Central A/C replacement

spasm3

spasm3

Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
16,769
Location
North Carolina
Our Bryant central air unit sounds awful on start up. The compressor unit was replaced in 2003, the coil in the attic is original from 1995.

So it's time for a new system.
I'm thinking go ahead and price out some systems and replace in April vs running this one , having it break and be at the mercy of availability.

It's a 4 ton unit, single zone.
The Bryant brand did fine, but I know a lot has changed since then.
Thinking about an 18 seer unit.

Brand suggestions? Our heat is gas furnace.

Thanks.
 
We replaced a noisy Goodman heat pump with a Bosch unit. It was located outside the master bedroom window (installing it along the nearby windowless exterior wall would have made too much sense), so noise level was a big consideration. The condensing unit runs at about 62 db and is very energy efficient. Installed cost was less than the quotes that we had for less efficient units. Be sure to check with the Feds, the state and the local electric company for rebates, tax credits, etc.
 
I have not called any contractors yet, i'm thinking Lennox,Carrier, Trane. But i don't know the differences in each. Should i still consider Bryant?

We will never move from this home, so reliability/longevity is on the list.
 
My younger sister had an American Standard furnace and AC replaced two years ago. It is made by Trane. The installer told her the only difference on the AC condenser is that the Trane has a sound blanket on the compressor and the American Standard does not; with the unit she got at the time. The price between the two was $2K. The installer offered to install the Trane sound blanket for $100.

If you want the best comfort and can afford it, you want a variable speed AC system.
My parents have such a system. Those systems pull more humidity out of the air since they are seemingly always running.
One HUGE benefit is that you can live with a higher temputure when you have lower humidity. So it's great if you have an old wife that wants the thermostat set to 76 in the summer while the husband wants it set to 72. Ask anyone that has a variable speed AC system.
 
I know very little about central ac systems but I can say that my 4 ton Trane XL1200 was installed in October of 1994 and I had to replace the start capacitor last year. That’s the only time in 26 years a screw has been turned on it except for cleaning the coils every couple of years. When it finally gives up the ghost, another Trane will replace it. BTW, the Trane natural gas furnace that was installed at the same time was replaced 18 months ago with another Trane.
 
Last edited:
spasm3 said:
I have not called any contractors yet, i'm thinking Lennox,Carrier, Trane. But i don't know the differences in each. Should i still consider Bryant?

We will never move from this home, so reliability/longevity is on the list.
Click to expand...
Bryant and Carrier are the same thing
 
skyactiv said:
My younger sister had an American Standard furnace and AC replaced two years ago. It is made by Trane. The installer told her the only difference on the AC condenser is that the Trane has a sound blanket on the compressor and the American Standard does not; with the unit she got at the time. The price between the two was $2K. The installer offered to install the Trane sound blanket for $100.

If you want the best comfort and can afford it, you want a variable speed AC system.
My parents have such a system. Those systems pull more humidity out of the air since they are seemingly always running.
One HUGE benefit is that you can live with a higher temputure when you have lower humidity. So it's great if you have an old wife that wants the thermostat set to 76 in the summer while the husband wants it set to 72. Ask anyone that has a variable speed AC system.
Click to expand...
Fantastic info! thanks!
 
We have installed two Daikin central AC a couple of years ago. Daikin is the parent company of Goodman. Price between them wasn't too far apart, but Daikin had slightly longer warranty so we went with it.
 
spasm3 said:
Our Bryant central air unit sounds awful on start up. The compressor unit was replaced in 2003, the coil in the attic is original from 1995.

So it's time for a new system.
I'm thinking go ahead and price out some systems and replace in April vs running this one , having it break and be at the mercy of availability.

It's a 4 ton unit, single zone.
The Bryant brand did fine, but I know a lot has changed since then.
Thinking about an 18 seer unit.

Brand suggestions? Our heat is gas furnace.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
You can't stop a TRANE!
I was an Industrial/Commercial HVAC pipe fitter/welder (97% as a pipe fitter/3% as a welder) for 25 years in Tampa, FL. (last 6 years as a teacher). Our company installed 80% TRANE equipment (Chillers, AHU's, fan coils, VAV's, etc.) Even when we did just chiller/cooling tower R&R's the TRANE equipment we were updating was well over 30+ years old most of the time (some were older).
Simply put, YOU CAN'T STOP A TRANE!
 
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Got my heat pump system replaced last year with an Amana. Doesn't have the typical piston compressor, has a scroll. Guaranteed 20 years. So far, works great, hasn't blown up yet.
 
We put an American Standard gas furnace/AC in our Austin house a few years back.

Worked fine, if you look inside the unit all the parts say Trane.

Mine was $2900 for a 2.5 Ton change out and a gas furnace.

Did not need super high SEER or variable speed. It was a 15 SEER, a huge improvement over the 15 year old unit it replaced.
 
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