Mo@#$%^&* ..need A/C and Furnace replaced

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44070dart

How the hell did I get this old..
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Just had my units checked because the A/C is not very efficient in the summer. The furnace is also in question. They work, but are 26 years old and the house just isn't as cool or warm as before. We had them checked out and they are both at the end of there lives. 12k for both and that is the middle of the road units. Two years ago the roof about same price. It's necessary but the thing is I don't believe we will be in this house much longer. I better recoup some of this $$$ when we sell.
 
Yeah, I can sympathize. Kitty and I have been running on one 10K BTU window unit for several years now. Our outside unit bit the dust a while back. Stuff's expensive.
 
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Maybe check into a heat pump....and check to see if your local utility district has any rebates on those....

It would be a great selling point when the time comes.
 
Maybe check into a heat pump....and check to see if your local utility district has any rebates on those....

It would be a great selling point when the time comes.

Depends on where he lives. A/C side works great but heat side efficiency go's way down at 32 Degrees. Here in Arizona a mid grade rooftop unit runs between $ 3500 and $ 5000 installed.They are a good value for the Money spent.
 
My HVAC system in my last house was a dual fuel system that used a heat pump for AC and heat down to 40*. Below 40* it switched to gas heat. It was a very efficient system that worked quite well. Total cost was about the same as doing just AC and gas heat only.
 
Yeah, I've set up three more est. ..there is a rebate of 550 for the furnace, don't know about A/C need to check.. our temp's vary from 0 to some mid 80's .. it was a 97% efficient from back in the day, and the miserable winter we had it worked well. The a/c is working to hard to cool the whole house. It's time:(
 
I feel your pain ,my a/c just took a dump 2500 to 3500 for replacement,roof needs replaced also about 15 grand..................There goes all the car money for the next several years...................................Jeff
 
I feel for you guys, my house needs a new furnace, the old one it totally inefficient.
My home is over 100 years old, and the furnace is a coal stove converted to gas, I have not even lit it for 20 years, installing a new furnace is not a hard job, but getting the old cast iron stove out, that was put in the house, then the house built around it will require some work.

Also I am waiting my turn with a contractor to replace my roof, it is the original slate roof, it will run me about 20K to remove it, and replace with tin.
Its a two story house with 45 degree roof.
 
I feel the pain too. In the past 5 years I have replaced the HVAC systems and water heaters in both my current house and my house in Memphis. Plus I replaced the roof, all the windows and half the exterior wood trim in Memphis plus paint. About $70k total between the 2 houses.

Ouch!
 
I feel for you guys, my house needs a new furnace, the old one it totally inefficient.
My home is over 100 years old, and the furnace is a coal stove converted to gas, I have not even lit it for 20 years, installing a new furnace is not a hard job, but getting the old cast iron stove out, that was put in the house, then the house built around it will require some work.

Also I am waiting my turn with a contractor to replace my roof, it is the original slate roof, it will run me about 20K to remove it, and replace with tin.
Its a two story house with 45 degree roof.

A big sledge hammer will make small pieces of it. Be aware though some of the system may be covered in Asbestos.
 
A big sledge hammer will make small pieces of it. Be aware though some of the system may be covered in Asbestos.
I am well aware on how it has to come out, I just wished now I would have replaced it 20 years ago when I was in my early 30's. Cast iron shatters when hit with a hammer. An air chisel will tear cast iron up.
 
New system going in here too. The Trane 3 ton a/c with 50kw of electric heat in top of air handler was new with the house in 1991. Energy guide sticker on it says 8. Today thats probably closer to 5. Even though we burn about 40 dollars per month in propane in a vent free gas log fireplace on winter days, the electric bill average for the year is above 300.
New unit is a 3 ton heat pump with only 10KW of electric heat. Energy guide/SEER rating is 16. I know the new unit w/ scroll compumper wont live or run trouble free for 30 years like this Trane has. I'll hope for 12 years with minimal trouble.
 
We literally just replaced our HVAC setup from 1981 a couple of weeks ago. Just like searching for car parts online, I found a great deal on a Goodman 3 1/2T 16 SEER unit for well under $5K with free delivery. It's made in the USA (unlike most others today) and has a wonderful reputation. Here's a link to get you going Goodman GSX140361 ARUF37C14 3 Ton 14 SEER Air Conditioner Split System R410A Refrigerant. Tommy, the guy who installed and hooked up everything, said HE couldn't even get them that cheap. It was such a good deal Billy even kicked down for the whole-house HEPA filtration system (he has allergy issues).
 
