Is 18 Seer overkill?

[Katyinspector]

Is it cost effective to go with an 18 seer? My friend got a 5 ton and 4 ton for That seems ridiculously high but I'm too familiar with pricing soe maybe its not..any thoughts?

[iraqveteran]

remove your prices as they are not allowed. See site rules.


go with the highest SEER you can afford.

Make sure its installed properly by a reputable contractor. Get the 10 yr extended warranty to cover parts and labor. Get the semi-annual service agreement. And enjoy.

The lowest SEER system installed properly will outlast and outperform the highest SEER system installed improperly.


Installation is key. Not brand, SEER, or price. If you expect the best, you gotta expect to pay the most. Thats just how it works.

[Katyinspector]

other than condensation and air flow is there other reasons for strapping ducts?

what would be some things that would be poor installation other than not sealing connections or kinking ducts or not stapping off floor?

what is a good installation?

[air2spare]

you're never going to weed through this without help...hire a trustworthy reputable pro and relax

[uncle buck]

My cousin and her husband purchased a new construction home in maryland
in "2000".
Their "10" seer unit's compresser failed last september.
Cousin's husband is an engineer not sure what type he researches everything. He found out who was the most reputable contracter in his area was.He did not want to deal with "LOW-BALLERS"
Their house had a furnace in the basement with an "A-coil"
He had a high efficiency furnace in stalled may have been a condensing furnace because his gas heat bill reflected a savings compared to previous winter.
He also went with a very high seer unit. He did'nt care about the "UP-FRONT"
expense.
He claims that his electric bill also reflected a savings.

[beenthere]

2 stage equipment is more for comfort then high savings.
An 18 SEER doesn't have a good ROI over a 16 SEER. But can provide better comfort.

[gary_g]

Is it cost effective to go with an 18 seer? My friend got a 5 ton and 4 ton for That seems ridiculously high but I'm too familiar with pricing soe maybe its not..any thoughts?

In most homes, a 14 SEER system offers the best combination of purchase price and actual operating costs.

[beenthere]

In most homes, a 14 SEER system offers the best combination of purchase price and actual operating costs.

Unless you have tested different SEER systems in multiple houses. Thats only your personal spectulation.

[Llama]

An 18 SEER doesn't have a good ROI over a 16 SEER. But can provide better comfort.

The upgrade price from an Infinity 16 to the 19 was slight to me, but my contractor told me that in the setup I needed the effective SEER (15.5->16) and HSPF (8.9->9.0 IIRC) was not going to be worth it in the end. Should I have upgraded to the 19 for the scroll compressor or am I good with the 16?

[Airmechanical]

what would be some things that would be poor installation other than not sealing connections or kinking ducts or not stapping off floor?what is a good installation

a better installation would mean;

flowing nitro while brazing
proper sized ducts and copper lines
proper evacuation (with drier installed)
proper refrigerant charge
properly hooked up high and low voltage
proper set-up of t-stat
proper system configuration (dip switches)

the list goes on and on!



.

[Mr Bill]

In most homes, a 14 SEER system offers the best combination of purchase price and actual operating costs.

I totally agree as you said "IN MOST" homes and I also would say in Houston, Tx. I feel it's a waste of money to go beyond 14 seer, but hey I am entitled to my opinion.

[gary_g]

I totally agree as you said "IN MOST" homes and I also would say in Houston, Tx. I feel it's a waste of money to go beyond 14 seer, but hey I am entitled to my opinion.

Thank you, Mr Bill.

I now like you much better than Twilli

[gary_g]

Unless you have tested different SEER systems in multiple houses. Thats only your personal spectulation.

I should have indeed added "in my opinion".

Take care.

[beenthere]

Next year, you should put a 13 SEER inplace of your 14, and run it for a year, and then the year after that, install a 15 SEER 2 stage and see how it does.

After all, You need somthing to do with all that money.

