It’s that time of the year again in Katy, Texas when you start contemplating the hot summer and realize it might be time to replace that old air conditioning system and maybe the heating system as well.
Some times this may be done at the spur of the moment when it’s already 90 degrees or more in your house and you’re under stress to just get it done. If you happen to be reading this earlier in the season before the summer arrives you have a bit more time to make a more informed decision.
Many people tend to approach this as just finding the lowest price possible to replace the AC unit. In some cases this may be all that’s needed if you plan to sell the home a short while later. However, with the current real estate market near the top more people are deciding to stay in their homes longer. This is a fine balancing act to decide exactly what you want. To complicate this further air conditioning manufacturer’s make so many different models, different SEER ratings, different configurations, more features, differences in warranty coverage that it’s enough to make your head swim.
To top all of that off, you call a few HVAC companies for a AC replacement quote and you may determine that these are merely salesmen looking for a quick score. For those of you that don’t know, a salesman only gets paid to sell. The problem with that is more times than not they don’t have your best interest at heart. Sorry, but the only way to sell “crap” is to embellish what it can do and how cheap they can install it for. The salesman however won’t come back once the sale is complete.
HVAC manufacturer’s make HVAC systems. That is how they are designed is as a complete systems. So if you only replace “part” of your HVAC system you are getting what is often called a “piece meal” AC system or “mismatched AC system” meaning that the parts of the system are of a different model design and in some cases a different manufacturer. On top of that, if you are buying a complete system it may be an inferior model, an outdated model, a system that has been sitting in a warehouse for an extended period. Do you want an older model because it’s cheaper? Do you want a new model that is better, fresh off factory floor with better features? How will you know this difference if you are talking to a salesman?
The piece meal option doesn’t always mean anything bad, other than the less of your system you replace typically the more likely it is that it will break down again. Additionally what it also means is that it likely won’t be quite as efficient as the rating of the new equipment suggests. This depends greatly on what your current HVAC system configuration is. No two homes are alike in this regard.
Everyone likes a “good deal” when it comes to just about anything. Are you going to measure a good deal in price alone or are you going to measure a good deal in quality, features and performance?
A good deal in price alone is often fleeting because the electric bill is coming to your house every month whether you like it or not. Your air conditioning system efficiency and performance makes up the majority of that bill, so if you skimp on one side you pay for it on the other. To top that off if the price one company is offering is very low compared to other quotes, they are cutting corners somewhere. There is no way around that, and you will wind up paying for it at some point.
A Good Deal For A New HVAC System
When it comes to these things I often say “the devil is in the details”. You are buying an HVAC system for comfort. If it doesn’t truly fulfill that purpose then why buy it?
Your installing HVAC contractor is who you should be calling if and when the system breaks. All AC brands can and do break down, don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise. If you can’t depend on the HVAC contracting company that installed your AC system then what are you left to consider?
It’s not uncommon for me to repair a dozen or so HVAC systems a year that were installed by other companies. These aren’t free calls, the manufacturer doesn’t warranty improper installation, systems that were purchased over the internet or any other illogical method that some people consider.
If the HVAC system pays you back thru reduced utility cost, provides you the comfort you desire and you have a professional licensed HVAC contractor that can repair your air conditioning and heating system when that need arises why would you want anything else?
Thank you for visiting with me today. I hope I might have saved you from making what could be a costly mistake. National average life of an AC system is 15 years. That is a long time to live with a mistake.
Make your new HVAC system a GREAT one!
Choose Austin Air Companie
About the author of this blog:
My name is Ray Austin. I am the owner and operator of Austin Air Companie, a HVAC Service Company serving Katy, Texas | Cypress, Texas and some surrounding areas. I am a Texas Licensed HVAC Contractor with over 20 years experience in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems. I hold an AOS degree in HVAC/R, EPA universally certified to handle any refrigerant and NATE certified in HVAC installations and repairs.
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