BEFORE YOU BUY, Seer Rating, homeowners biggest mistake

[@LFTRnow]

Some more points to this - A lot of older systems were as low as 10 SEER and what people forget is the rating is what it is NEW. As they age, efficiency drops. A limping unit of 10 SEER is more like 6-8 SEER. In that case, replacing with a 15 SEER roughly cuts energy use in half (plus you needed the new unit anyway). This on-screen calculator is good, but feed it realistic data. Rebates also of course definitely help, and if you get a good deal and financing, it may roughly pay for itself on a monthly basis from the power savings. One more thing to consider, particularly if you plan to live there for a decade+ and that is that energy costs WILL go up over time as kWh get more expensive with inflation. However, you paid a fixed cost for the unit years ago. That means you are getting a better return in the later years as well.

[@RP-gi4ch]

I believe the point of the video was clear. You could do a video and go into as much detail as you think your average viewer can absorb.

[@huinyavaina]

agreed on the reduced efficiency with age and the rebates to calc in. disagree on the inflation point of view: - if you buy it upright, you pay fixed amount, but you bear the opportunity loss (=$ u'd make investing this money) - if you finance it, you are not paying a fixed amount, rather a calculated estimate of the future inflation etc the only way this argument makes sense is when you finance it for X% and the inflation (or your ROI of the whole amount) is higher (after taxes)

[@MetaTaco317]

Yeah, you're right on the inflation part not being correct. However, on your example, let's say inflation is 5%. if you buy a system today with 0% interest & pay it off a year from now, you'd pay it off with inflated (cheaper/discounted by 5%) dollars. Assuming you actually had the cash available today, there's plenty of savings accounts & 1 yr CDs paying 5% so the dollars you have today would maintain their value.

[@MetaTaco317]

Thanks, this is the comment I was looking for. I'm in the market for a new system to replace a 19 year old Carrier that I think is 11 SEER (but might be wrong on that). I recall each company I had our to quote the job saying it wouldn't be running near that rating all these years later but couldn't remember how much of an efficiency hit it's taken after all these years.

[@Michael-qy1jz]

Is there a % drop formula by year? I have a 2004 package standard air still kicking lol. Any idea of approximate loss? I have a new Trane over under to replace it with later this year whe. It cools down and I have time.

[@TexSupport]

Living in your service area, your candor and honesty have you at the top of my list when I need to replace my system.

[@michaelclark7602]

I'm from Florida. My electric bill was $338. I had a contractor's tensier. I went to a 21 sear. And my electric bill went to $168.

[@kjhnsn7296]

I have a 23yr old Rheem 10 Seer AC system. Still runs great. Over the years ive only had to replace the contacts and capacitor. It runs on avg only 3 months out of the year and then only for a few days at a time typically. Ive thought about replacing it just because of age, but id probably never get my money back on the new system and my biggest fear, the new system turns out to not be as reliable as the +20yr old system it would replace.

[@edbouhl3100]

In some ways, it’s also more environmentally friendly to hang onto an older unit that is still working well. New metal doesn’t have to be mined and smelted, fuel doesn’t have to be burned to transport finished equipment, etc. Also, rules for refrigerants has changed so your installer may not bother to pump out and reuse the refrigerant because the new equipment uses something different. In fact they may just leak all of the old, higher climate change chemical to the atmosphere because that’s the easiest route. Devil is in the details.

[@dieselwelds8645]

Last Christmas I replaced our 2000 train 12seer unit with a Mr Cool 19seer mini split/air handler. $3500 total shipped 3ton unit plus 10kw strips and pre-vac/pre-charge line sets. Has been working like a champ esp with 17°F temps in GA right now. Used to work in HVAC for some guys like 25yrs ago so knew what I was getting into

[@andreycham4797]

You are on the wrong channel . People here sell AC units without heat pumps. They are very comfortable under the rock and do not want anybody to progress beined stone age

[@MathScience-l8g]

did you use the new universal system? or standard mini split with a few heads?

[@robertsmith2956]

@@MathScience-l8g I looked at the central, and would have had to lose half my closet. They didn't allow for a bottom duct downflow. Waterboard's head version died, and I tried to get them to give it to me so I could rip open the control board and see if they are practical for my needs. My RasperryPi controls my AC, and everything else in the house. If it can't be controlled by me, I don't want it.

[@privatename3621]

@@andreycham4797 And there are also unscrupulous AC salesment/techs that would advise people in S. Florida to install a heat pump instead of a normal AC system with the false notion that it will be "more efficient" and cost them less. When in fact, S. Florida may only see 3-5 days *max* where someone might feel like turning on their heat for those rare "chilly" nights where it dips down into the 50's or 40's in the evening. The rest of the year, a heat pump goes unused. And a 16 SEER2 AC system vs. a 16 SEER2 heat pump system have *exactly* the same energy efficiency (by law). So there's a lot of very bad info out there regarding heat pump units. The irony is, Florida and some parts of Texas are probably the only "ideal" places for these types of units, given the infrequent number of 40 degree and lower days. Yet, a standard AC system there makes much more sense for the reasons stated. Yet, in other parts of the country north of the Bible Belt, these heat pumps suck badly at energy efficiency on cold nights and also do not work as well when trying to heat a home at 40 or below, which is pretty common during their winter months. So what happens? They are convinced by the AC sales guy to buy an added heating coil (furnace) to help out, completely defeating the entire reason having a heat pump. So basically, heat pumps are the red-headed step child of the AC industry. A technology without a home because they are not an ideal fit pretty much anywhere, and are overpriced to the point that you'll never achieve an ROI, and certainly in nowhere near the time as a standard AC + heating coil system. And maybe that's why the gov't is wasting billions in taxpayer money on these rebate incentives for buying them. No one really wants or needs them.

