az_repair_gal
Senior Apprentice Appliantologist
| Joined: | Mon Mar 27th, 2006 |
| Location: | Phoenix, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 58 |
| Flavorite Brew: | Corona |
| Status: |
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Hi All,
We have a 5-ton Goettl package heat pump, installed in 1993, that works ok but needs a little work (condenser fan motor bearings, contacts, evap coil needs cleaning, etc.). Three times in the past 8 months, the compressor has shut off on overload due to the loose bearings getting too hot. We turn it off for about an hour to cool down, switch it back on and it works fine.
So, ok. 17 years is more than we could reasonably expect to get out of a heat pump - especially here in Phoenix - and the Feds have that rebate program going, so we called out a company to perform the Manual J calculation and price a new unit for us. The guy did not do the full Manual J but confirmed that we do need a 5-ton. Based on what I've been able to find in threads on this site, that seems to be correct.
Now here's where it gets interesting. I fully expected the guy to try to sell us a high-end system. Instead, he told us that we have an over/under unit, and without jerry rigging the duct work (or overhauling it to the tune of about $1,500-2,000), there is only one 5-ton system on the market that will work - a 13 SEER Trane entry level over/under package unit with single-stage compressor. Ugh.
So, no Federal rebate, no Trane rebate, no energy savings to speak of - and just shy of $6,000 installed. The Trane has less capacity (53,500 BTU vs. 58,000 in our existing 11 SEER unit), so we will not really be gaining much, if anything, with the 'upgrade.' And, the Trane unit comes with only a 5-year parts/compressor warranty, not the standard 10-year. Crud.
The Goettl has performed like a champ for us for more than 17 years. When we were told that the repairs would come in at somewhere around $650-800, we were all set to send it into graceful retirement. But now we're starting to rethink this. Given that we really don't have an urgent need to replace the unit, and that there are no attractive replacement options, what if we repair the Goettl and hold off on the replacement unit for a while? We could easily get a few more years out of this system with the new parts. We would of course be gambling that the compressor will not go out, but it has never given us any trouble. And if it did go out, the total repair cost would still be less than half the cost of a new unit.
$6K is a huge chunk of change. We would be gambling about 1/10 of that if we go with the repairs. It represents something of a risk, but right now we are strongly leaning toward the repairs. Your thoughts, as always, are greatly appreciated. What would you do if were your unit and your money...? 
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