I guess we're going for the new HVAC system...

[Polkwright]

Our fall inspection has revealed some problems with the HVAC system. Our service guy (we've used for 10 years) says just run it until it dies, then do partial fixes. He always comes up with cheap fixes.

But from what he's telling me, I figure the likely repairs coming up in the next two years would be a big chunk of a new system. Plus you know it will fail in August when it's 107°. It's 20 years old. Enough. You did your job Ruud.

Then there's the mandated changeover to new environmentally friendly refrigerants. R410-A is going away. The new systems come 01/01/2025 will be more expensive. He's not excited about them. We don't plan on being here forever but it will be easier to sell with a newer system than a by-then-25+ year old patched together AC. We'd end up giving them a new system anyway as part of the sale.

There's not too many R410-A systems left but he found one for us. They are running down the inventory.

Pricey. Eh, whatcha gonna do? We knew it when we bought the place a year ago and it helped us negotiate the price so we got some of it then.

 

[skfullgun]

I’m facing the same situation - original unit from when the house was built in ‘99.

What SEER rating is on the unit you are considering? May I ask a ballpark price, since I’m probably facing the same situation within the next year?

Good luck with the purchase!

 

[Polkwright]

I'm not sure of the SEER. My AC guy says that's a meaningless bunch of crap anyway as there are so many variables that affect efficiency. But I'll found out.

We have a two story 1200sq ft town house. So there's a lot of attic work and it's tight up there. We're getting a 3 ton unit and it's $9,000. But for the newer systems mandated for next year you should probably add 20%, or so I'm told.

I asked him what the best brand was and he said compared to 20 years ago they are all crap, and all the same Chinese crap. AC units have been commoditized and consolidated like appliances, where Whirlpool makes everything.

 

[oldag]

I have read that the price for HVAC units will go up significantly with the new regulations.

The cost of a 16 SEER to get the tax credit (vs. a 14.3 SEER) was not a good economic deal when I looked at it. Ten years to reach breakeven.

Besides a 14.3 SEER cut my electrical consumption in half. Good enough for me.

 

[mongoose]

Just had a 5 ton Carrier package intit installed. 14 SEER. Replaced a 30 year old commercial Carrier package unit. Lowered electrical consumption. $ 6,800.00

 

[KTXdm9]

Had the same issue a while back. Opted to replace as no ac in the Texas summer is awful. Been there, done that.

 

[G O B]

Always get a unit one size larger. This will be more efficient and last a lot longer. Same for furnace.

 

[mongoose]

Be careful over sizing a unit. That can bring on it's own set of problems ( mainly high humidity.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Get estimates these guys are sweet talkers and bullshitters on a daily basis. Don't believe everything they tell ya they are like car salesman.

 

[Huntsman52]

Check out Goodman brand. Houston made. Not fully sure on parts but the compressor on my unit was a Copeland. I saw no difference in performance when replaced my name brand Heat Pump system years ago. Price is also alot more reasonable than the name brands. They also sell to the general public unlike name brand systems.

 

[DustyDuds]

If you are particular about certain brands here is a list of who owns what:


Carrier Corporation
owns Carrier, Bryant, Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Heil, Payne, and Tempstar.

Trane Technologies
owns American Standard, Trane , Oxbox, and RunTru.

York
owns York, Coleman, and Luxaire.

Rheem Manufacturing
owns Rheem and Ruud.

Daikin
owns Goodman, Amana, and Daikin.

Nortek Global owns Maytag.

Lennox
makes its namesake brand Lennox.

Electrolux owns Frigidaire

 

[lonestardiver]

A few years back my older trane unit died. The compressor froze up so it was a requirement to change it out. I could have gotten an older (new old stock) R22 compressor/condensor unit for about the same price as a newer R410 unit installed. The R22 unit would only have a 1 year warranty whereas the new unit would have a 10 year warranty. Adding in the cost of R22 Freon drove the price up as well. The new unit included a new evaporator coil and I was able to go from a 3.5 ton unit to a 4 ton unit and a slightly higher seer rating.

It was not a huge difference in performance, but the cost of R22 is insane these days.

