What is the Best HVAC Equipment?

I get this question all the time: "What is the best HVAC equipment available?" Short answer, they all suck. There is no "best" anymore; we try to find equipment that sucks less than the other equipment. Due to Department of Environmental Quality ("DEQ") and Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") regs, HVAC manufacturers are more concerned with meeting efficiency standards than with longevity. Long gone are the days when our grandparents' AC unit lasted 25 to 30 years; now we are lucky to get 15. Almost every brand has had their day in the spotlight at one time or another. Once a decent reputation is established, a large multinational company buys them out. Then the bean counters get involved and they cheapen them up to increase profit margins. This has happened with every single brand that exists. Much like the news media, a small group of companies own every single brand.

We have gotten to this point because of three reasons:

-Planned obsolescence;
-Attempting to keep up with the ever-changing government regulations; and
-Valuing profit over quality.

Years ago (before computers) equipment had to be over-designed in order to anticipate needs. Now computers can calculate almost every scenario and design the equipment to expire almost on cue.

Efficiency standards - and the need to be first with a product while making a profit - have caused manufacturers to outsource almost everything and become more of an assembler than a manufacturer. Coil walls have gotten thinner and thinner in order to create a greater exchange of heat; more and more circuitry is needed to control and produce the ever-increasing performance requirements making them more fragile; and the huge corporations are allowed to gobble up all of the smaller entities without any real scrutiny.

Each HVAC professional has their own opinion about which equipment is best. There are brands I avoid and favor for personal reasons but that is more from an installer/tech aspect than as an end user.

Over the last 20+ years, I have learned there are several things you can do to keep yourself from getting completely shafted when buying a new HVAC system:

1. Use a company that has good online reviews, preferably from people you know and not some faceless referral service. 95% of equipment failure is due to improper installation (or so I have been told). The contractor you choose is more important than the equipment itself (because, again, all of the equipment sucks).

2. Register your equipment! Registration will, in most cases, DOUBLE the factory warranty (very often 5 years to 10 years).

3. Trust yourself. Do not underestimate your "gut." If a contractor talks a good game but you have a nagging feeling that he is shady, he probably is. If your sales guy drives up in an '86 Cadillac DeVille with out of state plates, it may not be a good idea to let him into your house. Listen to yourself... or your dog. 'Cause if your dog doesn't like someone there is probably a good reason.

4. Get multiple quotes. This is to educate yourself about possibilities as much as it is to get pricing. You can have 10 contractors give quotes and all 10 will give different opinions. When getting multiple quotes, never go with the lowest bid, they are the lowest for a reason.

5. Nothing is free...EVER! There are always hidden charges when something is "free." Whether it is 0% financing, a rebate or even free accessories. These things are in some way benefiting either the contractor or their vendors...not you.

6. Do not underestimate the value of social media. You can get reviews, referrals and see pictures of completed jobs. Check out the company's website, too. You can find out a lot about them from what they post, and you can learn even more if they don't have a website. Reputable companies have websites. It is 2017.

So, to sum it up, even though all HVAC equipment sucks, all HVAC contractors do not. Putting some time into finding the right contractor (and avoiding "Chuck in a Truck") can save you years of frustration. I can't tell you how many times I have been called to fix an improperly installed unit because the homeowner did not research the company that did the work.

I wish you all luck in finding a local HVAC contractor who meets all of your needs. I'll be continuing my ongoing quest for equipment that doesn't suck. I'll let you know when I find it.