[@mikefranks4528]

I just purchased a 240v/38 SEER 9k BTU Innovation mini split unit. A KZbinr did a test on the heating of it in a 24-hour test of 30-degree F average weather to maintain 66-degrees F (Delta: 36 degrees F) inside his garage. Conclusion was that he used 6260 Wh (watt/hours) divided by 24 hours = 261 watts average use! I find that to be pretty amazing for the heat. I wonder how the air conditioning will perform in hot weather. Would love to hear any feedback on this data that I shared from the professionals.

[@lestersmith8758]

I would never replace a working unit for a new unit with a higher SEER rating just to expect savings, however if the unit is in need of replacing I look at instead of the same seer rating, I would go to a higher SEER rating as long as I was replacing it anyway. I took my bills for 2 years with my 13 SEER heat pump and then took my bills for a 16 SEER unit for 2 years. Averaging these two sets of bills and I averaged a $38 dollar per month savings. That amounted to over $450 per year. So there is a real payback by going to a higher SEER rating. When there is a $2000. difference between the two SEER ratings I think the payback is substantial. I have had the 16 SEER unit for 10 years now, so at $450 per year times 10 years, $4500, it is a great savings.

[@karlbeach1933]

Can you put a 5 ton air flow furnace carrier to a 4 ton trane with 4 ton duct work, please help

[@atlasacrepair]

It depends on the model / furnace, they usually are able to adjust down to the 4 ton capacity.

[@1stuncleslam]

But what if you bought a 4 zone mini split that is 21.5 seer for about $5000.00 and spent $1500.00 for the install? You spend less than installing a new 14 seer system and save 30% on electricity. You also get a zone system which might save even more. That looks like the winner to me.

[@3dFirefly]

I am also considering to replace our 26 year old Lenox with 4 zone Mini splits, few high static concealed duct units costs more but then I will be gaining zone control and it can work in lower outdoor temperature and don't need emergency heat coils.

[@johnmicheal3547]

I always end up buying the none rebate ones. I have no proof but seem the rebate ones price are jacked up very very high. I call them luxury class while all i need is economy class. Luxury price is way way way too much and most of all it's not worth it.

[@johnmicheal3547]

Government rebate is the worst, using your money to pay you... or use tax money to pay you. Or the poor is paying for the rich. Or government picking winner and loser.

[@billakers6082]

I live in the Houston area and I was told by more than one professional HVAC tech that anything more than a 16 SEER is a waste of money. Higher SEER's parts and repairs are much more expensive and don't provide a noticeable difference.

[@phillipjoy1305]

I believe you would come out better spending that money on a great duct job.😊

[@toddjames8830]

Your problem is you are trying to compare a variable speed system with the standard seer rating. As you know the seer rating is rated with the unit running 100%, which is a huge problem because inverter systems will run under 100 percent 80 to 90 percent of the time. Therefore seer rating is a very poor way to try & rate inverter systems. As an example we replaced a trane xv19 two compressor system which is rated at 18 seer, in a ladies house with a daikin fit system which is a true inverter rated at 17 seer & she has seen about a 30% to 35% decrease in her electric bill, even though the daikin fit is rated lower on the seer rating. Had the exact same thing at my house. I had a xv19 with 4 zones replaced it with a mitsubishi 4 head whole house hyper-heat system & my electric bill went down considerably even though both systems are rated at 18 seer. Also we install the systems in heat pump or dual fuel applications so you see the savings in electricity year round, I agree that a straight a/c inverter system will not pay for itself unless you are in a very warm climate where the demand for air conditioning is year round. I have 5 daikin fits that I monitor through the daikin one thermostat on the daikin cloud, I can see reports showing minute to minute for up to a week in the past exactly what percentage the units are running & rarely do I see them hit 100%.

[@ckm-mkc]

The one circumstance where SEER really matters is if you are off-grid or trying to cover all your electric usage with solar - a low SEER system will have a cascading effect on all the other systems you need as it will create a much higher load.

[@bethmotley0311]

We have a 1984 Williamson that is still going strong. It is rusted out and leaning a little, but our HVAC guy says it is running more efficient now than when it was manufactured. I’m not sure how, but we’ll use it until it takes its last breath.

[@Michael-we9vp]

According to many AC techs Here in the Phoenix area the higher rated SEER units are a waste of money because of very low humidity in the desert. They all tell me Carrier-Bryant and Trane are the best.

[@RichMartin]

Thanks for the simplified explanation and showing the calculator...very helpful.

[@matthewbyrd398]

EER is a much better gauge to use. EER is a steady-state test done at 95 F ambient. Also, the SEER is lower on larger tonnages. Manufacturers get their line SEER ratings off their 2-ton units with 4-ton evaporator coil.

[@johnwindsor9069]

Great video! I'm a 30+ year AC service/contractor. I've always thought once we reached the 14 SEER efficiency, the actual savings for going beyond 14 was minimal. However, 16 SEER seems to be the sweet spot in S Fla as far as cost vs performance. 12 years seems to be the average age we see people replace their units here since they run 12 months out of the year, by 15 years there totally shot.

