Air Conditioning Manufacturers are Lying to You - Here's HELP!! with the Truth!

Every summer we all think about the high costs of our energy bills. We hope that the air conditioner doesn’t break down because we can’t afford to replace it with a new one this year.  We’ve said that for the past 5 years. In fact, this could be true in the winter with the heaters as well. Truth is, if your HVAC system is over 10-years-old, then it is costing you more to keep it than it would be to replace it. I know you’re thinking I’m crazy with a comment like that, but it's actually the truth. An old, inefficient a/c or heater will cost more to operate and repair.

Now, if you’re considering a replacement, then you run into the problem of which brand to choose? How do I know what Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating to use? Aren’t the higher SEER rated units more expensive? Who do I trust in getting the correct information? Is some salesman going to sell me some high priced unit that I don’t really need? We could go on and on about all of the concerns we have when it comes to replacing our central air conditioning and heating system, so let’s just dive into what we need to consider when the time comes.

Most HVAC Manufacturers Use the Same Parts

Many Manufacturers Use the Same Parts to Build Different HVAC Brands Every air conditioner manufacturer claims their units are best. Trane says, “It’s hard to stop a Trane.” Amana says, “American Pride” or “It’s the last unit you’ll ever buy.” Bryant says, “Whatever it takes.” Carrier says, “Turn to the Experts,” and Lennox claims, “As close to perfect as it gets.” I could cover all the manufacturers, but these are among the biggest players in the HVAC industry. I know what you’re thinking; "Come on Korey, get to the lying part." I’m getting there, but there’s a lot more to it. So, here it goes.

First let’s be realistic about who builds what. Every manufacturer has many names they sell under, with each being a different color or maybe some different side panels. For example, Trane and American Standard both come from the same assembly line but are built by Ingersoll Rand. Carrier and Bryant, which are essentially the same units with a different paint job also build Day and Night, Payne and Tempstar. Lennox builds Armstrong and Concord and finally, Amana and Goodman are all built by Daikin. All of these manufacturers use a lot of the same parts for their blower motors, fan motors, contactors, capacitors and even their compressors are the same in many of these units.

HVAC System Efficiency Responsibility

That being said, the manufacturers account for about 18.5% of how well a system will work. This includes equipment design, physical size, appearance, noise level and parts warranties.

That means, you the homeowner must play a part in having the best system possible. You are responsible for 7.4% of the air conditioning system, which includes maintenance and replacing the filters.

Where does the other 74.1% go? The rest falls onto your air conditioning installation company. They are responsible for the correct sizing, correct application (no two houses are the same), duct sizing, return grill sizing, refrigerant line sizing, condensation removal, proper venting, quality of installation, any and all warranties that may come with the system, insurance to protect you and your family if something goes wrong, and what I consider the most important fact, being able to service the system if or when a problem comes up.

HVAC Efficiency Primarily Depends on Your Installer

With all this being said, no manufacturer is truly better than the other; it’s all about how HVAC System installation. I will say that as a former technician, we do have brands we believe in more than others. I mean, we know which units we work on, and we can tell what problems you’ll have with each brand. I truly believe a well-informed technician can help you choose the best system for your needs. This is more than any HVAC salesman could ever hope to accomplish.

For example, I believe in two-stage system because of my own experience. I bought a house in May 2009, that summer I paid over $500 a month on my energy bills. My wife is a substitute teacher and was home with the kids, so I couldn’t turn the unit off while I was at work. That winter, I installed a two-stage system on my first floor and a highly efficient unit for the second floor. The next summer, my highest electric bill was $228.00. Talk about a return on my investment! Even with paying for all the new equipment monthly, I was still saving money over what my bills used to be, and my family was more comfortable in our home.

I accomplished this because I knew the truth about air conditioning manufacturers. I knew how to make sense of the single biggest lie in the air conditioning and heating industry that most manufacturers still use today, and the government allows them to do it. Wait, why is the government now involved? They set the standards by which each manufacturer is tested. So what is this lie? It’s a simple 4 letter acronym that is labeled on every unit - SEER.

What is Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)?

That’s right. You see these tags on almost every type of appliance we buy. Most are very truthful when you’re buying a refrigerator, but that’s about it. So, when you think you’re buying that 18 SEER air conditioning system, don’t get shocked when this tag says 15.7 SEER. I know you’re thinking, well I’ll just call that salesman that sold me an 18 SEER system and tell him that’s what I’m paying for and that’s what I want. I’m sorry, but he can’t deliver it. No one can. You see the manufacturers are allowed to say something is 17, 18, 20 SEER or even higher if they want to. How and why can they deceive us like that? I mean, in some cases we’re spending up to $10,000 or more for some of these higher SEER rated systems, yet we will never see those ratings. Here’s how they get away with it.

Manufacturers build air conditioners in sizes 2 ton, 2 ½ ton, 3 ton, 3 ½ ton, 4 ton and 5 tons. These are the terms we hear and know even if we don’t fully understand what it means. In this line of units, they build only one of these that can reach the actual ratings of let’s say 18 SEER. Which unit do you believe truly reaches the numbers to be called an 18 SEER unit? The little 2 ton is usually it. Yep, for that reason they can claim the entire line of that model 18 SEER. That’s why here at Help Service Co., we never use the term SEER because we will not lie and deceive any of our customers. These lines are now referred to as the 18 Series or 19 Series and never SEER. Now don’t get me wrong, these units are typically still more efficient than what you currently have, but please do not expect to get what the manufacturers claim.

Now let’s understand that all these numbers are created in a controlled laboratory, and we all know real life isn’t anything close to what they can create in a lab. So here is something I copied that’ll give you a little more insight to what I’m trying to show everyone so here it is.

"Save 50% On Your Utility Bill!" Truth or Fiction?

You may have heard that air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces have come a long way in the past 10 years. In fact, a 1992, federal law forced the manufacturers to stop making inefficient units. Contractors and manufacturers will tell you that the savings on your utility bills will offset the cost of a new high, efficient system.

They will make claims of 50% savings on utility bills. Does this really happen? The truth is that a few homeowners actually do save up to 50% on their utility bills after buying a new system. An unfortunate reality is that some only see some savings, while others see no savings at all. This is not the fault of the manufacturer completely. The real story is when a contractor takes the equipment to your house for field assembly. Proper installation is the key to getting the most from your new cooling and heating system. Most homeowners are not getting the efficiency they are paying for and deserve.

The takeaway of this whole story is, don’t be fooled by the big box manufacturer’s lies. Talk to your air conditioning tech and ask him what he thinks is best suited for your home. Not all houses can handle the requirements of the highest SEER rated systems. Almost all of this has to do with humidity control, so beware of the guys that only offer the most expensive units available. All air conditioning systems must be designed to fit the house and not the other way around.


Thank you,
Korey Knobloch

About the Author

Korey’s Bio

I’ve been in the air conditioning and heating industry since I was 15 years old.  I have been working in the family business full time since 1984 and have been an owner of the family business for over 12 years.  Our main goal is to give our customers the best possible experience and to help educate them as to how an air conditioning system works.

Korey Knobloch
HELP!! Service Company

Co-Owner, IAQ Specialist

504-733-5888

Korey@helpserviceco.com