Dave Lennox Elite Series XP16 Heat Pump Price

• Posted in Heat Pumps, Lennox Heat Pumps
• on January 25, 2011
• No Comments.

SEER and HSPF in heat pumps are like gas mileage in cars.  Lennox makes several “high gas mileage” heat pumps like the Lennox Elite Series XP16.  It’s not the highest in their “fleet” but it’s close, and it doesn’t cost quite as much as the most efficient model.  We received a recent addition to our HVAC prices data base from Vijay in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Here’s what he had to say about the Dave Lennox Elite Series XP16 Heat Pump price as well as his experience getting it installed.

“Early last summer my central air conditioning unit stopped working.  The repairman was sure it was the original unit – the house is 22 years old – so fixing it didn’t make sense.  The furnace had been repaired twice the previous winter – thermocouple and wiring – so I decided to start fresh with a heat pump.  I chose an air handler over a furnace because I don’t foresee heating with gas.  I called 3 contractors and they came out to give me heat pump prices.  The first guy basically told me I’m nuts for not going with a furnace (at an extra $350 over the price of the air handler).  The next guy pushed a 13 SEER model from another brand that I later found out had been discontinued a year ago.  I was pretty disgusted with the whole thing.  The third guy to come out looked like Jerry Garcia or some hippy from the 60’s.  I saw him walking up and thought “okay, here’s strike 3.”  But he actually knew his stuff really well and was quite helpful. He did a load calculation for the house and looked everything over very well before suggesting the Dave Lennox Elite Series XP16 heat pump.  Here’s what he quoted me:

Lennox Elite XP16 4 ton heat pump with matching Lennox variable speed air handler, along with the ComfortSense 7000 touchscreen thermostat: $6,199.

Installation: $2,700.

Total: $8,899 plus tax.

I asked him if he could do it for $8,500 total and he countered with $8,700 total, tax and all.  We shook on it and that was that.  He sent a couple of other hippy dudes out the following week and they knocked out the work in a day and a half.  They clearly knew their business and did a great job.  The unit worked perfectly all summer and has been just fine on the days I’ve used it to heat.  My utility bills are down significantly.  Never judge a dude by his hair, as they say!”

Vijay’s letter reveals something worth keeping in mind – it never hurts to make an offer on a unit.  You might end up saving some money.  Some contractors are willing to bargain a little bit while others, the majority, don’t have a lot of fat in their bid to begin with so probably won’t come down much, if at all.  So what is Vijay getting in the Lennox Elite XP16 heat pump?

• Up to 17.0 SEER for cooling and 8.7 HSPF for heating, both numbers worthy of an Energy Star rating.
• Qualifies for the extended federal energy efficiency tax credit.
• High efficiency outdoor coil.
• Dual fuel capability if you opt for a furnace instead of an air handler.
• Quiet operation (74 db) using a balanced direct drive fan and insulated cabinet.
• Advanced 2-stage scroll compressor only runs on high when significant temperature changes are called for.
• R-410A refrigerant does not contain chlorine and will not harm the environment.
• Warranty covers the compressor for 10 years and all functional parts for 5 years.

That’s a very nice heat pump/air handler combination.  The best way to maximize your energy efficiency and guarantee the safest, longest service for the unit is to have qualified a contractor do the installation.  They are trained pros – even if their look is a bit outdated and they say “dude” a lot – and have the know-how and skill to install your system correctly.  Don’t skip proper installation – it’s the step that turns a very good unit into a great performer for years to come.