I recently decided to replace my furnace and air conditioner. I was surprised to learn how much time and energy was required to sort through the large number of installers and equipment types. Since most of the reviews were not very helpful, I thought I would provide some feedback that might help the next person work through the process. Part 1: The system. The system that I was replacing was an 80% efficient, single stage forced air gas furnace, and a single stage 12 SEER air conditioner. It had a mechanical thermostat, and was essentially either all on, or all off. Since I was replacing the system, I wanted to get a more efficient system and one that had better control of temperature in the house. I decided that I wanted a furnace that was at least 90% efficient and had at least 2-stages. For the air-conditioner, I was shooting for something that was around 14-16 SEER. It appeared from equipment reviews that most name brand furnaces and air conditioners were created more or less equal. Further, I found that the warranties were also more or less equal. For any given brand, about half of the reviewers loved the system, and about half hated the system. Based on my research, I decided that I would probably be okay going with a system produced by any major manufacturer (For example, Lennox (Armstrong), Carrier, Trane (American Standard), York). Part 2: The installer. Based on what I could get from a lot of research, it appears that satisfaction with a heating/air conditioning system has more to do with the installer, than the equipment. Deciding on what business would be the best to select for installation was much more difficult than researching equipment differences. When I did a search for installers in my area, I found that there were dozens and dozens of choices. I started with on-line reviews, checked the better business bureau for negative information/complaints and then checked with pre-screening agencies like Home Advisor. Based on that information, I selected a mix of companies, from which I solicited bids. All of the sales representatives were courteous and respectful of my time. One of the big companies tried to oversell, and I eliminated that company from consideration. Here’s the short version of what happened in that case. My old inefficient system had a metal chimney, but the new systems are so efficient that no metal chimney is used. Instead, a pvc pipe vents the exhaust out the side of the house. The sales representative tried to sell me a new hot water heater, because he said that the old hot water heater would not work with the chimney that was previously shared with the furnace. While he explained it in a way that sounded good, all of the other company representatives assessed the system, and said that the vent pipe ratios were such that my current hot water heater would work fine, and it was within code. Another company explained that they purchased a whole bunch of systems, and in order to keep their installers busy, they would offer large discounts on the system. That sounded like a poor business strategy to me, and I pictured a whole bunch of outdated or off-the-shelf units sitting in some warehouse. Nevertheless, I did get the feeling that the sales representative knew his business, and I might have opted for that company, if it had not been for my interaction with a small business owner that I asked for a bid. Out of respect for the sales representatives, I am not mentioning the names of the HVAC companies that I did not select. However, I will mention the name of the business that I did select. I selected Wright Design Inc. from Middletown, Delaware. It is a family owned business that has been in the HVAC business for a very long time. The owner, Mr. Jerry Wright, came to my house and did an assessment. He then listened carefully to my comments about what I wanted out of the new system. After the assessment and discussion, he provided several system and price options. I got the feeling that he was a true expert, who took great pride in his work. I also appreciated that he was not “pushy”, and I felt comfortable that he was not taking advantage of me. His bid was fair, and he offered a system that was exactly what I wanted. I got a 2-stage, 95% efficient furnace and a 16 SEER air-conditioner. The installation was clean and neat, and the final price was exactly as quoted. Mr. Wright also took plenty of time to properly tune the system. He took the time to explain system operation, maintenance details and operation of the new “smart” thermostat that I selected. Obviously, I cannot yet comment about the long-term reliability of the system, but I will update the reviews if any details emerge. However, the system operates quietly and seems to work as advertised. I highly recommend Wright Design Inc. as a high-quality, cost-competitive, courteous and professional HVAC company. I hope this review is helpful to anyone who is facing the task of replacing a furnace/AC system.