Don’t Let Unlicensed HVAC Contractors Make a Mess At Your Home

Although unlicensed HVAC contractors appear to work cheaper than a bonded, insured and licensed air conditioning companies, the long-term risks may not match the promise. The problems are simple yet complex. When homeowners hire HVAC service work from questionable contractors, the typically final experience may end up like this:

• Inferior workmanship resulting in shoddy equipment performance
• Incomplete or downright deceitful troubleshooting reports
• Unreliable A/C services, including substandard A/C installation
• Unexpected cost increases or poor long-term HVAC equipment reliability
• AND more.

TIP! Before hiring for A/C install or A/C services in your home, ask the contractor for proof of insurance. Even licensed HVAC pros can make a mistake. But consider the damage an uninsured electrical error can do to your home.

Dealing with untrained back-door cooling and heating service techs may seem like a slick way to save on upfront money, but in a heartbeat such preconceived out-of-pocket savings can explode into a massive financial nightmare. Air conditioning technicians, so-called, who work outside the law also tend to ignore HVAC industry-accepted service and installation regulations. According to ACCA senior vice president of government relations, Charlie McCrudden, such individuals “… take advantage of lax enforcement of permitting rules, licensing requirements, and the Clean Air Act.” Furthermore, Mr. McCrudden says that the government is currently unable to track or control the problem. Too many individuals, McCrudden says, “… are posing as professional HVAC technicians.”

TIP! Get multiple bids before deciding on which hvac companies will install or repair your heating and cooling equipment. Most homeowners know better than jumping on the highest bid, but you should also be wary of any super-low bits.

Choose Reputation Over Low-price Unlicensed HVAC Contractors

In the air conditioning industry, a good reputation is paramount to the word-of-mouth advertising, and word-of-mouth advertising is the core of established customer trust. Modern A/C associations, along with reputable A/C installers, have had about enough of the damage unlicensed HVAC contractors are doing to the reputation of the industry. Proper licensing is a must-have component of quality HVAC services.

According to “Hiring Licensed Vs Unlicensed Contractors” from the Arizona Yavapai County Contractors Association (YCCA) out of Prescott, homeowners are free to choose who they will hire: licensed or unlicensed. However, the foreword from YCCA is simple: “Beware!” In fact, YCCA Executive Director, Sandy Griffis, says that contractor licensing does not assure technical skill, proficiency or even a measure of competence. “However,” Griffis continues, “… hiring an unlicensed contractor is certainly a hazard.” Here are three primary points to remember:

• Unlicensed can mean low bids, but the financial and legal consequences may be more than you originally bargained to face
• Hiring a licensed air conditioning contractor provides better protection than any after-event legal remedies
• Most licensed A/C contractors are competent, dedicated, financially responsible, and well trained
• By practicing licensing and a well-crafted regulatory system, the law of the land promotes individual safety and reliable construction practices.

Informed HVAC Decision On Air Conditioning Repair Or Replace

Make A Confident HVAC Repair or Replace Air Conditioning Decision

In every home equipped with central air conditioning, there comes a time when repair or replace becomes a major HVAC question. The following tips won’t resolve all of your concerns, but they can help you get the guesswork out of the decision-making process. By presenting this basic guideline for:

• Reduced costs in A/C installation costs
• Increased comfort from effective equipment
• AND the assets that best guarantee favorable energy-savings from your home heating and cooling equipment;

These tips will help you better understand the current state of air conditioning technology.

Make A Confident HVAC Repair or Replace Air Conditioning Decision

In every home equipped with central air conditioning, there comes a time when repair or replace becomes a major HVAC question. The following tips won’t resolve all of your concerns, but they can help you get the guesswork out of the decision-making process. By presenting this basic guideline for: · Reduced costs in A/C installation costs · Increased comfort from effective equipment · AND the assets that best guarantee favorable energy-savings from your home heating and cooling equipment; These tips will help you better understand the current state of air conditioning technology.

