Amana and all of the Nordyne made equipment have an excellent reputation and their warranties are absolutely the best. I sell Westinghouse, also made by Nordyne, and offer the same as what you've been quoted. The extended parts and labor figure is good... axctually a little better than mine.

What does Amana have to do with Nordyne?

And yes, $300 is good for a 10 year P&L as long as it is through Amana/Goodman or Equiguard, not the dealer.

Thanks for the replies! The warranty is through Amana/Goodman.

What are the model numbers of the condenser and air handler?

The model numbers are ASZ140301A + AEPF3036
Links:
http://www.amana-hac.com/Home/Products/HeatPumpSystems/14SEERASZ14/tabid/341/Default.aspx

http://www.amana-hac.com/Home/Products/AirHandlers/AEPFSeries/tabid/298/Default.aspx

From the American Refrigeration Institute (ARI) website, that combination is 30,000 btu coooling (a full 2.5 tons), 13 EER, 15 SEER, 28,000 btu heating at 47 degrees, 8.5 HSPF. Those are solid numbers, especially the EER which dictates your cooling costs.

The AEPF is the variable speed air handler. The "F" means flowrater expansion device in the evap coil. That heat pump is ARI-rated with a TXV (thermostatic expansion valve) which regulates refrigerant flow to the evap coil in cooling mode. The TXV provides optimum cooling under all conditions. The TXV is a $55 option for Goodman/Amana and I recommend getting one (as I have one on my Goodman). You can't miss the TXV when it is installed - it is field-installed on the outside of the air handler and wrapped in a black foam insulation blanket like a beer can cooler.

I also would get new refrigerant lines because you have R410A refrigerant.

The 1" filter rack in the air handler is poorly designed. I literally have to rip out the old filter and struggle to install a new filter. I would get a separate media filter cabinet and avoid this aggravation.

Best to you.

Again thank you for the help. I verified that yes the contractor is installing the expansion valve kit (TX2N4) + installing new copper lines. The contractor says he could use the original copper lines which he would clean with Nitrogen. This would save $200 on the install.

What is the effect of reusing the original copper on the new system?

Ansewered my own question. Go with a new lineset. Here is a link to an article that strongly recommends replacement but does go through what to do if replacement is near impossible. http://www.contractingbusiness.com/25/Issue/Article/False/77425/Issue

Here is a link that might be useful: R-22 to R-410a lineset cleaning

From what I have read, 410A likes to suck up contaminents (in old copper lines) and water. Cleanliness is next to godliness when installing 410A. I had an R22 system installed so it wasn't as critical.

FYI, nitrogen is used while brazing the copper lines to prevent copper oxide scaling which can plug the TXV with oxide flakes. Nitrogen has nothing to do with cleaning old copper lines. I believe they use some kind of acid to clean the lines.

For $200, I would go with new lines (cheap insurance).

The TX2N4 is listed for 410A systems > 1 1/2 tons.

I also installed a hard-start capacitor with my TXV. The hard start cap provides extra starting juice. It is required for recip compressors with a TXV, not sure if required for scroll compressors with TXV but I put one in anyway.

What about your air filter?

FYI, copper scrap is $2 per pound. If you save your old copper from the refrigerant lines and coils (and clean it up) and take it to a scrap yard, you could be looking at $50 to $100 cash.

I took the TXV number fromt the cutsheet, the contractor did not know the exact number when I called him to confirm that they are installing one tomorrow.

As far as the air filter goes, the AHU is in the garage recessed in the wall. The builder of the house put a filter rack inside the house in the return air plenum in the ceiling above the thermostat. I use a 18x24x1 pleated merv-8 filter which I change every 2 weeks. I was thinking of using the slot in the bottom of the new AHU for a second less expensive filter just as extra protection from dust. My wife shows and breeds dogs. They bring in a lot of dust. That is why I have to change filters so often.

Scrapping the old copper is a great idea. Thanks.

The TXV# looks like the correct#, I was just confirming it.

You have to watch adding another filter - maybe too much of a pressure drop with 2 filters.

I like your choice of MERV 8 filter which I use also. I use the NaturalAire Standard MERV 8 pleated filters made by Flanders. A 3-pack is $7 at Home Depot.

I got $57 for the copper ($2/pound) and aluminum ($.50/pound) from my old 3-ton heat pump. If you have time, it pays to cut out as much clean copper as you can from the inside and outside coils as clean copper fetches more $$ from the scrap yard. My co-worker got over $100 as he had a 5-ton unit with more copper.

Best to you.

NORDYNE SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS!!!!!