Questions About Updating My HVAC!

**beenthere** · 03-05-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

1.So,do I just have to worry about what will the amount of BTU going into the furnace or going out into the home for heating?

Neither. If your using a contractor, that is what he is suppose to be taking care of.
So make sure a load calc is done.

2.If I knew how many cubic feet of gas,then how does that go into my decision making of picking the right furnace?

It doesn't. The heat loss calc of the house, is what determines what size furnace is used.

3.Is I buy the furnace,can the contractor arrange its,so it can get 50,000 BTU input,80,000 BTU input,and so on...?

If its a 3 stage furnace, it will input the rates that the thermostat calls for.

If you want more then 3 rates.

Then you need to get a REAL MOD furnace, and only Rheem, York, Lennox, and their sister companies make them.

Carrier and Trane only make single, 2 stage and 3 stage furnaces.

BORGUSX · 03-05-2009, 11:32 AM

1.How do I find the heat loss calc and how can I use that to find the right size furance?

2.I know that the furance is a three stage,but then why did the contractor listed on his proposal,Carrier ICS Gas Modulating Furance with the stated "80,000 BTU" input? How do you even get to that number of BTU or how would you measure that,since all I know is that natural gas get distributed into my home,but there is not a clear indicator to tell me is the 80,000 BTU is the amount of natural gas coming from the gas line into the furance or what,am I missing here?

I wonder why would any contractor wouldn't do a job that they suppose to do?!

Yoyizit · 03-05-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

1.How do I find the heat loss calc and how can I use that to find the right size furance?

2.I know that the furance is a three stage,but then why did the contractor listed on his proposal,Carrier ICS Gas Modulating Furance with the stated "80,000 BTU" input? How do you even get to that number of BTU or how would you measure that,since all I know is that natural gas get distributed into my home,but there is not a clear indicator to tell me is the 80,000 BTU is the amount of natural gas coming from the gas line into the furance or what,am I missing here?

I wonder why would any contractor wouldn't do a job that they suppose to do?!

You need to know some basics first. Your local library or tutorials available all over the Internet can help. I'd get a book first.
As yet I don't think anyone can tell whether your contractor is honest or competent or both or neither.

**beenthere** · 03-05-2009, 02:04 PM

If your contractor didn't do a heat loss calc.

Pay the 50 dollar fee and do your ownLoad Clac

Take a course on gas piping.

Some contractors sell on price alone, and don't charge enough to make it worth their while.

Anymore questions Eddie.

Yoyizit · 03-05-2009, 03:32 PM

You should get your 3 to 5 bids, do your dot plot

......x...x.xx.........x
0.....1.....2.....3.....4
$^relative price^$

figure what is important to you [efficiency, comfort, reliability] and convert that importance to dollars,

"In economics, utility is a measure of the relative satisfaction from or desirability of consumption of goods. ..."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_function

adjust your dot plot to correct for your preferences,
and choose.

There is also initial cost and parts cost. For a sample, ask the manuf. how much he currently wants for an inducer motor or a hi-limit switch.

I wouldn't tell each bidder that you are getting other bids.
If you do tell and the smile then leaves his face, he's disqualified.

For a big-buck job, one time I had to call 17 plumbers just to get 5 bids.

**beenthere** · 03-05-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoyizit

You should get your 3 to 5 bids, do your dot plot

......x...x.xx.........x
0.....1.....2.....3.....4
$^relative price^$

figure what is important to you [efficiency, comfort, reliability] and convert that importance to dollars,

"In economics, utility is a measure of the relative satisfaction from or desirability of consumption of goods. ..."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_function

adjust your dot plot to correct for your preferences,
and choose.

I wouldn't tell each bidder that you are getting other bids.
If you do tell and the smile then leaves his face, he's disqualified.

For a big-buck job, one time I had to call 17 plumbers just to get 5 bids.

I think your giving Mr. BOrGUSx good advice.

Yoyizit · 03-05-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beenthere

I think your giving Mr. BOrGUSx good advice.

Thank you. And I'll see you on the other forum, if I don't get thrown off first!

By the way, if honesty and competence are randomly and evenly distributed throughout the population (and I don't believe they are), the OP has 1 chance in 4 of getting someone who is both.
Not good odds.

**beenthere** · 03-05-2009, 06:13 PM

Fat Eddie will come up with many names.