Bid: Trane 1 Trane 4TWB4024*1000*xXB14 Heat Pump 1 Trane XR Series 5 AirTite Air Handler High Eff Fan model GAM5A0B30M21SA 1 Trane TCONT802AS32DA Vision Pro Programmable Thermostat 1 10 KW Heat Strips (32800 BTUH) 1 Complete System 5 yr labor warranty 1 Copper insulated lineset (5/8 x 3/8 50 ft) 1 Trane BAYSEN02ATEMPA Outdoor temperature sensor 1 light weight concrete pad (Tom can do this instead of being billed for it) 1 PVC condensate drain 1 Ductwork and trim package 1 Venting package (bath & utility fans, dryer and range hood) 4 labor to install complete system Bid: Carrier Heat pump: Carrier 2.5 ton performance 15 series (25HPA530H) Furnace: Carrier variable speed air handler with 10 kw strip heat & coil (FV4CNF003) Thermostat: Carrier performance series Condensate: line to outside Ductwork: transitions and modifications Ductwork: supply air with registers in the floor. Insulated in unconditioned spaces at 11 locations Ductwork: Return air with filter rille. Insulated in unconditioned spaces one location. Exhaust: vent the range, dryer, bath and whole house (does not include fans or roof jacks) Warranty: 10 years parts ( when home owner registers within 90 days) 10 year compressor, 2 year labor and 2 year maintenance. We have a bid coming from the Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning. They sell the Lennox. Yes, we live in western Washington. We get snow in our area sometimes up to 3 ft. We will have all electric utilities. All bids have to have duct work installation. Also, what is your opinion on comparison of the Trane, Carrier and Lennox? I've noted what you've noted about the Trane. Isn't the Trane show a 4 ton Heat Pump? The Carrier quote has a 2.5 ton Heat Pump? Am I looking at it correctly? I want to thank you both for your input. This is my first time looking at these heating systems. I'm learning a lot. Barbara

American Standard makes Trane so they are pretty much the same. If the warranties are the same and they both have the same features, I would go with the least cost system.

All heat pumps are electric. However, not all heat pumps use electric backup heating strips for when the heat pump cannot keep up. In my case, I have natural gas furnace backup. As I understand it, this is considered a hybrid system. Talk to your installing company about what the difference would be between installation price of the HP only and the HP with a furnace backup. If you can swing the diference, that is the route to go. I'm in Olympia and have PSE. Who is your provider? Concerning the Trane equipment... I have a nearly three year old Trane XL14i 3.5 ton with a 4 ton indoor unit and a 90% gas furnace. I almost never use the gas furnace. Less than 90 therms total last year. In our climate, I personally would go with an 80% furnace (since your utility is covering the install of the HP only, anyway go the less expensive route.). Heating specs on the 16i aren't that good. Go with the 15i. Make them match the indoor and outdoor coil and print you an AHRI certificate proving the match and HSPF, EER and SEER figures. Some indoor/outdoor matches offer better performance than others. Concentrate on the Heating Capacity BTUH numbers at 47 degrees and 17 degrees. We are in a heating climate and those are the numbers that count around here. Make your contractor show you those numbers for both the 15i and 16i combinations. When installation happens, make sure you are getting the combination you were told. Model numbers will be stamped on the equipment. I don't think you can get a 90% furnace anymore. The more efficient, the more expensive. My point being that our electric rates are very favorable and a HP is much more efficient than gas. If you set your lockouts right, you'll have no problem. Mine are set so that the gas furnace doesn't come on until it's 25 degrees outside. I have energy bills that my neighbors drool over in this neighborhod of custom 3,000 sq. ft homes.

RE: the spray sealant, I wouldn't say he recommended it -- just discussed it as an option to cover all bases. I don't have a quote but recall the number discussed was between $1K and $2K. After declining, an HVAC guy told me that he had [theoretical] concerns about that process damaging the compressor; don't know how accurate that is. Following up on questions I missed the first time: - The 2.5 ton system quoted actually is a 3 ton air handler (4TEE3F39A1) and 2.5 ton compressor (4TWX5030A1), both Trane. Quoted price was $6K with some extras thrown in, which I thought was good for this area ... assuming this fix solves my problem. If this is not going to heat the basement better, I'm willing to trust the existing Carrier system to live another year or more. - RE damper location, we have two ducts leading from the air handler to our living spaces. There is a damper in each one, just a few feet from the air handler. On the duct leading to the second floor, the damper is always open. On the duct leading to the basement, I keep the damper closed all the time. I'm not sure which of these feeds the main level, but I think it's the latter.