New HVAC quote, thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Now it's a tossup between Trane and Carrier:

14.5k for Trane 3t 80% two stage 80000BTU + 3t SEER15 single stage
8.5k for Carrier 2.5t 80% 70000BTU + comfort 2.5t Up to 16 SEER2

Old home built in the 60s, 2000sqft. Trane vendor offers financing

[Anonymous]

My current AC is 2.5t. I don't use AC that often. Just checked, my summer time electricity bills were never more than $80, not sure if 3t is an overkill

[Anonymous]

These two quotes are two different sizes.

Did either of these companies perform a Manual J? (I doubt it.)

[Anonymous]

I sell both and the Trane quote is obscenely high; there's no reason to go to a 3 ton system.

[Anonymous]

Don't do a single stage in our climate - it's either all or nothing. A variable stage is best but a two-stage is exponentially better than a single-stage. That allows you to dehumidify with less cooling effort on days that are not very hot but crazy humid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do a single stage in our climate - it's either all or nothing. A variable stage is best but a two-stage is exponentially better than a single-stage. That allows you to dehumidify with less cooling effort on days that are not very hot but crazy humid.

They said they don't run the A/C much and have $80 electric bills, why would this person pay thousands more for a multistage or variable speed system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These two quotes are two different sizes.

Did either of these companies perform a Manual J? (I doubt it.)

This is the only right answer in here. I don't know how anyone can claim that 3T is overkill without doing the math.

[Anonymous]

PP that sells HVAC - what do you think would be a reasonable quote for the Trane system? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Neither did a manual calc - actually I had 2 other proposals but I didn't like their systems (York & Goodman). None did a calc, 2 said 3t and 2 said 2.5t. I guess the size is right around the edge so people just went with an arbitrary number

[Anonymous]

I was PP who asked about manual j. It’s frustrating. In VA, it is required when installing or replacing an HVAC system but NO one offers one. I would love to find an independent manual j.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP that sells HVAC - what do you think would be a reasonable quote for the Trane system? Thanks

The Trane furnace that was quoted is more expensive than the one on the Carrier quote; that being said the entire wholesale system cost will be well within $1k of each other. $9,500 or so Trane system would be the ballpark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was PP who asked about manual j. It’s frustrating. In VA, it is required when installing or replacing an HVAC system but NO one offers one. I would love to find an independent manual j.

You won't find anyone doing a Manual J in residential work outside of new construction. We pay a ton of money to subscribe to a load calculator program that undergoes 3rd party testing & certification to meet the permit office's manual J requirements. And yes every time we pull a permit we submit the reports with the permit application. That being said upsizing/ downsizing capacity in existing homes, particularly with cooling, is a fools errand unless its grossly out of whack. All the reports in the world won't change a customers mind when the system "doesn't cool like the old one."

[Anonymous]

I'm talking to another Trane vendor in the area to see if I get a more reasonable quote. Are there some good Trane vendors you recommend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My current AC is 2.5t. I don't use AC that often. Just checked, my summer time electricity bills were never more than $80, not sure if 3t is an overkill

You don’t want an oversized unit. It’s not more efficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm talking to another Trane vendor in the area to see if I get a more reasonable quote. Are there some good Trane vendors you recommend?

What part if town are you in?