With some areas in the United States routinely reaching 100 degrees and staying there during summer months, it’s no wonder why investments in HVAC units are on the rise. Whether your town is too hot or too cold, you’ll be glad to find relief by having adequate climate control measures in place to even those temperatures out!
Let’s say though that you’re shopping for and installing a new air conditioner for the first time. Is getting one as easy as marching into a store and buying whatever unit is sitting at the front of a display case?
Not really, or at least, the process shouldn’t be that simple.
There are several considerations you should keep in mind when purchasing an HVAC unit or AC. Below, our team walks you through everything that should cross your mind before you end up at a check-out counter.
1. Heating/Cooling Capacity
The new unit you’re considering installing may not be ready to do the level of work that you need it to. For example, installing a new air conditioner in your living room window isn’t likely to do anything for cooling your bedroom that’s two hallways away.
That brings us to the question of heating/cooling capacity, or, how many square feet can the unit you’re buying reliably service.
This is a great question for the professional that’s selling you your unit. If they advise that your unit won’t service your space well, upgrade to a more powerful one or consider picking up two of the unit you’re considering and installing them in separate areas of your home.
2. Warranty Offered
Most HVAC systems and adjacent products come with warranties. Those warranties are likely to feature 1 year+ of guaranteed functioning from the manufacturer. Your seller might also offer a separate warranty of their own, either for free or at an up-charge upon check-out.
Believe us when we say that air conditioning units certainly boast their share of problems over months of continuous use. Therefore, if you think that you’re going to be putting a lot of miles on your unit, we recommend ensuring that the warranty on the system you’re considering is competitive and that you feel cashing in on it will be painless.
3. Noise Levels
You could have the best HVAC system in the world as far as heating/cooling goes but absolutely hate it because it operates loudly. The hard part about assessing noise is that you can’t know for sure how loud a unit is until you bring it home.
Fortunately, if you’re investing in a unit that’s semi-popular, you may be able to look up online reviews that have video clips showcasing the product in action. If you notice that it sounds inordinately loud, contact the reviewer and ask them what their experience with noise was. If they concur that the unit is louder than is comfortable, you may want to look for a quieter device.
4. Unit Cost
Assessing cost when installing a new air conditioner seems easy enough, right? You walk into a store, check the price tag, and walk out.
Given how expensive some units can be though, particularly if they heat and cool, many people finance their units and end up paying a “low monthly fee” to take their product home. Those monthly fees tend to carry a lot in the way of interest in hidden fees which can make your unit cost 50%+ more than its sticker price.
While there’s nothing wrong with financing equipment you can’t afford outright, talk to your seller’s finance team and get a clear understanding of exactly how much you’ll pay for your unit over the life of payments. That way, you can assess whether or not you feel comfortable with what’s being asked of you.
5. Brand Reputability
You can learn a lot before buying an HVAC system just by doing a quick Google search on its brand.
If the brand is well-reviewed and is synonymous with outstanding customer service, chances are, the product you’re buying will be reflective of those values. If the brand you’re buying into is generally panned, plan on problems.
Better brands indeed tend to conjure up higher prices. When you consider the cost of you having to fight with customer service and the inconvenience of having an uncomfortable house though, you might find that the extra money is justified.
6. Required Maintenance
How often does the HVAC or AC you’re buying ask that you subject it to maintenance? Most units will have schedules that will implore you to perform duties on products as often as 4 times per year. Others, less so.
Maintenance sometimes means hiring HVAC repair services to perform tasks. Following through on that could set you back $100+. For that reason, lower-maintenance units, even if they cost more upfront, are often cheaper over their lifespan to keep.
As an aside, we recommend avoiding the common trap of trying to artificially lower your air conditioning unit costs by avoiding maintenance altogether. While your unit may continue to function after ignoring recommended maintenance, you’ll almost certainly set yourself up for costly repairs down the line and may void your warranty.
Buying and Installing a New Air Conditioner Takes Forethought
If we can summarize everything we’ve gone over in a quick statement, that statement would be that buying and installing a new air conditioner takes forethought.
The more thinking you do before checking out when it comes to brand, warranties, prices, maintenance, and related topics, the happier you’ll be with your purchase. And remember, when in doubt, call in professional HVAC companies to help out.
Looking for more guidance as you work on your home? Our team welcomes you to explore additional content on our blog.