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#1
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Furnace brands to avoid?
I already Googled, but didn't find any recent threads without flamewars-
I need to replace my 46 year old HVAC this year, and have started getting estimates. ~100,000 BTU, central air, a couple of grand of duct mods to include the addition so I can get rid of the wall furnace out here. (duct mods are expensive due to concrete cutting required for access to addition crawlspace.) Yes, they are measuring house to do do load calcs, etc. So far, I have been quoted 7200 for Lennox 92+, and around 5500 for Maytag 90+. New furnace, A-frame, outside compressor, etc. I plan to call a couple others in next week. Looking for opinions from people who do installs and repair work- given that I don't wanna spend a fortune on this 1960 cookie cutter with original furnace, but I do want decent reliability, what brands should I avoid? On a vanilla system like this, what brands give best bang for the buck? I won't be here long enough (est. 7 years) to get a payback just from the gas bills, so I do want a reputable enough brand to recover some of the cost at time of sale. IOW, not crap, but I don't need gold plated. Any advice greatly appreciated. aem sends.... |
#2
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Furnace brands to avoid?
"ameijers" wrote in message ... I already Googled, but didn't find any recent threads without flamewars- I need to replace my 46 year old HVAC this year, and have started getting estimates. ~100,000 BTU, central air, a couple of grand of duct mods to include the addition so I can get rid of the wall furnace out here. (duct mods are expensive due to concrete cutting required for access to addition crawlspace.) Yes, they are measuring house to do do load calcs, etc. So far, I have been quoted 7200 for Lennox 92+, and around 5500 for Maytag 90+. New furnace, A-frame, outside compressor, etc. I plan to call a couple others in next week. Looking for opinions from people who do installs and repair work- given that I don't wanna spend a fortune on this 1960 cookie cutter with original furnace, but I do want decent reliability, what brands should I avoid? On a vanilla system like this, what brands give best bang for the buck? I won't be here long enough (est. 7 years) to get a payback just from the gas bills, so I do want a reputable enough brand to recover some of the cost at time of sale. IOW, not crap, but I don't need gold plated. Any advice greatly appreciated. aem sends.... the color of the sheet metal is the least of your worries. The INSTALLER makes or breaks the job. I sold a home last year and it was the first one that people actually asked about the SEER on the cooling unit. http://198.147.238.24/ac_calc/default.asp FYI if they try to sell you something under 13 SEER for the cooling they are ignoring the law as of 1 Jan. 13 is the lowest on new installs. SEER is not a measurement of heating. Choose the unit based on what you need most, cooling or heating. |
#3
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Furnace brands to avoid?
In article , "SQLit"
wrote: FYI if they try to sell you something under 13 SEER for the cooling they are ignoring the law as of 1 Jan. 13 is the lowest on new installs. The law allows for the sale and installation of EXISTING supplies of lower-SEER units. Only 13-or-higher-SEER units can be MANUFACTURED after January 1, 2006. This was obvious when just the other day, as I was installing a phone service at a brand new (tract) home, I looked at the rating of the condenser unit: 10. All the new (unoccupied or newly-occupied) homes up-and-down the line sported the SAME, 10 SEER units. It's reasonable to assume that 10 SEER will be available (and legal for purchase and installation) for at least several more months: I'm sure the manufacturers cranked-out as many as they could prior to January 1. -- JR |
#4
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Furnace brands to avoid?
"ameijers" wrote in message ... I already Googled, but didn't find any recent threads without flamewars- I need to replace my 46 year old HVAC this year, and have started getting estimates. ~100,000 BTU, central air, a couple of grand of duct mods to include the addition so I can get rid of the wall furnace out here. (duct mods are expensive due to concrete cutting required for access to addition crawlspace.) Yes, they are measuring house to do do load calcs, etc. So far, I have been quoted 7200 for Lennox 92+, and around 5500 for Maytag 90+. New furnace, A-frame, outside compressor, etc. I plan to call a couple others in next week. Looking for opinions from people who do installs and repair work- given that I don't wanna spend a fortune on this 1960 cookie cutter with original furnace, but I do want decent reliability, what brands should I avoid? On a vanilla system like this, what brands give best bang for the buck? I won't be here long enough (est. 7 years) to get a payback just from the gas bills, so I do want a reputable enough brand to recover some of the cost at time of sale. IOW, not crap, but I don't need gold plated. Any advice greatly appreciated. Just had a Lennox installed, 13 SEER. Very noisy. I shut it off at night and use the quiet space heaters. I have an addition with concrete slab, paid a separate contractor $350 to cut two holes through the slab and under for ductwork. Bob |
#5
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Furnace brands to avoid?
lennox pulse ruined their reputation around here.
