Ok here's the deal, I have a pole barn home, New in 2008. 30" x 52" - 10' eave height the other 30' x 52' is 12' eave height - 52' x 60 = 3,120 sq ft. Half of this is my garage, half is the house. In 2008 I put in a Goodman heat pump/air handler, 5 ton, 13 seer, R22 refrigerant with ducts in the house and garage. $ 6000.00. Over the last 2 years I had capacitor issues, transversing valve go out, fan motor go out - $ 2000.00 in repairs. Now, last Friday the Copeland compressor went out. Granted every time you charge this system it takes $ 300.00 in Freon to charge it plus labor plus repair. Option 1) This compressor would cost $ 1800.00 to have replaced and I still have a refurbed pc of crap. I hate dumping good money after bad. Option 2) A new Goodman outdoor unit is $ 1200 + freight plus install plus Freon so figure ( $ 2000.00 to swap it out ). What do you do ?? I have no faith in goodman so im up in the air here. Option 3) I have 3 contractors coming out to bid new systems, Bryant, Trane, & Carrier - all 3 want to change out the line set, outdoor unit and air handler as it would be a 410A freon system and reduce the tonnage to 3 ton, this will also drop the amp usage. This will not come cheap , Im guessing this will cost around $ 7,000 - $ 9,000 but will have full warranty, tax break, and energy rebate with local utility. What would you guys do here ???

 

Sounds like you're averaging about 2k per year in repairs lately. Won't take too long at that rate to pay for a new, more efficient system.

That does seem like a whole lot of stuff breaking down for no reason though. I had some AC nightmares a while back with my carrier. Repeated failures of multiple parts that several contractors couldn't figure out or didn't want to. Got tired of replacing parts and got the factory carrier tech rep involved. He didn't find it either.

Finally traced my problem with the help of the well repair guy working on the neighbors pump when he asked to borrow my volt meter since his wasn't reading right he thought. Turns out the power company was letting the voltage drop too low during peak demand out in our neck of the woods and it was playing heck on my ac, and a few other things.

I didn't figure this out till after I had replaced my outdoor condenser since the compressor changes (4) were no longer covered by warranty.

 

My buddy just installed a new unit . 7 K . Sounds about wright . I don't have CHA . Wood stove and window units . Hard to fit a house built in 1940 !

 

Isn't that compressor in that Goodman still in warranty?
You don't have to change line sets or coils. You can just change metering devices and run a cleaning solution through the system before you change the metering devices. If that compressor was a burnout then you change line sets and equipment. You don't want any of that burnout acid in the new system.CB

 

no, the new stuff has 10 year warranty from Goodman, and lets face it you will need it. 2 of the 3 contractors want new line sets due to sizing and contaminate reasons, I purely understand this as well. One contractor wants to put in a 2 speed system, 1 air handler with damper/2 trunklines with 2 thermostats to control both the house and shop. That's a great idea but have to understand the costing on this as it will be a lot more.

 

The upfront cost for the 2 zone system may be more, but think long term what the cost will be if you're able to set the shop to 40 deg and the house to 70 if you want to in the winter

 

haaaaaaaaa shop 70 house 40 was my thoughts

 

Right now my shop stays @ 45 degrees even on last weeks outside temp of 0 degrees. Its well insulated for sure with R 50 in attic & R-27 in the 2x6 stud walls. If I can get the shop to 60 when I want it which shouldn't be that hard I will be good. The extra wrapped trunkline to run this will add some cost though. Waiting on the bids to arrive. Right now the Carrier Infinity Series 19 seer equip is estimated @ $ 8800.00 and the Carrier Performance Series 15 seer is estimated @ $ 6200.00 ( without new trunklines ).

 

If you got the funds available, go for the new system.

 

Kinda been thinking of another route, just replace the entire outside unit with a NEW on and look into a Outdoor furnace/boiler to heat my water and the entire place. Have to run the numbers on this one.