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Posted by Mark Modrall on August 8, 2006, 6:50 pm
Hi...
Don't know where else to turn... We're looking into replacing the
burnt-out whole-house ac unit and have been getting several quotes. The
frustrating part is that some installers are downright hostile to even
giving quotes for the higher efficiency models (even the level needed to
get the tax credit); they just say "oh, that's not worth the money".
A couple have given use quotes going from SEER 13 to 14 at about
$1000 (Sears, oddly, is only $130 from 13 to 14 but $1000 for going to
15). The Trane rep said that 13 to 14 was $1000 but Trane needs SEER 15
to qualify for the tax credit.
I've emailed some of the manufacturers directly trying to get msrp on
the various units because the installers seem so uniformly against
quoting anything higher, but I haven't gotten any responses from then
either.
Anyone have any idea what the msrp differences should be as you go up
the SEER scale? And what is this bit the Trane rep is saying about
Trane needing SEER 15 to qualify instead of 14?
Thanks
-mark
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Posted by Eric in North TX on August 8, 2006, 8:56 pm
I'd keep trying, I keep hearing how difficult and expensive it is and
my experience was the opposite. 2 years ago, I had the local carrier
dealer in and he set me up with 18seer , and a 96% efficient gas
furnace, Infinity series, 4 ton each, + 5 ton coil, top-shelf
thermostat and Autumn Air filter, turn key for ~ $5400. That included
tearing out my old one, but not removing it from the property, I got ~
$30 scrapping it at the recycle yard after taking it apart and
separating the metals, I kept the squirrel cage fan. My ducts were up
to par so I didn't need anything outside the furnace closet (except the
outdoor unit of course) They did run a duct to the master bath which
was really needed.
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Posted by Mark Modrall on August 8, 2006, 9:04 pm
Sounds like I'd love to live where you guys are :) The Trane guy said
$10,000 for a 13 SEER (ductwork already in place). The Sears (Carrier)
guy said $7350 for a 13 SEER, $7480 for a 14, $8350 for a 15. The Rheem
guy said $5500 for a 13, $6900 for a 14 - and he wouldn't quote anything
above that...
-Mark
> I'd keep trying, I keep hearing how difficult and expensive it is and
> my experience was the opposite. 2 years ago, I had the local carrier
> dealer in and he set me up with 18seer , and a 96% efficient gas
> furnace, Infinity series, 4 ton each, + 5 ton coil, top-shelf
> thermostat and Autumn Air filter, turn key for ~ $5400. That included
> tearing out my old one, but not removing it from the property, I got ~
> $30 scrapping it at the recycle yard after taking it apart and
> separating the metals, I kept the squirrel cage fan. My ducts were up
> to par so I didn't need anything outside the furnace closet (except the
> outdoor unit of course) They did run a duct to the master bath which
> was really needed.
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Posted by jim on August 8, 2006, 8:59 pm
Don,t know where you live but I paid 1800.00 installed for 13 seer
which is what we require in Manitoba Canada. Got a Keeprite am really
pleased with it as we have had a heat wave here
Mark Modrall wrote:
> Hi...
>
> Don't know where else to turn... We're looking into replacing the
> burnt-out whole-house ac unit and have been getting several quotes. The
> frustrating part is that some installers are downright hostile to even
> giving quotes for the higher efficiency models (even the level needed to
> get the tax credit); they just say "oh, that's not worth the money".
>
> A couple have given use quotes going from SEER 13 to 14 at about
> $1000 (Sears, oddly, is only $130 from 13 to 14 but $1000 for going to
> 15). The Trane rep said that 13 to 14 was $1000 but Trane needs SEER 15
> to qualify for the tax credit.
>
> I've emailed some of the manufacturers directly trying to get msrp on
> the various units because the installers seem so uniformly against
> quoting anything higher, but I haven't gotten any responses from then
> either.
>
> Anyone have any idea what the msrp differences should be as you go up
> the SEER scale? And what is this bit the Trane rep is saying about
> Trane needing SEER 15 to qualify instead of 14?
>
> Thanks
> -mark
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Posted by dpb on August 8, 2006, 9:18 pm
Mark Modrall wrote:
> Hi...
>
> Don't know where else to turn... We're looking into replacing the
> burnt-out whole-house ac unit and have been getting several quotes. The
> frustrating part is that some installers are downright hostile to even
> giving quotes for the higher efficiency models (even the level needed to
> get the tax credit); they just say "oh, that's not worth the money".
Well, that makes de-selecting them as a vendor/installer you want to
deal with easy!
...
> I've emailed some of the manufacturers directly trying to get msrp on
> the various units ...
> Anyone have any idea what the msrp differences should be as you go up
> the SEER scale? And what is this bit the Trane rep is saying about
> Trane needing SEER 15 to qualify instead of 14?
I don't think there really is such a thing as an MSRP--installers are
locally owned businesses and deal with their own overhead structure
based on their own situation and what their supplier costs are. I'm
sure you'll have absolutely no luck in getting any manufacturer to give
you actual cost information.
Look at the DOE site on the tax breaks, not all Energy Star rated units
are eligible for the tax break and just because a unit is rated at SEER
14 alone doesn't mean it will qualify, either, from one of the other
vendors. This guy, at least, was being straight up about that. The
others may not have lied about whether their units were/weren't, but
they surely may have left you w/ an impression that might not be so.
The reason for the quoting lack of inclination is that when one looks
at the differential cost for a unit that does comply/qualify, one will
find that it will be significantly more expensive (the $1000 is
probably on the low end and I'd check that one out throughly before
relying on it being so) and they simply know from experience that darn
few they go to the bother of quoting will actually go that route.
The DOE site also has a list of qualifying units so you can
double-check. You could then ask representatives from the various
manufacturers for a specific unit that might help.
I don't recall the exact amounts, but ISTR that when I looked some time
ago it seemed that the actual credit was pretty miniscule. This was
some time ago when we were thinking we were going to start in on the
remodel shortly which for various reasons got delayed so it's been long
enough ago I don't recall the actual figures/formula. I just remember
thinking it wasn't going to be enough to really affect the decision.
W/O actually looking up the data on the credit again, I'm guessing that
most folks look at the incremental cost, compare it to the credit and
see it just isn't that much of a gain over a good-quality,
high-efficiency unit but that isn't actually quite up to the
requirements of the credit.
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