HVAC Myths and Realities: Buying HVAC Online

We get lots of questions about the legalities of buying furnaces and air conditioners online. Most of these questions start with: “The local HVAC guy said it’s illegal to …”

The rumors range from “It’s illegal to buy central AC systems and heating systems online” to “If you buy the equipment online it voids your warranty” to “Online HVAC systems aren’t as good as what we carry locally” or “It’s inexpensive because it’s poor quality.”

Read on or watch the video as we debunk these statements and give you the real deal on how to save on your HVAC equipment.

None of those statements are true. Buying your furnace or central air conditioner online is completely legal and does not endanger your warranty in way shape or form. You must get a certified professional to install your system, and by doing so, your warranty remains completely intact. Not only do you not have to buy your system from the installer, there are many reasons why it makes sense to buy it separately, most importantly the fact that most installers have contracts or deals with specific brands. By buying from an independent online dealer you know that you’re getting the right product from you without any strings … and online brands are often less expensive because they don’t have large advertising budgets that drive up costs.

As far as product quality goes, with the advances in HVAC technology over the last decade, there are few variations in overall product quality. Features vary by brand, but you can find the same great quality and features in brands sold online like Goodman furnaces and ACs as you can by those brands carried by the local companies. Often, those units are made in the same factories! And the main reason for the cost differences is that the national brands spend so much money on advertising that they have to charge more for their products. Since online sales are increasing so much, you can even find name brands happy to to be sold online – check out our selection of Mitsubishi Mini Splits, Carrier Mini Splits, and AirQuest by Carrier furnaces and ACs.