Myth 1: Hire your air conditioning technician on Craigslist.
The World Wide Web has provided us with a variety of places to go to look for an AC service technician, but be careful because not all are created equal. While the Better Business Bureau gives you information on whether a business is accredited determined by their business history and practices, other web pages are accessible to anyone who wants to post an ad. Case in point, Craigslist will let anyone post an ad providing their services, not requiring them to verify whether or not they’re really qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the correct training and background.
If you choose a business or individual without having the ability to confirm their qualifications and expertise, it may end up costing you more over time. If the technician doesn’t have the skills to properly service your actual AC equipment, you could end up needing a second, more experienced contractor to correct their mistakes and end up paying multiple Trip Charges.
Myth 2: Hiring a small business is better.
Contracting with small businesses can be great for some minor home services – it’s wonderful for the local business, great for the economy, and probably even good for your pocket book. But be careful: small companies or one-person businesses could leave you holding the bag. If something bad happens, they may conveniently disappear and not be available to repair it, or they may not have the manpower to get to you quickly, which is a problem if your AC breaks down in the dog days of summer.
Budgeting a little bit more for a bigger, more trusted and reliable company can come with benefits that help offer you more assurance, including a one-year satisfaction guarantee, expert workmanship, a large certified team of servicemen and women who provide you service 24/7/365, and the assurance that they’ll be there if you need them again.
Myth 3: It’s fine to use any type of refrigerant in your air conditioning system.
With the government ending the making of R-22, many people are observing the fee of refilling their air conditioner’s refrigerant going up. It may seem like a simple fix to just use a different and cheaper refrigerant, but if an air conditioning service technician recommends this, you likely want to get a second opinion.
Manufacturers identify the exact refrigerant the system is produced for, and before 2010, it was commonly R-22. Despite the extreme reduction of the production of R-22, those air conditioners are still designed for it, and using a different refrigerant may not only cause destruction to your air conditioning equipment, it could nullify your warranty. A nullified warranty might cost you a lot more in future parts due to possible damage.
Myth 4: You don’t need routine air conditioning maintenance.
Most people who don’t currently have trouble with their AC may believe they don’t actually need yearly maintenance. It’s operating fine, so why spend the money on a tune-up, right? Don’t forget the fact that a yearly AC tune- up runs you around $79 while repairs will set you back around $500. Not to mention, most manufacturers require annual maintenance to continue your warranty, so disregarding your annual tune-up could also mean foregoing your warranty, resulting in a huge payout if your AC decides to go out on the hottest day of the season.
Myth 5: Finding out about the business isn’t important.
It’s important to check that you do your homework before picking an AC service contractor, especially if you feel a specific company is pushing you. As we mentioned in Myth #1, some websites don’t demand a company to be qualified to market their services. You need to know what you’re getting into so you don’t end up paying for the same service multiple times.
Website reviews, references from family, and an a great accreditation grade with the Better Business Bureau will all help you to understand the type of company you will be trusting your business to and help you decide if they are best for you. Angie’s List, Google+, and Yelp are all good places to start your homework. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for past customer testimonials. You could have to invest your money with your air conditioner company, so invest some time and research to make sure they are the ideal company for your AC.
Myth 6: It costs more to turn your thermostat to a higher temperature while you’re not at home.
Long-term, it will increase your costs to leave the thermostat at a cooler temperature throughout the day than to raise it 10 degrees while you are gone. It normally will not need an outrageous amount of extra energy to cool your home once you enter, depending on variables of the home.
A programmable thermostat lets the temperature to be adjusted from a mobile device so you can just adjust the temperature cooler before coming home, so your home is nice and comfy when you arrive. This decreases your energy during the day, as well as decreasing your cooling bills.
Myth 7: Continuously running ceiling fans will help lower the temperature in your home.
Fans help keep you cool, they don’t actually reduce the temperature of the home by themselves. In fact, fans (comparable to refrigerators) actually heat up homes. The motor that is forcing your fan to run creates heat, which can push heat into the air in your family’s home. A good ceiling fan could help level the temperature of the room and may assist in cooling air by circulating, but if nobody is below the fan to feel the breeze, all it’s doing is squandering energy and money, especially if the air conditioning system is already on. So turn off ceiling fans when no one is in the room and more air circulation is not needed.
Myth 8: Where the thermostat is installed doesn’t matter.
Thermostats use the temperature around it to decide whether it needs to activate the air conditioner to cool your home. Putting a thermostat in the bedroom will only ensure that bedroom reaches the temperature that the thermostat is set on. Once the bedroom is cooled, the system will turn off and the remaining floor or home may be quite a bit warmer. If the thermostat is placed near a sunny window or an appliance, it might constantly read the temperature as being much higher than the rest of the home truly is and constantly run your air conditioner, upping your cooling bills.
Myth 9: Turning your thermostat down much lower will help it cool more quickly.
Decreasing your air by too much may only make your AC work longer, it won’t get cooler any faster. If your thermostat is set on 77, but you really want it to be 75, then put it at 75 and it will kick on until it reaches that temperature. Putting the thermostat on 73 won’t make it cool to 75 any faster, and it will make your system run longer, wasting money and energy.
Myth 10: It’s fine to swap out your air filter annually.
Depending on the health issues for the residents of the home, and the type of air filter you use for your AC, your air filter may need to be replaced as often as every four weeks. Not changing the air filter often enough not only means for your air conditioner to work harder and lower efficiency, it could also irritate respiratory illnesses like common allergy symptoms.
Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today to inquire about your AC or to set-up your free in-home consultation.