When your furnace or air conditioner reaches the end of the line, you’ll need to find a replacement quickly.
But you shouldn’t rush into anything. If you do you may make mistakes that will ultimately cost you a tremendous amount of money—and leave you with HVAC equipment that is next-to-useless.
What follows are some of the common pitfalls that could lead you astray, if you go looking for a new furnace or air conditioner without a well-conceived plan of action.
Getting a single price estimate
HVAC equipment does not come cheap, and neither do the services of trained installation experts. You owe it to yourself to get as many quotes as you can, since even a small percentage difference in contractor pricing can be enough to save you hundreds of dollars.
Not educating yourself about SEER
SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings, offers an objective evaluation of the performance of HVAC systems. An air conditioner or furnace with a SEER number of 16 would be considered highly-efficient and would likely reduce your energy bills by one-third to one-half in comparison to a unit installed 15-20 years ago.
Missing out on valuable rebates
To help you control costs manufacturers frequently offer them and state energy-efficiency programs do as well. Your HVAC contractor is a great source of information about manufacturer discounts, while the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency website can connect you with rebates available through your state.
Not purchasing a good maintenance plan
For a few extra bucks you can get free cleaning, check-up and maintenance visits from your contractor, along with discounts on parts and service calls. O.K Heating and Air Conditioning has several comprehensive maintenance plan options available to our customers, with an affordable pricing structure that can’t be beat.
Failing to fully investigate an HVAC contractor before hiring that company
You shouldn’t automatically trust anyone, especially if they put in bids that are far cheaper than the competition’s. Bargain-basement companies often cut corners, charge hidden fees and have a long record of complaints about slipshod or dishonest practices.
Always check online reviews and Better Business Bureau records before hiring any contractor, and get them to put everything in writing before you sign on the dotted line.
Assuming your old HVAC equipment was properly sized
Perhaps your old equipment had just the right cooling or heating potential. But if you’ve added doors or windows, knocked down any walls or closed off unused spaces it may have affected your heating and cooling profile, possibly quite significantly.
The best way to properly size your HVAC system is to have an expert perform a heating and cooling load analysis, which will pin down your needs very precisely. At O.K. Heating and Air Conditioning our technicians have extensive experience with this procedure and can provide you with the accurate data you need to make a great purchasing decision.
Hire the Best and Forget the Rest
If you’re in Livermore, Walnut Creek or Pleasanton, or live elsewhere in the surrounding area, O.K Heating and Air Conditioning is here to serve all of your heating and cooling needs. We are an authorized dealer of top-grade Bryant HVAC products and our trained technicians have extensive installation experience, so if you are ready to change your HVAC system you absolutely can’t go wrong if you decide to work with O.K. Heating and Air Conditioning.
Please contact us about your heating and cooling needs—and continue to follow us here for more valuable information about HVAC technology, maintenance and repair.