Carrier/Bryant vs Trane/American Standard

[Dick]

As some of you already know, I am in the market for a dual-fuel heat pump to replace an aging gaspack. I have one quote from a Bryant dealer. I am now talking to another dealer who sells both Bryant and Trane. Both make the dual-fuel heat pumps like I want. The second dealer is really trying to steer me toward the Trane over the Bryant, even though the Trane is 12 SEER vs 13 SEER for the Bryant. The selling point he is making is that the Trane weighs significantly more than the Bryant, therefore, Trane uses better materials, etc. I know both companies make good equipment. What recommendations can you folks give me assuming I am going to go with the second dealer anyway, and it's just a matter of choosing which unit? The Trane does have a longer warranty on the heat exchanger (20 yrs vs 15 yrs.)

Dick

[Dick]

There is only one. In the 4-ton it is the DCY048F-H. These units are fairly new to the market. There is one made by Carrier/Bryant and one made by Trane/American Standard. That's it. These are packaged dual-fuel heat pumps, which consist of a heat pump and a natural gas furnace in the same box suitable for roof mounting. Much different from a standard heat pump.

Dick

[Geoman]

I checked into that dual fuel American STandard, very expensive. The utility discount would not offset the additional costs in our area.

Rich

[geothermal jones]

Check out Tranes other heat pumps... The 13i 14i all the way up to 19i S/EER rating 13, 14, 16, up to 19... Costs & sizes slide up the scale as well. If heating is a big issue check out the HSPFs for eff. If cooling is the driving issue the S/EERs rule.

good luck g.o.jones

[Dick]

I suppose it depends a lot on what your rates are for electricity and natural gas. Gas has gone up significantly in the past year. I am trying to shift as much heating cost to electricity as I can through the use of a heat pump most of the time. I have had 3 heat pumps with heat strips for the backup, and they are not cost effective where it gets cold in the winter. I was told by the dealers that the cost of the dual-fuel unit is about 20% more than a standard heat pump/gas furnace in a gaspack. That's about $1,000. Wouldn't take long to make that up in utility cost savings. That's assuming of course that I have to replace the current gaspack anyway, so I can only look at the difference in cost between a gas pack and a dual-fuel heat pump.

Dick

[Travis Jordan]

Consumer Reports rates Trane / AS ahead of Carrier / Bryant. That (and the longer warranty) would be enough to swing me to Trane.