Ralph Mowery wrote:
"nobody" wrote in message
news:mj3eg.27911$QP4.26543@fed1read12...

Our home is in the desert, where we cool about 9 months of
the year. When we bought the place, it had two A/C split
systems- a 5 ton and a 3 ton. There were no labels, but a
friend who is familiar with the subdivision and builder told
me that they were built-up no-name units with a SEER or 10
and no TXV. Our electric bill last year for this time of
year was $500 and the temps were about like this year.
With that in mind, I had a good, reputable A/C company bid
on installing SEER 13 units with TXV's. The price was just
over $9k, installed.



I would have thought you would install atleast a 14 seer or greater,
especially cooling 9 months out of the year. I think the 13 and under units
are not being made anymore and you are getting the end run units. You did
not mention how big the house is or when it was built or the insulating
material and construction. A company should be able to do the calculations
for your house and recommend the correct units. As you are in teh desert I
would guess the humidity is not worth worring about as it is probably low.
In the area I live (North Carolina) the units need to be sized to run alot
to take the humidity out of the air in the summer. It will feel much cooler
with a lower humidity than it would with a high humidity.



And in that part of hte world, if far enough out of the city, AND with
adequate access to water, evap coolers work REALLY well at lower cost
than 14-19 seer AC