HVAC replacement advice

[Ian S]

If it's been sitting around for awhile, it may not use the latest refrigerant. That could make future repairs more costly. See https://indoortemp.com/resources/puron-advance-r454b-hvac-refrigerant

 

[ncbill]

If it's been sitting around for awhile, it may not use the latest refrigerant. That could make future repairs more costly. See https://indoortemp.com/resources/puron-advance-r454b-hvac-refrigerant

There are probably tens of millions of units using the old R410A, including my nearly 15-year-old Trane heat pump.

I have no worries about getting R410A or compatible refrigerant for as long as it lasts.

Shoot, RS-44b is available as a drop-in replacement for the old R-22 (Freon) refrigerant!

 

[ncbill]

I have to get a new central air conditioner and am getting quotes. In our case the compressor is out back and the air handler in the attic. I asked for 3 options, a single stage, a 2 stage and a heat pump. I’m getting quotes for Carrier, Trane and Lennox systems. We currently have a Carrier, and from what I’ve read there really doesn’t seem to be that much difference between those 3 manufacturers. They all have heat strips in the air handler, and we may use the heater a couple of times during the winter, but not regularly.

The Carrier quote doesn’t include a 2 stage, the rep said the space in the attic is too limited.

The Trane quote this morning was unusual. They offered a 2 stage heat pump for the same price as the 2 stage AC. There’s a rebate for the heat pump so it would actually be close to $2k less expensive than the 2 stage and even cheaper than the single stage AC.

It looks like a great deal. The catch is the heal pump was built in 2022 and has been sitting unopened in their warehouse since then. It is warranted as new.

Is 1-2 years sitting there unopened a major concern? Full warranty is in place, and it gets twice yearly service.

Also, since we don’t use the heater often, is there any other meaningful difference between a 2 stage ac vs the heat pump?

Take the cheapest option (heat pump) as long as it truly is the cheapest, i.e. make sure you qualify if there's a tax credit involved.

~15 years ago when I had my central A/C replaced with a heat pump I paid an extra $1,000 for the 10 year labor warranty.

The Trane heat pump (plus all associated systems components as part of the installation) came with a 10 year parts warranty.

If you can still get labor coverage that cheaply I strongly recommend buying it.

It covered the replacement of the compressor/condenser fan at year 9, which out-of-warranty would have cost nearly $1,000 in total, back then.

 

[MichaelB]

Update

It’s been a busy week.

First, the heat pump definitely does not qualify for a tax credit. I’ve dropped the distributor from consideration.

From the company that services our current system I can get a new 2 stage A/C unit that does qualify, and has other credits as well. It’s not the least expensive option but it works for me. Channeling W2R’s advice here.

I have 2 options with the air handler. The manufacturer has phased out the old model and the replacement is just rolling out. They will give me an old model with an extended (5 year) labor warranty, or a new model with a 2 year labor warranty. I’m inclined to go with the new model.

A question. Is a new model air handler like a new model auto, where it needs some time in production to work out some initial problems, or is it more likely to work well from day one with no design issues?

 

[REWahoo]

From the company that services our current system I can get a new 2 stage A/C unit that does qualify, and has other credits as well. It’s not the least expensive option but it works for me. Channeling W2R’s advice here.

That's the option I chose. There was less than $1K difference in the price of a 2 stage vs single speed system once the tax credit was applied. I thought it was worth it once you include the additional savings from the higher efficiency of the 2 stage system.

I have 2 options with the air handler. The manufacturer has phased out the old model and the replacement is just rolling out. They will give me an old model with an extended (5 year) labor warranty, or a new model with a 2 year labor warranty. I’m inclined to go with the new model.

A question. Is a new model air handler like a new model auto, where it needs some time in production to work out some initial problems, or is it more likely to work well from day one with no design issues?

Sorry, I have no idea about potential reliability of a new vs old design. I would add however that the new air handler is almost certainly more efficient than the older model, something you have probably already included your decision process.

 

[MichaelB]

Just to close this out, I had our new a/c installed yesterday. We went with the Carrier new model air handler and a 2 stage unit. The installer were a team of 3 and they spend 10 hours (really 9 hours plus lunch). They kept me informed every step of the way, showed me photos of the before and after.

 

[braumeister]

We went with the Carrier new model air handler

As a result of climate change, I would expect new model air to be easier to handle than the old air. Being warmer, it would be less dense than cooler air, and therefore lighter and more manageable.

Best of luck with it, hope you have many reliable years with it!