Ingrams Water & Air
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Engineer Review of Brand and Distributor
I am a retired chief engineer for a very large hotel chain with an extensive HVAC background, both commercial and residential, including college and 35 years experience. I have researched the Mr. Cool brand, units and this distributor for some time now, before deciding to make this purchase. Ingrams Water and Air: This distributor absolutely has the best price, hands down, on the market. I have studied on this for over a year before coming to the decision to purchase. Ingrams has a “A” rating with the Better Business Bureau and in analyzing the negative complaints filed against them, I found that most appear to be DIY'ers who either got in over their heads or who do not understand the nature of the heating and air industry. Always remember, the buck does not stop with the distributor but with the manufacturer. Distributors have no control over warranties and manufacturer policies. A prime example, you will never get a manufacturer to pay for lost refrigerant due to a part failure. Getting mad at the distributor accomplishes nothing. Mr. Cool 3.5 Ton Gas Pack Unit: The description, condition and quality of this unit is very well laid out on the Ingrams Water and Air website. All needed publications for information, owner's manual, specs, installation and troubleshooting are prominently displayed for download on each unit page. Having at will access to all these, with an absolute minimum of trouble, allowed me to be able to calculate my new gas line needs, electrical requirements and placement for replacing my old unit, an all electric package unit, with this new Mr. Cool gas pack. I was also, able to calculate as to whether my old ducting was adequate for the sizing of my new unit and adequate for the purpose before purchasing. Shipping: The unit arrived in three days from the placement of my order, which I found to be a surprise. It was shipped via a very reputable LTL carrier whom I have done business with for over 35 years. I was very pleased with that. I was promptly contacted by the carrier upon the unit's arrival. The carrier was unable to make the delivery from their dock to my location due to the size of their delivery vehicle and inadequate maneuvering room at my location. That is not the fault of the distributor or the carrier. I arranged to will-call for the unit with my pickup and trailer. I removed the light cardboard cushioning and shrink wrap and inspected the unit for damage with the carrier's representative present. I had no damage. The attention to detail and planning put into this unit so as to insure no shipping damage was excellent. The unit base frame has attached cushion bumpers around the fork lift access holes to keep the forklift from making contact with the unit and bending or damaging it during transfer movement, which is where the most damage occurs to things being shipped by LTL carriers. The unit is clearly marked with all needed informational decals identifying the locations of the accessories needed for install and for the additional accessories that I purchased, i.e. thermostat, etc... The unit arrived in excellent condition and was as described by the distributor and shipping was better than expected. The appearance and quality of this unit was excellent upon inspection. I was impressed at it's appearance. This unit is somewhat larger and heavier than my old unit but seems to be better made and much more substantial. The duct ports are close to those of my old unit and can be accommodated with a little minor sheet metal work. No LTL carrier is immune to knuckle dragging forklift monkeys who could tear up a chrome plated cannonball without even trying, so I am not being overly optimistic here. No amount of pre-planning will protect you from mouth breathers on forklifts. I have had a golden rule for 45 years; Say what you are going to do and always do what you say! This distributor appears to practice that rule well. These guys ain't Amazon but they ain't far from it, either!