I'm going to be installing central heat and air in my house within the
next few months so I am doing research now. I'd appreciate some
recomendations AND I'd like to know who and what to avoid. I live in a very
small house at the moment (850 sq. ft.) and I live in the south.
Thanks.....


p.s. What about the "mini-duct" systems?

If you're in the south you can do heat pump. 850 sq ft is not big so
the cost shouldn't kill you. I don't make or sell heat pumps and have
only ever had one of them. They are not too cost-effective in the
winter at the 40th parallel.

[Just by mentioning heat pump a lot of posts will be made about pump vs
conventional, then what kind of pump, then what SEER, etc etc.]

You can also supposedly get a tax break depending on your choice -

www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm

Frank B. wrote:
I'm going to be installing central heat and air in my house within
the next few months so I am doing research now. I'd appreciate some
recomendations AND I'd like to know who and what to avoid. I live in
a very small house at the moment (850 sq. ft.) and I live in the
south. Thanks.....


p.s. What about the "mini-duct" systems?


I suggest that you center your quest on the installer and not worry
about the equipment.

In the end it will be the choice of equipment (type size etc.) and the
quality of the installation that will determine how happy you are with the
end product.

No one here has seen you home, or measured it for the calculations
needed to determine what the proper size would be. Only a local
professional is going to be able to do that work. If you have a good
professional they will only recommend good equipment that is available and
has parts available in your area. It is usually best to follow their
recommendations.

Start asking around friends and neighbors for the names of those who have
done good work for them. Also you might want to get the names of those they
did not like to make sure you don't get them.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

You need written heat load and duct calculations to make sure everything
is sized properly, oversize the AC and you will remain humid, undersize
it you won`t cool. Get a written guarntee on temp performance winter and
summer. Consumer Reports did a poll of apx 35000 over maybe 8 years on
basic reliability and found one thing obvious that was well known
already, Goodman takes last place. Do you have ducts inplace.
www.energystar.gov is a good place to research efficiency

Frank B. wrote:
I'm going to be installing central heat and air in my house within the
next few months so I am doing research now. I'd appreciate some
recomendations AND I'd like to know who and what to avoid. I live in a very
small house at the moment (850 sq. ft.) and I live in the south.
Thanks.....


p.s. What about the "mini-duct" systems?


I had my heating and air conditioning system replaced
last year. I got York. The only problem I have with it
is that the heater blower is very loud. I don't know if
that is typical of the high efficiency units, but I know
it is a lot louder than I expected. You might want to
check into that before you buy.

Bill Gill

i use trane in my rentals. they very seldom break,and last a good 20
years+ .i like the 10 years parts/labor warranty also..i would seriously
look at a heat pump as nat gas is going to continue to go up. up north
here, im seeing heat pumps go in with a line they put in a 100 ft hole
in the ground. these things really heat cheep. lucas

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm