Hes got a point with his response, thats one kicker to buying on SEER alone and not considering HSPF, EER, or COP.
FYI, I emailed my regional Trane rep and got this response:
SEER is a cooling seasonal efficiency rating.
Not knowing the HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) for you old unit, it is a little harder to compare the two electric bills.
Did you old outdoor unit break or was it running when you had it pulled out?
Too many variables for me. I dont have time to think up all of the question that are relevant. Please consult your dealer. If [dealer name witheld] has any questions I can assist him.
Hes got a point with his response, thats one kicker to buying on SEER alone and not considering HSPF, EER, or COP.
The majority ,wouldn't be able to tell if the duct system is okay.Originally posted by kcrossley
No, I don't think that is it. I had another Trane dealer do a comfort analysis and they said the ducting was fine for the system I was putting in.Originally posted by Yellow Dot
An improperly sized duct system.
Too small...
Did they measure the airflow,or the static pressure?
If you don't measure it's just a guess!!
It looks colder this winter so more heat demand.
As well to the increased heat demand, the lower average outdoor temperature means a lower heat source and reduced heat output of the unit.
If you never had a humifidifer before, yes you will use more energy now and with this being a colder winter, the home would tend to be more dry.
I am not a big fan of setting back the temps on heat pumps because it CAN cause the auxiliary heat to turn on more than necessary. Would pay more of an energy penalty in a colder winter too.
The way we build has a greater impact on our comfort, energy consumption and IAQ than any HVAC system we install.
http://www.ductstrap.com/
Your cost savings will be happening in the summer. If the given CFM and heating capacity are the same for both the old and new units, your bills for heating will reflect how much heat you need, independant of the SEER. Find out how much you save during the cooling then compare.
Kcrossley, I think you should listen to what Dash said. Have somebody measure either ESP or airflow in your system, double-check whether the duct system is carrying enough BTUs to where it is needed.
I know for a fact it is not too hard to measure ESP, and the tech requires only about a hundred dollar instrument. That will be an indicator you can use to troubleshoot.
Also I know that weather effects make it very hard to judge based on one month data -- too many false positives *and* false negative conclusions. Unless of course you have a Master's degree in math and can adjust the weather data to make a normalized year (they used to do that in my department at the old utility job). Several months will be a better comparison. But right now I will assume that your system is failing to deliver the expected results and you need to troubleshoot the reason.
Best of luck -- P.Student