Tom Durbin A/C and Mechanical
972-203-1317
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FAQ's
What is a S.E.E.R. Rating?
S.E.E.R. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating is the Federal standard for measuring the efficiency
of an air conditioning system. The higher the number, the less expensive the system will be to
operate and the more expensive it will be to purchase. As a consumer, the facts you need to
consider are as follows:
You may want to talk to your electric company about the savings involved with higher S.E.E.R.
models. The systems currently available on the market today range from 13.0 to 26.0 S.E.E.R.
We as air conditioning contractors tend to recommend 14.0 to 16.0 S.E.E.R. as the value
because the expense of the higher S.E.E.R. models can easily out way the savings. If you have
any questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call at our Dallas number 972-203-1317
The No BS Truth: Which is the Best Brand?
In my forty four years as an air conditioning, heating and installation master technician, I have not
found any brand name unit that I would say to be the very best in the industry. I will tell you the
pros and cons of them all. I have worked on units that were aged as much as 25 years or older.
“Why have the units lasted so long,” should not be the question. The question should be, “What
makes a unit die or quit working?”
Whether it is a furnace, evaporator coils, or outside condenser, (all components of an air
conditioning system) they will all cease to work due to four basic reasons. The first reason a unit
will fail is due to an improper installation or service by a poorly trained serviceman. The second is
cleanliness or lack there of, due to customer abuse by not following the prescribed maintenance.
The third is environmental damages such as weather, water, hail, lightening, and various other
sources. The last reason is the preferred reason--old age.
Here is a small time table for the home or business owner to better understand what has
happened to the failed unit. Within the first three years if your unit allowed you to be comfortable,
it was probably installed correctly. If it has continued to run anywhere between three to twelve
years, the owner has maintained the unit well. If by chance it has surpassed twelve years, my
compliments to someone who has cared about what s/he has owned and maintained with
excellence. The home or business owner is the reason why the unit has longevity--not the brand
name.
Let’s talk about “Brand Names” for a moment. Here’s the inside scoop. All A/C factories assemble
units with quality parts at their best price. There is no A/C factory, to my knowledge, that
produces a unit using only the parts they have manufactured. People, this is a no-brainer. People
in this country build all A/C brands in this country. For instance, every brand has parts built by
other companies like motors, capacitors, valves, compressors, paint, circuit boards, steel, copper,
and Freon. So what exactly makes you, the consumer, think one brand is better than another?
Possibly TV advertising Maybe??? Regardless of whether it is rated as a 3-ton unit by Brand “A”
or by Brand “X,” it is still a 3-ton unit and will perform as such or it wouldn't be rated as a 3-ton
unit. A unit is really only as good as the installer and the owners maintenance after the
installation.
Don’t discount the millions of dollars poured into research and development time some of the
major brand name manufacturing companies have spent to pioneer the industry. This is the
difference between the 100% to 150% mark-up in price when comparing Brand "A" brand "X". It
will not noticeably cool or heat any better than the other brand.
The generic versus brand name myth can be dispelled here. Brand X, the generic unit, has done
nothing more than copy cat of Brand A. Both are good units. However, the only real difference is
that one has a brand name and the other is a copy cat. If the warranties are the same, buy where
your loyalty falls. How they are installed and maintained will determine the life of the unit—not the
brand. I have Brand “X” on the outside of my home and Brand “A” on the inside. One unit is 26
years old and the other is 14 years old. I am happy with both of them.
To sum it all up, there are no major differences with any units on the market. What the consumer
needs to look for are equipment warranties, labor warranties, and quality installers. Take care of
and clean your unit like it was as important to you as your transportation because it will be
important when your unit fails. I hope you have taken something from this short essay and are a
more informed consumer because of it.
Tom Durbin
What is a S.E.E.R. Rating?
S.E.E.R. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating is the Federal standard for measuring the efficiency
of an air conditioning system. The higher the number, the less expensive the system will be to
operate and the more expensive it will be to purchase. As a consumer, the facts you need to
consider are as follows:
- How long do you plan to live in your home?
- How much money do you have available for upgrades?
- Do you want to pay more over a period of time to the electric company, or have the unit
pay for itself over a period of time?
You may want to talk to your electric company about the savings involved with higher S.E.E.R.
models. The systems currently available on the market today range from 13.0 to 26.0 S.E.E.R.
We as air conditioning contractors tend to recommend 14.0 to 16.0 S.E.E.R. as the value
because the expense of the higher S.E.E.R. models can easily out way the savings. If you have
any questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call at our Dallas number 972-203-1317
The No BS Truth: Which is the Best Brand?
In my forty four years as an air conditioning, heating and installation master technician, I have not
found any brand name unit that I would say to be the very best in the industry. I will tell you the
pros and cons of them all. I have worked on units that were aged as much as 25 years or older.
“Why have the units lasted so long,” should not be the question. The question should be, “What
makes a unit die or quit working?”
Whether it is a furnace, evaporator coils, or outside condenser, (all components of an air
conditioning system) they will all cease to work due to four basic reasons. The first reason a unit
will fail is due to an improper installation or service by a poorly trained serviceman. The second is
cleanliness or lack there of, due to customer abuse by not following the prescribed maintenance.
The third is environmental damages such as weather, water, hail, lightening, and various other
sources. The last reason is the preferred reason--old age.
Here is a small time table for the home or business owner to better understand what has
happened to the failed unit. Within the first three years if your unit allowed you to be comfortable,
it was probably installed correctly. If it has continued to run anywhere between three to twelve
years, the owner has maintained the unit well. If by chance it has surpassed twelve years, my
compliments to someone who has cared about what s/he has owned and maintained with
excellence. The home or business owner is the reason why the unit has longevity--not the brand
name.
Let’s talk about “Brand Names” for a moment. Here’s the inside scoop. All A/C factories assemble
units with quality parts at their best price. There is no A/C factory, to my knowledge, that
produces a unit using only the parts they have manufactured. People, this is a no-brainer. People
in this country build all A/C brands in this country. For instance, every brand has parts built by
other companies like motors, capacitors, valves, compressors, paint, circuit boards, steel, copper,
and Freon. So what exactly makes you, the consumer, think one brand is better than another?
Possibly TV advertising Maybe??? Regardless of whether it is rated as a 3-ton unit by Brand “A”
or by Brand “X,” it is still a 3-ton unit and will perform as such or it wouldn't be rated as a 3-ton
unit. A unit is really only as good as the installer and the owners maintenance after the
installation.
Don’t discount the millions of dollars poured into research and development time some of the
major brand name manufacturing companies have spent to pioneer the industry. This is the
difference between the 100% to 150% mark-up in price when comparing Brand "A" brand "X". It
will not noticeably cool or heat any better than the other brand.
The generic versus brand name myth can be dispelled here. Brand X, the generic unit, has done
nothing more than copy cat of Brand A. Both are good units. However, the only real difference is
that one has a brand name and the other is a copy cat. If the warranties are the same, buy where
your loyalty falls. How they are installed and maintained will determine the life of the unit—not the
brand. I have Brand “X” on the outside of my home and Brand “A” on the inside. One unit is 26
years old and the other is 14 years old. I am happy with both of them.
To sum it all up, there are no major differences with any units on the market. What the consumer
needs to look for are equipment warranties, labor warranties, and quality installers. Take care of
and clean your unit like it was as important to you as your transportation because it will be
important when your unit fails. I hope you have taken something from this short essay and are a
more informed consumer because of it.
Tom Durbin
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Service: 972-203-1317 Sales: 214-957-6936 or 972-203-1317