I don't have central air....looking to hook-up a used unit?

Question

I can't afford to purchase a new furnace and central air conditioner. I have a Carrier furnace from 1989, and no central air. Is it possible to hook-up a used central air unit to my existing furnace?

I am trying to do this as cheap as possible. Are different AC units only compatible with certain furnaces?

Would it be best to have a technician come out to look at my current furnace?

I have seen used units from $150-$500. (That is within my range.) If it costs $750 to have it installed that is fine too. I can't afford to go much over that.....please let me know what my steps should be....before I get heat-stroke in my house!!

Thanks everyone.

Answer 1

Cooling systems should be installed only in furnaces less than 15 years old..

Answer 2

Yes it is possible to install central air to existing furnaces...have done it many times myself.

Compatibility is based off of the size of your home primarily with respect to your air handler/plenum size (if necessary).

Your definitely going to want some one to at least give you an estimate in terms of "tons of cooling".  This refers to the size of the condenser will gives you more room to shop around. In terms of shopping around, you will definitely need to have someone give you an estimate. There are just so many factors that need to be looked at and obviously I cannot see your setup.

I might have a cheaper option for you that may see if there is a local tech school that teaches HVAC.  Often, these schools  have more units than the kids can work on and in some (rare) cases the students could install this for you for a smaller charge than a contractor.

Hope this helps and good luck.

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In regards to your second question; no you will need far more than that.  I will assume by "compressor" you mean the outdoor portion which is known as the condenser.  In addition to this you will need an insulated copper lineset from the condenser to the portion that will be installed in the plenum of the furnace.  (the plenum is the box of duct work comming directly off the furnace).  Within the plenum the "evaporator" will be installed. These come in a variety of sizes (though when purchased new can be purchace in conjunction with the condenser).  There is also the matter of getting power to the condenser and low voltage power to the condenser.  There is also drainage, possibly a new thermostat, and the time it takes to ready a system like this.

My most sincere recommendation is to wait and replace the furnace and add a/c to it.  I don't know how long you plan on living in your home, but the EPA dealings with my industry could make repairs to an old cooling system quite costly.  In addition, the electricity will more than likely be far (extremely) higher in consumption with the older setup.

Answer 3

umm..central air doesn't get hooked up to your furnace.  You use the same duct work, and same fan/blower, but that's about it.  You should have a professional look at this.  Plus a unit from 1989 (19 years old) is going to cost a fortune in electricity and service calls and be very inefficient compared to the cheapest one available today.

Answer 4

Check with your local electric power agency. Many of them are now providing you with the funds for the Heat pump units for interest rates as low as 6% and adding the cost to your power bill over an extended time. They will also provide you with a list of contractors that you will have to use to get the unit...