Can you recommend a furnace/ac unit?

[windycitymom]

Has anyone purchased a new furnace/ac unit recently? We have the original furnace/ac unit in our home (19 years) and just had it cleaned. It was recommended that we should get a new one - especially with the $1500 tax credit being offered through Dec. 31, 09.

We have a Trane XE60 and the newer version I believe is XV90. I heard that American Standard is the same as buying Trane. Is there a particular brand that you like?

Have you bought one recently and what have you paid? I'd hate for the furnace to die in January and realized we could have saved some money by buying it this year. We have a 2-story house with the family room/kitchen having a southern exposure.

This is a big purchase so I'd appreciate any tips or questions I should ask as I price units.

Thank you!!

 

[Bildmouse]

Get several quotes and if they are different brands make sure they are comparable. We are an Amana dealer and have had very few problems with servicing and maintaining the equipment. To get the tax credit the furnace has to be at least 92% efficient and the air has to be 16 seer and a heat pump has to be 15 seer. Ask your friends and coworkers what they have in their homes and what kind of service their dealer provides.

 

[trip]

Just so you don't feel you have to rush into buying a new furnace --- the Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1500, for 2009 & 2010 .

 

[DawnM]

We just replaced our heat pump....is yours a heat pump?

We got a trane 3ton XL15. We paid $6,600 for everything included and are eligable for the $1500 rebate.

We shopped around and some quotes were WAY MORE! We also told them we were paying CASH and got a $400 discount.

Dawn

 

[datgrt@fw]

I heard that American Standard is the same as buying Trane. Is there a particular brand that you like?

Have you bought one recently and what have you paid? I'd hate for the furnace to die in January and realized we could have saved some money by buying it this year. We have a 2-story house with the family room/kitchen having a southern exposure.

This is a big purchase so I'd appreciate any tips or questions I should ask as I price units.

Thank you!!

Hello windycitymom,
We replaced our Heat Pump in January or this year. After contacting several different companies we decided on the 'American Standard' / Trane 3-1/2 Ton Heat Pump Model 4WCY4042A1. I will attach a portion of the response I received from the American Standard Company that confirms it is the same unit as the 'Trane'! Also I will attach a copy of the Manufacturer’s Tax Credit Certificate. We paid around $5,100 installed which included the unit, the electrical cost as well as wrapping the boots/vents and also one new duct run.

I hope this information helps! Good luck with your purchase and your decision on which unit to buy!

Doug / datgrt@fw
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Subject: Contact Form AmStdHVAC Type: Product

Comment:
I am considering replacing my 'All-In-One' Heat Pump with an American Standard product. I have been told that both 'Trane' and 'American Standard' are the same products and are manufactured at the same location. I have been online on both companies sites and compared the like products of both brands and have found that even the model numbers are the same. Does the 'Trane' company also manufacture the 'American Standard' brand? Thanks, I appreciate your help!
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Subject: Contact Form AmStdHVAC Type: Product

You are correct, the units are the same just the labels and markings are different.

Consumer Relations Department
Residential Systems
Ingersoll Rand

Both brands are manufactured in FT Smith , AR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANE
Manufacturer’s Tax Credit Certificate
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Revitalization Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides tax credits for the
installation of Qualified Energy Property for residential heating and cooling equipment. Trane
U.S. Inc. (Trane) certifies that the products or system listed below and placed in service from
January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010 meets the efficiency requirements according to
AHRI’s rating system be eligible for a tax credit under ARRA.
Manufacturer:
Trane U.S. Inc., 6200 Troup Highway, Tyler, TX 75707
Class of Qualified Energy Property:
Residential heating and cooling equipment, including: central air conditioners, air source heat
pumps, gas furnaces, oil furnaces, propane furnaces, and gas/oil/propane furnaces with
advanced circulating fans
Other Important Homeowner Information
There are other important requirements and limitations for the tax credits under ARRA such as
the qualified energy property must be installed in the homeowner’s primary residence. Trane
recommends that homeowners consult a tax professional to ensure they meet all requirements.
The Internal Revenue Service is responsible for implementing and administering the tax credits
made under ARRA.
Declaration:
"Under penalty of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification statement, and to the
best of my knowledge and belief, the facts presented are true, correct and complete."

