Home AC units

how energy efficient is they house itself? Windows/doors/walls, ect

most efficient it is one that never runs....so if building envelope is well insulated and not a lot of leakage, you dont need a high efficiency unit. older home with poor insulation will benefit more from an efficient unit.

also, how long do you plan on being in the house? higher efficiencies (higher SEER) will cost more and be more efficient, but takes time for the payback to be seen.

Trane is the shittiest company i have ever dealt with. frick them right in the arse. Garbage product and garbage customer service. I'd go with anyone but them.

Interesting. Thanks. I do have a quote from Lennox also

Be wary of Daikin.

Ruud, also Rheem, work fantastically for years and years. I strongly recommend them.

What should I be wary of?

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Be wary of Daikin

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What should I be wary of?

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Be wary of Daikin

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non favorable reviews, cheap parts, service ability limitations. there's a reason they are cheap.

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Live in south Louisiana. I have a 5 ton, 3.5 ton and a 2.5 ton at the house

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Awful large house with 11 tons of HVAC - > 5500 sq ft living area?

The quality and attention to detail of the installers is far more important than name brand/manufacturer of the equipment. I would not hesitate to install any major name brand, and even lesser known brand, if I was comfortable that the installers were top notch, and I was comfortable that if any significant problem occurred, parts were immediately available locally to repair the unit quickly.

Single stage units - cheapest, easiest to repair, parts will usually be carried on the service truck.

2 stage and variable speed systems, more expensive, more energy efficient, often expensive to repair, usually have complex, expensive propriety components that won’t be carried on the truck and may have to be special ordered, but these units can provide unsurpassed comfort if the duct work is perfectly sized and installed - they can be very unforgiving without good ductwork as most of the year they operate on slower speeds with conditioned air moving at slow speeds through the ducts. But you’ll be in the house for a long time so worth consideration. But I’d be more cautious with installing a variable speed system (multistage system) is an older home without a spray-foamed (semi-conditioned) attic.

Often I think people would be better off installing a single stage system, and use the $3K to 5K to cost savings over the the high SEER multistage systems and apply those savings to improve attic insulation, seal attic leaks, upgrade windows, etc - things that significantly contribute to making a house more comfortable and energy efficient.

I installed a 16 SEER Single Stage Trane system in my house last Wed - I considered the higher SEER Multi-Stage systems but I may be in this house only several more years, and I do intend to use some of the money I saved in going with the simple, less expensive system to improve energy efficiency and home comfort by sealing leaks in the attic, adding more attic insulation (R-30 to R-38/40), etc.

Bottom line - I don’t think there is any right or wrong - there are pros and cons to all the units, and all the manufacturers, but do focus on finding a quality installer - I know, easier said than done.

I also have a Lennox variable speed unit. The thermostat went out Thursday so until today I had a temporary one that only turns unit on and off like traditional units. I forgot how much that sucks with the temperature variations. The biggest thing I have found with A/C is lots of people install them but only a few really know how. Trane and Lennox are the best units but Lennox makes all their own parts so you are limited and where you can go for repairs. Trane units easier to deal with from that stand point.

Thanks, lots of great advice from you and others. It is a large house that is not very energy efficient. I’ve topped this unit off twice over the last 4 years with each top Off taking more than the previous fill. I’m leaning towards the single stage 16 seer and using the extra money to spray a layer of insulation in the attic and to seal the attic doors.