A couple years ago I decided to take DIY HVAC more serious when I faced some issues with my heat pump. I needed to figure out if my old system lost some charge. At that point I knew that I will need to measure pressures and line temperatures. At first I tried to get away as cheaply as possible while still trying to get quality tools. So I placed an order for an analog Mastercool manifold. When that didn't show up after 3 week I asked the seller, and was told it will take another 2 to 3 weeks. By that time I had enough and decided to go "all out". I canceled that order and got the 6 piece Fieldpiece probe kit including a micron gauge. Now, many believe that you still need a manifold once you pull a vacuum, recover refrigerant or add a charge, but that is not true. With a couple hoses, core removal tools and a charging T, you are fully equipped with those probes. Once the tools as well as vacuum and charge hose showed up, I decided to get a real HVAC tool bag. So this small tool bag from VETA PRO PAC now has everything I need to test and log my heap pump system. I will log all the data points the Fieldpiece app spits out, every summer around the same date, and with the same outdoor temperature. This will tell me in time when it develops a small leak. I will also use my Hioki and Klein multimeter in order to log amp draw and meg the compressor's winding-resistance. This will tell me if the compressor is its way out. A leak in a coil or the compressor going out are the 2 main issues that often force a system replacement over a repair, if the system is old. It makes little sense to replace a coil, the compressor, the air handler or the condensing unit, when the rest of the system only last another 2 years or so. The propose of all this is, that I can detect issues in time, so I can prepare for my system replacement in winter, I can take my time to do it right, without rushing into mistakes in the heat of the summer. Owning most tools will lower the stress when its time to get work done. I won't have to research tools and add another week or 2 to the job.

Hi! I am a young homeowner (about 2 years now) and when my wife and I were getting the general inspection it was noted that our AC used R-22 refrigerant and might need to be replaced if it started leaking. After hearing how much it would cost to replace a system (and having some ideas of my own for improving IAQ) I have started down the road of getting prepared for a DIY replacement should that happen in the near future. From reading a few posts it sounds like getting the universal EPA 608 is a good first step. Are there any recommendations for online training courses that teach the material well? A quick search showed SkillCat but I am curious if anyone had any preferences. Thanks!

If the house is currently installed with a furnace, is there anything preventing a heatpump replacement? Does a furnace have to be replaced by a furnace ?

...and replied to a couple threads, and read the rest. My first thought is that nobody around here so far seems to be in a state where they could pull off an install. There is a massive gap between somebody who knows how to build an IKAE set or drill a hole in the wall, and installing a complete HVAC system. I was expecting to find DIYers that are used to pulling an engine from their car in order to replace the cam. I'd consider those type of DIYers a good match for learning how to do HVAC. But what I'm seeing so far are folks that don't want to get ripped off, but completely lack any proper handyman skills. And I don't think that many are willing to fill in the HVAC skill and knowledge gap in this busy world, next to a full time job and family obligations. Maybe this will change over time and Dave's YT channel is the best starting point. That being said, he as been around for years. I don't think that most homeowners understand how much they have to catch up to make this work for themselves. I think new members to this forum should be informed right away, that DIY in this field requires true commitment. They won't get solution by asking questions and then not even coming back to their own thread, let alone buying the suggested tools and actually getting it started. Wonder how many bought some tools and soon gave up.

I live in Las Vegas and I believe I can get great prices from HVACDIRECT, ACUNITSFORLESS, ACDIRECT Here is the Goodman system I'm looking at, 3 Ton Goodman 17.5 SEER2 R32 Heat Pump GZV7SA3610, Goodman 4 Ton R-32 Horizontal Cased Evaporator Coil with EEV CHPEA4830C3, Goodman 80% AFUE Gas Furnace Variable Speed ECM, Two Stage GRVT800805CX, So this system will be a inverter heat-pump outdoor unit for its excellent variable speed air conditioning capability, while using the natural gas furnace as the sole heating source, this package has AHRI #215434224 which certifies for cooling capacity Seer2, eer2, still learning, as I understand you can ether program or disable the heat pump side and only use the gas furnace?, kept the furnace at 80% efficiency to utilize same metal exhaust, save a few dollars, which is the point, I did not realize the coil could be over sized to 4 ton, The AHRI cert says higher efficiency because larger coil has more surface area for heat transfer. I have a 48 inch pad so the new unit will fit, still need to confirm line-sets can be cleaned and diameter will work for the new system, I believe they will work, I have a single story house 2500 square foot, two zones for the systems. I have flexible duct work, it looks like it is in good shape, still 20 years old, should I replace and have a all new HVAC?. I have also looked at ACIQ systems, great product, both my HVAC cooling systems are in great shape because of lack of use. I've installed a 12K BTU AIRSPOOL Mini Spilt that is using DC input from 4 400 watt panels and in my bedroom I have a Midea inverter 8K BTU very low cost to run, I see a lot of benefit to augment/ or zone, existing Home rooms instead of air conditioning the whole house. So during the day I use the Airspool and shut off when I go to bed, the Midea works great for the bed room, been using both for 3 years. When neighbors electric bills on average $400-500 each month for A/C, that made my choice for these two products a good decision. I would like to give Dave the props