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Question
John -we live in Phoenix & have 2 Trane heat pump units that are 13 yrs. old w/seer rating of 11/12. We have 2700 sq. ft., and one of the air handlers in in the attic. Our home is a Centex built w/integra block. We don't have any issues with the units, but wonder if it is time to replace them? If so,
what do you recommend. Thank you for your time, M
Marcia,
You can easily get another decade from your equipment if you have some preventative maint. done. Contactors changed and freon levels, coils ( for dirt ) ect looked at. The most important thing you can do is be aggressive with your filter change/cleaning and keep all your vents open. A once a year tune up is only about 20 bucks a month cost and will extend your equipment life and keep utility costs down.
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Answers by Expert:
john t. borgman
Experience
I was lucky enough to start in this field almost 30 years ago as an installer, for a company that installed the best duct systems I have ever seen, even to this day. The best ,as far as understanding the way air really flows through a duct system, from the return air to the very last supply register . They also had great pride and the duct work was put in, not only to last 50 years, but to look exceptional. Then as I started doing service work, I was again fortunate that I found a 3 year engineering class being put on be a man that was the educational director for the Entire united states for a society called " the Refrigeration Service Engineering Society " And for the next 3 years I schooled at night and practiced what I learned during the day, a great advantage over schooling and then trying to remember it years later.. Versed in duct design manual J heat gain/loss calculations.
Organizations
Refrigeration Service Engineer's Society
Publications
I have 2 inventions that have gone through the process and been recorded at the National Institute of Standards and Technology from start to finish and thus been invited to national innovation workshops by the dept. of Commerce and the dept. of Energy. They are waste heat recovery devices that N.I.S.T approved as valid and am currently looking for marketing partners to get this product into the hands of consumers and make a BIG difference in Energy savings for every Household and Eatery and take a big bite in the the peak hours power consumption that face our Utilities companies.
Education/Credentials
factory training in Lennox ,Rheem, Ruud ,Trane, Tempstar ,Carrier, Day&Night, Payne, Bryant, Coleman, Intertherm, York, Goodman, Ultra boilers, Unico, Mitsubishi,Sanyo, Taylor, Nicewonger, Navien. Associates degree in Refrigeration Engineering. Certified with Energy Department, Check-me Program, P.T.C.S (performance tested comfort systems ), have N.A.T.E. certifications in gas, a/c & heat pump.
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