[@Michael-we9vp]

AC units here in Phoenix rarely last more than 14 years...Carrier- Bryant costs more but they hold up better than the others...

[@coldjello8436]

I’m in broward county and I I’ve been getting quotes on a new system…

[@johnwindsor9069]

@@coldjello8436 The prices of equipment have shot up considerably in the last 2 years. They new seer2 standards have given the manufacturers the green light to raise prices yet once again.

[@coldjello8436]

@@johnwindsor9069 guess I’ll just go buy 5 window units

[@picklerix6162]

If properly maintained, there’s no reason that good HVAC equipment won’t last 20-25 years or longer. The compressor in my Lennox condensing unit finally gave out after 28 years. The real issue with most of the HVAC systems in my neighborhood is that the cheap duct board plenums came apart and no filter driers were installed on the liquid line.

[@Ryarios]

On average, if I combine me electric bill and gas bill, they add up to about $150/ month. My house is 1100 sq foot. It’s hard for me to justify any system based on ROI.

[@chucknSC]

Higher than expected savings is most likely due to replacing a system that was not operating properly nor meeting its original performance SEER. Simply replacing an old worn unit with the same rated seer should save energy by direct comparison.

[@bobboscarato1313]

There was an Atlas A/C company in Texas which airconditioned many homes. They did like 80 thousand homes a year. That was a lot of homes.

[@curtislaketek2822]

The multi speed compressor is nice to keep the humidity down

[@jstaffordii]

Best bang for the buck has nothing to do with SEER. It has to do with sealing the house. Better insulation, duct sealing , high U-factor glass package and caulking air leaks. The better the envelope is sealed the less HVAC required. This is why manual J calculation is required for new system installs. Our window replacement package saved $40/month the HVAC only saved $15/month.

[@lawrenceralph7481]

I am very happy with my 5T 34 year old occasionally repaired AC unit. It drops duct air outlet temperature 20F on 5.6 -5.8 kW. Careful use holds the house temperature to 78 F with about $1000 of CA inflated electrons over a 5 mo Delta cooling sesson. Paying $25k for a new HVAC that can save me $400 a season, maybe, wont happen until my unit cant be repaired.

[@privatename3621]

@odd13579 fyi - the color black has no affect on heat absorption without light. So, unless you have a glass roof above your attic, changing the black ductwork out would've made no difference, unless other factors were at play, such as undersized ductwork or dirty clogged ducts.

[@mathehack1]

Yup, go nuts with the weatherstripping and caulk. Blinds and curtains do an awesome job with preventing radiant heat with windows. Super cheap to add compared to buying new windows.

[@smittysmitty4681]

PHOENIX,AZ RESIDENT NEED ADVICE I currently have a 3 ton 14 seer rooftop package looking into replacing it soon Any suggestions helpful advice would be appreciated Q#1 single or duel stage $$$ ? Q#2 Original unit is 14 seer bump up to 16 seer? Q#3 Brand new of unit ?

[@pablopicaro7649]

have a 2003 5ton lennox listed as SEER 13.6 , still working fine after 19 seasons. Did need a new Capacitor last year tho.

[@artics1031]

Guys PLEASE NOTE: SEER efficiency is not only on equipment, you can dramatically improve SEER rating by having proper ductwork installation and ofcourse where is your equipment located per region's, for example, California equipment are in the attic, Washington state are usually in crawl space or closets, and the best thing you can do For SEER efficiency is ZONING, and only on Veriable Modulating systems, not on single stage or Two-Stage, try bot to buy Veriable Modulating system with poor existing ductwork quality, the equipment will never actually run as Veriable Modulating performance, it will sense that the static is too low and it will fixate it self on certain Speed and it will never run at its 25% capacity with 1% increments. Bear in mind some houses are just not cut to have a Veriable Speed system and only single speed would work for comfort and reliability.

[@jwhite4]

Seeing this comment: "Another thing to think about is cost of repairs, much more expensive to replace a variable speed ECM blower motor vs your average 13 seer blower" - made me think that as a companion to this "simple" video, you need a more advanced one that factors in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). For example, the 10yr old 13 SEER unit will have $xxx for electricity cost over the next comparison period (5,10,15 years). But it's also likely to need a repair. That adds up. But then from above, if a new unit needs a new motor in 15 years, it might cost 3x as much. Also, the rebates can really take a chunk off the effective cost of a new unit. What's the TCO for each? And hows it affect the ROI? I'm looking for a new unit, but sort of with a twist. Current HVAC is a 10-15 yr old 3T 13 SEER compressor, and ~7 yr 80% oil furnace. Both working fine. The compressor looks old (fair amount of run on it), so I told my HVAC person (family member) that when it goes, should I replace it with a heat pump unit, and use the oil furnace as a backup. Yes, he said. Had some work done in the basement, which needed the oil line between the tank and furnace removed. He does that; says the oil tank has a leak; about $3500 for removal and replacement. So new question: instead of spending that money to keep what would have been the backup heat source running, should I use the savings ($3500 less cost of removal) to buy a new HP unit now? Also yes. So getting ready for that. Initially, he said it would probably be a Payne unit. Not that familiar with that brand. I need to research and see if that's actually a good value.

[@theodorekell]

So, what is the bottom line here? I have soon-25yo system with leaky A/C and good furnace. should I replace the coil? Or the whole system for best ROI? I mean , compressor and furnace too..

