May need a heat pump. Any brand suggestions?

[clemsonfor]

Isn't that kind of like asking what's the best brand of tractor (or car, or pickup, or ATV, or lawnmower, or anything else)?:laughing:

We had a complete new system installed one year ago this month; not a so-called high efficiency unit, but we've been happy with it so far and it's a Goodman.

I have a goodman also, actually 2, that i had installed 3 yrs ago. They have i think a 10 yr warrenty. Many builders recognize it as a good brand as well.

You really dont want a high effecient model with that low a bill. Really no one should buy at the top like the 21 seers. You will never get the pay back. It would have been like having a cell phone in 1985. They had them but you didnt! Esp with that little usage you should buy middle of the raod. Mine are 13 seer but there 3 yrs old. They may be up to 15 at a similar cost to what i paid now.

As a reference, my neighbor (not knocking brands telling the truth) has a trane, it might be something like 6 or 7. But has broken down ech yr i have lived here i beleive. Now its under warrenty per him but that still dosent make it worth waiting for them to come fix in 2 days later when its 95 F or 30F outside!

 

[clemsonfor]

This must be in a deer camp or a second home? My power bill at my home when i use no heat or AC is in the $80range give or take $10. Its only the wife and i. So at this point SQft is irrelevant as i said there is no coditioning going on to the air. We are concious to turn out lights have CFL's in all the most frequent lights and really any light that is cut on for more than 10 mins or so. We have a washer and drier that is around 10yrs old. Watch 1 tv at a time, have a PC always on and then use the stove and Microwave to make dinner. Have a 8 yr old 40gall H2O heater. And all the other cell chargers hair drier alarm clocks. Just curious how yours is that low?

Another thing to compare my farm property has a home on it with a refridge alarm clock some lights timed with cfls, a freezer and if no one stays there runs in the $20-25/month range. I would love to have bills as low as yours!

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a 4 year old 4 ton, 14 SEER Goodman heat pump system (Amana and goodman = same company...mine actually came with both stickers in an envelope). Has Copeland scroll compressor with great warranty.

Had one minor issue with exhaust gas fan motor in first year. fixed in 1 day.

Unit works great....no problems. When its up and running, my Amp tester only shows a 32 amp usage. its amazing that i can heat a 4,000 SF home on 32 amps.

Our utility bills arnt ever too high ($.06/KWH) so no complaints there either. We have propane backup heat source for mine as i didn't want to add a 100 amp load for elect heat onto the house. I use wood fireplace for winter heat anyways, so it isn't really a factor unless I'm too lazy to start a fire.

 

[EE_Bota]

Just curious how yours is that low?

Another thing to compare my farm property has a home on it with a refridge alarm clock some lights timed with cfls, a freezer and if no one stays there runs in the $20-25/month range. I would love to have bills as low as yours!

To get bills as low as mine, you will either have to solve your hot water heating needs in some innovative way, or live alone, as best I can figure. If my bill was as high as yours, I'd do what I cannot now do: Hug my wife!

 

[kenmac]

I have a 4 year old 4 ton, 14 SEER Goodman heat pump system (Amana and goodman = same company...mine actually came with both stickers in an envelope). Has Copeland scroll compressor with great warranty.

.

Alot of folkes talk bad about Goodman. If I don't sell a Trane it's usually a Goodman. I sell other brands as well. But, I like the fact that Goodman still uses a piston/orifice to meter the Refrigerant. TXV'S aren't bad but, they will & do give problems from time to time. It's hard for a piston/orifice to break. Almost all brands (except Trane & a couple other brands) use the Copeland scroll compressor

 

[hizoot]

Thought I'd give a little input...
I've been in HVAC since 1979. I've worked for a few companies before going in business for myself 20 yrs ago. My website is airtechtyler.com . Over the years, I have installed/serviced every brand out there. From 1000 ton centrifugal chillers to window units to ultra low temp freezers (-50 to -250 degree F) I am a commercial Trane dealer (over 20 ton units) and Carrier residential. I also sell Heil (ICP) units, that is owned by Carrier, as a lower price point unit.
What some have stated is very true....most all higher efficiency units will have the Copeland scroll compressor. Make sure you get this as they usually give a 10 yr compressor warranty for a reason on these.... they are very good compressors. Copeland has critical patents on the design...and Trane has done their best (after many years) to try and rival it. I dont think they are there yet. That being said...the most important component is the installer and servicer to get the maximum potential life of the system.The install must be done right...any hint of moisture,non-condensibles will eventually react with the refrigerant and become acidic. Acids, corrode everything, including the compressor windings. Which will cause premature failure,from either leaks or winding shorts/shunts. Brazing should be done right..with a nitrogen purge . This keeps copper oxides out (non-condensibles and trash). Before letting the refrigerant loose (pre-charged condensors), the linesets and evaporator (inside coil) should be evacuated to 150-200 microns . I will usually purge with nitrogen and then evacuate again if replacing a system (not usually needed on new equipment) to make sure I have a good clean install. Then...after start up, the system should be calibrated and made sure design parameters are met.
There are too many "techs" out there, that take a couple of classes at the junior college and think they are HVAC mechanics....I've been doing this for 32+ years,have a college degree in it, and I still learn stuff. I see too many "techs" guess at whats wrong, change a part,hopefully get it right,then go to the next call,without trying to figure out "why" it failed.

