HVAC Upgrades in Greenville, Greer, Easley, Piedmont, Mauldin, & Surrounding Upstate SC Areas
Welcome to our upgrade information page! Even if you don't buy from us, we want you to get as much value from this page as possible. Below we will discuss some common upgrade options and when they might be a good idea based on YOUR circumstances, because here's the truth:
Most upgrade options are just a way for contractors to increase their ticket price and they aren't actually a good value for you.
But why do you offer upgrades then?
Because some upgrades are worth it to solve certain problems. But I want to make sure you understand what those problems are and then we can talk about solving those issues.
But in general our math and experience has shown us that the absolute best value is a reliable “base” model system installed correctly. Bells and whistles are cool, but the up front and higher repair costs aren’t worth it in our opinion.
Here is a table of contents with the upgrades we will discuss and when you might need them:
1. Thermostats
Thermostats have about 3 tiers. Base model, Mid Tier and SMART.
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Base: Our base model suggestion is a Honeywell T4. This thermostat has auto switching and is 7 day programmable if desired. Although we find most people don't use the programmable mode. But people do enjoy the auto heat/cool switching feature in the spring and fall days.
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Mid: Our Mid tier suggestion is the Honeywell T6. The thing you get with the T6 is “circulate” mode. This is a real game changer for people whose houses have corner bedrooms that get hot or cold. Its not much money to upgrade and can often fix comfort issues from poor circulation.
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Smart: Everyone knows the big players, Honeywell, Nest, Ecobee. These thermostats have WiFi and all kinds of stuff. We don't have a favorite. We find Nest is good for people who want the thermostat to do smart things without them having to set it up. We find Ecobee is best for those who like to fiddle with the settings. And in the middle, there is Honeywell, We usually suggest a Honeywell T6 with Wifi for a good reliable and simple wifi thermostat. One of the cool things for people good with technology is the remote sensors available to smart thermostats.
2. Filtration
This is one that is often oversold. UV lights and other odd and ends are huge upsell items.
However, depending on what problems you are trying to fix maybe a filter isn't the best choice. Check out the link to our Air Quality section. We don't suggest extra filtration unless there is a measured air quality issue. (Ask us about it, we have the tools!).
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Often times for air filtration, the filter money is better spent on a HEPA grade vacuum as that is often the biggest bang for the buck for combatting air particles. (We can check your current vacuum with our Laser Particle Counter tool and show you just how bad the average vacuum is at capturing particles).
There are cases when cartridge filters are a good idea. If your house doesn't have return filter grills, or if you are unable to access or easily change your current filter, then a central cartridge filter may be ideal. Additionally a cartridge filter is good for someone who cant change their filters every 3-6 months as a cartridge filter can last 1 year or more between changes.
3. Higher Seer Rating
Why don't we push high efficiency units? Because the math doesn't add up. Even with tax credits and rebates, it takes a while to hit the break even point, and one out of warranty repair will blow that. (At the time of this writing, a motor controller for the base model units is about $20, while the inverter controller for a high end unit is about $1,100). The best I can tell, if you buy a high end unit you are a test dummy for the company.
But why do HVAC contractors push high seer units?
The manufacturers often pay kickbacks on the high seer units. This immediately makes a conflict of interest. We don't push you to high seer units because we have done the math and don't believe that's what is best for you. We wouldn't push our own family members to do that, and we wont push you to do it.
When should you get a high efficiency unit? - If you just want to or like new technology. Or maybe you are going for a eco certified house, or perhaps an all solar power build or some other case. But financially, at the time of this writing, we do not believe you will get a great ROI compared to going with a base model unit.
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But here is the other side of that. Like it not, the new technology is coming. At the time of this writing(2025), there is a $2,000 tax credit available for certain Heat Pump models capable of achieving Seer2 rating of around 18. While we don't push these options, it could be a good choice for someone based on their tax situation and a desire to be an early adopter. But at this time we aren't pushing our customers to be early adopters. But if you are interested, please ask us for more details. Even though we don't push newer technology, we are very knowledgeable and would love to answer any questions you might have.
4. Ductwork Upgrades
This one is case by case. If you have ductwork problems causing issues, we will let you know. There needs to be a measured issue or a comfort complaint, otherwise we prefer to keep the ductwork you already have and save you money.
5. Hot/Cold Rooms
This is something we will ask you about. Usually there is always a reason this is happening. Most of the time it's just incorrect setup / sizing for the ductwork. We can usually fix this with some balancing work or with clever thermostat upgrades like the “circulate” mode on a T6 thermostat. In general, we try to solve your problem as economically as possible.
6. Zone Systems
What is a zone system? A zone system allows 2 different zones to be setup and controlled at 2 different temperatures at the same time. This is best for UPSTAIRS and DOWNSTAIRS. We haven't seen a single story house yet that can't be balanced, but 2 story homes often benefit from zone systems to fix the hot/cold in the summer/winter. If you have only 1 system and 2 floors, someone is always going to be unhappy. Either one floor will be too hot or one will be too cold. This is where a zone system shines. Ask about it and we'd be happy to share more information.
7. Duel Fuel
Duel Fuel systems are when you have a Heat Pump AND a Furnace. Anyone who is using propane heat should strongly consider Duel Fuel. The ROI time is often very short due to propane cost. If you have natural gas, there is really no financial benefit to having duel fuel.
If there are any other install upgrades you're curious about or any questions you might have, please feel free to call or text us! Our number one priority is helping people, even if they're not buying from us.