 

[ILexpatriot]

Not specific to the OP really.. But to throw in my 2 cents. If/when we build down here, I believe that it will be all mini split with no traditional forces air. But it will be small, since we're getting older and don't need a big house.
But I do believe that with the hurricane outages, and the misery of loosing a/c in the summer..
Even in a larger house I'd have at least a small mini split in my bedroom. If not a multi head unit.
It would make great fill in heat and cooling on the edge seasons.
It's at least a cool place to sleep if the a/c fails.
They're low draw, and can be run off of even small generators. Our 9000 btu unit runs fine on a Honda Eu2000.
The new ones make heat even when it's COLD outside.
Imagine how nice some efficient heat would have been during the great freeze? Or a cool spot after Beryl?

 

[Whistler]

You forgot Midea Group, the Chinese company that OEMs many brands, among them Eureka®, Toshiba, GE, Whirlpool, etc.
My mini splits are "Midea / Carrier"

 

[ILexpatriot]

You forgot Midea Group, the Chinese company that OEMs many brands, among them Eureka®, Toshiba, GE, Whirlpool, etc.
My mini splits are "Midea / Carrier"

I bought Mitsubishi. I wanted "the best", and was convinced that was it. One year in, I have no complaints past the lack of some control features. Is it "the best", idk, but it's been flawless in a difficult and less than typical installation. And honestly, was extremely competitively priced with the "contractor discount" I had back home.

 

[leVieux]

Check out Goodman brand. Houston made. Not fully sure on parts but the compressor on my unit was a Copeland. I saw no difference in performance when replaced my name brand Heat Pump system years ago. Price is also alot more reasonable than the name brands. They also sell to the general public unlike name brand systems.

<>

I looked at their website, going over from H-town via
Beaumont, etc. No dealers outside of Houston according to their own website’s “dealer-locator” ?

<>

 

[leVieux]

I bought Mitsubishi. I wanted "the best", and was convinced that was it. One year in, I have no complaints past the lack of some control features. Is it "the best", idk, but it's been flawless in a difficult and less than typical installation. And honestly, was extremely competitively priced with the "contractor discount" I had back home. View attachment 477211

Is that your “only’’ or primary unit for that motor home, or does it have other types of unit ?

 

[Polkwright]

Not specific to the OP really.. But to throw in my 2 cents. If/when we build down here, I believe that it will be all mini split with no traditional forces air. But it will be small, since we're getting older and don't need a big house.
But I do believe that with the hurricane outages, and the misery of loosing a/c in the summer..
Even in a larger house I'd have at least a small mini split in my bedroom. If not a multi head unit.
It would make great fill in heat and cooling on the edge seasons.
It's at least a cool place to sleep if the a/c fails.
They're low draw, and can be run off of even small generators. Our 9000 btu unit runs fine on a Honda Eu2000.
The new ones make heat even when it's COLD outside.
Imagine how nice some efficient heat would have been during the great freeze? Or a cool spot after Beryl?

That's an excellent plan. I'd do the same if I could. Because of the townhouse configuration it would be difficult. If the HOA even allowed it.

 

[leVieux]

That's an excellent plan. I'd do the same if I could. Because of the townhouse configuration it would be difficult. If the HOA even allowed it.

<>

One advantage of the “ductless” systems is that they give REAL zoned control. The last few homes we’ve built had central air which claimed “zone control” but it never worked.

With the ductless jobs, if needed, one can be turned completely off w/o affecting the others.

<>

 

[ILexpatriot]

Is that your “only’’ or primary unit for that motor home, or does it have other types of unit ?

The camper is 30a 120v inlet only. It has one roof top 15k but unit. But not enough power to run a second, even if I put it there..
This gave us extra capacity, redundancy, electric heat, and some quiet. I power it off the pedestal at campgrounds off the 20a 120v recpt, separately from the main cord.
Or I can switch it to internal power. And even run it off my battery bank and inverter when needed.
We generally set the rtu temp a few degrees above the minisplit. It only runs when the minisplit can't keep up, which is anything over 80-85 with an internal setting of 70-72.