[@meanmrbrownsville]

A high SEER unit with leaky ductwork or poor insulation is of little use. Your "savings" goes through the cracks. My 1200 sq. ft apt in Brownsville, TX is well insulated and about 4 ft underground. My monthly bill, even with several built in charges is under $100 per month in one the nation's most humid, subtropical climates.

[@actechchris]

Best way to improve systems performance is to make sure your airflow is perfect… Not close… Not good enough! Too many of my customers want me to just throw in a high seer system and keep their undersized/leaky ducting system.

[@picklerix6162]

Over 30 years ago, I was shocked at all of the airflow issues that I found in very expensive homes. Back then, HVAC ductwork design seemed to be an afterthought in many high-end homes.

[@sciencetestsubject]

Watching this video from Europe, I had a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries multi split systeem installed 3 years ago. You're talking about 14-18 seer systems, but according to the energy label (witch says A+++) on my system it's only 9.1 seer, and it's variable speed inverter. When I looked at the catalogue for MHI mine has the highest seer in the lineup. Could you think of an explanation to the difference?

[@tjrooger1092]

It would Also help if AC companies didn't charge $8000 for $2000 worth of equipment. The bigger the company, the more mouths to feed. Someone has to pay for those fancy trucks and uniforms. The techs that work 80+ hours a week in the crazy hot attics get paid pennies on the dollar, so the stuffed shirts can get money for nothing.

[@ShuhDonk]

Why do HVAC people charge like 3k+ for their labor to do a one day job? You can buy a brand new 3 ton complete central air system for 3k-3500, condenser, coil, line set etc.

[@stretchone1]

If you have a 12 seer unit with original ductwork, it more than likely has leaks through out the entire system. So if it claims to be a 12 seer it really turns out to be less, 8-10 seer. When replacing with a new high seer equipment with properly sized ductwork and sealed connections you'll get a decent ROI. I agree on inverter equipment not paying itself off however it has the potential to last a lot longer than single or 2 stage equipment due to less wear and tear on the off and on cycles. If you are not verifying/improving the ductwork DO NOT go with a high seer equipment.

[@picklerix6162]

Good advice. I replaced my old supply plenum and properly sealed the ductwork myself. My electric bill dropped dramatically after installing the new equipment.

[@swainer8014]

leaks don't matter if they are in the envelope of the house. Leaks only matter if they duct work is in the attic or crawl space

[@stretchone1]

@@swainer8014 not sure what area you are from but here in Dallas-Fort Worth I would say 90% of ductwork is in the attic that is not spray foamed. I don’t agree that it wouldn’t matter. The temperature of the attic on a spray foam home is not the same than the living space. Depending on the leak rate you’ll save more by keeping condition air where it needs to be and not dumping air where it does not belong.

[@swainer8014]

@@stretchone1 Midwest here. Basements. Again attics and crawl spaces, make them air tight. Leaking in a basement, it is a waste of resources.

[@picklerix6162]

Those fancy multi-speed systems cost a lot to repair due to expensive parts and the techs have to be trained to repair these systems. Also, a lot of installers are not properly trained to install high efficiency equipment. Just watch a few repair videos and you’ll see what I mean.

[@uncivilizedengr4873]

an honest salesman? nice!

[@David-mo2zq]

My company charges $1500.00 more for a 20 seer continuously variable speed heat pump than an old fashioned 14.2 seer unit. Check out the "Bosch" brand.

[@coriding]

Awesome video! What are your thoughts on old systems with R-410A refrigerant and being able to service them in the future? With all the types of refrigerants, it might be worth doing a video on what refrigerants homeowners should consider, and stay away from.

[@johnwindsor9069]

R-22 still can be purchased today, albet its like gold. R410a is not going anywhere soon. There are already drop in replacements for R410a available, besides the real stuff.

[@JoshuaCollins]

​@@johnwindsor9069 1st of this year R-410A It's not permitted to be used in any new systems being built by manufacturers. So in 15 years when my brand new 410A system goes out I'm going to be in the same r22 predicament I was in over the winter. HVAC lobbyists are not my favorite people

[@johnwindsor9069]

@@JoshuaCollins Funny, I just did two replacements using R410a equipment last week. You may be confused with the new seer2 standards, the old seer units are not allowed to be used at all after Jan 1st 23. What I find interesting is none of my suppliers can tell me when R32 equipment will be available. Last I heard 2025 is the date, unless it gets pushed out.

[@JoshuaCollins]

@@johnwindsor9069 I wasn't clear enough. It's not that you can't buy a 410A system now. Manufacturers are not permitted to design or create any new models that utilize 410A.

[@johnwindsor9069]

@@JoshuaCollins Must be a grey area. I consider the new see2 equipment as new r410a systems. For example the rheem units have all new model numbers now

[@BillyBobDingledorf]

I'm bothered that 15 years is considered the life of the system. Expectations should be double that for a quality system.

[@quantumjim45]

I like your content, so thanks. However, a tech content - your audio level is uniformly low compared to other youtubes.

[@36736fps]

Thanks for the info on the SEER calculator. I plan to use it. The big issue I have with it is all the assumptions built into the calculations to arrive at an average cost savings despite potential large variations in annual usage. For example we are retired and spend more time at home than most people so we run the ac more each day, and we run it more months than most people in Colorado, so our annual savings would be more. I do plan on getting the lowest SEER I can, probably around 14, mostly because we may not stay in this house more than 5 more years. Guessing at future electrical rates is a real crap shoot. The calculator shows a current rate in Denver that is about half the summer afternoon rate so the savings calculated are much lower than can be expected right now.

