[bobmarc]

Had a Trane from original home here....many problems and finally went after 14 years. Replaced it with a Goodman and have found my electric bills are way down.

[LucyP]

I replaced at 15 years old. It didn’t die but bill was going up. I used John’s AC out of Ocala. Please get 3 or 4 quotes.
Type of units different in your $$$ purchase.I purchase middle. A sister to a main brand.

[cahvillage]

My A/C lasted 20 years. All the other A/C companies were telling people that their A/C needed to be replaced. Anyone in my neighborhood who had Chucki Farrell's A/C Company were able to keep their A/C's for nearly 20 years. That tells me something about honesty.



SunKool says 10 to 12 years.

When did yours "die"??[/QUOTE]

[cahvillage]

Around 10 years, there were a lot of people that were told that they needed a new A/C. Depending who you hire to maintain your A/C will depend on how long you have it. None of Chuck Farrells customers didn't need to change their A/C's at 10 or 12 years.

[biker1]

Too general of a statement. It isn't clear that a builder grade Carrier system will be more reliable than the high-end system from another brand. BTW, the Carrier Infinity failures were never really an issue. They were all covered under warranty and parts were always available the next day. With their zoning system, the temperatures across the house were always even. The 2 piston Bristol compressor was eventually replaced with a Copeland scroll and I suspect that was an improvement although the 66% or 100% compressor speed was not as ideal as the 50% or 100% speed of the Bristol.

Originally Posted by jrref

There are always exceptions. I had a neighbor in NY, got a Goodman to save money. Five years later, compessor failure. Had another neighbor has Rheem/Rhudd system. Worked fairly well just very noisy. Couldn't get that resolved, just needed to live with it. In my townhome development we had American Standard very few failures all the way to 15 years. Here in the Villages most Carrier single stage units are working 10+ years with little to no failures and that's a lot of systems. There are so many variables that can affect how long your system lasts but the point was the premium tier brands, generally should last the longest and be the most trouble free compared to the cheaper lower tier brands since the tend to use cheaper components that aren't designed to last as long and that's why there are less expensive.

When the Carrier Infinity systems first came out, like yours, they did have a lot of issues, but over time the system has changed dramatically for the better and there are much less issues. It's a fairly robust system now.

[Keninches]

Ours was 22 years old, the original. Just decided to replace it. Munns serviced ours,so went with a Carrier. Works great cools Fast.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by biker1

Too general of a statement. It isn't clear that a builder grade Carrier system will be more reliable than the high-end system from another brand. BTW, the Carrier Infinity failures were never really an issue. They were all covered under warranty and parts were always available the next day. With their zoning system, the temperatures across the house were always even. The 2 piston Bristol compressor was eventually replaced with a Copeland scroll and I suspect that was an improvement although the 66% or 100% compressor speed was not as ideal as the 50% or 100% speed of the Bristol.

What I was pointing out there are different levels or tiers of equipment that you can buy which are at different cost points and because how they are made may have different lifespans than equipment in other tiers. I don't believe many know this and when a HVAC person suggests a cheaper alternative, the customer needs to understand what they are buying and why it is cheaper. The comment on how well the builder grade Carrier systems have lasted here in the Villages is a testiment to Carrier's design and build quality.

[biker1]

You missed the point. I would take a high-end version of a brand you look down on over a builder grade Carrier. All brands have many different price points. I doubt there is much difference between brands at the same price point. The quality of the installation is probably more important than the brand. I can't speak for all houses in The Villages but the Carrier system installed in my house was actually not the builder grade system.

Originally Posted by jrref

What I was pointing out there are different levels or tiers of equipment that you can buy which are at different cost points and because how they are made may have different lifespans than equipment in other tiers. I don't believe many know this and when a HVAC person suggests a cheaper alternative, the customer needs to understand what they are buying and why it is cheaper. The comment on how well the builder grade Carrier systems have lasted here in the Villages is a testiment to Carrier's design and build quality.

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Great honestly run company that we were luck to hire many years ago. They don’t want to get too big and are no longer taking new customers.

Okay, thank you.

[natjos]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

How long did your unit last before you were required to replace it.

SunKool says 10 to 12 years.

When did yours "die"??

Ours was 25 years old. However they don't make them like that any more.

[44Apple]

Replaced a 12 year old unit with a new a/c unit in 2016. It developed a coil leak last fall and that part of the total unit had to be replaced. Had to pay for labor but not the coil unit.

[New Englander]

While visiting a friend, he told me they just had a new A/C system installed. I asked to take a look at it, expecting to see a new Carrier A/C. I was shocked to see a Mitsubishi. It looks similar to the mini-splits people have to cool their lanais, but much larger. I don't know anything about them. Are they considered good?

[ithos]

Always ensure new evaporators have corrosion protection before installation.

Many manufacturers offer pre-coated coils or optional protective coatings. Common types include:
Epoxy coatings: Thin, durable layer that resists moisture and chemicals.
Polyurethane coatings: Excellent for marine or coastal environments with salt exposure.
Phenolic coatings: Provide good protection against acid and salt corrosion.
Electro-fin or Heresite coatings: High-performance coatings for harsh environments.

Or have the installer apply protection.

Common Types of Corrosion to Watch For
Formicary Corrosion: Tiny pinholes in copper caused by organic acids; not visible to the naked eye.
Galvanic Corrosion: Happens when dissimilar metals contact each other in the presence of moisture.
Pitting Corrosion: Localized, intense corrosion forming pits or holes, often due to chemical exposure.

[ithos]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

If the system is more than 10 years old, I would replace the entire system, including the inside air handler. If you just replace the compressor, you will still need to replace and recharge the refrigerant. It is a huge job. You will get a warranty on the compressor but it will not be as long or as comprehensive an entire system warranty. And many compressor failures are caused by something other than a defective compressor, so you may have a problem enforcing the compressor warranty. For example, suppose the evaporator coil leaks and causes the compressor to fail? I would hate to pay $2,500 or more for a new compressor and have it fail within a few months with no enforceable warranty.

If the package price comes with a big discount then you should consider it. I would get quotes on both options and then make the call. The new condensers are significantly larger and replacing a compressor is much easier than it used to be.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by ithos

If the package price comes with a big discount then you should consider it. I would get quotes on both options and then make the call. The new condensers are significantly larger and replacing a compressor is much easier than it used to be.

My next door neighbor is a snowbird and she once asked me to oversee the installation of a new compressor that was under a parts only warranty. It took two guys from Munn's about 8 hours to install a new compressor in her condenser unit. The labor charge was $900.