Tech / Special Interest → Home Improvement > [HVAC] Are these quotes reasonable?

Re: [Heating or Air Conditioning] Are these quotes reasonable?

Doesn't sound too bad but get lots of quotes. My new 5 ton, 2 stage 16 seer, 80% VS ECM furnace Rheem system was $8300, including new line set and electrical due to moving the compressor.

Other contractors were bidding upwards of 12k for this work. The first was for a Carrier base series ... Ugh!

One of the 12k bids was for a 4 16 seer ton York with a 96% furnace but not including electrical. We don't use enough heat to justify the extra expense of the venting rework required for 90+ Furnaces.

The price is high enough that multiple quotes are going to be needed. Although I'll probably stick with three of them. Maybe four, depending on how the other quotes come out.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

The base unit if it is 80% I do not even know why that is there? Plus I believe now the base ac or heat pump it 14 seer or more.
Then with in reason and working with the system should be able to use any thermostat you want or need on any of the choices.
I guess what I am saying is if I spent any time with an ac guy they may have few different options for me but they wouldn't be all over the board. He would have an idea of what I could afford or not afford. An idea of efficiency I wanted and he would let me know main differences in the system.
If I wanted a wifi thermostat he would just factor its cost into all the packages and make sure the package would work with it. Then what is your climate? Is it a true four season climate where they are all equal? To get the best ac seems to need to get the best furnace. Or to get best furnace need best ac. If a true four season climate that is fine. If one season is more extreme may not be the best choice. Just to me it doesnt seem personalized to your needs. A very wide range of choices there for having been with you and talked out your needs and wants.

Since you have a 2 story house, have you considered splitting the system in 2 and dedicating 1 for each floor?

If you hav a Costco membership, have you had them come out and give you a quote? I know if you have the executive membership, you can get the cash back.

How do you figure it's a wide range of choices and all over the board? He just put forth several choices all configured in the same manner to fit my needs. They all will do so, but he had recommended I stay with the 90+ units.

We didn't talk money. That's why he gave me several price points. Pretty simple.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

Thanks. I'll look into Costco. I didn't look into a heat pump. I am curious though and will ask.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

While a heat pump may not be sufficient for winter heating, my understanding is that they are much more efficient in the 30 to 60 degree range. In other words, while a heat pump may not be able to replace the gas furnace, you could use the heat pump as primary and the have the furnace as secondary for when it gets really cold.

I was also wonder about a heat pump along with a furnace. Also, I was wonder why three Carriers (figured all they installed) then along come Bryant as bestest. Ok obviously maybe can get at least some if not all United Technology brands then. So if Bryant is bestest (ok one time discount act quick) why where the other only Carrier?

Bryant
Carrier
Payne
International Comfort Products (Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, Day & Night, Heil, KeepRite, and Tempstar)
Linde Refrigeration
Noresco
Totaline
Transicold

Duplicate

I guess I'm not too concerned. And quite honestly, for my purposes I don't care much either.

Here's the company:
»energyserv.com/
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

Re: [Heat or AC] Are these quotes reasonable?

I kind of wonder whether a heat pump would make sense in Northern Illinois. They aren't common in my area (Northeast Iowa).

I don't hear about anyone having them near me either. Also, a poster on DSLR mentioned in an IM to me that there may be reliability issues with them. I've read the same in my research I've been doing lately, so I'm just going to stay away.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

Re: [Heating or Air Conditioning] Are these quotes reasonable?

I had a heat pump in my first house I built (central MO). I regretted it the very first winter. The backup heat was constantly on and the air coming out, to coin a phrases from a local commercial promoting NG, was "LUKE" (warm). It took forever to warmup the house and the unit ran constantly. I'll never have a heat pump again unless maybe if I was further south and he is up by Chicago. Give me a 90+ or better any day!!!

Re: [Heat or AC] Are these quotes reasonable?

Is geothermal an option/practical in your location? Been a few years since I worked in HVAC but those prices don't seem to horrible at first glance.

I would recommend a heat pump system for houses located in USDA zone 9A and above. That is generally close to the Gulf and pacific coasts and Florida. Outside that they do not do a very good job. I've lived in more northern locations with a heat pump and they just do not work well. If the temperature drops to 25 deg F or less the electrical resistance heat strips come on and that is very expensive. Even at 32 degrees they tend to struggle and run full time. I have a heat pump, but last year the temperature here got below freezing one time for about two or three hours so it works okay - not great - just okay.

If the installation cost were not so high I would love to have a geothermal system. Instead of a $300 - $350 electrical bill in the summer it would be about $50 or $60. When the piping is installed the only mechanical equipment you need is a small pump, water to air heat exchanger and a fan. If you watch your water quality there is practically zero maintenance. Even replacing the pump would not be that expensive. The killer is installing the piping. It has to be good quality (should be 316 SS) and there is a lot of it buried very deep in the ground. I did a pretty good estimate on installing one many years ago when pipe was a lot cheaper and the cost was about 5X that of a conventional system.

I have a geothermal system located in Southern Missouri and it cut my bill by half. My electric bill bill for July was only $129 for a 2500 sq ft house, even in the winter it only goes to $200. I paid $15,000 for my system but I got $5,000 in rebates and tax credits. Biggest problem with geothermal is the space needed for piping, unless you drill wells ($$$) you need several acres for the system.

I worked on a house that was G/T. They "drilled" 6 100' wells in a little over 4 hours. They really didn't use drills but rather water. The company had done this in a few of the houses in the subdivision and knew what he was up against. The reason he didn't go deeper with fewer wells is that he knew the layout of the area and the abandoned coal mines below.

Not to add too much FUD to the discussion here, but have any of your contractors talked about a Minisplit for the second floor?
»energy.gov/energysaver/articles/···itioners

There are several manufacturers that claim very impressive efficiency, and can power multiple heads. Mitsubishi comes to mind as one that is very popular and efficient, but there are many others.

Slightly different topic: I have an Amana heat pump w/electric backup in a Zone 7 climate and love it. Granted the air discharge temp is not like a gas furnace but if the ducting is proper, there are no cold drafts, just gentle warmth. This HP cut my Propane bill from $300/mo in the winter to a total electric bill of less than $180. The $180 covered Hotwater, a second floor heat pump that was original to the house, an electric dryer, dishwasher etc. Prior to the new heat pimp my bill was just under $100.
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The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

With regards to the minisplit, I don't think my wife would even for a moment consider having those units hanging off the wall/ceiling.

I'm zone 5/6, so I think a heat pump is out.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

That is, no matter the discussion, the gating factor.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

Maybe, but I've read more negatives than positives. And quite honestly, I'll pay the extra in electricity costs to not deal with that potential headache.
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Yedinitsy do nulya. Good job, idiot.

I've not heard of SS piping for resi use, most just use poly and either use a pond, stream, buried in trenches or vertical wells for closed loop or go with an open loop with a return well.

I wouldn't believe the bad stuff on a heat pump. It does its' job properly as long as you use it correctly. The bad stuff happens when people don't use it correctly. Of course you'll hurt yourself if you use a table saw wrong. I'd get a heat pump if it was me.