I have a lifebreath HRV system and radiant infloor heating. At 5400 ft. in the Montana Rockies, we really don't need AC, especially with high ceilings in the main rooms. But I have dogs, and I hate walking into a house and being able to smell the pets, smell last nights broccoli stir fry. We are a low humidity environment, but my current home gets stuffy when we have people over, and even running the dryer will cause condensation on the windows. So I'm a big believer in good air quality, and thought an HRV was a good investment. Can't say exactly what it cost since the ducting etc. was rolled in the heating and plumbing contract. Not in the house yet, can't answer how effective the system will be. It does dehumidify, and you can adjust it on the unit or add a humidity sensor to any fan control location. The moisture it collects is dumped into the plumbing. My only complaint is that the air inlet is a bit noisey, due in part to an 'echo-y' location. I think I can address that with different vent covers. I plan a soft wall hanging in the area, too, just to soak up some sound. It ties all the bath vents into the same system, runs at low speed constantly, speeds up when a fan button is pushed in any bath or laundry. Main air pickup is in the kitchen-- main meaning it's dialed open a bit farther; the ducts are all interconnected. The fresh air comes into an upstairs hall of a very open floor plan, where it has to travel through essentially all the public spaces before reaching an 'out' again. I do have a bit of a hint that it's going to be a good thing, though: we've been painting and staining, both with and without the air running. The odors seem much less noticeable when the air is on...

jbaker what is your fuel source for your hydro system? if you are satisfied with the operating cost and comfort of the hydro system, I see no reason to add a furnace. I would prefer that the air handler be located in a basement utility room over an attic location. If you are going with one system for all three levels, then I would want zoning controls for the three different zones. And if you decide to go zoning controls, then Bryant Evolution or Carrier Infinity is the way to go. They have the best single cource residential integrated control on the market. And you could consider a high eff heat pump system over straight AC especially taking into consideration your location/climate. I would get a couple of quotes. you need more returns on top and main floors for best airflow and overall comfort. ask quoting dealers for recommendations. finished basements at or partially below grade with reasonable insulation qualities have relatively low cooling and heating loads. IMO Good Luck!

So it does appear to work with central A/C, but dehumidifies by overcooling. That's nice but doesn't sound as good as it's cracked out to be. Though not as easy to find, side by side the Climatouch C3 sounds like a more robust and "smarter" thermostat. Anybody have experience with the Vision Pro vs Climatouch?

Wow! You've all given me a lot to think about. Thanks! Ionized--my fuel source is electricity. Very few people use any kind of gas out here because it's a lot more expensive. After rewiring the house and doing whatever I decide to do with HVAC, my next project will be a wood burning stove. I hope for it to be our (my adult daughter lives with me) primary heat source, as well as our emergency backup for power outages. It will be another expensive upgrade, as I have to use a stove specifically approved for use in a mobile home, and it must be installed by a certified licensed contractor. A county inspection has to be done at the half way installation point and at the end. Don't get me wrong--I'm very glad these safety regs are in place! It just makes it expensive. Oh, and ducts are mostly inside, but in a manufactured home they have to get to them from under the house, as I understand it. That means crawling under the house, which is no fun. I hear you telling me maintenance is required and I will make sure that's done on a regular basis. Klemperer, thanks for the reassurance. I'm not sure if we'll have to move out for HVAC install--I know we will for the rewiring. As you probably know, these old mobile homes were wired with cheap aluminum wiring that isn't even legal anymore. Even if the system wasn't failing, I'd still rewire just for safety. It's wired for 100 amps; I'm thinking I should upgrade to 200 amps, to meet the demands of a future kitchen remodel and our modern electronics. Thoughts? SnidelyWhiplash--Love the name! Fond memories of watching of watching cartoons--Wacky Races!-- with my brothers back in the day! You are right--I'm dumping a lot of $$ into a 37 year old manufactured home. But I have my reasons. I cannot qualify for a conventional home loan, and I hate debt of any kind. I decided to buy an old manufactured home from a close friend for cash. I'm refurbishing it subfloor to roof. Without going into a huge long story, I'm an academic researcher and I have a research grant (private, not government) whereby I get a chunk of money three times a year that I can use however I want. I've designated $6,000 each trimester for home refurbishing, and the rest I live on. The home will never be worth what I'm putting into it, but at the end of the day, I'll have a well-built, comfortable home that I own outright. I will live here the rest of my life, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, and then it will go to my daughter. So ROI is not a concern for me. Money, however, is, so I want to do the smart thing financially. homepro01-- I agree. I'm sure the window unit in the LR is not well sealed. Luckily, we don't have a mosquito problem here, and really not many bugs. However, it certainly is insecure in terms of an access point for bad guys. At the moment, the unsealedness, if I may make up my own word, is the least problematic of my insulation concerns, but I'm going to buff up the insulation substantially when I put in new flooring, siding, and roof. Nevertheless, it is a point well taken. Thanks. HVAC consulting--Thanks. I know I can get a mini split that does heat (heat pump), a/c, and dehumidifying, although as one poster mentioned, humidity is not a big issue in my neck of the woods. I hear what you're saying--how "big" I want to go will affect what other choices I make, and of course, my costs. And you are so right about mobile/manufactured homes--there are differences that must be taken into consideration. Based on everything you all have said, I think it would be prudent to get estimates for both central heat/air and the mini-split, which all things being equal I think I'm leaning towards. Since I will have to replace the furnace and the window a/c within a couple of years anyway, I think it makes sense to do it all in one shot. Once again I thank all of you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to answer my questions! :-) I truly appreciate it. If anyone's interested, once I get estimates and make a decision, I'll let you know what's happening! Thanks! Have a great day! :-)