About The Second Bid

What this site does

The Second Bid helps US homeowners read an HVAC decision before they sign. Pages walk through comparing contractor quotes, load calculations and sizing, system choices, costs, credits and rebates and the rules that apply, from SEER2 minimums to the refrigerant change. Each page points to the federal rule, agency criteria or maker's document it relies on, so you can check the source yourself.

The aim is a second opinion on paper: what a good quote line says, what to ask the installer for, and which numbers have a date attached because they change.

What it is not

This site is not an HVAC contractor, not a consultancy and not an agency. It does no installs, repairs, load calculations, inspections or quote reviews, and it sells no service. Nobody from The Second Bid will visit your home or look at your paperwork.

The Second Bid has no connection to any business that used this web address before. It is a new publication with its own name, and it doesn't speak for any company that may have operated here in the past.

Who runs it

The Second Bid is run by the same team that owns Plumbing Supply and More, SoftPro Water Systems and Quality Water Treatment, and that is connected to Central Plumbing & HVAC in Pennsylvania. Because of that ownership, a small number of pages link to those businesses, and each such link is labelled where it appears. The full list, and the rules those links follow, are on who runs this site.

How to use it

Start with the question you have: a quote in hand, a sizing doubt or a rule you heard about. Read the page, open the sources it links, and take the "Ask for" lines to the installer. The sources and dates behind each page are explained on how pages are checked, and the limits of this information are on using this site.

A licensed HVAC contractor and your local building department make the final call on your home. This site helps you ask them better questions.