Why Cheap HVAC Equipment Ends Up Being Costly

HVAC systems can cost several thousand dollars. There is a significant temptation to pick the cheapest system available. However, there are several reasons why cheap HVAC equipment ends up being costly. The EER is the Energy Efficiency Rating. An air conditioner with a low EER rating may be cheaper than higher EER ratings, but it uses more electricity each summer to cool your home. Cheaper units may also have less insulation and less accurate controls, wasting energy and money. A unit must have at least a 10.7 EER to count as an Energy Star appliance and be eligible for energy efficiency tax credits or energy saving rebate programs offered by some utilities.

How Cheap AC Equipment and Installs Never Really Are...

Quality typically costs more. Spending a few hundred more for a more reliable unit is worth the additional expense if it lasts longer, needs fewer repairs and doesn't foul up as often. You may also get stuck with a limited warranty along with the cheaper unit, leaving you on the hook for the more frequent repairs.

Off-Brand

Off-brand HVAC equipment is sometimes cheaper than more expensive name brands. Perhaps the HVAC equipment is imported from China instead of coming from a common brand like Trane, Amana or Lennox. The low purchase price will come with later sticker shock at the price charged for hard to get replacement parts. The repair cost is even greater if there are few service people capable of working on the HVAC equipment.

The Unit's Cheap - But Only After an Expensive Contract or Associated Costs

We occasionally hear commercials for HVAC companies offering an ultra-cheap HVAC unit "to keep their men busy in the off season". This low cost unit is one of the most expensive mistakes home owners can make. The HVAC salesperson may have two or three units at the ultra-low price, but they will steer customers to overpriced but low quality units that are supposedly a better fit. Or the contractor will offer a significant discount, while customers are ignorant of how inflated the original cost was. In all of these cases, customers lured in by the promise of a cheaper heating or cooling system will be bombarded by offers of additional services. If the customer feels like they are saving thousands of dollars on the AC, why not spend a few hundred on an extended warranty that is 90% profit to the vendor or a thousand dollars on a service contract? Customers seeking an ultra cheap unit end up on the hook for recurring maintenance and service costs while living with a mid-range or low quality HVAC system.