You don't provide enough information to know if the price you were quoted is good or not.

RUUD 4 ton Heat pump with furnace (dual fuel set up) would be pricey. RUUD makes more than 1 kind of unit in the config of 4 ton.

RUUD brand is predominantly all communicating equipment now (2023) which will require proprietary communicating controls that are also pricey. The price they are quoting you is likely reflective of more efficient equipment... with out specifics --- your guess is as good as mine.

You said replace everything... but what does that mean? How much work are they quoting? The more work they do -- costs more money -- duct work? line sets? new filter returns? IAQ or indoor air quality filtration? Condensing Furnace upgrade? --- new PVC flue pipe for furnace flue?

Where is the work being done? Different regions, higher cost of living --- everything costs more in those areas.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

The first question is why is it necssary to replace 15 year HVAC equipment? Have you had to make multiple repairs? If so what is the current problem?

Thanks Austin! I am in your area as well. By everything I mean outside ac machine and furnace and coil

This is 18k
Its RUUD 15AZ 15 Seer 2 4 ton
Standard efficiency coil 4 ton
RUUD R802 furnace

Another one for 20k
Carrier comfort 24ABC6 AC 4 ton and
58SB0 furnace 90000 but carrier

Mike, I was told that my refrigerant is very low. It does not cool well in hot days. Does not go below 77.

Update: for the exact carrier unit specs I got almost half a price quote. I dont know what to call it but it is sad to see some of these so called professionals.

They are both bottom-of-the-line ("builder grade") systems. Half price seems about right.

The only way to get a good sense of a fair (local) price is to get multiple bids.

Mike, I was told that my refrigerant is very low. It does not cool well in hot days. Does not go below 77.

Probably refrigerant leak in the e-coil. Could be other problem possibly in addition to that??? yes that's also possible, why you pay to have the unit inspected. Did you call the guy from the TV by chance? (you know no money, 0 none for professional advice) Assuming you watch broadcast TV? Not that it matters I'm just curious.

The only real advantage replacing everything now is that you'll get to skip a generation of equipment that is coming. The down side is the price of freon is set to jump as early as next year due to another 30% production cut to supply next year.

So if your new unit springs a freon leak... and it will we just don't know how soon. It could be 3 years, or less ---it could be 8 years? pick a number. Yeah fun times in the land of HVAC.

For Texas there's likely to be a hard freeze in 2025 for any new R410a equipment --- there won't be any R410a units allowed. This shouldn't effect repairing units for a little while, except for costs of materials like refrigerant being a primary driver of repair costs going forward.

They learned alot from the R22 phase out. R410a is likely to be expedited. The phaseouts don't end there -- big plans come in 2035/2036 again.

Is your old unit R22 or R410a?

Why is all this happening? I knew you might be curious so I laid it out for you from beginning to end on my website. A really entertaining story if you like these kinds of stories. Like: Oh my Grand Ma what big freon bills you have? Click here for the juicy details.

Hi, HU,

While your system may indeed need replacement, a system that can't cool below 77F on the hottest days of the year in Houston, TX could very well be performing within acceptable design conditions.

Indoor design conditions for a home in Houston, TX are 75F summer and 70F winter (ACCA Manual J.) The outdoor design conditions for Houston are 99F (1%) summer and 27F winter (99%) (ASHRAE.) While outdoor temperatures can exceed summer design temperature and go below the winter design temperature, sizing a system for rarely encountered conditions results in a system that oversized 99% of the time. Such systems cost more, perform less efficiently, and typically, deliver lower comfort levels. When the outdoor temperature exceeds 99F you should expect your system to cool within 20F to 25F of the outdoor temperature. A 22F differential and an outdoor temperature of 99 would be an indoor temperature of 77F which is what you have as your limit. An indoor temperature of 77F and a 25F differential would be an outdoor temperature of 102F

What is equally, if not more important with regard to comfort in air conditioning mode is the relative humidity. Make sure your replacement system is designed to provide adequate dehumidification. Ask whatever contractors you are considering how they went about sizing the replacement system. In my opinion, nothing should be specified without visual inspection and leakage testing of your existing ductwork. If you can reduce duct leakage, you may find you can get by with a smaller, less expensive system and you'll benefit from lower operating costs year 'round.

