• HOW TO CHOOSE A DEALER: Your best source of a good company is one that has done good work for someone you know. So ask friends & neighbors what company they use. If they had good results with this dealer, you have a much better chance yourself. There are way too many careless dealers and good dealers with lousy help - you have to be careful. There are many shortcuts that can be taken with the installation of new equipment that homeowners don't understand. There are issues like sizing, brand, efficiency and how it’s installed - that play an important role to the operation and comfort the system produces. I'll cover those issues next.
  
   

• WHAT BRAND: That's confusing. Most brands are similar but some are decidedly high end and some are low end. You can't always tell by the price quoted or the warranty. Best bet is ask the dealer why they chose the brands they did, how long they've had them, who wholesales them locally. We chose our brands by quality & local support. All our sold by family owned local distributors who have above average support. Overall, if you get a system properly sized and installed, regardless of brand it should do just fine. We recommend you get an extended warranty regardless of what brand you choose. See that topic below.
  
   

• WHAT SIZE: That's confusing. Most dealers GUESS. That doesn't do you any good. Most existing equipment is too large. In the "old" days, the thought was bigger is better. But big furnaces cycling constantly are not efficient nor do they deliver even comfort. Big air conditioners cycling constantly aren't efficient, they don't remove moisture well nor do they cool evenly. The newer high SEER units are particularly bad at moisture removal in the first 7-8 minutes of operation. The only way to know is survey the house. Not just square feet of floor but walls, windows, doors, take into account insulation, shade - anything that affects heat entering & leaving your house. Then use a spreadsheet to determine exactly what size you need. Don't let someone GUESS at your comfort for the next 20some years.
  
   

• WHAT EFFICIENCY: That's confusing. It depends upon local fuel rates and how long you are going to be in the house. In many climates, standard (much higher than you have now) efficiency furnace & air conditioners are all you need. The extra for a super efficient A/C or 90% efficient furnace won't pay you back in utility savings in the near future. BUT - in extreme climates or with high fuel rates, the payback can be much quicker. In some areas, utilities offer rebates if you do buy higher efficiency unit which really helps on the extra price. This is something you need to talk over with your dealer and your utility can help you decide as well. Or e-mail me with your location and rates and I can help. Don't let a salesman pressure you into high SEER or AFUE equipment. That's when to get leery! Today's minimum SEER is 13 which is many areas is just fine.
  
   

• WHICH REFRIGERANT: Another issue to confuse the homeowner! For 50 years, home air conditioners have used R22 and it works great. But it is a HCFC, a hydrochloroflurocarbon which does have some ozone layer depletion potential. As of the year 2010, new units may not use a HCFC as a coolant. R22 will be manufactured until 2020 though with substantial production cuts and be available in recycled form until 2030. All manufacturers are switching to R410a, which is a HFC and has no chlorine. R410a works well in residential equipment but does have some drawbacks, mostly evident in a poor installation. Which to buy? R22 is long proven to work well, will be manufactured for 12 more years though the price for it is rapidly rising where R410a prices are dropping. There are new refrigerants that work like R22 that can be used in the future if R22 becomes too expensive. Most premium units today are R410a and that gas is availabl in standard units as well. Cost for R410a equipment tends to be the same or slightly more than R22 units.
  
   

• CHANGE THE COIL: The cooling coil that sits above, in or below your furnace is a matched part of your air conditioning system. If you are replacing your cooling system, make sure any bid includes a new, matched cooling coil. Too many dealers are happy just to sell you the machine outside. That's doing 1/2 the job and a mistake, especially with today's 13 SEER units. Reusing an old coil reduces capacity, reduces humidity removal, reduces system life and costs more to run. Resist the temptation to save a buck. Get the old coil out of there. I recommend new connecting tubing if at all possible. This eliminates everything old that can cause you grief in the future. I also suggest that the coil not be changed with a furnace only unless there is a good reason. The coil is part of the cooling system and should be matched to the outdoor unit. One problem with buying a new coil but keeping the old outdoor unit is you may be limiting what you can install outdoors later either for size, efficiency or refrigerant reasons.
  
   

• ASK YOUR SALESMAN'S CREDENTIALS: Here's why- many of the larger companies are hiring salesman - guys (and ladies) trained to sell, not trained about heating & cooling equipment. They know how to make a sale (aka: high pressure) to an undecided prospect, not how to help you choose the right system for your home. So ask the representatives you meet what their background is: do they service, do they install, do they have any education in the field, are they certified by the EPA, RSES or NATE? I think you'll find yourself more likely to believe what you are told when you know a bit more about the person who is doing the telling!
  
   

• EXTENDED WARRANTY? Most dealers are offering extended warranties on top of the manufacturer's warranty and their own labor warranty. Periods of 5 and 10 years are common. Should you buy? If priced competitively and from the manufacturer or Equigard, it would make sense to, especially on furnaces. As furnaces are becoming very complex and many of the components are made in developing nations to keep the price down, repairs are becoming more common and more expensive. In 10 years if you plan to stay in your home, you most often will recoup the investment. Do read the fine print, however, as these warranties only cover breakdown of the equipment. Maintenance and problems not related to an equipment failure are not covered. Also avoid warranties done by the dealer as they are only as good as long as the dealer will honor them.
  
   

• HOW OLD IS YOUR UNIT?: E-mail us with the model number of your equipment and we can check our reference book and find out the approximate age and efficiency of your products. That can help you decide whether it is time, due to age or cost of operation, to replace the system.

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