Tiger, those prices include the available rebates already applied to the total cost of a new system, new duct work etc. Currently I have a 1.5 and a 2.0 ton units from when the house was a duplex. That's why they'd rip everything out and replace with a single centrally located unit. I believe they are both 80% units since they are 15 years old and there was no extra $$ put into this house. I'll have to insist on a carrier coil then. I can only go by what he said about the Carrier vs. APD but I can go back to him What the heck is a pleated filter media cabinet?? Not sure if this helps but the rest of the proposal options all included language similar to this: 1. Remove existing furnaces and coils from crawlspace. Remove all existing supply and return ductwork. Remove existing 2 ton and 1.5 ton A/C�s and pads from outside. Haul off old equipment. 2. Install Carrier 80% Infinity Variable Speed gas furnace horizontally in crawlspace. Install furnace in a central location of home. Run new 4" double wall flue to closest existing stack going to roof. Extend and reconnect existing gas and electrical. Install ADP 3 ton R410a evaporator coil along with new supply plenum. Install Honeywell media air cleaner along with new return plenum. Mastic seal all connections. Install all new supply and return ducts using R8 insulated flexible duct. Cut in new 6" supply ducts in dining room and in hall bathroom. Run new copper refrigerant lines to outdoor unit location. Install

spray foam in rafters for an unvented attic..it is an option. it allows the hvac contractor to do a regular install instead of configuration of fur downs/trey ceilings etc. but...unvented foam sealed attics are Semi-conditioned, not conditioned. the ambient temp & temp inside of the foam sealed attic are usually within 10 degrees of each other. and, the tradeoff for spending 3x the cost for foam is smaller tonnage hvac system. so hvac co needs to be on board. using foam covers a multitude of building problems..oversized holes for plumbing & electric. IC instead of ICAT recessed lights, oversized cuts at bath fans, stove vents, fireplaces not sealed off in attic and thermal bypasses all become non-issues when the air & thermal barrier is moved from attic floor to roofline. as we put more efficient hvac equipment into attics, we have to be careful. these units produce colder air (our issue in summer) and plenums condnesate in an vented attic. this is one of the reasons that foam has become such a strong product, because now the attic isn't as hot, and colder air in the plenum doesn't cause as much condensation in foam sealed unvented attics. I'm trying to get my page online for videos up and running. I just uploaded video of an open cell foam install. the videos show how to seal the roof to attic floor (soffit/eaves) connection properly, how to seal at passive turbines on roof (for existing homes) and the last is after rafter bay has been foamed, how to come back & fill in voids & low spots. later this week I hope to have time to get it up and ready for viewing. drop me an email & I'll share the link. I'm getting pros & cons as to making it open to public...which I'm inclined to do...but have gotten feedback against it...so for now..you'll need a password. as a homeowner you have to be very selective in chosing a foam company. it isn't the owner/salesman that makes a good install, but the person doing the install. if they rush...they miss areas, if they move too slow the job takes longer. temps of mix,combo of chemicals, roof temp & moisture content all have to be consitered. I'd expect to see pictures of previous installs, be allowed to go on a job to see the process & to be able to call previous homeowners to see if they achieved savings & comfort after the install. ..yeah...I'm picky! but I've seen some really bad installs over the years. finding a good company, with an experienced installer...takes time. as I test the air tightness & measure the depth of the install, companies locally know that they have to meet my standards. here in La., we use open cell foam...what is the type for your area...open or closed? if you go this route...interview companies. make sure you know going into it that you still have to meet the code requirements for R-values. with closed cell at R-6-7 per inch & open cell at R-4 per inch..the right amount of inches have to be installed. the whole 2-3" 'performs as' is hogwash. 'average' fills are hogwash. you want an install with no dips (low spots), no voids or gaps & a good seal at the attic floor/rafter area so that no hot humid air enters at soffit area of the house. I'm attaching a picture of a good install of open cell. note that the rafters are 2x6 and are well filled between rafters , faces of 2x's are covered. the bid was for 7", but at lowest point the foam is 7" thickest point closer to 8". note the soffit (roof to attic floor) also. this is what is necessary for air seal of attic. fwiw..the company that did this install, the owner is the installer. in my part of La., these seem to be the people you get the best install from. not so much with salesman selling job & installer doing the job. best of luck.

Mike, yes. They have to give me the wired ODT sensor so I can lock out the heat pump. This was discussed between them and I several times before I signed on the dotted line and they had assured me this was possible. So as far as I am concerned they have to deliver on it even if it required ODT sensor. I just found another issue as I dig into this mess. I was trying to understand the fan behavior. In particular, from the sound it seemed the fan always ran at one speed. I was puzzled and digging into the thermostat menus, I confirmed this. The fan was either 100% or 0% speed. And it runs for additional 1 minute or so after the compressor shuts off (cooling fan delay). I found this odd - why did I buy a variable speed blower and why was I sold one. I mentioned this to the dealer and could get a satisfactory explanation. And then I checked the install guide - and it was there (see attached, in particular the graph and the table). There are four settings one can choose from. To really benefit from the variable speed the jumpers on the inside unit need to be configured in so called enhanced mode (option 4 in the table) where the fan starts at 50% speed and then to 80% for about 1 minute (fast cooling); the fan then stays on at 80% for 7.5 minutes (dehumidification); if necessary, ramps to 100% to get to the set point temperature and stays there as long as required, and ; ramps down to 50% and then 0% over three minutes to extract extra cooling efficiency. Well, this is not how my system has been configured. Mine is configured as option 2 in the table - 100% fan speed, followed by 1.5 minute delay - there is no variability of fan speed that can kick in. I have call in to my dealer...

Take some sugar before you read this post... it will help this medicine go down. As far a voice control goes that would probably be the way to do it as rockypointdog suggests. A lot of this kind of stuff is moving faster than anyone can stay on top of it. Expensive : is a relative term, based upon what you are trying to do / trying to accomplish. There are a myriad of ways to cut costs, but you may not be able to do entirely what you want. With that said, many cases you are limited by what your structure provides you with. So just because something is deemed expensive doesn't mean you could pull it off anyway due to some limiting problem of the structure... like not enough room among other things. As an example: I would never attempt to twin furnaces together horizontally. Nor would I mismatch the furnaces. Any installation I do, I plan to maintain that equipment / repair it when it breaks. There are those in this industry who will sell you 'ANYTHING' no matter what. When problems start, the blame game begins... and /or they are long gone and can't be reached. So there is the expensive category done right that works. Then there is the 'here you go' we hope it works solution... then temperature extremes hit (hot or cold or both) and you're left to wonder what happened to your prize. Then there is the DIY and or silver bullet crowd... we're looking for a small cost gadget that will force my air conditioner and or heat to do what we want it to. I don't expect to gain any mass followers with these words... but let me remind you the truth (reality) is often stinging when you hear it. It is for your own good. You could waste hundreds of dollars chasing your tail, only to wind up damaging your HVAC system(s).