Before You Buy That New Air Conditioner, Read This…

When the weather gets hot, air conditioners break.  The hotter it gets, the more stress on your A/C, means more potential issues.  But, unless you can tell the difference between a capacitor, a contactor and a compressor, how are you going to provide any accountability to the heating and cooling company that’s telling you it’s time for a new system? The bottom line is, you can’t.  Once it’s replaced, all evidence of either willful or ignorant coercion is gone. And all you have is a working system.

You’re under duress.  It’s hot, your kids or significant other are complaining. You just want the situation fixed. There are many companies that have no problem taking advantage of you.  That bears repeating, these companies know that you’ll do whatever it takes, so they are perfectly willing to sell you the most expensive thing possible.

Before you buy, know these things about your system.  If it doesn’t cross every one of these tests, you absolutely need to call another heating and cooling company.

• The average life expectancy of an air conditioner is 15 years. Systems can and do need replacement before then, but if it’s less, why not get a second opinion
• Is the fan blowing on the outside unit? If the answer is yes, the repair is very likely not a major one.  Warm air inside does not mean your system is completely broken.
• Did they say your compressor has failed?  Ask them if they have tried a hard start kit. This can add a few years to the life of your compressor.

Before you sign on the dotted line