Its long gone except for peple nightmare memories and excess noise for unlucky neighbors |
#6
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Furnace brands to avoid?
Aviod Goodman and Janitrol.
For A/C get one with a scroll compressor. Or get a geothremal system if you can. |
#7
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Furnace brands to avoid?
wrote in message oups.com... Aviod Goodman and Janitrol. For A/C get one with a scroll compressor. Or get a geothremal system if you can. People told me the Goodman was worse than a Lennox. Difficult to imagine that. Bob |
#8
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Furnace brands to avoid?
You need to be talking to people in your area...coworkers, family,
friends....etc............. You need to find a company in your area with a good reputation and let them do the work. Brands dont really matter much......its the people doing the work and standing behind what they sell you. get several free estimates from companies recommended to you in your area.......its still a crapshoot.......you got a 50/50 chance of getting totally hosed by the company you pick but by getting recommendations in your area you stand a better chance of getting a decent job done by people who will stand behind their work. |
#9
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Furnace brands to avoid?
RobertM wrote:
wrote in message oups.com... Aviod Goodman and Janitrol. For A/C get one with a scroll compressor. Or get a geothremal system if you can. People told me the Goodman was worse than a Lennox. Difficult to imagine that. Bob .... and probably false, IMHO. -- The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to minimize spam. Our true address is of the form . |
#10
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Furnace brands to avoid?
Consumer Reports recently did a survey of apx 35000 over maybe 8 years
on reliability, one brand came out a clear winner, in last place, it was Goodman. |
#11
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Furnace brands to avoid?
"Jim Redelfs" wrote in message ... In article , "SQLit" wrote: FYI if they try to sell you something under 13 SEER for the cooling they are ignoring the law as of 1 Jan. 13 is the lowest on new installs. The law allows for the sale and installation of EXISTING supplies of lower-SEER units. Only 13-or-higher-SEER units can be MANUFACTURED after January 1, 2006. Actually it was (about) 28 January 2006. At least one of my suppliers has a few 10 SEER units available. They won't advertise it. This was obvious when just the other day, as I was installing a phone service at a brand new (tract) home, I looked at the rating of the condenser unit: 10. All the new (unoccupied or newly-occupied) homes up-and-down the line sported the SAME, 10 SEER units. It's reasonable to assume that 10 SEER will be available (and legal for purchase and installation) for at least several more months: I'm sure the manufacturers cranked-out as many as they could prior to January 1. -- JR |
#12
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Furnace brands to avoid?
The old Lennox HP26 (13 SEER) was a great machine, very quiet. Their
new 13 SEER, 13HPC, is much louder. You have to go at least 15 SEER with Lennox now to get a quiet machine. Such a shame... Stretch |
#13
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote:
Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. -- for full context, visit http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...id-100771-.htm |
#14
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On 12/2/2016 11:44 AM, 2jk wrote:
replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote: Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. Sadly, the original poster died 8 years ago. The cheap furnace and crappy installation caused carbon monoxide poisoning. Please join us next Tuesday for the anniversary memorial service. Stretch would want you there. |
#15
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On Fri, 2 Dec 2016 15:19:03 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/2/2016 11:44 AM, 2jk wrote: replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote: Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. Sadly, the original poster died 8 years ago. The cheap furnace and crappy installation caused carbon monoxide poisoning. Please join us next Tuesday for the anniversary memorial service. Stretch would want you there. Stretch was very fond of gerbils. Each year his friends, also fond of gerbils, unite at the memorial service with their gerbils so they can pay tribute, too. |
#16
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Furnace brands to avoid?
Ed Pawlowski posted for all of us...
On 12/2/2016 11:44 AM, 2jk wrote: replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote: Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. Sadly, the original poster died 8 years ago. The cheap furnace and crappy installation caused carbon monoxide poisoning. Please join us next Tuesday for the anniversary memorial service. Stretch would want you there. Did the gerbils make it? -- Tekkie |
#17
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Furnace brands to avoid?
Oren posted for all of us...
