Questions about replacing the Heat Pump system for my house

14 years ago

First of all, I want to say thanks in advance for the information at this site and any responses that I receive to my post. I am amazed at the quality and quantity of useful information provided by the members of this forum.

I live in South Carolina (very hot/humid in summer), and my house is 13 years old. I have been told that the current (original) heat pump unit has a refrigerant leak and that I would be best to put the money towards a new system. Knowing that these systems typically do not last much longer than 15 years, and knowing that a new unit will be more efficient, IÂve decided to go ahead with a replacement.

I have received two quotes so far (but one of the quotes was so high it isnÂt worth mentioning). Here are the details for the other quote:

Carrier 3-ton 18.2 SEER Split System Heat Pump, Variable Speed Blower, 2-stage compressor, Infinity controls/thermostat. SPID-333-3 Model Numbers: 25HNA936A003, FE4ANB006T00, KFCEH0501N05, SYSTXCCUID01-B. System qualities for government energy tax credit. Quoted price of $8,184 for the installed system (which is after a $1,000 rebate from Carrier). This EXCLUDES an additional $2,200 cost that they want to charge me for "upgrading" my zoning to work with the Infinity system (I currently have a 3-zone system) Â they are saying that the zoning system needs to be modified to work with the Infinity controls (electrical versus mechanical?), nothing related to re-sizing any of the ductwork, etc. So, the total cost (including zoning work/upgrades) would be $10,384. I realize that I should get a few more quotes, but I had been told by a co-worker that this company has good rates (based on recent research they he had done).

My questions:

1. My current unit is a 2-ton unit, which has not been very good at cooling (and that was with just two of the three zones in operation). So, I am ok with recommendation for a larger unit, but what other things do I need to be aware of when putting in a "larger capacity" system (I asked about the capability of my current ductwork to be able to handle a larger unit, but I didnÂt get what I thought was a straightforward response).

2. I have not seen much discussion in this forum about the need to upgrade the zoning in old systems in order to be able to handle newer heat pump systems (such as the Infinity). Is this typical/required? Is it normal for this to be quoted separate from the install? The overall cost for the quote IÂve received ($10,384) seems high compared to many of the other quotes IÂve seen at this site.

3. They also gave me a quote for a 16.5 SEER Carrier Heat Pump system at $700 less (still 2-stage compressor). Everything else seems to be exactly the same. Is it worth paying an extra $700 to get the higher efficiency/SEER rating?

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Comment (1)

ryanhughes
14 years ago
A ductwork system, especially in new construction with lowest cost mechanicals, is not going to be sufficient for a 3 ton unit. The variable speed blower will try to overcome some issues, and could cause more noise. If this company neglects this important aspect to the system, look elsewhere. But they are quoting you a nice system (good to see they are using the best matching indoor unit with tin-plated coil--shows they know how to match a system well at least) at a reasonable cost considering all that's involved. You still should get a couple other quotes. Don't be afraid to explore other brands besides Carrier. The Infinity system is nice, and so is the zoning, but at a lower cost you can probably achieve similar if not the same results with another manufacturer using third party controls. Carrier has a big name in the industry with their Infinity system but I think there are good comfort solutions elsewhere as well worth looking into. The Infinity zoning is it's own thing, so would need to be incorporated into the Infinity control system. If they want to charge you $2.2k that better include full testing (with static pressure measurements taken) to ensure proper airflow with minimal resistance if they think the ductwork in place is proper. The 16.5 SEER heat pump is the 25HNA6. Little different unit because it has a different compressor type, which is actually preferable for zoning apps because it uses a 50% capacity on low stage rather than around 70% with the 25HNA9. But, I dislike the fact that the compressor must "stop" to switch stages, presumably giving it more wear and tear (my opinion, not sure if anyone else feels the same way).
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Questions about replacing the Heat Pump system for my house

Comment (1)

ryanhughes

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