Need some help from the HVAC guys...

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If any HVAC guys are bored and have a couple minutes...


I came home last night to find the house pretty warm. We have a "split" style Central A/C system/gas furnace where the exterior unit holds the condenser, compressor, etc. It's a 2 ton unit made by Gibson.

Anyway I went around the house and there was warmish air coming out of all the registers. I went out to the unit and felt that the air coming out of the unit was far cooler than normal. At the time I did not know to feel the lines.

I called an local HVAC company first thing in the morning and got setup for a late afternoon appointment. In the mean time I called another company to see if they could get out earlier.

Here were the results -

HVAC company 1 - Check the capacitor and found it to have failed due to leaking. Replaced the cap which did not solve the problem. Further investigation found the compressor had mechanically failed. I was quoted $1800 installed (minus the $80 I paid for the diagnostic) to replace the entire exterior unit with a similarly speced Gibson unit. This tech suggested that 2 tons was underpowered for our 2 story, 2 bed/1.5 row home and that a 2.5 ton unit would be better. They did not have a 2.5 ton unit in stock however and it would be an additional cost.

At this point I decided to keep the second appointment for a second option.

HVAC company 2 - Followed the same course of troubleshooting and arrived at the same decision - bad compressor. This tech said that 2 tons is perfectly adequate for the size of the home but quoted me a 2.5 ton unit made by Everest for $2400 installed (minus the $90 for the diagnostic) as well as a slightly more expensive unit that apparently runs on a newer form of coolant.

I have a call into the first company to get an apples to apples comparison quote on a 2.5 ton unit as well as the second company to quote me on a 2 ton system.


1) I know this is hard to extrapolate without seeing it but do these prices seem in line?
2) Again, without seeing, can anyone comment on 2 ton vs 2.5 ton? The house is a 2 story, 2 bed 1.5 bath corner row with appox 930 sq feet total which includes a basement. The basement is not served by the HVAC system so I'd say 820ish feet of actual living space.
3) The third option, which both discussed, was to completely re-do the whole system. I am hesitant to do so, it's from 2008 and we barely use the heat at all. I am far more concerned with the AC. Plus it's a major expense that I just can't make at this point.


Any advice or insight is appreciated.