Thanks for the replies. Tigerdunes- we've bumped up but only to xb14 with tam7 to get the variable speed. Upcharge from xb13, this is costing $2100 for the two units. I will explore xr pricing as you suggest. Our sqft breakdown for the zones: 1207sq upstairs x3 bedrooms/ baths (three kids) thermostat and return in one bedroom 1528sq ft upstairs remainder thermostat and one return in hall 1216sq ft downstairs master, m bath, closets, study thermostat and 8" return in master 2571sq ft downstairs remainder thermostat in hall two other return is two different hallways 4 pro 9000 thermostats. Honeywell Install HV modifier Yes, ten tons total. I was told we are a bit over in tonnage for upstairs but trane doesn't do half tons? Any further suggestions? Udarrell- thank you for responding. Your response was like a foreign language for me! :-) I read it twice and asked the HVAC guys some questions. Some info- train tam7 injection insulated plastic cabinet, variable speed motor, one in the crawl, one in the attic. Mastic is code for us. These guys use really big zip ties, pandit straps, duct tape, and mastic. Duct will have r8 insulation. The flexible lines are preinsulated, metal boxes and manifold will have r8 they put on. What do you suggest we use for a filter? By filter do you mean the things I change monthly that are inside the house or something more permanent in the units themselves. Thanks again. This post was edited by BINK5 on Fri, Apr 4, 14 at 21:06

The IAQ can control humidity by either overcooling or through the DHM terminals on the EIM. The DHM terminals can either control a dedicated dehumidifier or a VS blower in the air handler. Either way, the IAQ has to be correctly programed, and the EIM DHM terminals have to be wired to the the air handler or dehumidifier properly. No bets on any of that having been done correctly. My new system is living proof that it can be done wrong. This thread reminds me that I need to correct it now that summer is nearly upon us. Even if the EIM is wired to the VS air handler correctly, the installer still has to program the IAQ for the correct brand. Rheem, for example, is different that most of the other makes. I recommend that you defend yourself by making sure you have all the relevant documentation on hand. You need at least five documents. 1. The VisionPro IAQ Operating Manual 69-1815EFS-06 2. VisionPro IAQ Total Home Comfort System 68-0287-1 3. Honeywell VisionPro Installation Guide 69-1816EFS 4. Honeywell VisionPro Installation Guide EIM 69-1823EFS-1 5. The installation/wiring diagram for your air handler. The four Honeywell IAQ documents are all different manuals, although there is some overlap. They are all available on line as PDFs. You will need to do a thorough Google search to get them all. The suffixes following the last dash appears to be the revision number. I would leave that out of the search. If you have a hard copy of any manual that covers the installer setup, use that instead of a download. Not all the downloads are current. If they didn't leave you one, demand it. Failing that, compare your PDF version with the actual settings on your IAQ. If the PDF is missing a setting or two, you have the old version. Lastly, you really need to learn all the programming of the IAQ, not just the owner part, but the installer part, too. There are far too many HVAC "pros" out there that don't have a clue on how to set one of these up properly. It's not just the dehumidification that you need to understand, but the AUX heat lockout settings as well. If not done just right, the IAQ will happily keep a very even temperature in your house by running the aux heat when you don't need it. That's how mine was left by the installers. Luckily, I spotted it before I got an astronomical power bill.

Given that you're renovating I would say it's a good time to do it. It can raise the costs dramatically depending on a myriad of factors. If what you have is flex duct / going back with flex duct the costs shouldn't be too extreme, but this can lead to boot replacement and vent replacement so that can increase costs further than just duct work alone. You should replace with at least R8 flex duct if you are going back with flex. This can pose challenges because circumference wise these ducts will be larger than what you have now most likely. By using a minimum R8 insulated flex duct, this will increase the efficiency of the system, marginally in most cases depending on climate. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to possibly add an additional new filtered return at a known hot spot / cool spot within the structure. (hot or cool --dead air space that might be getting trapped, by adding a filtered return to this spot it will aid in the comfort factor of the structure.)

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.