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This is absolutely an installation problem, not a brand issue. Any idiot can install a "more powerful" unit in your home- cooling a house off "twice as fast" means that "more powerful" unit is probably way too large.
That isn't a good thing.
A/c units are sized by their cooling capacity - a "3 ton" goodman is just as "powerful" as a 3 ton carrier. Replacing a 3 ton unit with say, a 5 ton unit might cool your house off faster, but your energy costs will rise & the house will never have an even temperature throughout. You'll also have more humidity & a better chance of growing some mold.
BUT...
As a "user" of both Goodman & Carrier...
Guess what???
My energy bill is half what it was
(as I have always bragged about here in other threads).
Money speaks much to me as experiences does.
No harm done... personal comparison as in IMHO... I will never do Goodman just because I have used & compared both.
As for mold, my BIL owns a remediation company... and every house has a certain percentage of mold exposure.
Should I ever have any problems... I am very covered TYVM.
Cannot check for sure... since right now I am out of the country... my ducts are metal & pretty damn solid too.
The last HO did put a lot of money into this HVAC system.
And nothing in my house is "builder's grade" lets put it that way.
I'm an HVAC tech and I can tell you that the brand of the equipment is not as important as the quality of the work. Sub-par work can kill any system, seriously. Great installation and service can make lower-priced equipment run like a charm.
Go with the HVAC business that you have reason to trust, more than anything.
Hi all ! Last week I got 4 estimates for central air conditioning. All pushing different brands. I am on a budget and am of course looking at lower end units. My house is 1200 sq ft and still, AC will run $3000+ One guy said that for the most part all AC parts are manufactured in the same place, and just have different shells, he sold all brands, recommended Goodman. He had overall best price. Other brands people gave me prices on were- ( starting from lowest to highest) Goodman, Payne, Bryant, Carrier. I want something reliable at the lowest price possible. I am getting the new coolant and looking at 13seer. I would appreciate any and all input on this. I live in colorado. Thanks!
I am using Goodman Air Conditioner since 2001, it is very comfortable for my family.
Carrier here too... wayyyy better and more powerful that that last unit (Goodman) we have in that "other" place that has nothing but "builder's grade".
Lenox is another great unit.
Oh... definitely google for reviews....
I googled & also found goodman to be quite "problematic" per other reviews.
Plus, this Carrier unit (much older that that goodman) cool the house waaaay much faster than that newer "goodman" (present house also 2X bigger)... so go figure.
And yes... you can also say maybe my present house is much better "insulated" & not to blame the "unit".... just to say that Goodman is in a new build home.... thus the older carrier in this "older home" 1/2 a century older is also a "better build". Makes one wonder... hmmm.
I do HVAC & Energy engineering for a living. Granted I do commercial and Industrial but the same principals apply.
I love Carrier and Bryant units for residential. However, with the exception of the effect of different controls, if sized and installed properly, a 2-ton Goodman (even though I am not a Goodman fan) will cool a house just as 'quickly' as a 2-ton Carrier, or Trane etc. They are equal in "power" because it is measured in tons which is a specific amount of BTU/hr.
The reason people go with "better" brands is energy efficiency (operating cost to produce the same cooling/heating), noise (vibration and fan noise), reliability (frequency of maintenance and availability of parts and service when needed), controls, etc. All valid reasons but they shouldn't really "cool" the house much faster because of these things.
Most residential HVAC companies do not do the proper load calculations and the majority of units are not sized properly (and usually oversized). You absolutely cannot compare two completely different houses using two completely different units which may or may not have even been the same rated tonnage to say which is "more powerful". It means nothing.
Getting a good brand is important for reliability, but do you know what is even MORE important for actual operation and comfort? Have a proper Manual J calculation done at a minimum and couple that with a good ductwork layout and proper diffuser selection and layout. Also have more than one central return. Additionally, use class-A sealed sheet-metal ductwork or pick a contractor who has very strict adherence to the SMACNA standards for flexible ductwork if metal ducting is not in your budget. And last but not least (and actually nearly the most important), if you are building a new house, *get the ductwork inside the insulated envelope of your house and not in your attic!*. Ductwork in the attic is >20% energy waste before the air even gets to your occupied house
Last edited by Sunbather; 05-21-2014 at 06:24 AM..
Anyone pushing a brand that is better or has any claims that ones is better stay away from.
Look for the folks that can make any machine work
they all pass the same standards and some better than others....I think you'll find the one everyone seems to dislike the most in here as the one having the best warranty and one of the better performances from ARI.
make sure the companies include labor warranties along with service agreement where if anything goes wrong it will be covered without any out of pocket expenses....make sure you say that specifically.
The best HVAC tech can install the so called "worst" equipment and make it perform well......the worst hack can install the so called "best" equipment and make it fail.
If you truly don't want to worry about if the systems is designed correctly and will perform correctly you need to find a contractor that goes by ACCA standards and does not jip you on a professional install....after all... all of the HVAC co's I know charge over $100/hr.....why not get one that actually knows the physics of it and follows the standards.
You want to know what the ironic part is? When looking at spec sheets comparing Trane and Goodman the Goodman units are consistently 800 - 1000 btu higher given all the same conditions. What that means is that Goodmans are more efficient and transferring heat than the Trane units are. The reasons vary but the main reason is the thickness of the materials that are used in the Trane units compared to the Goodmans. Trane uses thicker materials and has a coil that tries to make up the difference that is a spun-fin coil compared to the traditional type of condenser coil.
Just some useless/useful Jepordy type of information.
I recommend "buying" a reputable and established AC local company. Check the BBB and Angie's List for recs, and for complaints. If the company is graded and reviewed well, then think about brands. The AC as installed is only as good as the installers and servicemen who install and maintain it.
We used an established company when we had our unit installed. We were pretty much problem free. We never had trouble getting service.
Check the BBB and Angie's List for recs, and for complaints. If the company is graded and reviewed well, then think about brands. The AC as installed is only as good as the installers and servicemen who install and maintain it.
BBB ratings are bought and paid for everyday. That is really no "REAL" sign of anything. ABC news did a BBB investigation years ago...
I can't speak for Angie's List, except that the one searching for companies has to pay for the referrals.
Pros and cons to anything folks.
Check the company for proper licensing, hire them for consultation and ask questions. Follow your gut. You are buying a company... not a brand. All brands break down sooner or later. If the company you chose can't fix it then what?
Brand name means nothing with out proper design. If your system design, sizing etc. is flawed one way or the other there is no brand that will make up the difference. When someone states I had brand xyz years ago and then put in brand abc and it works much better it's most likely that brand abc is more efficient than the other brand and there were no original design flaws. Equipment models and SEER ratings are always changing over time.
This is only a small facet of what makes this so difficult. You can't quantify the decision on brand, price or anything other than asking questions and only until ALL those questions are fully answered should you proceed. But many times price or brand names sway people into making poor decisions.
I see poor choices made at least a half a dozen times a year. Units only a few years old or less with critical problems.
We got rid of our Carrier and had a more efficient Trane installed. Our electric bill was cut in half plus in our 9 years with the Trane we've never had any problems with it.
Upon our recommendation a neighbor bought into a Trane system 2 years ago and can't thank us enough.
We got rid of our Carrier and had a more efficient Trane installed. Our electric bill was cut in half plus in our 9 years with the Trane we've never had any problems with it.
Upon our recommendation a neighbor bought into a Trane system 2 years ago and can't thank us enough.
A lot has changed with Trane since you purchased one.
This doesn't mean Trane is a bad system, just in my personal opinion not as good as they once were.
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