Single stage vs. variable speed A/C in Wisconsin
beckylc
3 years ago
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2 stage variable speed furnace vs. single stage furnace
Comments (3)Location?...post Mdl numbers...there are 2 major difference between the furnaces...2 stage high eff heat exchanger and the var speed blower motor...I am unaware of any measurable reliability of one furnace over another. I do recommend st steel heat exchanger on both.... While blower motors are very reliable with few failures, the var speed blower mtr model is quite expensive to replace. Just so you know, you can get a 2 stage high eff furnace with fixed speed ECM blower motor, ie not var speed. IMO...See MoreSingle Speed vs Variable Speed with 10 foot ceilings and 2 story foyer
Comments (9)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?)...See MoreSingle stage vs 2-stage A/C in Texas - Good?
Comments (2)What part of Texas? (It's huge--- I'm in Katy, Texas area) Certain areas of Texas are more dry than others. (Less humid) Certainly any area can have bouts of high humidity here. So sometimes this is a more difficult decision. What is important to you? Humidity reduction is achieved when the AC is running. A single stage AC main function is to drop temperature. While you will get some dehumidification from that it's primary function is to drop temperature. Because we live in a hot climate people are more prone to wanting a larger AC unit thinking that will work better, when in fact it will make things worse. -------- 2 stage AC --- It will run upwards of 90% of the time in 1st stage AC mode or more or less dehumidification mode. However, this systems short comings become abundantly clear in the shoulder seasons of our Texas climate. Because 1st stage is approximately 70% of the capacity of the machine -- in the shoulder season that first stage is often times over sized and does little to combat high humidity that certain areas of Texas are prone to. ------- Variable Speed AC --- not all are created equal here. In some cases the system in question may be limited to 5 stages, if paired with legacy controls it may be no better than the 2 stage AC unit above. A true variable speed AC will excel at a number of things - depending on the brand / model chosen could have as many as 75 speeds. In this realm it's more about 'load matching' the structure. Because of the ability to ramp very low gives this kind of AC unprecedented dehumidification. By reducing humidity a mere 5% will make you that much more comfortable than merely dropping temperature alone. It may become 'too cold' than what your current setting makes you think you are comfortable at. So if that happens, you raise the set point on the thermostat. Which will reduce your electric bill on top of the very high efficient Variable Speed AC unit. ---------- Is it for everyone? no. A variable speed AC will cost more up front. Over time it will pay for itself... how fast will depend on a wide variety of factors. If you plan to sell your home soon, it could help you sell the home sooner. But you may not recoup the investment. I recently installed a Variable Speed AC at my home in Katy, Texas. I service the Katy, Texas area....See More2 stage AC with Single Stage Variable Furnace
Comments (21)@Ray Austin, Trane freon leak in video below from a different HVAC contractor... nothing new here. I bet I could find a leak video on any brand. Nature of the business. First, the video you attached shows a unit with a refrigerant leak not a Freon leak. The nameplate on the air handler indicates it's configured for R-410a refrigerant. Freon is DuPont's registered trademark for R-22 refrigerant. It's different from R-410a. New equipment using Freon refrigerant hasn't been manufactured since 2010. You know that, right? The distinction is important, particularly on a website where homeowners are collecting information from "professionals." At least the narrator of the video referred to it as a refrigerant leak. Anything with moving parts can fail during its normal, useful life--whether its a top-rated brand or a bottom-of-the-quality-barrel brand. Suggesting all HVAC equipment is the same because they all contain foreign-made parts is like saying a Maserati and Kia are manufactured to the same quality level same because both have foreign-made parts. Many manufacturers outsource production of parts and subassemblies to manufacturers around the globe which deliver to their same quality standards as U.S. component manufacturers. Foreign vs. domestic sourced components is simply not relevant to a discussion about quality. When judging the quality of a particular brand of HVAC equipment, it's best to make assessments based on lots of data--not a single experience, and certainly not the experience of a single service contractor. To this end, houzzers will be well served to refer to Consumer Reports. 24,000 consumers is a pretty good statistical sample size for a survey about HVAC brands. To reiterate CR's assessment of Goodman equipment: In this survey, no brand earned a Poor reliability rating, but Coleman, Goodman, (emphasis added) Luxaire, and York received a subpar Fair rating. People should take this into account if they’re considering buying a central AC system from one of these brands. Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/central-air-conditioners/most-reliable-central-air-conditioning-systems/ Sorry, Ray, but suggesting all HVAC manufacturers are in the same category because they use foreign parts is simply wrong. But don't take my word on that. Take it from Consumer Reports--they're in the quality assessment business. They put Goodman HVAC equipment in a particular category-- and if it isn't at the bottom of the barrel, it's close enough to think twice before buying anything with their label on it....See Morebeckylc
3 years agoPatricia Colwell Consulting
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobeckylc thanked Patricia Colwell Consultingbeckylc
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