Guys, I have gotten stuck in between two systems for my final decision. Please help me out to pick the right one. I am trying to decide in between these two ; #1 - Bryant 6129135 Active Systems BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE 13 PURON HP BRYANT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS 286BNA048****B CNPV*4821AL*+UI 1300 1040 315(A,J)AV048090 45500 11.50 15.50 46000 8.20 29600 1 HRCU-A-CB 355 1140 also includes - Evolution touchscreen thermostat and comes with free Bryant Air purifier - one year test drive - I don't know how it works but they say they will provide 100% refund if I am not satisfied with the system within a year from the installation date #2 - Trane 5768796 Active Systems XR17 TRANE 4TWR7048A1 4TXCD063BC3 1370 1090 *UD2C080B9V4 48000 12.50 17.00 45500 9.00 30400 1 HRCU-A-CB 342 1077 Yes Not include thermostat. will use exiting HW VP IAQ includes GPS-2400 plasma air cleaner price wise the Trane is roughly $200 more expensive than the Bryant after the tax credit is deducted Both contractor will add two returns and one supply and will fix the distribution issues in my current duct work. Based on the notion I got; both contractors are very capable and have very good reputation I am more inclined to Bryant due to evolution controls. I do know Trane is very reliable and efficiency wise it is a little more efficient compared to the Bryant system. to me $200 difference in price is very negligible. I just want to make right decision. I got stuck! PLEASE HELP...

lewstone what is your location? while both are nice systems, I think both are overpriced for three ton systems. what size heat strip was quoted? I do prefer new HP systems to have demand defrost. 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 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 only use authorized dealers for the various brands that provide quotes. see mfg websites. I would look at Trane/AmStd,Rheem,Carrier/Bryant. IMO

In a hot real estate market you'll get bids over asking price. There won't be any discussion about brand of HVAC unit. Let alone how old it is. The more people interested in the home, the higher the bid you can attract. (supply / demand) There are a plethora of homes with older worn out AC systems. It is not common practice to replace AC system just before you sell the home, you will never come out ahead on that deal, except maybe very high end home 350k and above, but then you're probably going to have to spend the money on a higher end system because the clientele you are selling to have completely different requirements. Replacing HVAC system before you sell the home can help you sell it. But this typically is not going to command a higher selling price on an average real estate listing. It's like if the homes roof is 20 years old. There will be those who won't buy it because they know the roof is a major expense and will be needed soon. But if you put on a new roof, the prospective new home owner is not going to pay you additional, just because you have a new roof. In a fast moving real estate world, the buyer will be lucky to even get a home. As an example it took me 2 years of looking and making offers to get the home I am living in now, for entirely different reasons than what I mention here. Due to Hurricane Harvey and other factors it's probably even worse now in my area if you can imagine that. (Location, location, location --- not HVAC brand? LOL.) The AC that was in my house when I bought it was a early 1990's dinosaur. As far as lower end brands go, if the installation is done properly it won't matter much. Just stay away from any micro channel coil brands. While these types of systems appear to be getting better, the jury is still out as to what the future holds.

I'm disappointed that what had at first seemed a very balanced comment was followed by what seems to be misinformation and misdirection. People buy ground source heat pump equipment because they want to and can afford it. Or decide they need to in their locations. They're hugely more expensive than alternatives, which is why they're still not very common. "When’s the payback on a Tesla? People still choose to buy them for reasons other than the ‘bottom line’." Not a comparable. A false analogy. "I would not choose natural gas or propane for reasons relating to the environment, safety, IAQ & paying for yet another utility hookup for an energy source that might not even be used for months on end during the year." What effect having a gas furnace has on indoor air quality. Another hookup? Most people prefer gas cooking appliances and besides, the OP is talking about an existing home, he either has gas service or he doesn't. "Rather than spending perhaps tens of thousands of dollars on a Solar Array, I would sooner invest that same money, hopefully less, in a ground loop for a Geothermal system." Sure you would, that's the business you're in. The ground source heat pump market is not growing as expected by those in the industry, which suggests that your opinion isn't widely held or easily sellable. In many parts of the country, solar panels can have a quick payback. Not so ground source heat pumps. "I often hear about Solar Panels when geothermal is mentioned, as an alternative way to save money by creating energy." In a place like Texas, where electricity is cheap (other than during cold weather crises as they just experienced) there's likely no payback from a solar panel installation. People do it as a personal statement, call it for environmental or other personal reasons. Like buying the Tesla, not a financial decision. An HVAC system blows warm air when it's cold, cool air when it's hot. It's one of those things people don't care about - either it works or it doesn't work. Spending extra money for an exotic system doesn't equate to extra payback when the home is sold. Neither owners, nor visitors, nor people passing by, nor anyone else, concern themselves with what's doing the work. It's equipment that doesn't produce an experience for someone in the house if it's working. In the US, there are vast areas where electricity is cheap. It will remain so for some time. People don't spend money today to potentially save money 10 years out when market conditions may or may be different. I suspect you could build a house with mahogany or teak framing. Or you could paint the framing bright colors. Why bother, you can spend less money and effort and get something else that will do the same job. "We almost never use setbacks at our home - even when going on vacation for weeks on end with no one home, our geothermal just runs." You're combining two different things to produce confusion. Thermostats that have a setback feature ALL are set up to provide lower overnight temperatures to have more comfortable sleeping conditions and then a recovery in the morning before wakeup time. As sleep specialists recommend. That in demand comfort features isn't possible with ground source heat pumps because the warm up period from a setback is too slow to be convenient to use, absent triggering a secondary heating source (like a furnace) to help. THAT'S why you don't "believe" in setbacks with a heat pump - they don't work. Turning down a thermostat during heating season when the home will be unoccupied is not a "setback" as that word is most commonly used. It's done to save money, why heat a vacant house? No setback thermostat is needed, even a dumb 50 year old analog thermostat can be turned down.