If you’re considering having a ductless air conditioner installed in your home, you’ve probably surveyed a number of websites that offer low-cost systems. AC Warehouse, Mini-Split Warehouse and even Home Depot offer mini-split systems. So what’s wrong? As an AC company that installs and services many mini-split systems, we’ve come across some repeated issues that potential buyers should be aware of before they spend their hard earned money on a system that may not work the way they hoped it would.
Warranty
WARNING – Many manufacturers do NOT honor their stated equipment warranties if the equipment is purchased from an online retailer. This is different from manufacturer to manufacturer but common enough. It’s done as a quality control measure.
Let’s pretend that you purchased the equipment from a manufacturer who will honor the warranty even if the unit was bought off the internet. If you don’t have the system installed by a licensed contractor and don’t get the equipment registered, the warranty can and probably will be voided.
Mission AC had a recent customer who spent about $4,000 on a multi-zone mini-split from a manufacturer, purchasing their system online and having it locally installed. The equipment failed within 12 months, but the manufacturer didn’t honor the warranty because the equipment was not properly registered with them. While this seems like a bad business move on the manufacturer’s part, there was still nothing we could do for the customer other than to make them pay for the repairs in full.
If they had the opportunity to do things differently, they would certainly have purchased locally from a professional installation company. Instead, they got stuck with subpar equipment and several thousand dollars out of their account.
Quality
Many of the manufacturers who sell online are relatively unknown. Ever heard of Gree, Turbo Air, Soleus or YMGI? That’s because these are brands of mini-split appliances that are relatively unknown. The best way to ensure a high-quality piece of equipment is to buy from a major manufacturer. Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, LG, Daikin and more are generally good choices. None of them are perfect, but I can assure you their manufacturing processes and warranties are far better handled than the unknown companies.
If you’re set on purchasing from a sub-major brand to save a buck, put in the effort of looking into their reviews and complaint history. The following picture is of a mini-split installer. Not a good track record.
Professional Installation
It’s never a good idea to have someone who isn’t a professional install a ductless system, and that includes yourself. Everything from aesthetic covers and proper wiring to refrigerant charge and clean flare joints must be delicately balanced and performed properly. All too often, an amateur helps someone install their new mini-split system and the owner receives subpar results. If you’re set on installing yours, have a professional advise you and perform the system check and commissioning. Otherwise, you’re risking a host of problems and premature system failure.
Trust Mission AC
At the end of the day, we can’t make you choose one way or the other. However, Mission AC does offer ductless installation from licensed professionals at an affordable price. You can trust us to take care of the work from start to finish and prevent the problems associated with buying a mini-split online.
Contact us today to get started.
