Replacing AC Unit (furnace, Lowes, AC, heat)

[2995]

Replacing my 3 ton outside unit that covers my downstairs (1200 sq ft) with a 14.5 SEER 3 ton, not replacing furnace or ductwork, but all else, and getting 10 years on parts 1 year on labor....$4000 is lowest quote...since I have not feel for this, can I please get some forum advice on how to proceed?

[harry chickpea]

That sounds ballpark for a basic heatpump with heatstrips. Verify brand, make sure that installation is done with an absolute minimum of joints in the refrigerant lines and that they are sheathed near any concrete. When the vacuum is pulled, make sure that it is pulled for as long a time as possible to remove everything possible from the system before charging. If the tech wants to fill after only a short time, delay him with food/football/cash/whatever for a while.

[TechGromit]

Depending on the brand, the compressor is roughly $1,000 to $1,500, so your looking at $2,500 in labor. Not the best price, but not the worse either, especially since you do not have to replace the Air Handler. If you wait you may be looking at a considerably higher bill, they are phasing out the R-22 systems, in the future you will only be able to get R-410a. If you need a R-401a system, everything has to be replaced, the air compressor, air handler and all the lines. If you don't think it's a good price get quotes from two other contractors to see if there is much of a difference in pricing.

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

That sounds ballpark for a basic heatpump with heatstrips.

Where do you get heat pump from, thread title says AC. Are you assuming it's a heat pump because the original poster calls the Air Handler a furnace?

[harry chickpea]

Yep, that and price. Besides, even if not used for heat midwinter, there are a lot of spring and fall days where using a heat pump can save money. The cost differential between AC and heat pump can be made back in the first year or two.

[btuhack]

4K is a fair price for a new condensing unit and "all else"...indoor coil, stat, and lineset. I say go for it. Replacing the C/U is the easy part, lots of extra labor and material costs when you add the indoor coil and lineset.

Harry is sorta right about the vacuum...it needs to be sufficient. A tech that uses a micron gauge will know exactly when the system has been adequately evacuated, but the tech that uses his watch will not. If you're not pulling a good vacuum for some reason (leak), a micron gauge will tell you in short order that something needs to be resolved before going forward. If all the components are new, it won't take long to evacuate.