We are replacing our 15 year old split electric A/C and gas furnace as the E coil is leaking Freon and cannot be repaired. We also want to take advantage of the new federal energy credit of $1,500 and to add a variable speed blower. We are 50 and plan to stay in this house. It is a 2,476 sq ft single story in central Arkansas with the gas furnace and E coil in the attic and the electric A/C unit on a pad. Right now I have a 3.5 ton cooling unit that cools ok and runs about 70 minutes on and 70 minutes off during the hottest part of the day with high outside temps hitting 95. My current furnace is 100,000 BTUs with a constant speed blower and heats fine during the winter.
We have gotten 4 quotes, two of the contractors did a manual J calc on laptops while they were here and I observed the entire process. Both input dimensions of each room, wall heights, window sizes and locations and type, door locations, directional orientation of the house, return air size and capacity, vent size and capacity, persons in the house, desired temperature drop and rise, etc. Both calculations resulted in 4 ton cooling (44,000 BTUs per one calc and 49,000 BTUs for the other calc) and 68,000 / 72,000 BTU heating requirements. Both of these contractors answered my questions satisfactorily, both noted without my saying anything that my return air capacity was too small and the chases needed to be sealed. Returns are in two hallways at floor level and both are 12x24. Both asked if any rooms were hotter or colder than the other rooms and in fact a back bedroom and the master bath are cooler in winter and warmer in summer than other rooms. Both contractors suggested a solution. In short, I think either man would do a good install. The quotes call for replacing the gas furnace, E Coil and outside unit. Both proposed A/C units at 16 SEER replacing the old unit that is 10 SEER. The proposed furnaces are 90,000 BTUs, 2 stage with variable blower and tin plated E Coils. Both systems are rated at 13 EER. All three systems qualify for the $1,500 federal energy credit. Both said my duct work was sized, sealed, and insulated properly. In addition to the equipment, they are modifying the plenums with custom built sheet metal transitions as needed for their equipment, altering the take offs on the duct work to address the problem noted in the master bath and back bedroom, providing a new auxiliary drain pan and furnace vent, sealing the two return chases and installing two more return air filter grills, one each at the top of the walls above the existing grills so that my surface area will double to bring the return air volume up to what is required. Both men used calculations that resulted in 4.xx which they said indicated the 1,152 square inches of surface area the returns would adequately supply air for 4 tons. Both men run two install crews and both are family owned. They prepare the quotes and supervise the install crews for their company. One company carries Trane and Lennox, the other only Carrier. Both come well recommended.
I must decide whether to go with a Trane or Lennox system from one contractor or a Carrier system from the other contractor. It seems most of what I have found out from reviews, articles and web forums say that the installation has as much or more to do with the results as the equipment brand, although there are differences in equipment that should be considered. The Lennox system and the Carrier system are both approximately $7,700 and are midline units, while the Trane system is about $10,000 for top line units. All prices quoted include installation, modifications to returns and ducts as required, permits and taxes.
I expected the pricing to be about less in each instance. Are these quotes reasonable? Do contractors expect customers to bargain the same way car buyer’s bargain? Do you have an opinion regarding the quality of these three brands? Is it possible that, since the current 3.5 ton 10 SEER A/C does a good job of cooling that I should replace it with another 3.5 ton unit at 16 SEER? I know I don’t want to oversize.
Thanks for your time and help.
tigerdunes
classicdave
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chambery1Original Author
tigerdunes
chambery1Original Author
classicdave
chambery1Original Author