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Started By
Message
AC replacement help!
Posted on 2/28/21 at 9:48 am
Posted on 2/28/21 at 9:48 am
I have been searching around all threads on AC units, tons per square footage, and seer the last couple of days. Live in Ascension Parish and home has original AC units (built 2001) also about 2,500 square footage. I have only been living here for 2 years so when we moved in I new it was inevitable until they needed replacement. The home has 2 units. A 4 ton on one side of the house that cools probably 65% of the home and a 3 ton unit opposite side. The side with the 4 ton is most important to us as this is the unit that cools all important bedrooms and living room.
I have a couple appointment at the end of next week to get quotes but I was also wondering y’all’s opinion on if I really need a total of 7 tons of air conditioning. I do have lots of windows, especially in living room and kitchen, it just still seems like a lot with the research I have done.
Last summer I was quoted 14,000 to replace both by glaze heating and air (didn’t do it). Now I am back to getting quotes. I am thinking I can get it closer to 11,000-12,000 range with the right company. Thanks for y’all’s input.
I have a couple appointment at the end of next week to get quotes but I was also wondering y’all’s opinion on if I really need a total of 7 tons of air conditioning. I do have lots of windows, especially in living room and kitchen, it just still seems like a lot with the research I have done.
Last summer I was quoted 14,000 to replace both by glaze heating and air (didn’t do it). Now I am back to getting quotes. I am thinking I can get it closer to 11,000-12,000 range with the right company. Thanks for y’all’s input.
This post was edited on 2/28/21 at 11:00 am
2
Posted on 2/28/21 at 10:48 am to mitigerke
Only a manual J and manual S calculation can actually help determine how much HVAC tonnage you require for your home. If I had to guess, I bet you have close to 3500 sq ft of living area b/c so many installers use a 1 ton per 500 sq ft of conditioned area to size HVACs - that is not the proper approach. Manual J calculations take into consideration house orientation, windows, wall, ceiling, floor insulation, etc.
Some HVAC companies do the manual J (heat gain and loss load) and S (sizing/tonnage) for you, but won’t give you results unless you have them install it (understandable as it takes time and $ to do these and they don’t want you to take their results to find someone cheaper to do the install) but most probably don’t and go by the rule of thumb. In some areas of the country manual J’s are required by code. You can pay someone to do a manual J, manual S and manual D, probably in the $200 to $ 400 range. And here is a free on-line calculator you can use to estimate it yourself. LINK.
For 2 units you would do separate manual J’s for the area each unit cools and heats to insure each unit is sized appropriately. Remember, duct work sizing is as important as the cooling and heating equipment sizing for home comfort and energy efficiency.
This is what I’ve learned studying this subject to educate myself the past few years, equipment is frequency over-sized and duct work is undersized. If you are going to shell out as much as $14K to have 2 units replaced, a few extra hundred to have a professional determine the proper size units and duct work for your house seems to me to be a wise investment.
ETA: Sorry, I see you provided your square footage - 2500 sq ft. I think you are way oversized on HVAC tonnage for 2001 construction even without using the online manual J. I have the same amount of conditioned living area as you and my house is cooled by a single 4 ton unit and heated by a 96,000 BTU 80% efficiency natural gas furnace and the manual J calculator says I only require a 3 1/2 ton unit and I believe it and my gas furnace is way over-sized (1993 slab on grade construction, R-13 in walls, R-30 attic, double pane windows but original to house).
Some HVAC companies do the manual J (heat gain and loss load) and S (sizing/tonnage) for you, but won’t give you results unless you have them install it (understandable as it takes time and $ to do these and they don’t want you to take their results to find someone cheaper to do the install) but most probably don’t and go by the rule of thumb. In some areas of the country manual J’s are required by code. You can pay someone to do a manual J, manual S and manual D, probably in the $200 to $ 400 range. And here is a free on-line calculator you can use to estimate it yourself. LINK.
For 2 units you would do separate manual J’s for the area each unit cools and heats to insure each unit is sized appropriately. Remember, duct work sizing is as important as the cooling and heating equipment sizing for home comfort and energy efficiency.
This is what I’ve learned studying this subject to educate myself the past few years, equipment is frequency over-sized and duct work is undersized. If you are going to shell out as much as $14K to have 2 units replaced, a few extra hundred to have a professional determine the proper size units and duct work for your house seems to me to be a wise investment.
ETA: Sorry, I see you provided your square footage - 2500 sq ft. I think you are way oversized on HVAC tonnage for 2001 construction even without using the online manual J. I have the same amount of conditioned living area as you and my house is cooled by a single 4 ton unit and heated by a 96,000 BTU 80% efficiency natural gas furnace and the manual J calculator says I only require a 3 1/2 ton unit and I believe it and my gas furnace is way over-sized (1993 slab on grade construction, R-13 in walls, R-30 attic, double pane windows but original to house).
This post was edited on 3/1/21 at 8:42 am
Posted on 2/28/21 at 1:53 pm to mitigerke
I’ll just give you my situation and you can take from it what you want. Glaze did a complete system for me in November 2019. 4 ton 16 SEER unit by RUUD. Complete install price was about 6k. 2000 sq ft home. Single floor.
Posted on 2/28/21 at 2:14 pm to BatonRougeBuckeye
For the OP, from outside the general area but still in the deep south... I replaced an HVAC unit with a Bryant 4 ton, 17 SEER. $5.5k, with the first annual service included. Its a 2400 sq. ft. single level second home.
No duct work or anything, just a rip and replace. BatonRougeBuckeye the unit that was replaced was a 31 year-old 6 SEER RUUD unit. I think you'll be pleased if installed to standard. I get a little emotional over mechanical systems for some reason.
No duct work or anything, just a rip and replace. BatonRougeBuckeye the unit that was replaced was a 31 year-old 6 SEER RUUD unit. I think you'll be pleased if installed to standard. I get a little emotional over mechanical systems for some reason.
This post was edited on 2/28/21 at 2:18 pm
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