Air Conditioning systems are not “plug and play” like a refrigerator or an oven.

If you can save some money by purchasing your refrigerator online, don’t let us stop you. But, if you’re thinking of buying an Air Conditioning system online, there are a few things you should know...

All-Pro Electrical and Air Conditioning will not install a unit that we did not purchase directly from the manufacturer and neither will most reputable contractors.

But why not just charge you to install the unit you purchased yourself and be happy that we didn’t have to deal with the hassle of loading and unloading this very heavy piece of equipment?

Well, let’s say you’re able to find a licensed contractor willing to install the unit you purchased online. The contractor gives you a quote for the installation, they clear their schedule, and the crew arrives at the specified time with all the additional material needed to install the unit, so far so good, right?

What if the unit is damaged in transit?

The crew unpacks the unit only to find out it’s been damaged in shipping. Now you have to contact the retailer and deal with returning the unit yourself. You’ll likely have to pay the contractor the full agreed-upon price for that visit and then you’ll have to pay again to get the replacement unit installed!

Many online retailers won’t honor their warranties.

Maybe everything went well with the installation and your system is running great for a while. The intricacy of the installation process gives online retailers the ability to shift the blame to issues related to the installation of the system rather than a defect in the unit itself. This means that, when a problem does arise, they can easily get out of any promise they made and leave you holding the bag!

What if a problem arises years after the installation?

Service companies, especially ones that aren’t particularly reputable, have a very high rate of failure (second only to restaurants) so it’s entirely possible the company you used is no longer in business when your unit fails. Had you purchased the unit from a licensed contractor in your area, the manufacturer would be obligated to honor their warranty through another authorized dealer.

What about the Manufacturer’s Warranty?

Most manufacturer do not warranty equipment purchased online “unless installed by a licensed contractor”. This means you are covered, right? Well, not really. Sometimes it’shard to determine whether a problem was caused by a mistake in the installation, improper sizing of the unit, airflow issues or the equipment itself, so the manufacturer can easily get out of honoring their warranty too.

If you hire a licensed contractor and authorized brand dealer, like All-Pro Electrical and Air Conditioning and Heating, to supply and install a unit and a problem arises, it does not matter whether the issue was caused by the installation or the equipment because, either way – you’re not left holding the bag!

What if I buy from a company that offers installation for the unit I purchased online?

Companies that provide installation for online purchases used to show the list of the subcontractors that they sold the leads to. This practice quickly fell out of favor because buyers realized that they weren’t using the cream of the crop. They use start-ups and other struggling contractors who need these leads to survive.

Hopefully, we’ve given you enough reasons to think twice before purchasing something as complex as an Air Conditioning system from anyone other than a licensed contractor and authorized brand dealer in your area.

For more information - click here to visit our friends over at Magic Touch Mechanical and read their blog on buying AC online.

And when you are ready to purchase a new AC system and have it professionally installed, we hope you'll give us a call at (561) 988-0460.