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.
Dave LeVeck
The team from Fire & Ice replaced our heating and air conditioning system in our nearly impossibly small furnace room (I feared they would have to remove our hot water tank and move the washer & dryer to get access to the furnace unit) and the outside was also a task because it required a crane to get the A/C unit on the roof of our condo. The team of pros from Fire & Ice were able to accomplish all of these unusual tasks and kept me fully informed on what was needed for them to get our units replaced. We highly recommend Fire & Ice. Dave & Sue LeVeck
Felicia Spinks
Fire an Ice installed my furnace two years ago so I decided to use them to install my new a/c. Bryan did a great job reviewing all my options and working to get the financing that worked for me. He was also very patient with me and answered all my questions. Demetrius and Will did an amazing job! Considering all the work they did, they were done in four hours. I’m very pleased and would recommend Fire and Ice to anyone needing HVAC services
Scott Krouse
The sales experience with Luke was great. The installation team of Demetrius, Tyler and Hassan was fantastic. They were on time, were very thorough and did a great job. They take pride in their work and it shows with the final product. They were very respectful, cleaned up and it was a pleasure having them in our house. I highly recommend all these employees and this company. The company is fortunate to have them.
Nicole Reese
Brandon was the one who installed our new furnace. He was punctual and very professional. Our new furnace is working great and couldn’t be happier with how it looks. Bryan the sales rep was very informational without being pushy and helped us make the best decision for our house. I recommend anyone who needs a new Hvac unit to call fire and ice.
Gary F
We had 2 AC systems relocated and replaced. Roger (our sales contact), spent most of the day with us calculating the load and measuring the house to ensure proper equipment sizing. Roger was very responsive in helping select a proper and sound location to install the new systems. He came out 3 times to answer questions and inspect the retaining wall/pad. On the day of install, Bryan, Nick and Luke were on time and very respectful of the home. They worked tirelessly the entire day (8am - 6pm) removing the old evaporator(s) and installing the new compressors. Everything was done neatly both inside and out. I would highly recommend their service to anyone considering a new system(s). We just followed up with a pair of new furnaces. Fast scheduling and efficient installation. Luke and Brandon protected the floor and cleaned up after the install.
Jon DeBarbrie
I had a positive experience with Fire and Ice in the past and my AC installation was even better. Brandon and DQ were very professional. Not only was the install super clean with an impressive 4 fitting duct bend sealed tight, but I needed to work from home during the install and I barely heard them throughout the day. I’ll be recommending F&I to all my friends.