Gone to r410a in residential applications. 134 is what the automotive industry and small refrigeration was phased to yrs ago.

That's right my bad, 410A is what all out commercial kitchen a/c supply fans use...

Correct. Most of the components are manufactured by other companies, and the brand you buy is basically an assembly company. Yes they pick the components, but the components are fairly universal.

Yes you can get higher quality components, but the higher end units in almost every brand use the same high-end components.

Best thing to do is get the highest SEER rating unit you can afford, and price that SEER rating across multiple brands and from various contractors.

DO NOT under any circumstances pick the winning bid on price alone.

The installing contractor will have more to do with longevity, customer satisfaction, and overall efficiency than the unit brand. Making sure the unit is installed properly, utilizing the correct copper tubing sizes, correct breaker and wiring size, and the correct oil and refrigerant charge will be key. Also, someone who will check your duct to make sure you have adequate CFM and a good air distribution will also factor in to the performance of the unit.

I have two units, both about 7 years old. Goodman. 3 ton and 1.5 ton. I've been in this home for almost 3 years. I've had service/repair done at least twice a year since I've been here. Almost every time they add R-22. The leak is at the evaporator coil on the inside units. Last week I had two pounds added to each and paid $491 for the service. Stop Leak products have been tried with no success.

I asked for a quote from three different companies for replacing the units. I can't just replace the coil because of the R-22 crap that was installed. I have to move to 410. Meaning an expensive repair is discarded for a complete replacement. It frikken SUCKS.

I'm looking at $10, 800.00 for Carrier units 3ton/2ton.
I'm looking at $10, 400.00 for Goodman units 3ton/2ton.

I'm waiting on the other two quotes now. On this quote I'd go with Carrier. Goodman sucks for the little bit of money saved.

I'm in no way qualified to say which is currently the best. The only advice I can offer is to make sure you get a 10 year warranty with it. I had a Bryant put in my house when it was built; it had a 5 yr warranty and compressor died at age 6. Replaced it with a brand I forget and it lasted 9 years. Replaced that with a Trane and the coil went out at age 6. I had bought the 10 year warranty, so it didn't cost me a penny. Giles Cooling in Clanton installed it and have been great to work with. The owner is a member here and a really good guy.

Get a quote from Don Whaley; he's the best around and totally trustworthy. 222-3219

You CAN replace just the evaporator coil and operate it on the existing outdoor unit.
Stop leak is a scam in my professional opinion. We never use anything that voids a factory warranty. If it worked I promise the equipment manufacturers would be requiring it to be installed before allowing a coil to be replaced under warranty, they don't!
Send me a PM and I will explain.

Sure, you can replace an R22 coil but at this point it doesn't make much sense to do it. My professional opinion. I don't use stop leak either and don't recommend it.

With a price tag like that I dont know what to tell you.

Give Total Heating and Air a call out of irondale I think. THey quoted my mom 7k for a total new system being installed outside, under the house and furnace. going all electric.

I had one of those in my old house too. It was less than 7 years old before I had to start throwing money at it. I got reamed by a Rheem

7 years old and maintained is not out of the normal life expectancy. I have seen people always adding 2lbs of Refrigerant and it be a weak capacitor or dirty evaporate coil.
Having spent the past 40 years in the HVAC business i don't trust many other evaluations when they are wanting to sell equipment without identifying and offering available options.

I've gotten two prices for a 2.5 ton unit and heat pump. Carrier was $4200 and Lennox was 5200.

Demo furnish and install including taxes. Might get one more price on a trane. I think the seer ratings were 16 and 18 respectively.

Don't get sucked into the SEER rating game, buy features. Variable Speed AHU and 2 stage compressors are worth the extra money, 2 points of just SEER ratings don't have much value comparatively.