The Myth of the FREE Furnace
The holidays are behind us and winter is setting in. It’s time to start looking forward to the new year and all the hope it brings. HVAC companies across the Metro are in the giving spirit and have decided to start offering FREE Furnaces! This is a fantastic deal, right? I mean how could a FREE furnace actually cost you more? Unfortunately, often those FREE furnace deals that you hear about do exactly that.
One way or another, the FREE furnace isn’t FREE or even cheaper. It’s a great marketing strategy that has been used for over 30 years in the KC Metro area, and it has changed over the years to become a marketing angle that customers and contractors gravitate towards.
Why would HVAC companies offer FREE furnace specials when it’s cold?
Our industry’s dirty little secret is that even though the H part of HVAC is heating, in Kansas City the first quarter (January thru March) is our slowest time of the year. HVAC companies around the metro are just trying to keep things going and keep their field staff working.
While this is a considerable worry for most local companies, corporate companies have massively increased the size of their crews and their goal is to be able to “get by” through the winter so they can keep a huge number of crews for the summer months. While this does mean that now is a good time for consumers to invest in their HVAC system, in an effort to increase sales, thus jobs, some corporate companies employ some very deceptive sales tactics.
How does the FREE furnace offer really work?
At its core, the way the promotion should work is simple. You buy a specified Air Conditioner or Heat Pump and a standard furnace of a like size is included in the installation. It seems simple enough, and originally, that is what happened. Unfortunately, as technologies have improved, it has caused costs to increase as well, and the math doesn’t work as well for the program for, well, anyone.
Many different contractors have worked on these offerings which has created a more confusing environment for consumers to sift through. Over the past 5 years or so, many of the local HVAC companies that consumers have come to trust have been purchased by corporate private equity companies that have begun using deceptive marketing strategies to try to get into homes.
Often these promotions offer the appearance of discounted rates, then use high pressure tactics to encourage homeowners to make the decision before the perceived discount expires. The reality is that, at best, these discounts are hiding incredibly high corporate price tags compared to the local market.
The discounts can also be deceptive including things that are not best for the home or homeowner, such as:
- Charging for “Installation Kits”.
- Requiring a High-Efficient Condenser to be included in the promotion.
- Only giving the discount for the cost of the smallest available furnace, instead of the cost of the furnace sized appropriate for the home.
- Marking up the price to cover for the discount.
- Bait and Switch tactics. Only briefly discussing the promotion then moving on to more expensive alternatives, even if they are not right for the situation. (Usually, salesmen are paid less than a quarter of their normal commission for selling the basic promotion).
- Not giving exact model numbers or only giving SEER rating and tonnage.
- Exclusions on warranties for the equipment purchased under this promotion.
- Using high pressure sales tactics to scare a homeowner into believing that the sale runs out, and that higher prices are coming
Truth be told, as of January 1st 2025 manufacturers are no longer allowed to build R410A equipment. This change, along with new regulations and required safety sensors, are going to cause a dramatic price increase for HVAC equipment anyway.
So, what should one be looking for instead?
No matter where you live, Summit Heating and Cooling is a proponent of using locally owned and operated contractors, and businesses of any type. We love local. It’s the best way to find the heart of the community that you are living in or visiting. So, …Shop Local!
Also, look for honest promotions. It’s true you can get better deals in the winter, but don’t expect 50%, or 33% off normal prices. Look for offerings that are 5-15% off normal rates. These deals are more justifiable for businesses and show that you are working with a more honest and transparent contractor.
Work with folks you want to work with. Have them to your home and see if they ask questions. Questions should incite conversation about your home, your comfort, your aspirations for the new system. If they aren’t listening to what you are wanting and helping you put together a plan that’s right for you, then they are probably just trying to sell you something.
Look for someone giving honest recommendations and options; this puts the choice for what’s best for you and your home in your hands, not someone else’s. Remember that you are the foremost authority on your home. And ask questions. It’s the best way for us to understand what you are needing and how to best educate you for your decision-making process. This is a purchase that will be in your home for at least 20 years, and we want you to be knowledgeable about it and comfortable with it.
The team at Summit Heating and Cooling is here to help you with the frustrating, stressful, and sometimes scary process of servicing or replacing your HVAC equipment. We are here to do an industry’s best practices job for you and all of Kansas City. We are here to offer you the best furnace installation solutions for you and your home and help inform you in a way where you can make the best possible, most educated decision for the long-term health, safety, and comfort of you, your family, and your home. Happy New Year!
Remember, if you’re looking for the TOP, REACH for the Summit.
