A 12,000-square-foot log home situated in the Smoky Mountains near Asheville, N.C., may look striking, but it proved to be a heating and air conditioning nightmare. It seemed that the structure had ceiling heights up to 30 feet, but no space for ductwork. In addition, high humidity encouraged mold and mildew growth on the interior logs.

Guy Cox, owner of GLC Services Inc., was asked to heat and cool the structure. "My intention was to have the system run a lot to control the humidity and that would get the moisture out," said Cox. "I calculated that we'd need 8 to 9 tons. But I undersized it and used a 5-ton chiller, so it would run a lot to keep the humidity down." He used equipment supplied by Unico.

In addition to the chiller, Cox installed several 1.5-ton air handlers throughout the home. The handlers were placed above one of the bathrooms, behind knee wall ceilings, and in the basement mechanical room.