• Central Air Conditioning Buying Guide
• Most Reliable Central Air Conditioning Systems

1. there are multiple "tri state" areas, which one are you?

2. Carrier/Bryant is fine.

3. A straight swap should cost anywhere from $4000-$6000, depending on your location and the precise models and size you get.

4. If you are looking at a simple replacement of your existing flex ductwork, maybe $1500. If you have metal ductwork, I'd seriously consider keeping it and insulating it.

And, are those normally good reliable brands?

about as reliable as anything else.

Costs right now are thru the roof and not likely to get better any time soon. Equipment can be difficult to get right now... more than just the pandemic effecting this situation as the current refrigerant being used is in the midst of a phase down and eventual ban. (They will do this via cost to buy it, just like they are doing with R22 Freon right now.) DOE is changing things starting in 2023 on top of everything else.

The newer refrigerants coming next year 2023 are not here yet.

Anything you buy this year? you may escape the drama of what is to come (for a time), provided your system doesn't spring a freon leak.

Going forward it will matter less and less what the brand name is and more and more the refrigerant type that it uses to provide the cooling.

Cost is what is going to drive replacements of the future. If the refrigerant goes to $1000 - $2000 a drum or more under that scenario more cost effective to replace the unit with a new one that uses a different cheaper refrigerant. Cost of ownership is going to be the new theme.

Say what? Why is this happening? Details in the video below... after that look to "Freon Wars" The fun begins in 2023.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

For bonus points: count the number of cartoon characters on the landing page of Ray's cartoon.

The answer is six, Ray.