Myth 1: Hire your AC technician from Craigslist.
The internet has gifted us with a variety of options to go to find an air conditioning service technician, but proceed with caution because not all are created equal. While the Better Business Bureau provides you with information on whether a company is accredited based on their business history and practices, other websites are available to anyone wanting to post an ad. Case in point, Craigslist lets anyone post an ad providing their services, regardless of whether or not they’re really qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the correct training and experience.
If you hire a company or individual without being able to verify their qualifications and skill set, it may end up costing you more in the long run. If the tech doesn’t have the qualifications to properly fix your particular air conditioner, you might end up needing another, more experienced company to repair their mistakes and it could cost you multiple Trip Charges.
Myth 2: Hiring a small business is better.
Hiring small businesses can be good for some small fixes – it’s good for the local business, wonderful for the economy, and maybe even wonderful for your pocket book. But use caution: small operations or one-person companies could leave you holding the bag. If something bad happens, they may conveniently disappear and not be around to repair it, or they might not have the manpower to get you taken care of quickly, which is bad news if your air conditioning system breaks down in the extreme temperatures of summer.
Spending a little bit more for a larger, more trusted and reliable company can come with benefits that help offer you more peace of mind, including a one-year satisfaction guarantee, excellent workmanship, a large certified team of technicians who give you service 24/7/365, and the confidence that they’ll be available if you need them again.
Myth 3: It’s fine to use any type of refrigerant in your air conditioning system.
With the government discontinuing the production of R-22, many homeowners are noticing the cost of refilling their air conditioning system’s refrigerant increasing. It may sound like an easy fix to just use a different and cheaper refrigerant, but if an AC service technician recommends this, you probably want to get a second opinion.
Manufacturers specify the exact refrigerant the air conditioner is produced for, and previous to 2010, it was usually R-22. Regardless of the extreme reduction of the production of R-22, those AC systems are still designed for it, and substituting a different refrigerant may not only cause harm to your air conditioning equipment, it could void your warranty. A voided warranty might cost you hundreds or thousands more in future parts due to possible damage.
Myth 4: You don’t need annual AC maintenance.
Many people who aren’t having trouble with their air conditioning system may assume they don’t actually need yearly maintenance. It works just fine, so why use the money on a tune-up, right? Well there’s the fact that an annual AC tune- up costs around $79 while the cost of a repair averages around $500. Additionally, most manufacturers require annual maintenance to keep your warranty valid, so disregarding your annual tune-up could cause you to lose your warranty, meaning a large payout if your air conditioner decides to go out on the hottest day of the year.
Myth 5: Learning about the company isn’t important.
It’s critical to make sure you do your due diligence before picking an air conditioning service company, especially if you feel a single company is putting pressure on you. As we said in Myth #1, some domains don’t require a contractor to be qualified to place an ad for their services. You absolutely need to know their qualifications and history so you don’t have to worry about paying for the same service again.
Online reviews, testimonials from friends, and an a high accreditation grade with the Better Business Bureau will all assure you of the type of business you will be offering your business to and help you choose if they are ideal for you. Google+, Angie’s List, and the BBB are all wonderful review sites to start your homework. And, don’t be scared to ask for previous customer testimonials. You could have to invest your hard-earned money with your air conditioner contractor, so invest some time and research to confirm they are the right company for your AC.
Myth 6: It costs you more to turn your thermostat up while you’re out of your home.
Ultimately, it will increase your bills to leave the thermostat at a colder temperature all through the day than to bump it up 10 degrees while you are gone. It normally will not need an outrageous amount of additional energy to cool your home once you arrive, depending on the home.
A programmable thermostat permits the temperature to be adjusted from a phone or tablet so you can just adjust the temperature cooler before returning home, so your home is cool and comfy when you get home. This reduces your energy throughout the day, as well as reducing your cooling bills.
Myth 7: Always running ceiling fans will help keep your home cool.
Fans help cool people, they don’t really lower the temperature of the home alone. In fact, fans (comparable to refrigerators) actually heat up homes. The motor that is making your fan run creates heat, which can add heat to the air in your family’s home. An efficient ceiling fan does help level the temperature of a room and may contribute to cooling air by circulating, but if nobody is below the fan to feel the breeze, all it’s doing is wasting energy and money, especially if the AC is already working. So turn off ceiling fans when there is nobody in the room and extra air circulation is unnecessary.
Myth 8: Don’t worry about where the thermostat is installed.
Thermostats use the temperature near it to decide whether it needs to turn on the air conditioning system to cool down your home. Placing a thermostat in your bedroom will only make sure that bedroom reaches the temperature that the thermostat is adjusted to. Once your bedroom is cooled, the AC will shut off and the remaining floor or home might be quite a bit warmer. If the thermostat is placed near a sunny window or an appliance, it could continuously read the temperature as being much higher than the rest of the home actually is and continuously run your system, upping your cooling bills.
Myth 9: Lowering your thermostat way low will help it cool more quickly.
Lowering your air excessively may only make your AC run longer, it won’t get to a colder temperature any faster. If your thermostat is set to 77, but you really want it to be 75, then set it to 75 and it will kick on until it gets to that temperature. Putting the thermostat on 73 won’t make it get to 75 any faster, and it will result in your system running longer, squandering money and energy.
Myth 10: It’s ok to change your air filter annually.
Depending on respiratory or allergy issues for the residents of the home, and the style of air filter you utilize for your air conditioning system, your air filter could need to be changed as often as every four weeks. Skipping the replacement of the air filter often enough not only means for your air conditioning system to work harder and lower efficiency, it could also irritate respiratory ailments like common allergy symptoms.
Call Pardee Service Experts today to inquire about your AC or to set-up your free in-home consultation.