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Message |
    
Heather Marvell
Citizen
Username: Saltbagel
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 2:34 pm: | 
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Hello - We are new home owners and are looking for somebody to install or fix (as the case may be) our central air system.
Please could you provide recommendations?
Thank You
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Innisowen
Citizen
Username: Innisowen
Post Number: 531
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 3:28 pm: |
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Regardless of whom you use, I'd get several estimates and references first. There have been a number of changes in the past couple of years in local contractors and providers. Someone who may have been dependable two years ago may have had a change in reputation.
Caveat emptor. |
Michael K. Mc Kell
Citizen
Username: Greenerose
Post Number: 573
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 5:11 pm: |
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If you find yourself shopping for a new system I suggest the UNICO system. It will run about $15K-$20K but is well worth it. |
Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 106
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 7:27 pm: |
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This is a great time to do this type of work, from what I understand, you can get a better price than in the summer time when everyone is desperate for a new system to keep cool with... Why not do a search of this board to check out what folks have said in the recent past!
PS - you most definitely want to get several estimates since prices can vary wildly!!
GOOD LUCK! |
Heather Marvell
Citizen
Username: Saltbagel
Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 8:25 pm: |
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Hello
Thank you for the advice thus far.
To add a little more color we are looking for a “Forced Air Systems" providing both hot and cold.
I have search around “Maplewood Online” and found a few references:
Weltman - They came out today and provided a quote for a Lennox system.
Is this system Okay? What about Weltman?
Gateway – Not doing this type of work they suggested we try Indoor Air.
Please let us know if you have any other suggestions.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3945
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 9:30 pm: |
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We installed a Unico last January (winter discount made the installation ~$13K, which is a great savings).
Air Group out of Whippany did it. We gutted our kitchen & den in May for a total renovation & Air Group left the ducts in the ceiling in January. When it was time to drop & install them in June, they squeezed us in at a moments' notice, even tho it was their busy season. They also refrained from billing us the last third until we had a chance to crank the system in summer & make sure it worked. We needed one more duct installed & they were there within days.
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. We don't happen to have forced air heat, but the system could handle both.
I've not used Weltman, but people I know who have tended to think they were much more highly priced. I also think it's best to use someone who specializes in this type of work. Air Group was in & out in two days on the original install. It's all they do & they are very good at it. Kudos to Gateway for stickng to what they do best & referring you on. |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 61
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 10:08 pm: |
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Thank you Miss Marvell and greentree. Just a quick correction. We (Gateway) recommended Air Group also. The Indoor Air rec. must have come from someone else. I don't know them. |
Heather Marvell
Citizen
Username: Saltbagel
Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 9:37 am: |
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Hello David
You are correct - it was my error, when I wrote this I was looking at there web page the title read "Indoor Air". You did say "Air Group".
Air Group – I followed up last night and left a message on their sales voicemail.
I will let you know the outcome.
PS - I would like to mention Gateway responded to my call within 30 min - Great Service.
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Maplemom
Citizen
Username: Maplemom
Post Number: 143
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 6:06 am: |
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Greentree,
Did you have those new little pipes put in or the standard ducts (for that price)? I keep hearing about some new way of doing it with skinny pipes that don't take up space. The house we're buying has central a/c but has the standard ducts, I was curious about the cost of putting in the little ones to free up space(someday). |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3951
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 9:57 am: |
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Maple- these are flexible aluminum & plastic coils that drop thru closets & existing spaces. Therefore, they are called "ductless" but not really. The coils are about 4-5 inches in diameter & can be smushed together to a point. We lost very little closet space. In fact, we had hooks for belts & things in one closet & they configured the coils around the hooks so we could still use them. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7769
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 10:02 am: |
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JUst from a cost point of view if you have existing duct work it probably makes sense to keep it.
The high velocity smaller ducts are great for remodel situations, but I doubt if they work any better than regular duct work. |
microgem
Citizen
Username: Microgem
Post Number: 48
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 1:33 pm: |
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We had Air Group replace our old central air conditioning system. I highly recommend them. |
Michael Janay
Citizen
Username: Childprotect
Post Number: 1637
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 2, 2005 - 11:35 am: |
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We LOVE our Unico system!! |
tourne
Citizen
Username: Tourne
Post Number: 384
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 2, 2005 - 9:13 pm: |
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Don't forget to ask for an Energy Star rated system. It will save you a lot of money on energy costs once installed. If your contractor does not know about Energy Star or says it doesn't matter, they are not qualified to do the work. |
mammabear
Citizen
Username: Mammabear
Post Number: 181
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 5:34 pm: |
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Heather- my brother in law and cousin are both in the contracting/plumbing business (not together) and both talked us OUT of going with a forced air system (the kind that does both heating and cooling) Apparently, our climate is too cold here in NJ for those systems - that is why most of our houses have boilers. When I lived in MD, it was more common to have that type of system. Yes, those systems will heat your home, but the second they stop blowing, you lose heat rather quickly, especially if you have an older, poorly insulated home like most of us do! With steam heat, even when the boiler stops, the radiators remain warm and continue to heat the house. This is not true of the forced hot air systems.
