Please help with these CAC proposals

[katsmah]

Please comment on these 2 proposals that I have received to retrofit CAC in my old house. I received 4 estimates in all and have already rejected 2 of them. This is for a 1300 sq ft, 2 story house in NJ. Insulation is good and windows are new double-paned. But the house gets no shade and the family room where we spend all of our time gets very warm as it faces west, has a lot of glass area and has a black rolled roof.

Estimate 1 – conventional system
Amana 3 ton ASX140361A condenser with a MBE1200 variable speed blower/coil unit mounted in the attic. Includes a Honeywell thermostat. 15 SEER rated. System is eligible for utility rebates.

Estimate 2 – high velocity system
Unico 3 ton system with Trane 4TTR3036 (I think it is an XR-13) and Unico blower/coil MC3642 mounted in the attic. Includes White Rodgers thermostat. I don’t know the SEER rating.

I’m having a hard time deciding between the 2 systems. I understand that one of the benefits of the high velocity is even cooling in all rooms. Most of the rooms in my house have ceiling fans which run from spring to fall. Surprisingly the installer of the conventional system can use all closets for his ductwork runs, the high velocity system installer has told me that he will need to cut through some walls to run the ductwork. I have been in my house for 15 years and plan to be here another 15. There is a $ difference in the price, but my decision will be more on comfort level than price.

Thanks.

[BaldLoonie]

SEER rating of the high velocity system is 11.00

The standard system properly sized and installed would give you plenty of comfort and a lot more efficiency. I (and many others) feel if you can go with standard ducts, do so.

[gary_g]

Estimate 1 – conventional system
Amana 3 ton ASX140361A condenser with a MBE1200 variable speed blower/coil unit mounted in the attic. Includes a Honeywell thermostat. 15 SEER rated. System is eligible for utility rebates.

You are missing the coil model#. The MBE1200 is just the air handler.

The system may be eligible for utility rebates but not the Federal Tax Credit which is 16 SEER and 13 EER.

Good luck.

[katsmah]

Is this the coil - CHPF3636B6B

I know that unfortunately there won't be any federal credits.

[Some Dude]

SEER rating of the high velocity system is 11.00

The standard system properly sized and installed would give you plenty of comfort and a lot more efficiency. I (and many others) feel if you can go with standard ducts, do so.

Does it bump it a seer rating when you use a high static?

[viceman]

unico's whistle. at least the ones i've heard.

[A-Action Heating]

Your not comparing apples to apples with those two systems. Amana is a lower end brand of equipment and Trane is top of the line. You can find a lot of that information on Consumer Reports. They list the amount of repairs on different brands of HVAC equipment.

[beenthere]

unico's whistle. at least the ones i've heard.
They weren't installed right then.

[katsmah]

Your not comparing apples to apples with those two systems. Amana is a lower end brand of equipment and Trane is top of the line. You can find a lot of that information on Consumer Reports. They list the amount of repairs on different brands of HVAC equipment.

I have a subscription to Consumer Reports, but have only seen info about window units on their site. I'll look again.

[RoBoTeq]

There is nothing pertinent in Consumer Reports, just useless surveys with a listed error factor that exceeds the differences between the highest and lowest rated survey results.

Amana blows Trane away in efficiency ratings for tax credits and rebates. Tranes also just fall apart when they come in contact with a ditch witch;)

[Twilly]

Twilli says would the real Action Heating please stand up.

[BaldLoonie]

Does it bump it a seer rating when you use a high static?

The high velocity system took the XR13 which gets 13 with Trane coil and standard blower, 14 with variable speed system down to 11 SEER. So, no, it kills SEER if you use the HV systems.

Another thought. Heat pump systems have a lower requirement to get the tax credit. Consider that and it would provide cheap mild weather heating for you too.

[katsmah]

Wow, the lowering of the SEER because its a high velocity system sure doesn't show up in the literature.

My house is too old for a heat pump, I have radiators (which I love) in the old section of the house and hot water baseboard (which I don't love) in the newer family room.

The contractors are making this choice a little easier. The one with the conventional system called me back first thing this morning with the names and numbers of references to call. The Unico contractor forgot to have his office either email or call me with references, for the 2nd time.

I'm a little nervous though about A-Action's comments - is the Trane that much more of a superior unit than Amana?

[RyanHughes]

Maybe the company quoting the Amana can quote you on a Trane. Trane now has a 10-year warranty on their equipment if registered within 60 days of installation--similar to Amana. When you ask which unit is superior you will get a range of responses because everyone will have a preference, but I think most of the replies you get will favor Trane. I don't work on the units nor am I in the field, but I do see a lot of old Tranes still running (Amana not really, but that doesn't mean it won't serve you well), and they are durable units with arguably the best outdoor coils on the market (my opinion).

[heatpumpguru]

As a TIN MAN it is between window units or high V ,that is how I see it.I use it as a last resort.regular duct work balances easier and as long as the house doesnt get trashed it is the way to go.We do both.

[beenthere]

I'm a little nervous though about A-Action's comments - is the Trane that much more of a superior unit than Amana?


Nope. Not in the least bit.

[gary_g]

Is this the coil - CHPF3636B6B

I know that unfortunately there won't be any federal credits.

Yes, that's the coil number.

That Amana system is rated at 34,600 btu cooling, 15 SEER, 12.5 EER.

If it were a heat pump, it would qualify for the $1500 tax credit if it obtained 15 SEER, 12.5 EER, and 8.5 HSPF.

Take care.

[katsmah]

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge. Tonight I wrote the deposit check and signed the contract for the conventional Amana system. I was surprised that of the 4 estimates I received, that 3 of them were for a high velocity system. Yet I did have a good feeling from the owner of this company and his references. And now I feel more confident in the decision to hire them to install this system.

Thank you again,
Nina

[Edwin73]

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge. Tonight I wrote the deposit check and signed the contract for the conventional Amana system. I was surprised that of the 4 estimates I received, that 3 of them were for a high velocity system. Yet I did have a good feeling from the owner of this company and his references. And now I feel more confident in the decision to hire them to install this system.

Thank you again,
Nina

I've installed some Amana Systems before, and I liked them, they seemed to be well built.