Some customers report that they have seen negative reviews of York HVAC equipment on the internet.
We find this very surprising, as the vast majority of our customers who purchase York products are very satisfied with the equipment and services they receive from us, many making repeat purchases over the years. See our reviews here.
However, the fact is, when we searched the internet for nation-wide reviews of York equipment, many people claim to have had bad experiences with the product.
We questioned among ourselves, "How can this be? Why would a known-for-quality product, like York, have a large number of 'unsatisfied' reviewers?"
Certainly, there is no single answer, but we believe there are at least 5 likely explanations.
1. Higher Expectations
York is a premium HVAC product, so it is typically more expensive than other product options available on the market. Also, York has a reputation for producing high-quality products. With this higher cost and reputation, consumers automatically have higher expectations, especially when it comes to service and dependability. Therefore, when an unfortunate service-related issue occurs, York consumers are more likely to feel dissatisfied. At GHAC, we go to great lengths to understand and exceed our customers' expectations.
2. Advanced Technology
York products incorporate much more technology than most other HVAC products on the market. While this technology produces greater performance, safety, convenience and efficiency - the unfortunate side-effect is a higher potential for malfunction. For example, York utilizes a computer board (YorkGuard Module) in some of its outdoor products that controls and monitors all system functions (far more advanced than any other residential product). If an improper, potentially dangerous, operating condition is sensed, the control will shut down the unit and notify the homeowner with an alert at the thermostat. While this is safer and better for the equipment in the long-run, this advanced functionality may generate more service calls over the life of the equipment.
3. Being an Industry Leader
As in every industry, when it comes to HVAC product development there are leaders and there are followers. York has always been a leader in the HVAC industry - developing new, innovative, high-efficiency products. But a draw-back to being an industry leader - let's be honest - some new, innovative products have unforeseen issues that only become evident after real-world operation. At GHAC, we have witnessed some great products that required some small manufacturer adjustments before they were perfected. While these adjustments are minor in the eyes of the manufacturer, they still generate dissatisfaction with customers expecting "trouble-free" operation.
4. Increased Regulations & Mandatory Changes
Every HVAC equipment manufacturer in the US has been required to meet increased government regulations regarding minimum efficiency standards and mandated changes toward new, "environment-friendly" refrigerants. These mandates and increased standards have required rapid product development and deployment from all manufacturers. The unfortunate result has been a greater number of unforeseen equipment issues industry-wide. All HVAC manufacturers in the US have seen higher-than-normal service issues over the past several years. However, we can honestly say that York has fared better than most.
5. They Don't Make Things The Way They Used To
We've all heard this saying, and it's true! But that's not altogether a bad thing. While manufacturers in all industries are constantly looking for ways to produce things faster and with less cost, they are all also implementing more safety and technology into their products - things we want. What's the result? The result is products that simply won't (and in many cases can't) last as long as their predecessor. Let's just take telephones for example. I remember growing-up and having the same rotary-dial phones hanging on the wall for over 20 years - and they never broke. Then we switched to cordless, digital phones, and who knows how many of those we've gone through in 20 years. Now many homes have switched to using only cell phones that need replaced every 1-2 years. But do we want to go back to the rotary phones ? Some might say, "Yes", but most would never even consider it. The same is true in the HVAC industry. There is very little comparison between a modern gas furnace and the furnaces many of us had in our homes growing-up. Were the old furnaces more reliable? Yes, but they were also big, loud, dangerous and inefficient - things consumers don't want from a new furnace. If you look at the reviews for all HVAC manufacturers you will see a surprisingly-high dissatisfaction rating across the board. And when you read the comments, you see that the overwhelming reason for their dissatisfaction is more-than-expected service issues. An unfortunate fact that all consumers need to be aware-of is that modern products (including heating & cooling products), while better in most every way, will likely require more service than the product they are replacing.
At GHAC, it is our goal to provide our customers with quality products and quality service to achieve maximum satisfaction. We have been installing York Heating & Cooling products for over 30 years, and have great confidence in its quality and performance.