talk me down- share how you dealt with unusual or quirky systems in your house

[Anonymous]

I’m freaking out because we are dealing with a very expensive replacement to our HVAC, which we’ve been saving for for years but which we know is going to be incredibly complex.

We have the option to replace it with an updated version of the same quirky system or to totally redo everything with something more conventional. The latter route will still cost the same because of the need to dismantle and remove the old system, plus it may not heat or cool as effectively as the quirky system. It’s also a rarity in my region so there are maybe 3 companies in a 4-state area who will touch it, and they all have different ideas about the “only” way to deal with it.

I remember my parents living with outdated, finicky stuff for years because they couldn’t bear to deal with the complexity of opening up walls, redoing electric, etc. I always bought simple houses because I never wanted to be in that situation. So much for that because of course DH and I went and bought an absolute money pit.

Please help me feel less overwhelmed by sharing your nightmare renovation/repair/replacement story.

[Anonymous]

OP without knowing what you’re specifically talking about it’s hard to know. I would just say try to do it properly, once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP without knowing what you’re specifically talking about it’s hard to know. I would just say try to do it properly, once.

It’s too insanely specific to explain, so let’s pretend it’s geothermal and it isn’t working right. So we have to either find a very specific replacement for it that isn’t widely used in the U.S. and then modify it with additional components, or we have to put in something more standard but it will not work as well, it will require additional utility service that we have to negotiate with the utilities provider, and will be even more expensive.

We knew we were getting into a bit of a mess but thought it was a problem that we could throw money at and solve it to make it like-new. But in reality it’s more like a finicky classic car that we’re going to have to baby along.

[Anonymous]

Do you have kids or pets living in the house while you undertake this major project?

[Anonymous]

We just moved into a house with an oil heating system. We removed it and installed a heat pump. The house does not have gas service otherwise we would’ve done that.

[Anonymous]

A friend replaced her geo-thermal system because it was so hard to get anyone to work on it. She was happy with her decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP without knowing what you’re specifically talking about it’s hard to know. I would just say try to do it properly, once.

She just wants some sad stories.
OP watch the movie money pit.

[Anonymous]

Sell the house. Get out of there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP without knowing what you’re specifically talking about it’s hard to know. I would just say try to do it properly, once.

She just wants some sad stories.
OP watch the movie money pit.

When we were deciding to make an offer in the house, DH revealed didn’t understand my reference to the movie when I was talking to the realtor about it. I should have taken that as a sign right then and there!

I’ll take sad stories but I’d rather have stories of brilliant victories and overcoming tough odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just moved into a house with an oil heating system. We removed it and installed a heat pump. The house does not have gas service otherwise we would’ve done that.

NP. did you have to decommission the tank and was it a huge fuss?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have kids or pets living in the house while you undertake this major project?

Not yet, but we allocated X months for the work and it is slipping into x months + 2 months, so we are going to be in a tight spot. We may need to be in a rental but we’re in a college town and it is hard to find one this time of year where we live, nevermind one that will take a dog!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just moved into a house with an oil heating system. We removed it and installed a heat pump. The house does not have gas service otherwise we would’ve done that.

NP. did you have to decommission the tank and was it a huge fuss?

No, it was very easy. The HVAC company gave us the name of a guy who drained the oil tank and took it away. It was a few hours of work for him. We just had to cancel the deliveries with the oil company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just moved into a house with an oil heating system. We removed it and installed a heat pump. The house does not have gas service otherwise we would’ve done that.

NP. did you have to decommission the tank and was it a huge fuss?

No, it was very easy. The HVAC company gave us the name of a guy who drained the oil tank and took it away. It was a few hours of work for him. We just had to cancel the deliveries with the oil company.

Nice. Where I live they are below ground and there is a complex process to remove them and prove that they have not leaked. Even worse is doing a renovation and discovering an abandoned, buried one. I’m glad it wasn’t crazy difficult for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just moved into a house with an oil heating system. We removed it and installed a heat pump. The house does not have gas service otherwise we would’ve done that.

NP. did you have to decommission the tank and was it a huge fuss?

No, it was very easy. The HVAC company gave us the name of a guy who drained the oil tank and took it away. It was a few hours of work for him. We just had to cancel the deliveries with the oil company.

Nice. Where I live they are below ground and there is a complex process to remove them and prove that they have not leaked. Even worse is doing a renovation and discovering an abandoned, buried one. I’m glad it wasn’t crazy difficult for you!

Yikes, that does sound like a nightmare. Our tank was located in the basement. We had just finished the space before we realized the tank needed to go, so we had to fix the drywall again but there were no environmental issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP without knowing what you’re specifically talking about it’s hard to know. I would just say try to do it properly, once.

She just wants some sad stories.
OP watch the movie money pit.

When we were deciding to make an offer in the house, DH revealed didn’t understand my reference to the movie when I was talking to the realtor about it. I should have taken that as a sign right then and there!

I’ll take sad stories but I’d rather have stories of brilliant victories and overcoming tough odds.

Oh gosh, so many stories. First of all my dad gut-remodeled and expanded my childhood home himself on the weekends while we were living there. Literally everything is custom, including all the draperies that my mom made for the unusual sized windows. Among its quirks are an underfloor heating system that uses hot water and is only partially functional anymore, and a three-walled "bedroom" they never fully enclosed (but it has a door in one wall in case they ever did). For a long time we passed food through what had been the kitchen window, into the newly added dining room; eventually he cut that into a door. The under-cabinet microwave was a fancy thing when they installed it, but immediately stopped working and they have had a microwave on a cart in the corner for 20 years.

In the "tough odds" category, DH and I did a major renovation a couple years ago. The contractor went out of business midway through, while the house was open to the elements. We got through it, but had to make a lot of compromises to get things wrapped up. There are weird choices in the pipe and duct runs, cheaper finishes in some places, a light fixture that absolutely eats bulbs and we can't figure out why. We are still glad to have renovated.

I'm not sure what is wrong with your HVAC but if you are able to replace it with a totally conventional system, I think that's wisest. Sourcing parts is not going to get any easier.