For many people, the air conditioner is as essential as the heating system for the winter. As soon as the temperature starts to rise the air conditioning can be turned on, giving you a cool space to relax and unwind.

But, there are many things to think about when purchasing a new air conditioner. It’s important to make sure you consider the options and avoid these 5 common mistakes.

1. Reputation

There are plenty of air conditioner manufacturers and suppliers that will sell you a cheap unit. However, this is one time where the cheapest, or even the most expensive, may not be the best option.

It’s important to find a specialist in air conditioning sales with an excellent reputation. You can verify this by looking at social media accounts and talking to friends and family. Everyone will have their own opinion but they should be mainly positive experiences for you to decide to use them.

Don’t forget, negative reviews provide an opportunity to see how a company reacts. That’s a good thing.

2. Budget

You may be interested in purchasing the cheapest possible unit. However, cheaper units often use more power and are less efficient at cooling. In other words, you’ll find it is cheaper to buy but costs you more to run.

That’s not a good investment. Set your budget to ensure you can afford an array of different units and then choose the best one of those available. It will help to ensure your air conditioner lasts for years, not just one season

3. SEER Possibilities

SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is displayed on most air conditioning units. You need to take a look at this figure. The higher the figure the less efficient the air conditioning is. That means it will cost you more to run and may break easier.

13 SEER is the lowest rating possible with 15 being a good category. If you find a unit with a SEER rating of 16 or over you are looking at a very efficient air conditioner and should hang onto it.

4. Rebates

Purchasing a new air conditioning unit means you have an opportunity to purchase environmentally-friendly models. Although these can often be the more expensive option, you’ll find there are a number of grants available to help you with the purchase.

In some states the discount is simply shown on the unit as opposed to provided via a grant In either scenario, you’ll be getting more for what you’ve spent

Make sure you know what grants or discounts are available and choose an air conditioner which you can purchase with the discount. It will help the environment and your pocket!

5. Maintenance

The maintenance plan is more money, after having spent out on the air conditioner. But, this should be seen as an investment. This is why you should hire an HVAC company, such as Magnolia Heating and Cooling, to keep your AC in good working order.

A good maintenance package will look after your air conditioner for you, ensuring it works when you need it to and stays efficient. It makes sense to purchase one!