HVAC - shit

I ended up replacing both AC units (two-ton), both coils (2.5 tons), and furnaces with new mid-level Carrier units. The company I went with was Andy Lewis Heating and Air. I ended up getting everything done for $10,300 in one day. System runs like a champ and the house is nice and cool. Speaking of the big companies like Acosta, Brothers, and Morris Jenkins...they all quoted me prices between $14.5k and $15.5k. Shopping around provided me with the best system for me using the most up-to-date stuff (Puron) for the least amount of money.

 

Any suggestions for the Gastonia area? Mine died today and it's 85 degrees in the house tonight. My unit is probally 15+ years old as I have been here for 8 years and the unit was old when I moved in..... I'm sure I can get something a hell of alot more efficient but, I damn sure don't want to spend 10k to do it.

2000 sq. ft ranch house. Any suggestions on tonnage? or anything I need to know so these companies don't bullshit me too hard?

I will go ahead and replace the gas furnace aswell since it was installed around 1987...

Can I combine them in to one unit or is the split system the best way to go?

Thanks in advance for any help as I'm hot, dumb, and broke....

 

Do you currently have two ACs and two furnaces? That's why mine was so expensive. If you only have one of each, you should be able to half it. Call the Andy Lewis guys and get a quote...they're real good. http://www.andylewishvac.com/

 

You guys might oughta give Greyback a ring....

 

i should have. although, i used morris jenkins to replace my a/c and i'm not going to spend over 6k.

well, that's the quote at least.

 

Even a train wreck may be fixed. You really need to know what’s going on with it. You wouldn’t want to spend the big bucks to replace a compressor. But a cheap start capacitor or $10 contact can keep it from running. Sounds as if you would want to go with a 13 seer AC. If replacing a gas furnace, than a 90% will save you 10% fuel cost at only a couple extra hundred up front. Well worth it.
It doesn’t sound like you need to spend 10k, but maybe 5. Too many variables and not enough info for me to give a close guess.

A model # is on the outdoor condenser unit. I’m guessing your’s should be 3.5 tons. based on your info. In the model # there will be a 036 for 3 ton, 042 for 3.5 ton, o48 for 4 ton. Example 4TWX5036A100...the 036 tells that it’s 3 tons.

A dual fuel heat pump package unit is the best of both worlds. Heat will a heap pump and use gas for aux. heat. Sometimes it’s not too expensive to install, due to using gas and not having to do expensive electrical to get a 240 circuit pulled for aux. electrical heaters. But if you currently have a split, than it may cost more to change than you want.

 

Sounds like a good deal to me. Main thing it works good and your happy. Got it done in one day, than somebody was booking. Don’t hear much about Andy Lewis, and that’s a good thing.

Puron is just a trade name for 410A. Carrier started promoting it using the Puron name. The problem I have with it (other than believing AL gore is full of shit) is that it operates under much higher pressure (X2) than R-22. So every time the compressor starts it’s up against twice the pressure, common sense tells me this is not a good thing. You can still buy new R-22 systems. But the days are numbered.(thanks Al).

 

RUUD timer crap....

....'ol fishman paid one penile cranium $200, and he pumped the heat pump with 1.5 lbs of freon. said he'd be back to inspect the unit. BTW, highly reccommended well known service name. Next day, bam, I'm sleeping on the floor in the room that has a loft where the kids A/C can cool down me below. Then, I call a guy who I send service work to from time to time ( I'm a GC ) who comes out, doesn't find anything wrong. Uhhhhhh, hello, its HOT in here. My buddy who is a refrigeration expert, Bojangles, McDonalds, sends him all over the place comes into our 4:00 coaches meeting ....at the bar.... 2 pops later and we're off to the rescue. BAM, he finds that the timer mech. on the compressor/fan is faulty, like a receiving unit on an intermittant windshield wiper gig, that is not working. Sweeeeeet! $100 + a steak dinner. The bad news is my wife is wearing sweatpants and my longsleeve shirt to bed! Marlin

 

Financing?....give me the low.....

.....down on how this works. If I need a new unit or two, and can't sell my boat to pay for them, whats the gig with pay now/pay later? Does the MFG, Carrier, etc. carry the note? How much, how long?

 

nope...cash on the barrel-head.