Whether you’re moving into a new home or are considering upgrading the existing HVAC components in your current home, there are many offers out there. While everyone likes to save money when they can, there are just some instances where it will cost you more in the long run. One of the most common gimmicks in the HVAC industry is getting a free furnace with the purchase of a home cooling system.
A Closer Examination of the Free Furnace Deal
When certain HVAC companies are advertising a free furnace deal, you need to be aware of the specific verbiage that they’re using in their advertisement. It’s very common to hear the words “qualifying air conditioning system.” This means that you can only get a free furnace if you purchase one of the air conditioning systems that the company has pre-selected to be part of this deal.
Expensive Air Conditioning Systems
These companies will select their most expensive cooling systems to be part of the free furnace deal. This means that you’ll be spending an arm and a leg on an air conditioning system that you might not even need for your home. Additionally, these companies will likely inflate the cost of installation for both systems to recoup the expense of the furnace that they’re “throwing” into the deal. That money can be better spent on purchasing a quality furnace alongside a quality air conditioning system for your home.
Cheap Furnace Quality
Apart from having to pay for an extremely top-of-the-line air conditioning system for your home, these HVAC companies will only include very low-quality furnaces as part of their deals. These free furnaces tend to have a shorter lifespan and don’t have the same efficiency as purchasing a quality furnace. In fact, you will likely find yourself spending more money on energy costs to power your low-quality furnace throughout the wintertime than if you were to purchase a quality one to start with.
Poor efficiency is just going to be the start of your problems. These low-quality furnaces will not only prematurely wear out but also have a very short warranty period. When you start to run into issues with your new furnace a few years down the road, you’ll likely find that the necessary parts and labor to replace it are not included, as your warranty has likely run out.
Key Indications It Isn’t a Good Deal
It’s true that the cost of a quality air conditioning system and home heating system can be expensive for the average homeowner. However, it’s important to remember that they’re both investments in the value of your home and the ongoing comfort of your family. When you hear about a free furnace deal with the purchase of a new air conditioning system, it’s important that you look out for a couple of key indicators that it’s not such a great deal.
A great place to start is to look at the product price. You want to compare the cost of the air conditioning system that is part of the selected program deal with what it would cost without utilizing the program deal. In most cases, you’ll find that the air conditioning system will be costlier when purchased through the deal than if you originally purchased it alone.
Next, you want to take a look at what the total installation cost is going to be. It’s important to get a quote for installing your air conditioning system and furnace separately. Then, get a quote for the labor of installing both systems if you were to purchase the package deal. If there is a stark difference where the deal installation cost is much more expensive, then it’s likely not a great deal after all.
Another indicator of a bad free furnace deal is when you get roped into mandatory added services. This could mean having to invest in programs like annual service plans. The cost of the program just adds to the overall cost of the deal. When you do the math, you’ll likely find that the deal is much more expensive than initially marketed for.
Let the Pros Handle It
Bernard Heating & Cooling is here to provide you with top-quality heating services for your Hudson area home. Our HVAC technicians can also help with all of your cooling, indoor air quality, and water heater needs.
Give us a call today to schedule your next service appointment.