[@hatiwolf2445]

What about for someone like me who lives in Houston Texas and keeps the house at 66 degrees year round. Even in the winter the ac runs at least 60% of the time. Surely for me facing 300 a month in the winter cooling bills my ROI is 3x to 4x a realistic home.

[@JamesCAsphalt8]

I just bought a variable speed system 4 ton for 7000. So I don't know why you are saying it is 9000 to 10000. It is a Rheem which tends to be cheaper than competators but still that is a big difference/

[@Pro1er]

$8,500?! Talk about sticker shock! I installed my A/C myself 30 years ago and all-in I spent around $1,200.

[@rabokarabekian409]

Let's all talk about this idea: With everything from toasters to spacecraft becoming unimaginably complex and unreliable /unrepairable over time, is the new general rule of thumb oo just buy cheap versions of better brands since nothing will last or be affordably repairable after several years? In the meantime, close as many doors as you can for unused rooms. Why heat and cool empty space just due to not wanting to wait 10 minutes for the re-opened space to cool or warm more? While short cycling due to load mismatch is undesirable, the total energy use is still what you pay for. Even better, maybe start investing in getting away from central air. How much do you want to pay just to have perfectly quiet areas? Never forget motor inrush currents.

[@user-xk5so7wb2t]

FLAWED CHART. NOT TAKING IN OTHER HUGE ACCOUNTS: CHART IS BASING ON A "CURRENT ENERGY FACTOR" NOT ADDING YEARLY INCREASES. MAINTENANCE OR LACK OF. ALONG WITH WHICH HVAC BRAND PURCHASED, WHICH SOME HAVE MANY MORE FAILURE RATES THAN OTHERS. ($$) THEN OTHER MAJOR COST SAVING FACORS NOT MENTIONED; ADDING MORE ATTIC INSULATIION R-38/+ DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS, SOLOR SCREENS, WIND TURBINES. TREES PLANTED FACING W/SW.

[@johnkrulik1438]

How can you live with yourself for charging $150 Aa pound for R22 freon. Just a way to sell nw systems

[@rallen01]

Not that I don't trust the government... well actually I don't. Can someone explain why they're giving a tax credit on the 15 seer units? Is there something I should be wary of?

[@SuperSushidog]

Your estimates assume the price of electricity remains constant. I can foresee the price of electricity skyrocketing in certain areas such as California since they are already short on power and want to do away with ICE vehicles putting a huge additional load on the grid. Living in a motorhome, mostly off grid, my choice is either solar (plus batteries) or $1/kwh electricity produced by running my generator. Plus my AC needs are small, as my motorhome is well insulated with dual pane windows, etc. and is only 280 sq ft. Earlier this year I replaced my old front AC with relatively efficient (by RV standards) 11.8 EER, 14,500 Btu one using a scroll compressor that I will use as a supplemental AC for use when it's very hot to augment a 3/4-ton, 38seer (EER 16.5) Blueridge mini split heat pump. This tiny heat pump will cost me under $2k vs $1k for another roof-top unit if I install it myself, (as I haven't found an AC installer yet who will touch an RV) and will provide 75-80% of my cooling and heating needs by itself. It also has a 15 HSPF to efficiently heat too. So, despite the extra $1k it will cost, it will instantly pay for itself up-front as it will save me about $1,800 in batteries and solar panels. This doesn't even take into consideration the weight savings and limited roof area of an RV precluding the use of a bigger solar system.

[@JKDJack]

mini splits bro.. or about any newer side discharge, are 18 seer at least for a ducted replacement for about 3-4k. 10k is ridiculous

[@Balticblue93]

$6500-$8500 for a 14 Seer… Jesus Christ…. ?? Ok, that is ridiculous. 2/3 markup, that is ridiculous. I better switch to your pricing structure. The rip off plan!

[@kennixox262]

Is that for equipment + installation or just the equipment?

[@Balticblue93]

@@kennixox262 That was me responding to the video. Atlas AC charges $6500-$8500 for that system installed. That is a total rip off. Go to the links above found in the shown more section and use their configuration tools. You will quickly learn then are a high-priced company. My company wouldn't charge anywhere near that kind of cost for garbage single stage 14 seer units. That is insane.

[@ivanjuniour4849]

I have carrier infinity 7 stage 22 seer, 3200sqf home, half shaded. Previous electric bill winter $280-$400 68°, summer $200-$325 75° avg house temp. New carrier 7 stage greenspeed winter $95-$150 71° summer $60-100 74°. I'd say it's paying for it's self. It was expensive a heck but i also got a larger unit due to add-ons to my house. All new ducts and dual heat pump. This is the best you can get right now. The bigger the house the more important seer factor is. You want a good efficient system with a large house especially in direct sunlight. 2 story with zone control.

[@REAL-UNKNOWN-SHINOBI]

Are you really saying 15 years is the lifetime for the system? I'm over here rocking a 40-year-old system it is still going strong, after we stopped using the last repair company because they were scamming us on the coolant.

