Gee I'm so happy.... Last week I put $10k in a new roof and today my central air died.

Ok, so I will probably go with the neighbor contractor who sells Bryant/Carrier and York. It will be a basic unit, about 13 SEER and the newer freon.

Between those two brands is one better than the other?

 

Contractor just left.... So Maybe I will stay with unit using R22 and SEER 10-13.

But the question remains... York vs Bryant?

 

Maybe I'm just talking to myself here but add one more brand -- Goodman.

 

Go here and ask

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/

 

No matter what, don't get a Goodman/comfort range. Of the ones you mentioned, Bryant. And yes, yes I do know.

 

Thanks for the link 8996... lots of info and opinions.

I think I'm leaning toward the Bryan but I'm tired and my brain hurts.

 

Where I live, I don't have to worry about AC.

 

Before I thought about a new central a/c, I would want to know exactly what is wrong with the one I've got first. Is yours being kicked to the curb because it doesn't work and "it just looks old"? Once you know what is wrong with yours, you will be in a much better position to decide whether to repair (I bet you could install a new contactor by yourself if that were the problem), replace just the condensing unit, or bite the bullet. And if you buy a complete new system, are you going to live in the house long enough to reap the rewards of any energy savings thus justifying some model that boasts about energy savings savings?

*The mark up on this equipment is pretty stiff; you might be surprised (disgusted) to learn what wholesale vs retail are. Easy money for retailers/installers. On that note and if you go new, propose a cash under the table deal to your neighbor and maybe and a few more creative terms. He's got room to work with you on this.

 

My uncle is a senior service tech for York...they send him all over the world to diagnose problems & engineer updates for some of the largest HVAC installations ever designed & installed. This is where York has made their name...in large commercial & industrial systems....not that their residential stuff is not good, but it's not their bread & butter.

Consumer Reports keeps data on A/C units, but the new SEER 13 units have not been around long enough to produce meaningful repair info. I personally don't think it's that big a decision & would go with the best deal.

 

Have you considered a Lennox?

 

DON"T get a Goodman. A friend of my in laws installed 1 in my house about 8 yrs ago when the other one went out. The 1st 2 yrs it worked great. Every yr since, I've had to replace a part on it.

 

had goodman for few yrs--5--never a problem--go here www.alpinehomeair.com and see what you find!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks All for the tips!

sierraben:
-- I don't have to worry about A/C.... I have to worry about my wife complaining about the A/C... or lack there of.

CowboyBilly:
-- The old unit was a 27yr old GE and it blew its guts out on the pad below it so there was no doubt about needing a replacement. The only problem it gave me in 27yrs was a bad cap that I replaced myself... I can't complain about the service I got out of it.

WildCard30:
-- I would have liked to have more time to research other well know brands like Lennox or Trane but we are in for a heat wave and the neighbor contractor slipped us ahead of some other people and he had this model in stock.

Daddio360:
-- The main reason I chose Bryant over the York was he had the Bryan in stock. The Bryant was about $100 more than a similar York but I think it also has a longer compressor warranty.


Smaug:
-- I asked him about the bad rap on Goodman. He said he doesn't like most of them but only sells the top of the line model which he feels is a good unit.

I don't think I got a bad deal. It took 2 - 3 guys busting their butts most of the day in this heat to remove the old and install the new. They did a neat professional job. The new unit is a 3.5 ton Bryant 13 SEER Puron with the new line set and a-coil for $3200.

 

I am an American Standard dealer. They are very good qaulity. I agree that York residential sucks!! But there commercial/Industrial stuff is tops. I was a dealer for Bryant. They are good units. Stay away from the Goodman if ya can. But here is the real deal....No matter what unit you install, it will be crap if not installed properly! I.E. Is the line set the correct size for the unit and the length of run. Charged properly from day one. Duct sized properly? Good Luck.
Al

 

I have a 16 SEER Lennox heatpump that is 15 years old. the outside cabinet is rust free, except for a little surface rust on the bottom galvanized pan, and on the replacable fan grill. The paint is even shiny. I just replaced the outdoor fan motor last year, and had to replace the compressor contactor many years ago, a cricket crawled in it. When it was new I went thru a lot of indoor fan motors, Lennox stood behind them all, except for one lighting destroyed. Also lost the deforst board, from that lightening. I don't use the back-up heat, not even during defrost, due to the short defrost duration.