New A/C & heating system
 

Our house in Caroline was built in 2005. Guessing many others besides us have, or will have to replace their HVAC system.... leaks, corrosion, rust, old age. There were some nice words on the forum a few years ago about Chuck Farrell AC & Heating in Lady Lake. Their brand is 'Tempstar' (same mfg. as Carrier) and their estimate is good compared to 2 others. But, before we write the check... any comments ?

In my opinion, Chuck Farrell is a good company to do business with. I didn't realize that they are now selling Carrier products. In the past, they mostly sold American Standard, not Carrier. I would ask them to confirm that they are an official Carrier dealer and can handle Carrier warranty issues directly with the Carrier headquarters. Some smaller companies will claim to service all warranties, but they may need to depend on another dealer to assist them. If I were buying a new system, I would get a competitive quote from Munn's, and try to negotiate a reasonable price with them. They may be more responsive because they are larger and can respond quickly to warranty issues. On an HVAC system, there is a long warranty period, so a company's ability to service it is important. Munn's has installed hundreds of Carrier systems in The Villages for the builder. But, if the initial price is more important, Chuck Farrell is a good choice.

I wouldn't write a check to any company in advance of them doing the work. Also, if they offer the option to use a credit card, I would consider doing that, even if they charge a fee. It will give you some financial protection in case something goes wrong.

Chuck Farrell AC
 

Mary and I had, Chuck Farrell install a completely new system about 10 years ago. Great Price and a Great Company to work with. We highly recommend them. Len & Mary

Another choice would be Sunshine Air Conditioning. Used them for the a/c and heating system. Very happy with the system, service, and price. Carrier is their brand.

AC Installation Marion Oaks, FL & Leesburg, FL, AC Maintenance Weirsdale, FL & Ocala FL | HVAC Company Silver Springs Shores, FL | HVAC Contractor & AC Repair Belleview, FL | Sunshine Air Conditioning, Inc.

I would add that Chuck Farrell is especially good and competitive at replacing the HVAC package units for the manufactured houses in the older sections of The Villages.

Munn's just replaced our HVAC system with a Carrier 2-stage fan unit and we love it. :thumbup:
Got a smart Eco bee thermostat that's easy to use.
Not the cheapest but big enough to be in business for awhile.

We got a discount on a extended 10 year warranty.

Once your decide on a Carrier model for size etc., it will make it easier to compare between installers and cost.
Munn's collected payment a couple days after installation, used my charge card

Don't know about Chuck Farrell AC & Heating, but if they sell Carrier-manufactured products, then why not go with the real thing? Our system died a few months back, and since Munn's had been providing yearly service for our unit, we called them to check it out. A tech showed up within the hour, and after running numerous tests finally deduced that it was a leak in a high-pressure line. Unfortunately the line was buried, no idea where the leak was (possibly under part of the house or the patio) and to fix it meant running new lines through the attic. The other alternative was to go new, which after talking with the tech and in consideration of the fact that our unit was 17 years old (new motor six years ago) we decided to do. He contacted their office and said a sales rep would contact us that afternoon. She did, and was out the next day. After discussing options we decided on the Carrier unit that her numbers told us was the best fit for our house. After a couple of calls to her office and suppliers she said that two guys would be out on Wednesday morning to install it. She was as good as her word: two guys showed up at 8:00 AM Wednesday, introduced themselves and got to work. New compressor, new slab, new hoses run through the attic and down into the garage, everything new in the garage including furnace, new thermostat. Best of all a 10-year guarantee, parts and labor, on everything. The thing will probably outlive me.

Oh--and total time, from when the tech first diagnosed the problem to the new unit up and running, something like a little less than three working days total.

$8,000 for everything.

Last summer, my Carrier AC stopped working on a Saturday morning in July. I called Munn's at 10 am and it was fixed by 2 pm. I don't even have a maintenance contract with Munn's.

We had Chuck Farrell replace our A/C unit in December. He offered two approaches - we went with Bosch multi-stage unit and a standard thermostat (not web connected). Work quality was very good and the unit is performing to expectations. Much quieter than the old unit and about 2/3 the size while providing same cooling capacity. BTW we had Sunshine quote and their sales rep neglected to replace the disconnect at the unit and it got very hot in the house before they sent a serviceman to reconnect the unit. Was not impressed with that bit of fiasco.

New A/C
 

Tempstar is not manufactured by Carrier. It’s made by ICP, a subsidiary of Carrier that makes cheap equipment for residential new construction. Only Carrier and Bryant are made on the Carrier assembly line. Both exactly the same product but different names. I was a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer before I retired and moved out here. I refused to sell ICP prouducts unless the customer requested them. Warranty parts were hard to get and their Tech support knew less than I knew about their product. After talking to M&S Air Conditioning and observing their technician work, they are the only ones I would refer.

