Ducted heat pump sizing help

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Ducted heat pump sizing help

Hello all! I'm researching updating my houses current ducted heat pump system to a newer hyper/max heat system (16-18+ seer).

Typical 1997 built 2 story 1600sqft living space house with basement located near Columbus Ohio.

Current system is the OG 2.

5ton Lennox heat pump with a 15kw backup heat strip.

House only has electric for heat.

I've been talking with a local hvac guy and hvacdirect (local pickup in Dayton Ohio) about sizing.

I'm getting very different recommendations.

Local guy is saying to do a 3ton 36k system with a huge heat strip (like 20-30kw) while hvacdirect said to do a 5ton system with no heat strip based on heating btu's needed at cold temps (seems way oversized to me).

*EDIT: oops I think I misunderstood him, I think he meant a 20-30 btu heat strip, which would be like 8-10kw, make more sense.

*.

Based on my research I was thinking a 3ton 36k system.

Gree/Stealth system I'm looking at is rated to 28k btus at 5F so I would think that would be plenty for my house given current 15k heat strip can keep up.

I was debating adding a 10k heat strip to help during defrost.

This seem reasonable or should I be doing something else?

Question from user lowfategg at heatpumps at reddit.

Answer:

When your current system has been working well, did it cool and heat OK? If yes, you do not need more capacity.

If it cycled during the hottest days, it has excess AC capacity.

Many equipment options are in whole tons only.

Even if you needed 5 tons for heating, your ducts would not manage that.

And noisy too.

Note that adding blown in attic insulation is fast and affordable.

Conflicts between heating and cooling capacity can occur.

If you have to lean on e heat, that is what it is.

With air handlers, e heat augments to what the HP is still producing unless it gets so.

cold, the HP will not run.

Ducting? Doubling CFM produces 4 times the pressure and 8 time more blower power.

Answer from user Dean-KS at heatpumps at reddit.