Which is a better unit for central air, American standard or rheem? Neither would be my choice, but the fact is, it is more about the contractor then the brand you choose. A quality install , along with correcting issues that you likely have with the duct system, will do more for your utility bill,and comfort then the brand.Check the DOE website ( department of energy), and you'll find that installation is the most important thing, and that most are not done correctly. Check their site and then ask questions when looking for a contractor,lots of questions. as well as Angie's List, as a means to pre-screen contractors. Answered 4 years ago I have found Carrier to be one of the best AC units. Ours has been running over 20 years and keeps our 2500 SF home quite comfortable. It is a self contained unit and very quiet. Sondi, Carrier would be my choice too. That said replacing a 20 year old unit will pay for itself in energy saving. So it's costing you more in utility bills to keep it, then to replace it.

you ask the question american standard or rheem. american standard are trane in disguides and rheem or ruud both brands are excellent only different is the way the heat mode is wired up they both will give you the comfort you are looking for but the rheem are the one I would stay with as long as you maintain it it would last you a little long than the american standard. rheems are american made where as american standard have some parts that are imported. The choice is yours both brands are good but one has a slight edge over the other.raymond gonzalezkoolray heating and air The installation of the ductwork is the most important thing - that all seams are well-taped and sealed. And that the ducts are also insulated. Answered 3 years ago Don't let your installer talk you into a system where he gets a lot of markup (Goodman), and a guarenee labor payment when you call him back. Ask him to tell you what he paid for the system, and what his labor costs are. Most run like gazelles when you want to know how much you are paying for the equiptment and what THEY paid for it.

Before you ask the wholesale cost of the AC unit , consider this.Would you ask the restaurant the cost of the eggs and sauage in your breakfast? Would you try to make them prove it? What would be gained by asking the cost of anything?Be reasonable, not combative. Compare retail, sale, installed price, etc.. Then decide which is the best value, may not be the lowest price.home ac units repairAs always, find the best on Angie's List!ac unit cover ideasThey DO NOT want to tell you what they paid for a unit, because they take a substantial portion of the purchase price as their profit, and then charge you every other penny as 'cost of installation'. central ac unit for mobile homeThey do nothing to your unit when they buy it from the manufacturer, and yet they add up to thousands to the price.

Then they act like YOU have no right to know how much the are gouging you. Don't buy from anyone who will not tell you the actual cost of the unit.Most heating and air salespeople will tell every customer they need to install an ultra high efficiency (and ultra-expensive) central air conditioning unit. The truth is, very few people actually need such a high-end unit. Even many homeowners who ultimately decide to install a 16 SEER (or higher) air conditioner don’t technically need such an ultra efficient unit to cool their homes comfortably. They install them because other considerations can sometimes make upgrading beyond a basic model a no-brainer financially, Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against ultra high efficiency air conditioners. Quite the contrary, I think they’re fantastic. What I am against is salespeople misleading customers in order to sell more expensive equipment just so they can earn higher commissions. So I’d like to arm you with the information that will help you decide 2 things for yourself…

Let’s start with this basic premise… when sized correctly, even the most basic 13 SEER air conditioning unit will cool your home. Despite what any salesperson tells you, a 13 SEER unit will cool just about any home comfortably.This may come as a surprise, but installing a new air conditioner is not high on most people's list of fun ways to spend money. So why not install the air conditioner that makes the most sense for you and your home financially? People who live in larger homes and older homes, especially if they have 2-story ceilings or lots of windows, will usually find it very expensive to keep their home comfortable during the summer. If your utility bills are high enough, you might want to consider a 16+ SEER ac unit. This is especially true if you are replacing your old air conditioner and furnace at the same time so you can potentially qualify for a rebate from Xcel Energy. A 16 SEER air conditioner is approximately 20% more efficient than a basic 13 SEER unit.

A 17 SEER model would be about 30% more efficient than a basic 13 SEER unit, so you can expect to lower your summertime utility bills a good bit by upgrading to one of these ultra high-efficiency air conditioners. it’s worth spending the few minutes it takes to do a rough calculation to see how long it will take to recoup back the additional money you spend on an ultra high efficiency air conditioner. Just multiply the increase in energy efficiency (use .20 for a 20% increase for example) amount of your average summertime utility bill. Then multiply the amount you would expect to save each month during the summer by 4. (4 being the number of months that are hot enough to need your air conditioner every day here in Denver) That will give you a good estimate of your annual utility bill savings with a higher efficiency air conditioner. Say you would save about $300/year by installing a 16 SEER unit instead of a 13 SEER. If the cost difference after any Xcel Energy rebates is $1,500, it would take you 5 years to recover the additional cost.

That’s a very reasonable time frame, and certainly worth installing the upgraded unit. If you’re just replacing your old air conditioner, you can qualify for the $500 Trade-In Rebate from Xcel to offset some of the cost of installing a more efficient unit. If you’re replacing your old air conditioner a new furnace at the same time, you can potentially qualify for both the $500 Trade-In Rebate and the New Equipment Rebate from Xcel. It’s important to keep in mind that the amount of the New Equipment Rebate you’ll actually receive depends on the EER rating of your new system, so you should think of it as being eligible for ‘up to’ the amount listed. For example, even though the New Equipment Rebate for a 16 SEER air conditioner is listed as $500, the amount you’ll actually get back might only be $300, depending on how your new system rates out when tested for the EER. If you can qualify for both the Trade-In Rebate and at least a portion of the New Equipment Rebate from Xcel, it’s definitely worth considering a more efficient unit.

If you’re looking to take advantage of a 0% Financing offer with an extended term (like 0% for 48 or 60 months), you will have to purchase a ‘qualifying system’ to get those terms. You can expect the 'qualifying system’ to include at least a 16 SEER air conditioner, and often times you’ll have to install a 17 SEER unit to qualify for the special financing. Don’t be surprised if you’ll also have to install a new variable-speed furnace at the same time to qualify for most of these financing promotions. Keep in mind that even 0% Interest financing isn’t necessarily free. There will always be an origination fee built into the price of any system you purchase using financing. Typically the origination cost of the financing will range from 10% for 24 Months up to as much 15 - 20% for 48 - 60 Months. So don’t automatically assume you’ll be coming out ahead by installing an ultra high efficiency air conditioner just so you can get 0% Financing with a longer term.