HVAC Gist Methodology: How We Verify Every Fact

Independence Statement

HVAC Gist operates as an independent research site. We do not accept manufacturer payment for placement, ranking, inclusion, or favorable mention. We do not currently run affiliate marketing programs, sponsored content, or dealer-network referral fees. No commercial relationship between HVAC Gist and any HVAC manufacturer, dealer, contractor, or lead-generation network influences which products we cover or how we cover them.

When Phase 2 of the site introduces monetization, we will disclose the funding model on this page and on every affected article before publishing affiliate links or sponsored content. Sponsored content will be visually marked and excluded from buying-guide rankings.

How Content Is Produced

Every published article — brand review, comparison, pillar, buying guide, cost calculator — begins with a research card that documents each factual claim against a primary source URL. The research-to-publish workflow:

1. Research card built first. No drafting begins until a per-topic markdown research card exists with verified facts and inline source URLs.
2. Cross-references checked. Brand cards are cross-referenced against the master cross-reference document for consistent specifications, warranty terms, and recall data across all brands.
3. Master synthesis applied. Pages cards reference the page synthesis document for SERP-validated H2 patterns and excluded false claims.
4. AI-assisted drafting under fact-source constraint. AI tools assist with prose structuring, sentence-level editing, and AIO-format optimization (categorical H2 headlines, 40–60-word answer-first paragraphs, table-heavy structure). The AI is constrained to facts present in the research card — no fact appears in the draft unless it traces to a verified source.
5. Pre-publish factual review. Drafts are checked against the per-page “excluded false claims” list before publication.
6. Information architecture review. Drafts are checked against the brand-review IA blueprint or page-type-specific outline to ensure verdict-first ordering, with company history demoted to last position on brand-focused pages.

Source Hierarchy

When multiple sources document the same fact, we apply this hierarchy:

Conflicts between Tier 1 and any lower tier resolve to Tier 1. Aggregator sites (Tier 5) marketing terminated tax credits or stale incentive amounts are flagged as outdated rather than cited.

Equipment Specifications

For every model number, SEER2 rating, HSPF2 rating, refrigerant type, sound rating, and warranty term we publish, the source is one of:

• Manufacturer spec sheet PDF linked from the brand’s residential equipment page
• AHRI Directory listing at ahridirectory.org with the AHRI reference number where applicable
• Federal regulatory filing (e.g., DOE compliance database)

We verify specifications against the current model year. When a spec sheet’s revision date precedes a federal regulation change (the 2023 SEER → SEER2 transition, the 2025 R-410A → R-454B AIM Act phasedown, the December 2025 25C termination), we flag the discrepancy explicitly rather than republishing stale data.

Pricing Data

Equipment and installed pricing comes from contractor-quote aggregators (PICKHVAC, Modernize, HomeAdvisor, Forbes Home) updated within the last 12 months. Pricing is presented as ranges, not specific quotes, because residential HVAC installed cost varies materially by region, dealer markup, ductwork complexity, electrical infrastructure, and local labor rates. We do not publish a single “average” install cost because the variance makes the average misleading.

Tax Credit and Rebate Status

Federal tax credit and state rebate coverage is verified against:

• IRS primary documentation for federal credits (Section 25C terminated December 31, 2025 under Public Law 119-21)
• State energy office and HEAR program pages for state Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates eligibility and AMI tier thresholds

We never cite aggregator sites for tax credit or rebate amounts because aggregators have been observed continuing to market terminated credits months after their expiration. State HEAR availability is verified state by state because the program launches on a state-by-state basis throughout 2026.

What We Do Not Test

HVAC Gist does not currently operate a physical test lab. We do not publish:

• Original sound dBA measurements taken by HVAC Gist staff
• Original combustion analyzer or refrigerant scale readings
• Original capacity-at-low-ambient measurements
• Original install-time or service-call measurements

When we cite sound ratings, capacity ratings, or efficiency ratings, the source is manufacturer specification sheets or third-party certification listings (AHRI), not in-house testing. We disclose this trust-ceiling honestly rather than fabricating test results.

Update Cadence

• Critical updates (recall, regulation change, tax credit status change): within 5 business days of public announcement
• Brand model lineup updates: at manufacturer model-year refresh, typically January–April
• Pricing data refresh: quarterly check against current aggregator data
• Full content review: annually

The “Updated [Month Year]” timestamp on each page reflects the most recent content review, not just the original publication date.

Fact-Checking Process

Phase 1 fact-checking operates as a single-pass review by the editorial owner against the research card before publication. Phase 2 will introduce a second-pass technical review by a credentialed HVAC reviewer; that review path will be disclosed on each article when implemented.

When readers report factual errors, we treat the report as priority work:

1. Verify the reported claim against current primary sources
2. If the error is confirmed, correct the article and add a dated entry to /corrections/
3. Acknowledge the correction publicly with the date and the substance of what changed

We do not silently re-edit articles to fix errors. Every correction generates a timestamped entry in the corrections log.

AI Assistance Disclosure

HVAC Gist uses AI tools to assist with content production. AI assistance covers prose structuring, paragraph-level editing, AIO format optimization, and search-intent-aligned outline ordering. AI does not select facts independently of the research card.

The factual content — model numbers, specifications, prices, warranty terms, recall data, tax credit status — comes from human-verified research cards. AI never introduces facts not present in the source documentation. This constraint is enforced by the import pipeline, which fails the publication if certain internal references (research-document file paths, draft-process artifacts) appear in the article body.

We disclose AI assistance because Google’s 2025 Search Quality Rater Guidelines require transparency. The footer of every page links back to this methodology page so readers can verify the production process.

Corrections Policy

The corrections process and a complete log of past corrections live at /corrections/. The corrections policy commits to:

• Public dated entries for every confirmed correction
• No silent edits to factual content
• Acknowledgment of the source of the correction (reader report, source update, internal review)
• Update of the article’s “Last reviewed” timestamp when corrections are applied

Contact

Factual corrections, source verification requests, and methodology questions should be sent through the contact path on the /corrections/ page. We do not respond to dealer-recommendation requests, install-quote requests, or personalized buying advice through editorial channels — for that, contact a licensed HVAC contractor in your area through the relevant manufacturer’s official dealer locator.