Who to contact on advising replacement of HVAC unit? (Raleigh: credit, house)

[Raleigh-Swifty]

The air conditioning unit in the upstairs of our house is no longer working and ARS claims there are multiple leaks in the coil resulting in all of the coolant leaking out. It will need to be fixed or replaced.

The unit is 8 years old and the heater is still working fine for this winter so I have until next Spring to do the research and get it fixed or replaced. With the tax credits that are available up through the end of 2010 and considering the age of the unit I am thinking it will be best to replace the whole thing. I have also read some about heat pumps am curious if this is an economical solution.

Does anyone have any good advice for me on where to start with this project and who to contact? I need to understand what my options are and the best way to move forward without being preyed upon by contractors looking to sell the most expensive solution.

Are there independent consultants available who can assess the situation and outline the available options?

[eloyfan]

ARS might as well have stuck a gun in our faces. Overpaid for OJT.

Morrisville HVAC replaced our fan motor a couple of months ago and we are pleased with the whole experience. You will get more recommendations, keep checking in!

[Starglow]

Originally Posted by Raleigh-Swifty

The unit is 8 years old

Did ARS check to see if the coil was still under warranty form the manufacturer? If it is, you would still have to pay for the labor and freon to install the replacement coil, but that would be cheaper than replacing the entire system.

[bljonesrr]

Griffin Heating and Air and Casey Mechanical are two I have worked with and could recommend. I would get quotes from each.