Buying a New Air Conditioner or Heat Pump?

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HVAC technician greeting customer

6 Pitfalls to Avoid

If your air conditioner or furnace just died, you’re facing some quick and tough decisions. Now is the time to take a deep breath and not rush to an uninformed decision.  The top mistakes people make when purchasing a new air conditioner or heat pump are:

  1. Ignoring SEER – The higher the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating the more efficient the unit, which translates to less money spent each month heating or cooling your home. A 13 SEER (North AC)/ 14 SEER (South AC and Heat Pump) rating is the minimum; 16 SEER is good; above 18 is high efficiency. A higher efficiency system can significantly reduce your energy bills in half when compared to an old 8 SEER unit and also provides many comfort benefits.
  2. Missing rebate opportunities – Many states and manufacturers offer rebates to help offset the costs of some systems, particularly those that are higher efficiency.  In fact, some states offer as much as $1500 in rebates. Talk to your contractor or visit www.dsireusa.org to learn more.
  3. Only getting one estimate – Prices and options will vary, as will service contracts, installation costs, and permits.  Shop around and compare apples to apples.
  4. Going for the lowest price – A low price does not always equal the best value. A higher efficiency system might cost an extra $800 up front, but could save you $300 per year in energy costs. Over the life of the system, typically 12-15 years, you would be saving significant dollars by paying a little more for the higher efficiency system.
  5. Not considering maintenance contracts – Maintenance is necessary to keep your system functioning in optimal conditions over the life of the unit.  Over time dirt, debris, and other foreign substances can cause build up in your system, erode electrical connections and cause other damage that is expensive to replace.  In addition, the buildup can cause a 14 SEER unit to perform like a 10 SEER one, making your system work harder and your utility bills higher. Ensuring your system is clean and maintained annually can extend the life of your system and help you avoid expensive and preventable repairs in the future.

Buying a new air conditioner or heat pump furnace is a big decision.  Take the time to make it a good one.  Have you recently replaced your system?  Tell us what you learned before your purchase! Looking for heat pump rebates in your area?

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77 thoughts on “Buying a New Air Conditioner or Heat Pump?”

  1. My wife and I need to get a new heater for our home, but I want to make sure I get a good one. That being said, I really appreciate you talking about this and giving me some great insight on things I should avoid when buying a new furnace. I’ll make sure I keep my eyes out for these things! Thanks a ton for the help Scott. http://www.scottsheatinganchorage.com/

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    • Hello, we recently found out that our furnace of 26+ years is dying so we start shopping around for a new and we have 2 installers tell us something that does not make sens:
      1) an installer today asked my wife ( I was not home) what are our plans for the Air conditioner, when she said there are none atm he borough a point , which according to him no one else will, that new furnaces are smaller size and the coiling coil we have in there is to big for the new unit and if we leave things as they are it will drip the condensation on the furnace which has a lot of electronic components and with in a year we will have a situation where a repair will have to be performed which is not covered by a warranty…
      2) a different installer told us not to consider dual or multi sage furnace since our upstairs will be significantly colder then our downstairs where censer is located
      ANY advice is appreciated Thank you

      Reply ↓

      • Hi Leo – first of all, at 26 years old, your system is nearing the end of its useful life. Our recent survey data suggests that most HVAC systems in the US are replaced at about 16 years old (more or less, depending on run hours, climate, etc). So, you might want to consider just replacing the whole system (AC and furnace) while you are at it – it might cost more to do this in two steps over time with the additional trips, labor hours, etc. On the drip pan, most contractors should know how to match up the AC coil drip pan to match the different sizes in the furnace/air handler but it would be worth checking to make sure they do this for you as was suggested. By the way, if you go with a new AC and furnace combination this matchup/fit-up issue should be address with the new, complete system.
        The multi-stage systems are designed to reduce energy consumption on mild days for both heating and cooling (AC). We recommend getting quotes for both minimum efficiency, single stage and the higher efficiency, multi-stage models due to the energy savings as well as the comfort and air quality benefits you get from these systems. In any case, the contractor should do some measurements and calculations to determine the capacity you need for your space (BTU/Hr). If these calculations are done and the system is installed properly there should not be problems with either a single or a two stage system. However, if the system is not sized or installed properly you could have problems with either one or two stage systems. We recommend getting quotes from at least 2-3 contractors for each type of system before deciding. Good luck with your HVAC project!

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  2. As a policy for this site, we do not comment on pricing and we do not recommend contractors or specific brands of equipment. We do however, recommend that consumers get at least two or three proposals from different certified contractors to make the best decisions. I can also tell you that prices vary a lot due to the type of equipment you select, the contractor you select and your geographic area, etc.

    There are many other articles on this site which might be helpful to make sure you are selecting the right equipment type (efficiency, comfort, etc.) for your situation. Here is a link to one you might want to review before making your decision.

    http://www.ac-heatingconnect.com/10-things-you-should-know-before-replacing-your-central-ac-system/

    Reply ↓

  3. I am replacing a 30 year furnace and I am adding a/c (never had a/c at this house) the company said they would get the permits they are adding 2 exchange vents and they said they will need to put in a new chimney liner, thermostat, cm detector, emergency shut off for the ac. 10 year warranty. how much should I pay

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  4. #5) How do you know what size or sizes are appropriate for your home?

    To do the correctly, you need to have a heat load calculation done on your home. Unless your current system is not able to maintain temperature or something has change in the home’s structure, the current size of the unit is typically used by a Contractor as a baseline for sizing the replacement system.

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  7. #2.) Should you replace the furnace(s) at the same time as the AC? If yes, WHY, other than for energy efficiency?
    Over time, furnaces can develop problems with the heat exchangers from the constant thermal change of the metal. So if the unit is older, and the new A/C system requires a different indoor A/C coil or blower motor than the one currently installed, the Contractor might suggest changing the furnace/blower motor along with the A/C outdoor unit change.

    Reply ↓

  8. #1.) If nothing is wrong YET with the other AC unit, do I REALLY need to replace BOTH UNITS AT THE SAME TIME?
    No, the two units work independently of each other. Sometimes a Contractor would suggest to replace both, if both units are the same age / life. Think of spokes on a bike wheel, break one spoke and there is a good chance within the next week another spoke will break.

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  9. We have 2 AC units in our home & the upstairs one is on it’s last legs…..actually, it has already had it’s legs amputated below the knee & the leftover stumps are now dying!!! After contacting several companies, I’d like to know the answers to from an expert who’s NOT ACTUALLY TRYING TO SELL ME ANYTHING the following 5 questions……

    #1.) If nothing is wrong YET with the other AC unit, do I REALLY need to replace BOTH UNITS AT THE SAME TIME?

    #2.) Should you replace the furnace(s) at the same time as the AC? If yes, WHY, other than for energy efficiency??

    #3.) What percentage of people get both replaced at the same time?

    #4.) How / where can you go online to find any discounts or rebates & how can you be sure you’ve gotten the MAXIMUM amount of discounts & / or rebates?

    #5.) How do you know what size or sizes are appropriate for your home?

    Thank you very much for your help!! The article was super-helpful, now if I could just get these questions answered, I feel we’d be MUCH better equipped to move forward!!! Ta!!

    Reply ↓

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