Nonsense about oil heat adversely affecting sale of my home in my area. As I have previously explained, I live in a relatively affluent subdivision of early 1970s residences in the MD suburbs of DC. The homes built in 1970-1972 all have gas heat. In 1973 a moratorium was created preventing any new gas hookups and thus the second half of the homes all have oil heat. I do follow property values in our area quite closely and the selling prices have no apparent correlation with heating fuel type. As a retired military service member, I have bought and sold many homes - likely more that most here. Heating method, while an item of immense interest in this forum was not at the top of the list of considerations re any home my wife and I bought. Schools, yes. # BRs and # baths, location, age of home, location, commute, condition, perceived re-sale, all yes. (And likely many other considerations, including working heating. lol) I'm a bit of a TV junkie now that I'm retired. I do watch "House Hunters" and I have NEVER heard a house hunter identify heating fuel as a consideration in their search. There is a lot of bad advice given here due to not "doing the math" - all things being equal, I would prefer to have NG heat rather than oil. Cheaper operating costs, not concern about deliveries, etc. However, I have done the best I can to insulate, reduce heating set point, shift the heating burden to heat pump, and closely monitor costs. I don't have NG available, but based on the costs to bring in NG (based on the experience of a few of my neighbors that were able) it makes absolute no economic sense IN MY CASE. If you don't use very much of an expensive product, your absolute costs may not be that great and the incentive to convert may well be lessened. If you visit the roofing forum, I suspect they'll identify the roof as the most important factor effecting price... in the landscaping forum it will be the grounds, in the kitchen forum, the kitchen and bath. Heating is certainly an important concern, but we need not cry wolf about it.

Hi everyone, last fall I was in the process of selecting a heatpump with a lot of help from the forum when an unexpected emergency caused me to change plans. I am now ready to get the system and need the system to qualify for the l500 credit. First company offering Carrier Performance 15 A model with variable air handler 25HPA536A30 and FV4BNB006 with pad, new lineset, programmable stat, wiring to attic, I already have wiring to attic; disposal of old heatpump and air handler, safty and drain pan, complete system startup and check, new refrigerant and preconstruction meeting, 15 kw staged electric backup heat strips $7388 and 1500 tax credit. Next option is comfort 15 did not give serial no. price 6300 and 1500 tax credit. I asked him if the H model was available and he said he could not get it. This is a 3 ton unit for a brick and hardieplank ranch with 1600 sf on main floor and 480 sf familyroom in basement. There is 650 sf unheated in basement.I am located in central VA and I would like the extra heating. Currently have 15 year old carrier that is shot. Do you think 3 ton is enough. Have a sunroom that really heats up during the day and it is never really cool in there during the day. Only have one return in the hall ceiling. The warrenty is 10 year parts and 1 year labor. The second quote is for AM Standard 4A6H5036B1000A 3 ton 15 seer, variable air handler 4TEE3F40B1000A 10KW heat strip, flush out lineset, TCon 802, remove old equipment from premise, pad, safty and drainpan, new plenums, check system for safty and efficiency, new disposible filter or clean existing one, check and reseal minor leaks in ducts where necessary, new weatherproof disconnect $6100. He will install the H model carrier for the same price with same warrenty of 10 year parts and 10 yr labor 10 yr compressor.First yr. maintenance included but I must have maintenance yearly. Add $200 to insulate around separated joints. The carrier quote was on phone and the am std quote was written up in my home. He did not give me serial no. for carrier H model He said he could get H model with no problem. Need help. What do you think. Volvo

Ryan, I received this proposal from Argent heating and cooling agent. I think that it might have a catch because the proposal was not detailed. It only says: Equipment: CARRIER HEAT PUMP PERFORMANCE SERIES 15 SEEER HPA042-48 CARRIER AIR HANDLER FX4CNF042-48 WILL PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO EXISTING ELECTRICAL AND DRAIN WILL PROVIDE DUCT TRANSITION OUTDOOR SLAB ELECTRICAL DISCONNECT AND ALL LABOR Work to be Performed: Remove and dispose existing heatpump. Install above listed equipment All necessary sheet metal transitions from existing ductwork. Complete explanation of operation and maintenance. Warranty: 5 year parts/ 10 Compressor / 1 years labor. Do you think that they would charge us for other stuff (strap, etc.)? I understand that Performance or Infinity air handler would add to that price. Do you think that we should go with 3.5-ton equipment considering that we do not use basement and a couple of smaller bedrooms most of the time? Also, what do you think about copper vs. aluminum pipes in Carrier/Trane devices? We like top of the line products, but the price might be too high for the area. We should not "overimprove" the house. The remodeling we've done in our North Potomac townhome helped us to sell it in one week on the very soft market, but it was all about design/expensive materials. Nobody cared about top of the line AC and appliances we installed. TD, thanks for the translation. That does help! I will print it and use with other contractors :)

In order to understand your need and application, we would need to know the climate and house construction. Without this we can only guess, without a heat loss/heat gain we can only estimate. I'm guessing that with an unfinished basement your in the north? FYI: Heat pumps tend to be oversized to compensate for central and north heating applications while giving up some AC efficiency and comfort benefits.