Myth 1: Hire your air conditioner technician on Craigslist.
The interweb has provided us with a variety of choices to go to get an AC service technician, but be careful because not all are created equal. While the Better Business Bureau shows you information on whether a contractor is accredited determined by their company history and practices, other web pages are accessible to anyone who wants to post an ad. For instance, Craigslist will allow anyone to post an ad providing their services, regardless of whether or not they’re actually qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the correct training and background.
If you hire a company or individual without being able to verify their qualifications and capability, it might end up costing you more in the long run. If the tech doesn’t have the qualifications to properly service your specific AC equipment, you could end up needing a second, more experienced contractor to fix their mistakes and it could cost you multiple Trip Charges.
Myth 2: Hiring a small business is better.
Contracting with small businesses can be wonderful for some odd jobs – it’s wonderful for the local business, great for the economy, and maybe even wonderful for your wallet. But be careful: small businesses or one-person companies could leave you in a lurch. If something fails, they may simply disappear and not be there to rectify the situation, or they may not have the resources to get to you quickly, which is not what you want if your air conditioning system malfunctions in the dog days of summer.
Budgeting a little bit more for a larger, more reputable and reliable company can come with advantages that help provide you with more assurance, including a one-year satisfaction guarantee, quality workmanship, a large certified team of servicemen and women who provide you service 24/7/365, and the confidence that they’ll be there if you need them again.
Myth 3: It’s okay to use any type of refrigerant in your air conditioner.
With the government putting an end to the manufacturing of R-22, many families are noticing the price of refilling their air conditioner’s refrigerant rising. It may seem like an easy fix to just substitute a different and cheaper refrigerant, but if an air conditioning service technician recommends this, you likely want to find a second opinion.
Manufacturers identify the exact refrigerant the equipment is designed for, and prior to 2010, it was commonly R-22. Despite the extreme decrease of the production of R-22, those air conditioning systems are still designed for it, and substituting a different refrigerant may not only cause destruction to your air conditioner, it could void your warranty. A nullified warranty may cost you way more in future parts due to possible damage.
Myth 4: You don’t need routine A/C system maintenance.
A lot of people who aren’t having trouble with their AC may think they don’t actually need routine maintenance. It’s running fine, so why spend the money on a tune-up, right? Don’t forget the fact that a routine AC tune- up runs you around $79 while repairs will cost you around $500. Also, most manufacturers instruct you to receive annual maintenance to keep your warranty valid, so disregarding your routine tune-up could cause you to lose your warranty, meaning a large payout if your air conditioning system decides to breakdown on the hottest day of the summer.
Myth 5: Researching the company isn’t important.
It’s crucial to check that you do your due diligence before choosing an air conditioning service company, especially if you feel a particular company is putting pressure on you. As we said in Myth #1, some domains don’t require a contractor to be qualified to market their services. It’s important to know what you’re getting into so you don’t have to worry about paying for the same service twice.
Social media reviews, references from family, and an a great accreditation grade with the Better Business Bureau will all help you to understand the type of business you will be trusting your business to and help you choose if they are ideal for you. Google+, Angie’s List, and the BBB are all good websites to start your homework. Remember, don’t be shy to ask for previous customer references. You may have to pay a pretty penny to your air conditioning company, so invest some time and research to make sure they are the right company for you.
Myth 6: It will cost more to turn your thermostat to a higher temperature while you’re away from home.
Ultimately, it will increase your bills to leave the thermostat at a cooler temperature throughout the day than to bump it up 10 degrees while you’re away. It normally will not need an excessive amount of more energy to get your home cooled down once you enter, depending on your home.
A programmable thermostat allows for the temperature to be adjusted from a phone or tablet so you can simply adjust the temperature cooler before arriving home, so your home is cool and comfy when you get home. This reduces your energy over the course of the day, as well as decreasing your cooling bills.
Myth 7: Continuously running ceiling fans will help cool your home.
Fans help cool people, they don’t actually reduce the temperature of the home by themselves. In fact, fans (like refrigerators) actually raise the temperature in your home. The motor that is making your fan operate produces heat, which can add heat to the air in the home. A well-working ceiling fan can help level the temperature of a room and may contribute to cooling air by circulating, but if there isn’t anyone beneath the fan to feel the cool air, all it’s doing is squandering energy and money, especially if the AC is already running. So leave ceiling fans off when there is nobody in the room and more air circulation is not needed.
Myth 8: Where the thermostat is installed doesn’t matter.
Thermostats use the temperature surrounding it to determine whether it needs to turn on the AC to cool down your home. Installing a thermostat in the bedroom will only help ensure that bedroom lowers to the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Once that bedroom is cooled, the air conditioner will shut off and the remaining floor or home might be much warmer. If the thermostat is put near a sunny window or an appliance, it might constantly think the temperature is much higher than the rest of the home truly is and continuously run your air conditioner, upping your energy bills.
Myth 9: Excessively lowering your thermostat will help it cool more speedily.
Lowering your air excessively may only make your AC operate longer, it won’t get to a colder temperature any faster. If your thermostat is says 77, but you really want it to be 75, then set it on 75 and it will work until it cools to that temperature. Lowering the thermostat to 73 won’t make it cool to 75 any faster, and it will result in your system running longer, costing you money and energy.
Myth 10: It’s ok to replace your air filter annually.
Depending on respiratory or allergy issues for the home’s occupants, and the type of air filter you utilize for your air conditioning system, your air filter may need to be replaced as often as every four weeks. Not changing the air filter often enough not only causes your air conditioning system to work harder and reduce efficiency, it could also irritate respiratory conditions like common allergy symptoms.
Call All American Air Service Experts today to inquire about your air conditioner or to set-up your no-charge in-home consultation.