One of my co-workers (from a different shop, an automotive mechanic type) was asking me questions about his unit yesterday. Long story short, I dropped by his house last night to check the scroll compressor on his fifteen-year-old Goettl heat pump...it was a BAD burnout. The refrigerant came out like black smoke at the touch of a schrader core for the "sniff" test.
I asked him to consider replacing the unit, got prices for a replacement Goettl and for the same size (3.5 ton) American Standard heat pump as that one is available in an over-under like the Goettl. The American Standard, thankfully, was not only the better unit but about $300 cheaper than the Goettl, both in 13 SEER (really 12.5).
Then he let slip that he has natural gas to the property, in the attic, and that it would be a simple matter to get it up to the roof for a gas pack. I personally prefer gas heat for a lot of reasons: quick heat, no defrost cycle, the compressor runs several months less out of the year, and no loss of efficiency at lower temperatures. Heck, it dropped down into the forties for a few dozen nights this winter here in Phoenix!
Problem: no over/under is available for the 3.5 ton gas pack. He can put in a side by side for roughly $650 more to do it right.
For me, it would be worth the money. But that's just me; I like a gas stove but prefer an electric oven and love a gas water heater but would never own a gas clothes dryer. Both units are roughly the same efficiency in cooling.
This guy was a miracle worker a few years ago when my service truck broke down going uphill on a teeny narrow mountain road up to service some units at some mountaintop communications towers -- I could not even look as he loaded mine into a flatbed tow truck with a steeep drop maybe two feet away. And the whole time acted as though that was what he WANTED to do on a hot Friday afternoon. He's a good guy in general, too; never see him without a smile or a good word for anyone.
Anybody got any thoughts on this I can bring to him Tuesday morning?
Thanks.