Replacing the AC unit in my home - Requesting advice from any home AC guys on here

Looks like my home unit decided to take a major dump a few weeks ago.

It's an Carrier 3 Ton Unit with a gas furnace. The AC part inside the house is in a closet, not a wall.

I have pretty much all of the local AC contractors give me bids for replacing the whole unit (AC and Heat)

The original unit was installed in 1975 and has offered great service. No major issues until now.

May it rest in peace.

I need a little help in the following:

1. Brand to pick
2. What to look for during installation
3. Any other insight to make sure I get the most AC out of my monies.
4. 14 Seer vs 16 Seer

*******Contractor 1********

Goodman - 14 Seer - $5200 Installed
16 Seer - $6500 Installed

American Standard - 14 Seer - $6200 Installed
16 Seer - $7200 Installed


Notes: 3 Ton unit, 5 years warranty on labor, 10 years warranty on unit, will require two days of installation, will receive a WIFI Digital Thermostat for either unit, will replacing all wiring, will reuse all copper lines but replace all other items (drier, coils, vents etc)


*******Contractor 2********

Rheem/Ruud - 14 Seer - $5600 Installed
16 Seer - $6300 Installed

Bryant (Carrier) - 14 Seer - $5800 Installed
16 Seer - $6500 Installed

Notes: 4 Ton unit, 1 year warranty on labor, 10 years warranty on unit, will require two days of installation, no mention of WIFI/Digital Thermostat, will replace EVERYTHING, even copper lines.


*******Contractor 3*******

Trane - 14 Seer - $9500 Installed

Notes: 3 Ton unit, 1 year warranty on labor, 10 year warranty on unit, will replace everything EXCEPT copper lines, provide safety float switch and new pans, rebuild platform in closet if required. No mention of WIFI/Digital Thermostat.


*******Contractor 4********

Not Interested in bidding job.


*******Contractor 5********

Rheem/Ruud - 14 Seer - $4800 Installed + $1000 if I want to replace the venting
16 Seer - $5400 Installed + $1000 if I want to replace the venting

Notes: 3 Ton unit, 1 warranty on labor, 10 year warranty on unit, will replace only outside and indoor 'units', No Digital Thermostat, will reuse the copper lines. Said something about flushing out the copper lines before reusing them.

*******Contractor 6********

No Show


*******Contractor 7********

Pending Estimate


*******Contractor 8********

Will arrive on Tuesday @ 6:30PM for Estimate.

 

mine

 

I don’t have anything helpful but I’m subscribing because I’m sure I’ll eventually need the same help. Hope you get some answers soon.

 

thank you

 

Check out Goodman - they are popular replacement units around here.

I had one put in my old house before I sold it.

 

I work on AC system quite a bit.
My advice is stay away from trane. Goodman and amana are great!
The reason I say so is parts procurement and cost of said parts. Trane won't sell you parts and if you can get them they cost as much as a train.
Goodman uses off the shelf parts, very easy to get parts.
Obviously higher SEER is more efficient.
Im sure you have an r-22 unit. They should have stopped putting those in now and you don't want one if they have em. The refrigerant is up there with gold prices. So yes your lines should be flushed when they install the new unit.

 

Thank you. Yes, I have an R-22 unit - I'm not really worried about the Freon - I have two large canisters of R-22 that I picked up in a garage sale for $20 bucks. I guess they didn't know what they had.

 

Well a 30 lb jug cost between $450 and $800 around here.

 

Yup, its two 30lb jugs that I got. Good to know

 

My existing unit is a 10 seer. So a 14 seer would a nice upgrade in efficiency

 

Wow, a 2 day install. The ones I help with are a matter of hours.

We have flushed the lines, but never replaced them.

The unit will come with a pre-charge of refrigerant. I do not know if the old and new can be mixed or if the old is banned.

 

I went with Goodman recently. It was the least expensive but I see them everywhere, including businesses. That says alot to me.

Carrier/Trane are not the quality they used to be.

Also, if you have friends/acquaintences in a trade, find out who they use as installers. I found my air conditioning guy this way. He came highly recommended from the wife of a master electrician I know. They don't advertise so I would have never found them on my own. They came in a full $2,000 under everyone else. They make their money on labor. The cost of the unit was "pass thru"...I paid what they paid on the components.

Also, make sure you get literature (instructions, etc...) that comes with the product. Your warranty info is in there and most likely you'll have to send that in to the company within a certain short time frame. I learned this warranty thing the hard way and assumed the installer registered everything on his end. By the time I figured it out I was beyond the "register within 90 days" requirement of the warrantee.

Good luck.

 

Yes you can do the math on how much you'll save between 14 and 16 over the years usually 10. Vs the additional cost of the 16 unit.
Also if your old compressor blew up you MUST flush lines, replace filter dryer, regardless of refrigerant type.

 

I do it for a living. I install a lot of Armstrong and concord. They are essentially the same unit with different names on the door. I think American standard falls under the same line. Goodman are solid units. Buy the unit that the parts are affordable and available. I can literally build an Armstrong at my supply house in the parts aisle. Make sure to install new copper line sets as the new refrigerant is not compatible with the old. Also make sure they purge the line set with nitrogen when they braze it. Otherwise it will plug things up. I'd go 14 seer and a single speed compressor.

 

^This 100%

 

Good information.
Really replace the lines? I understand incompatibility (hence the flushing) but it seems the cost would be insane... .?
Also people braze without nitrogen? That's crazy, I remember experimenting in ac class with and without and would never do without!

 

why replace the lines?

they can flush them to clean them out no?

 

Yes they can flush them with an r-11 flush kit. The kit is almost as expensive as the line set though. $100 gets me a 25' line set. Sadly yes guys are still brazing without nitrogen. The system works for a few years and then the txv plugs up out of warranty of course. Also make sure they pull a deep vacuum to at least 400 microns before they release the gas.

 

the thing is that I have a brick home.

If they replace the lines, they will have to cut the existing lines flush at the brick line and bring the lines down from the roof soffit/trim and down to the ac. I feel that's an eyesore, even if they cover it up with that flashing.

I'd rather pay for the flush kit two times over than have that eye sore..

 

This is where I'm at