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Heating & Air Conditioning

Help! Price Difference Between 4 Ton and 3 Ton Carrier Infinity H

13 years ago

Our HVAC contractor installed a 4 ton Carrier Infinity heat pump in our house in July (Model 25HNA9, 19 SEER/9.5 HSPF 4 ton) and a Carrier Infinity propane gas furnace (series 80, 154,000 BTUH, 80% AFUE). It turns out that our ducts only support a 3 ton unit; we immediately experienced crazy high condensation our our ducts, mold, damage to drywall and duct insullation (in garage).

Our HVAC contractor now acknowledges their error for installing the 4 ton unit and has said that they will replace the 4 ton heat pump and 154,000 BTU furnace with a Carrier Infinity 3 ton unit and Carrier Infinity 120,000 BTU furnace. They claim that the price difference between the 4ton/154k BTU set up and 3ton/120k BTU set up is only $300-$400 and offered to refund us the $300-$400 (since had we known our ducts could only handle 3 ton unit, that's what we would have bought in the first place). This $330-$400 difference seems way too small to us, especially since we paid $11k for the 4 ton unit installed. Are they being forthright? Obviously we know they have an incentive to minimize their losses. What should the difference in price really be between the two units?

Any numbers you can give would be great -- we live in the Washington DC area.

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Comments (4)

ryanhughes
13 years ago
The 110k Infinity 80 furnace is still likely way more than your ducts can handle (90k is more than likely appropriate). For the OEM cost difference, yes, $400 is probably about right (and probably on the low end of the spectrum). What they should give you back is their selling price difference for the units, to be fair.
fsq4cw
13 years ago
IÃ¢ÂÂm surprised that an Infinity HP was mated with an 80% efficiency gas furnace and not an Infinity 96.6% efficiency MVB or a modulating MVC -3-stage furnace. Either of these furnaces would have the Infinity thermostat and variable speed blower, Ã¢ÂÂIdeal HumidityÃ¢ÂÂ etc. and probably have been able to better interface with your existing duct system by having the HP & furnace just run at lower speeds/capacities. I have not heard of an 80%AFUE Infinity gas furnace in our region (Canada). Largest capacity here is 113Mbtu @ 2000cfm for an Infinity gas furnace.

Higher efficiency (96% Vs 80%) also means a smaller furnace may be installed as well as less fuel burned, lower emissions etc.

In our region, Infinity HPs come in 1-ton increments and there is a substantial price differential between models.

SR
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tigerdunes
13 years ago
tourfan

dealer is offering back his cost difference not the amount he charged you. not exactly fair considering the problems you have experienced. and I agree with Ryan about the furnace size. what size home do you have?

and lineset will have to be changed out along with evap coil. was an air filter cabinet installed?

post back with size of your home and what dealer's action plan is. really you will be starting all over!

IMO
energy_rater_la
13 years ago
I'm in agreement also.

and with the fact that they installed high
efficiency hp and minimum efficiency propane heating
system.

I'd be talking to them about the issues that their
errors in judgement caused.

too bad they didn't invest in eudcating themselves.

best of luck.

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