Maryland HVAC replacement - Bryant hybrid?

[simply_md]

We have a 25-yo two-story home, with a finished basement, totaling roughly 2,400 sq ft of conditioned space. The AC is dead, and the furnace is the original-issue, so we're replacing both.

A parallel project is air-sealing, and then insulating the attic up to R-49, and plugging up various air leaks around the house.

We want an energy-efficient system that's a good value - with our improved insulation and frugal heating+cooling preferences, we also intend to use the system as little as possible.

Our summer challenge in this part of Maryland, especially in August, is humidity.

After interviewing a number of contractors, we've gravitated to Bryant.

The "leading" contractor's proposal is for the Evolution Series:
- Heat pump, 288ANA024 (SEER 17, EER 13.3); 2-ton
- Evaporator coil, CNPVP4821ATA
- Plus 95s™ Gas Furnace, 55CAV042060 (95%); 60,000 BTU
- Evolution thermostat, SYSTXBOUID01

After poring through forums and the web, my head is spinning. I feel like our conservative use may extend the pay-back time for this top-end system into the not-such-a-good-value category.

My understanding is that the Evolution system is advisable for the humidity situation. (Yes?)

However:
- would it make sense to go with something more mid-range within the Evolution offerings? Or, for that matter, to consider the SEER 16 AC (165ANA024) instead of the HP?
- Is the 95% furnace overkill - we've had contractors advise for an 80%, but it feels almost sacrilegious to select a non-EnergyStar model.

[Cold Feet]

Our summer challenge in this part of Maryland, especially in August, is humidity.

That's reason enough to go for an Evolution system with a two stage heat pump. Evolution is very good at dehumidification.

Also look at Westinghouse's inverter heat pump. It hasn't been on the market long enough to establish a track record, but on paper it will dehumidify very effectively.

Make sure you get a load calculation (Manual J) done to calculate the right size heat pump for your needs. An oversized heat pump or air conditioner will not dehumidify. If you contractor won't do a load calculation, get another contractor. If no contractors in your area will do load calculations, invest the time to learn to do it yourself or hire an engineer to do it for you.

[dan sw fl]

We have a 25-yo two-story home, with a finished basement, totaling roughly 2,400 sq ft of conditioned space. The A
A parallel project is air-sealing, and then insulating the attic up to R-49, and plugging up various air leaks around the house.

Our summer challenge in this part of Maryland, especially in August, is humidity.

The "leading" contractor's proposal is for the Evolution Series:
- Heat pump, 288ANA024 (SEER 17, EER 13.3); 2-ton
- Evaporator coil, CNPVP4821ATA
- Plus 95s™ Gas Furnace, 55CAV042060 (95%); 60,000 BTU
- Evolution thermostat, SYSTXBOUID01

I feel like our conservative use may extend the pay-back time for this top-end system into the not-such-a-good-value category.

My understanding is that the Evolution system is advisable for the humidity situation. (Yes?).

You need an accurate Manual J calc and Life Cycle Cost analysis to assure your equipment selection is appropriate and performance meets Your expectations.

Your Conservation efforts are to be applauded ! !!

Equipment selection is great but is a 3-ton 2 stage a more economical operating COMFORT System?

[beenthere]

Will your electric or gasrates be any cheaper 5, or 10 years from now?

While your conservative use of heating and cooling may seem to warrant lower effciency equipment. Operating cost down the run, may make you wish you had gotten the higher end 2 stage units.

For humidity control alone. A 2 stage A/C, or heat pump is worth the money.

[firecontrol]

I've never been able to get my head around the justification for buying less efficient equipment simply because you don't "plan" on using it much. It's like buying a second car that you only "plan" on using to go to the store and using for short trips that only gets 15MPG because it's cheaper initially.

Get the 10 year parts and labor extended warranty on the system, maintain it and enjoy the comfort. If you want to shave a little cost off, maybe ask for the 355 model evolution furnace as an alternative. I didn't see air filtration as one of the components, make sure you get at a minimum the 4" pleated media filter. The cabinet for it comes in the furnace and the media isn't that expensive but will help protect the equipment and filter the air very nicely.

[gary_g]

We have a 25-yo two-story home, with a finished basement, totaling roughly 2,400 sq ft of conditioned space. The AC is dead, and the furnace is the original-issue, so we're replacing both.

A parallel project is air-sealing, and then insulating the attic up to R-49, and plugging up various air leaks around the house.

We want an energy-efficient system that's a good value - with our improved insulation and frugal heating+cooling preferences, we also intend to use the system as little as possible.

