Getting an air conditioning system for your home is a great way to invest in your level of home comfort. Anyone that’s seriously looked at a system cannot fail to notice that there is a huge disparity in pricing on various makes and models. On the face of it, one would think that these air conditioners do pretty much the same job, so why would the costs be so different? Let’s take a closer look at this issue and hopefully clear up some common misconceptions.
You Get What You Pay For:
This is a well worn adage that many of us have heard applied throughout our lives, but it has merit. This is especially true when talking about air conditioning systems. Systems that are very cheap may seem like a very good deal, but this is not the case. These systems are poor quality, and they will not stand up to continuous use over any appreciable length of time. They will require maintenance more often leading to increased periods of downtime and expensive repair bills. They also have lower energy efficiency ratings, so simply running them will cost more when compared to a better quality system. Essentially, a lower quality system may seem like a bargain, but over the medium, to long term, it represents a poor investment that will cost you more money.
Technological Innovation Costs Money:
When you choose an air conditioning system, you are also buying into the research and development carried out by the manufacturer. Any business owner will understand that R&D doesn’t come cheap and this has to be reflected in the price of the product. Increases in energy efficiency and the addition of other useful features need significant investment. This may be of little interest to someone that simply wants to buy an air conditioning system, but there is a key aspect that should be considered. If your chosen manufacturer is heavily investing in R&D, then it’s likely that they are taking their business seriously. This will usually translate into the production of a superior system that will be worth your investment.
The True Cost of Reliability:
An air conditioning system is a complex piece of engineering equipment that contains both electrical and mechanical components. Superior engineering, not only increases efficiency, but it also increases the reliability of these systems. Of course, regular maintenance is required to ensure that the system is operating as intended, but catastrophic breakdowns are far less likely with a better quality systems. When a system fails, a cheap budget unit may not even have the support available to fix the problem. A better system will have parts and other resources available to ensure that the issue can be corrected quickly. This kind of support is often overlooked by many people, but having an air conditioning system that cannot be easily fixed is a major problem. For many users that have such a system out of warranty, an entirely new system has to be purchased. Obviously, over time this is a far more costly exercise when compared to initially buying a better air conditioning system.