HVAC question .....

[Papa Bear]

Our son is thinking about replacing the furnace in his home. Which furnace is the best of these two: Lennox G61V or Amana AMV9 ?? Does Carrier make a good furnace ??
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. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[lawnboyfan]

I am a hvac service technician of twelve years and I have repaired many of them. I would recommend the carrier system. If he also puts in central air I would highly recommend getting the evaporator coil that has been dipped or coated, they will know what you are talking about. The past few years I have had to replace many new and leaking evap coils carrier made, that is there only flaw I see all the time. They dip the ends in a tin coating and they are very reliable then. If he can afford it I would definatly recommend a two stage variable speed furnace. It runs on half speed and gas flow for fifteen minutes then kicks into high or normal stage if needed. The furnace will run longer at half capacity thus saving energy but also make the house seem warmer because it isnt coming on full blast for five minutes then shutting off and feeling cooler again two minutes later. The top of the line of carrier is the infinity system, that is the bomb, but also expensive. Just my two cents. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[94MaxGXE]

http://www.goodmanmfg.com/Home/Products/GasFurnacesHighEfficiencyUpTo95AFUE/tabid/225/Default.aspx

 

[Papa Bear]

I was at the kids home yesterday when the Lennox dealer came to give an estimate. His estimate was well over $1000 more than the Amana estimate and he said that Lennox will "last a lifetime" while the others will break down in 10 years ??!!??

Cutting through the hype and B.S.... who makes the "Wix" of 2 stage furnaces, not the "Fram" ???

The kids are looking for a 2 stage quiet dependable furnace that will run trouble free for many years at a reasonable price.
How much does an Amana or Lennox furnace cost ?? (wholesale/retail)
Thanks for your help.

P.B.

 

[Brett Miller]

I've had a Carrier Infinity 96 for 3 1/2 years now. Combined with Carrier's Infinity control it is supposed to be one of the best. I'm totally happy with the performance. Our gas bill is about 1/3 lower than our 50 year old Lennox furnace and it's so quiet I don't know when it's running. A 10 year parts and labor warranty was another nice plus.

 

[doitmyself]

Papa,

if you want to drive yourself nuts with opinions, go to this site:

http://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/

Be warned that it is a professional oriented forum. They don't allow diy or pricing discussion. They routinely remind you that it's not about the brand, but rather the installer that makes for the best installation.

My opinion: finding a good HVAC contractor is probably as hard or harder than finding a good, reliable, honest auto mechanic/shop.

Do lots of homework, comparison shop, and get references/referrals.

 

[GMGuy]

Any diy friendly (knowledgeable) forums? Many (not all) of the hvac crew treats hvac like some secret black art that a mere layman has no buisness knowing about, let alone lifting a cover to inspect things themselves up close and personal.

 

[doitmyself]

Quote:
Any diy friendly (knowledgeable) forums?


Not to my knowledge. The garage journal forum has a HVAC section and there are some friendly professionals that chime in with design, equipment, and install info. That site is a hoot (much like BITOG). Some guys there have nicer garage floors (another forum topic)than I have in my house.

I wish you hadn't started the Professional trades rant. Now I must continue.

I respect those honest professional guys for their education and experience in design, materials, and installation. I hate the ones that lie, take advantage, and charge exhorbident (sp?) fees to support their overhead (most seem to own large boats).

On the opposite side there are far too many DIY'ers that jury rig things and end up with very dangerous installations, whether it's electrical, plumbing, or whatever.

At my workplace where I do a fair amount of maintenance, I try to culture a relationship with our professional trades people where I do the grunt work and let them do the technical aspects that they are worth paying for. A win-win situation that I wish I could achieve in the real world.

 

[Papa Bear]

The 2 stage Amana AMV9 has a stainless steel heat exchanger (not "aluminized") and a warranty as good as any.

If the installer is reputable and the price is the lowest, then the Amana appears to be "the one" to go with ....

Are we missing something ??

P.B.