Repairing or Replace — The Value of Updating

TIP! If replace is your only option, make sure you buy ENERGY STAR compliant equipment. It may seem a small thing, but it isn’t.

We all know that age affects reliability, electronics, mechanics and even people. Perhaps your old HVAC system is worth repairing. Test and see. Get an estimate of repair costs versus replace cost, and then calculate all of the interrelated costs such as system durability, system performance, and the age of the existing unit. Remember also that the older a cooling and heating system, the more the more often you will be forced to revisit the repair or install new HVAC decision. If after reading this article you determine that fixing your aged HVAC equipment is preventing you from enjoying the cost-saving operating benefits of modern home air conditioning equipment, contact your local A/C installation team. Ask them to put together an HVAC replacement package that fits your budget. Then make certain that the package not only includes new, energy-efficient cooling equipment but that some form of workmanship guarantee of excellence backs the installation. Making a Wise Repair or Replace Air Conditioning Decision When reviewing repair or replace air conditioning options, determining the best course of action involves many areas of consideration. The following breakdown highlights some of the most important decision making factors. Apply them equally to any make or model of HVAC equipment. If you have any manufacturer-specific questions, contact your HVAC vendor.

Air Conditioning Refrigerants

R-22 or R-410A; These are the two types of A/C refrigerants most widely used in home heat pumps and air conditioning condensing units. However, due to the 1987 Montreal Protocol and the associated Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, a phase-out of R-22 and any other ozone-depleting chemicals is in effect. By January 1, 2020, no chemical manufacturers will be permitted to produce R-22 for home air conditioning servicing. At that point, only recovered, recycled and reclaimed R-22 will be available for use in servicing existing A/C and Heat Pump systems. Although uncharged R-22 systems can be installed as a replacement or repair option for an existing older unit, 13-SEER efficiency is the highest available option and the cost of R-22 may run higher than your greatest imagination. If your HVAC decision runs between major repairs for an R-22 unit versus upgrading to a new R-410A system, go with the new.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration (SEER)

TIP! Before buying a new HVAC system, consider the rated energy efficiency. Pricing may be important, but the long-term savings of an installed new energy efficient cooling system can save thousands of dollars in reduced unit lifetime energy consumption. It’s an HVAC decision you cannot afford to ignore.

Established by the United States DOE and increased in January of 2006, 13-SEER is the lowers current efficiency rating for central air conditioning systems. A higher rating reflects greater performance and energy efficiency. When faced with the decision of repair or replace air conditioning in an older 10-SEER setup, make sure that repair is very cheap and very simple, or else install something newer and better.

HSPF and SEER

Heat pump performance and efficiency is not only measured by a residential SEER scale that is equivalent to that used on residential central sir conditioners, but they are also rated for efficiency on a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). Also established and set by the DOE, the HSPF of your installed Arizona Heat Pump may be just as important as your A/C SEER rating. In general, running an hp is less expensive than heating with a fuel-based system. In Arizona, a good heat pump will save you money on your winter heating bills.

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) — Add Fuel Utilization to Your HVAC Decision

As a service of ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, the specs for your system’s AFUE are designed to ensure that your home is serviced by efficient HVAC equipment. The current ASHRAE restrictions require that manufacturers produce heating and cooling systems that perform no lower than 80% AFUE. But concerned air conditioning manufacturers strive to reap 96% and above. So what means the AFUE rating? In simple terms, AFUE rating identifies just how much of your energy dollar is fully utilized in the operation of your home furnace system. Thus, a 90% AFUE rating means that ten cents of every dollar is wasted.

Manufacturer Warranty Coverage

Perhaps you wonder why anyone needs a warranty for a product that should be built to last? Well, face it! In this world, perfection does not exist. Even the best efforts to design a fully fault-proof heating and cooling system fall short. Most times, buyers get a winner, but on occasion someone gets a lemon. Every major HVAC equipment provider strives to give you the best product for the money spent, yet they too recognize the complications of Murphy’s Law. Compare product warranties. Find out exactly what is covered and for how long each component is covered. Consider the value of acquiring an extended warranty when available.