John Evans
Vice President, Marketing & Product Management
Residential Solutions

Qualifying product or system combination:
4WCY4042A1

 

[eatatmidnight]

My husband works for IR Trane. He gets the same question very often. (usually the first time folks turn on the AC or heat each year and discover it does not work). You are wise to buy when you have time to weigh the options.
His response is always something like this... Even though I work for Trane and would like you to consider Trane or American Standard first, at least go with a manufacturer with a good reputation. If not Trane or AS, check into Carrier and Lennox. Watch out for the smaller, lesser known companies. They often cater to basic construction grade contractors and are not very efficient. Purchase the most effecient unit that you can afford. Also, don't be afraid to get bids from more than one installer that represents the same company. The costs and quality of service can vary from one installer to another.

On a more personal note, if you have allergies of any kind and you can afford it, get the CleanEffects air system.

 

[windycitymom]

Thanks for the advice. I have several people coming over giving quotes on different brands. Another brand I am looking at is Goodman. They have the best warranty in the industry - 10 years warranty & parts, plus they are 1/3 the cost of Lennox. A friend who does HVAC installation says Goodman cost is less because they don't spend on advertising or marketing, but are just as dependable as the name brands. (Too bad my friend is out of state!).

Reviews on the internet show the important thing is the installation of a unit. Even a top of the line unit won't work well if improperly installed. I am definately going with a 95% high efficiency unit. I'm looking at a gas furnace as opposed to electric or oil.

This is not an easy decision and very confusing. I'm glad I have the time to think about all this!

 

[Bildmouse]

Goodman is a very good brand since they have been bought by the current owners. They also own Amana which is their higher end brand. The warranties on the Amana are a little better than the Goodman but both are good products. If you plan to be in your home a long time you might want to consider the Amana brand.

 

[cjlvsccm]

Thanks for the advice. I have several people coming over giving quotes on different brands. Another brand I am looking at is Goodman. They have the best warranty in the industry - 10 years warranty & parts, plus they are 1/3 the cost of Lennox. A friend who does HVAC installation says Goodman cost is less because they don't spend on advertising or marketing, but are just as dependable as the name brands. (Too bad my friend is out of state!).

Reviews on the internet show the important thing is the installation of a unit. Even a top of the line unit won't work well if improperly installed. I am definately going with a 95% high efficiency unit. I'm looking at a gas furnace as opposed to electric or oil.

This is not an easy decision and very confusing. I'm glad I have the time to think about all this!

I strongly recommend you NOT use a Goodman. We had one, and had it removed for a refund within the one-year warranty period. Had several issues with the performance and installation, and the company we bought from was... well, I won't talk bad about them, but have bad thoughts about them .

We got a Carrier, and have only good things to report with it.

And be SURE your new unit does not use R-22 refrigerant. The EPA is phasing out this ozone-depleting pollutant, but they are still selling units that use R-22 until next year. After that, the production of R-22 has to stop, and you'll be paying more for "re-claimed" refrigerant if it ever has to be recharged. Now it should be a R-410a system.
http://www.epa.gov/Ozone/title6/phaseout/22phaseout.html

Best of luck with your decision!!

 

[Bildmouse]

At one time there were problems with Goodman units not being properly installed and some components. These problems have been resolved and if any unit is not properly installed there will be issues.

 

[DawnM]

If you are staying in your house and you don't mind which brand it may not matter, I just know we do plan to sell this house at some poing and Trane is a good selling feature.

It won't matter if AS is "the same" if people looking at your house don't know that.....they will just see it isn't Trane or one of the name brands.

Just something to think about.

Dawn

 

[estherhead]

At one time there were problems with Goodman units not being properly installed and some components. These problems have been resolved and if any unit is not properly installed there will be issues.

But the problem with Goodman is that any unit that doesn't work isn't tagged as "not installed properly." I'm the vice president of an HVAC business and we just dropped selling Amana because they have great warranties but when we try to collect the money they tell us we didn't install it properly. We got soooo tired of the fighting. We make our fair share of mistakes, but we have some of the best technicians around and they don't install ALL units wrong.

We've sold Lennox for years & years and they do have lower end equipment that is still excellent. You don't have to get their top of the line to have great equipment.

We also are now selling Maytag and we are already loving them. 12 year warranty, the best around, and amazing support since they are smaller.

I agree with the others tho, choosing a dealer you trust edges out the actual equipment you buy. Ask around, check with BBB, etc. and choose a dealer with an excellent reputation and 24/7 service department. And don't take their word for it. They all claim to have 24/7 service, but do they really? Then get multiple quotes. And don't just take the cheapest. It often means they are in trouble & you won't have them around for long.

