HVAC Service and Repair Contractor

The State of California has decided to start flexing its muscle and start fining Service and Repair Contractors for doing work out of their scope of work. By definition a Service Contract is any repair less than $750.00 if the cost of repair goes over $750.00 the contractor and homeowner need to enter into a Home Improvement  Contract with permit and inspections. The reason I write this is that there are a lot of contractors in my area that use Telemarketers to call home owners and sell duct work cleaning over the phone, when the technician gets to the house the technician up sells new equipment or new duct work. I do not have a problem with this as long as they use the proper procedures. Just a word to the wise be careful Home owners and Contractors!

Why are repairs to Air Conditioners going to increase?

The production of R-22 refrigerant has been reduced by 50 percent and there has been a rather large increase in the cost to contractors. What does this mean to the average home owner? Any repair on equipment using R-22 refrigerant that needs to be repaired, the cost are going to double. The average homeowner will now pay anywhere from $40.00 to $100.00 per pound of refrigerant depending on where they live. If a home owner decides to use a contractor that uses Dry-Charged R-22 equipment there will an additional charge for installing new R-22 refrigerant for the new equipment, which could be costly.

The only alternative is to replace your equipment with the new R-410A systems.

http://www.achrnews.com/articles/epa-proposes-faster-r22-phaseout

The End of the Tax Credit for Home Comfort Systems

 

The Federal Energy Tax Credits Era ended on December 31, 2011 and will probably not be extended any time soon. So as a homeowner you will have to look towards your local utility company’s for any type of rebate programs on high efficiency Heating and Air Conditioning system for your home.

Honeywell Has an APP for that

So Honeywell has decided to keep up the pace with reality and they have an Iphone app for the new Redlink wireless thermostats. Follow my link to learn about new technology that is available to the consumer.

http://www.mytotalconnect.com/comfort/applications.php

IPOD Inventors New Thermostat

For all you Apple lovers the inventors of the Ipod have invented a smart thermostat that can be accessed by your smart phone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCJ1PnVlzIE

Rebates for Air Conditioners

Eco Friendly Comfort Systems

I received a phone call today from an existing customer inquiring about replacing their existing 15 year old functioning Air Conditioning and Heating system with a new environmentally friendly one. Let’s call this customer George, I asked him why he wanted to change his system. He said that he was watching TV and saw a Do it yourself show that stated that he could get rebates that would basic pay for the whole system.

I had to explain to George that depending on what part of the country you live in that there are different programs for installing high efficiency Air Conditioning and Heating System. Unfortunately for George there are not any rebate programs in his area. I also explained to him that adding insulation to walls and ceiling also helps cutting down energy cost.

So the best advice I can give to anyone is check with your local utility companys to see if they are offering and rebate programs.

FYI for the Do It Yourselfer!

FYI for the DIYer

Yesterday our Customer Service Advisor was doing her job of answering customer phone calls when she received a particular phone call form a potential Client. The caller immediately asked the question, where is your business located? Our Customer Care advisor politely asked for which city, do to the fact we have more than one location and we are not in the retail business.

The caller replied that he needs some help and wants to come to our office to discuss his problem. At that point our Customer Care advisor explained to the caller that we only do in home service repairs and replacement and that we do not provide walk in help like a doctor’s office. The caller got upset and could not understand why we would not let him come to our office so he could buy parts to fix his furnace that another Service company diagnosed his problem. The Caller hung up and wrote a negative review of our company on Google. Here is my response to the angry caller.

First of all Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors are not parts houses for home owners to stop by and pick up parts like they would at a Home Improvement Store.

Secondly you need to be a Licensed Contractor to buy parts from a whole sale house.

Third you need to be a licensed Tech to work on or repair Furnaces, Heaters or Broilers.

Furnaces, Heater, Water Heaters and Broilers are dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. They can cause fire, electrical shock or explode. Older systems are also covered with asbestos which can cause cancer.

So it is not advised that a DIYer (Do it yourself person) work on any of these mentioned heat exchangers. It is the responsibility of any Contractor to inform their clients of potential or present problems with their Home Comfort Systems if they pay a nominal fee. We may also refuse service at any time; this is still America last time I checked!

All of the information I proved to you is not my opinion and can be verified by local municipality or by contacting the Manufacture of your equipment. Please use a licensed contractors for your home repairs and asked them to provided proof of Insurance and Bond.