Anyways...to make a short story long ....get a good tech!
BTW:
I believe Carrier has the best controls out there....period. I am friends of the man that developed the VVT network control. It is used by NASA...'nuff said

 

[Sigarms]

Alot of flokes talk bad about Goodman

The reason being that in general, Goodman will sell their product line to anyone, and that has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, and for just reason IMO.

Go online and look for reviews, and people will swear up and down Goodman is a piece of crap. I don't doubt that installer error accounts for some of the issues.

But another point is that Goodman has had some major issues with their copper coils, particularly in their air handlers from 2007-2009, and I'm talking MAJOR. Now they're copying Trane and now producing Aluminum coils, and Goodman swears this is the cure all solution to their problem. Problem is, Goodman has never come out and said they have had issues with their copper coils, and rarely will the pay a HVAC contractor to replace the coil if it's under warranty (if you're a contractor and have to replace 125 coils in the first year after you put in a system, that can really hurt your pocket when you have to pay a guy to do the work or do it yourself). I know of one guy who actually has had to replace at least 16 replacement coils.

Now, take York. They've had a boatload of coil issues as well in the past, but from my understanding talking with York dealers, for the most part, York has paid the dealers to replace the bad coils, even if the contractor has had to replace a second coil. That tells me that York stands behind their product, but Goodman doesn't because they're playing nothing but a numbers game.

I believe Carrier has the best controls out there..

I won't disagree with you on that, but one reason why I wouldn't put a Carrier in my own home is due to the cost of some of those residential controls and the fact that most of them are OEM and you can only get them from Carrier. You can take a $50 part and they sell it to the contractor for $250 (then you have the mark up to the homeowner if out of warranty), and their is no where else that contractor can pick up that part but from Carrier. They (Carrier) has you by the gonads and they know it.

 

[EE_Bota]

First, about the UV bulb Air Knight...a little study suggests that around a year usage is about right. I read about ballast problems, and the Carrier Infinity seems to count off the hours to recommend replacements. But, if very well could be worth $100 a year, depending on effectiveness. Since if it quits, the unit is not effected, it is an option that is truly optional.

Carrier controls: The Trane guy was a straight talker, and he said that the Carrier communicates better in my unit size range. He said the next step up commucates, but he ruled them out for me because he, upon knowing my status, single, no children, and low bills, said that they cannot pay out for me. Married, children, different story.

Cost comparison: It looks like the Trane will be close to $1000 cheaper. The Trane fellow didn't represent as well because my brother is his vet, and he had lots of stories about how my brother saved the day, etc, so it was hard to stay on topic. For pricing, he showed me a printed lamanated list from the manufacturer, and added around $200 to the price. The Trane guy said either choice, I can't go wrong, and if I buy Carrier, and something doesn't work out, give him a call, and he will straighten out the Carrier. (Essentially, no hard feelings, glad to help either way because when he was a kid, my brother used to help him with his pigs for little or nothing, and even as an adult, barely charges him anything.)

A buddy at work has Carrier, and highly recommends it. My brother, a different vet, has Trane, and highly recommends it.

It's a lot of money, which I would gladly pay if I knew it would give me good service, but enough of you guys have written to say that install is critical. I will take the day off on installation day, and hope that helps the install, rather than hurts. I don't know what an excellent HVAC man would know, but as a former plant engineer, I had to intervene with our large chillers some. These were really old Vilter units that were belt driven, and looked like electric motors driving V-8 engines. When I had to pick the replacement, I sweated that harder than my purchace for home, because people keep "score" of who bought what, and your name in a factory can be tarnished for years because you bought junk.

I know right from wrong, but having to guts to correct a craftsman is tough. They don't like it, none of them, including our craftsmen at work. Also, there is always the soul searching about is what you see as big a deal as you think it is, and are you TRULY right.

I am leaning toward Carrier because the saleman crawled under the house in cacky slacks and measured the whole thing out, and that impressed me. If the saleman were actually going to do the install, I'd be "in like Flynn" because I am convinced he knows his stuff, and is a stickler. But, perhaps, if I am lucky, that reflects on his entire organization. The Trane guy didn't do that, but that may not mean anything really, since he might have great crews who can deal with anything.

 

[2manyrocks]

Some folks prefer package units just to avoid the issues with field purging of linesets and charging issues.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea i should have mentioned the 2 goodmans that i had put in 3.5 yrs ago are both 3ton package units. that is the way my ducts were set up and what the old systems were.