Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC)

   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #1  

ProjectKing

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Well after 10 years it's looks like our 5 ton American Standard heat pump compressor is shot. HVAC guy is saying they are not cheap to replace and it maybe worth replacing entire system.

While I wait for repair quote I need to start researching new units and try to determine my best option. I'm curious what everyone's opinions are on the best made, longest lasting heat pump. It would be all electric.

Thank you for any advice. Certainly is not as interesting as talking tractors!
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #2  
Typically they are a bit regional and contractor/wholesaler specific. In other words the contractor only installs one or two brands and the area may only have 3-4 brands. The ones the contractors typically install are all about the same- York, Rheem, American Standard, Carrier etc.

The interesting comment was your contractor stating after 10 years- replace everything. Condensers are a repair item unless it has been damaged at the coils. Evaporators change slightly with time but nothing significant- they too only need replaced if they start to leak- which isn't often. Your FAU only has a fan which can also be replaced when it goes bad- it's not a whole new unit.

Hope that provides some direction but more importantly directs you to a reputable contractor instead of someone interested in making a 100% replacement of a 10 year old system!!
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #3  
Is your compressor a burn-out or a mechanical failure? Was it operating in the cooling mode or heating mode? Do you have a furnace or air handler as the fan source for the indoor coil? In my former role as an HVAC service tech burn-outs were our worst replacements as that crap gets through the whole system with most of it in the condenser. We always recommended replacement of the condensing unit (outdoor unit) on straight cooling or failure in the cooling mode and in addition the indoor coil if failure in heating mode for heat pumps. Complete system replacement is not normally necessary for a 10 year old system. 10 years is about right for a heat pump compressor. We always flushed out the system with heavy flow of nitrogen followed by refrigerant to try and get most of the oil out (the carrier of the contaminants of a failure. Burn-outs also chemically create a lot of contaminated H2O in the system. We protected the new compressor with a replaceable core suction filter and at least a one follow up to change out the core. A moisture indicator in the liquid line is also a must. We did a lot of early re-replacements by other contractors because they did not do those above due diligence items. I would compare the price differences for all the options and make an economic decision on complete replacement or component replacement. Labor is the most expensive component of any option. Up here labor goes at +/- $100/hr
decision making. I lean towards Lennox for whole system replacement, right now they have a rebate of $250 on complete systems.

Ron
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #4  
Lennox.
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #5  
OP- Heat pump by definition means the condenser provides the primary heat and cooling. Having an all electric system means you backup/secondary heating is electric coils. Just confirming we are all talking about the same thing. Thx
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC)
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Typically they are a bit regional and contractor/wholesaler specific. In other words the contractor only installs one or two brands and the area may only have 3-4 brands. The ones the contractors typically install are all about the same- York, Rheem, American Standard, Carrier etc.

The interesting comment was your contractor stating after 10 years- replace everything. Condensers are a repair item unless it has been damaged at the coils. Evaporators change slightly with time but nothing significant- they too only need replaced if they start to leak- which isn't often. Your FAU only has a fan which can also be replaced when it goes bad- it's not a whole new unit.

Hope that provides some direction but more importantly directs you to a reputable contractor instead of someone interested in making a 100% replacement of a 10 year old system!!

Thank you for response.

Failure point is the compressor. It has dead short to ground. The condenser is okay.

The system is a heat pump outside with air handler inside. Air handler has typical electric resistance grid for auxiliary and or emergency heat. Air handler has no issues. Heat pump had no issues as well and was running wonderful until it through its dual breaker in the circuit breaker panel!

My wife did mention a very close and loud lighting strike near house same day heat pump stopped working. No other electrical devices in house have been affected. But I think it's possible heat pump was damaged from lighting strike.
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC)
  • Thread Starter
#7  
OP- Heat pump by definition means the condenser provides the primary heat and cooling. Having an all electric system means you backup/secondary heating is electric coils. Just confirming we are all talking about the same thing. Thx

Yes that is correct. Heat pump cools and heats. Electrical resistance heat in air handler inside house provides back up heat if needed.
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC)
  • Thread Starter
#8  
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #9  
I recently replaced a 30 year old heat pump with a Carrier Greenspeed unit. I've been happy with it so far and it will be interesting to see how much the heating bill changes. My brother is in the HVAC business and recommended Lennox as well but I didn't care for the local dealer. The Carrier also came with a 5 year parts and labor and 10 year compressor warranty. The new outdoor unit is so quiet I can barely hear it running. They old one sounded like a C-130 on take-off.
 
   / Who makes best heat pumps (HVAC) #10  
doesn't matter about the model. Just make sure you get a proper install. You can get bells and whistles on many of the brands.
If you have a R22 system, I would suggest to replace. You could get a new compressor, flush the system and re charge with R 407C. but I would just replace the system.

Having been in the HVAC business for over 30 yrs, I can install any system I want in my home. I use the least expensive without all those bells, and whistles
 
 
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