On Fri, 2 Dec 2016 15:19:03 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote: On 12/2/2016 11:44 AM, 2jk wrote: replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote: Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. Sadly, the original poster died 8 years ago. The cheap furnace and crappy installation caused carbon monoxide poisoning. Please join us next Tuesday for the anniversary memorial service. Stretch would want you there. Stretch was very fond of gerbils. Each year his friends, also fond of gerbils, unite at the memorial service with their gerbils so they can pay tribute, too. I didn't see this post so I presume the gerbils are 10-7... Do they have gerbil coats for winter? -- Tekkie |
#18
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On 12/3/2016 3:53 PM, Tekkie® wrote:
Ed Pawlowski posted for all of us... On 12/2/2016 11:44 AM, 2jk wrote: replying to Stretch, 2jk wrote: Just saw this, your contractor sold you the lower tier "merit" product offering where as your old HP26 was an "Elite" series unit and a higher tiered product offering. You bought their budget special and got something less than what you had. Your contractor should have explained to you about a new construction "builder" model having higher sound levels as it has no compressor sound blanket over the compressor. You can buy one, have it installed and the outdoor unit will be much quieter. Sadly, the original poster died 8 years ago. The cheap furnace and crappy installation caused carbon monoxide poisoning. Please join us next Tuesday for the anniversary memorial service. Stretch would want you there. Did the gerbils make it? Yes, had two for lunch today. |
#19
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to scott21230, Tim Dale wrote:
Goodman condensing units have the same scroll compressor that all of the other manufacturers are using. If the equipment is installed correctly, it will last a long time. I have a friend who has a 26 year old Janitrol on his house. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...id-100771-.htm |
#20
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to RobertM, Tim Dale wrote:
The problem with Goodman is that anybody can buy their equipment and there's a lot of fly by night contractors installing Goodman incorrectly. Check Craigslist if you don't believe me. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...id-100771-.htm |
#21
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to m Ransley, Tim Dale wrote:
Fly by night contractors install Goodman more than any other brand because they can easily buy the equipment for a good price. It's not the equipment, it's the contractor who installed the equipment. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...id-100771-.htm |
#22
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On 2/23/2018 8:44 PM, Tim Dale wrote:
replying to m Ransley, Tim Dale wrote: Fly by night contractors install Goodman more than any other brand because they can easily buy the equipment for a good price.Â* It's not the equipment, it's the contractor who installed the equipment. Twelve years later it still is asked. here is a real life situation. I'm vacationing in Florida for a coupel of weeks. My Son-in-law is the maintenance manger for two apartment complexes bot about 3 years old, both have 400 units. One is all Goodman. The other is all Trane. The Goodman building had tenants call between 8 and 18 times every day for AC problems. The Trane building had no calls. Now there wre a few calls that were tenant stupidity, but most were actual failures. Enjoy your Goodman, but I'll go with Trane or Carrier. I'm looking at buyina hose here and they use Trane for reliability and lack of customer call backs. |
#23
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to Ed Pawlowski, Jay Shaw wrote:
So Ed, can your SIL confirm that both complexes were installed by the same qualified contractor? That may be where the problem lies if one (the Goodman) was done by sub-standard installers. Don't blame the product until you can't blame the worker. Oh, and could you maybe re-edit your post to clean up all the typos? Makes it hard to read. Thx. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...id-100771-.htm |
#24
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On 2/24/2019 5:14 PM, Jay Shaw wrote:
replying to Ed Pawlowski, Jay Shaw wrote: So Ed, can your SIL confirm that both complexes were installed by the same qualified contractor? That may be where the problem lies if one (the Goodman) was done by sub-standard installers. Don't blame the product until you can't blame the worker. Oh, and could you maybe re-edit your post to clean up all the typos? Makes it hard to read. Thx. No idea about the installers but, . . . Installers can screw up air flow, sensor placement and the like that affect performance. Installers have no control over defective fan motors.switches, relays, and a bunch of other items in a package the installer never touches. |
#25
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On Sun, 24 Feb 2019 18:14:38 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 2/24/2019 5:14 PM, Jay Shaw wrote: replying to Ed Pawlowski, Jay Shaw wrote: So Ed, can your SIL confirm that both complexes were installed by the same qualified contractor? That may be where the problem lies if one (the Goodman) was done by sub-standard installers. Don't blame the product until you can't blame the worker. Oh, and could you maybe re-edit your post to clean up all the typos? Makes it hard to read. Thx. No idea about the installers but, . . . Installers can screw up air flow, sensor placement and the like that affect performance. Installers have no control over defective fan motors.switches, relays, and a bunch of other items in a package the installer never touches. The best furnace in your area will possibly be different than in mine. Buy the brand with the best support in your area, from the best dealer/installer in your area. It won't be the cheapest up front - but could well be the cheapest in the long term. My brother got a "lemon" from a good dealer and 4 years later got every cent back against the purchace of a new furnace of a different brand. The "lemon" was a Lennox Pulse that failed 3 times in 4 years. |
#26
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Furnace brands to avoid?