[@james10739]

How exactly is seer calculated like right now at like 105° our 24,000 but mini split is using like 2000 watts so like 12 seer or i think eer but when it drops to like 90° it is way more efficient i only recently started monitoring the power consumption so i don't really have those numbers but just based on at night even when its still running it can be much lower

[@Supporttheblue1]

15-16 (Varible) seer is the best bang for your buck..from an ROI standpoint

[@samTollefson]

My 18-year-old Rheem heat pump is, I believe a seer 10.5 to replace it with a seer15 I will save a whopping $200 a year. Needless to say, I will be running my old system for as many more years as I can. My biggest electric bill saving was adding insulation to my attic from an R-12 (that mulched newspaper stuff that shrank down to 2" over the years) to an R-50 (fiberglass blown in). My electric bill dropped by almost 2/3rds and the power company paid for part of the upgrade. Definitely the most bang for the buck in energy savings!

[@helenveasey7318]

That's fantastic savings. Really like this plan of action. That is real savings you can see right away.

[@robertsmith2956]

Strange how they claim they want you to upgrade your insulation, but then say DROP DEAD if you put it in yourself.

[@jerrylockhart3069]

The whole seer rating bit is garbage. I’ve been doing HVAC almost 30 years and I can tell you it’s garbage get a decent C rating and a nicer duct system.

[@brucecann1591]

I really like your channel. I have a 20 year old heat pump system. I’m really good at maintaining the system. It runs just a good as it did when we bought the house new in 2002 and the compressor sounds about the same as it always has. I know I’m getting close to it’s end of life. I live in a all electric community so a heat pump is a requirement. I’m in California and my winter electric bills are always more then summer. What are your thoughts about what I should upgrade to? Should I run this system until it dies or replace before it dies? It’s a Beutler system. Thanks.

[@troyb9609]

HVAC State contractor lot of homes in Florida are size to small The seer rating helps a little bit but I don't recommend going over 15 seer due to the fact of too much tech in the new higher seer systems that ends up costing you in the long run if your system's tonnage is too small it will run continuously the unit needs to be sized for the home lot of homes in Florida have very high ceilings got to take all that in consideration

[@davidr9876]

Your analysis is wrong. In your example you are comparing the cost of a new system to a 5 y.o. system but not accounting for the reduced life of the existing unit. Take half the price of a new comparable unit and deduct that from the cost of the new, higher seer unit. That factors in the depreciation and lower lifespan of the existing unit. Alternatively, you could compare the cost of the higher seer system with the brand new cost of a lower seer system and the associated energy savings to help make your decision. This would be applicable if the person needed a new system anyway, and help them to decide which unit to get, not to decide if they should get a new system to replace a system that's still operational.

[@javierh35]

Great video as an HVAC tech in Colorado I would rather have customers be well educated about this. Where you could possibly see more savings is when you are using a heat pump application with higher seer ratings where you can use it year long especially with soaring natural gas prices.

[@garyclark979]

I do not understand why variable speed systems are so much more expensive. Could it be manufacturer greed? I would like to see government regulations that require the installation of only variable speed units in the future to eliminate this nonsense.

[@michaelhatfull3305]

High seer mini split heat pumps definitely pay for itself dude.

[@dougcox835]

The key thing to consider is the DIFFERENCE in price between one SEER rating and another versus the savings from the calculator. If the savings difference is $1000 between the two, then the cost difference had better be less than $1000 for example.

[@brycenhcox]

They don't pay for themselves they pay towards themselves.. i what you save pay that towards the unit

[@dreamleaf6784]

I have seen a smaller mini split with 38 or 40 seer. Is that a real thing or is it some sort of scam? i think it was blueridge that made that.

[@ilc-nl3yy]

I'm probably going to upgrade to a 16 seer two stage unit. I'm in North Georgia, so it'll probably last longer than when I lived in Florida.

[@brianwnc8168]

You failed to mention that a system with a higher Seer rating will also generally have a higher hspf rating which is the efficiency rating for heating mode operation. It's not true at all that most of the savings you're going to get are only in the summer with a high Seer rating for this exact reason. All of my high Seer rating installations also have a high HSPF number and thus my customers see significant Savings in Winter heating operation from their High Seer rating system. I actually calculate the electrical usage with certain clients and can document the savings that they're getting from their new high-sear system versus the old lower Seer system I replaced. And yes, we are looking at both summer and winter electrical usage for the old system compared to the new system. Not to mention, the high Seer systems are now starting to be made as inverter heat pumps that can provide full heat output down to negative 10° outside. This means that the heat strips will not kick on as much and thus the savings is substantial in the winter time compared to lower Seer rated conventional heat pump systems.

[@PointsOnly]

36 seer split unit AC are better. It's not really ideal for a huge house, though.

[@dawnolivo9645]

I feel like my 20 something yo unit 16 seer 1 stage is waaaaaay less efficient and more expensive than a new 16 seer stage 2

[@sunbeam8866]

What is the 'life' expected today for a new HVAC system? I've been told repeatedly not to expect more than about 10 years. That, plus a $15+K estimate to replace the dual-fuel (Oil backup) heat-pump in in my 1964 3000 square-foot rambler in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is why I now have window air-conditioners! The previous Goodman heat-pump lasted 27 years.

[@johngatsby1473]

Or you could do what I do and order the units directly and pay an ac tech to come install it. I was quoted 8k for a 2 ton unit installed. I paid 1850.00 delivered with a 10k heat strip and 750 for the install. Those crooks mark up the product way too much.

[@scottwozniak3988]

Do inevitable electricity price increases change your recommendations?

[@MrChadder007]

What is maybe a more reliable SEER to have? I know the more complex a system the less reliable it may be.

[@cast1070]

Do I buy now 2022 or wait to 2023 new coil design for Carrier?

