Samsung RF4287HARS $1800 JD Powers 5 years running best FD Fridge. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+28.0+Cu.+Ft.+French+Door+Refrigerator+-+Stainless-Steel/9790988.p?id=1218175547555&skuId=9790988&cmp=RMX&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9790988 Bosch Vision 500 series dlx wfvc6450uc $612.96 with onboard heater which,unlike LG,engages in all cycles. http://www.kitchentradition.com/_CGI/MODEL?KEY=BOSCH:WFVC6450UC&gdftrk=gdfV2934_a_7c137_a_7c4876_a_7cBOSCH_a3a_WFVC6450UC Bosch Vision 500 Series DLX WTVC6530UC electry dryer $848 With possible exception of Miele most water/electric efficient front loaders sold in USA. http://www.rainbowappliance.com/WTVC6530UC.html?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=673&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=57545643363533305543 SHARP Insight 24" Microwave Drawer Stainless KB6024MS $415 Manufacture refurbished comes with 1 month warranty with option for one year warranty.I have one so do several people on this board. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHARP-Insight-24-Microwave-Drawer-Stainless-KB6024MS-/190569126778?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0amp;hash=item2c5ece1b7a Miele Futura Dimension Series G5505SC $1749 Least expensive SS with built-in water softer. For extra $100 you can get one with an end of cycle auto-open door which helps drying. Electrolux ICON Designer E30EW85GSS $3399 BlueStar RGTNB Series RGTNB366BV1 ~$3200 Call or visit local BS dealer for exact price. Prestige Power Pack UIB401200 $1634 40" insert with 1200 cfm blower. Best in class. http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/UIB401200.html Total $13,657.96

There are two balance points, temperature and economic. A lot of these calculations depend first on an accurate Man J calculation which is rare and the software necessary to produce each of these reports. Of course you must have accurate rates and efficiency. Most dealers don't know how to do this or have the software and time to produce these calculations. But it is available. Frankly I think good dealers should be able to provide this at a reasonable cost with the amount deducted from the cost of an installed system. All these manufacterer residential experts on staff at the respective distributors can do these reports. This is both a knowledge and time issue. Of course you and I know that the COP is reduced as the temp drops and these intersecting lines will vary from home to home. But you have to go on what you do know. I would never be concerned about the economic balance point when oil and propane are the backups. You just run the heat pump as low as it can go and/or comfort issues come into play. Nat gas though is where knowing the economic balance point could prove to be handy if you want to be operationally efficient as possible with fuel choice. Not my strong suit and I don't have the time to waste on this without being reimbursed. And that's always an issue in the HVAC business. Keep in mind most of the people who contribute to this forum do have an outside life. Sometimes these posters forget that. Everyone wanting your knowledge for nothing. It is generally accepted that COP begins to really take a hit around freezing. Of course lower for the GreenSpeeds and higher for low end junk that unfortunately there is plenty of supply. "The COP that you used in your fuel cost comparison - 2.47 - would suggest an outside temp in the 40s or 50s I would have thought. A COP around 30 degrees anbient temp would seemingly be down in the 1-1.25 range for many regular HPs." As I said I used 2.75 COP in this thread which may be conservative but I believe is fair. And you are correct that this COP is based on mid 40s outside temp. But as I have said previously, you must go on what you know. And I always preface these results to be used as a guide only. I would not agree with you that at freezing COP would be in the range of 1-1.25 for a high quality HP system. TD

need help deciding, very confused in quotes with 2 different companies, I live in southwest Pa, currently have 30 yr old Ge forced air electric. 2 story colonial and full basement. The 2 story is @ 1,000sq ft per floor. Company 1 gives 3 quotes carrier 15 seer 3 ton hp #25hbc536a003 and fan coil fv4cnf002 heat strip 20 k non prog thermostat $7320 2nd quote, same as 1st but change fan coil to fb4cnp036 $7,000 3rd quote carrier 13 seer 3t 25hcd336a003 $6490 2nd company quotes carrier 13 seer and coil $5915 no change in current old thermostat but going to a 3.5 ton next proposal, 16 infinity two state hp infinity fan coil and infinity thermostat $10,895-1,000 cool cash rebate=$9895 and upped it to a 4ton unit and this includes 10yr parts and labor, the first company is charging $850 for that. Both said existing duct was ok.

