Your HVAC Buyer's Guide
Air conditioners. Furnaces. Heat pumps. Filters and accessories. These things can be expensive and complicated.
You want to know that you’re making the right choices. How much should I expect to pay? How do I know what I do and don’t need?
These aren’t easy questions. But we can help you find the answers.This comprehensive eBook includes:
- Price ranges for all major equipment
- How to determine value in HVAC
- How to reduce your costs
- Factors that affect price and value
- Resources for additional research
Frequently Asked Questions
- Focus on proper sizing through a Manual J load calculation, energy efficiency ratings (SEER for cooling, AFUE for furnaces), equipment reliability, warranty coverage, and the quality of the installing contractor. The installation is just as important as the equipment itself — a great system installed poorly will underperform.
- The federal minimum for new AC systems is currently 14 SEER in our region. Systems in the 16-20+ SEER range offer meaningfully lower operating costs over the life of the equipment. The right rating for you depends on how long you plan to stay in your home and your comfort priorities.
- With proper maintenance, furnaces typically last 15-20 years, air conditioners 15-20 years, and heat pumps 10-15 years. The actual lifespan depends on usage patterns, maintenance history, installation quality, and the specific equipment. Regular tune-ups are the single biggest factor in reaching the upper end of those ranges.
- While matching brands can simplify warranty claims and ensure component compatibility, it is not strictly necessary. What matters more is that both systems are properly sized and installed by a qualified contractor. Our team will recommend the best combination for your home regardless of brand.
Alan B. Tyson
Rec’d complete estimate for new HVAC system. Rep was very thorough in analysis of my home needs. Very informative in explaining the process.
Brian Metzbower
Challenging job with my small attic space, but they did a great job of getting the whole new HVAC installed. Staff were polite and knowledgeable, they clearly wanted to do the job right and took pride in their work.
Whitney Bullington
Kyle is the best! After hours call for AC not working. The company who installed the unit couldn’t get anyone to our house for over 5 DAYS! Fire and Ice was recommended by a coworker. I called and gave my info for an emergency house call. 10 minutes later Kyle called. Less than An hour later my AC was repaired! Pricewas super reasonable (especially considering it’s after 9 pm) No fuss, no gimmicks and super nice. Kyle you’re our hero!
Tabitha Forro
The guys did a great job installing our new heating and cooling system. They were on time and courteous. Our techs Bryan and Brett answered all questions asked. There was no mess left over after they finished so all was good.
Peter Magada
Great experience having all their people in our home to help us replace both 21 yr old heating & air conditioning units. They were recommended by our son since they did an efficient and quick job in their furnace breakdown. From Roger, who walked us through buying the units, to Floyd & Daniqua, the technicians that installed both Trane units, we found them very courteous, efficient and knowledgeable! We highly recommend Fire & Ice for your HVAC needs!!
Jeffrey Hatef
Excellent service. They came out quickly, diagnosed, the issue, repaired our AC, andthen installed our Nest thermostat. 100% would use again.
Heather Orr
You get what you pay for, and these guys are worth it & more. Completely knowledgeable professionals in every position, they made me feel more comfortable& confident in my decision to contract them for my home. I got a brand new AC, furnace, and thermostat installed and just 1 week in it's SO much better!
Stacy Holton
Bryan and Nick were both very professional and friendly! When there is someone in your home typically it isn't like you can relax and go about your day but we were totally able to do just that. It is like they were not even here as they worked hard for 9+ hours to get the job done. Please tell them THANK YOU for being so awesome at what they do! Huge kudos to both gentlemen and you are lucky to have them on your team.