Make the Call for Comfort

When your HVAC system gives out suddenly, you may be tempted to try and cut a few corners in an effort to save money on the replacement. We get it—replacing your HVAC system is expensive, and whether it’s because you’re in a tight spot financially or you simply want to try and avoid some of the cost of replacing your HVAC system, cutting costs however possible is a real temptation.

However, it’s one you need to resist. Cutting costs and pinching pennies when it comes to your HVAC system could lead to an experience that’s immensely unsatisfying, and could cause even bigger problems later on down the line with the system you just invested in. Here are a few things that could happen when you try to skimp on costs for your new HVAC system.

Poor Manufacturing Quality

To put it bluntly, not all air conditioners are created equal. Name brands and trusted manufacturers have been building air conditioning systems for many years, and know what it takes to build a high-quality system. There are plenty of off-brand units (many of which come from places like China) that may seem like they’re a pretty solid bargain, but it’ll only be a matter of time before you realize why these systems cost so much less.

These systems are designed for one thing: mass production. By producing thousands of units quickly, manufacturers can sell these units at a much lower cost, undercut the competition, and walk away profitably. As such, they don’t take time to quality control their units, and it’s not uncommon for you to get a unit that’s not exactly right. Some things don’t fit together properly, others have leaks or defects, and all in all you get a unit that may or may not even work when you first install it. When you have to spend money on new parts just to replace the defective ones and get it to work, the cost savings starts dwindling quickly.

Lack of Support

You’ve got a defective unit that doesn’t work out of the box. Obviously, you want to send it back and get either a replacement or a refund, right? Well when you buy from a less-reputable source, odds are you’re going to learn really quickly that these places either have a no-refunds policy, or you have to pay shipping charges out of your own pocket, which can cost hundreds of dollars. There goes a good chunk of your savings.

If you simply want to get replacement parts, you may find that your manufacturer doesn’t sell them, or you may not even be able to get any support from your manufacturer at all. If you buy a system that claims it has a warranty, you may find that you’re simply running into a dead end when you try to file a claim for it.

When you’re investing thousands into your home, being hung out to dry like that is the absolute last thing you want to have happen.

Increased Breakdowns

And then there’s another problem with these too-good-to-be-true units: reliability. Because they’re produced using cheap parts and low-grade materials, these systems tend to break down and fall apart quickly. Getting replacement parts can be difficult, as mentioned previously, and finding a repair company that can reliably fix these issues can also be difficult.

All in all, between the increased breakdowns and stress, you may find that you not only didn’t save any money in the long run, but you’ve actually spent more because of all the issues you’ve had to fix!

What does this mean? Simple: while it might be more expensive up front to have a name-brand unit installed by a Sterling HVAC professional, having the peace of mind of knowing that it’s well-engineered, built from reliable materials, and backed up by a warranty that will help you get reliable repairs is more than worth the added cost.