HVAC - is this a good deal? (air conditioning, heater, installation)

[jencam]

Another q: I cleaned the coils as well as I could, and the drain water ran clean. Does that mean I did in fact clean them well and there is no point in the pros cleaning them?

Also there is rust in the pan, which is part of the reason I am leaning toward new unit but some say that means that the pan just needs cleaning.

[btuhack]

Where do you live?

[jencam]

Originally Posted by btuhack

where do you live?

dfw tx

[btuhack]

Oversizing the coil will give you more ability to wring out a little more humidity, which you folks in texas need.

The VSM is more efficient. There's an ROI if you're using the blower for extended periods for say constant filtration or to reduce stratification. If the plan is to use the blower only on a demand for cooling or heating, an ordinary multispeed more is the way to go. Lower upfront cost, less finicky, less expensive to replace down the road, and probably less down time if and when it does fail.

DFW has a winter design temperature below 30 so I'd imagine that you're using back up electrical strip heaters in your current A/H and any new A/H will need that option as well. 1,500 can't include that.

I can't remember the name of his outfit, but Mark Beiser is in your area and you'd be a lucky man if he had any interest in your project. I don't impress easily but he has an amazing amount of knowledge stuffed between his ears. If low price is your chief concern, please don't waste his time...if you can find him.

[jencam]

I know nothing of these electric strip heaters. I learn something new with each post someone makes to me!

[d4g4m]

I'm not 100% certain but I think every heat pump air handler comes with heat strips as standard equipped. On a heat pump thermostat there is heat, cool, aux. aux is to use heat strips only, no outdoor compressor on. Using heat and temp below 35ish, strips should kick on if compressor/thermostat is falling behind.

[btuhack]

Negative on the heaters being factory installed D4G4M. The heater is purchased separately, a factory blank off plate is removed from the A/H interior, the heater is screwed in place, and wired to a convenient molex plug or terminal strip. The strip heaters are sold in a variety of kw ratings.

As you state, if jencam sets his stats for Em./aux heat and gets heat, he has strip heaters in his A/H.

[estaburnett]

hey dear it's a good idea

[jencam]

Originally Posted by btuhack

Negative on the heaters being factory installed D4G4M. The heater is purchased separately, a factory blank off plate is removed from the A/H interior, the heater is screwed in place, and wired to a convenient molex plug or terminal strip. The strip heaters are sold in a variety of kw ratings.

As you state, if jencam sets his stats for Em./aux heat and gets heat, he has strip heaters in his A/H.

Yup! another company came out and said I have strip heaters. And that there was no need for a heat pump unless my winter bills are high.

I am unsure if those get replaced along with new evap unit.

They said this other company should not be putting in a two ton. That condos and apartments, there is a calculation set for how many sq feet, windows, vents and so forth and that for mine that = 1.5 ton.

If that is the case, where do they get that information?

I am really in over my head. Trying to decide who is telling me the right thing and learning about all these variables.

I tend to think this company is correct - the two ton downstairs is not cooling as well as their old unit (the original like I have now)

They said two ton is cooling but not getting all the moisture, so it doesn't FEEL as cool, and kicks on and off too much trying to process.

Makes sense to me, but that doesn't mean anything. The other company telling me why a two ton was good made sense too!

I guess they are both good talkers :-)

I don't have an estimate from them - misunderstanding. They gave quote for full system and I can't afford to replace the compressor. It's not the original. I just need indoor to 'match' it.

They did not do a better job than the other people explaining why I can't just coil clean like I did before and keep trucking with my old unit, although I do see how rust in the pan is a problem.

And to the peeps that said NO WAY was the other company's quote for a variable speed, you were right of course.

This company said NO WAY also. That is something fancy and very expensive. They said they really just have a dipswitch with low, medium, high.

So wth? I wonder why original company calls that a variable speed. And if this new place is right, how on earth can they not know correct tonage for these units? They work on and replace them all the time.

*confused in TX*

3900 for full system. so one guy guessed it would be 2500-3000 for inside but it's the other guy that does that part and he had left by the time I realized the quote was for the wrong thing.

[JBtwinz]

We just replaced our 14 year old year old unit 2.5 ton 13 seer (inside and out) It came in just under 4k. I did a tremendous amount of research.

Best advice I can give is do the research or find a contractor you can trust.

Supposedly in some parts of the warmer climates in the US 13 seer will not be sold after January 2015 by government mandate.

If you have a older unit I would opt for full replacement as the new refrigerant puron.

You can find ton calculators on the internet where they ask you questions like square footage and amount of windows.

Good luck, I found it much easier researching what car to buy than replacing my AC. No matter how much research I did on branding it still seemed like 50/50 on reviews.

As crazy as this seems our new AC seems to blow a dryer cool, (less moisture feel). I have asked a few people and they have said the same thing. Maybe the new type of refrigerant I don't know.