Who should I buy air conditioning and/or get service from?

Air conditioning systems should be bought from recognised and recommended by major contractors.

Major HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) contractors/ manufacturers are concerned about customer satisfaction. If any case if you are not satisfied with installation, you can go directly to the consualtant.The consualtant can usually insure that you are satisfied.

Who should I not buy HVAC equipment from?

Any HVAC contractor who does not have a proper license.(with HVAC activity)

Any contractor that does not give you a written quote with detail scope of work.

Any contractor that does not give you a delivery/completion schedule.

What should HVAC Quotes Contain?

HVAC quotes should contains following :

Equipment schedule with model no.

Scope of work with detail.

List of equipments.

List of consumable accessories

Payment terms.

Completion schedule.

Time frame.

What efficiency equipment should I buy?

Usually the more efficient the better.

Up to 13 seer for air conditioning equipment and heat pumps, 92% efficient for gas heating equipment. This is especially true if you are in hot areas (summer) and cold areas (winter) and, of course, are paying the heating bills.

Heating and air conditioning is the major part of your utility bills. For most areas 75% or more. Seer stands for seasonal efficiency ratio and is a measure of efficiency sort of like miles per gallon for your car.

Many older air conditioning systems have seers of 6.5. If you buy a new air conditioning unit with a seer of 13, you will cut your cooling cost in half.

To find the difference in operating cost of two seer units, just divide the smaller number by the larger number (i.e.; a 13 seer unit costs 76.9% as much to operate as a 10 seer unit. 10/13=.769. For furnaces, a 92% furnace costs 86.9% as much to run as an 80% furnace).

Since air conditioning units can last 15 years or more and furnaces 30 years or more, the operating cost savings of the more efficient systems pay for themselves many times the difference in the first cost. Your dealer has operating cost programs that can show you the anticipated savings you can get with higher efficiency equipment.

As an added benefit, higher efficiency equipment usually is higher quality, lasts longer, and is quieter than lower efficiency equipment. The lowest efficiency equipment that can be sold in the U.S. today is 10 seer for air conditioning equipment and 78% efficiency for furnaces.

Tip:Buying a high efficiency heating & air conditioning system can result in a higher resale value for your house. In fact two recent studies published in the Appraisal Journal found that each one-dollar in annual energy savings adds $20 to your home's resale value.

How do you know what size system a house needs?

There are many variables to be considered, such as size of the house, climate at the location, the number and type of windows, insulation of the house, number of people in the house, etc.

How often should filters be cleaned or replaced?

Typically, filters should be replaced or cleaned every 3 months. Some units are equipped with permanent filters. These can be cleaned according to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer. Disposable filters should be replaced with filters of the same type and size as the original filter. Pleated filters are more efficient than fiberglass; however, older systems may not be able to accommodate a pleated filter and may even cause future problems. Our technicians can advise you on the best option.

Should a thermostat be set to auto or on?

When the thermostat is set to auto, the fan operates only when the temperature requires it. This is the most used setting. However, there are advantages to using the on setting. First of all, the air in the house is constantly filtered through the unit’s air filter. Secondly, the constantly circulating air results in an even temperature throughout the house.

Can shrubs and flowers be planted around an outdoor unit?

Yes. However, we recommend that plants be no closer than 18 inches from the unit. This allows plenty of room for air circulation in and out of the unit. Without this room for air circulation, the unit could overheat, resulting in a premature need for service.

If an outdoor unit needs replacing, should the indoor unit be replaced, too?

It is a good idea to replace the entire system when a part of the system fails to operate correctly. That’s because many air conditioning and heating units are designed to operate as a complete, matched system. The efficiency rating is based on the entire system. To gain the maximum benefit of new, highly efficient technology, the entire system should be replaced together. This ensures the system is reliable and efficient.

What routine maintenance do I need help with?

Think about how you take care of your car. Sure, most people can handle the little stuff - checking and topping off fluids, keeping tires inflated to the correct pressure, changing the wiper blades. But, to keep your car operating at its best, you need an occasional tune-up from a trained professional. Your heating and cooling system is no different. To get the most performance and longest life from your system, it's a good idea to have a professional perform routine checks in the spring and in the fall.