Help in Florida replace AC system need suggestions

[Krzyd]

I was a York dealer a few years ago, I had bad luck with the condenser coils (commercial equip). Not a good fit for the coastal regions.

[captgene]

Thanks you all for the suggestion and comments very helpful info. I am leaning toward Trane.. Please somene or Trane dealer please answer the questions below.. Thanks

Can someone please tell me if this good HVAC system . I live in ft myers Fl (HOT) . I currently have a 3.5 ton, 13 SEER Rleem that is 10 yrs. old.Crazy electric bills No heat pump, just heat strips. house is around 2100st cement block ,3 /2 /2
I just got quote from a company for a Trane 3.5 ton (XB14 model 4TTB4042E1) with a matching Hyperion air handler (model CAM5AOCH2M31). Honeywell Pro 8000 Stat ,10KW heat strip and they are throwing in a UV light ... I was going to ask them to throw in a 4 inch media filter cabinet too



Also come with 10 yrs parts and 10 yrs labor .... Service /Sale guy told me labor warranty would be though Trane... So I can call any dealer to fix unit. If I didn't call them .. Is this true ?

AM I purchasing a good system. This there any upgrades I should ask for ?
Like media filter ?
Heat pumps ?
Dual heat stripes?
Different stat ?
Am I missing anything ? They are going to be using all my old drain lines and refrigeration piping too

I value everyone input

thanks in advance.

[54regcab]

I'd go for the heat pump and media filter. The heat pump will cut your winter heating costs in HALF compared to electric heat strips. The media filter will greatly extend the time your a-coil gets dirty/clogged which is the death of many systems. A-coils are labor intensive to get to and are rarely cleaned over the lifetime of a system.

Be sure the ductwork can actually handle 3.5 tons of cooling, if not install a smaller system or fix ductwork. You can only get as much cooling as your duct system will deliver, installing a larger condenser than what your ductwork can handle just wastes power. Ductwork repairs are also labor intensive and rarely get done.

[captgene]

Update

I received a quote this evening from another large local company. The salesman was the owner. I always like when owner is involved.
Quoted
18 SEER Trane XL20i 4TTZ0048A100A ,TAM8AOL8V41CA Hyperion air handler with media cabinet ,10kw heat , TCON 900 AC 43UA stat 12 yr parts ... Labor install permits ,


$1000.00 Trane Rebate
______________________________
Total with one yr service and 2 yrs labor

$ for additional 8 yr labor
This gentleman mentioned new building code included
Float Switch safety control
secondary drain pan
Blower door Duct leakage test
load calculation

Plenum modification sealer with mastic ???? He mention they have to pressure test all vent /returns for leaks and any found leaking would cost $ to seal. Is this a scam or normal charge ?

I have 22 vents and don't want to get told I need to seal all of them at additional $ each

Please advise

Thanks

[jpsmith1cm]

captgene,

I removed the pricing from your post.

[54regcab]

Why an A/C with strip heat vs. a Heat pump? Your annual energy costs would be lower with a 13 SEER heat pump vs. the 18 SEER A/C with strip heaters.

[dan sw fl]

Why an A/C with strip heat vs. a Heat pump?
Your annual energy costs would be lower with a 13 SEER heat pump vs. the 18 SEER A/C with strip heaters.

NOT !

One does NOT need to consider a heat pump in Ft Myers/ Cape Coral.

NO heating is ever needed
... I know my heat strips do not come on even once a year most years.

How do I know? Leave t-stat set on cooling or flip the circuit breaker.

[54regcab]

NOT !

One does NOT need to consider a heat pump in Ft Myers/ Cape Coral.

NO heating is ever needed
... I know my heat strips do not come on even once a year most years.

How do I know? Leave t-stat set on cooling or flip the circuit breaker.

Wow, never use heat? If that's the case why have the heat strips at all? or do a 5KW heat strips just in case it's cold? But yeah, if it never gets cold a heat pump is in fact useless. Design temp is 44, which is one of the highest in the nation, even higher than many in Florida. Summer is only 92, 4 tons of A/C for 2200sqft sounds like a lot of cooling for a relatively low design temp.

