Any HVAC guys near Middle River, 21220?

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  • Mightydog

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    All depends what you want. We got a quote for a new Lennox Merit 3T 14 seer single stage compressor with a variable speed air handler from one company for $5800 installed. Getting a 18 seer Trane XL18i two speed compressor and TEM6 variable speed air handler from another for $9950 including a complete vent cleaning. Replacing a 21 year old 14 seer Lennox Elite system. When I had it installed 21 years ago it was less than $5K installed. This is in western Frederick county.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,158
    Perry Hall HVAC. Honest and they do excellent work.
    BGE home sucks and is high priced. The guy quoting your HVAC system might have been selling carpet has week.

    They have a good reputation among their peers.
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Perry Hall HVAC. Honest and they do excellent work.
    BGE home sucks and is high priced. The guy quoting your HVAC system might have been selling carpet has week.

    They have a good reputation among their peers.

    Thanks! They are on my list to call.
    Contemporary Air is coming out today to give a quote.
    FWIW, BGE Home was never in the running. I just wanted to get a worse case scenario so I had an idea of price, or what price "should" be.

    All depends what you want. We got a quote for a new Lennox Merit 3T 14 seer single stage compressor with a variable speed air handler from one company for $5800 installed. Getting a 18 seer Trane XL18i two speed compressor and TEM6 variable speed air handler from another for $9950 including a complete vent cleaning. Replacing a 21 year old 14 seer Lennox Elite system. When I had it installed 21 years ago it was less than $5K installed. This is in western Frederick county.

    I'm a truck mechanic by trade, so I'm totally out of my comfort zone as far as what "I need" (or want) as far as SEER and single vs. double, and that sort of stuff.
    My house is small, "officially" 903 sq/ft, but since the lower level is 1/2 underground, the "realistic" sq/ft that needs to be heated and cooled, is 1800 sq/ft. I'm guessing most any "current" units are head and shoulders above what my crackhead friend talked me into...a 10 SEER, that was already outdated when I bought it. Probably was a leftover, closeout "all sales final" deal he screwed me on. :mad54:

    That's why I am hoping for recommendations for actual trustworthy, licensed and insured contractors who's prices are fair, and service is good.
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    So...here's what options I have. Opinions welcome.... :thumbsup:

    All 3 include new pad, new service disconnect box, thermostat, air handler, properly wiring up our existing humidifier, and all other related parts, & costs. The Carrier has a "Smart WiFi Thermostat"....whatever that means, lol
    All 3 have 10 year compressor and outdoor coil guarantees, as well as all functional parts for 10 years. 2 years on labor.

    Bryant 214D single stage 2.5 ton, 14 SEER ..... $5900
    Trane XR14, single stage 3 ton, 14 SEER ..... $6275
    Carrier Infinity 18VS, 5 stage, 3 ton, 18 SEER ..... $7850

    Leaning heavily towards the Carrier
     

    Mightydog

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    I’d personally go with the Trane. The Carrier sounds like he’s giving you a variable speed compressor. Make sure your contract also states replacing all piping and tubing and also includes a condensate pump. Check on what size filter your new system will take. Mine have always taken a 20x20x1 which are common. My new Trane system takes a 23x20x1 which is special order. Here’s a copy of one of my proposals that I didn’t accept. Good luck.
     

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    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    I’d personally go with the Trane. The Carrier sounds like he’s giving you a variable speed compressor. Make sure your contract also states replacing all piping and tubing and also includes a condensate pump. Check on what size filter your new system will take. Mine have always taken a 20x20x1 which are common. My new Trane system takes a 23x20x1 which is special order. Here’s a copy of one of my proposals that I didn’t accept. Good luck.

    Appreciate the replies!
    Good catch on the filter size. My existing one has been a PITA for 17 years.

    The Carrier is indeed their 5 stage (speeds) compressor, and their variable speed air handler
    Is that a bad thing?
     

    Trigger Time

    Amazed
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 23, 2013
    1,231
    I agree, there is no substitute for peace of mind in having a certified HVAC company install a new unit, also there is no warranty on those units unless they are installed by a certified tech, but it does pay to shop around.
     

    Mightydog

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Appreciate the replies!
    Good catch on the filter size. My existing one has been a PITA for 17 years.

    The Carrier is indeed their 5 stage (speeds) compressor, and their variable speed air handler
    Is that a bad thing?

    It’s just considered the ultimate. Don’t know if you need it based on cost.
     

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    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    It’s just considered the ultimate. Don’t know if you need it based on cost.

    Gotcha.
    I surely do not "need" that one, but after reading a bit on all 3, saw that the noise level is also super low. Our outside unit is literally 10 feet away from our headboard, so quieter than before is definitely a plus.

    My wife's friend, a neighbor, got the same setup just before Christmas 2020. Unfortunately, it was bitter cold out and she was at the mercy of the contractor. She paid over $9000.