I got a quote from Munns and Sun Kool to add a heat pump to our enclosed lanai. For the same unit, sun kool was almost $1000 cheaper and I went with them. They did an excellent job installing it.

I think I’d stay with the name brands and maybe have the new system installed by Lowes or Home Depot. Watch for their sales. The reliability of their guarantees will be more reliable than a small contractor.

Last month I used ComfortAirz to install a new high-efficiency Daikin HVAC system. They did the whole thing in three hours. The new outdoor part is half the size of the old one and quiet enough that you could sit beside it and have a quiet conversation. The garage part is so quiet that it’s hard to tell it’s on. It draws only 2 amps of power instead of 7 amps for the old system. It’s also much quieter in the house. But it cost $10,500.

That makes sense for a lanai unit. But, if I were buying a whole house HVAC system, my approach would be to use a Carrier system, and to compare a Munn's quote to others. If the cost difference was high, I would attempt to negotiate a reduction in cost with Munn's, but I would be willing to pay a little more for their quote. I would also verify that the contractor is a genuine authorized Carrier warranty representative. I think that some companies will sell you a Carrier system, but they will piggyback with another company for warranty work. An HVAC system comes with a 5 to 10 year warranty, and you need a reliable and experienced company to service it. Munn's has installed and serviced hundreds (or thousands) of Carrier systems in The Villages for the builder. Also, I would go with the standard, single stage compressor unit which is still the most installed and easiest to repair unit, and has the most available parts. You can save some money by rejecting the maintenance contract and learning how to do your own maintenance, at least while the system is still under warranty. Just my opinion.

I would think if you are a villager till end of life get the best unit you can afford. I had DeSantis A/C replace a unit in my rental property - much less than name brand - but works efficiently. He told me he put this in his parents home. When I need a unit I will do the same thing - 1 reputable knock off of a name brand - as I plan to not be here till the end, Plus I'm a seasonal person. Good luck!

Carrier Brands = Automated Logic, Bryant, Carrier, CIAT, Day & Night, Heil, NORESCO and Riello,

HVAC System Replacement
 

Just this past week, we had our system totally replaced…it was 17 years old (we live in Caroline). Did research on a half dozen companies and had them all quote out new systems. We did not use Chuck Farrel, but went with Munns who only install Carrier systems. Prices were comparable to others, but we felt they were very professional, on time on installation and covered everything that had to be done.

I have also been looking to replace my HVAC unit. After several calls I think I have settled on Marc Anthony who will install a Bosch unit at a competitive price. Has anyone had any experience with Marc Anthony or Bosch?
Is SEER 15 good or would you pay $1,100 more for a SEER 16?
Is a Uv light necessary?

SEER 15 is the new legal requirement for Florida as of this year. Paying extra for an SEER 16 would be a waste of money. A UV light would also be a waste of money.

I don't know much about Bosch, but I would buy a basic single stage compressor Carrier system. My concern about an unusual system would be the availability of parts if the system fails. Electricity is relatively cheap in The Villages. My main concern about an HVAC system is that, when it fails, I want it repaired as soon as possible. These unusual and energy saving systems will not save you any money over the long term, and could take longer to repair when they fail.

Note that I seached the Bosch website for HVAC service providers and the closest provider is in Clermont.

Tempstar
 

For all the negative comments about "brands," Tempter has good reviews and an excellent warranty.

Seer
 

Given the savings from increasing from 15 to 16 SEER for $1100, it would take 15 to 20 years to break even.

To me, it looks like Carrier offers a better warranty than Tempstar for their standard level products.

Tempstar® vs Carrier: Warranty Comparison
Tempstar® AC products provide a wide array of warranty choices upon registration. Their premium products have a 10-year warranty with a 10-Year Parts Limited Warranty. It also offers a No Hassle Replacement™ limited warranty, assuring replacement of the AC unit if a major component has any defect or suddenly fails during the coverage period. Their mid-tier or economical products have five years of warranty, while their standard-level products have 1 or 3 years of warranty.

On the other hand, Carrier only offers one warranty choice for all their product lines: Infinity, Performance, and Comfort series air conditioners. Upon registration, customers are entitled to a 10-year parts limited warranty and a 10-year unit replacement limited warranty.

Overall, Tempstar® air conditioners have the advantage since it offers a broader array of warranty choices.

I agree, if you omit the time value of money factor. But, if you apply a 5 percent per year value to the initial $1,100 cost, there is no savings or break even point at all.

