Air Conditioner / Furnace (HVAC) selection

Like many homes our heating and air conditioning systems were original contractor installations and
old enough to be somewhere between vintage and ancient. I decided to get a few quotes in
anticipation of eventual failures.

One other item that was of concern was that our HVAC systems were obviously not designed for our
house; the upstairs A/C was smaller tonnage than the downstairs unit. This is an issue because our
house has a foyer on the front that is 2 stories and a family room at the back of our house that is 2
stories; there is a lot of air movement between the upstairs and down. Because heat rises, the upstairs
A/C unit does all the work.

Before contacting different heating and air companies, I researched heating and air. One site that
was particularly helpful was the Healthy Home Institute, where you will find a significant discussion
on properly sizing the units. You will also need to understand MERV filter ratings to choose from the
filter options the salesman will present you with. Another important issue is efficiency of the units,
which will effect how much it costs you to purchase and run the equipment; here is a good cost
calculator that will help with that decision. But, there are other items that you will have to work out
on your own and with the help of professionals from the HVAC companies. For instance, my house is
built on a slab; during the summer, that greatly eases the burden of the downstairs air conditioner. I
don't think that the cost estimators or the A/C folks take that into account.

While talking with the heating and air professionals, I found that there were not enough returns
upstairs and the air quality could be improved. The discovery that the plenums and take offs were
made of fiber board made this a timely exercise. The fiberboard breaks down over time and is
porous (allowing molds and bacteria places to grow); this fiberboard is in the airflow. These
materials are no longer legal to use in some counties of Georgia (Fulton, DeKalb, Fayette, Coweta).

The quoting process was a real eye opener. Three of the estimators were very knowledgeable, made
careful measurements, and provided competitive quotes. Three of the estimators were not very
knowledgeable and did not take measurements. Some of the quoted prices were twice the price of the
winning quote. As the prices were all over the place, I talked with a couple friends who own rental
property about what they have experienced. Apparently, it is fairly common to see a wide price range
for the same systems / services. The companies were chosen based upon size and longevity; we
wanted support for the life of the equipment. Some important items are NATE certified technicians,
insurance on their employees, background & random drug checks on installers, and work permits. We
opted for the Carrier system because of the state of the art controls; but, Lennox and others make
great systems, too. The installation techs were very professional and completed the job in one day.

Summary:
1. Research efficiency, filter ratings, relative prices and develop a plan for your HVAC needs; it
doesn't have to be perfect, as it will change during the process.
2. Get several proposals. As you learn what is needed for your home, inform the previous salesmen
of the necessary changes. This process may need to be repeated a few times. No matter how good
the professional is, the next one you talk to may find something the first one missed.
3. Once you have come up with the system(s) that is best, get all of the competitors to quote that
system. Ask for deals, it is your money.
4. Before signing anything, verify that certifications, insurance, workman's comp, background
checks, and work permits.
5. After work is complete, make sure that they functionally test all the features on your system(s)
to your satisfaction & that they train you how to use this new equipment.
6. Arrange for your city/county inspector to sign off on the installation.
7. Look for tax breaks and such as you will find at the Energy Star site.