[Mr Bill]

Next year, you should put a 13 SEER inplace of your 14, and run it for a year, and then the year after that, install a 15 SEER 2 stage and see how it does.

After all, You need somthing to do with all that money.

Funny you said that we have a customer that went from a 13 seer we installed not that long ago thinking his savings would be a land slide guess he come here first "he has the money he's rich" so we installed a RUUD 16 seer two stage and he said he average savings on his electric bill for the past 4 months has been $8 a month so he has got back 32 dollars of his xxxxxx he spent for the new system. I started to tell him I told you so but he don't care when your rich you can do things that don't make sense unlike some of us poor folks.

You know what he said? he was laughing and said well that's a little over $100.00 per year now if I can live to be 150 I should come out ok.

[beenthere]

LOL.. I wouldn't advise anyone to rip out a working 13 SEER and replace it with a 14 or 15 SEER to save enough money to get a ROI.

I sell them as what they are, comfort units. 2 stage with a VS blower is a comfort unit.
8 to 12 bucks a month less then a 13 SEER is about right for here too in cooling season.
And we don't have squat for a cooling season compared to your area Bill.
People buy them for comfort.
And that is what they do provide.

[pstu]

Funny you said that we have a customer that went from a 13 seer we installed not that long ago thinking his savings would be a land slide guess he come here first "he has the money he's rich" so we installed a RUUD 16 seer two stage and he said he average savings on his electric bill for the past 4 months has been $8 a month so he has got back 32 dollars of his xxxxxx he spent for the new system. I started to tell him I told you so but he don't care when your rich you can do things that don't make sense unlike some of us poor folks.

You know what he said? he was laughing and said well that's a little over $100.00 per year now if I can live to be 150 I should come out ok.

IMO One thing you might oughta take into account, is the way TX electric rates have been moving upward lately. Usually a homeowner tells you his bills in dollars not KWH. And this June has been a hotter month than any I have been tracking since 2003, so energy consumption will do likewise. Just thought I'd mention that.

Best wishes -- Pstu

[Mr Bill]

IMO One thing you might oughta take into account, is the way TX electric rates have been moving upward lately. Usually a homeowner tells you his bills in dollars not KWH. And this June has been a hotter month than any I have been tracking since 2003, so energy consumption will do likewise. Just thought I'd mention that.

Best wishes -- Pstu

And I totally understand what your saying, but for me personally if I were not in the business and I spent the kind of dollars he did, my expectations would be that the new a/c system would make the meter run backwards. That would be the kind of savings that would justify me spending that much money for comfort. Heck I was raised in a home were the only a/c was you raised the winders and turned on the big fan in the ceiling in the hallway.

[dash]

Here in Florida, 65% of our sales this year have been Infinities,high SEER two stage heat pumps.

Distributer gaurantees 25% savings on the heating and cooling cost,not the total bill,if they had 12 SEER or less for the old system.We often and to that gaurantee on less then 10 SEER equipment.

Utility company states that 46% of the bill is heating and cooling,so that is what is used to determine kw savings.

Haven't had a claim filed in a few years,beofre that two or thre,always found something that was the cause.

With the saving,and dehumidification abilties of these ,here in swampy Florida,customer really love them.

[Mr Bill]

Here in Florida, 65% of our sales this year have been Infinities,high SEER two stage heat pumps.

Distributer gaurantees 25% savings on the heating and cooling cost,not the total bill,if they had 12 SEER or less for the old system.We often and to that gaurantee on less then 10 SEER equipment.

Utility company states that 46% of the bill is heating and cooling,so that is what is used to determine kw savings.

Haven't had a claim filed in a few years,beofre that two or thre,always found something that was the cause.

With the saving,and dehumidification abilties of these ,here in swampy Florida,customer really love them.

That's just wonderful I wished it was like that here in Houston "but it's not" well just Bless your hearts it's work out good for yaw folks down there in the swamps.