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I’m a total DIY person. I do a lot of home repairs and maintenance on my own home, and I often shop at 2 big name home stores (I’ll just call them “L” and “H.D.”).
I’ve shopped at both stores (both online and brick and mortar) and have received excellent service and poor service. Although I like to support independent retailers, sometimes I just can’t ignore the big box stores when have something that’s almost half off what a “mom and pop” store would be charging.
But I digress. My nightmare started 2 weeks ago when I need to purchase a ceiling fan for my home office. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy – just a simple, industrial-looking ceiling fan. I went onto H.D.’s website and found the one I wanted. The advertised large discount was documented and included in the sale.
The next day the order was placed on back order and 2 two days later the order was cancelled by H. To make matters worse, the record of the original order in my online account was altered so that the terms and advertised discount vanished.
Obviously I called customer support to ask why they were still advertising an item for sale when they didn’t have the item and would not be getting the item in the future. They were of no help whatsoever. It’s been 2 weeks now and the same product is still available online with the advertised special. The ceiling fan can be purchased but does not and will not exist.
In any case, out of sheer frustration, I ended up buying a similar product through an independent online retailer – www.Air-N-Water.com. I’ve had good experiences shopping with them in the past and I actually got a pretty decent discount on the ceiling fan I wanted.
Space heaters are convenient home appliances that are used to heat a confined area such as a room or personal space. These appliances come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Each type has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but most people I know tend to use electric models instead of fueled ones due to safety and convenience. Here’s a brief overview on both:
Electric space heaters are safe and easy to use, making them the most popular choice among consumers. They’re almost 100% efficient in converting electricity to heat, but the money spent on generating a unit of heat can be high if it’s not used correctly. I’m sure we’ve all heard stories about how these things can start fires, but rest assured that most models are now equipped with safety tip-over switches to prevent any heat or fire related mishaps.
Fueled space heaters, on the other hand, are less common but still available. These space heaters are usually powered by kerosene, natural gas, or even wood. The biggest advantage of fueled heaters is that they can easily warm up a large area. Many people are wary of using these heaters because they give off carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. I personally prefer to use them outdoors for this purpose.
If you’re looking to purchase a space heater to add supplemental heat to your home, consider the pros and cons of each type.
Although this site is primarily geared toward air conditioners, heaters, and other home comfort appliances, I’ve decided to branch out into another product category for the purpose of this post — air purifiers. These devices are always being advertised in magazines and gadget stores such as Sharper Image have heavily promoted their own air cleaner models.
Because the summer months often wreck havoc on my allergies, I’ve decided to do some research on air purifiers and indoor air quality in general. Many air purifier recommendations made by actual air purifier online retailers appear to be based on factors such as appearance, features, and price. Although these criteria might be important if all air purifiers worked equally to clear the air of allergens like mold, pet dander, dust, and smoke, performance varies greatly, so test results are especially important when it comes to identifying the best air purifiers. I’ve also noticed that while air purifier retailers often tout testing data in their advertising, the majority of these studies are sponsored and paid for by the manufacturer (not surprisingly).
In any case, after searching high and low for some honest air purifier reviews and recommendations, I had just about given up. Thankfully I came across a site called Blog My Air, which aims to educate consumers on different topics relating to indoor air quality. The group of bloggers on this site does a great job of discussing everything from DIY air cleaning tips to actual air purifier reviews without links to any commercial sites. While I still haven’t found the right air purifier just yet, Blog My Air has given me a wealth of insightful information that will point me in the right direction.
When I first began reviewing home appliance retailers, one of the questions I asked myself was how I would handle critical emails or comments from business owners upset by negative reviews. Having worked in the heating and cooling industry in the past, I can understand how they feel.
Few people handle criticism well, so it’s natural for someone to want to refute or even lash out against any type of bad publicity (especially when it comes to business owners). Since one of my issues with review sites like Complaints Board and Ripoff Report is their refusal to give business owners a legitimate voice, I decided that I would post my personal, unbiased reviews on my site and allow emails or comments from other business owners on my site in their entirety.
That said, I’d like to mention that I stand by all of my posts and articles, including negative product and store reviews. Anything I write here is strictly my opinion, formulated based on my experience with a business or product, and my intention is to give consumers an unbiased opinion about heating and cooling products.
I offer my opinions for anyone who cares to read them, and advise visitors to take my articles with “a grain of salt”. They may find that they end up liking a product or business to which I was indifferent or poorly disposed.
If you have a review about a home appliance retailer you’d like to share, please send them my way!
Find the best cooling, heating, and purification products for your needs here!
AirNWaterReviews.com provides you with researched information on everything related to heating, cooling, and purification products from top brands such as NewAir, Amcor, Soleus, Dimplex, Soleus, Blueair, Alen, and more.
You’ll also find store reviews of all the major appliance retailers so that you can make an informed purchasing decision.
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