Common Mistakes When Buying HVAC Equipment

All too often, buying new HVAC equipment is a rush decision that’s done out of necessity when an older component fails unexpectedly. Since this essential equipment impacts your comfort, well-being and energy costs, it’s better to plan your purchase in advance and avoid the following common mistakes.

Purchasing Under or Oversized Equipment

Buying equipment that’s too small or too large for your home can cause unnecessary energy waste, difficulty maintaining comfort and even lead to breakdowns or premature failures. Rather than going with the same capacity of your current equipment, or relying on inaccurate “rule of thumb” sizing, make sure your HVAC installer performs a detailed load calculation to determine the correct size needed.

Choosing Your Equipment and Installer Based on Price Alone

Going with the lowest price works for many household purchases, but it’s not the best strategy for buying new HVAC equipment. You can lose out on potential energy savings because the least expensive HVAC models are usually the least efficient, and a low-cost contractor may not have the skills or experience to properly size or install the equipment, which can negatively impact its performance and energy consumption over the long term.

Neglecting Essential Maintenance

Routine maintenance is vital to keep your new equipment running reliably and at optimal efficiency, and it protects your manufacturer’s warranty coverage too. Since it’s easy to neglect to schedule maintenance visits when you have new equipment, it’s wise to sign a yearly maintenance agreement with a reputable local HVAC contractor.

Not Investigating the Latest Equipment Features

A new equipment purchase is an opportunity to look at different models and compare the latest advancements in technology that can boost your comfort, provide better humidity control, as well as help you save energy and lower your yearly heating or cooling costs. Depending on the exact type of equipment you’re buying, you should investigate and weigh the benefits of features like smart controls, EMC motors, variable speed blowers, two-stage compressors and zoning.

For more expert advice to help you avoid mistakes when you’re buying HVAC equipment for your Coastal Bend home, contact us at CCAC.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.