The worst situation any homeowner can find themselves in is having their HVAC system fail when they need it most.
Typically, people end up on Google trying to decipher which brand of air conditioner they need to buy, or simply calling the number for the HVAC service company with the fancy jingle they saw on T.V.
Either way, those people rarely get the best advice on what they need and what price they should pay.
Well, here at Harmony Comfort HVAC we will give you the vital information you need and help you to know what questions to ask so you don't get taken advantage of.
Which brand air conditioner do I buy?
There are six primary HVAC equipment manufacturers in the United States today, but they operate under more than 150 brand names - just different paint, labels and marketing.
Here are some of the brands that come off the same manufacturing assembly lines:
* Carrier, Payne, Bryant and Tempstar
* Lennox, Armstrong and Concord
* Trane and American Standard
* York, Lux and Coleman
* Goodman and Amana
People end up Googling for the best air conditioning brand or the most reliable brand, but each website will show different answers, different ratings, and different opinions.
Here is the thing, in today's new age of technology, every manufacturer does the same testing in custom-weather labs, to simulate real world severe weather situations. The point of this is to discover fail points for their systems and components.
So if each brand is built the same, using the same parts, and tested under the same conditions to the same standards, what is the difference?
Having the right HVAC contractor makes all the difference!
The secret to getting value for your purchase is not the brand but the contractor who repairs or installs your new system. In fact, according the the North Carolina Alternative Energy Corporation, 9 out of every 10 systems are NOT installed properly.
That's right... 9 out of 10! The NCAEC found that 90% of units installed had some sort of energy wasting issue when compared against manufacturer tested efficiency.
The issues they found included:
50% of newly installed or repaired systems had an improper refrigerant charge.
40% failed to meet minimum air flow requirements.
20% of those that did were barely inside the manufacturer's recommended range.
So, regardless of which system you buy, having the correct, highly trained technician is the difference between a good investment and throwing money out the window.
How can these simple errors make that much of a difference?
These simple errors aren't simple. Texas A&M University's researchers discovered that a 23% refrigerant undercharge results in a 52% efficiency loss (essentially DOUBLING your monthly operational costs). Additionally, the Florida Solar Energy Center that leaking ductwork raises operational costs by an average of 17.4%. That is an increase of 40% in your monthly costs. All these of simple fixes that many technicians aren't trained or aren't willing to do. Louisiana State University researchers discovered that by simply having your system cleaned and maintained regulary , it will save you approximately $30 a month!
So how can I find trained and reputable technicians to install and maintain my system properly?
You can go on Google yourself and search for things like "The best HVAC contractor near me" or "The best air conditoining service near me". However, every company your find will say they are the best.
OR
You can contact Harmony Comfort HVAC and we will advise you on how to choose the system and help you know the questions to ask your installation and maintenance technician! Send us an email right now!