A/C compressor is bad . (8 years old :flipoff2:)
Do I get a new A/C unit or would I save enough money over time to justify putting in a heat pump?
House is 9 years old .
Under 2600 sq ft
Gas is around $1200 / year at current prices.
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A/C compressor is bad . (8 years old :flipoff2:)
Do I get a new A/C unit or would I save enough money over time to justify putting in a heat pump?
House is 9 years old .
Under 2600 sq ft
Gas is around $1200 / year at current prices.
I remember the HVAC guys saying our cooling season is to short and heating season is to long for a heat pump to be effective here.
Waiting for awsomeears to wake up and chime in:thumbsupQuote:
Originally Posted by SSDude
since the same device runs both directions, I guess I don't understand why that would be a factor. someone who understands the system better should really pipe up.
Info from wiki's page:
Note that the heat pump is more efficient on average in hotter climates than cooler ones, so when the weather is much warmer the unit will perform better than average COP. Conversely in cold weather the COP approaches 1. Thus when there is a wide temperature differential between the hot & cold reservoirs the COP is lower (worse).
When there is a high temperature differential on a cold day, e.g., when an air-source heat pump is used to heat a house on a very cold winter day of say 0 °C, it takes more work to move the same amount of heat indoors than on a mild day. Ultimately, due to Carnot efficiency limits, the heat pump's performance will approach 1.0 as the outdoor-to-indoor temperature difference increases for colder climates (temperature gets colder). This typically occurs around −18 °C (0 °F) outdoor temperature for air source heat pumps. Also, as the heat pump takes heat out of the air, some moisture in the outdoor air may condense and possibly freeze on the outdoor heat exchanger. The system must periodically melt this ice. In other words, when it is extremely cold outside, it is simpler, and wears the machine less, to heat using an electric-resistance heater than to strain an air-source heat pump.
Everything I've known about them as that its a waste of money up norf
geothermal looks like the way to go if a heat pump is your fancy.
Hey John Im confused as there are 2 Johns I have helped out, did I do some work for you already or just shoot the shit threw PM's ????Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHN 86GT
Theres John 86GT and John WE4 I think... LOL !!!
But to answer your question I will be upfront, most HVAC salesman or techs in general really don't have the customers best interest in mind. But I do so here it goes........
Heat Pumps can save you quite a BIT of a money, but it all depends on your home. We have installed some top of the Line Bryant and Goodman Heat pump system and out of lets say 100 installs 75 are sort of Happy and 25 are ALL SMILES when they receive there energy bills.
Your Heat Pump and general HVAC system will only work up to its potential base one how well your home is built, I will get customers asking for the best system known to man, at the same time there home is built in the 50's and sparing insulation in the attic and have the original windows..
Get my drift..........
Prepare your home as a WHOLE before dumping big $$$$ into a Heat Pump....
Now if you feel that your home is up to par with insulation great window and or energy audit then going the extra mile for a Heat Pump is well worth it :)
I have learned the magic # in well insulated/newer windowed homes would be about 37 degrees is the CUT OUT of the heat pump, and homes that lack insulation and or great windows 40-45 CUT OUT....
Lamens terms, your heat pump will run until 37 degrees, then the fossil fuel ( aka furance ) mode will kick in and take over because it KNOWS the heat pump can't keep up, or your going to exceed the amount electric energy vs. natural gas.
My recommendation for you would be, let me know what kind of furnace you have and age. 95% of the furnaces out there I don't recommend hooking up a heat pump, they just wont work well and you will have to have a Honey Well Heat Pump board installed aka BIG $$$$$$$$
Your better off getting a Furnace and Heat Pump that communicates amongst the two including a special thermostat...... Yea it cost money but In my Honest Opinion go big or go home with heat pumps, going home would be get a nice 13 or 14 SEER R-410a standard A/C system.....
Thanks for all the info !
You had helped me out a lot on the phone and Pm's .
I always like to see what is available as far as upgrades. I will be getting a new Goodman 14 seer unit today.
The HVAC told me I really need to do something about my uncovered windows. I have a lot of windows on the back of the house(three patio doors with windows over them and four other windows ) and they let in a lot of heat. I will be having a UV coating put on them when the wallet recovers.....
Ears,
Did you just say 'top of the line' and 'Goodman' in the same sentence?
Yep sure did.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Lash
So far Goodman has been the best product my work ( been around since 77' ) has installed and service.
And we were a Bryant Dealer for at least 20+ years, Luxaire for 10 and Armstrong for 10 .......
Goodman cleaned up there act around 8 years ago, our warranty work has been very slow compared to Bryant Calls ( we installed Bryant for many years ) and that is for the units similar in age and installed with the same care my work does....
I just got done installing a 2-stage 95% and 13 SEER air by my dads, I wouldn't install it by my dads if I didn't believe in it....
Anyone who bashes goodman products hasn't really installed them as of late, trust me I know I used to bash Goodman. But never really serviced them or installed...
Every Goodman system has out preformed most of the systems my work has installed in the past, its just a plain fact. Our customers are more then pleased and thats all that matters...
I love the random info you can pick up browsing a car forum... lol
Goodman is not a bad product. I have a 13SEER condensing unit of my own.
But to call them "top of the line".... I don't know about that.
GMVC and a 14 or 16 SEER heat pumps have out performed our Bryant line......Quote:
Originally Posted by Lash
I kid you not !!!
But as you know its all in the install...
This is kind of along the same lines so I will ask here. Has anyone had a blower door test done? I have a goodman furnace/ac setup in my house that has been there since well before I bought it. I remember seeing 2000 as the date if my memory is decent. I am trying to to cut back utility bills and improve the comfort level of my house. One issue is that I have a split entry so all the cold air ends up in my finished basement.
I have insulated the hell out of the attic but the comfort level just isn't there. The house is never a consistent temperature from one end to the other and I am wondering if leaky windows and other leaks are the root cause.
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haulin' Oates
Call up S&E insulation and ask them if they offer a Energy Evaluation, few of our customers have used them and are very happy. I even think WE ENERGY'S recommends them....
Thanks 'ears!