Four HVAC Contractor Lies and the Troubles These Lies Create
Four HVAC Contractor Lies and the Troubles These Lies Create
Four HVAC Contractor Lies and the Troubles These Lies Create
With the vast number of HVAC contractors out there, it is safe to say that not all meet the same quality and ethical standards. Some HVAC companies are trusted by many for the quality of work and fair prices. In contrast, some are simply in for a quick buck, so they take some shortcuts and fabricate lies about your HVAC system. These deceitful heating & AC contractors can tell lies that will endanger the performance and even shorten the lifespan of your furnace.
Be aware of the following lies:
All Home Comfort Systems are Plug-and-Play
This is an absolute lie. Some HVAC companies will trick consumers into thinking that purchasing a complete heating and cooling system is just as easy and simple as buying other home appliances such as a laundry machine or a refrigerator. They make the process look like you will only be choosing the unit of your choice (more often than not, the highest-priced unit they offer), get it delivered and installed, settle the bill, and enjoy a happy ever after. You should not believe any HVAC company who gets this kind of mindset into their customers.
There is more to an HVAC system than just the purchasing and plugging it in. First, your home comfort system is not just about the air conditioner or the heating system. There are other parts that are fundamental to the entire process. Consider the ductwork (something that some homeowners don’t understand), electrical wiring, exhaust, ventilation, and all the other important parts that complete the heating and cooling process. All these have to be taken into consideration, set up, and schedule for a regular upkeep to ensure that you enjoy the benefits that it offers.
Remember that having a complete home comfort system is one of the most important and expensive items you have and is considered a huge investment. If your heating and cooling system is the right size for your home, perfectly installed and regularly maintained by you and a trusted contractor, you can cut down your cooling and heating costs by about 35% while you take pleasure in a warm cozy home during the winter season or get a break from the sweltering heat in the summer.
A Bigger HVAC System is a Better System
Another common lie that some HVAC contractors will tell you is that you either go big on your heating and cooling system or you suffer the consequences of not having a literally big HVAC system. What some contractors do is to roughly assess the size of your home or even the size of your old unit and work from there. Some HVAC contractors find performing a load calculation too much of a task or some simply are not trained enough to do so. Because of these, unscrupulous contractors end up just offering you the bigger units and make you believe they work better.
The truth is, size plays an important role in the efficiency and the overall performance of your heating and cooling system. If you purchase a heating unit that is too big for your home, the space you are trying to heat gets warm almost too quickly and that sends a wrong reading to the thermostat that signals the furnace to turn off. The heating system turns on and off on a regular basis until the home is properly heated. This process wastes gas and electricity and will eventually be the cause the unit to break down. Also, a unit that is too big for the space you are heating can cause humidity problems that will have adverse effect on you and your family’s health. On the other hand, a unit that’s too small may also be not enough to provide your home the temperature it requires.
That being said, reliable HVAC contractors always perform a load calculation whenever consumers need a heating or a cooling system. They consider different factors such as:
- Make and design of the home
- Square footage of the property
- Window sizes and R-value
- Solar orientation
- Ductwork
- Insulation of walls, floors, and ceiling
- Foundation type
- Building materials utilized
- Ceiling height
Always go for HVAC companies that carry out load calculation to ensure that you purchase a home comfort unit that is highly efficient and reduces cost.
Carbon Monoxide is Not a Problem
Unfortunately, there are some HVAC contractors who automatically assume that carbon monoxide is not a problem if they don’t see any visible cracks on the furnace’s heat exchanger when they could still carry out other combustion safety checks. This lie can bring about life-threatening problems in your home. Combustion gases such as a carbon monoxide are packed with highly toxic compounds that are dangerous to inhale. Anyone exposed to carbon monoxide can experience headaches, poisoning, and even death!
It is always helpful to maintain a balanced air pressure inside and outside your home. Although this is easier done during the summer as you can always let fresh air enter into your home through some opened windows and some other gaps, it isn’t so easy to do so during the winter season. Because the air pressure is higher than the indoor air pressure, combustion gases are easily pulled down the chimney or the flue into the home – an effect called backdrafting. This similar problem also happens when the flue is either incorrectly installed or blocked.
You can check for backdrafting issues by doing the following:
- Purchase a carbon monoxide analyzer for your home.
- Beware of a dark residue or soot on the water heater as this can signify that there is backdrafting.
- Make use of a lighter to check if the flame is pulled by the draft into the flue. If it does, there is enough draft.
- Test for secondary flue vents by releasing smoke into the draft hood. If the smoke creeps back in, this is an indication of backdrafting.
The Ductwork and Airflow are Not Important
One of the lies that some HVAC companies fail to understand and execute is the relevance of getting a properly sized ducts. Because of this, some homes serviced by these unscrupulous companies end up having too many leaks or duct system that are way too small to cater to their needs.
If you are among the many homeowners who do not understand the significance of a duct system, imagine it as the arteries that distribute the blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If you have that visualized in your head, then you pretty much know how the duct system works.
Having the right sized duct system in your home ensures that there is sufficient airflow for the heating and/or cooling process that your unit goes through. HVAC companies will need to do a load calculation so that they can accurately assess the right size of ducts to achieve an optimum level of airflow. They will also need to measure the static pressure on the duct system to make sure that it isn’t too high for the air to properly flow. These steps can prevent premature wearing out of your home comfort system.
