Help Please! Need to add A/C to old Coleman or ???

[Guest]

OUr 21 year old double wide came with an all electric (we have no gas) Coleman furnace model number 3400818 and a 3400591 blower. We lanquished for years using window units, but now I have put my foot down and insisted on adding central air.

So far I have had 2 estimates and am more confused than ever.
Both estimates say I can use the exisiting air handler with a multi speed blower assembly added, install a condenser, use either a Trane or Lennox 3 1/2 ton unit, replace the crossover (it needs it), and install a new thermostat, pad and all electrical work or......

If I want a heat pump the air handler needs replaced also.

Cost ranges from $4675 to $6600. This is quite a bit more than I hoped to spend. So my question is.... are they right? One man mentoned a "KIT" that Coleman made which was a drop in condensor for the exisiting unit and just add the outside unit, but he said it wasnt available any more. Is my unit too old? do I need to replace it? It works fine.
Thanks

Mia Benson

[hvac1000]

What area of the country do you live in?

Are heat pumps used in your area?

Prices sound expensive to me but it could be the area you are in.

Twenty one year old equipment is getting there as far as replacement is concerned.

Going all new will allow you to obtain the best energy saving ratios as compared to keeping the old and adding on to it.

Strait A/C as was mentioned to you is not as big of a problem but when you go to a heat pump you would definitely want to replace all the equipment.

Get back to us with your location and a general idea of your weather there. Some times it depends upon how cold your winters and how hot the summers are in calculating your best move.

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply,
I am in NW Arkansas which is zone 6b. Winters are cold, but we have a wood stove which provides most of our heat, the electric furnace is used mostly as back up.

Summers average high and low temperatures are 87° and 65°. Winter lows average 29° It does get up to 100 and I have seen it as low as 0. My main problem is humitidy, as we get up to 40" of rain a year.

Heat Pumps are commonly used.

[hvac1000]

You really do not need a heat pump since your electric furnace is back up heat to start with.

I would get at least 2 more estimates from two different company's for your A/C. 4600.00 seems a little high to me for a indoor coil,outside unit,line set and related electric work.

It would seem to me that they would not have more than 1800.00 in material for a 13 SEER A/C system. The rest is labor and it should not take more than one day for a tradesman and one helper. That is a lot of labor money to pay out. Get two more estimates and see if they are all about the same.

[Guest]

Aha! Well based on your infor I called yet another company, this one just does mobile home repairs... They quoted me $2500 plus the cost of a new crossover tube (about $40).

They are coming out Tuesday.

Thank you for the advice.

mia

[Robert]

Hi Mia,

Just as a comparison from here on the first two quotes, we sell a

3.5 ton / 13 seer condenser, a-coil and 15' lineset for $2,333.00

and that is with FREE shipping to your door.



Check the third guys credentials carefully and be sure he is experienced and reputable.

Those others were overpriced and trying to sell residential units not common to manufactured housing.


As for the crossover, it will be a bit more, but will be in your best interest to either go with total hard metal duct wrapped with insulation/vapor barrier.

If not, then at very least would be have them install 2 90* ells at each end and stretch the flex duct tight across and connect at each.

Either of these stops the sags and kinks and common problems.

Total hard metal stops tears and entry points for mice and other rodents.


Keeps from having problems commonly associated with crossovers.


Hope this helps.


Take care and best wishes,
Robert