Another HVAC Expert Question/Need Opinions

[Kensington]

So Sunday night, AC stopped keeping up. Worrying that it was a frozen coil, turned off the system, and left it to hopefully thaw overnight. Next day, still nothing. Condenser fan outside kicks on, but no refrigerant seems to be circulating at all (no moisture on the copper lines outside.) Talked to a few HVAC guys, most said it was a refrigerant leak. My HVAC expert I contract with at work, said change the capacitor. $7 part, and a quick job. Started back up, and the compressor kicked on, for about 20 minutes, when the compressor stopped again and the AC stopped blowing cold. Talking with my expert again, he said my compressor is toast. The unit was manufactured in 2000, so it's by no means new. The furnace is also probably of similar age, although it works well enough (gas furnace.)

Question is, do I throw a new compressor in and try and get a couple more years out of the entire unit? I'm planning on selling the house within the next few years, so I'm a bit worried about resale. So do I band-aid it, and let the new owner deal, or throw in a new unit and hope to get some of my money back at the sale of the house?

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[FESTER665]

If I'm selling in the near future I'm band-aiding it personally. If you spend 5k on a complete new system I don't think you'll see that money back when you sell in a few years. I don't think prospective buyers will say "sweet, the HVAC is from 2018!" if you're selling in 2022, so it wouldn't really be much a selling point IMO.


The upside of changing it though would be that they wouldn't say "The HVAC is 22 years old!" and try to knock you down on your price, and you would likely see a reduction in your bills until you sell.

 

[Kensington]

I should be able to get a really good price on the unit and install, because my vendors are pretty awesome, and should be able to get the unit and labor at a really good price. It's only a 2-ton unit, so it's not giant or anything.

 

[FESTER665]

I was just throwing the 5k number out as an example.


If you can get a really good price and are going to be there for 4-5 more years I say go for it. The downside of "band-aid" fixing the current one is what else might break before you move and you're band-aid'ing it again.

 

[Kensington]

And $5K is about the range I've heard for installs. If it ends up being that much, I'd probably bandaid, as I can get the compressor for probably ~$500...would need someone to recharge...and hope there's not a leak in the line.

 

[jason05gt]

And $5K is about the range I've heard for installs. If it ends up being that much, I'd probably bandaid, as I can get the compressor for probably ~$500...would need someone to recharge...and hope there's not a leak in the line.

What about just replacing the line set and AC condenser? I just did this at my house as my furnace is still in good shape. I paid $3,200 for a 3.5 ton 13 SEER Carrier "Performance" model (mid level unit) installed with a new line.

 

[Kensington]

What about just replacing the line set and AC condenser? I just did this at my house as my furnace is still in good shape. I paid $3,200 for a 3.5 ton 13 SEER Carrier "Performance" model (mid level unit) installed with a new line.

I'd have to have the guy look and make a judgement. The furnace/AC tower install looks like it was a pretty schlock job...so I don't know how worth it is to keep.

Also, I was looking at minimum 15 SEER stuff...I know the higher the more efficient, but are they necessarily "better"?

 

[jason05gt]

I'd have to have the guy look and make a judgement. The furnace/AC tower install looks like it was a pretty schlock job...so I don't know how worth it is to keep.

Also, I was looking at minimum 15 SEER stuff...I know the higher the more efficient, but are they necessarily "better"?

Everyone that I spoke with said to get a 13 SEER in Illinois since our AC season is short and it will take way too many years to recoup the energy savings going to a higher SEER. Now if you live in Florida, that's a different story as you are pretty much running your AC year round.

 

[Kensington]

Everyone that I spoke with said to get a 13 SEER in Illinois since our AC season is short and it will take way too many years to recoup the energy savings going to a higher SEER. Now if you live in Florida, that's a different story as you are pretty much running your AC year round.

Interesting. Thanks for the insight. I honestly hadn't seen anything lower than 14 SEER, and ComEd doesn't even start rebates until 15 SEER, not that a ComEd rebate is going to make or break anything.

 

[jason05gt]

Interesting. Thanks for the insight. I honestly hadn't seen anything lower than 14 SEER, and ComEd doesn't even start rebates until 15 SEER, not that a ComEd rebate is going to make or break anything.

I didn't qualify for a rebate as the electricity comes from the City not ComEd. If I had gotten a rebate, that might have made it worthwhile depending on the size of the rebate. I had an 11 SEER unit, so the new one is still more efficient.

