My take: Rheem/Ruud is a good brand, Trane is very nice but highly
overpriced (and I'm a Trane dealer). Lennox is decent equipment but is a
real PITA when getting parts. High end Carrier is good stuff, the lower
lines (Bryant, Payne, DayNight, etc) are pretty much builders grade stuff.
Goodman is junk, plain and simple, no matter how they paint the cabinets or
round the corners or add louvers - they've just prettying up the pig. Any
HVAC dealer can buy one - they're not a "dealered" brand - so the dealers
who "talk bad" about them are the ones who have decided not to install them
(as a side note, the newer units do appear to be better built). I don't care
for York, but then we don't see a lot of them around my area, no dealers and
no one really installs them. Anything Nordyne puts out (that includes your
Frigidaire, I believe) is cheaply made and not worth the money, in my
opinion.

You'll hear a lot of folks tell you that the installer is much more
important than the brand, and I fully agree - I'd rather have a poor quality
unit that's properly installed than a high quality unit put in by monkeys.
That said - if you install junk, you get junk. A great installation of junk
equipment is still ... junk equipment. Hire a good installer, and have them
install good eqiupment ...

I'd be VERY leery of a contractor quoting your $675 to move a furnace out of
a closet, into the crawlspace, extend ducts/electrical/gas/drain/flue etc
etc ... this is quite obviously a contractor looking to get their foot in
the door, and I'm betting they won't be on the job an hour before they find
something that "must be done right now, before we can go any further"
that'll tack on a couple bills to the cost ... and it'll just keep going
from there. If they DO perform the job for $675, ask them for the phone
numbers of a few of their competitors - you'll need it next year when you
need service and they're out of buisness ...

I'd also be leery of installing a package unit (like another poster
mentioned) and tieing in to your existing overhead duct system (assuming
it's overhead, that is). Doing this invariably results in poor performance,
poor airflow, increased run cost, and decreased system life. If you want a
package unit, do away with the overhead ducts, install a new duct system
(properly sized) and enjoy the comfort..

--
Scott McDaniel

"Mike Job" wrote in message
...
I currently have a 12 year old rheem split unit heat pump. The "A" coil is
in the closet and has a drainage problem. The water backed up spilled onto
my carpet and on the sheetrock and went under the wall into another room. I
know I will have to get the unit removed so that I can properly kill the
mold and mildew that will surely grow in there. So, I have two
questions..............

One. Is this unit worth moving into the crawlspace? I have plenty of room
under there, I just don't know if it is worth moving. If it does not have
pump-down valves, the freon will have to be reclaimed and then re-charged.
I will also have to have a horizontal drain pan. The ductwork is minimal,
assuming that the water has not seriously damaged the trunk line
underneath. Wiring is brought from underneath, so no junction is
necessary. A local contractor quoted 675 to do it, but I think some of
that was enhanced by the desire to sell me a new unit, or maybe not.

Two. If I do replace it, what brand of unit best fits my needs? We are
going to sell this house in about three years. I do not want to put a top
of the line unit in only to move and leave it three years from now. I
don't want to leave a poor quality unit in, but I think a large investment
would be wasted. I will need a 2.5 ton. I have an 11 seer now, so I want
to go to at least at 13 seer. Also, I think I would gain efficiency from
having a few problems fixed.(No reduction on trunk line currently,
Branches taken from very end of trunk line, relocation of thermostat from
foyer to hallway, proper size on liquid line{current liquid line is one
size smaller than what comes out on the condensor, it is pinched off and
brazed to accomodate a smaller line}) My primary concerns are enough
efficiency improvements to off-set some of the costs and a decent quality
unit that I would not be embarassed to show to someone wanting to buy the
house.

I am considering a Frigidaire unit and I have someone coming out to price
a carrier unit. I thought of having a York system priced and maybe a Rheem
or Ruud. I have heard alot of bad things about Lenox and Goodman, But
nothing from a proffessional who did not sell a competing unit.


It would be nice to get the advice of someone that has no financial
interest in my decision.

Background on the unit.
Rheem Classic XI, manufactured in 1993. Model Number is RPLA-024JAS.
(2-ton)

Thanks for any recommendations.