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We had ours replaced a few years ago.

2000 sq ft house

heat pump

was 6K

What size house do you have that will cost double that?
 
We literally just replaced our HVAC setup from 1981 a couple of weeks ago. Just like searching for car parts online, I found a great deal on a Goodman 3 1/2T 16 SEER unit for well under $5K with free delivery. It's made in the USA (unlike most others today) and has a wonderful reputation. Here's a link to get you going Goodman GSX140361 ARUF37C14 3 Ton 14 SEER Air Conditioner Split System R410A Refrigerant. Tommy, the guy who installed and hooked up everything, said HE couldn't even get them that cheap. It was such a good deal Billy even kicked down for the whole-house HEPA filtration system (he has allergy issues).
I put a few days into reading those review websites. I knew going in that very few consumers will take the time to write a positive/praise review. Every brand has its share of negative reviews, some more than others. So there isn't a brand with "wonderful reputation". There isn't much difference in any of them. Same compressors, fan motors, etc,, in most of them. In fact the most notable difference is design of grille over condenser fan, how much noise they make. Carrier is exactly the same units wearing at least 3 different badges and grilles today.
A independent research study couple years ago found that more than 90 percent of the service calls on units 5 years old or less were directly related to the quality of the install. One brand might be more rigid at bulkhead/refrigerant line attach points but.. if the installer would properly support the line set at evaporator that wouldn't matter. At the same time, some settling of a nearly 300 lb condenser unit should be expected and allowed for, especially at new construction.
 
We've put Goodman's in two rental properties.

So far they have been very good.

They are a part of Amana.

Not quite as costly as Trane or Carrier but just as good.

Unit for 1200 sq ft was $5800 installed two years ago.

The first one was done in 2009 and is still going strong with no service other than filters and routine checkouts.
 
I wish we had put a Goodman in our primary residence.

We got talked into a Westinghouse by the AC company.

Plastic drain pan that cracked in 6 months.

Burned up main logic board in 2.5 years.

Struggles when temp is over 90* and humidity is over 90% (somewhat frequent in FL)

Internal components are starting to rust after 5 years.


This replaced a 1989 York, that worked flawlessly until 2014!
 
My HVAC system in my last house was a dual fuel system that used a heat pump for AC and heat down to 40*. Below 40* it switched to gas heat. It was a very efficient system that worked quite well. Total cost was about the same as doing just AC and gas heat only.

That's interesting. Never heard of one of those before.
 
I'm looking at Heim units.. 16 SEER a/c 3 ton scrool compressor, outdoors temp sensor .. and furnace is a two stage, variable fan, wifi thermostat, 96.5 % efficiency .Heim...(2400 sq. ft. house) this estimate was much better at $8300 with air humidifier and condensation pump, hardwired fire/CO 2 sensor (mandatory) and outdoor vent kit .. warranties are excellent...also got rebates for thermostat and furnace.. I have five estimates and they were all over the place.. some guys think you just fell of the turnip truck..( like the first guy)

I've been doing some investigating myself into heat and A/C units also..there is only like three or four major manufacturers for all these units.. so pick and choose which items your looking for and pay more for some names, which are no better than other units made by the same company. Warned by all to avoid Carrier because in the event they go down, getting parts is a hassle. Can't figure why when they make other brands under there name and they can get parts for those quickly. ??

Someone here said pick installer wisely and that is what I have read countless times. >>>> Installer is as important as units you choose. <<<< Installed improperly, even the top of the line units will not function well.
 
I own a heating and cooling company up here in Canada and what 44070dart said is very accurate, installer is very important! I'm a Lennox dealer but I install a fair amount of other namebrands too like Goodman and Amana, Keeprite etc...everyone has an opinion on what is best, but cheapest isn't always the best way to go either. My advice is get a few quotes, try the after hours service # to see if they answer and wait times etc. These days, reviews, although good and bad, will give you a general idea if its a good company or not. Gas furnace and A/C around here is around $8500 for a mid range system but that may be very different depending on location. Good luck!
 
Warned by all to avoid Carrier because in the event they go down, getting parts is a hassle.
Sounds more like a problem with the local dealer(s) and Carrier parts distribution in your area. The dealer who services our rental property has many parts on their truck all the time and can source almost anything in a day; they mostly do Carrier.
 
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Also talk to the installers, had to redo a unit in Louisianan a couple of years ago. Asked if he did side work, and if I removed unit could we work out a better price? Saved almost 1/2 the price for it that way.
 
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