Updated Oct 28, 2014 Buying your new HVAC equipment – whether an air conditioner, boiler, furnace or similar product – directly from an online HVAC retailer represents a substantial cost-saving opportunity. HVAC contractors often build a substantial markup into the price that they quote consumers to compensate for some of the costs of running their business (i.e. sales calls, running loadThere are a number of companies that can offer you substantially lower prices if you purchase your equipment directly, without having a contractor purchase it for you. However, buying consumer-direct equipment can also present a set of potential In some situations consumers may be best-served by getting competitive bids from several contractors, and having the winning contractor purchase and install the unit. However, it is usually possible to save a substantial amount of money if you are willing to take on some additionalThis article outlines the issues you should consider if you

are thinking about buying your equipment from a consumer-direct retailer. Equipment sizing affects both the comfort of your home, and the ongoing costs to operate your new furnace or air conditioner. the equipment is too small, it won't adequately heat or cool your house. If it is too large, it will cycle on and off more often than necessary. This cycling is inefficient and will unnecessarily increase the cost ofYou want to make sure that your furnace or air conditioner is the right size. The only accurate way to determine the appropriate size is to perform a load calculation. If you choose to purchase from a consumer-direct retailer, you have People often choose which furnace or air conditioner to buy based on brand names with which they are comfortable. An alternate approach is to look at the warranties offered by the different brands. (You can find a summary of warranty information on each brand profile in the left toolbar.) provide longer standard warranties typically do so because they know that their risk of costly repairs is minimal.

A third approach is to examine the lists of the most highly rated series of HVAC equipment. FurnaceCompare generates these lists from the thousands of reviews that homeowners and contractors submit to the site:how much is new air conditioning unit HVAC equipment brands have varying policies on whether they will honoroutside ac unit not working warranties on equipment purchased online.how to size a central ac unit Goodman, for example, says that the warranty of any furnace purchased online is null and void. In general, HVAC manufacturers appear to oppose consumer-direct purchases for several reasons: However, most brands focus primarily on whether you purchased your equipment through a licensed distributor and had it installed by a

After speaking with representatives from six of the major brands, we have determined that as long as you meet these criteria, you should not have a problem with your warranty. Even with Goodman, which has a policy of invalidating the warranty of any equipment purchased online, the warranty remains valid if you purchase your equipment from a consumer-direct retailer over the phone, rather than placing the order on the internet. Of course, this is not a guarantee that you will not have problems. If you have any questions about your warranty, you should direct them to the retailer from whom you buy your equipment, or to your brand's customer support phone number. A number of consumers have reported finding that HVAC companies are reluctant to work with them on an hourly basis. You have a few options in terms of finding a qualified contractor toIn order of convenience, they are: If using the latter options, be sure to refer to our tips on how to select a contractor.