 

[Gone_2022]

I did a 16 seer for our replacement. I thought about going higher but the hvac rep actually talked me down to a cheeper seer.

Either way. Going from a 17 year old unit to a brand new system made a big difference. Our bill was only 160 dollars during that crazy hot month this year.

That includes having an electric car as well.

 

[Kensington]

My current unit is a 10 SEER

 

[Gone_2022]

My current unit is a 10 SEER

I wouldn’t be super upset lol. I don’t think they even had seer ratings back when my house was built in 2002.

The guy said if he had to guess it was probably operating on the same level as a 9 or below if that existed. Simply due to age, maintenance etc.

So this new one was a big difference. And the variable speed furnace is pretty cool too.

 

[Kensington]

Yeah, the variable speed and possibly a variable speed AC compressor would be cool, but if I'm not staying at the house, it just doesn't seem worth it. I'd rather just be able to show "Hey look! New AC and furnace in 2018!" in a couple of years when we're looking to sell. Doesn't look like I would see the money back out of a 15+ SEER in energy savings or at sale, especially considering as you go up SEER levels, the prices increase rapidly, where a ~17 SEER is almost double the price of a ~13/14 SEER.

 

[EmersonHart13]

The house we bought in 2010 had new stuff (appliances, hvac, etc), I was all awesome.

Come to find out its bargain basement, which is fine because it was new.... But far from efficient.

So I think your point is proven, people see new and are happier with that than if it is the best version....

 

[Kensington]

Exactly. Average home buyer won't know Goodman from Trane to Lennox to Armstrong to Carrier. They see new, the inspector shows new, good to go!

Whereas if I bandaid the current system: 20 year old unit, past its service life, could go at any moment, give me credits or money off sale price to replace.

 

[EmersonHart13]

I have Goodman

 

[Kensington]

I've seen a lot of Goodman stuff for reasonable prices, I'm going to see what my HVAC guy comes back with (brand he uses)...My old unit is an Armstrong, which is apparently an off-brand Lennox.

 

[stock-t-bird]

i can write a story on this topic,but wont.I sell this shit all day long.
Agreed on all posts...if selling the house...put all new equip in.

great selling advantage to buyers,yes..they see all new hvac installed..dont care the brand name..just sees new equip.

compressor is not dead if it still starts/runs...leak somewhere...I bet your unit is R22 freon...very $$$$...have them try a stop leak to get u through the Summer

then have new install in Spring w/income tax refund..they will switch you to R410A freon...also dont have "side-job Johnny " do it...he doesn't come back
they will warranty it for 5-10 years if u register it online.

good luck man

 

[stock-t-bird]

edit..cant post during daytime /also having login issues as you are

 

[Kensington]

i can write a story on this topic,but wont.I sell this shit all day long.
Agreed on all posts...if selling the house...put all new equip in.

great selling advantage to buyers,yes..they see all new hvac installed..dont care the brand name..just sees new equip.

compressor is not dead if it still starts/runs...leak somewhere...I bet your unit is R22 freon...very $$$$...have them try a stop leak to get u through the Summer

then have new install in Spring w/income tax refund..they will switch you to R410A freon...also dont have "side-job Johnny " do it...he doesn't come back
they will warranty it for 5-10 years if u register it online.

good luck man

Thanks for the info. Compressor doesn’t kick on at all. The condenser fan runs, but the compressor doesn’t start up. It did briefly after I threw a new capacitor at it, but was off 20 min later. Late last season I had a slow leak, and I had someone top off refrigerant ( can’t remember if it was R-134a or R-22) and throw some stop leak in.

 

[mat0485]

Did someone quote you $500 for a compressor? Seems awfully low, maybe some how they can get a compressor for 500 but that’s not installed or all the necessary Freon. Do not replace compressor. Replace entire ac. Where are you located?

 

[Kensington]

Did someone quote you $500 for a compressor? Seems awfully low, maybe some how they can get a compressor for 500 but that’s not installed or all the necessary Freon. Do not replace compressor. Replace entire ac. Where are you located?

Yeah, just purchase...R-22 is quite expensive. I'm lucky to have some guys in my area (Wheeling) that will be helping me out with purchase of parts and install. Hopefully should be able to get away with just parts at cost and minimal labor.