# New Furnace



## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

ScottyG126 said:


> The two furnaces that I have it narrowed down to are the Payne PG96VAT and the Bryant Evolution 986T.
> ...is the Bryant unit worth the extra...


Probably not.

But if you're gonna do a comparison compare two actually different makerss.
Most important qual though as always remains WHO is doing the work.


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## user_12345a (Nov 23, 2014)

They're similar if not the same products. The bryant can use a communicating thermostat.

Everything else being equal I wouldn't spend an extra $1000.

Payne is a lower end carrier/bryant and that line is similar to heil/keeprite/tempstar/comfort maker. You have to check individual unit specs to see when it's the same as bryant/carrier or not.

I'm not fond of either unit.

While they have variable speed blowers, the heating is non adjustable (beyond the option to drop airflow 7% on low, 10% on high) and at higher duct pressures the airflow drops so you can run into issues getting proper airflow on high heat if your ducts are marginally sized.

This can be confirmed by looking at the tech guides of both units and airflow vs duct pressure.

*But, you have to actually check the blower performance chart for the exact size/blower capacity you're being quoted. Take this with a grain of salt because I didn't look at the chart for the unit you were quoted, the programming on some sizes may be better than others.

The charts for the carrier infinity 2-stage/variable (similar to bryant) show it maintains airflow better.*

Most variable speed blowers offer direct compensation and will maintain proper heating airflow over a much larger duct pressure range. This ability is the main feature of this blower type.

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Just remember, this isn't like buying a tv or fridge. It has to be "right fit" for your house and ducts and must be set up correctly.

80 000 btu/hr at 90%+ is a lot of heat and for a 2000 sq ft house so it better be a bungalow, poorly insulated, have high ceilings/lots of windows or be in an extremely cold climate to justify that size.

Really a load calculation is required to determine size, the existing one could be too big or have a rated output in between 60 and 80k and they upsize rather than downsize to be "safe". 

When the unit is too big, the benefit 2-stage is greatly reduced.

Low fire has higher btu output so the cycles can be almost as short as a smaller single stage.

For example, payne 80 000 btu is 52 000 btu/hr on low.

The 60 000 btu input is 39 000 btu/hr on low.

Which one is going to run more, be quieter, keep the temperature more consistent?

If you get 2-stage, you should get a 2-stage thermostat. (at least one extra thermostat wire required, needs to be pulled if you have 4 or less now!)

With a one stage stat, a timer runs it on low for 1 to 16 minutes on carrier/bryant/payne. After the time delay, it cycles to high and stays there until thermostat shuts the unit off. Delay depends on length of previous cycles.

2-stage stat only brings on high heat only when low is insufficient and has the ability to drop it back down to low, cycle between low and high.

If a new wire needs to be pulled it's more work for the contractor - many will take the easy way out and run it on a timer, claim it's better. 

The quote should have specific details in it like required metal transitions, venting, thermostat, commissioning etc. It should have the complete furnace model number so you know which blower size you're getting.

They have to verify everything is working to spec after install and set blower speeds for size of a/c installed if applicable.

See if you can get a good labour warranty if you can - a big chunk of the repair cost is labour.


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## Calson (Jan 23, 2019)

We replaced our furnace with one that was 20% less in terms of BTU's but with a variable speed motor and we are more comfortable with the thermostat set at 67 degrees with the new furnace than we were with the old furnace set 5 degrees higher. The variable speed fan is on circ mode and so the air is moved around the house and we don't have hot and cold zones.


With anything like this I check online for posted service issues and reliability problems. The new electronics tend to be the primary point of failure and the reliability varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. I would not trust reviews more than a couple years old as too much changes over time to trust them. 



I would definitely want a warranty longer than 1 year even if it meant buying an extended warranty. The control board for a furnace can cost well over $500 and add in the cost of the service call(s).


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## supers05 (May 23, 2015)

Calson said:


> I would not trust reviews more than a couple years old as too much changes over time to trust them.


Not really. HVAC equipment changes very very slowly. ECM blowers are the latest addition. Modulation is decades old. Of course you can always get a lemon run off the assembly line, but in the residential side of things, it's pretty stable. 

The far more important aspect is who is installing the furnace, not the brand. Those are the important reviews. Don't forget that a significant portion of reviews of anything are paid fakes. Word of mouth is far more reliable. Ask your friends, neighbors, family for their experiences with the local companies. 

Cheers!


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