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Old 06-11-2012, 05:52 PM
 
913 posts, read 4,327,519 times
Reputation: 782

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OK, here is my findings so far:

Quietest HVAC: Lennox XC17 (17SEER) - 62 dB. XC16 is OK too, but Bryant has similar models.

Good Quality/Affordable brands:

Goodman is made in Houston, they are OK, but noisy.
Carrier, Trane, Ruud are historically expensive and not necessarily better.

SEER13 vs SEER16 - ROI (return on investment, how long it pays back) is around 10+ years. I could't justify this investment if you asked me.

The brand name does not matter much. The warranty matters most. 10 years parts (coils, compressor) would be ideal. Buy extra warranty if available, since A/C / HVAC units are darn expensive to repair/replace.

Share what you know.
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Old 06-11-2012, 07:53 PM
 
Location: League City
682 posts, read 1,931,854 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by behtypa View Post
The brand name does not matter much. The warranty matters most. 10 years parts (coils, compressor) would be ideal. Buy extra warranty if available, since A/C / HVAC units are darn expensive to repair/replace.

Share what you know.
I agree with part of that in that the brand name does not matter much. However, what is most important is the installation. You can get a cheap low end system installed by a installer who really cares and knows thier stuff that will run better and longer than a top of the line best system there is installed by installer who doesn't really care about the quality of the install as long as it works.

One example would be on a R410A system, if all they do is check pressures to determine if the system is charged correctly, you want to find someone else. The charge on a R410A system with a TXV cannot be determined on pressures alone. Need to know the subcool and superheat values to determine correct charge.
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Old 06-11-2012, 09:40 PM
 
913 posts, read 4,327,519 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonamd View Post
I agree with part of that in that the brand name does not matter much. However, what is most important is the installation. You can get a cheap low end system installed by a installer who really cares and knows thier stuff that will run better and longer than a top of the line best system there is installed by installer who doesn't really care about the quality of the install as long as it works.

One example would be on a R410A system, if all they do is check pressures to determine if the system is charged correctly, you want to find someone else. The charge on a R410A system with a TXV cannot be determined on pressures alone. Need to know the subcool and superheat values to determine correct charge.
Now it leaves the question, HOW to locate the installer that installs it right.
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Old 06-11-2012, 10:17 PM
 
1,534 posts, read 3,478,900 times
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An AC guy once told me my freon was leaking, etc and he filled it up, said it was a patch and he'll continue to refill it, but recommended a total new unit within 1-2 yrs, and said it will cut down my energy bill by half. Since my utility bills never been more than $190/mth in the hottest or coldest months (avg $70), I didn't see the point. However, I got someone else to look at the freon a year later and he said there was nothing leaking. He also said since it's a Trane, it will typically last me at least 15 yrs. He said those suckers are hardy. He seems to think brands matter. Of course, good installation and honesty are also very important, lol.

Last edited by houstonfan; 06-11-2012 at 10:28 PM..
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Old 06-12-2012, 08:24 AM
 
Location: League City
682 posts, read 1,931,854 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by behtypa View Post
Now it leaves the question, HOW to locate the installer that installs it right.
Unfortunately, that is the hard part. Knowing a little about what should be done so questions can be asked when getting quotes would definitely help.

A couple common issues to look for:

Even on a system replacement the installer should do a load calculation to make sure the correct size unit is being installed. If a larger unit is installed then all the duct work would probably need to replaced too in order to handle the higher airflow.
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:05 AM
 
833 posts, read 1,872,522 times
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Brand does matter, the better brands like Carrier and Trane do make better units with better quality parts. However paying more for them does it make it worth it? The biggest thing people forget is maintenance, it is critical to get a long life out of unit is having it serviced yearly and of course a proper installation. For an AC company I use Martin Mechanical TX out of Richmond, TX.
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Old 06-12-2012, 03:20 PM
 
Location: KATY, TX
243 posts, read 796,467 times
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the lesson to be learned here is you get what you pay for. i just had my attic unit replaced at a dang good price. i had a friend of mine who has been installing units for at least 7 years (since i've known him) replace mine.

i call him anytime something goes wrong. i don't try to jew him down any when he gives me his price. i know he's fair. i know he's good at what he does. i pay what he asks. i don't mind paying a guy what he is worth. i don't want him skipping out when he services my equipment. its about relationships. if all you care about is what the price is, you will continue to suffer. every man has a family that needs to eat. every man needs to profit at what he does.

when a company comes out and gives a bid, his profit margin is not just a mark up on material and labor. he has overhead, insurance, fuel, licenses (yes, more than 1), utilities, rent, etc. more often than not, you can find a fool on the street who will do it cheaper. but like i mentioned earler....you get what you pay for.
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Old 06-12-2012, 11:02 PM
 
193 posts, read 338,873 times
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Ah yes, capitalism at it's finest.

It would be nice if some HVAC guys offered r-22 alternatives, like r-407c.
Too much to ask for in TX on multitude of levels.
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Old 06-15-2012, 03:39 PM
 
913 posts, read 4,327,519 times
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Here is 2 good resources to select the A/C unit and contractor:

ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) - acca.org
FurnaceCompare.com
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Old 06-15-2012, 04:52 PM
 
Location: Energy Corridor
196 posts, read 417,560 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by behtypa View Post

Goodman is made in Houston, they are OK, but noisy.
Carrier, Trane, Ruud are historically expensive and not necessarily better.
I had a 2007 Goodman that was very noisy, reciprocating compressor.
I have a newer 2012 Goodman that is quite, copeland scroll compressor w/ insulation jacket.

There was a huge night/day noise level change between the two. The 2007 was a constant buzz. The new one has a slight clunky sound when starting up, but that's it. The new 2012 one also has a lifetime compressor warranty.
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