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:
- 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.
Signed:Tom Durbin |
