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norcalbill

Carrier HVAC Quote opinion

norcalbill
10 years ago

Hey Folks,
I am looking for opinions on a quote I received for my San Francisco East Bay (i.e. gets hot!) 3000 sq ft home. It is replacing a dead, 28 year old, 4 ton system which our home inspector said was too small for the house (when we purchased it a couple of years ago). I would agree as it struggled to keep below 78 in summer.

⢠Install Carrier Performance Series 2 stage 96% Eff furnace MD# 59TP5A100E2120.
⢠Install Carrier Performance Series 5 ton 16 Seer 2 stage A/C MD# 24ACB760A003.
⢠Install ADP coil MD# C60A245C286.
⢠Install 11/8 x 3/8 line set from condenser to coil.
⢠Supply A/C pad, whip and disconnect.
⢠Perform duct test.
⢠HERS Rater fees are included.
⢠Pull permit.
⢠10 Yr parts and labor Warranty.
⢠Dispose of old equipment.
⢠Supply all material to complete job.

I am supplying a Nest gen 2 thermostat.

$9,842.00

Ideally I would like an Infinity system and it would be nice to have touch, wifi thermostat.

Any opinions would be appreciated!

This post was edited by norcalbill on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 15:38

Comments (6)

  • mike_home
    10 years ago

    Home inspectors know very little when it comes to HVAC. Don't be so quick to go to a 5 ton condenser based on his opinion.

    Your 28 year old AC may have struggled to keep the house below 78 degrees, but it does not necessarily mean it was undersized. You need to find a contractor who will do a load calculation. At most I would recommend moving up a half ton, but I suspect a properly installed 4 ton unit would be adequate for summers in San Francisco. You don't want an oversized system.

    If you do go to 5 tons, then you need to have the duct work inspected. Most houses don't have duct work which is big enough to handle the air flow for 5 tons of cooling.

    You should also get a Carrier coil, there is no good reason to get an ADP coil. The Nest thermostats can sometimes cause problems. If you got a Carrier thermostat it would covered by the 10 year warranty.

  • norcalbill
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for your response Mike!

    I work in San Francisco but I live over in the East Bay, which is over 30 degrees hotter than SF on hot days, the micro-climates here are unreal. :) We get many days between 100 and up to 117.

    Thanks for the tip on the ADP coil, I didn't notice that, as I wasn't aware of the ADP brand and assumed it was part of a Carrier model number (stupid me!) One BIG issue I guess if that the 10 year Labor warranty for Carrier wouldn't apply to the coil I guess? Funnily enough my old coil was leaking all over the place, which was part of my decision to replace the whole system. (The compressor had died as well)

    With the thermostat, would the use of a non-Carrier stat like the Nest invalidate any part of my warranty?

    He did look at my ducting ( I asked him the same thing you raised) and he said it was fine. (now, whether that's true or not)

    This post was edited by norcalbill on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 20:04

  • mike_home
    10 years ago

    The Nest thermostat should not invalidate the warranty unless it somehow damaged the equipment. This is unlikely to happen.

  • tigerdunes
    10 years ago

    Any ductwork modifications to accommodate increase in CFMs from a 4 ton condenser to 5 ton condenser? I doubt I would go 5 ton without a load calc in hand to support that decision. And if 5 ton, plan on ductwork changes. Keep in mind you size HVAC for averages with a small fudge factor, not extremes.

    I don't care for your quote from the furnace selection to the third party evap coil. I could not find that the system quoted qualified for Fed Tax Credit.

    Not a fan of NEST thermostat.

    It is my understanding that SF has relatively moderate winters. I see no reason for a 95%+ eff furnace.

    Stay with the Performance 17 AC condenser properly sized of course. Pair with Carrier aluminum evap coil and Infinity 80 furnace with Infinity controller.

    Consider a whole house air filter cabinet.

    Any hot/cold spots in home should be indentified and pointed out to dealer for possible improvement.

    IMO

    This post was edited by tigerdunes on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 8:17

  • norcalbill
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I appreciate your advice Tiger!

    What does the whole house air filter cabinet do? Is it a more convenient central location for swapping out filters, or a means of providing better filtering?

  • tigerdunes
    10 years ago

    How many returns do you have for your home? All with 1" filters?

    A whole house filter cabinet provides a single location for changeout of filter usually lasting up to one year. The filters are much better at trapping dirt/dust as well as protecting blower motor and evap coil.

    IMO

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