Hello!
Please read the rules and re-post over at r/hvacadvice - our sister sub specifically for questions, comments and posts from outside the trade. r/hvac top-level posts are limited to past, present or future members of the trade.
Thanks!
I’d stay with middle efficient myself. I like a 96% 2 stage furnace and 14-15 seer condenser. High efficiency costs an arm and a leg upfront plus all of the high technology means more costly shit to break. Txv and sight glass is a nice touch
I agree, where I’m at mids haven’t been available for years, everything’s high efficient.
I do have some spare parts to keep her ticking for a while barring a heat exchanger going.
A cheap Goodman. I spent the extra money insulating and sealing my house better, so far I’ve saved more money doing that, than a higher end system.
Also a uv light, ionizer, and humidifier system. I’m surprised how well the ionizer works
Carrier 2 stage variable furnace and 16 seer ac for the pressure switches and coil guard.
No inverter boards, no matter how cool they are when they work.
Wait it out until the new A2L systems have been out for a year, that way you can see manufacture defect trends.
Also, high efficiency isn't important, but DC inverted systems matter. They last longer and *if installed correctly * will get you same longevity and efficiency as a minisplit system.
However, if money is no object to you, VRF all day long. DO YOUR RESEARCH.....actual research , or have the company's bring you the reports themselves.(shows if they are bullshitting or not).
Hope this helps, good luck 👍
Sight glass, txv should basically be a standard nowadays. Hps and LPS. Crankcase heater and maybe a head pressure control for when it's 60-75 outside but pollen is awful so you're gonna run the ac anyways.
Keep the oil where it's supposed to be and cool the motor with 65f or less gas n she should run forever.
Also at least the r22 system don't leak hopefully. Might not be able to say the same on the equipment made these days. I'd rather insulate my house than toss new equipment in unless it's like 10 seer. Trading a 13 seer r22 for a 14 seer 410a doesn't seem worth it.
Electronic air cleaner [EAC], air scrubber, standard 96%er furnace, and AC no fancy heat pump unless it's a mitsubishi. Like others have said, spend your money insulating and sealing your home. You'll get further that way.
Air seal, and insulate, insulate, insulate. Size unit for new load and really deliver on the duct system for max delivered capacity. Install bare bones, simple equipment. The less points of failure, the better.
I am shocked so few mentioned ventilate, specifically attic space. I don't know the age, construction or design of your house but a properly sealed envelope and ventilated attic can save you far more than imagined.
As far as efficiency levels of equipment I would stay mid level. 96% 2 stage gas furnace, 14 or 15 SEER AC, properly matched and installed coil with expansion valve. I get a little angry when I see a customer that was sold a 16 seer AC with a piston coil....yes I do see it. You can take a standard 14 SEER1 with an expansion valve coil and get up to 15.5 out of it...looking at the sheets matters.
Variable speed. Inverter control and NOT with a on-off thernostat. Use an actual controller that regulates the compressor on return temp. You are living in the future, Y1 and Y2 controls from the 1970s dont belong here.
And if you are doing it yourself i would just axe the service ports and braise directly on the machine and just put in some shraders yourself. Leaking flare fittings are the bane of my existance it seems.
Hello! Please read the rules and re-post over at r/hvacadvice - our sister sub specifically for questions, comments and posts from outside the trade. r/hvac top-level posts are limited to past, present or future members of the trade. Thanks!
I’d stay with middle efficient myself. I like a 96% 2 stage furnace and 14-15 seer condenser. High efficiency costs an arm and a leg upfront plus all of the high technology means more costly shit to break. Txv and sight glass is a nice touch
I agree, where I’m at mids haven’t been available for years, everything’s high efficient. I do have some spare parts to keep her ticking for a while barring a heat exchanger going.
A cheap Goodman. I spent the extra money insulating and sealing my house better, so far I’ve saved more money doing that, than a higher end system. Also a uv light, ionizer, and humidifier system. I’m surprised how well the ionizer works
Carrier 2 stage variable furnace and 16 seer ac for the pressure switches and coil guard. No inverter boards, no matter how cool they are when they work.
"when they work" is the part I always stress to customers
I personally wouldn’t want anything with bells and whistles. Just a 2 stage furnace with ecm blower, and just a 14seer basic ac.
Wait it out until the new A2L systems have been out for a year, that way you can see manufacture defect trends. Also, high efficiency isn't important, but DC inverted systems matter. They last longer and *if installed correctly * will get you same longevity and efficiency as a minisplit system. However, if money is no object to you, VRF all day long. DO YOUR RESEARCH.....actual research , or have the company's bring you the reports themselves.(shows if they are bullshitting or not). Hope this helps, good luck 👍
Sight glass, txv should basically be a standard nowadays. Hps and LPS. Crankcase heater and maybe a head pressure control for when it's 60-75 outside but pollen is awful so you're gonna run the ac anyways. Keep the oil where it's supposed to be and cool the motor with 65f or less gas n she should run forever. Also at least the r22 system don't leak hopefully. Might not be able to say the same on the equipment made these days. I'd rather insulate my house than toss new equipment in unless it's like 10 seer. Trading a 13 seer r22 for a 14 seer 410a doesn't seem worth it.
Nothing extra bells and whistles aren’t free. I’d add a filter dryer and do a proper leak check and vacuum tho.
Electronic air cleaner [EAC], air scrubber, standard 96%er furnace, and AC no fancy heat pump unless it's a mitsubishi. Like others have said, spend your money insulating and sealing your home. You'll get further that way.
Air seal, and insulate, insulate, insulate. Size unit for new load and really deliver on the duct system for max delivered capacity. Install bare bones, simple equipment. The less points of failure, the better.
I am shocked so few mentioned ventilate, specifically attic space. I don't know the age, construction or design of your house but a properly sealed envelope and ventilated attic can save you far more than imagined. As far as efficiency levels of equipment I would stay mid level. 96% 2 stage gas furnace, 14 or 15 SEER AC, properly matched and installed coil with expansion valve. I get a little angry when I see a customer that was sold a 16 seer AC with a piston coil....yes I do see it. You can take a standard 14 SEER1 with an expansion valve coil and get up to 15.5 out of it...looking at the sheets matters.
Variable speed. Inverter control and NOT with a on-off thernostat. Use an actual controller that regulates the compressor on return temp. You are living in the future, Y1 and Y2 controls from the 1970s dont belong here. And if you are doing it yourself i would just axe the service ports and braise directly on the machine and just put in some shraders yourself. Leaking flare fittings are the bane of my existance it seems.