2 stage or dual compressor systems are more for comfort and humidity control in hot climates. Most systems in use today use one single stage compressor. In Ohio, you would want a heat pump that cranks out heat. Some brands are a little weak on heat output so, for example, a 3 ton system (36,000 btus) may only put out 32,000 btus at the rated 47 degree outside air temp. If you have propane, you could go heat pump with propane furnace as a back-up. Below 32 degrees outside air temp, a heat pump needs some kind of back-up heat. What are your electric rates ($ per kw-hour)? Propane prices move with natural gas and oil prices (more with natural gas as most propane is a by-product of natural gas).

TR, I appreciate your interest in our industry, really. You put some informative stuff up, but you clearly have an agenda. Regulation, regulation, regulation and you installed a 2 speed, so you're an expert and you have total faith in the Jandy pump curve. The funniest thing is that you love Jandy and everybody in our industry who knows anything knows that the Jandy pump is crap. They are a heater company, bro. They need to stick to that. Pentair is Purex, they are a pump company and a filter company. Hayward is an imitator, they produce nothing good except old Goldline stuff and Arneson sweeps which are companies they had to buy at that. AO Smith bought the greatest motor in the world (Century/Magantek) and ruined it. There's nothing left for us but new technology. Quote "All while riding the "green" bandwagon all the way to the bank! Shame on the pool industry." So there's no shame on the HVAC industry for installing to SEER standards and now duct sealing inspections. All at the hand of the CEC and government regulation. Anybody replaced an old AC unit lately? Grab your wallet kids before the HVAC guys do. Shame on who? What you guys all miss is the fact that regulation is causing all of the things you disagree with. Working for the CEC, it does not surprise me you support regulation. Some of it is good. I like clean air to breath. There are not too many people who feel we need to waste energy. I like clean water too. The pool industry is doing a great job of finally getting "on board" with compliance in those areas. If I can sell a homeowner a pump that will cut energy use 50% at a minimum, a salt system that will reduce the need for factory production, transport and potential hazardous materials spills of chemicals, a cartridge filter that does not use hazardous DE and a heater that produces lesser emissions and I call it "green", who is wrong. The guy who sells it, the guy who buys it or the guy who calls it brainwashing???? Your comment suggests that none is needed. You guys act like the industry is holding a gun to the consumers to buy the stuff you hate. The truth is, industry has produced crap for decades and now that it is failing, there is a new sheriff in town who is doing it right and their products are far superior. Consumers are tired of being ripped off by the corporate consolidation in the industry that has produced sub-par products for a long time. We have a mega company that has bought out virtually every good name in the industry over the past 25 years. Initially, it seemed bad, but they have produced products from those companies that work and are superior to anything out there. An honest person will give all the options and when the consumer chooses the best and those sales numbers rise, you guys see it as a ripoff. Typical California, the consumer can't think for themselves, they need a bankrupt government to do it for them. Shame on anyone who refuses to see the reality of our day. It's not pool equipment my friends. It's far greater. A superior product has those in all areas of industry that are moles who seek to discredit it and will say anything while at the same time have never laid a hand on the product. One pump install on your own pool after some decent research does not make an expert. Install and repair all brands for a few decades and then take a stance. People need to consider the source. When a seasoned technician says this is the greatest thing to hit our industry, ever, it carries weight. When an individual with an agenda says it's not all it's cracked up to be speaks, it carries agenda. Bottom line. Come back after interviewing a dozen guys with a quarter century in the pool repair and service industry and report at that time. Please, two speed WAS great, while it is a great option now, it's not the best now. Not as long as the junk is coming from China in an AO Smith box.

As a follow up if you end up deciding to go with a single speed pump you need only only big enough to pump the volume of your pool 3x every 24 hours - which most 2HP pumps could do multiple times over. This would mean a 2HP is too large. If you know the volume of your pool them this buyers guide compares the flow rates of every model of pool pump from Pentair, Hayward and Jandy based on flow rates: Pool Pump Reviews

A "variable speed" blower will perform exactly the same as a fixed speed blower with a single stage AC except that it slowly ramps up the speed (over about a minute) so that you don't get an immediate blast of air. It will make no difference to the overall cooling. If you have a suitable thermostat it may be able to slow the speed down to improve dehumidification. You won't experience higher bills - the VS motors are more efficient that PSC motors so they are talking rubbish. For some reason, they don't want to install a VS blower (maybe their profit is lower?)