Shopping for a Furnace & Air Conditioner

I just went through the process of shopping for a furnace/air conditioner to replace my 30+ year old units, so I thought I would share my newfound, soon-to-be-forgotten, wisdom with you.

Step One:
Ask your friends. I got recommendations from friends, family and co-workers, simply to help narrow down the choices, as there are a LOT of them!

Step Two:
Look up your "leads" on these sites to get an idea of what their service is like, what their customer satisfaction ratings are, whether or not they have the required state licenses and certifications, etc.

• Air Conditioning Contractors of America
• Angie's List (Requires a subscription.)
• Better Business Bureau
• North American Technician Excellence certified (NATE)
• Ohio Department of Commerce's Company Licensee Lookup
• ReferenceUSA (Though this requires a subscription, many libraries, such as the Westerville Library, provide access to their library card holders.)
  

Step Three:
Create a checklist of questions to ask the salesperson/contractor once you start getting quotes. Get three quotes or more for comparison. EnergyStar.gov provides a good starting point in their Heat & Cool Efficiently article. Keep in mind that what makes a unit most efficient is its proper installation. Here are a few of the things I considered during the quote process:

• Breakdown of expenses (cost of unit versus cost of labor)?
• Any duct work (sealing) that needs to be done to increase efficiency of the unit?
  
• What are the AFUE ratings for the quoted furnaces and the SEER ratings for the quoted air conditioners? (Note: For furnaces, the higher the AFUE rating, the better, with a maximum rating of 100. For air conditioners, the higher the SEER rating, the better. The standard range is currently between 13.0 and 16.0 rating.)
• Is there an installation checklist, such as the Manual J, that will be used during the installation process?
  
• Is the quoted unit correct sized for my home? (Sizing has a direct correlation with unit efficiency. A unit too big or too small for your home will decrease its energy efficiency.)
• Be sure to walk away with a written quote with the suggested units' specifications.

Step 4:
After getting quotes for specific units, Google the unit model numbers that have been quoted to find out what other customers are saying. One bad review isn't worth noting, but numerous bad reviews may be.

What I Got:
After this whole process, I bet you're wondering what company/units I went with. Based on the conversations I had with the three companies I worked with (Hetter Heating & Cooling, Columbus Worthington Air and ML Heating & Air Conditioning), I made the decision to go with Hetter Heating & Cooling. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The company had a great Better Business Bureau rating. They had many of the HVAC certifications/licenses that I had researched. They quoted a good price and were interested in helping me find an energy efficient unit that I would be happy with.

• HVAC Company: Hetter Heating & Cooling
• Air Conditioning Unit: Trane XR15, 15-SEER rating (A 16-SEER unit was also quoted, but came with a significant price increase.)
  
• Furnace Unit: Trane XR95 (95 AFUE rating)

Overall, I felt very comfortable with my choice! I got to use the heater last week for the first time and the difference is remarkable. Here's to warm nights in my future!