Any HVAC people here? Curious to costs

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: dartworth

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: dartworth
You need and air handler, evaporator coil, and condensing unit.

1200 sq ft, propably would require a 2 - 2.5 ton unit. You are looking at about $1000-1500 for parts and material.

AWESOME!

I am basing this on a recent job i just did. House was about 1150 sq ft. I put in a new furnace, condenser, and A coil. All the parts cost me around $1200. I did it in a weekend.

As far as your set goes...Hot water heat is the way to go IMO. I am thinking of switching mine over before next winter. Just need to find a good price on a small boiler.

Anyways...you would have to run two trunk lines for the duct work. One supply, and one return. You would have to cut return and supply air vents in each room. Supply air on the outside walls and returns on the inside walls. So you will have to think about that and layout your rooms for those...(read not running supply and return down the same joist space)

Also make sure you have enogh room for the air handle. You may have to run a fresh air line if ou were to enclose it in a closet or small room.

Iw as going to install the air handler in the attic. Now I'm startign t owonder how big (or small) these things are. I was assuming 2' high would be normal. Or that atleast they make special units for your attic.

When it comes to parts (minus ductwork and electical and all teh details), I will have two large items. The compressor as one unit outside. And the air handler, which goes in the attic.

From what I understand that is. or are there actually 3 units as your origianl post alludes (air handler, evaporator coil, and condensing unit)

I thought about the ductwork already. I pretty much have a handle on how that will work. I might try to get away with one large return though, since it's a ranch. I might have to do 2-3 though. That's details at this point though.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: rpbri2886

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
You *might* be able to get it cheaper than online retail by contacting an installer and having them sell you a unit. Carrier gives installers ~40-60% off in many cases.

Good point.
I think my father in law might be able to get the discount. All you need to do is claim to be a contractor I think. They just take your word for it..... And technically, I should be a ble to make up a company name myself.

My dad owns an HVAC company, the local supply houses are very discrimating and will not let just anyone walk in there and purchase stuff. They actually verify your company exists, and is HVAC targeted.

DOH!

 

[richardycc]

I had a new 2.5ton 13seer (fridgidaire brand 5yr warranty) AC with a new A coil installed for around $1300 last yr, after the $300 rebate, the whole deal was under $1100. my place is around 1400sq. ft, so you might need to pay to have a guy do a air load calculation, duct work, etc, so I am guessing it should be around $3000 +/- $500.

 

[dartworth]

Well, putting a unit the attic can be easier in some ways, and harder in other. the big PIA is running the refrigerant lines to the coil in the attic. I always run them in ACR hard copper myself. Some people prefer buying the rolls of soft copper and using that.

As far as running duct work in the attic, You will have to make sure it is insulated to prevent sweating and this will also cut down on noise.

You can use something like this Insulated round duct or just use regular round pipe and insulate it. I prefer to run as much round pipe as I can and then go to flex.

You can use Ceiling Diffusers to drop the supply and return air to each room as needed

 

[dartworth]

As far as the air handle in the attic...they make units that are horizontal units so they are long and and short and made for this application.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: dartworth
Well, putting a unit the attic can be easier in some ways, and harder in other. the big PIA is running the refrigerant lines to the coil in the attic. I always run them in ACR hard copper myself. Some people prefer buying the rolls of soft copper and using that.

As far as running duct work in the attic, You will have to make sure it is insulated to prevent sweating and this will also cut down on noise.

You can use something like this Insulated round duct or just use regular round pipe and insulate it. I prefer to run as much round pipe as I can and then go to flex.

You can use Ceiling Diffusers to drop the supply and return air to each as needed

AWESOME! Thanks for the links. I agree with doing the rigid pipe as much as possible. The flex pipe though, that's a cool wway to terminate things. Must make setting up the room vents a snap.

Tiem for bed for me. Thanks for hte ideas to dream about!

Karl

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

SLEEEP... not yet 😉

Tran'es web site recomend that I get this:
Climatuff® Compressor
7-day programmable
Perfect Fit Electronic Air Cleaner

But hte heating?cool section is odd.
Super Efficiency Series or Ultra Efficiency & Comfort Series
Up to 17.0 SEER (This sounds like efficiency..higher is better)
Up to 10.555 HSPF (what is this?)
Variable Speed Air Handler: (TWE-E) (any reason to get the single speed model? Is variable speed better?)