[@lazvt8469]

My new (4 months) 16 SEER Comfortmaker/Carrier is giving me about 15% less usage than the 25 yr old TRANE (3 ton) it replaced. Does the model factor in COST of higher SEER? For me, the 14 to 16 SEER jump was about $700.

[@Professor5180]

I too have a Trane unit on its last leg (25 years old) looking to probably get a Carrier/single-stage/16 seer for my upstairs. About 2.5 Ton. Would love to see the difference in savings.

[@lazvt8469]

@@Professor5180 still getting 15% less usage… no complaints. 👍

[@ivanjuniour4849]

​@@Professor5180 I'd get it, however if you got more spending room the dual zone i have is working wonders on costs and comfort. So a 1 unit may probably be more cost efficient than having 2 units. I'm saving 45%-65% each month through all seasons.

[@Professor5180]

@@ivanjuniour4849 wow I have heard mixed, but I will now have to consider seeing about 1 unit then. My house is roughly 3000sq ft.

[@ivanjuniour4849]

@@Professor5180 i have a 3200sqf 2 story, i just bought it 2 years ago, no insulation in the walls and the attic is abysmal, metal crappy siding as well. The system still turns off on regular days. If your not a temperature hog this system will efficiently keep the temperature. The point of these systems were to avoid the constant on off surging, which increases your bill. A greenspeed/variable unit keeps electric in the capacitors for extra time to get the compressor going from a sleep mode rather than completely off. Longevity in parts is moot point with the type of warranty you get from carrier. I got member warranty from Ragsdale the only i pay for is filters the next 20 years pretty much. Fan motor has 15 years and compressor. A flat 2200sqf would probably be overkill yes. But any house over 2500sqf and 2 story with dual zone control you save lots of money. Winter i run downstairs more than upstairs as heat rises, literally march-mid June i rarely run ac downstairs other than to dehumidify. I've only ever had stage 7 run on 3 occasions, when we got blasted with super freezing temps and blasts of wind. My system regularly is stage 1 stage 2. It's nice to know in the event of super bad weather i have the system that won't kill itself to keep up. The power company knows when your compressor kicks on, that's when they charge you extra, but if you have a low wattage system going that emissions fee becomes less. Do your rebates and start counting your savings. I have 1 more year to pay off my entire system. Extra $130 in my pocket with a 3 year old top of the line system. The electric filters last a long time with UV light. To access the electric board is very easy. I got my system through Home Depot who sent Ragsdale. Paid $17k but that included indoor and outdoor plus all brand new ducts for 22 vents/returns and insulate the big box, new lines, new propane line installed. I'd imagine just getting the unit installed would be $4k cheaper. My guesstimate $5k more you get 1 unit and save each year with no headaches 7 years later on a single stage or split system. The wear and tare comes when a system on off 20 times a day everyday.

[@macmovieman1]

I’m also confused about the longevity of the newer systems. If I’ve had a system for 10 years and I’m getting ready to replace it is it more likely to last 12 or 14 years? Is some of the extra money that I’m spending going towards a unit that’s gonna be around longer?

[@all-airsystemsHVAC]

Air source heat pumps are horrible. In the right state, Geothermal is the gar superior way to go!

[@larrycrain5650]

$10,000 for a three ton unit?? I will sell you all you want for only $9,000.

[@yacahumax1431]

variable speed system are much more comfortable

[@HVACUncensored]

You offer high seer systems based off comfort not savings that would be the first problem. I do know sales guy say that but they’re wrong. Higher seer and multi stage ,and Inverter technology are once again for comfort. Help dehumidify in AC. Be able to handle the Sensible and Latent load. We can go into heat pumps as well. A lot more goes on into heat is the ductwork sized properly, enough return as far as negative and positive pressure. A lot of factors to weigh. We like to educate the customer and let them choose what’s best for them and their needs. Now SEER 2 is gonna be fun 😂.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

I have 20 seer Am Std hp. It’s vs is great for my solar system but it sux at pulling humidity out of the air.

[@HVACUncensored]

@@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity then it’s probably needs to set up properly bud cause that system can definitely handle dehumidification without a doubt as long as it’s sized correctly.

[@BIGMIKE816]

@@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity it’s not setup properly then. That variable speed system shouldn’t have ANY issue with humidity

[@macmovieman1]

I love your content and wish that you were local in my market in Southern California. I the more content I watch the more changes that I see coming to the HVAC industry and it makes me want to wait a little bit longer until maybe 2025 but I’m sure they’ll be more changes then. I’m not sure the industry is seen this many changes and regulation with the new year.

[@paisteplayer1040]

I have a 1997 rheem 4 ton that produces I kid you not cold air in the 40's.... The unit runs like a clock produces the coldest air of any home we have ever lived in.. I live in the US southeast so it hot. We live in a home with crawl space which means the ducts dont run through a boiling attic...

[@theodorekell]

My system is 1999 Comfortmaker. haha. Whats up with your houses down south? We have basements for the duct work. I want to build one in SC. I would build in such way so that duct runs from AC closet through the inner walls..

[@steveoxler9774]

As a service tech and HVAC shop owner I would often be tasked with "fixing" high SEER AC systems. In the end I made the customers happy by making adjustments that reduced the SEER rating in order to get control of the humidity. I never forgot that in the HVAC business I sold comfort and reliability.

[@jbar_85]

How do I have my ac company to do that? They will mention something about about the warranty. We need the humidity to go lower.

