r/MontgomeryCountyMD • u/Dubbin31 • 1h ago
Question Question for fellow renters/landlords about AC
Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some insight from fellow renters, landlords, or anyone familiar with HVAC issues.
My husband, child, and I rent a townhouse in Gaithersburg, MD. For a while now, we’ve been dealing with extremely poor airflow from the HVAC system. Some vents barely push out any air, and sometimes there’s no airflow at all. As a result, the second floor doesn’t cool down, especially during hot weather.
We’ve reported the issue to the property management company multiple times. They sent someone from their maintenance team to inspect it, and he told us that some of the vents are essentially “dead” because of previous renovations to the townhouse. The only repair they performed was adding refrigerant to the AC unit. While the AC unit itself runs, the airflow problem remains unchanged.
Their current solution is to install ceiling fans, and if that doesn’t help, they’ve suggested that we purchase our own portable or window AC unit.
This doesn’t seem right to me. Our lease states that if the air conditioning isn’t working, the landlord is responsible for repairing it. While the AC equipment technically operates, it doesn’t seem like a functioning cooling system if conditioned air can’t adequately reach parts of the home.
Am I misunderstanding how this works, or does this sound like something that should be properly repaired? Has anyone dealt with a similar situation?
I’m especially concerned because we have an almost 3-year-old child, and the upstairs bedrooms become very uncomfortable at night. Whatever the temp is outside is the same temp our second floor is which is crazy when it’s over 80 degrees.
Any advice or perspective would be greatly appreciated!
Edited to add another detail
3
u/Blakesdad02 52m ago
Summer will be over before this gets rectified. Purchase a window unit or two now for comfort.
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u/froobsrule1 8m ago
If it ever gets over 80 degrees inside, it’s a habitability issue. You can politely inform them of this because between June 1 and September 30, they need to be able to cool the place below 80 degrees.
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u/Dubbin31 7m ago
We have recorded 81 a couple weeks ago 🙃 will be taking note this week when it gets even warmer as well.
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u/Dubbin31 6m ago
I just don’t know how else to handle the situation because they’ve been clear about they will not be doing anything else other than installing ceiling fans (which will help but not by much I’m sure)
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u/da6id 51m ago
Good luck. I don't have a guaranteed solution but think you should have a right to at least force them to provide a window unit. Save records of everything in case you need to make a formal complaint. Probably best to plan to move when the lease is up too if it creates animosity or doesn't get fixed.
In case it makes a difference for you, I'm also in Gaithersburg but have two window AC units unused that I bought when my home AC failed last summer and my HVAC company said it'd be 3 weeks to repair. If you run into issues but wanted to borrow one of the unused window units I might be able to help you out. I'd have you check with my spouse first.
We also bought them because we have young kids, so I know the struggle. My 3 year old was waking drenched through the sheets with sweat when the AC was broken
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u/Dubbin31 15m ago
Definitely saving records of things! We got a separate thermometer for upstairs to keep record of the high temps.
That is very sweet of you, thank you. I’ll definitely be in touch if we are in need 🥹
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u/Bobbyj59 19m ago
I’ve rented multiple townhouses in Montgomery county and the second level is always the same in the summer; the AC systems can never cool it down sufficiently. Window AC units will always solve the problem but we’ve most recently used black out window shades and curtains in addition to window units to keep the sun out. Our current home has the second floor AC vents on the floor and we’ve used floor fans right next yo the vents to circulate whatever cool air actually comes out. If your basement and first floor are cool enough even on the hottest days but your highest level is not cool, it will be difficult to resolve this problem short of the landlord installing a whole new HVAC system including new vents.
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u/Dubbin31 17m ago
Is your airflow also really bad? We have barely anything coming out if there even is anything. My daughters room is basically zero
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u/patixis452 4m ago
Try closing the lower vents to redirect the cool air upstairs. I have to switch my open vents from heating to AC but still upstairs is never "cool" in summer but is bearable. And fans help in the bedrooms.
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u/JaStrCoGa 13m ago
What happens when setting the fan to be always on and constantly recirculating air? Did the maintenance person check and change the air filter?
Edit: Check if any supply ducts coming from the air handler have a damper that would reduce airflow. It may appear to be a lever or knob that turns.
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u/spicycarneadovada 10m ago
I can’t tell from your post, but it sounds like this is the first year you’ve lived here or at least in this unit? If the upstairs where your child sleeps has been unbearably hot, you have about one month to rectify the situation. It will not be a healthy environment when the real heat waves start in July.
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u/Dubbin31 4m ago
Yeah, our first year. We moved in last September. When we first moved in the AC wasn’t even properly working 🙃
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u/joesquatchnow 4m ago
Get a clip in the vent thermometer, create a doc showing temps, also for a small investment you can buy an airflow meter, here is one but there are many …
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Commercial-Electric-Mini-Thermo-Anemometer-AM-10/335846984
Words wisper and data screams
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u/Dubbin31 2m ago
We have a regular thermometer for our room. Wouldn’t that be sufficient proof of our room not cooling you think?
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u/Graybeard_Shaving 31m ago
I know I’ll regret engaging but I’ll do it anyway…
I didn’t have any air conditioning until I was well into my late 20’s. Didn’t have central air conditioning until I was in my 30’s.
Air conditioning is a luxury, especially in an extremely temperate climate like Maryland. Did you rent a luxury townhome?
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u/Dubbin31 28m ago
I get it, I lived in Germany for 5 years and I didn’t have AC. it was brutal in the summer.
If it wasn’t included in my lease, I wouldn’t be upset. But I am paying for air conditioning to work properly (according to my lease) so yes I’m angry about the situation. I don’t see that as “luxury” if I’m paying for it
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u/Graybeard_Shaving 22m ago
In that case, I totally agree.
If it’s a lease condition, I’d be on that ass until it was solved and be pushing for some rent discounting while they work toward solving the issue.
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u/crankypatriot 26m ago
What's a "luxury townhome"? I've never heard of such a thing.
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u/Graybeard_Shaving 19m ago
My mother retired to OKC and purchased a luxury townhome. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m talking luxury to the point of absurdity. Dirt cheap too relative to what we pay up here.
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u/spicycarneadovada 14m ago
This is terrible advice. This is not a temperate climate. I’m not going to ask how old you are but the summers are most likely much more extreme than when you were in your 20’s.
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u/Graybeard_Shaving 10m ago
I’m a transplant from a far less temperate climate. Been here just over 20yrs. I assure you, Maryland is an extremely temperate climate. We have both mild winters and mild summers. The occasional heatwave or cold snap is a joke to anyone who’s lived in one of the dozens of states that don’t enjoy the modest weather we have here.
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u/notevenapro 59m ago
Just a rare thought. I have a townhome with a single unit HVAC. But my home is split into two zones. Our air supply has two ducts and they have levers on them. Summer one vent is open that cools the 3rd floor and hal of the second floor. Winter is the other way around. Basement heats and it warms the whole house.
See if that is it.