But what is this?
XL14i or XL16i Heat Pump
I'm assuming I don't need this seeign I will nto be tieing the heating system in.

 

[dartworth]

Just my opinion...don't buy a Trane.

10 SEER is fine. It would take you quite awhile to make up the cost of a 17 SEER unit.


For filtration. Get a Space Guard.


Heat pumps don't apply to you...

I would look at Comfortmaker, or Goodman

Goodman are very inexpensive. I've heard people call them cheap and junk. However, I've put in over 50 Goodman units and never had a problem. I have one in my own house.

 

[sharkeeper]

HSPF = Heating Season Performance Factor. (Heat Pumps only)

Space Guard is essentially a whole house HEPA filter. Electrostatic air cleaners are a PITA and when they stop working your unit is essentially running without a filter. Yes I've seen installations with no filter - depending on the ESP-EAC to protect the indoor coil - DUMB!

 

[dartworth]

Yeah, The Space Guard are a real nice filter. The media is about $25 or so and it only has to be changed once a year or so...depending on needs and conditions.

 

[skull]

I would second a goodman they are also sold under the name janatrol. Since you are planning to move in 5 years or less you don't need a top of the line brand like trane. You can usually find scratch and dents. You might also look into auctions and flea markets. Space Gard filters are awesome like others have said. Avoid Electronic air cleaners there POS.

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper

I do high vacuum work (29.9mmHG) for my chemistry lab, but never anything like vapor phase cascade.

That wouldn't be much of a vacuum at 29.9" let alone 29.9mm of mercury. 😛

2 1/2 tonnes, Heil, Ruud, Trane should do the trick. Look for 10+ EER as well.

29.9" HG is practically full vacuum, about all 24/40 labware can take. Even less with flat bottomed flasks.

 

[sharkeeper]

29.9" HG is practically full vacuum, about all 24/40 labware can take. Even less with flat bottomed flasks.

Well that would depend on what the atmospheric pressure was wouldn't it? 😛

It would be *impossible* to achieve 29.9" during a hurricane.

Typically in the lab we measure vacuum in microns or Torr.

We have a few Sargent Welch high vacuum pumps that will do .05 microns on the thermistor gauge. That's pretty strong. Even a perfect vacuum at sea level with a normal barometer (29.93) is only going to exert 14.7 psi on the walls of the evacuated vessel.

Quincy makes some of the best screw pumps for central vacuum systems like the ones used for ship toilets.

A vacuum doesn't suck but can be fun to play with!

A good prank to play on someone is to let the air out of their tyres by removing the valve stem. Once the tyre is completely flat, reinstall the valve stem and start evacuating the tyre. The tyre will look like a flower and will totally freak out the person when they see it! What's even freakier is when they remove the cap air rushes in to the tyre!

 

[ribbon13]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
A good prank to play on someone is to let the air out of their tyres by removing the valve stem. Once the tyre is completely flat, reinstall the valve stem and start evacuating the tyre. The tyre will look like a flower and will totally freak out the person when they see it! What's even freakier is when they remove the cap air rushes in to the tyre!

:laugh: As always, you're a treat to read.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Thanks for all the posts. If anyone else wants to eigh in, feel free. I'll wake up this thread later with my oproposed part list for review by the good people here at ATOT.

Oh, that Hepa filter goes jsut prior to the blower intake, correct.

As for going Trane, I think I will use my father in laws knowledge. Get the cheapest trane that works for my situation.

he kinda laughs at new home construction which is mostly crap. Ya, those are Ansderson Windows. A big selling point! The fact that people generally are stupid helps out since they are always the cheapest anderson windows. But when trying to sell a home, that name is all that matters. Trane also applies to this concept, albeit most people probably know alot less about A/C units. But the 1 in 10 peopel that see the Trane and go goo-goo over it makes it worth while.

I really think this is going to puch my home value from $330K-$370K to $350K-$400K. Dumb people 😉 Not bad for a home purchased for $245K less than 2 years ago 😉 Already have comp sales in the neiughborhod that make the $330K an underesitmate by 10K or so.