Update: for the exact carrier unit specs I got almost half a price quote.

Verify you will be getting the same type of installation (thermostat, refrigerant lines, etc.) on both of these quotes. Look into the reputation of each of the installers. If permits are required in your area ask the installer if there will be a permit application and is it included in the price.

My current unit use R410a. I may be able to keep it two more summer but kinda surviving. The quote for 18-20k has thermostat and air purifier but it is 10k more than other quotes for the same specs without thermostat and air-purifier. The maintenance person told me that the refrigerant is very less in the unit. Thats all.

My current unit use R410a. I may be able to keep it two more summer but kinda surviving.

No one knows for sure how long an AC will last especially in a hot climate. 15 years is the national average. Texas average is typically a few years less than the national average but not always. It greatly depends what's wrong with the system.

Is the compressor damaged? a compressor can run and still be damaged. If all you get is mildly cool air like you suggest 77F is as low as it goes --- this could be freon leak or a low pumper compressor (a compressor with weak valves). This is why you pay a pro to inspect it to find out.

Last year I got a job in which the compressor was a no pumper. It would run, but no cooling at all. The more common is freon (refrigerant) leaks.

You could possibly repair it if it is indeed a freon leak (R410a) - If that does fix it that doesn't make you a new unit, but it gives you some time to think without sweating bullets. If your refrigerant was R22 -- better to just replace it -- not that you can't fix it, but the cost of the refrigerant really doesn't put you in a good position going forward from 2023.

There are risks to repairing an older AC unit like I suggest above. The risk is you spend money to fix it and a few days, weeks, months, years go by and it breaks again --- usually in the older parts of the system. Notice I varied how long it might be? Because no one knows for sure how much time your system has left.

Typically the most time I see for Texas area is about 18 years. However this doesn't mean this age is never beaten here... just that it's not that common. I had one several years ago that was about 25 years old when he died (shorted compressor). You just never know until you try.

You as well as I know the end is coming for your AC, but repairing it gives you some time to save up and get the system you want instead of being forced into something it doesn't sound like you are ready for.

Parts of this repair option are going to become tricky and sticky once 2025 gets here, if the R410a equipment ban is implemented as I currently think it will be.

I service the Katy, Texas area.

"You could possibly repair it if it is indeed a freon leak (R410a) - If that does fix it that doesn't make you a new unit, but it gives you some time to think without sweating bullets. If your refrigerant was R22 -- better to just replace it...." DuPont sold a number of halocarbon refrigerants under the "Freon" brand name including both R-22 and R-410a.

If the refrigerant (R-410a) is low, then you have a leak and you won't make it through two more summers. I am a little skeptical of a tech who says the refrigerant is "very less" and gives you a quote of $20K for a Carrier Comfort condenser and furnace.

Freon is a registered trademark name but has become the generic term for (typically halocarbon-type) gas refrigerant substances, much like kleenex and band-aid. The original substance is dichlorodifluoromethane, also known as Freon-12 and R-12 and CFC-12, produced via a partnership of General Motors and DuPont. There are many types, chemical formulations. The owner of the appliance business where I worked years ago serviced the commercial coolers at local grocery and convenience stores for which R-502 was commonly used at the time. Wikipedia - List of Refrigerants

The plan for the last several years was to begin the phase out of R-410a on January 1, 2023. That has now been delayed to at least January 1, 2025 for residential installations. This is because the new refrigerants being proposed, R-454B and R-32, are flammable and are not allowed under current building codes. The transition of R-22 to R410a did not have this issue.

Thank you all!! I went with single stage SEER 15 Carrier, coil, furnace and related stuff for 7k. I cant believe I get almost the same configuration with only ecobee thermostat and purifier filter for 20k, 15k, and 10k. How much do these contractor want to earn and steal per hour? I am personally losing my trust for contractors and these so called professionals more and more every year. I trust them less or at least at the level of car salespeople.

Yep, sad reflelction on the industry!

We got a very similar quote yesterday. I will ask some other companies around, cause i consider it very expensive