You Get What You Pay For!

March 01, 2017

In the HVAC world there are not a lot of rules & regulations depending on where you live. Certain counties have some very minimum requirements while in other's it is the wild wild west and anyone can be an HVAC contractor. As homeowners it is crucial you do some homework to ensure you choose the right contractor for the job. Otherwise it will cost you a lot more time and money down the road fixing what was done incorrectly the first time.

Now just like everyone else we love to to get a deal, but sometimes as we all know if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is. How do we tell if the deal is to good to be true though? That can be a little tricky, but with a little research and proper education there are definately some ways of helping to avoid a bad experience. 

Why bring this up now you might ask? Well within the last year we have seen and heard more stories than usual from customers who had called us out to look at their newly installed system that did not seem to be working correctly. What we found is in a lot of these situations start with a "friend of a friend" or someone they knew did something on the side and he was so much cheaper than everyone I couldn't pass it up. While it was a bargain price what they did not realize was that they indeed got what they paid for. They got a job that was done halfway and not done correctly. For example we have seen a lot of customers who purchased a new R-410 A/C, but it was installed using the old R-22 indoor coil, units that are either undersized or over-sized and systems that do not match duct work. Yes you can save money up front, but the cost to fix these installation errors will be a lot more than the money saved. Fixing a lot of these issues unfortunately means starting all over and replacing the equipment again.

Did it work when the friend/ side work guy left? Yes, but the key is for how long and was it actually working correctly?

What if something terrible happened due to the bad installation? Who is responsible for it? 

When it breaks down or you are having issues with it where will that person be on the 0 degree day or the 100 degree day?

You saved say $1000, but in a few years you have to have the whole installation done again did you really save anything?

As homeowners you can protect yourself and ensure you get the right people to do the job. A few things to look at:

• Is the company Licensed, Bonded and Insured?
• Do they pull permits (where applicable)?
• What certifications/qualifications do they have?
• What type of warranty do you get on Parts & Labor?
• Do I get a load calculation of the home? 

Three things we look at to ensure you get a long life out of your new purchase:

1. Was it installed correctly?

2. Is it a reputable product?

3. Is it maintained properly?

Don't end up hiring the person who installed the unit in the picture! Hire the correct person to do the job the first time.