I’ve been through a lot of AC work both at home and as an “architect” for server floors. AC is another animal there.
After I bought our first 2-stage system I haven’t looked back. Proper dehumidification and less temp fluctuation inside is excellent.
There still seems to be an edge with trane and American standard. Many of their parts are built to a higher spec.
Nothing wrong with carrier/Goodman. Same equipment, different distribution rights. I’ve had decent luck with carrier. Had problems with their thermostats, but few issues beyond that. One survived a lightning strike - even the power cords into the unit were burnt but it had enough protection in it that all it needed was a power cycle.
Lennox is known to be technically advanced, but more complex and longer to get spares. Our home came with a Lennox and it has an obd-1 led blink pattern for pulling trouble codes off of it.
There’s a LOT to getting the installation right. Level the unit, TEST the drip pan and float switches, truly pay attention to maintaining and sealing the ducts.
No house can cool/heat well if it’s poorly insulated. It’s amazing how much air leaks through a typical home in an hour (all of it, per hour, typically). I generally spend the first 4 years wherever I’ve lived looking for the worst offenders and sealing them up. My last house (we were there 15 years and it was 40 years old) got a new unit, I replaced and resealed a bunch of ducts, and even sealed all the wall joins beneath the attic insulation - and new windows pre-Covid. All of it made a difference.
I’m waiting to see inverter tech make it to the mainstream mfrs. they now make ducted inverter units, which is really what the one upstairs room in our today-home needs, not a large 2 ton Lennox. We recently installed a “baby” server room in my corporate office and used a 2 ton inverter. Maybe it was “pioneer” branded. 3 speed compressor and the fans seemed to have additional variable steps. It is a wonderful unit and the temps are rock solid.
The most common major fail point is the interior coil - as I’ve been told. They will leak fridgerant during the winter while under pressure, and leave you a little under filled come summer.
Last time I checked, everyone used a Copeland compressor except for trane/American standard, who made or sourced their own. That’s probably changing with the inverter tech.
I added a manual “optimizer” to mine, a filtered fresh-air intake off the main return to grab some outside air, and put a damper on it. It’s set for very low-flow but just enough to add clean air into the house, I’ll open it more during temperate seasons.
Keep the unit clean, check the pressures and amp-draw annually. Service the sump pump or drains annually (dont skip it). Clean the igniter every fall and inspect the furnace exciter fan every once in a while for bearings/rust. I’ll try to wash mine every now and then and throw griots 3-1 wax on it. I mean, it cost as much as a Honda, so might as well take care of it too.
After I bought our first 2-stage system I haven’t looked back. Proper dehumidification and less temp fluctuation inside is excellent.
There still seems to be an edge with trane and American standard. Many of their parts are built to a higher spec.
Nothing wrong with carrier/Goodman. Same equipment, different distribution rights. I’ve had decent luck with carrier. Had problems with their thermostats, but few issues beyond that. One survived a lightning strike - even the power cords into the unit were burnt but it had enough protection in it that all it needed was a power cycle.
Lennox is known to be technically advanced, but more complex and longer to get spares. Our home came with a Lennox and it has an obd-1 led blink pattern for pulling trouble codes off of it.
There’s a LOT to getting the installation right. Level the unit, TEST the drip pan and float switches, truly pay attention to maintaining and sealing the ducts.
No house can cool/heat well if it’s poorly insulated. It’s amazing how much air leaks through a typical home in an hour (all of it, per hour, typically). I generally spend the first 4 years wherever I’ve lived looking for the worst offenders and sealing them up. My last house (we were there 15 years and it was 40 years old) got a new unit, I replaced and resealed a bunch of ducts, and even sealed all the wall joins beneath the attic insulation - and new windows pre-Covid. All of it made a difference.
I’m waiting to see inverter tech make it to the mainstream mfrs. they now make ducted inverter units, which is really what the one upstairs room in our today-home needs, not a large 2 ton Lennox. We recently installed a “baby” server room in my corporate office and used a 2 ton inverter. Maybe it was “pioneer” branded. 3 speed compressor and the fans seemed to have additional variable steps. It is a wonderful unit and the temps are rock solid.
The most common major fail point is the interior coil - as I’ve been told. They will leak fridgerant during the winter while under pressure, and leave you a little under filled come summer.
Last time I checked, everyone used a Copeland compressor except for trane/American standard, who made or sourced their own. That’s probably changing with the inverter tech.
I added a manual “optimizer” to mine, a filtered fresh-air intake off the main return to grab some outside air, and put a damper on it. It’s set for very low-flow but just enough to add clean air into the house, I’ll open it more during temperate seasons.
Keep the unit clean, check the pressures and amp-draw annually. Service the sump pump or drains annually (dont skip it). Clean the igniter every fall and inspect the furnace exciter fan every once in a while for bearings/rust. I’ll try to wash mine every now and then and throw griots 3-1 wax on it. I mean, it cost as much as a Honda, so might as well take care of it too.
