Greetings investors!
It’s getting warmer out and the grass is a bit more brown which means that winter, or rather non-summer, is almost over and Summer is around the corner. This means the return of hot days and a greater reliance on air conditioners. Ahhh air conditioners, we have to pause and be thankful for a moment for their very existence, without which there would probably be no south florida housing market. But we digress, the important thing for property owners is to make sure they know what to invest in if they need to purchase a new unit.
Most older air conditioners will last around 15-20 years, so if you own a few properties you will probably be dealing with a new purchase ever few years or so. So we want to give you so information on difference between the major brands and other ideas on making your purchase.
The Brands…Not Much Difference
The old adage rings true in almost every situation especially when purchasing major appliances. But with air conditioners it seems to matter more on the low end. That is, there is a much bigger difference in quality between the low and medium price range than there is in the mid to high range. For the mid to high range one of our contractors but it best when he said a mid range is like buying a new Toyota and a high range is like buying a new Lexus. They’re pretty much the same car but one has a lot more bells and whistles and is prettier to look at. But the difference between a new Hyundai and a new Toyota is a bit more pronounced. Now it is important to note that a Hyundai is still a good car. It gets the job done but it is less reliable than a Toyota and that’s why you can expect to pay thousands more for the better brand. So which are considered the lower end brands? Goodman, Rheem, Carrier. Middle? Bryant, Lennox, Day and Night. High? Trane, Amana.
The Contractor…Big Difference
Unlike with cars the person who is selling you an AC actually has to assemble and setup multiple parts of the air conditioning unit. The unit needs to be calibrated hooked up and made to fit with your particular circumstances. A big issue with this is how much AC do you need for your property. Sometimes you may have enough room for a 3.5 or 4 ton AC but your property may not require it. And actually putting in something that is too big for your property could mean that the property cools too quickly and this will lead to a build up of humidity since the AC needs be on to extract the humidity. If you’re still reading it means you really care about your next purchase, so if you really care you should make sure to get a real company, not a guy in an unmarked van.
The Bonus
The best bang for your buck that we have encountered is the Wifi enabled thermostat. This thing is literally the coolest! Sorry for the bad pun. But seriously, if you don’t have one in your house you need to get one. It basically allows you to control your thermostat with your phone. We love it, all of our tenants where it is installed love it and it is only about $100-$150 depending where you get it and which brand. The functionality is amazing though and it turns your property into a futuristic home that tenants will love. So you can expect to get less resistance when raising rents.
So the bottom line is that you need to get an experienced contractor and go with the best unit for your budget. Not sure where to find an experienced contractor? It’s probably because you are not a client of ours yet! Give us a call and we can discuss how we can improve your cash flow, maximize your profits and ensure that you always have the best contractors… 305-517-3900.
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