As most people are making out a list of what they desire this upcoming holiday season, my recent list, up until last week, included the “pros” and “cons” of buying a new furnace and air conditioning system to replace the dated systems that exist in my home today.
My biggest “pro” is not to spend “Black Friday”, literally, in my house as well as a “Black Saturday” followed by a “Black Sunday” and so on. The biggest “con” I have is probably the obvious and that is the big price tag that I will have to pay in one lump sum.
I wanted to document to all of you my recent experience that allowed me to cross at least one thing off my list. I had my pilot light go off for the second time in the last few months and after numerous unsuccessful tries in lighting and ducking I knew it was going to take a skilled professional to come in and try to get my 40 year old furnace fired up. He cleaned the pilot and told me what I already knew; my furnace was getting closer to its end. To top things off, he recommended that I replace my AC system as that is close to going and it would be more cost effective to replace both at one time. He had contacted his office and set up a time for a sales person to come out the following day and do a “consultation” with
me.
The next day the sales rep came to my house. The first question he asked was what I was looking to accomplish by the end of his presentation. I said I wanted to know if it was worthwhile for me to purchase a new furnace and air conditioning system and if I did make the purchase when do they expect this lump sum of money and would it be needed in an expedited fashion.
He sat down and professionally explained to me why his company was the organization I should choose to partner with when making such a large investment based upon their past history of success, high level of customer service, quality of systems they represent, and their guarantee to stand behind those systems with better than industry standard labor and part warranties.
I quickly asked how much a new furnace and AC system would cost me. He politely said that there are many options available and he would need to conduct his audit so he could make the best suggestion for my particular home. The sales person conducted an audit of my house by checking on my current systems, including thermostats, then taking measurements of every room in the house. At the same time he was measuring the rooms he wanted to make sure I had ample vents and returns which could limit options available to me.
After conducting his audit and writing down all his notes, he presented a couple different options that he felt would best meet my home’s needs. He was quick to mention that every home is built a little differently so some adjustments would need to be made to bring everything up to code to meet today’s requirements of the city I reside in. He knew the systems he recommended provided ample BTUs and Seers to heat and cool my home effectively. The options he presented were name brands that I was not familiar with nor had much to reference. I knew two big names because that is what my father and his father knew. When it came down to it, I did not know if these two particular companies were industry leaders or simply companies that specialize in just marketing their names rather than investing in their products. The sales person pointed out that being around a long time does not have a direct correlation with having the latest technology.
The sales person took my monthly bills for gas during the cold months and electricity during the hot months and calculated what my savings would be for each month when amortized over a year by using a percentage formula based upon the levels of efficiency in the units he provided as options. He made a strong argument as to how quickly my ROI would be for making the decision to replace the old systems sooner rather than later knowing we face some cold Midwest winter months rapidly approaching.
He did hit a hot button for me when he was talking about efficiency. I do feel we must all do our part to help create a safe and healthy environment for generations to come by using less energy and reducing our carbon footprint but I have to admit the tax credits available to those going with higher efficiency systems plus enhanced savings per month made the higher priced systems more attractive.
I went into our meeting thinking I wanted to spend the bare amount, if spend anything at all. I found myself fixated on the systems that were not the least nor most expensive but one right in the middle that I believe met all of my needs and wants. I still had the concern about the large sum of money that it would take to pay for these two systems.
The sales person listened to my concerns and presented me with an option to either take a small discount to pay for both systems in their entirety up front or a 12 month same as cash deal that I would finance through their bank. The 12 month same as cash deal was exactly what I needed to help close the deal. In a couple days, I will be the proud owner of a new furnace and air conditioning unit that will be supplied by a company that will be dedicated to making sure I have systems that will meet my satisfaction and provide excellent service to support the systems they put in my house.
I realized after all said and done, I now know what it is like to be the proud owner of a PACJacket System. This all sounds too familiar.
Happy Holidays to each and every one of you! May the upcoming new year bring much joy and happiness!
