Sylvia Non coastal location? I prefer a small dealer where owner is actively involved in business, sales and service/repair. Not a fan of Lennox heat pumps. Here is my checklist. Correct sizing is important for comfort and operating cost. there are three equally important components-quality HVAC, the install by dealer, and probably the most overlooked and disregarded is the ductwork system. these are my minimum specs for a new HP system. both outside and inside units should be replaced to have a properly matched system. 15 SEER, 12.5+ EER, 9 HSPF best matching VS air handler full BTUs in both cooling and heating for your rated size R-410a refrigerant(same as Puron) scroll compressor preferred electronic demand defrost preferred thermostat with "dehumidify on demand" feature staged backup heat strips new and correctly sized refrigerant lineset 10 yr warranty compressor and parts AHRI matching number for the system quoted you want a thorough inspection of your ductwork system. size, overall condition, supply and return lines, insulation qualities, leak test, etc. any hot/cold spot issues in your home should be addressed. I would look at Trane/AmStd,Rheem/Rudd,Carrier/Bryant. Depending on location and winter climate, I would not purchase a new HP system that did not have electronic demand defrost feature. Electronic demand defrost eliminates unnecessary, nuisance, and expensive defrost calls. Not important though for your location. Trane and it's dealers do think highly of the brand, sometimes a little too much. Look at their sister brand, American Standard that is very similar and usually priced better. IMO

Are you keeping the oil backup or switching to a straight heat pump system? From your post I gather that you are getting rid of the oil heat, which to me sounds like a good idea. If it's an old oil system, that might account for a decent part of the install cost, for its removal. The $11,000 price tag does sound high up front, but we can't see every detail of the job from here. My advice: get two or three estimates. Make sure they size the equipment properly. An oversized system will never be efficient or provide the most comfort. Most of the horror stories you hear are more install related than brand related. Lennox makes a good product. As does Trane, Carrier, York, Rheem, etc. Most of your concerns should be focused on finding the best company to do the work. If you are in Montgomery County, you can email me and I can give you some honest opinions on the companies you've had out, from what I know/have heard.

daffer I think your strategy is right on target. The only question is whether you want dual fuel(var spd furnace backup) or an air handler(with strip heat backup). With an air handler and strip heat, you would need to check electric panel/service to see if you have capacity to handle backup strip heat. If not, cost to upgrade electric service. Here are three best configurations with var speed air handler. I like the numbers of the Carrier Infinity 16 HP with Infinity controller best. It has better BTU numbers both heating and cooling. 552846 Active Systems XP19 SERIES LENNOX INDUSTRIES, INC. XP19-060-230* CBX32MV-068-230* 58500 12.05 16.30 53500 8.25 32800 1481762 Active Systems XL19I WEATHERTRON TRANE 2TWZ9060C1 2TEE3D65A1 56000 9.90 15.75 51000 8.50 31400 1250425 Active Systems INFINITY 16 PURON HP CARRIER AIR CONDITIONING 25HNA660A30 FE4ANB006+UI 60000 11.10 15.30 57500 9.00 34200 You know 5 ton is correct size? I would check Duke Power and see if they offer any rate incentive for HP heating. 410 refrigerant is the way the market is moving. IMO

Specs for packaged air-source heat pumps: HSPF >= 8 EER >= 12 SEER >= 14 Try going to manufacturer's web sites and search packaged heat pumps. V