Regular Guest
I recently moved into a home that has 2900 sqft, single level built in 1984. The interior was gutted about 2 years ago and remodeled, including new plumbing and low e glass windows. As soon as I moved in, I upgraded both the inside and outside electrical panels.
The 2 items I have let are the A/C unit (or perhaps Heat pump here in Orlando) and attic insulation. I know the attic insulation is R19 so I would like to upgrade to R30 with blown in insulation.
The A/C unit, air handler and coil unit are Rheem with a 10 seer rating on the outside unit. I assume it's single speed only. It was built in January 1999. It seems to be working ok and I plan to have a service performed on it this weekend.
Considering the unit is 9 years old and only a SEER of 10, should I upgrade to a 14 SEER unit? I am also trying to get a feel on Trane vs Carrier vs ?, and there does not seem to be a consensus on a superior brand.
Thank you for your input.
Regular Guest
I would increase/improve insulation first and foremost. This investment pays back over the life of the home.
As far as replacing the system to improve efficiency, this almost never pays for itself over the life of the system if rates remain contant. If the system is beyond repair, different story. If your electric rates have increased dramatically, payback time may be reasonable.
Good luck.
Regular Guest
Double Post.
Regular Guest
I would suppect that as long as the upgrades that have been done already were done the right way and if you were to add more insulation into the attic and upgrade to a new system at least a 14 seer maybe even a 2 speed AC with a VS blower on the airhandler most any brand you pick will work just as good as the next brand. What really matters most is the installation of the new equipment. Carrier/Bryant are the same equipment, American Standard is good as well, Me having a bias opinion I would go with a mid line Carrier/Bryant equipment. But of course this all depends on your budget will limit you in how much $$$$ you have to spend. Get several estimate's and do your homework on the brands your interested in purchasing, ask the installers/contractors to perform load calc's to make sure your home is properly sized will help ensure your comfort after your equipment is installed.
Regular Guest
These guys gave this advice:
1) Keep up your maintenace on the A/C (yearly tuneups, filter change, condenser clean, yada yada)
2) Start getting ready for the change over by learning as much as possible about units, installer,etc
3) Let it ride until your unit begins to nickle and dime you to death and then get that old one out
4) Remember, its all about the installation (as I have learned) and not the brand of unit.
5) Bookmark this page and read and learn.
Regular Guest
Outstanding advice from an extraterrestrial.Originally Posted by RomulanSpy
Take care.
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
Add your insulation first. This will save more money then a SEER upgrade.
At 9 years of age. Only replace it if yoou find the improvements have made it too oversized to keep your humidity down to a reasonable level.
Even then, you may want to consider a whole house dehumidifier before a unit change out.
You can use the home owner version of hvac calc to see if bring your attic up to R30 will lower your load enough to use a smaller A/C.
Professional Member*
Get an energy audit. Make sure to air seal before adding insulation. Insulation and air sealing have the best ROI. Do a new load calc after upgrades, you will need smaller sized equipment. Brand of equipment makes no difference. Do it correctly and you will enjoy years of comfort and energy savings.
Regular Guest
You can also talk with your service professional about the possibility to replace the metering device with a TXV valve.
It will cost you some money, but it will increase the SEER rating from 10 to 11.5 .. 12
Professional Member
There are several things you can do that have a reasonable pay back period.
Replace conventional bulbs with CFLs, but only if they are not on a dimmer, motion detector, light sensor or other electronic control.
If the refrigerator is more than 10 years old, the pay back for a new one can be as short as five or six years.
Even with low-e glass, solar screens on west facing windows can be quite effective.
If you ducts are in your attic, have them tested and any leaks fixed.
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
It might only increase it to a 10.5
Some 10 SEER units show no increase in SEER by adding a TXV.
On a 9 year old 10 SEER, but the time he pays for the TXV, and hard start kit.
He won't get his money back before he needs to replace the system.
Regular Guest
A question on those TXV valves, What is there purpose and if a person were to have one installed on there AC OD unit or ID unit which ever one it goes on are they able to be reused on a new euipment when a upgrade is made?
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
They are a metering device. There job is to correctly meter teh proper amount of refrigerant to the coil base on coil pressure and temp.
Would you want to have a used radiator installed in your new car.
Regular Guest
I respectfully disagree with Beenthere about the minimal SEER increase by adding a TXV valve. I indeed find that with those cheaper, very small condensor 10 SEER systems the efficiency gain is lower, but overall with a decent 10 SEER system you can expect at least 10% efficiency improvement and less wear on the compressor.
But, of course, adding a TXV valve is easily said. It takes quite some work and needs to be done properly by a trustworthy professional. If you only plan to keep your system for another year or two, don't bother looking into this. You'll never get your investment back.
Don't try to re-use an old TXV valve when you buy a new system. The TXV valve itself is not expensiver and most new systems come with it.
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
Well, if I find my old CD, with the ratings of 10 SEER units with the TXV added only showing .25 and .5 SEER increase I'll post the rating.
Its not just the TXV, its the type of TXV. A balance port will improve it more then a non balanced port.
It also depends on the compressor in the system weather or not you'll get an improvement, and how much.
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
H4DB030 10 SEER condenser with ARI matching F2RO036 air handler with piston, SEER 10.8,
with TXV, SEER 11
H4DB024 10 SEER condenser with ARI matching G1FA coil for furnace with piston, SEER 10.6,
with TXV, SEER 11
There are several other listings showing from .2 to 1 SEER, and some of them also require a TDR to get that full SEER increase.
Don't get a TXV installed on your existing system to save operating cost alone.
If your electric bill for cooling cost you 500 bucks for the year, the money you spent adding a TXV to an existing system can take longer then the life span left in the equipment.
Regular Guest
So since my OD Unit is only 7yrs old 10 seer Payne that is used maybe 2-3 weeks a yr and I have a VS furnace it would not pay to have one installed. Does a VS furnace increase seer over just a single speed blower and having both a TXV and a VS blower would not raise the seer rating to make it worth having done ?
Regular Guest
Thanks for everyone's input!
It makes complete sense that improving the attic insulation to R30 would decrease the demand or need for a larger capacity A/C unit.
I am having an A/C person come out today to do the load calcs and perhaps I'll have someone from my electrical company as well. It may be that I can do the Attic only for now but the insulation person advised me to make sure any attic work is done 1st so people don't trample the insulation and reduce it's efficacy.
In addition, I spoke with a neighbor who is a retired a/c repairman. He told me that this year is the year to upgrade if you want to be able to stick with R22. His opinion was that R22 is a superior refrigerant over R410a. From what I've gathered on this forum, however, I don't think that this is true. What do you guys think?
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
Neither refrigerant is better then the other.
Regular Guest
The estimator came out today and said the current Rheem unit we have is a 3.5 ton system and that it is not adequate for a 2900sq ranch. He did the load calculations and estimated 53,000 btu with R19 attic insulation. I live in Orlando, FL btw.
He recommended going with a 4 ton unit and adding a air return in our masterbedroom, a room which is always too warm. (The only air return is where the air filter goes in the wall.) This upgrade plus the insulation upgrade should be sufficient according to him.
He's going to fax me the proposal tomorrow with 3 different systems, all Trane, as he is a Trane dealer.
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