The Pitfalls of Buying an HVAC System Online

If you’re like most of us these days, you don’t hesitate to buy clothes for the family, toys for the kids, and even furniture for your home online. We’ve grown accustomed to online shopping, and it has brought big benefits. Unfortunately, the same just isn’t true when it comes to shopping for HVAC units. Read on to find out why you should never buy an HVAC system online and why you should always rely on a team of professionals for HVAC purchases and installation:

Sizing is done by the homeowner

An HVAC professional is the only person qualified to size your unit. If you think HVAC systems are easy to size, think again. Determining a heating and cooling system’s size by either guessing or generating a rough estimate will only end in frustration and discomfort. Buying an air conditioner that’s too small means your home will never feel cool enough and your cooling system will be overloaded constantly. In contrast, purchasing an air conditioner that’s too big results in short-cycling, which can lead to indoor air quality problems and frequent system breakdowns.

That’s why our heating and cooling professionals use an industry standard tool known as a Manual J load calculation to determine your home’s cooling needs. Developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), a Manual J calculation takes a long list of factors into account.

In addition to your home’s square footage, this calculation factors in the number of stories it has, the direction it faces, the amount of shade and sun exposure it gets, the level of insulation it has, and the number of windows it has. When our team generates a calculation for your home, you can rest assured that you’ll end up with an HVAC unit that’s right for you.

Manufacturer warranties may be voided

Equipment that comes from a third party instead of from the manufacturer creates additional risk that you don’t want to introduce into your home. Depending on the site and how the equipment is purchased, buying and installing heating and cooling components from a third party often invalidates any manufacturer warranty.

Contractors are selected at random

The quality of your installation is the most important part of buying an HVAC unit. If you decide to go with one of these sites, you lose the ability to choose your contractor. You may end up with someone who does a great job, but you may not! Why risk it when you can go to a contractor you know and trust?

Accountability

We are your local and reliable HVAC company and we take pride in making sure that you can rely on your unit for the full life span. The companies installing online are only interested in getting the job done and getting out. We are here for you year after year, standing by our work and our technicians, as your neighbors.