Our summer challenge in this part of Maryland, especially in August, is humidity.

After interviewing a number of contractors, we've gravitated to Bryant.

The "leading" contractor's proposal is for the Evolution Series:
- Heat pump, 288ANA024 (SEER 17, EER 13.3); 2-ton
- Evaporator coil, CNPVP4821ATA
- Plus 95s™ Gas Furnace, 55CAV042060 (95%); 60,000 BTU
- Evolution thermostat, SYSTXBOUID01

After poring through forums and the web, my head is spinning. I feel like our conservative use may extend the pay-back time for this top-end system into the not-such-a-good-value category.

My understanding is that the Evolution system is advisable for the humidity situation. (Yes?)

However:
- would it make sense to go with something more mid-range within the Evolution offerings? Or, for that matter, to consider the SEER 16 AC (165ANA024) instead of the HP?
- Is the 95% furnace overkill - we've had contractors advise for an 80%, but it feels almost sacrilegious to select a non-EnergyStar model.

I live in Harford County.

We do not have cheap electric rates in MD, so I'm not sure if a heat pump is the best choice.

With that said, a dual-fuel system does give you choices if one of the fuels increases drastically in price. Choices are good.

I pay 15 cents per kw-hr delivered from Washington Gas and Electric. Delivered = generation + distribution + transmission. I switched from BGE to save a little $$.

What is your delivered price of electricity? of natural gas?

[yourairman]

If you are going to sacrifice cost on the furnace or the heat pump I would strongly recommend the furnace to be reduced to the 80% over going to a less expensive AC. The heat pump will run the majority of the time and you do not have the electric prices spike in the winter like the gas prices do. Also the savings of the extra 15% between the two furnaces would only be taken into consideration when the outside temperature is cold enough to lock out the heat pump(typically in the 30 deg. range).

[yourairman]

I also notice that you have listed a 4 tone evaporative coil with a 2 ton condensing unit. I would suggest double checking this matchup and asking your contractor for an AHRI rating sheet for the package he is quoting.

[hangfirew8]

- Is the 95% furnace overkill - we've had contractors advise for an 80%, but it feels almost sacrilegious to select a non-EnergyStar model.

I live in Maryland and own a new modulating, 95%+ furnace, so you may be interested in my opinion (or not).

While I'm not familiar with the Bryant lineup, most 80% furnaces are very basic- one or two speed fans, one stage of burn, that's it.

A 95% furnace is top of the line, so it will feature an variable speed ECM motor (uses less electricity) and multiple stages of burn.

There is a middle ground, though. You can get the ECM motor and Energy Star in a Bryant 93% furnace, the Preferred™ Series Plus 90x™ Gas Furnace. Perhaps this model is a happy compromise.

-HF

[yourairman]

I live in Maryland and own a new modulating, 95%+ furnace, so you may be interested in my opinion (or not).

While I'm not familiar with the Bryant lineup, most 80% furnaces are very basic- one or two speed fans, one stage of burn, that's it.

A 95% furnace is top of the line, so it will feature an variable speed ECM motor (uses less electricity) and multiple stages of burn.

There is a middle ground, though. You can get the ECM motor and Energy Star in a Bryant 93% furnace, the Preferred™ Series Plus 90x™ Gas Furnace. Perhaps this model is a happy compromise.

-HF

Typically all manufacturers have high end controls built into an 80% efficient furnace. Bryant has an 80% furnace that has Evolution(digital communication) controls built into it. This is specifically for a situation like this. It has all the technology of the 95% furnace but runs 15% less on the gas. It has two stage gas as opposed to 3 stage or modulating. With the heat pump the run time on the furnace goes down dramatically leaving you with the decision on the pay back time frame. So the comfort is not changed only the energy savings. It also has the variable speed blower motor.

[jerryd_2008]

Simply MD, you don't say whether Maryland has credits beyond the Federal Stimulus tax credit. Your neighbor, New Jersey, seems to pay you to replace old systems. Another cost saver is manufacturer rebates which typically get larger on higher end systems. So when figuring cost make sure you run ALL of the numbers. And don't forget to throw in cheaper operating costs AND comfort. High end systems give much better comfort which is worth a lot to me at least.

All that said, why are you only looking at one brand? As an example, York has VS modulating 80% furnaces that don't require the PVC pipe run to the outside and the exterior wall penetration which in our case is brick. So there are other considerations. By the way, going from 80% to 95% is going to cost $$$$. It's all in the numbers, the actual proposals received (there can be surprising cost differences on high end systems so look around) and what you want to live with for the next 10+ years.