AC Post 2.0

I’m getting a lot of reports of heat pumps blowing cool air for about 90 seconds and then the compressor shuts down. I am doing what I can to look into the situation, but the obvious conclusion is that the system is still not running right—in spite of a very long day for our HVAC contractor—and people may need to prepare themselves for another hot night. It’s supposed to get down to around 70º tonight so that should help. If I get any updates, I’ll post them.

Just a reminder, this is not official information from management. The last post was relaying information emailed to owners from JA Wood. This time I’m merely reporting what I’m hearing from neighbors and what my own unit is experiencing.

AC is Working Again

The AC loop is back up and running. It will take time for the building to cool down but the system should be operating normally and it’s okay to turn your air conditioning on. Management will be checking the system again in the morning to make sure everything is in order.

If your AC is still blowing warm air after 10 or 15 minutes of running, you may need to reset your heat pump. Here is the procedure that seems to work for most people:

  1. Turn on the thermostat so that the heat pump is running.
  2. Turn off the circuit breaker for that heat pump (it should be marked in the electrical box).
  3. Leave it off for 30 – 60 seconds.
  4. Turn the circuit breaker back on.
  5. In about 10-15 minutes the heat pump should be functioning normally.
  6. If the heat pump is still not working properly or the problem reoccurs, consult a professional.

Do NOT Run Your AC!! (also: free knee scooter available)

For anyone who hasn’t heard, the “loop” of treated water that our heat pumps discharge heat into (or draw heat from in the winter) has burst a pipe. It can damage your heat pumps to run them without a functioning loop!! If you are an owner with tenants, make sure they know to turn off the thermostats and/or the breakers for their heat pumps. Management will know more about repairs tomorrow.

Also, a resident is looking to rehome a knee scooter she no longer needs: I have a knee scooter I’d like to give to someone who needs one. I don’t know of any place that would take it as a donation and “medical items” are prohibited on Facebook marketplace. I only used it for two months. It comes with a front basket. It’s adjustable and it folds down, or you can stick it in the back of an SUV as is. It’s free to anyone who could use it or knows what to do with it.

Please contact me if you’re interested, or post in the comments, and I’ll connect you with the owner.

Surface Space Request, Lift, Packages, Folk Fest, & Office Hours

A resident would like to trade his Roy garage space for a surface lot one. If you’re currently assigned a surface spot but would like to be near an EV charger or want to protect your car from the weather, here’s your chance to switch. Stop by the lobby office or email canalplaceoneoffice@gmail.com

The new lobby lift is operational. It is NOT for moving freight, furniture, or other large items; those need to go through the building’s rear entrance. Instructions for use are posted near the lift.

Many thanks to residents for picking up their packages promptly. If everyone does their part, we can keep our 1989-size mailroom running smoothly despite the 2024-size package load. And thanks to the volunteers for putting so much time into sorting and marking!

Next weekend is the annual Lowell Folk Festival with 3 days of free music on 4 stages filling the downtown area. To many of us, it’s the high point of the year, but it does involve several road closures. To see just when and where, scroll down to “Street Closures” on the directions page.

The lobby office will have reduced hours during August. There will be no office hours on Saturday the 3rd, Wednesday the 7th, and Saturday the 31st. Please plan accordingly. (Regular office hours are on this site’s contact page.)

Contractor Recommendations (& Tango Trial info)

An owner wants to redo their bathrooms and is looking for contractor recommendations from others in the building. If you have any suggestions, please answer in the comments.

This bulletin board also has a search feature to find who’s been recommended in the past. Just click on the green square with the magnifying glass and type in “contractor” or other search term of your choice.

And if you had really wanted to see the Zoom presentation last month about the 1914 Tango Trial next door and missed it, a link to the recording of it can be had for a small fee at the Folk Arts Center of New England store.

Greek Festival, Farmers Market, & more

There’s a new Farmer’s Market outside the Hamilton Garage behind Canal Place 3 from 2:00 to 6:00pm every Friday (weather permitting).

And there’s a Greek Festival on Broadway St. this weekend in easy walking distance, especially easy if you use our back exit to head over.

There’s also a Busker Series downtown this month, with a number of performers this weekend and next at Mack Plaza at the corner of Market & Shattuck and at Derby Park on Middle Street.

And I’ve been asked to remind folks that we have two composters near the back entrance for residents’ use. More info about that here.