Heat Pump help... Olympia Washington

[Bikewanderer]

Wow.....lots going on here.

$9100 is three times what I normally spend to replace a 2.5-3 ton unit on rental houses. I stick to low seer rating single stage units with no heat pump.

That said, stay away with the variable speed. The difference is all about comfort, and the real cost is in maintenance and reliability. Two stage units are a single stage compressor with discharge valve halfway through the pumping section. It only adds the complexity of an additional valve. Were it me if I were going to look past the two stage unit I'd be looking at VRF systems or a geothermal heat pump. Not a lot of benefit in the variable speed stuff by itself.

 

[ultrarunner]

I appreciate the help... this is my one and only experience with a heat pump system.

Being that it is presently a rental and I was not there to get the bids... the estimators were really selling lower utility bills to my tenants...

I do know the compressor that failed is 2001 and the air handler is 1994.

I never really cared for either because the air handler was loud and the condenser fan was noisy to the point of spoiling a quiet summer afternoon.

Kind of ironic... some of the gas central heat systems I maintain here in California date from the 1920's and 30's and 90 years later still work great.

I'm not opposed to spending some money as long as I receive value...

About the only other thing is the semi-retired couple that rent are very good so I would like to keep them...

Good point about Geo-Thermal... seems like the expense is getting closer to Geo territory?

Is Carrier Infinity all it is made out to be? Apparantly, they had some compressor issues with the Bristol units that are no longer used...

Appreciate the TBN brain trust helping me decide...

 

[brin]

I appreciate the help... this is my one and only experience with a heat pump system.

Being that it is presently a rental and I was not there to get the bids... the estimators were really selling lower utility bills to my tenants...

I do know the compressor that failed is 2001 and the air handler is 1994.

I never really cared for either because the air handler was loud and the condenser fan was noisy to the point of spoiling a quiet summer afternoon.

Kind of ironic... some of the gas central heat systems I maintain here in California date from the 1920's and 30's and 90 years later still work great.

I'm not opposed to spending some money as long as I receive value...

About the only other thing is the semi-retired couple that rent are very good so I would like to keep them...

Good point about Geo-Thermal... seems like the expense is getting closer to Geo territory?

Is Carrier Infinity all it is made out to be? Apparantly, they had some compressor issues with the Bristol units that are no longer used...

Appreciate the TBN brain trust helping me decide...

Ask for a quote on a " Goodman or GMC heat pump" they are less expensive ...way less and carrier and other brands love to knock them...but they were really the first in heat pumps and their pricing has always been low...I have had their heat pumps for my own home and rentals for 20+ yrs. now...no problems that any other unit would not have...including all the big name brands...I have had HVAC folks tell me the only difference in the units is the case and brand name on it...the guts are all essentially the same.

 

[dmccarty]

Ask for a quote on a " Goodman or GMC heat pump" they are less expensive ...way less and carrier and other brands love to knock them...but they were really the first in heat pumps and their pricing has always been low...I have had their heat pumps for my own home and rentals for 20+ yrs. now...no problems that any other unit would not have...including all the big name brands...I have had HVAC folks tell me the only difference in the units is the case and brand name on it...the guts are all essentially the same.

The heat pump in the house we had in the city blew up a few months after I bought it. During the heat of the summer. Twas not unexpected since the unit was original to the house and almost 20 years old. Replaced it with a Rheem and it was doing fine after almost 10 years.

When we built our country house to leave the city behind, I had to decide on a HVAC unit. The TBN Brain Trust and some people at work mentioned Goodman so that is what we installed. It has been fine for eight years, knock on wood, with the exception of the starting capacitor going bad during a VERY hot heat spell we had a summer or two back. The HVAC unit is on the north side of the house but it still gets summer afternoon sun and I think the heat just got to that capacitor. Thank fully that is a cheap and fast fix. :thumbsup: The repair guy did turn up his nose at the Goodman. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[kenmac]

My 1 st line units are Trane. My 2nd line units are Goodman. I can buy Trane for about the same $ as Goodman, but I can sell them (Trane) for way more because, some customers just have to have a Trane and believe that Trane are expensive units. A/C units, furnaces HP's are all about the same when you get down to the nuts and bolts of it. You can purchase the most expensive Goodman or the most expensive Trane and their still about the same. Goodman has a very large portion of the HVAC market and for good reason....When you buy with all the bells & whistles, you are going to pay more up front and more in maintance cost. Someone has to keep those bells ringing and the whistles blowing.

Good luck which ever route you choose

 

[Bikewanderer]

I agree. Most people have a bad connotation with goodman but the problems are usually related to the fact that goodman sells to people that have no business doing installs.

Don't get me started on those little coil ignitors though!!!

 

[Bikewanderer]

OP - if you're pricing geothermal remember that there is a 30% tax credit and the utility may have rebates too. My $44000 HVAC bill for the new house is going to be $30k minus about 5k in rebates, or almost exactly what propane would have cost.