Finally, we have friends who renovated an older home in Westfield and did install that system and ended up regretting it. It ran constantly, was not efficient, and they had a constantly chilly home. |
mammabear
Citizen
Username: Mammabear
Post Number: 182
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 5, 2005 - 5:36 pm: |
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One last thing...we had central air installed 2 years ago. We got the Space Pack system (small vents/ducts) and we LOVE it!!! We used Service Professionals from Rahway, NJ and they were AWESOME!!! We have recommended them to various people in the area and everyone has raved about them! |
tourne
Citizen
Username: Tourne
Post Number: 386
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 12:38 am: |
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Hot air systems are one of the most efficient ways to heat your home. They do cause dryness and really require a built in humidifier and good air cleaner. They are used all over, regardless of climate. All houses should be insulated well. If a house is not well insulated, money would be better spent insulating than installing a new heating system of any kind. Retrofitting a steam heated home with hot air may not be worth the money if the house is poorly insulated. However, you can get a 97% efficient gas hot air furnace. Whereas, a boiler tops off at about 85% efficient. |
eliz
Supporter
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 1015
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 6:09 pm: |
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I dunno Mammabear - I grew up in a very cold part of Canada and everyone has forced air and we never had the cold spots that I have now in my steam heated house... |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 63
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 7:29 pm: |
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"However, you can get a 97% efficient gas hot air furnace. Whereas, a boiler tops off at about 85% efficient." - Complete Apples and Oranges comparison. The efficiencies of the 2 types of heat refers to the rate at which the burning fuel transfers its energy to the medium being heated (air vs. water). Of course there is a higher immediate transfer of heat to the air through thin metal than you get waiting for water to heat up. It's in the delivery, recovery and energy held by the latent heat of the water that beats forced air every time. Why do you think forced air heat is practically nonexistent in Europe? |
snowmom
Citizen
Username: Snowmom
Post Number: 213
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 8:33 pm: |
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Forced Air is also known as "hot dust"; not recommended if you have allergies, asthma, etc.
AS for CAC, Custom Air from LittleFalls is the expert comapny in dealing with old homes. The company president is extremely knowdegable about steam hat. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7824
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 4:21 am: |
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I have never lived in a house with forced air heat. However, everyone I know who does, doesn't like it. The only good point is that it is easy to install central air.
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Travis
Citizen
Username: Travis
Post Number: 67
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 5:59 am: |
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"The only good point is that it is easy to install central air...."
And that I suspect is the only reason FHA caught on big time in the US.... |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 273
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 9:05 am: |
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Make sure whatever you do you buy the best filter system your manufacturer offers. I got an electrostaic Honeywell unit and last year was the first time in memory that my allergies weren't killing me in the house in the spring.
I'd just turn on the AC fan and let it clean the air ... when the winter comes, I find that the occasional 'cold spot' can be overcome by turning on my AC Fans (not making cold, moving warm).
If you're looking to spend a ton of money, put in a good hot water system for heat (or a hot water coil in the Air Handler). This is probably a best way to go, provided of course that you don't skimp on the air cleaning ...
The Honeywell Unit I have uses a replaceable filter for pre-filtering and then an electrostatic thing which removes allergans. So far its been working as designed and has not cost 'extra' to run.
If you have a choice on how to provide the heat, hot water works better...its 'softer' ... What I know about forced air systems is that the people I know who use them (family) run the fan 24/7 as it 'seems' to keep the house more even tempered. (since they all have the deluxe filters and allergies that is also part of it).
I know that my dad found, after adding CAC to his HotWater Baseboard home, that by running the fans all the time that his elecric did NOT go up by the amount that his gas WENT DOWN so he had a savings and from the AC standpoint the electric went down over window based units.
I don't know what the payoff (roi) was but I know that in terms of future sale, CAC and good working heat (whatever the version) are big return items (AC particularly)
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Lucky13
Citizen
Username: Lucky13
Post Number: 20
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 10:09 am: |
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as a "greenie" i would like to mention that attic exhaust fans are more than sufficient for us. in fact, my wife complains it gets too cold at night if the fan is running. |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 1031
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 12:07 pm: |
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I sent you a PL regarding one of the contractors mentioned here.
As far as A/C contractors go, I have seen a few installations here in Maplewood, seems that Air Group is the way to go. I would use them if I had to do it again.
We had it installed (before I learned of AirGroup) by a Rahway company. Price was good and good quality of the equipment, but I can't recommend them since some of the work was done a little rushed, and it shows.
Look at the Carrier web site, IMHO they have the best equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings.
Don't make the final payment before everything has passed inspection and you are completely satisfied. |
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