All rooftop & basement air conditioners we ship via "Freight", specifically "LTL Freight".
What is "LTL Freight"?
LTL stands for "Less than truckload". Shipping via "Freight" means to ship over the road via semi-truck/trailer.
Why ship via freight?
Due to the size, shape, and packaging of the units, they must be shipped on a pallet to avoid damage. The lightest units that we ship are close to 100lbs and are not packaged by the manufacturer to be protected on all sides. When shipping via normal parcel services (such as UPS ground, FexEx group, etc), packages tend to end up in all positions and are commonly tossed around. Since these units have no protection or packaging support on the tops and sides they end up being destroyed 99% of the time when shipped. For these reasons, the units must be shipped via freight.
What carriers do you use?
The carrier we use depends on prices and availability to your location. However, we primarily use Saia and Estes freight.
Why does it cost so much more to ship to a residential address?
Due to the size of truck/trailers that these units are shipped on, it's difficult for these trucks to access residential areas. When shipping residential, they often have to get the unit transfered to a smaller truck with optional equipment such as a liftgate. Because of this, the freight companies will charge more for "Residential Deliveries" and they'll usually add a "Liftgate" charge to these deliveries.
What is a liftgate?
A liftgate is a hydraulic or electric platform that is installed on the rear of a truck/trailer that allows the shipment to be lowered to the ground from the truck/trailer. A liftgate is commonly used when the delivery location does not have a shipping dock that allows for easy removal of the shipment (usually via forklift).
What is a "PRO"?
"PRO number" which is short for "progressive number", is a number used by freight carriers as a shipment identifier. Think of it as a tracking number for freight shipments.
What are the different freight methods you offer and which one do I need?
At the time of writting this, we currently offer the following freight shipping methods:
- Customer Provided Freight Pickup
- When the customer is fimilar with freight shipments and usually have their own accounts with a freight company. This is common for companies who often ship larger shipments.
- LTL Freight (Pickup at Carrier)
- Where the shipment is left at the carrier's dock and the customer picks the unit up from there.
- Commonly used when a customer orders a single unit and does not want or need to pay extra for the residential delivery.
- LTL Freight (Business w/ trailer loading dock)
- Delivery to a business in a non-residential, non-rural area and the business has a loading dock that allows for the truck/trailer to backup to for easy unloading.
- LTL Freight (Business w/ Liftgate Needed)
- Delivery to a business in a non-residential, non-rural area and the busines where a loading dock is not available and a liftgate is needed to get the shipment down from the trailer.
- Highly recommended when shipment involves more than one unit.
- LTL Freight (Residential)
- Delivery to a residential or rural location.
- Chosen when being delivered to a home, campground, farm or similar location
- LTL Freight (Residential w/ Liftgate Needed)
- Delivery to a residential or rural location where a liftgate is needed to get the shipment down from the trailer.
- Highly recommended when shipment involves more than one unit.
If you have any additional questions about our shipping methods, feel free to reach out to us anytime!