[dan sw fl]

Wow, never use heat? If that's the case why have the heat strips at all?
or do a 5KW heat strips just in case it's cold?
But yeah, if it never gets cold a heat pump is in fact useless. Design temp is 44, which is one of the highest in the nation, even higher than many in Florida.
Summer is only 92, 4 tons of A/C for 2200 sq ft sounds like a lot of cooling for a relatively low design temp.

Below 45'F about 40 hours a year I believe would be typical [except for January 2010 it was less warm (colder, if you will)]
So, strip heating is used, about a $60 (?) option.

They don't call it the sub-Tropics for nothing.

Guess what _
Typical
___ Wall R-value = 5
___ Glass R-value = 1 (Of course, the limited differential temperature in the summer is < 20).
___ Clear, single pane (or pain) glass is frequently used, so SHGC = 0.88
___________
___ kinda wierd, but Definitely TRUE!
_______

2,200 square feet with SHGC of < 0.5 would typically be ~ 3 tons.
-------------------------------------------

January 2010 might happen once in ~25 years in SW FL.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/...q_statename=NA

[jtrammel]

Update

I received a quote this evening from another large local company. The salesman was the owner. I always like when owner is involved.
Quoted
18 SEER Trane XL20i 4TTZ0048A100A ,TAM8AOL8V41CA Hyperion air handler with media cabinet ,10kw heat , TCON 900 AC 43UA stat 12 yr parts ... Labor install permits ,


$1000.00 Trane Rebate
______________________________
Total with one yr service and 2 yrs labor

$ for additional 8 yr labor
This gentleman mentioned new building code included
Float Switch safety control
secondary drain pan
Blower door Duct leakage test
load calculation

Plenum modification sealer with mastic ???? He mention they have to pressure test all vent /returns for leaks and any found leaking would cost $ to seal. Is this a scam or normal charge ?

I have 22 vents and don't want to get told I need to seal all of them at additional $ each

Please advise

Thanks

Blower door tests are always a good thing you don't have to seal the ducts if you don't want to but at least you will know they are there and know where you can improve the efficiency of your hvac system and home. It wouldn't be very smart to put a 20 seer hvac system on a leaky duct system because leaky ducts will lower the actual seer down to considerably. Most homes I've tested the ducts leake from 20-40% of the capacity of the system and loose at least 3 or 4 seer points because of the leaks.

[54regcab]

Below 45'F about 40 hours a year I believe would be typical [except for January 2010 it was less warm (colder, if you will)]
So, strip heating is used, about a $60 (?) option.

They don't call it the sub-Tropics for nothing.

Guess what _
Typical
___ Wall R-value = 5
___ Glass R-value = 1 (Of course, the limited differential temperature in the summer is < 20).
___ Clear, single pane (or pain) glass is frequently used, so SHGC = 0.88
___________
___ kinda wierd, but Definitely TRUE!
_______

2,200 square feet with SHGC of < 0.5 would typically be ~ 3 tons.
-------------------------------------------

January 2010 might happen once in ~25 years in SW FL.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/...q_statename=NA

That's just crazy, it seems like the OP would be better off spending money on decent insulation instead of a 18 SEER HVAC system !!

[dan sw fl]

That's just crazy, it seems like the OP would be better off spending money on decent insulation instead of a 18 SEER HVAC system !!

What's the BTU/hr improvement if it's 88'F outside and 78'F inside for a 50' x 40' House with R-5 compared with R-10.?

[dan sw fl]

Hi AC professionals
I been reading this forum today trying to educate myself .....Its great reading this info but confusing.... He is my current situation. I have a 10 yr old Rleem 13 seer 3.5 ton single stage air handler in garage ..

My wife has been complaining about our electric bill since we moved in 2.5 yrs ago.

My current unit when working cools the house (2200ft) fine but burns $220.00 plus per month in AC power ...

BTW I am located in SW Fla about 5 miles from the gulf of mexico in Cape Coral ...Thanks in Advance ......

Biggest driver of high electric bills is t-stat < 76'F.
72'F might increase bills upto ~ 70%.

It's normal for A/C to run constant from noon to 6+ pm for 140+ days a year.

20 A seems more like a 10 SEER 3.5 ton unit than 13, But I don't have the model #s nor the specs for a particular Rheem unit.