The name on the trucks are more important then the names on the box’s.

 

You made a good choice to stick with basic equipment. Goodman is known for being cheap low quality equipment. In my experience they also suffer from efficiency issues as they age.

I like trane and installed one in my own house. Trane has issues as well, but in general I like them. However, I HATE trane tam units. I recommend staying away from them and sticking with the TEM (ie metal cabinet units). TEMs don’t have an eev and I found them much more reliable when I was a residential tech (at that time I worked for an EXTREMELY large trane dealer so I got a chance to see thousands of tranes and what the pattern failures were).

And of course make sure you get the equipment installed properly by competent installers…that’s important.

 

You made a good choice to stick with basic equipment. Goodman is known for being cheap low quality equipment.
In my experience they also suffer from efficiency issues as they age.

From my personal experiences of servicing Goodman units, is they do
tend to get noisy as time goes on.

My question is, if name brand means nothing, and I hear this all the time here, which I personally disagree with, why are there so many different
brands of equipment? Why wouldn’t all the mfg. just merge and have one name? I can tell you why, because they feel their brand is the best, so
to the mfg. name brand means everything.
If name brand means nothing, why don’t all the “name brand means nothing folks” drop the brand they’re selling and start selling another brand?
If you’re selling Trane, Carrier, Rheem, Ruud or American Standard, just drop them and start selling Goodman, Ducane, Tempstar or Keepright?

Do I think the install means anything? YOU BET! But I also believe there’s a LOT of quality differences in different name brands. Let me tell you
something that means everything in any business, it’s called “People Skills” to me this is the most important skill in any business, it’s very easy
to recognize the ones that have them and those that don’t.

I believe in the product or name brand we sell, why? because my customers don’t ever have any friends or family members drop by and say
negative things about the brand we sold them. Regardless of rather we all want to believe this or not, some mfg’s regardless of how far they
have advanced in quality or warranties, they still get a bad rap, maybe one day this will change, but for now I’m sticking to the “name brand” we sell.
Running a business is hard enough, but selling bottom of the line products make it even harder, as for as I’m concerned, I feel you still get what
you pay for with most everything today.

 

Thoughts?

As mentioned choose your Contractor wisely. With that said, both are AHRI matched system and show 16 SEER, 13 EER and 9 HSPF.

If your state has rebates ( which I believe Florida has, but it’s on the smaller side? ) both should qualify, just need the AHRI number to submit along with other documents.

The Goodman has a tad better manufacturers warranty once registered besides the 10/10 compressor, parts, coil warranty both offer, if the compressor fails in the 1st two years of ownership to register original owner, you get a new outdoor unit.

My friend just had a house built with a Trane Heat Pump and he has those two model numbers that you show. The data plate on the Air Handler and Outdoor Unit what caught my eye was it said “assembled” in the USA. Not made or manufactured in the USA, thinking Goodman may say something similar? That means parts come from all over the world, Mexico, China who know where else... to Tranes credit their metal skin frames is a tad thicker.

Check the standard features of both if that interests you, one may have a tad more standard features.

Both offer extended labor warranty if that interest you. Both offer either a 5 or 10 years, Goodman extended labor warranties are backed by Goodman, whereas Trane uses a 3rd party company.

Are they replacing the existing lineset or installing new, if reusing is the current lineset sized correctly for the new equipment and is it soft solder joint free? R410A runs at upwards of 60% higher refrigerant pressures than R22. If you do have soft solder joints anywhere between the outdoor unit and indoor unit, are they going to leave them there?

If you have a non fused outdoor disconnect is the existing breaker size going to meet the new unit data plate overcurrent rating. The new stuff runs at lower amprege and even thou the tonnage may be the same the maximum over current rating may be less than what you have now. Myself I like to follow the data plate rating during changeout, and even installing a brand new outdoor unit breaker. Breakers are a minimal cost item for a Contractor, seems like a nice thing to do, especially on your older unit breaker, new unit…new breaker…but hey… that’s my thinking…

 

Either will be a mess if installed improperly.
And sadly, improper installs happen more often then not.
This equipment isn’t like a TV, car or refrigerator. Those are already assembled and ready to use when purchased. This hvac equipment is selected, sized and assembled outside of the sterile atmosphere of an assembly plant. The quality and reliability of the equipment is based off the installers skill of doing so.
It’s common for consumers to look for the “best brand” when shopping for big item purchases, but unfortunately there is no simple answer here as to which is best or better then the other.
Do you really need 3 tons? That’s really close to the old school rule of thumb sizing. Which is not good. Is the contractor just replacing what’s there size wise?

 

By your figures, jus a little over 500 sq ft per ton. That looks like it was sized by rule of thumb.

Have has your house been improved since the 90’s? Insulation, air sealing, or upgraded windows. You certainly DON’T want oversized equipment.

Florida usually has high humidity. Staging equipment can remove more humidity than single stage. A ventilating dehumidifier may be indispensable if you choose a single stage system.

 

The current system is 3 ton Intertherm, not sure if that helps knowing that. Some hvac company’s say they replace the lineset others say they can flush it out. The copper runs from the garage to the outside unit through the walls. I am not sure what is correct thing to do. All of them said they will run a new wick and line to the breaker box.

 

The original is 3 ton which is why I thought that is what they would replace with. The only big changes to the house is new windows that are now double pain low e with argon, and new slider that is also low e with argon. The actual heated sq is 1634. Front door faces north and all windows face north/south. Does the equipment I listed have the features you are talking about?

 

The original is 3 ton which is why I thought that is what they would replace with. The only big changes to the house is new windows that are now double pain low e with argon, and new slider that is also low e with argon. The actual heated sq is 1634. Front door faces north and all windows face north/south. Does the equipment I listed have the features you are talking about?

Exactly why a new Manual "J" and "D" are required. This is NOT a free service but more Insurance that it will be sized properly.

 

……..also I will be using a licensed hvac company and have the install done to code. I looked on bbb, yelp, angies, and Nextdoor to make picks. It seems most of the quotes from companies that do not want to pull permit tell me they would use existing lineset, whereas those who will permit would replace.

 

……..also I will be using a licensed hvac company and have the install done to code. I looked on bbb, yelp, angies, and Nextdoor to make picks. It seems most of the quotes from companies that do not want to pull permit tell me they would use existing lineset, whereas those who will permit would replace.

All pay for good review sites.

Friends, neighbor's, church groups
Recommendation's and follow up on them!

 

You’ve made changes to the houses envelope. I would suggest finding a company that does correct load calculations.
What is the units runtime on very hot days? How is indoor humidity? What is the average cycle time in the summer?

 

.
Unique building under all types of weather and conditions and unfortunately mostly by questionable persons.

^^^
All true.
Support means alot...locally (mid south) Trane is not as well supported as Goodman.

If the support in Florida is better then I think Trane would be a no brainer....
..