    I'm a bit disgruntled to have to put out 8 grand for something I can't drive, ride or shoot...lol
     

    Mightydog

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    We can’t even hear when our new 2 stage compressor kicks in or the variable speed air handler. Can only tell when we hear the thermostat “click” on and the drapes start to flutter. We also passed up the “WiFi” model because we don’t need to make any changes to thermostat settings on our iPhone.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,158
    It’s just considered the ultimate. Don’t know if you need it based on cost.

    By buying a variable speed heat pump system you are buying comfort. You get efficiency thrown in with it but it’s not a financial decision, it’s a lifestyle decision. A regular heat pump system is either on or off. You get the maximum capacity whether you need it or not. A variable capacity system modulates the output to correspond to the need. What’s really nice about that in our area is that the system will run on low speed and wring the humidity out of the air. A normal system will click on and run a while until the house cools down but not necessarily long enough to get all the humidity out. This is especially troublesome when the unit it oversized and cools the house quickly. We have a lot of summer days around here that are low 80s and humid. That’s when the variable capacity system earns its keep. The components though are very expensive. Almost all systems now come with a 10 year parts warranty so you’re safe for a while.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,158
    We can’t even hear when our new 2 stage compressor kicks in or the variable speed air handler. Can only tell when we hear the thermostat “click” on and the drapes start to flutter. We also passed up the “WiFi” model because we don’t need to make any changes to thermostat settings on our iPhone.

    Sorry I responded to your other post without seeing this one. Since you have a two stage heat pump you know what I’m talking about.
     

    Augie

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2007
    4,504
    Central MD
    So...here's what options I have. Opinions welcome.... :thumbsup:

    All 3 include new pad, new service disconnect box, thermostat, air handler, properly wiring up our existing humidifier, and all other related parts, & costs. The Carrier has a "Smart WiFi Thermostat"....whatever that means, lol
    All 3 have 10 year compressor and outdoor coil guarantees, as well as all functional parts for 10 years. 2 years on labor.

    Bryant 214D single stage 2.5 ton, 14 SEER ..... $5900
    Trane XR14, single stage 3 ton, 14 SEER ..... $6275
    Carrier Infinity 18VS, 5 stage, 3 ton, 18 SEER ..... $7850

    Leaning heavily towards the Carrier


    5 or 6 years ago I went with a Carrier Infinity 20 which was the top of the line at the time and it was the best decision I ever made.
    House is so comfortable and quiet compared with the 18 year old heat pump we had before, our deck is right by the outside unit and you can barely hear the new unit run while we are on the deck, previous unit would interrupt a conversation.
    Costs very little to use the Ac and a huge benefit is it will run at very low speed to dehumidify the whole house.
    Heat works well and you actually have warm air coming out of the vent, hard to judge cost because we use a wood stove most of winter but the thermostat says I'm using 80 cents to 3.50 a day depending how much it runs.
    The Carrier wifi thermostat works very well and can be controlled with their app.
    I probably could have gone with a lower infinity system with the same benefits but very happy with the 20 which looks like has been replaced with the 24.
     

    Augie

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 30, 2007
    4,504
    Central MD
    Well, I feel pretty good then. I was already 2nd guessing myself for signing the contract, lol.

    They're coming next Saturday to do the install.

    Thanks for sharing your review.

    I think you will be very pleased with how much more comfortable your house will be.
     
    That’s a really great way to break that down. I’ve always had the same belief, but have never really been able to articulate it quite like that. I have about 6 of the Bosch heat pumps systems out there I’ve installed on the side and every time it was about comfort and not so much the efficiency aspect.
     

    jr355

    Active Member
    Apr 21, 2014
    301
    Fullerton md
    Supreme Heating and Air Conditioning of Edgemere does good work. Had a RHEEM gas furnace and 3 ton a.c. put in back in 2015. Mike GEE # 443 415 2497.
     

    71Chevelle427

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 19, 2015
    3,298
    B'More County, Maryland
    Supreme Heating and Air Conditioning of Edgemere does good work.

    Thanks.

    I went with Perry Hall Heating & Air Conditioning.

    I had originally planned to go with Contemporary Air Systems, but he said he was on the downhill side to retirement, and only offered me one option.

    I wanted to go with a company that's not only been around a while (Since 1982), but one that should still be around before any warranty period runs out.

    They are A+ BBB rated, have tons of good online reviews, and have done a few of my neighbor's jobs as well. The latest, 4 houses away from me, couldn't be happier with their service, and the unit she got...which is close to same as Augie has, and same exact one as the one I am getting. :thumbsup:

    A "basic", but "new" setup, comparable to what I had (and have NEVER been happy with), was $6,000, or spend $1,800 more and get a much better, much nearer to top of the line unit. Several people with the same exact setup, praising it on review sites, paid an average of $10K for same as I'm getting for under 8, so that helps the sting a good bit.

    Today's a little warm for my fat-arse, so I'm definitely looking forward to this weekend. :)
     

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