We have both the GW11 Washer (good choice and ok) and my wife insisted she wanted a new dryer to go with it (the old dryer did need a new timer but ok). I was no keen on the DGGX1 dryer due to its complicated machinations of side winder drum and door closer setup. What killed the original washer was lint build up as my wife does some fabric work and gets a load of that at the time and the rep said the GW11 was designed to avoid that, it has 100% good with that, never another lint problem. We had it 10 years and it started to make god awful squeals. After a lot of trouble shooting (there is a diagnostics for that) the pump was bad. Replacing the pump is a bit of a pain as you have to lay it on its side but otherwise easy as you release a tap and it pops out. Yes I tested the old pump and it was awful (I do a lot of mechanic building work so that is not new) One thing that fooled me was not reading carefully that the washer does a recycle water rinse soap thing and the pump would act up during that, so knowing the sequence and how it works points to the pump despite most washers using just fill water. However, in the course of making sure all was clean and ok I shined a light up the drain tube and saw a flapper. I am thinking its the diverter valve and in the wrong position but its not quite where the valve would be and its bright shiny silver, hmm, the size of a dime>? Yes a dime and plug of stuff. so you darned well better look or you can replace the pump and still have an issue. I pulled the other hose and made sure it was clean too. AND YES A SMALL OBJECGT CAN SOMEHOW GET INTO THERE SO DON'T BELIVE THE ONE POST, AT LEAST LOOK!!!!!!! Last they want you to splice in a fuse to the main board to protect it, they missed that. Its a dicey operation as the wires on the machine are tiny and the fuse wire is huge. Poor kit. I cut it in where there was a lot of room to res-plice if the splice went bad, they say right by the plug, if you do and you fray the wires you have no wire left to work with. Top loader is No Longer Made I believe, so only repair for old ones. As for the DGGX top loader, it worked ok until it got a squeeek/squak. Wisdom was the right side bearing, got it and nada, it was fine (typically we do 3 loads a week so we are not heavy users). What I found was the tensioner was making noise, I found if I moved it to one side it quit, so I wired it over a bit and ok for some time. 11 years into it and suddenly it goes nuts, squeeling, squalling and impossible. So I did the check of both ends, cleaned the right bearing, made sure the stub shaft was ok, cleaned the other end up and it worked ok for a week. the first screen assembly on the left end comes out easy as its a obvious Phillips screw and pops off. The assembly that holds the lint filter is a bugger as the screw is in the bottom and its a combo hex and Phillips type screw and its in there hard. Better off if you can get a thin wall socket in there (I got it out with Phillips but it better be a GOOD number two and you better be strong. Hex size is 7mm and not sure even a slim line socked will go in the hole. If not it might be worth drilling it larger if the screw will not move with a number 2 Phillips. the lint screen also had huge holes torn in it and no idea how or why, but that's 70 some bucks too. I think this needs to be checked about once every 4 years. then worse than even. Time to disassemble and look at that tensioner. Its fairly easy but you do need to know the steps and screw locations. This is a good guide. http://www.frontloadbearings.com/fisher-paykel-degx1-dggx1-dryer/#.VVa0DGzTmwV More or less you lift the lid, pull it straight up and it comes off. Remove the rubber plug left and right front and two screws come out (Phillips 2) and you lift the top and lay it back. At that point you need to unplug the connector that connects the display to the controller as the whole assembly will roll forward soon. then two screws on the front (smaller ones), spread the side and the front cover comes up a bit and comes off (ground connection also that needs to be put back. Once done then the whole drum rolls out and you can get to the tensioner (screwdriver to pry it off as there is an opening and pry against a bar. Our had one that was totally trashed with huge cleaned and uneven wear. Lubed and back together until parts get here. It was worth taking the front cover off as huge amounts of lint in the bottom including some that was blocking gas flow tube and covering up the intake about 25%. Not exactly maint free but reasonably done if you are handy. so line screen every 4 years inspect and clean it up at the same time and should be good. I don't know about the pulleys, why one is bad and one good when they both tension is mystery, kit comes with two and you may wind up if you have it long enough putting the second one on in the same place if it has more thrust or whatever took it out and it starting making noise 6-8 years in so it went quick for pretty light use.