[@DennisSchmitz]

Went straight from a 16 year old 9 SEER system to a brand new 29 SEER system. Huge savings incoming :D It's also like 10x quieter.

[@crobergecourtier]

What brand ?? Thanks and model

[@appleimacdude]

I find myself wondering how much repair costs vary amount lower EER air conditioners as well as mid and high EER air conditioners? That is worth a whole lot to me -

[@donut132]

Whats difference of a 16 seer minisplit vs a 23 seer minisplit? Both crees. It was only 1k more for the 23 seer

[@JKDJack]

They dont like mini splits or the newer side discharge units because they cant charge the shit out of you for it

[@Richie_7777]

Need more people like you in the HVAC industry. I like how you use data to support your points and include rebates. In some areas this saving can be greater as utility cost are higher and local rebates are more. For, example I received a rebate of $2,500 for switching to a HeatPump from all electric. Also, people don’t put a valve on comfort. While, an inverter systems may not pay for itself. A homeowner can have a greater level of comfort.

[@rsr789]

It really depends IF the person can afford an inverter system or not. Taking an A/C unit aside, I wish I could afford impact windows on my apartment, cuz they would insult far better than the 1980's single-pane glass I have on there now, which would not only lower my A/C bills and extend the life of my unit, but would also minimize the amount of outside noises that gets into my apt... and of course being able to stop flying debris in case of a hurricane lol.

[@armadillotoe]

So, it may be time to replace my 28-year-old AC system?

[@TheDeadheadable]

What about repair costs because the fancy stuff costs more to fix.

[@SavageNasty253]

I appreciate how you detailed "this seer rating is in the two stage ac units and those are more costly at **.***". I really do appreciate knowing where that particular line starts.

[@blainecelestaine4543]

I've been watching solar people installing multiple high efficiency mini splits to replace old central air units. But when you add the running amps there seems to be no difference between them. The starting amps may be lower but that's what easy starts are for. Am I missing something or are they wishfully looking for savings that won't pan out?

[@nanoicdalflanlun]

Part of it is they're getting zones and a bit of redundancy.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

You are 100% correct. I do this for a living. You can figure 1000W per ton 14-33 SEER….bla, bla, bla.

[@blainecelestaine4543]

@@nanoicdalflanlun I get that. But the there's a level of false advertising and false expectations. I also get that some units won't running as much in some parts of the year. The take away I got from his vid is to be informed and count the cost to the real benefits. Maybe 1 high efficiency portable could get you thru the down times and keep a few grand in your war chest..

[@raytaylor3077]

keep your old R 22 systems. word to the wise.

[@banshee8989]

LOL....... You should see the numbers for CT. Honestly we use the AC 2.5 months out of the year and heatpumps dont work that well here. Basically just run what you have for as long as possible.

[@robertsmith2956]

I want to see the difference between a seer 17, and a seer2 15.

[@modquad18]

Lol, I’m still rockin an XE-1000 from ‘96 on my farm. Doesn’t even list a SEER. Clean coil, contactor and spade connectors every 2 years and it just keeps on chuggin. Same with the XE90 furnace, I’ve replaced flame sensor and about to do the transition receptacle, drain hoses and trap.

[@Robshamsterteam]

I’m not even kidding I have the same unit same age all I’ve had to do is change out all the capacitors

[@modquad18]

@@Robshamsterteam Built like tanks

[@Robshamsterteam]

@@modquad18 but I did have a situation where the installer didn’t make the return air big enough for the unit so I did so for 26 yrs the unit was getting 20 percent less air than it was suppose too and after I fixed I finally could maintain temp during the peak summer in east Texas

[@modquad18]

@@Robshamsterteam Good deal! They are great units for sure. I’d actually forgotten that I replaced the control board on the furnace 2 years ago, but even so, it’s been incredibly reliable.

[@robertsitch1415]

I guess you could say that with Trane and American Standard, the efficiency rating is in the model name.

[@danlah1303]

There is something to be said for keeping things simple. I’ll avoid the bells and whistles that introduce more things that can go wrong. 16 SEER for me.

[@jgmatp]

100% agree. I also love my 22 year old truck that has crank windows and a real key that you can get copied at a hardware store for 4 bucks. easy to maintain, runs like new, without the unnecessary complex junk that can break over time.

[@thomasdeblat4208]

Another thing to think about is cost of repairs, much more expensive to replace a variable speed ECM blower motor vs your average 13 seer blower

[@atlasacrepair]

Thanks for commenting, that is very true, i'll probably make a video on this in the future

[@johngatsby1473]

You ain't lying. I love how quite they are, they come on silently and do a great job but they suck when they go out. I've got one that has gone out twice and the sucky part is that you can't service down to the component level in that ecm on the back of the motor. The mfg has epoxy sealed the components! I think I'm having a flow problem that is causing the thermistors to go out because it makes no sense that these things would keep going out.

[@John777Revelation]

I'm learning diy hvac. Fascinating. Very informative. Thanks for sharing. Much Blessings to you. 🙏 Lord-Jesus-Christ ✝c✝o✝m

[@scottdaniels5976]

BAsed on your website prices wish I could fly you to Orlando to set up my new Heatpump & Ductwork..........I can't find any 14.3 SEER2 2Ton with new plenums & ductwork (supply & returns) for under $16,000 (even with Ductwork being done in November). Also, the avg homeowner stays in a home for 13yrs.