Myth 1: Get your air conditioning technician on Craigslist.
The interweb has provided us with a variety of options to go to look for an AC service technician, but proceed with caution because not all are qualified. While the Better Business Bureau provides you with information on whether a business is accredited depending on their organization’s history and practices, other sites are open to anyone who wants to post an ad. For instance, Craigslist lets anyone post an ad for their services, regardless of whether or not they’re truly qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the actual training and experience.
If you decide on a business or individual without getting to verify their qualifications and expertise, it could end up costing you more ultimately. If the serviceman or woman doesn’t have the qualifications to properly repair your specific AC equipment, you may end up needing a different, more experienced technician to correct their mistakes and it could end up costing you multiple Trip Charges.
Myth 2: Choosing a small business is better.
Working with small businesses can be wonderful for some small fixes – it’s wonderful for the local business, good for the economy, and maybe even wonderful for your pocket book. But proceed with caution: small companies or one-person businesses could leave you holding the bag. If something fails, they may conveniently disappear and not be there to rectify the situation, or they might not have the resources to get you taken care of quickly, which is a problem if your AC breaks down in the dog days of summer.
Spending a little bit more for a bigger, more reputable and reliable company can come with advantages that help offer you more confidence, including a one-year satisfaction guarantee, quality workmanship, a large certified work force that gives you service 24/7/365, and the confidence that they’ll be available if you need them again.
Myth 3: It’s okay to use any type of refrigerant in your air conditioning system.
With the government ending the making of R-22, many families are seeing the cost of refilling their air conditioning system’s refrigerant rising. It may sound like a simple fix to just replace your R-22 with a different and lower cost refrigerant, but if an AC service technician gives you that advice, you likely want to call for a second opinion.
Manufacturers identify the exact refrigerant the air conditioner is designed for, and prior to 2010, it was normally R-22. Although there is extreme decrease of the production of R-22, those AC systems are still designed for it, and substituting a different refrigerant may not only cause destruction to your air conditioner, it could nullify your warranty. A voided warranty may cost you way more in future parts due to potential damage.
Myth 4: You don’t need yearly AC maintenance.
Many people who don’t currently have trouble with their air conditioner may believe they don’t truly need yearly maintenance. It’s running fine, so why waste the money on a tune-up, right? Don’t forget the fact that a yearly AC tune- up costs around $79 while repairs will run you around $500. Additionally, most manufacturers demand yearly maintenance to continue your warranty, so foregoing your yearly tune-up could cost you your warranty, which means a huge payout if your AC decides to die on the hottest day of the year.
Myth 5: Finding out about the contractor isn’t necessary.
It’s critical to make sure you do your homework before deciding on an air conditioner service company, especially if you feel a single company is putting pressure on you. As we said in Myth #1, some domains don’t demand a person to be qualified to place an ad for their services. You need to know their qualifications and history so you don’t have to pay for the same service twice.
Online reviews, referrals from neighbors, and an a great accreditation grade with the Better Business Bureau will all confirm the type of business you will be giving your business to and help you figure out if they are best for you. Angie’s List, Google+, and Yelp are all wonderful places to start your homework. Remember, don’t be scared to ask for past customer references. You could have to invest your money with your AC technician, so invest a little time and research to ensure they are the best company for your AC.
Myth 6: It costs you more to turn your thermostat up while you’re not at home.
Long-term, it will actually cost you more to leave the thermostat at a colder temperature throughout the day than to increase it 10 degrees while you are away from your home. It normally will not need an excessive amount of extra energy to get your home comfortable once you arrive, depending on variables of the home.
A programmable thermostat lets the temperature to be changed from a tablet or phone so you can easily adjust the temperature cooler before coming home, so your home is nice and comfy when you enter. This reduces your energy during the day, as well as lowering your cooling bills.
Myth 7: Always running ceiling fans will help lower the temperature in your home.
Fans help cool people, they don’t really reduce the temperature of the home by themselves. In fact, fans (similar to refrigerators) actually raise the temperature in your home. The motor that is causing your fan to run generates heat, which can add heat to the air in your home. An efficient ceiling fan does help level the temperature of the room and may contribute to cooling air by circulating, but if there isn’t anyone below the fan to feel the breeze, all the fan is doing is wasting energy and money, especially if the AC is already on. So leave ceiling fans off when no one is in the room and additional air circulation is unnecessary.
Myth 8: Where the thermostat is installed doesn’t matter.
Thermostats use the temperature around it to choose whether it needs to start up the AC to cool the home. Installing a thermostat in your bedroom will only help ensure that bedroom lowers to the temperature that the thermostat is adjusted to. Once that bedroom is cooled, the system will go off and the remaining floor or home could be much warmer. If the thermostat is put near a warm window or an appliance, it could always determine the temperature is much higher than the home actually is and keep running your AC, upping your energy bills.
Myth 9: Lowering your thermostat way low will help it cool more quickly.
Decreasing your air by too much may only make your air conditioning system work longer, it won’t get to a colder temperature any faster. If your thermostat is says 77, but you really feel better at 75, then set it to 75 and it will work until it reaches that temperature. Putting the thermostat on 73 won’t make it lower to 75 any faster, and it will cause your system to run long, wasting money and energy.
Myth 10: It’s ok to change your air filter annually.
Depending on respiratory or allergy issues for the people living in the home, and the style of air filter you use for your air conditioning system, your air filter might need to be swapped out as often as every month. Skipping the replacement of the air filter often enough not only causes your air conditioning system to work harder and decrease efficiency, it could also aggravate respiratory conditions like common allergy symptoms.
Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today if you have any questions about your air conditioning system or to set-up your free in-home consultation.