galvanized sheet metal) drip pan, plenum, ducts, 25? years

I have a place to keep the air handler and coil (master bedroom about 10 feet away) for 10 days (estimated time until my wife says the air handler or I have to go.)

This is a four story town house. I have the top two floors with my utility room on the top floor and three finished floors below. So I am really interested in putting a sturdy floor, and while keeping my individual drip pans and pvc to the floor drain, doing my best to isolate the room so anything really bad goes down that floor drain. If dealing with the air handler is too much I can work around it but I hate to do a job halfway.
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