FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

F.A.Q.

Explore our HVAC FAQ for answers to common questions about heating, cooling, and indoor air quality. Find expert guidance on maintenance, troubleshooting, energy efficiency, and more. If you have a question that’s not covered here, feel free to reach out to our experienced team for personalized assistance.

How do I decide to fix or replace my system?

We will never make that decision for you! We do try to help you understand the financial side of your HVAC system. We try to compare the life expectancy of the system vs the cost to fix and maintain the system. If the system is 8 years old and the fix is $200, then that is an easy decision to fix the existing equipment. If the system is 13 years old and the fix is $1000, then that would likely be worth weighing the fix vs replace options. When a fix becomes over 10% of the cost of a new, more efficient system it is time to consider options. Only you can make that decision!

Is the fix amount accurate?

We tried to take an average range for the main things we are told when a client calls us, then compare those with the cost of the HVAC repair. There is no way to know what your specific circumstance will be, but this is a good range of likely issues. It also varies by what type of HVAC equipment you have. If you have variable speed or inverter systems with high SEER ratings, the cost to fix those is higher than single stage equipment.

What are the Stages?

We compare stages to the AC in your vehicle. On a hot day when you climb in your ride, you likely turn the AC all the way up to high. If you reach a comfortable temperature and then shut the AC completely off, that resembles how a single stage system works. If you get close to a comfortable temperature and then turn the blower down so it doesn’t work as hard, that is similar to a two stage system. If you use all the settings for temperature and blower speed, that is similar to an inverter system.

Are there discounts available?

The best thing to do is to check out our website and see if you see our advertising in the mail! We often have specials running there or through google. We always offer a Military Discount and a Senior Discount. Our Club Members get the highest discounts.

You recommend replacing, but I want to fix. How will that effect my system?

When we recommend replacing, it is usually because the price to fix is such a large expense compared to the cost of replacing for a more efficient system that will come with a warranty. We are always happy to fix your equipment though!  If you would rather fix your equipment, we just want you to understand the risk involved.  The more worn the system is, the more likely you are to experience additional breakdowns.  The last thing we want is an upset customer because 1: their system breaks down with a different issue.  2: they believe we are trying to sell them something they do not need.

You recommend fixing, but I want to replace. How will that effect my system?

We understand that sometimes people get fed up with systems or just want something that uses less electricity. There could have been improvements to the insulation or windows, or trees added or removed. Any of those will change the Manual J Load Calculation and your system could be oversized or undersized.  We are always happy to provide a quality HVAC replacement.

Will you try to sell me something I do not need?

No!  We are not a high pressure sales service. Our job is to help you get a comfortable and healthy home or business. If we are not doing that, then we are not doing our job! We may recommend some indoor air quality if we notice indoor pets or dust in the home, but we will never try to force something that you do not want.

Is my hvac system the wrong size? 

We can come to your home and gather all the data to run a professional Manual J Load Calculation. This will tell us exactly how much air your home, and each individual room, needs to stay comfortable.

Can my system be too large?

Yes!  Oversizing is not good and causes humidity issues. Humidity removal is a byproduct of a properly sized HVAC system. If the system is too large, it will cool the space too quickly which will not remove humidity. Humidity is removed by moving air over the cold evaporator coil and the slower and more air that can move, the better for humidity removal.

Are you a high pressure sales company?

Absolutely not! We try to help educate the client and come up with a solution that fits your needs. Most clients want our opinion, as a professional, so we we try to provide what we think would work best in each individual situation. Our opinion may not be the same as yours but the decision is always up to you!

What if my heating and air conditioning system is under warranty?

It is always helpful if you have the warranty information available when you call us, or at least when we arrive for your ac repair or heating repair. If the warranty is a labor warranty, you will likely need to work with the business that provided the labor warranty. If the manufacturer warranty is in effect, we will help get parts covered and save you money.

What if my heating and air conditioning system is not under warranty?

Most manufacturers provide a minimum 5 year HVAC system warranty and those can often be extended to 10 years when installed. If the warranty time has passed, then the owner is responsible for all invoicing. We can check each manufacturer to see if the system is under warranty. 

What is not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty?

There are circumstances where systems break down that is not the fault of the manufacturer or the contractor. Lightning strikes, insects, earthquakes, hail damage, pets and animals, water can all cause issues with your heating and air conditioning system.

How accurate is your information?

We strive to have updated information, but things are always changing. We can not guarantee the accuracy of everything above because things change. We try to keep everything as up to date as possible, but we are just human!

What are the benefits of being a Club Member?

Being a Club Member gets your discounts on services, discounts and special offers for Indoor Air Quality, priority scheduling for a system needing ac repair or heating repair, no Trip and Diagnostic charge during normal business hours, an ac tune-up visit in the spring and furnace tune-up (or heater tune-up) in the fall, earn money toward a replacement, and more!

Will I get multiple options for fixing or replacing?

Absolutely! We present you with different options and let you make the decision for your own comfort. Each of our options comes with different levels of warranties from 30 days out to 2 years on service and up to 12 years of parts and labor warranties for replacements.

Do you charge more for holiday, weekend, or late evening service?

Yes we do. Our technicians are people with families as well and they need to be paid well to leave their home and family late at night or on a holiday to travel to another location. It is a sacrifice on their part and costs the business in higher labor, fuel, insurance, and general overhead to dispatch a trained technician in a stocked truck to any location. 

My unit uses R22 refrigerant, is that still being used?

There is a lot of misinformation about R22 out there. Today most HVAC systems use R410A refrigerant, but systems roughly 10+ years old were using R22. The EPA stopped allowing new R22 from being manufactured in 2020. There is still R22 that was manufactured prior to that available and recycled R22 can be cleaned, by a specialty factory, and resold. R22 prices have skyrocketed, so most HVAC repair businesses use a drop-in refrigerant that operates similar to R22. 

Other Websites online, such as Angie, say my fix should be cheap. Is that accurate?

This is something that all HVAC professionals fight and many homeowners do not understand. Angi (and similar companies) want to act as a non-local middleman between the customer the contractor. Angi is well known to write articles about repair costs and highly undervalues what a fair or average price is. Angi (or similar companies) pay to have their articles pop up for the consumer to read, and they work to convince the consumer that they will save money by going through Angi (or…) to find a contractor. The reality is Angi takes the consumer’s information and sends it to as many local contractors as possible and charges each of them for the opportunity to give the consumer a phone call. Do yourself a favor and go straight to a local contractor, check out their reviews, and choose someone that seems to suit your needs. Middlemen are not local and are trying to trick consumers and then take advantage of local businesses just trying to make an honest living. In the end, the middleman drives the cost up because they can charge between 4-12 local businesses for your information.

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