We are Home Depot folks to the core (native Atlantans, HD Headquarters). We got ours through Home Depot last July. They use ARS based in Orlando and have been their HVAC contractor for 18 years and they are the contractor for Lowe’s as well (11 years). It’s a Carrier and came with a Nest thermostat, which I like. The price was excellent. They arrived on time, installation was neat and clean, and the installers were great guys. We had our first annual service a couple months ago and the person arrived on time and was thorough. We’re very happy. :a040:

New heat pump
 

Who ever you use, be aware that you can get a 2000. Nonfundable tax credit putting in a qualified unit. Nonfundable means you have to owe the feds money at tax time to take the credit so you may have to modify withholding. I just replaced mine with Sun Kool for 8200, less 2000 =6200 including a 10 year parts and labor on a Carrier unit with a IWave air purifier. Wife says she wakes up with no allergy symptoms. Call Salina at 352-266-0456 for a free in home estimate. She knows her stuff

I have never paid for annual service on any HVAC system. But, if you buy a new system with a 5 to 10 year warranty, you can save money by rejecting the maintenance contract and doing your own maintenance, at least until the warranty expires. Changing the filter, keeping the condensate drain clear, and inspecting the outside unit for dirt and debris will keep the system operating efficiently.

The amount of taxes withheld has nothing to do with the credit. You need to actually owe taxes for the year to receive the credit. So, increasing your withholding amount will not make you eligible or ineligible for a non-refundable credit.

We owned designer Gardenia approx. 2000 sq. ft. We extended and enclosed the lanai (420 sq. ft.). Tossed around mini-split on lanai, but we decided we wanted to have A/C ducts and return in lanai. If you have a larger home you may want to consider what we did when we upgraded/replaced our A/C. We had Munn's installed a "zoned" A/C system with 4 zones. Each zone has its own thermostat to control temperature in that zone. We actually moved the original whole-house thermostat that was located in hallway to master bedroom, just opposite the kitchen, to the hallway next to living room. This made more sense to us to control living/dining/kitchen area of the house. Our four zones - main living area, master bedroom, guest bedrooms and bath, and lanai. We did not need to cool whole house at night just to have master bedroom colder. Or we could cool lanai only when we were using it. More efficient and more control over each zone.

I have used Chuck Farrell to replace three hvac systems for me in different houses and have been extremely satisfied. I have also recommended him to others who were also well satisfied.

I had a new Trane HVAC system installed (SEER 16) last year by M&S Air Conditioning. No issues or tegrets

Sunshine owners are ex-Carrier employees, if what the told me is correct

We just had Chuck Ferrell replace our A/C and furnace on May 17th. Beat all other estimates by a lot! The techs were great. Did a wonderful job, cleaned up their mess before they left. We were very happy with them!

Marc Anthony to me is the best around.
 

I would give Marc Anthony a call before you decide. He is quick efficient and has some added conviences.

New A/C
 

I had several quotes with varying prices and decided to go with SunCool for basic unit $6200. On time installation for a 4 hour install. Very clean installtion.

Bosch only makes high quality products.

I don't disagree, but any HVAC system can fail. If it fails in August, I hope you can get someone who can fix it fast.

Summa and Ricks was the only AC contractor who insisted on measuring air flow in my air ducks before installing a staged Carrier Infinity heat pump in my house. They replaced all the copper tubing leading from the compressor to the air handler and handled all the Carrier and Government rebates. Three other large AC companies in the Lady Lake area seemed willing to install a new heat pump without knowing if the existing duck work was capable of flowing enough air to support the new system.

I keep reading about this "copper tubing" needing to be replaced because of refrigerant leaks. It has occurred to me that copper should not break down and develop leaks. Then, I conclude that the "leaks" must be somewhere else, say, the coil in the upper part of the unit in the garage. A thin coil could develop leaks before thick copper tubing - sealed off within a pvc pipe - buried under your concrete slab. Please help me understand how copper tubing could "develop a leak".

There are two coils in your HVAC system, the condenser coil (outside unit) and the evaporator coil (inside unit). Both coils are made of metal tubing, but they have thin metal fins attached to the outside of the tubing to increase the heat transfer process. The copper tubing that runs from the outside unit to the inside unit is usually installed underground and has no joints. Most refrigerant leaks occur where the tubing connects to one of the coils because there is a mechanical joint connection that can fail. The coils can also develop a leak over time because of moisture and corrosion. The underground tubing can also develop a leak, from ground or slab movement or corrosion, but it is rare that an HVAC company will need to replace the underground copper tubing. The typical HVAC system installation will replace both coils and the mechanical connections but will not replace the underground tubing. If the tubing needs to be replaced, they will usually run the tubing through the attic, because it is virtually impossible to install it under the concrete slab.