But system and May of this year went down before the heat started. Glad I changed out the old system.
Review byPattyboy - Source: Goodman Manufacturing
- Verified Buyer
Posted on
Great Replacement, Great Price
Price
100%
Quality
100%
Service
100%
Situation
This furnace replaced an 80's model 100,000 Input BTU furnace with an estimated efficiency of 60-66% (60,000 to 66,000 Output BTU). This unit has an 80,000 Input BTU rating at 96% efficiency (Output 1st Stage at 76,800, 2nd Stage at 53,760). The previous furnace was also suspect in contributing to the dangerous accumulation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in our home since other major improvements were made.
Installation
The dimensions of this furnace allowed for an elevated installation which required minimal modifications to the existing return ductwork and condensate drain line. The return ductwork only required a shortening of a piece of duct prior to attachment to the new unit. The drain line modification required a couple of new fittings to add the exhaust condensate lines to an existing drain line from the coil that needed to be repaired and rerouted anyway. The intake and exhaust requirements required more extensive installation of new plumbing to a side wall vent kit but was a very welcome change as the existing flue is hindering floorplan changes that we would like to make.
Impressions of Unit Construction
The unit was impressive in that it was light enough to be manageable for installation on my own with no other assistance. The overall build quality appears to be excellent at this price point as I had no issues with the unit twisting or tweaking during the installation process.
Impressions of Performance
The upgrade from a single-stage direct natural venting furnace to this 2-stage direct vent furnace has been immediately evident. I have yet to truly test the furnace with the 2nd stage, but I'm already impressed with the 1st stage performance. To be fair, my suspected efficiency of the previous unit results in the 1st stage of this new unit having a near matching output. I have confidence that when I need to heat the space quickly, this unit will be more than capable over the previous unit. This situation should be mostly limited due to the programming of our Sensi Thermostat (soon to be upgraded to an ecobee Premium, I am a Generac Dealer).
Forecast
I expect that our heating bill will drop significantly to around 40-50% of our previous bills. I already have the thermostat programmed to run the fan approximately 35% of each hour to assist in leveling temperature throughout the home.
It also doesn’t appear to be immediately expressed, but this unit has kept the door open for us to consider our air-conditioning upgrade future. I’ve found that this unit will allow us to pursue either a “dual fuel” or heat pump only setup (granted the air-handler is probably not sufficient for a true heat pump only setup). I’ll choose a “dual fuel” setup if I opt to include the installation of a heat pump. This is mostly influenced by my ability and desire to be able to custom configure the system and how it will run while on generator backup.
Summary
This unit has been a great replacement for an increasingly ageing, expensive, and dangerous installation. The installation was fairly easy for someone with no HVAC and much electrical trade experience. The performance at 50% (1st Stage only) should more than cover what we’ve come to expect from our previous unit.
Review byMGESI
- Verified Buyer
Posted on
Simple and Easy
Price
100%
Quality
100%
Service
100%
What a quick and simple way to make sure you have all you need to ensure your furnace will be looked after.
Our heating service technician recommended the Goodman high efficiency furnace as a replacement for our 25 year old mid efficiency! We can't believe the difference.