Converting from baseboard to ducts and heat pump Lennox XP14 or Trane XR 13

[jcharger]

These two estimates are the best complete with ducts and locally recommended. The trane dealer recommends a 3 ton, the lennox dealer says it will cycle on and off too much.
House is in Virginia 3000 sq ft but 2 zones, 2 stories. both dealers recommended, price about even which is the better setup?

Installer One
Install 3 Ton XR13 Heat Pump with veriable speed air handler for 1st floor and basement(14.50 Seer,12.00 EER, 9.0 HSPF)

Qty. 1- Trane 4TWR3036 - Heat Pump

Qty. 1 TAM7AOC36 - Air Handler

Qty. 1- BAYEVABC15BK - Heater


Install 1 ½ Ton XR13 Heat Pump for 2nd floor14.5 ,12, 8.2

Qty. 1- Trane Heat Pump: 4TWR3018

Qty. 1- Trane Air Handler: TAM4A0A18

Qty. 1- Heater: BAYEAAC08BK





Installer 2


OPTION 1) 2 Lennox 15 Seer Elite XP14-018 Heat Pump Outdoor Unit



2 Lennox Model # CBX27UH-018 Air Handler Indoor Unit



2 Lennox Model # ECB29-05 KW Strip Heater

[catmanacman]

a detailed manual j load calculation will determin what you really need .here in virginia it is better to go a little big on the cooling so you heat strips do not run all the time n heating season

[motoguy128]

a detailed manual j load calculation will determin what you really need .here in virginia it is better to go a little big on the cooling so you heat strips do not run all the time n heating season

I'm not sure i adhere with that. VA is more a a southern climate than a mid Atlantic. Its pretty balanced and over sizing, especially upstairs will cause humidity issues on summer. I could are using a 2 ton 2 stage downstairs. Upstairs will probably rarely us strips anyway. On that climate with stack effect, net heat loads and gain will be about the same upstairs.

A load calculations I'd best....but i like the way #2 is thinking.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[firecontrol]

With the minimal information that you've supplied it's impossible to tell. It's like going to a medical bulletin board and asking: I'm 50 years old and have a heart condition, one doctor recommends I have open heart surgery and the other is recommending shunts. Which is better?

If they both did a heating and cooling load calculation then they both should be able to show you the numbers that proves their case for their recommended system. With out that information they're guessing. Are you willing to spend X amount of $'s on someone's guess? Have them show you the proof that what they're recommending will "in their expert opinion" be the best for your situation. With heat pumps and electric back up I'd suggest you have them show you what they "think" will be your costs of operation in your area of the country. That would be another factor to weigh when making your decision.

Good Luck.

PS: Being a hydronics person I cringe whenever I see someone taking out hot water heat and replacing it with forced air heat.... especially if they've lived with it and are used to the comfort it provides.

[motoguy128]

PS: Being a hydronics person I cringe whenever I see someone taking out hot water heat and replacing it with forced air heat.... especially if they've lived with it and are used to the comfort it provides.

I thought that at first too. But then I realized he never mentioned oil and I figured he was talking about electric baseboards. the only think worse is an electric furnace. At least baseboards create radiant heat, can't leak air ot unconditoned spaces and can be zoned. But in VA, a heat pump should use about 1/3 of the energy seasonally than baseboards plus you gain AC.

[jcharger]

It's electric baseboard and no a/c currently. I'm going to have another estimate with load calculation done Monday. These others are just guesses but I can always ask for changes to estimates if I know what direction to go.

[caincompany]

Lennox all the way. Been installing ams std, had lots of problems with tam7 control failurea. Swapped to lennox and life is so much better.

[genduct]

You didn't say you were going to abandon your hot water system.
I would suggest you consider a hybrid approach where you would extend your hot water system to HW coils in the air handlers so that the moderate temps of Spring and fall are covered with an air system and then with an outdoor stat, use the hydronis as stage 2 heating. If your system works now, why throw it out? Your outdoor set point ( balance point should be the temp where the heat pump needs to begin defrost cycles ( ask your contractors to explain

[genduct]

Whoops, elec baseboard, forget hybrid but it doses raise the interesting question of using existing vs backup resistance heat
Need to read and not scan

[dan sw fl]

How MANY load calcs have you accumulated?

U get 1 or 2 every month .. they are called Utility Bill $

[dan sw fl]

VA = Mid Atlantic = only 1,350 CDD

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/...inia/richmond/