Replace air-conditioning system? (Houston, Friendswood: house, buy, contractors)

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

It costs like 600 bucks. As long as you are upstairs putting in the coil it makes sense. . Especially, when you consider resale. I also added a bunch of IAQ crap because I have bad allergies. I was replacing a 12 year old unit. It will be more like a seer 14 setup though. I have two good friends who are hvac engineers.

It woulda cost me a lot more than 600 bucks for a furnace, but it was mated to a 4 ton system. A variable speed motor by itself is $500-800. And resale... You must be in a special area because most people seem to only care how old it is and if it cools properly. A lot of people still don't seem to trust the 410A for whatever reason, and the systems with 22 are still cheaper up front.

[Schumacher713]

Originally Posted by tstone

It woulda cost me a lot more than 600 bucks for a furnace, but it was mated to a 4 ton system. A variable speed motor by itself is $500-800. And resale... You must be in a special area because most people seem to only care how old it is and if it cools properly. A lot of people still don't seem to trust the 410A for whatever reason, and the systems with 22 are still cheaper up front.

How on earth is a R22 system cheaper up front? And, yes you are right. I looked at my bill. It is closer to 1200. Everyone asks about the AC when I flipped houses. Not that it just cools properly. They ask about the insulation, if it has on demand hot water, the windows, AC seer, age. Green houses are becoming more and more a big deal to buyers.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

How on earth is a R22 system cheaper up front? And, yes you are right. I looked at my bill. It is closer to 1200. Everyone asks about the AC when I flipped houses. Not that it just cools properly. They ask about the insulation, if it has on demand hot water, the windows, AC seer, age. Green houses are becoming more and more a big deal to buyers.

All the estimates I received all had a new, 13 seer R22 system costing around 10% less than than the cheapest R410A system (16 seer). The tax credit took off 5% at the end of the year and the electric savings month after month has it paying for itself in 3 years. The price difference was in the equipment. I'm sure there is some overlap but this is what I was given. Out here where we're not so sophisticated you still see plenty of new, basic R22 systems esp in homes that have dual units & older residents.

[Schumacher713]

You are comparing a seer 13 to 16 system though. The 16 is 30% more efficient. You would be nuts not to spend the extra 10% for the equipment cost.

[carryyourbooks]

OP, what part of town are you in? i can highly recommend you someone, but i need to know what part of town you are in first. thanks.

[caliking]

Originally Posted by carryyourbooks

OP, what part of town are you in? i can highly recommend you someone, but i need to know what part of town you are in first. thanks.

I'm in Pearland.

Thanks to everybody for all the helpful information. Sorry for losing track of this thread for a couple of days, but I have been busy getting estimates to try and figure out what to do.

I have a 10yo Amana 2.5ton condenser, Amana furnace, Goodman coil. The coil is rusted and leaking. Took just under a pound of R22 to recharge today. makes me think that the leak isnot that bad.

Estimates are running about $4-5K as expected, for a 2.5 or 3 ton, 14 or 15 SEER condenser and new evaporator coil. I have had estimates from Church, Sears, and Cother. Church has done other work in my house, i like them, and know that they run a little pricier than other services. But they provide good service, do good work, and take care of business expediently. I've never dealt with Sears before, but they were quoting nearly $6K. Estimator was politely pushy - asked twice about what he could do for me to make me sign a deal right then. Had to politely tell him twice that there was nothing he could do to make me sign up immediately.

Church will install a Bryant condenser and evaporator coil for $4500ish. Sears will install Kenmore brand for about $6000. Both want ~$3000 to change only the coil. Cother will install Ruud brand for ~$4100, coil only for ~$2100. Cother had the best price for the R22 recharge.

Church says they can install a coil only with a retrofitted valve for R22, but I would have to pay another $250 to change back if the condenser fails down the road and i need one with the newer refrigerant. The Cother tech said that if I replaced only the coil now and used R22, down the road i may have to change both coil and condenser, because the coil cannot be used with the new refrigerant once it has had R22 running through it. I sort of believe him since that is what i thought I had read somewhere as well.

I'm getting one more estimate tomorrow. I am considering just letting it ride and see how long the recharge of R22 lasts. I'm not in a dire emergency, since the downstairs unit is working well. If I do go for a new unit, i will try to get it done for $4K.

Anyone have any opinions of the brands provided by these companies?

Thanks again for all the help. i'll try to be better about the updates.

[caliking]

Originally Posted by mtgmike

Air Systems Matt Cartwright (owner) 281-842-1125

Ive used this guy in Pearland twice now. Class act, which is extremely rare in the AC business.

I'll give him a call. Thank you.

[Johnhw2]

Central City is a company I used over the decades. They are super professional and approach the Houston humidity with good solutions. They are not a low bidder but are great for a long term solution

[Schumacher713]

When a condensing unit gets really old it takes much more amperage to start up. Mine was pulling over 30amps at times. Drops the seer rating basically in half. I was in a similar place as you. My system was a little older. BTW, 2.5 tons sounds really small! Are you cooling an apartment? I guess it depends on how long you plan on living there.

[caliking]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

Central City is a company I used over the decades. They are super professional and approach the Houston humidity with good solutions. They are not a low bidder but are great for a long term solution

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

When a condensing unit gets really old it takes much more amperage to start up. Mine was pulling over 30amps at times. Drops the seer rating basically in half. I was in a similar place as you. My system was a little older. BTW, 2.5 tons sounds really small! Are you cooling an apartment? I guess it depends on how long you plan on living there.

The upstairs is about 1500sq ft, downstairs is about 2200 sq ft. The upstairs condenser is the 2.5 ton unit. It worked great until a few weeks ago.

What I'm trying to figure out is if there is any point in replacing just the coil right now then replace the condenser whenever it dies. I have been given conflicting info about whether a coil installed now can be used again with a new condenser with the new refrigerant later on, or whether I will need a new coil again when I get a new condenser.

Another thing I have learned is that there is HUGE variation in freon prices for recharging systems. Church wanted $125/lb for the first lb, then $85 for every subsequent lb. Sears wanted $120/lb, Cother charged $50/lb. I needed just under a lb as it turned out. Just spoke with one of the folks mentioned above ( Matt from Air Systems) and he charges $22/lb! Pays to shop around I guess.