So what about TRANE?

[ronscottf]

Hey all,
I've been reading quite a bit on here about Bryant and Rheem gas furnaces, but what about TRANE? How does a 3-stage TRANE gas furnace stack up against the others in cost, efficiency, and reliability? Thank you all very much.

[mark beiser]

Not many people have experience with them yet. It wasn't released until the tail end of the heating season for most areas.

I won't be installing one until they come out with the 80% version.

[ronscottf]

Wow. You mean that they don't have a high efficiency model???

[mark beiser]

Wow. You mean that they don't have a high efficiency model???

They came out with the 95% efficient condensing furnace version first, I'll likely never see one in operation.

I won't be installing a 3 stage communicating furnace until they have the 80% version out because the extra installed cost of 90%+ furnaces isn't worth the investment in my area, unless the home construction is a type that requires the use of a sealed combustion furnace.
With our 3 month "winter" the payback on the price difference is bad, like >10 years, assuming no repairs related to the extra complexity.
This winter I had one $78 gas bill and two $50-$55 gas bills. My normal non heating month gas bill is less than $40, even though I have a gas drier and 2 gas water heaters.
Saving an extra 15% on my heating bill wouldn't save me the extra up front installed cost of the 95% furnace within its expected life span...

We spend the money on ultra efficient multistage AC around here, because our 7-8 month cooling season makes the payback nice and quick.

[ronscottf]

Ahhhh, got it. I'm located in the Pacific Northwest, beautiful Seattle area. Our winters here vary from year to year. Sometimes very mild with only a day or two of snow. Sometimes kinda nasty with a few weeks of snow. I've never had a need for an A/C unit. Nothing that a fan or two couldn't handle for the couple of days a year it gets hot enough to need one.

[BaldLoonie]

We just got our prices. $$$$$$$$$$. We don't expect to sell any unless someone just has to have it. Can sell Rheem's Mod for much less. More stages, well proven, can do dual fuel with any pump.

[Twilly]

Twilli agree with the Bald one, him smart.

[ronscottf]

Wow. Ok, so Rheem it is. Now I just need to find a dealer. Everyone I've seen seems to be Bryant or Trane. Hmmmm.

[praha99]

TRane has other models besides the 3 stage

[gary_g]

Ahhhh, got it. I'm located in the Pacific Northwest, beautiful Seattle area. Our winters here vary from year to year. Sometimes very mild with only a day or two of snow. Sometimes kinda nasty with a few weeks of snow. I've never had a need for an A/C unit. Nothing that a fan or two couldn't handle for the couple of days a year it gets hot enough to need one.

Have you considered a heat pump? It would be ideal for your climate.

What are your electric rates?

[mayguy]

Have you considered a heat pump? It would be ideal for your climate.

What are your electric rates?

I agree, I think there is a member on here who's from your area, and he has done the Heat Pump along with the Trane 2 stage furnace.

[ronscottf]

So are heat pumps THAT much cheaper than furnaces? i.e. is a heat pump + a 2 stage furnace cheaper than a 3 stage or mod furnace alone? Does a heat pump interact with a furnace/thermostat or are they 2 separate systems (do I have to physically turn off one for the other to work?)?


Electric rates:
TOTAL KWH CHARGE 0.079614$ (first 600) 0.097422$ (over 600) Per kWh

Gas rates:
1.086690$ Per Therm

So, how am I making out???

This is for a 2700 sq ft home w/finished basement

[gary_g]

So are heat pumps THAT much cheaper than furnaces? i.e. is a heat pump + a 2 stage furnace cheaper than a 3 stage or mod furnace alone? Does a heat pump interact with a furnace/thermostat or are they 2 separate systems (do I have to physically turn off one for the other to work?)?


Electric rates:
TOTAL KWH CHARGE 0.079614$ (first 600) 0.097422$ (over 600) Per kWh

Gas rates:
1.086690$ Per Therm

So, how am I making out???

This is for a 2700 sq ft home w/finished basement

Cost of 1 million btu's for gas at $1.087 per therm, 90% efficient furnace:
1,000,000 / 103,000 x $1.087 / .9
= $11.72 ($13.19 for 80% efficient furnace)

Cost of 1 million btu's for heat pump (COP = 3.25 at 35F outside), electric at $.097 (worst case):
1,000,000 / 3413 x $.097 / 3
= $9.47

The heat pump would be 20% cheaper to run than the 90% efficient gas furnace based on the above numbers. When outdoor winter temps are > 35F in the example above, the COP increases, and the heat pump is even cheaper to run.

You can go dual fuel (heat pump plus gas back-up furnace) which will provide you a choice of heating fuels if gas or electric prices rise disproportionally in the future. The gas back-up can be 80% efficient, more may be overkill.

The heat pump would be 1st stage heating while the gas furnace would be second stage heating. The thermostat handles the switchover from heat pump to furnace.

The new heat pump also provides new central a/c should global warming reach Washington State.

Good luck.