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I have an HVAC system that dates to 1993.
The gas furnace part is clearly in bad shape, was when I bought the house, and I knew I'd need to replace eventually.
I want to get this thing fixed now, before the cold comes (I'm in Texas).
I had a free inspection by an HVAC person who only tried to push total system replacement. After seasonal discounts, this comes to between 5-6K.
I don't want to pay that much if I don't have to and the outside unit seems to be OK.
Can I just replace the gas furnace part, or will this just cause compatibility or other problems?
You can change just the gas furnace part as long as the outside dimensions are close to what you have now. The A/C coils probably set on top. Not an easy job, but can be done.
When I was in Texas I chose to do a full system replacement of a system that was 17 years old but still running well (did not want to replace the AC in the heat of July). The new system worked better and was much cheaper to run.
Your system is going on 15 years, I'd at least consider a full replacement.
If you were to sell the home, or if you were to switch homeowner's insurance, it could come up in the inspection (more and more insurance companies are requiring inspections now).
Insurance companies want to see systems that have at least 5 years of life left in them and nothing over 20 years old, so you're getting to that point.
At least you're heading into the cooler months now, so you have some time to think about it.
Location: Lots of sun and palm trees with occasional hurricane :)
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I was just going to post a thread about central A/C but maybe this one is good enough.
I am in Miami, central A/C. My unit is 3.5 tons- I THINK and it's VERY old, but I don't know exactly how old. I don't know what SEER it is either. My electric bills are very high.
OK so now...I'll try to look into those details a little better when I get home today.
In the meantime though, I've had a couple of headaches with current system and now, both inside and outside units are running non-stop and it doesn't seem like the programmable thermostat, or the AC, is working according to settings. It's blowing air inside but it's warmish and you can feel the humidity inside the house.
IF I have to replace the unit, does anyone have any specific brand recommendations?
Trane vs Rheem vs Carrier vs anything else? Potential costs involved? What should I look for? etc. Any advice?
I would seriously consider a whole system replacement. Here is why:
EPA has changed the "rules" for energy efficent units as of last year. New A/C units have to be a minimum of SEER 13 - I would be that, due to the age of your unit, you have a SEER 10 (or lower) - in which case, when you DO have a problem with it, there may not be parts to fix it (Mfgs can no longer make replacement parts for your unit) -
Your HVAC guy is probably telling you that while he can fix your heater (as a stand alone) that if you have problems with the AC, you may have a higher costs then because of the potential to having to replace the entire system - why do the heater twice?
also now freon is going to be replaced in the new units, which might add later to the
cost of a new unit now which has freon. Many now also give you a 10 year waranty.
You should also get 3 quotes, and have it in writing, then check the better business bureau. With the newer systems also you will see savings on the utility bill.
Location: Lots of sun and palm trees with occasional hurricane :)
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The AC guy was at my house this afternoon. I had a burned out "booster" (?) in the compressor. The system is from 1989! and it's a SEER 10, 3.5 tons.
He can replace the whole system (inside and out) reversible (AC/heat) with a Rheem 4 ton, 14 SEER for $3,000. He said it would mean about $25/mth savings in my electricity bill. He said Trane is better but my closet for the inside unit is not big enough for a Trane. 10 yr warranty.
I'm just wondering if the Rheem is a good buy and if the quote he's giving me is a good one, includes labor and everything. He'll check all the ducts too to make sure all is connected properly and in good shape.
I called another place and they said $3600 more or less.
they need to come out, and do somekind of check. carrier is also good. go to the better
business and check also. You also need it in writing. Where I am someone just got a
trane 13 seer, and the price was over 7000. Oh, and in this place a builder did use rheem. ask about the warranty if you go that way. I also would get another quote with
the person coming out to your house b4 I would just take their word. go to the trane web site they might have a faq site their, then also go to the rheem site also.
The AC guy was at my house this afternoon. I had a burned out "booster" (?) in the compressor. The system is from 1989! and it's a SEER 10, 3.5 tons.
He can replace the whole system (inside and out) reversible (AC/heat) with a Rheem 4 ton, 14 SEER for $3,000. He said it would mean about $25/mth savings in my electricity bill. He said Trane is better but my closet for the inside unit is not big enough for a Trane. 10 yr warranty.
I'm just wondering if the Rheem is a good buy and if the quote he's giving me is a good one, includes labor and everything. He'll check all the ducts too to make sure all is connected properly and in good shape.
I called another place and they said $3600 more or less.
If it's working okay, you might want to hold off for a bit (since it's getting cooler outside anyway).
As far as replacement parts, yes, eventually it may be harder to find parts, but I have a house (rental) where the system is even a bit older than yours and I was able to have a motor replaced about a year ago. Instead of the motor being in stock, I had to wait a couple of days for it to be special-ordered, no big deal. It ended up being $400 instead of $4000+.
Here's what my AC guy told me: My older system is built better than any of the new ones, so he recommended running it into the ground. He told me the copper (coils?) in the old ones are much thicker, so that's part of why the old systems live longer. Also, he told me that my old system probably cost me an additional $20 per year in inefficiency, so it's not a good argument for me to replace it for reasons of higher efficiency. I'm sure he would have been happy to sell me a new system, but he's also a very honest guy, so I'm going with his advice for now.
****Something to think about: Yes, the new code is for 13 or 14 SEER. These higher SEER machines are much bigger, physically, than the old ones (might be thicker insulation?). You may not be able to fit any of the new systems in the old one's place and rerouting it will add to that $3000 estimate, I'm sure .
$3000 just sounds a little too low, I'd definitely get at least one more estimate. Also, the $25/mo savings sounds like it might be too optimistic .
As for brands, Trane is supposed to be good, that would be on my short list. I'll be checking Consumer Reports when I get closer to having to make a decision.
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