Need Help for Replacement HVAC System
cdmehta
8 years ago
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tigerdunes
8 years agoJay Seifert
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
have to replace HVAC system & need help
Comments (6)it is a 1 1/2 story, upstairs open to landing and loft overlooking d/s living area. Makes for 20ft ceiling in living area. Quote 1 did say he would do a load test before starting. I am about to call quote 3 with questions.Included with quote 3 system to include : recovery of freon, dipose old equipment,float switch, programmable thermostat, auxiliary drain pan, high & low voltage conduit at outdoor unit, city permits & inspections, adapt to existing ducts, new gas cut-off and flex connector, all new vent pipe. I was dissappointed that this model I would have to pay for 10 yr labor whereas Infinity series comes with 10 yr l&p. But he said measurement wise an infinity wouldn't fit in attic. Is the media box filter what we change out? If so ours is 24x36x1, not the easiest to find and none of the contractors have mentioned this....See MoreAdvice needed for replacement of HVAC System
Comments (16)please block out your name and address. I thought that 80% gas furnaces were not being sold in the north anymore. savings to upgrade to 90%+ offset costs to make this change in efficiency. not sure what date this goes into effect, but when the hvac industry makes this kind of change..its a big deal. doesn't often happen that they change the minimum efficiency that the law allows. the minimum efficiency for a/c for example changed from 10 SEER to 13 SEER because of the difference in efficiency. as energy raters we saw every rating the savings between 10 & 13 SEER. when the hvac industry makes this kind of minimum standard change..there is a good savings. use the rebate to offset costs between losing 20% of your heating costs to losing only 10% or less. with 96% your loss drops to 4%. has any company done a load calculation to correctly size the unit? has any company tested or even inspected duct work for duct loss? if you air seal the ducts and returns and invest in air sealing the house.. then the unit will perform better and your comfort will improve. utility costs will also be lowered. check with Resnet for an energy rater in your area to blower door test house & test ductwork. make repairs, test again. reducing air/duct leakage has a fast payback plus other benefits. best of luck....See MoreNeed to replace our HVAC system and need help
Comments (9)Those types of units tend to be a lot more comfortable. As you noted they are more expensive and the cost of repairs tend to be much higher as well. I am not sure if trying to balance the cost of the new unit to save on electricity is worth it especially if your unit is still in good working order. If it were me, when replacement time comes around I would go with the most efficient single stage unit you can buy. I changed a 22 year old condenser with a modern 16 SEER unit and literally pocketed about $110.00 per month during the summer. Of course I am very pleased. I live in Texas, so it gets plenty hot here and air conditioning is a must. Maybe someone else will chime in and give you some useful feedback, unlike the mini split spammer....See MoreHave you switched from traditional HVAC to Geothermal HVAC?
Comments (19)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....See Morecdmehta
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agotigerdunes
8 years agocdmehta
8 years agoJay Seifert
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoweedmeister
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7 years agoVith
7 years agomike_home
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7 years agoVith
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agotigerdunes
7 years agocdmehta
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7 years ago
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