Suburban PTAC units review

Well, we have had a lot of PTAC drama in our lives too, and replaced all of ours on move in. We love the digital temperature control on our Islandaire units, it's like having thermostats around the house. But our plumber installed a simpler Ice Air unit that works really great, and he told me in his opinion, these are the best on the market today.

Basically PTACs are like refrigerators in the sense that you often need to replace them before 10 years, and it rarely pays to have them fixed (sometimes, but don't count on it).

We are totally satisfied with both kinds of units, both summer and winter, we have a very comfy apartment.

Oh, I should add that a window a/c unit and a PTAC are not exactly the same thing, even though they look similar. PTACs that also work with the building's heating system are tricky little buggers. Frankly you just need to budget for their replacement on a 10 year schedule, I'd say, and if you get more than that you are a lucky duck.

Thank you, much appreciated. I am going to see an apartment nearby that had Island Aire units installed. Hopefully they will be quieter which for me would justify making the switch for quality of life.

sorry to revive an old thread, but wanted to see if anyone had any feedback on switching between those suburbans and the islandaire. any thoughts, skastenbaum or anyone else? thanks.

The best solution I could find that helped me to throw away all 5 Suburban Jet Engines was to replace them with Rinnai heaters and install one 48K split AC system to cover my condo. Rinnai is whisper quiet and very efficient cost-wise.
I bought them all here: https://www.supply.com/rinnai-furnace-ex22cwn-white/p309963
Before I found this solution, I was unable to hear my TV at full volume. Now it's peaceful and quiet in all my rooms again.

Did anyone here end up replacing your Suburban unit with one from Islandaire? I'm thinking of doing the same, my main reasoning is the sound level. Please let me know if you've replaced it and how the sound levels compare? My unit is electric AC and natural gas heat, so my options are very limited unless I want to completely do away with the system and get a split AC system.

Thanks!

Much Later but also curious to know if anyone has replaced Suburban with Islandaire and if they are quieter?