Does anyone have any experience in using Janitrol/Goodman AC Split 13 Seer System or in general the brand mentioned above? My HVAC Contractor is installing this in my house and it seems like a good unit, I just want to be sure.

Thank you.

Do some more research if you can. I've never had one of these units, but two friends of mine who are HVAC contractors tell me that they are not a good choice. One even said not to do business with any dealer who sold Goodman units, which is pretty extreme. Be sure you compare warranties and get everything in writing. It wouldn't hurt to get references, either.

CCF

As a HVAC contractor I would not put a Goodman or Janitrol unit in my own home or any client that I serve. I would recommend that you stay with one of these three manufactures; YORK, CARRIER, or TRANE. All three of these manufactures have high quality equipment and it will cost you more.... but it's worth it. There is however one thing more important than the brand of equipment you choose to purchase.. and that is the HVAC contractor you choose to install it. There are a lot of bad HVAC contractors out there and you need to make sure that you don't have one of them. Check your local chamber of commerce or a better business burrea and ask for some references from the contractor. You can also do a contractor search at http://www.natex.org to find a certified contractor.

Thank you for all your responses. After talking to other contractors/HVAC contractors - they actually don't have anything bad to say about Janitrol/Goodman.

They said, a lot of times - these brands are not highly regarded only because they don't have massive advertising like the other bigger names.

I also spoke to someone that actually has this system installed in their house for almost three years now and they said they have never had any problems and the system works very well.

Keep in mind that we're in Los Angeles where we do not need a lot of heating or cooling.

Thank you again and more input would be good...

I have inspected hundreds of existing homes with Janitrol/Goodman/GMC equipment and can honestly say they do not seem to have any more problems than any other brand. A few brands like Trane seem to stand out for longevity. I can't comment on efficiency, but I believe efficiency ratings are objective.

I was at a repair seminar where the teacher referred to the brand as Junkitrol. It does appear this is very low price equipment. I have noticed the equipment for sale in retail stores and wonder if that may have anything to do with the reasons wholesale contractors don't want anything to do with the brand.

I have a Janitrol and it has been the worst unit I have ever seen. In the summer they have to come out and charge it and in the winter they have to let some out. This has been going on for two years now. They (Carter heating and Air ) can't seem to figure it out. Any help other then get a new unit . Which is next on my list.....

It may not be the brand but sounds like improper repair or installation. Coils, condensers, refrigerant line set sizes and lengths, orifice openings, air volume restrictions, improper size ducting can all cause problem you describe. Some service techs just troubleshoot to eliminate a symptom, and don't really see the whole picture. You might want a different contractor's opinion as to what the problem is. Maybe check with a Janitrol dealer in the area. Tell them the history of problems and ask for a really detailed oriented repairman.

Sounds to me like you have got bad service people instead of a bad unit. I have installed many, Goodman/Janitrol Units and have not had any more trouble from them than Carrier, Trane, etc. If you were to install correctly, a Janitrol/ Goodman Unit, A Carrier Unit, a Trane Unit and any other unit, you will find one is just as good, operation wise, as the other. The biggest difference in price usually comes from the fact that Carrier, Trane and others advertise a lot more than Goodman, and the cost is added on to the end product. Granted, there may be some advantages to a Carrier or Trane, but the advantages are not enough to warrant the difference in the cost. If you want to be a name brand person, then go with the Carrier, Trane, etc. If you want the same performance and save money, Go with the Goodman/Janitrol.

By the way, I was replying to Twin Harley and his predictament. If the service people working on his unit are dumb enough to add Refrigerant in the summer and blow it off in the winter, they should look for a differnt line of work. Or maybe they just want to sell refrigerant. Problem solving is definately not their cup of tea...
BigM

Goodmand is not a favorite to the technicians in my company. The technicians are installers and perform service on the brand we sell. We use NATE certified technicians and they are definately favorable of the Trane, Carrier...
The reason most commonly stated would be " I want the unit to outlast my ductwork without my assistance"
The higher the cost usually reflects better built. This means items such as a painted surface that will last the life of the unit. Most Goodman products appear to have a significant amount of rust at about 10 years of service life.
One thing to consider about a Goodman product is that it is typically cheaper to replace the unit than it is to change a compressor or a coil!

Having looked in a number of different manufactures HVAC units. My first impression is that there is not a whole lot of difference between manufacture a b or c.

They all have the same basic components. Coil, fan , compressor, contactors and control boards.

1. There are are less then a handfull of compressor manufactures. Bristol and Copeland have the lions share of the market.. 80%. Trane does manufature some of their own but most are still sourced out.

2. Coils.. Most manufactures produce their own.

3. Fans. totally sourced out.

4 Controls. Totally sourced out.. Though many do inhouse design on them.

5 Case. Totally inhouse

6 Other controls. contactors capacitors etc.. Totally sourced out.

For inside units

pretty much the same though many purchase coils manufactured by a handfull of different companies..

two types all aluminum.. not a good coil in my opinion

Copper coil with aluminum fin. better quality

Most coil failure is related to using very thin wall tubing. This is to push the envelop on efficiency. But their can be errosion of the tubing due to the gas running thru them... from what I have been told.

Bottom line.

Get the most efficient unit that you can afford that will give you a 5 year payback on operation over the extra cost of the unit.

eg if a base 12 seer unit costs $2000 for the equipment.. and a 16 seer unit costs and extra $1500, How long does it take to make up the extra $1500. Less than 5 years with the savings in utility input... then it is worth it.

Todays equipment without requard to manufacturer seems to have a life of 15 to 25 years.

That said.. I like simple equipment that has fewer parts to break. Many manufacturers have removed the safety equipment from their units.

So you might consider asking if the condenser has high and low pressure switches. Soft start parts that can keep the condenser from starting with high head load. (short cycling)

Correct sizing is to me is even more important than which manufacturer. This includes the ductwork as well as the acutal mechanical parts.

Ductwork can really effect comfort levels. The more twists and bends the more power it takes to push air thru. So keep runs as straight as possible. Next. Duct tape is not great for sealing ducts. metal tape is far superior. On top of this is mastic systems that provide layers of various materials and are the best way to seal ductwork.

Steve

Having to readjust the charge in the winter and summer is very possible due to a mismatched system... in heat pumps the outdoor coil is much larger then the indoor coil and some sort of reciever/accumulator may need to be installed.

Coleman back in the 80's had a device installed called a qugulator... ?spelling but this device would compensate for the coil sizes and keep service techs from having to readjust the charge.

www.epa.gov and www.energystar.gov and www.doe.gov state that it is not the brand of equipment... it is the company who installs a properly matched system and installs it properly. and is willing to back up their work...

see www.877655uwin.com

I have been installing Goodman Furnaces for over 5 years and have had not one call back. Most negative feedback I hear is from the high enders knocking Goodman because it doesn't cost you your home to buy. With a LIFETIME WARRANY ON HEAT EXCHANGER AND 10 YEAR WARRANY ON PARTS WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ASK FOR. I have had many good compliments from happy clients with sound and effeciency .Installed one other brand (won't mention name,don't like to put down anyone. Most furnace come out of same plant just different name tag anyway.)I had two call backs for same furnace within two months.This was a so-called upper name. DON'T BE AFFRAID TO BUY GOODMAN. DEFFINATELY GOOD PRODUCT IN MY EYES. I will continue installing and selling this product. I sleep well at night not having to worry about who is calling me out.