Just got my first estimate to replace my air conditioner and furnace. I was ready for everything he threw at me until it got to the variable speed furnace. I wanted to get others opinions on the Trane XV furnaces. I understood the difference between single-stage and two-stage but wasn’t sure about the variable speed part. I was told that with the variable speed furnace I could run the fan 24 hours a day and it would act as a ‘whole house’ air filter. He said it would help with pet smells and dust build up. He also made sure to tell me that this wasn’t the end all be all and wouldn’t filter out everything but said is would be a nice option to have. It is about a $200 difference between the two-stage variable speed furnace and the single-stage furnace. I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the variable speed furnace and if it was worth the extra money. Thanks.
Bryan
bryan0514
You don't say where you are located in country nor the type of home you have but variable speed is worth it and here's why.
1.operating efficiency
less expensive to operate than direct drive conventional blower
2.quiet-it is very quiet
fan on 24/7 you will not hear
it has slow ramp up and slow ramp down when in cooling or heating mode
3.room to room comfort
you will not have temperature difference from room to room assuming you have good ductwork
4. dehumidifiaction
In AC mode, variable speed will help dehumidify home and allow you to have
higher thermostat temperature while still maintaining wonderful inside comfort.
Very effective if you live in climate that has hot humid summers.
5.Air quality
If you equip your system with a quality 5 pleated media cabinet, your inside air quality will improve along with reduced dust. I do not like EACs.
6.savings-
the 2 speed variable speed furnace are rated at 92+ AFUE and will save you $$$ on gas consumption.
Yes,variable speed furnace works like Trane says it does. I installed XV90 furnace with HE heat pump(dual fuel) 6 mths ago and am very satisfied. My opinion-Trane is quality equipment.
Hope this is helpful.
Good Luck!
TigerDunes,
Thanks for the reply. I have a 1,500 sq ft house in Nothern, CA. Probably going with the XV80. The variable speed sounded a little to good to be true. Thanks again for you input.
Bryan
bryan0514
One other thought. I would insist upon a written Manual J heat/cool load calculation for properly sizing equipment. This is the professional method of doing business and provides a certain measure of protection for both the homeowner and the dealer. While I am unfamiliar with gas and electric rates in California, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don't run a fuel comparison bewteen electric heat pump and gas furnace. Easy to do. See below. Trane high efficient heat pumps with variable speed air handler are the best! Check the math.
http://www.warmair.net/html/fuel_cost_comparisons.htm
Hope this is helpful.
Good Luck!
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