New Heat Pumps

Ken D.

With the SEER ( Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings upwards of 16 and 17 on new pumps, you will save a bundle. A 20 year old unit is probably no more than 10 SEER and probably less. A new one will give you an extended warranty and will eventually pay for itself. I'm partial to Lennox, but any of the majors will be a good chioce.

Judd

New heat pumps

I am a home owner and am not too familiar with the new heat pumps on the market. Mine is 20 years old and I want to start to look for a new one. If it is not too much trouble I would like to know what you think and why about the best and most practical units availible. Thank you
Judd

Wayco Wayne_2

There are some

nice ones out there. Much better than were available 20 years ago. I like the Trane 2 speed units. I always look at the HSPF efficiency rating to make my choice. The hspf rating rates the heating side of things. The higher the number the better. The SEER rating measures the efficiency of the cooling side of the heat pump. I hold the HSPF rating in higher regard and importance because there are many more heating hours in the Winter than there are cooling hours in the Summer, so there's more impact from a high heating rating than cooling. Also get the variable speed blower in the fan coil unit. It will improve performance and comfort and uses electricity at a fraction of a regular blower motor. WW

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John Mills_5

my 2 cents worth

I personally prefer a scroll compressor in a heat pump, I find they heat better in cold weather. Units with demand defrost control eliminate hundreds of wasted defrosts each winter compared to time boards. Be sure dealer does heat gain/loss calc to size properly. Indoor & outdoor units should be replaced so they match. We usually change connecting tubing too. Unless your juice bills are very high, the super efficient units may not have any payback. A good 12-13 SEER unit probably is best combo between initial price & savings. Personally I'd go R22 now while still can but looks like R410a will be the gas of the next decade.

Tom_35

I'll add my .02 as well--

The most important day of any systems life is the day it is installed. Most equipment built today is decent, but the installations can absolutely kill the performance...or get the performance to what it is supposed to be.

Bear in mind that the unit's efficiency is based on lab testing---which we don't see in the real world. That's why you need to get a professional to install your system.

Make sure that they run a Manual J load calculation on your home, and then determine what size system is right for your home. The new system needs to have the correct size refrigerant piping, and the existing duct system needs to be checked for leakage, which is almost guaranteed since it was installed 20 years ago. There is also a good chance that the return air ductwork is undersized, and possibly the supply ductwork. Make sure that the company adjusts the fuse protection on the new system as your older system probably used considerably more amperage than a new system.

There are many other items to consider, but a true professional will be doing the other things as part of their normal installation.

Tom Atchley
Ft. Smith, AR

Judd

Thank you all for your input and it was very helpfull.