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!