Editorial Policy
Our standards for independence, sourcing, accuracy and corrections — published so you can hold us to them.
These are the rules we work to. They are published so that you can hold us to them, and so that anyone who approaches us commercially knows the answer in advance.
Independence
Recommendations are based on the product, full stop. We do not accept payment for inclusion in a list, for a position within it, or for a score. Affiliate commission rates play no part in ranking. No manufacturer, retailer or contractor sees an article before publication or has any right of approval over it. Where a commercial relationship exists, it is disclosed on the page.
Sourcing and accuracy
Claims about efficiency, capacity, noise, refrigerant, warranty or price are sourced to manufacturer documentation, AHRI or ENERGY STAR listings, NEEP data, published warranty terms, or contractor pricing data — and the sources are listed on the article. Where a number is an estimate or a modelled figure, we label it as one and state the assumptions behind it.
We never present research as hands-on testing. If we have not measured something, we do not imply that we have.
Bylines and review
Every article is written and edited by our editorial team and carries a byline, a publication date and, where applicable, an updated date. Reviews are checked by a second editor against the methodology before publication.
Corrections
If we publish something inaccurate, we fix it, note the correction visibly on the page, and re-date it. We do not quietly rewrite history. To report an error, use Contact — factual corrections with a source get priority.
What you will not find here
- Sponsored content presented as editorial
- Fabricated ratings, review counts or test results
- “Best of” lists ordered by commission rather than merit
- Manufacturer marketing copy lightly reworded
- Claims of personal testing we did not do
If you ever see something on this site that reads like one of those, please tell us so we can fix it.
Safety and professional advice
Nothing on this site is a substitute for a licensed HVAC professional. Heat pump sizing requires a Manual J load calculation for your specific home; electrical work and refrigerant handling are regulated and must be done by qualified people. We publish guidance to help you have a better conversation with a contractor, not to replace one.