Home heat pump replacement

Jody Treadway

Jody Treadway

Croc wearing fool
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Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Im home AC unit stupid. See edits.

New to us crib has an OG outside unit for the downstairs at our house. Circa 1995. Still works ok, but based on age, I'm ready to replace it for a more efficient one.
The upstairs unit was replaced last year (previous owners) with a Trane unit.

I have read a few threads on here where Trane is now of questionable quality. Based on that info, I am unsure of what brand to go with. My understanding is if I keep with Trane, the outside unit will have a more gooder warranty, being the upstairs unit is a Trane as well.

EDIT: Current unit is all electric. We do have a large propane tank for gas logs and the WH generator.

Thoughts?

@Ron @shawn @braxton357 @rockcity @whoeverelseisknowledgeable
 
Last edited:
Trane isn't BAD. However, you are paying a premium for a badge

Do you have gas? Do you have propane?

I ask, even though you say HP because a hybrid system would serve you well in your area and use very little fuel (making propane an option)
 
I use Goodman in all of my renovation projects, even in my own home (three different homes).

The warranty is comparable to that if Trane and is usually 25-30% cheaper. I haven’t had issues with Goodman.

My HVAC guy says Trane is now mostly the same quality and parts inside except that one little item is different and specific to Trane. Because it’s a Trane part, it takes 2 days to get replacement parts instead of getting it same day from the local supply house that stocks the part for all the other manufacturers.
 
Just replaced the one at my mom's house yesterday. Went with a Trane again. I deal with a local contractor, that my parents have known and used since the 60's. Whoever installs (and later services) it is more important than the name brand. I figure what with everything made in China now, one brand is about as good or bad as the other. I think it was here on NC4x4 the other day somebody wrote something like "Chevy, Ford, Dodge...they all have service departments".

I've done about like my folks aways did...go ahead and replace it when it starts giving trouble. One or two repairs is OK...but if you try and squeeze every last bit of life out of them, you are going to be stuck without HVAC on the hottest or coldest day of the year, and there'll be a two week wait to get something done. Probably get a better deal (and better install) when it's their slow season, not when they're working overtime to try and patch people together. My mom's HVAC has had a problem 3x in the past three years. It was only 10 years old, actually compressor still had a month of warranty left on it, but I didn't want to throw any more good money after bad. I've usually figured on getting 15 years out of a unit. Tech told me with the newer stuff, expect more like 12 years average.

We put a Trane in the new house. Put in a Trane when replaced the unit at our old place a couple of years ago. That was a POS Carrier. In 12 years, the whole air handler (located in open crawl space, no major moisture problem, other than being vented space) was rusted to pieces. Fan bearings went out twice in that 12 years. Went variable speed, high seer, etc with the new unit....kept thermostat the same (ac 77, heat 73), average power bill is a good 10+% lower than prior. At least pays the difference to upgrade to the higher efficiency unit.
 
Oh, and I wouldn’t replace the old unit unless it’s bad or you are throwing good $ at bad. If it’s not broken, let it ride until it’s too costly to fix. That’s my opinion of it. It may not be super efficient right now, but why replace if it’s not broken?
 
CasterTroy said:
Trane isn't BAD. However, you are paying a premium for a badge

Do you have gas? Do you have propane?

I ask, even though you say HP because a hybrid system would serve you well in your area and use very little fuel (making propane an option)
Click to expand...

I edited my post.

All electric but house does have a large propane tank for gas log and generator use
 
rockcity said:
Oh, and I wouldn’t replace the old unit unless it’s bad or you are throwing good $ at bad. If it’s not broken, let it ride until it’s too costly to fix. That’s my opinion of it. It may not be super efficient right now, but why replace if it’s not broken?
Click to expand...

Main reason was lower cost of use would offset initial purchase over a short(ish) period of time. We plan to stay in this one very long term
 
If you have propane, maybe consider dual fuel; electric except when it gets real cold, then the gas kicks on like an electric heat strip would.

It doesn’t commit you to gas 100%, but you get gas benefits when it’s real cold. I’m using that on this most recent renovation project and it sounds like th best of both worlds as I don’t have a dedicated natural gas line available.
 
I dont think Trane is bad. I just dont think they are any better than anyone else yet they still charge a premium for their name.

The parts markup on them is real. Availability should be fine in your area.

@CasterTroy probably has much more experience than my small sample size
 
I wouldn't replace a working unit as long as it is working properly and the power bills are within reason. I would just wait for the first major failure of $500+, and replace it then.
 
If the condensing unit is new and the heat works correctly, I wouldn't change anything.

It's been a while since I ran the numbers, but I don't remember propane saving money over electric. Fuel oil is definitely a losing proposition. NG is cheapest. Troy might have better numbers.
 
Re-edited a bit.
The house has a split system. The upstairs unit (in the attic) was replaced last year. The downstairs unit (outside) is the original.

Please forgive my lack of home AC parts identification. I know car stuff, I lack on house stuff.
 
So what was replaced just the outdoor unit and not the air handler?

A heat pump and a/c both are the outdoor unit. You have one or the other not both. Basically a heat pump is an a/c unit with a reversal valve that changes the direction of the refrigerant so you get heat inside during the winter. But in a/c mode they are the same thing.
 
How's this? I put on my Crocs and took some pics

Old
IMG_20181010_203516656.jpg


New
IMG_20181010_203357911.jpg
 
Yes I would stick with Trane if not changing the indoor unit again.

Far as quality of Trane I would agree I feel like it has went down some over the last few years but still on par with everyone else. I can not say there is any brand that really just stands out as the best. They all have problems. Even new ones as said earlier the install is the most important thing for a system to last. And maintenance, keeping filters changed and coils clean.
 
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