Clare Snyder posted for all of us...
On Sun, 24 Feb 2019 18:14:38 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote: On 2/24/2019 5:14 PM, Jay Shaw wrote: replying to Ed Pawlowski, Jay Shaw wrote: So Ed, can your SIL confirm that both complexes were installed by the same qualified contractor? That may be where the problem lies if one (the Goodman) was done by sub-standard installers. Don't blame the product until you can't blame the worker. Oh, and could you maybe re-edit your post to clean up all the typos? Makes it hard to read. Thx. No idea about the installers but, . . . Installers can screw up air flow, sensor placement and the like that affect performance. Installers have no control over defective fan motors.switches, relays, and a bunch of other items in a package the installer never touches. The best furnace in your area will possibly be different than in mine. Buy the brand with the best support in your area, from the best dealer/installer in your area. It won't be the cheapest up front - but could well be the cheapest in the long term. My brother got a "lemon" from a good dealer and 4 years later got every cent back against the purchace of a new furnace of a different brand. The "lemon" was a Lennox Pulse that failed 3 times in 4 years. Is the Lennox motto: You can buy better, but you can not pay more? Something to that affect. Thanks Dave... -- Tekkie |
#27
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Furnace brands to avoid?
On Monday, February 25, 2019 at 2:41:35 PM UTC-5, Tekkie® wrote:
Clare Snyder posted for all of us... On Sun, 24 Feb 2019 18:14:38 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote: On 2/24/2019 5:14 PM, Jay Shaw wrote: replying to Ed Pawlowski, Jay Shaw wrote: So Ed, can your SIL confirm that both complexes were installed by the same qualified contractor? That may be where the problem lies if one (the Goodman) was done by sub-standard installers. Don't blame the product until you can't blame the worker. Oh, and could you maybe re-edit your post to clean up all the typos? Makes it hard to read. Thx. No idea about the installers but, . . . Installers can screw up air flow, sensor placement and the like that affect performance. Installers have no control over defective fan motors.switches, relays, and a bunch of other items in a package the installer never touches. The best furnace in your area will possibly be different than in mine. Buy the brand with the best support in your area, from the best dealer/installer in your area. It won't be the cheapest up front - but could well be the cheapest in the long term. My brother got a "lemon" from a good dealer and 4 years later got every cent back against the purchace of a new furnace of a different brand. The "lemon" was a Lennox Pulse that failed 3 times in 4 years. Is the Lennox motto: You can buy better, but you can not pay more? Something to that affect. Thanks Dave... -- Tekkie When I was shopping 8 years ago, I looked at the reviews for new furnace and AC. At the time, Rheem and Ruud were rated just as reliable as perceived name brands, like Carrier. I had a Ruud that had gone 25 years, only needing a hard-start kit for the compressor. Rheem and Ruud are made by the same company. I went with a new Rheem. So far, only one problem, that was the ECM motor for the condenser fan went kaput. A new one would have been $350, so I replaced it with a regular one for $90. It's been good to me, but on the other hand, if you can't DIY and don't know that you can substitute a cheap motor for the ECM, one service call for that could have been $750+ for some poor schmuck. And they would have wound up with another ECM with the electronics to sit outside and go bad again. But I wouldn't be surprised that if I spend twice as much for a Carrier or similar name system, the results would be the same. Except maybe it's harder or impossible to put a generic motor into one of those. |
#28
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Furnace brands to avoid?
replying to Ed Pawlowski, Worked on a few... wrote:
Preventive maintenance may not be equally carried out on the head to head property comparison and that would have nothing to do with the installers as well. Maintenance and quality thereof go a very long way in minimizing problems. Shoddy maintenance or wait til someone complains maintenance also go a very, very long way to the other end of the spectrum. -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...id-100771-.htm |
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