AC Repair conundrum

No chance. When I get laid off again I am done. I'll be permanently funemployed.

 

You can be my neighbor any day....you help each other out when needed is the definition of a good neighbor.

 

So getting this back to the AC part of the question...

Our upstairs a/c went out and its 20yrs old builder grade so time to replace everything upstairs/downstairs to keep it balanced.

I've had a couple guys tell me they can't get any AC compressors but they can get heat pumps and are offering that as a suggestion. We currently have AC and gas heater. I'm not sure I want a heat pump, but need some unbiased opinions since I'm not well versed in this area. House is 2500sq.ft.

Any thoughts?

 

I recognize I am "that" guy on the street...air compressor, grinders, cut off wheels in the garage...race bikes. Dirt bikes. Toy hauler parked on the street for days on end. He and his wife tolerate that, I help out where I can. Shoveling their driveway in the winter, clean out their gutters when I do mine, etc. They are good people and wish all neighbors were like that.

 

Yep, I've heard the word on the street that if your system is 20 yrs old getting a Compressor will be near impossible. I have an 11 year old Trane 2 stage system heat pump (1836 Sq ft) and I think you can't go wrong. Just do some research on models and get a mid-tier system that will last 20-30 years.

 

Fuck me once, shame on you! Fuck me twice, shame on ME!

 

I have two 3 ton Trane heat pumps here in Texas, they are now 26 years old. We just spent 1000$ on one. Anyone price completely replacing 2 units lately? I was ok with paying 1000$.

 

I replaced the entire HVAC system, condenser, coil, new gas furnace and thermostat two years ago. In Ohio it was $15k for a carrier system. Our house is 1800 square feet. Spent another $5k on a split system for the master bed/bath on the second floor due to the house having been built 100 years ago and not having a return duct on the second floor and having no insulation except in the attic which I replaced last year with 26" of blow in.

 

And my system is connected to the wifi so wherever I am I can make adjustments for system schedule, temps, fan speed etc

New stuff probably is even higher tech than what I have.

 

Prices have gone up considerably. I spent $18k and replaced everything but the furnaces on the house about 6 years ago. 3 units in total.

 

With natural gas prices beng what they are now, a heat pump + gas furnace should save you over its life.

Heat pump will probably heat house well down to 33 degrees F, then gas can kick in and do its thing.

 

Hey you are my kind of neighbor!!! I’m like you too, help people when I can. But also years ago had the trailer at the house for a day on each side of the weekend before it went back to storage, etc. Have been known to drive a go kart or race bike up and down the street a couple times, etc.

 

If I gave that impression it was unintentional. There are many unscrupulous contractors and some outright shitbags.

No one is more disgusted by the bad actors than I am, because it reflects on the whole industry.

 

And it takes a hell of a lot longer to reverse the bad perception than it does some jackass to create it.

 

I've been known to fix a car, or clean a lawn mower carb for the neighbors along my street. BUT, I have also run my 250 (2 stroke) up and down the street as well. And the Saabaru with the somewhat loud exhaust.

It all evens out in the end.

 

That makes me feel better about the new furnace and ac going in tomorrow, they quoted me 13,800 but came down to 12,100 after taxes and before rebates. I was hoping it would be closer to 10 but obviously everything is more expensive now. The current system is from when the house was built in 1986 so not a bad run.

 

Sounds in the ballpark, I about choked on the price when I saw it but like your system mine was at least 30+ years old so I really didn't have much of a reference when it came to pricing.

 

You guys both did better than me. Our house was built in 95 and we replaced the entire upstairs system probably in 18/19? Downstairs I replaced just the outside unit and kept the inside furnace/blower. I think the entire upstairs was 8-12k and the downstairs was 3-4K. Those units were done separately within a year of each other.

I think my parents still have the original central A/C system that was installed when they bought the house in 79? Now I’m going to have to ask.

 

Speaking of helping out....Many years ago, when I actually had neighbors, I went over to my next door neighbor's house and found Pete hunched over his riding lawn mower. He was mumbling to himself "Lefty loosey righty tighty". That was my clue to help him get his mower deck off. He was the best of guys but not very mechanically minded. Since he owned a beer distributorship I always felt the deal worked in my favor!

 

This.