Time for a new HVAC 5 ton - Help!

[Sigarms]

As far as I know, all of the Goodman and most other manufacturers are using aluminum microchannel coils today.

When was the last time you installed a Goodman system?

Goodman has finally gone to an aluminum indoor coil kind of years ago, one of the last to the party (for both coils and air handlers), but as far as I know, outdoor units are still copper coils, and with all the yahoo's Goodman sells to, don't believe they would be that stupid enough to go to micro channel on any outdoor AC unit.

That said, IMO any new product changes worth making it would come out on the Daikin line first before Goodman. Please remember, Daikin is now the higher tier of equipment now produced for unitary split product systems sold in the US now on "behalf" of Goodman (even though Amana still has a better warranty, something the Japanese are still working on). The issue there is their is a cutltural difference on how warranties are viewed between Japan and the US, and IMO and it's still a learning process for them (Daikin, who owns Goodman).

 

[Sigarms]

being a small, part time guy I am very selective and stay away from any pain in the butt jobs. I do have a full time job as an engineering manager for a large manufacturer.

Part of the issue is that a full time HVAC company generally doesn't have the luxury of staying away from pain in the butt jobs or where duct work can be manufactured. Generally in business, the bigger the pain in the butt job you need to preform as a business, the more money you will charge on the job to CYA. This is where "full time" HVAC companies can get a bad rap for the pricing they charge because when you want a good job done with good service AFTER the sale, you will never stay in business by being cheap. This is where you have the luxuary of walking away from jobs because you don't advertise your business and rely on marketing and customer reviews to try and gain market share.

 

[Sigarms]

And yes, I need to lean multi quoting or whatever you want to call it per multiple quotes from either one or multiple people and tie it into one post

 

[techman]

You're running about a 2% failure rate, general average within most manaufacturers and not out of line. Hopefully you can understand that when you state "I have been installing Goodman units since 1987. Mostly heat pumps. Of all of the units I have done (I am still in contact with most customers) I have only had 2 repairs." that statement can be misconstrued per quality of the brand.

Given the information you've given me, I will also assume you are by far not the cheapest quote because if you're doing side work like you've described with your full time job, you don't want call backs being a pain in the butt added you mentioned no relatives which tells me you're smart LOL (in 25 years the only "relative job" I've done was my own parents home, and that was a boiler replacement, which I can live with).

If my assumptions are correct, I know more than a couple of guys like you locally in my area. Thing is, people assume since you're small, you have to be cheaper and you're not That said, you're not Goodman's typical customer by far.

Out of curiosity, do you push the brand or do you push the quality of your work?

I generally push the fact that most brands are descent. As a small, part-time business I do not have access to the name brand, certified dealer only products. So Goodman is one of the available options. But I do tell people that I recommend Goodman and that I have had very good luck with the product. But as I think you are hinting at, I do not rush or cut corners on installs. I have learned from many repair jobs that most issues are install related. An install that takes many firms a day will be a 3 day job for me. I believe in taking the time to do it right.

paul

 

[techman]

When was the last time you installed a Goodman system?

I put several in this summer, but I must admit that I did not pull open the condensing unit to look at the coil. I did look and they are still copper on the outside units. My earlier assumption was a bit too broad.

Paul

 

[Cat_Driver]

In my last house a Condo I replaced the Goodman that was installed outside the upper bedroom with a Trane. The Goodman literally shook the floor every time it went on.

The Trane ( high seer ) cut my utility bill by 50% - not kidding.

My current house has two AC units I replaced both noisy Goodmans with one Trane outside the Master bedroom and a to change things up I installed a Carrier for the main house. Both units perform perfectly. They both are high seer with multiple speed motors.

I live in the Desert where temps are up to 125 degrees for weeks during the summer. The High-speed
motor only comes on for a few minutes then tones down to a slow fan.

Both units are quiet.


I can hear the neighbors AC across the street when it's on and can't hear mine outside the kitchen.

With AC you get what you pay for in my opinion.

 

[Sigarms]

With AC you get what you pay for in my opinion.

The issue is there are a lot of variables on how the contractor does the job, add how he stands behind his work that you may not realize that will determine the actual job cost.

Added the fact, and no word of a lie, generally most HVAC contractors don't know how to price out a job so if they do work from their home and don't employ anyone, they think they are making money if they do charge 1k a day to do a changeout for someone.

 

[Sigarms]

I put several in this summer, but I must admit that I did not pull open the condensing unit to look at the coil. I did look and they are still copper on the outside units. My earlier assumption was a bit too broad.

Paul

You will find most manufacturers still use copper on the outdoor unit.

Trane and York (and all their sub lines) will use micro channel on the AC outdoor unit only. Nordyne is the only company that I know of that uses micro channel on both heat pumps and AC units AND indoor coils. Issue I have with Nordyne is most guys don't know their ABC's (airflow before charge) and airflow is more critical with Nordyne than any other line IMO .

Pretty much everyone has gone to aluminum coils on the indoor.