Arizona Home Maintenance – Installing a Trane Air Conditioning System
Being an Arizona Home Maintenance Expert Doesn’t Make Me an Air Conditioning Technician
Arizona home maintenance is time consuming and sometimes difficult but it can also be rewarding and even therapeutic. However, taking on a home handyman job that is outside my comfort zone leaves me feeling frustrated and overworked. Success in such home ventures is about knowing when to act on your own versus when to hire a professional. Sometimes the line gets blurred and I end up tackling a home repair or home upgrade project that exceeds my desire for personal involvement. Installing HVAC equipment falls into the category of no can do and no want to do.
Perhaps you too are the do-it-yourself type. Or maybe you just know a great local handyman. You’re thinking pickup a great deal on a scratch-n-dent heat pump system from the local salvage yard and get it installed for near to nothing. The local Arizona home maintenance man even has experience installing an air handler – did it once for his brother-in-law. But more than likely he is also operating without insurance, adequate bonded funds, or even an Arizona HVAC service license.
Here’s the big scoop on handyman services and A/C installation: If your next home improvement project involves the installation of a Trane Air Conditioning system or any other type of heating and cooling equipment, think long and hard before you eliminate the value of hiring an Arizona HVAC professional installation team. Don’t risk a voided Trane AC warranty, sloppy work, or a future house fire.
Home Maintenance Is One Thing; Installing AC Is Another
Avoiding the trained air conditioning service dealers in Arizona is a bad decision. I’m no stranger to handyman work, plumbing installation, electrical projects or any other construction task. When working in areas in which I lack experience, I know how to do the homework that enables safe, reliable and efficient project management and project completion. I can install and wire a new in-wall oven, a security system, and even an outdoor whirlpool. I can add insulation to the walls, lay brick, and even remove, resize and replace windows and doors.
However, when it comes to heat pumps, furnace systems and air handlers, I am lost. If the work only involved the mechanics and the electronics of the task, installing a new Trane Air Conditioning system would be a project I can handle. But:
- What about the problem of right sizing the unit to fit my home floor plan and square footage?
- Where should I locate the registers and is the existing ductwork sufficient for use with new and improved air-conditioning components?
- What if mold is already present? How do I work with it?
- Can I mix and match old and new HVAC equipment or should I do a full upgrade?
And what about the model and brand choices? Even if I decide to go Trane on all equipment, which unit or combination of units will most efficiently and effectively fit the exact needs of my home? The options seem endless. For example: Do I go with a:
- Trane XR95 with a 95% energy efficient furnace rating at 60,000 btu and with a Trane cased aluminum indoor coil. And a Trane XR13 2.5 ton air conditioner
- Trane XV95 with a 97% efficiency 2-stage furnace and a variable speed blower that pumps out 60,000 / 40,000 btu. With a Trane XR15 2.5 ton 15-SEER air conditioner for cooling.
- Or does either of the above options even apply to my 2500 square foot, 2-story home?
Even if I had the equipment to perform the right load test and make certain I get the right A/C system for my Arizona home, I still have to consider what options need to be included. Looking at things such as added safety controls, advanced thermostat efficiency, and extended Trane Air Conditioning warranty options seems to make the demand for research endless. I want energy efficient heating and cooling equipment that is sufficient but not wasteful. As such, I buy Trane because of the Trane history for quality and service. But I also pay attention to support and warranty coverage.
If while handling my own home maintenance, I short-circuit the air handler, will the Trane warranty cover the A/C installation errors of a home handyman? No? I think installing a Trane Air Conditioning system is better if left in the hands of an insured, bonded and licensed Arizona HVAC professional.