RON

several questions.

what size do you have now? how has it performed?

just to be clear, what exactly do you mean by a "triple split heat pump system"?

here are my personal specs for a new HP system.

15 SEER, 12.5 EER, 9 HSPF
best matching var speed air handler
full BTUs in cooling and heating for the rated size
R410a refrigerant(Puron)
new and correctly sized refrigerant lineset
scroll compressor
electronic demand defrost preferred
staged backup heat strip
thermistat with "dehumidify on demand" feature
a system that qualifies for Fed Govt tax credit

I like Trane and Am Standard HPs but they are losing their competitiveness in both price and performance/efficiency numbers plus the larger sizes do not qualify for the tax credit.

At this moment, I think Carrier's Performance 15 "H" mdl(Bryant's Preferred 15 "H" mdl is identical) has the best combination of price, quality, and performance/efficiency numbers.

I would strongly recommend a thorough inspection of your ductwork system. Now is the time to address any problem areas as far as hot/cold spots within your home.

IMO

Ron, I did plenty of research and decided on Trane and I'm very happy with my HP it's 3.5 ton. It does qualify for the tax credit but some in the higher tons do not.

Here some reasons that helped me decide:
I live in Fl and my previous service tech who's company serviced my 8 yr old york and other brands said trane was better suited for our climate the way it was built.

Trane is mostly if not all made in the USA, many others have parts and or motors from Mexico and China, I'm told.

17,000 readers sent in surveys from consumers reports 7/09 and rated these HP's equally reliable Trane, Am stand, carrier, rheem & bryant.

32,000 readers surveyed @ CS on least repairs per brand on A/C's Rheem, Ruud are sister companies and so are Trane and Am standard

It can be overwhelming, I hope this narrows it down for you.

Tigerdunes -
"Triple-split" is the term I have heard used when the compressor is located outside of the heat pump housing. In my case the compressor is in the garage, HP is outside and air handler is in the house. It may be referred to as something else as well but the folks I have talked to call it that.

The specs you list are likely what I will go with (at least very close). Specs aside, my biggest concern has to do with top brands. Top meaning reliable, efficient, good warranty, etc.

The current system has heated well but has not cooled very well since we moved here in '96. And yes, I will have the duct system looked over to ensure everything is sized correctly.

Carrier doesn't seem to have a very good warranty. Would that concern you at all?

Golfer1512 -
I had someone who works in the industry tell me Tranes aren't what they used to be and the manufacturer isn't standing behind their warranty in some cases. That's only one persons experience but it concerns me.

I have heard of the stats from CR saying Rheems require less repairs. I have a contractor coming over next week who swears they are the best HPs out there right now. But I am a natural born skeptic when someone is selling me something! :- )

Thank you both for replying! I really do appreciate it.

Please keep the responses coming as the more information I have the better.

Ron

Ron

anecdotally, Trane condensers hold up better in a salt water environment. I stand by my statement about Trane losing its competitiveness. A good product but overpriced and certainly not keeping up in performance/eff numbers.

as far as warranty, Carrier Performance HPs are covered for 10 yrs if properly registered within 90 days.

see link below.

what size are you replacing?

I still recommend the Performance 15 "H" mdl as a best value HP.

IMO

Here is a link that might be useful: Carrier Heat Pump Comparison

Thanks, Tigerdunes.

I'm not sure what the size of the existing unit is. I would go check but I need to run as I am heading out of town for several days. Probably won't be back here until Wednesday night sometime.

Do you think the Infinity 16 is overkill? Also, the Carrier warranty doesn't seem to include labor and that concerns me. However, I may look into purchasing a warranty that includes some labor coverage. That's something I need to take into consideration when comparing costs to Rheems, for example.

Bryant and Carrier have 10yr on parts and you can purchase and extended labor warranty 2,5,10 years.

I live also in Fl and work on all of them. Trane is good so is Carrier and Bryant, Lennox, Rheem/Rudd. I tend to stay away from models that are lower end. They don't last as long and are more noisy. Every brand makes the lower end models and some brands make a living off of the lower end like goodman.

Get the right contractor let them sell you on their product knowledge and customer service.

Sometimes when I go give an estimate I'm competing with 5 or 6 other companies. So just don't get one estimate.
I might be competing with 3 other Bryant Dealers and we give different prices for the services we provide with the same equipment. Believe it or not there is much more than just the system. Installation of little things like over flow drain sensor. Condenser pad. rebuilding/insulating the return air, the list goes on and you get what you pay for.

Ron... ever heard of a company called Air Ease... up until last september I hadn't either. They're owned by Lennox. I put two Air Ease heat pumps in based on the recommendation of a friend of mine who happens to be in the a/c field. In fact he owns the company. These are not the lower end Air Ease hp's. These were their top of the line units and I have to tell you that I am able to keep my house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter then I ever was able to do with my old Carrier units. And these units are extremely quiet, especially in the a/c mode.. The warranty is 10 years on the parts and labor. I've had mine going on a year now and so far I couldn't be happier. Good luck with your decision and remember the installation is just as important as what brand you buy.

Roland