Before You Invest…(Part 2) |
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 In Part I of this series (click here for quick review) we said that “if quality heating and air conditioning systems were wheeled into your home like a refrigerator or a TV and just “plugged in”, shopping by brand or price would be a great strategy.
Unfortunately(?), most people only get involved in buying a HVAC system once or twice in a lifetime. Sometimes, with 10-20 years intervening between the purchases, they are not always cognizant of the very wide ranges of new equipment and options that are available to choose from.
Different brands, different quality grades, different efficiency levels, different colors, air filtration and humidity control options, ventilation improvements, duct repairs, insulation upgrades and even different payment plans, are just a few of the options.
As a consequence, when they are confronted with the bad news of the need to replace their system, their knowledge is usually limited to 3 things: (1) what brand? (2) what size? (3) how much?
Small wonder then that most sales people confronting a potential customer with such limited knowledge, respond in kind…and as long as the brand name is vaguely familiar and the salesman assures the potential customer that the size is sufficient, most salesmen and potential customers alike, concentrate on the price. That's the reason most HVAC equipment salespeople will do just about anything to make sure they have the lowest price. But even when you know the exact brand and model you want, prices can vary by $1000 or more. How can this be?
Realizing this…that most people don't understand that there's a lot more to installing a quality heating and air conditioning system than brand, size and price…that installation and design i.e., plays a critical role in the efficiency and durability of their system…that most of the problems that arise after you purchase a system (including shortened equipment life) are caused by the installation and/or improperly sized equipment…
…that in order for you to get the best value for your money (and because we know from our 55 years of experience that a HVAC system is much more than a financial investment; it is a place for security and peace of mind), we are publishing this series of newsletters…dedicated to giving you the benefit of that experience.
Hopefully they will guide you through the sometimes confusing maze of how to compare prices and features…and how to quickly spot the differences in estimates. By the time we're through, if you combine what you learn in these letters with the information on our website, you will probably know more about HVAC repair and installation than other companies' salespeople do!
Most heating companies in our area will gladly give you an estimate on the several brands of equipment they stock…and there’s nothing wrong with that…because as we’ve said so many times before “the worst system manufactured, properly designed and installed, is better than the best system made, improperly designed and installed.
And as you can come up with literally hundreds of combinations within one brand alone…different models of furnaces…condensing units…evaporator coils…different efficiency levels…different capacities…different sizes. How do you decide on what system is best for you?
First and most important…find a HVAC contractor you can trust! Then believe me, the brand issue is secondary. The quality of the contractor, the quality of the equipment and the quality of the installation goes hand in hand. It just costs more to do it right!
We believe if you are confident that the contractor you have chosen can do it right, let them recommend the brand they trust. In most cases, you will be better off with their brand properly installed than your brand improperly installed BUT that makes it even more important for you to be knowledgeable about heating and air conditioning system basics…so that you will be a more informed consumer… not just depending on some salesperson saying that their company is the best…that their brand is superior…and they will perform a topnotch installation.
After all, have you ever heard of a company that says they are NOT the best…that the brand they sell is NOT superior to other brands and that they will NOT make a topnotch installation?
In subsequent issues, we'll try to help you know how to choose a company you can trust…how to decide what kind of equipment that will perform best for you… …things to insist on from whomever you choose…as well as how to solve any existing discomfort or dust problems you may already have…that you may end up with a new comfort system that you will be proud to own and enjoy for many years to come…so that you will have less of a chance of regretting the equipment or service that you end up choosing.
Remember, Climatemakers offers repairs and service on all HVAC brand names, and installation on many brands including, Lennox and Trane.
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| Climatically |
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| Merry Sherman |
| 2nd Generation President |
| Phone #: 757-468-5800 |
| Fax #: 757-468-5805 |
| email: comfort@climatemakers.com |
| Web site: http://www.climatemakers.com |
| "Your family's indoor comfort is our family's business" |
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