With temperatures changing year-round, you’ll want an HVAC system warming and cooling your household as needed.
But for people on a shoestring budget who are in the market for an HVAC system, should you simply settle for the cheapest model on the lot?
The answer is a mix of yes and no – yes in that you should be able to find an affordable option, regardless of your budget, and no in that you shouldn’t compromise quality for the sake of a few bucks saved.
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Here are five tips on how to find a reasonably priced HVAC system for your home:
Determine the Average Cost of HVAC Systems
Despite the prevalent use of heaters and air conditioners, not a lot of people know the cost of an AC unit. Identifying the price range of an HVAC system is important as it serves as a baseline from which to do your comparison shopping.
Suppose you went out right now and found an HVAC system for $300 at a local home appliance store.
You wouldn’t be able to identify if $300 is actually a bargain or a ripoff for that exact brand or for that model with the exact features and specifications without having a general idea of the average cost of HVAC systems.
For installations, the average per-square-foot cost of HVAC systems is $40. For repairs, the national average is $365.
Determine Your Cooling/Heating Needs
Obviously, the larger the space in need of air conditioning, the more robust and capable your HVAC system should be, which ultimately translates to higher costs.
To avoid getting an HVAC system that is unnecessarily expensive, you’ll want to measure the space you are working with and the equivalent BTUs needed to cool or warm said space.
Equipment size and cooling capacity are two key factors to look at when purchasing an air conditioning unit. An AC with inadequate cooling capacity may need to continuously run to keep a room cool or warm, which means higher utility bills every month.
On the other hand, a unit with too high cooling capacity may lead to undesired removal of important indoor humidity and faster wear-and-tear of the machine.
Check Cost of Installation
You can find clues about the level of difficulty of installing a prospective HVAC system from reviews that customers leave for it online, such as on Amazon or Facebook.
Standalone and ready-to-use air conditioning units that you simply plug and use can be a cheaper option compared to a bigger system that requires professional installation.
That being said, even AC units that you’ll find on popular online marketplaces can be intricate to install.
Using the best HVAC company Utah county (or a company close to wherever you live) for installation and future maintenance and repairs can help avoid any issues during installation that could lead to damages and further expenses.
Look For the SEER Rating
SEER is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, which is assigned to AC models by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute.
SEER ratings are used to judge the efficiency of an HVAC system and takes into account the cooling capacity of a unit and the overall electrical power input needed at varying seasons.
The higher the SEER rating awarded to an AC model, the more energy-efficient it is. This translates to lower utility bills every month, which helps offset the additional equipment costs to install SEER-rated HVAC systems.
Consider Your Home’s Layout
Factor in zones and controls needed to cool or warm different spaces in your household.
Some homes require a variable cooling AC unit that can manage large spaces that require higher cooling output in zones that retain higher-than-normal temperatures, such as kitchens that are equipped for commercial use and bathrooms.
The more number of zones and cooling controls needed, the more comprehensive the AC unit installed should be, which means higher costs for the machine and installation.
To minimize costs in this category, prioritize and install an AC unit in interior spaces that have the highest foot traffic at any given time, such as the living room or dining room.
Finding an affordable HVAC system is as easy as knowing what to look for. Learn up on HVAC terminologies, such as cooling capacities, zones and controls, and indoor air quality(IAQ), to get the unit that suits your cooling/heating needs and budget.
