Post
Just replaced a 30 year old 2 ton heat pump with a brand new Mitsubishi one of the same size. Unit is only for upstairs, downstairs has a separate unit. Upstairs is 5 bedrooms, around 1100 sq ft, good attic insulation and new double pane windows. New unit can’t keep up and won’t hold temperature on warm days. Contractor says it’s a ductwork problem and the ducts are old. Return is modern but only R4.2, some are older with zero insulation. He’s recommending we replace all the ducts and put small returns in every bedroom for better air circulation. He’s saying all our cold air goes down the stairs and that the gaps under the doors are too small for good flow. I’ve never heard of small returns in each room and want to find out if this is common or some wacky idea. I’m inclined to just replace the ducts without returns so they’ll be insulated but want to get people’s opinions on what will work best. I’m super annoyed that they never brought this up before replacing the system and it’s only now that it’s not keeping the house cool we’re looking into it.
Intent Score
12
Intent
96
Confidence
Summary
The post is about HVAC ductwork and airflow issues, with only a brief mention of new double pane windows.
Reasoning
This is clearly centered on a heating/cooling problem and contractor advice about ducts and returns; windows are mentioned only as background and not as something the author is trying to replace, repair, or compare.
Extracted Signals
- windows mentioned in passing
“new double pane windows”
- focus on non-window home repair
“Contractor says it’s a ductwork problem and the ducts are old.”
- focus on airflow/returns
“He’s recommending we replace all the ducts and put small returns in every bedroom for better air circulation.”
Model: gpt-5.4-mini · Prompt: v3 · 8/8/2026, 5:02:35 PM