Lennox, Carrier, Trane, Maytag, they are all good. And if you have an excellent dealer Goodman is OK too because your dealer will take care of you, even if Goodman doesn't.

Also, since you have time, check into geo-thermal. It's expensive to put in & you do have to have some land but the savings you get will pay for your home equity loan each month. And the 30% tax credit for geo-thermal doesn't have a cap on it. Plus companies successfully installing geo-thermal units probably know what they are doing with other equipment too.

Sorry, I could write a book, clearly, but I'll control myself.

 

[endy]

I had a high efficiency Lennox furnace installed last week. Worked out to just under $5400. This is for 1800 sq ft home size. I think the AC/heat was around $7700. Canadian prices of course.

The installer highly recommends Lennox & his opinion was it was one of the best units going.

I noticed a heat difference within 6 hours of installation. I replaced a 29 yr old furnace, nothing wrong with it - I just didn't want to chance it going down in the middle of a cold snap. I'm finding with it set at 71 that it's too warm. With the old one I would have to turn up to 22 or 23 C and it was still chilly. Not sure what that would be in F degrees I think around 75-76.
Can't wait to compare the first bill to see what the savings will be.

 

[satorifound]

Could we replace our heat only furnace with a heat/cool furnace (in our basement) and hook it into our existing ducting to get both a/c and heat?

 

[BWVNUT]

Could we replace our heat only furnace with a heat/cool furnace (in our basement) and hook it into our existing ducting to get both a/c and heat?

Yes, you can; that's exactly what we did many years back.

 

[MommyTo5]

Thanks for the advice. I have several people coming over giving quotes on different brands. Another brand I am looking at is Goodman. They have the best warranty in the industry - 10 years warranty & parts, plus they are 1/3 the cost of Lennox. A friend who does HVAC installation says Goodman cost is less because they don't spend on advertising or marketing, but are just as dependable as the name brands. (Too bad my friend is out of state!).

Reviews on the internet show the important thing is the installation of a unit. Even a top of the line unit won't work well if improperly installed. I am definately going with a 95% high efficiency unit. I'm looking at a gas furnace as opposed to electric or oil.

This is not an easy decision and very confusing. I'm glad I have the time to think about all this!

We purchased a Goodman gas furnace about 2 years ago and haven't had any problems whatsoever! I've also heard that it's the installation more than anything.

 

[DawnM]

We tried it and it was going to need quite a bit of rezoning and work to get it to actually pass the inspection codes.

Double check before starting!

Dawn

Could we replace our heat only furnace with a heat/cool furnace (in our basement) and hook it into our existing ducting to get both a/c and heat?

 

[estherhead]

I had a high efficiency Lennox furnace installed last week. Worked out to just under $5400. This is for 1800 sq ft home size. I think the AC/heat was around $7700. Canadian prices of course.

The installer highly recommends Lennox & his opinion was it was one of the best units going.

I noticed a heat difference within 6 hours of installation. I replaced a 29 yr old furnace, nothing wrong with it - I just didn't want to chance it going down in the middle of a cold snap. I'm finding with it set at 71 that it's too warm. With the old one I would have to turn up to 22 or 23 C and it was still chilly. Not sure what that would be in F degrees I think around 75-76.
Can't wait to compare the first bill to see what the savings will be.

I think you'll be surprised at how much you save. Did you get a new thermostat too? Because that can also make a big difference if you get one that is programmable.

 

[satorifound]

Yes, you can; that's exactly what we did many years back.

Very cool, thank you. I think that is what we will do this coming year. We also want one of those on-demand water heaters.

 

[endy]

Estherhead
Yes I got a new programmable thermosat. Just a middle of the road one $60. The installers tried to get me to buy theirs for $375 - no thanks.

Someone mentioned being up to code. They have to come in and measure before the install. The duct work for the old furnace is changed and rerouted outside plus the hot water heater had to have new ducts to get to code and they installed a CO2 detector also to code.
I haven't had it done yet but after instal the city has an inspector come out to check it over.

However tonight I was at a friends, she just had her 30 yr old furnace cleaned and they told her to keep the old one as long as she can. Sure it costs a lot more to run but the newer ones tend to need to be repaired often. Not sure if that makes much sense.
My new unit has a 10 yr warranty.