As with JM's system, the evaporator coil, fan and air distribution box may be in the attic but it is very unlikely you would ever find a compressor unit in the attic. It would make too much noise and it would be much too heavy. Look around at other houses in the area from the same builder. You should see outside compressors.
A-coils/evaporators are often mounted in the attic above the garage with trap door access for servicing. Also in the event of a leak or blocked drain line, the house interior does not get damaged.
Proper drainage is definitely required for an attic mounted A-Coil. There will usually be a small plastic/rubber line which goes to an outside wall and down for bleeding accumulated water.
Right, I did not mean to suggest the compressors would be located in the attic. There are two compressors located on the ground outside. So at first it seemed odd to run the coolant lines up 2.5 levels but after thinking about the cost savings in duct work and forced air efficiency it makes sense.
The unit has a deck over the rafters and a drip pan. When I read about the home builder complaints in other states there were problems at times with eliminating the water collected. One remedy was dumping it into 2nd floor toilet. This was all rather strange to me. For example in Chicago most homes have aluminum siding, I have never seen it here in Colorado. I was talking to the guys digging the hole and reconditioning the soil per the lab report and they were just 2 more people telling me the homes are really well built which I can see as I walk thru the homes at various stage.
BTW - The economy is doing fine here locally. I wanted to string the sales office along over a torterous winter, however they finished the lake community after taking over from the original builder. In 60 days they had sold about 12 of the 17 lots. I was onsite talking with a home owner who gushed about how quiet the neighborhood was when the sales guy walked up. After chatting a while he let it be known that the only other open-space facing lot was no longer available and sold last week. He then said some Indian IT guy was looking to buy the last one or the big lot on the corner by the park. Eeek. I put my cash down and punched my ticket. I went over to sales lot located in another community with golf course backing units and had to basically stand in line to give him check #2 now that my design center choices are complete Sales guy was 'closing' on another home with a couple. I asked to see the fully built unit I had walked through but that owner walked through the door and also wanted the key, he was moving in the next week.
Back at the ranch I hired some Spanish speaking guys to put stone on the front of my existing house after I stripped off the wood siding. I did this because I have no curb appeal. The tiny ranch was always butt ugly but has hardwood kitchen bay window sliding glass door to huge 2nd story deck I built, walkout basement to sunny southern exposure, luxury bath in basement and redesigned back yard with flagstone fence to fence under deck with steps around side to front. In other words I need curb appeal in order to get some guys wife to walk through the front door and see that it gets better in kitchen and out back.
As I chatted with the English speaking crew lead he said they do have slow weeks but he has been busy all year and has no intention of looking for work outside his field. The guys digging the hole for the basement said they have 15 more to do next week.
