HVAC information for Homeowners

I was surprised when my cousin told me that he could help me install a nice HVAC system in my home.

He said I would save thousands of dollars by not having to go for a professional installation. He showed me the DIY ductless mini splits which had up to 5 zones. I asked him what made them DIY as opposed to any other ductless mini split. He explained to me that it was the line sets with pre compressed refrigerant and the simple connections that made it DIY. The lines were already prepared and color coded making it easy for the average homeowner to take care of the installation. He said that even the electric connections were all labeled making it easy to connect everything. Then I asked what was the difference between these ductless mini splits and the multi split systems. He said there wasn’t much of a difference other than the fact that a multi split system was designed to provide heating and cooling for the entire household with up to 8 zones connected to a single condenser unit. That seemed impressive to me, but he said those systems had to be installed by the professionals since they didn’t DIY systems like that. They had much larger condensers and only the experts were qualified to charge refrigerant to systems like that apparently. So we ended up getting two DIY ductless mini splits and we installed those. It wasn’t as challenging as I thought it would be, it was just a matter of figuring out the best locations to install the indoor units and drilling through the walls to the outside to get the line sets through.

 

Air conditioner install

When my cousin told me about this fantastic HVAC service plan he had with his local HVAC company, it sounded appealing.

He said he got priority scheduling and it was easy to schedule with the company app.

So I ended up calling this HVAC company and I decided to enroll into this contract to see how their service was. I thought they would automatically arrange the appointments for me but nobody called me up. Then, I suddenly got something in the mail from the HVAC company saying that I failed to schedule the last appointment and they slapped me with a fee for not doing so. I called them up to complain and the HVAC worker told me that unfortunately, it’s written in the contract that there was a fee for failing to arrange the next appointment. This seemed absolutely ridiculous, especially the cost of the fee. I asked them why in the world didn’t they call me up and they said I could either call them to set the appointments or schedule them easily on the company app. I didn’t have the company app and I thought they should be calling me up since I was enrolled in this service contract. I missed scheduling the appointments a couple of times and it reminded me of the feeling you get when you get overdraft fees with your bank. It’s such a ridiculous thing. After that first year of using their service contract, I laughed in their faces when they asked if I wanted to renew for another year! What a joke!

SEER ratings

I ended up going with a much better HVAC company who had qualified experts, but I was hesitant about enrolling into any more service contracts

I actually thought I would be getting a great service from a local HVAC company when I enrolled into their HVAC service plan. I had a few good experiences with one of their HVAC experts who seemed entirely knowledgeable and answered all my questions. He’s actually the one who talked me into enrolling in the HVAC service plan. Later on though, we didn’t have that same expert coming to our house, just some guys who seemed to have no idea what they were doing. They couldn’t answer any questions and they did lousy work on the heating and cooling equipment. After awhile, I couldn’t deal with these lousy HVAC experts, regardless of the fact that we had a contract. Still, I threatened to break the contract with the HVAC company and they told me I would have to pay the early termination fee which was kind of expensive. I told them they weren’t providing the services promised, but they said we could settle the matter in court. I thought I would probably lose in court, so I just paid to end the contract. I ended up going with a much better HVAC company who had qualified experts, but I was hesitant about enrolling into any more service contracts. I’ll probably give this new HVAC company a year or so with regular service, and then I might consider signing up for a contract if I feel this HVAC company is good enough. I don’t want to have any more issues with lousy HVAC workers touching my HVAC equipment. I don’t like it when I have issues with the HVAC.

furnace/heater service

We used to go through a local family owned HVAC business back in the day.

They actually installed a quality HVAC that lasted us a good amount of time and we had an HVAC service plan with them over the years.

Of course eventually my older brother became an HVAC professional and then started his own HVAC business. We gave him time to get things going with his business and he was ambitious and knowledgeable when it came to heating and cooling repairs. It was him and some good friends of his that started this business going and since then, they have grown a lot as word of mouth has spread about his HVAC company. When the old HVAC eventually broke down at our parents’ home, they went through his company to have a new HVAC installation. My brother was there personally to make sure the installation was the perfect size and just right for our parents. He talked them into going for a ductless multi split system, which is really cool because now the heating is spread into different zones with customized temperature control settings. At my house, I have a pretty old HVAC that will probably last another few years. I think that when my HVAC system is finally done, I might go through my brother’s company too to have a nice ductless multi split system installed. I certainly would enjoy having better comfort and lower energy bills. My brother even says that now they have these systems with built-in air purification, and that’s really something to look forward to having!

Wifi thermostat

It seems like it’s hard to find good HVAC professionals, at least in the area where I live. We don’t actually have a lot of options, there are only 4 HVAC companies around us and the one with the best reviews is the one that is furthest from us. They actually charge a travel fee when they come to our home. I’ve read many of their reviews and all places have complaints from different local customers. They all have good reviews as well, they are all mixed depending on the people and their experience. I’ve read about professionals being caught drinking on the job or smoking marijuana. I’ve always read about professionals going above and beyond to make sure the customers were happy with working heating and cooling equipment. Well, the last guy we had over to take care of a UV air purification system installation was disappointing. I thought there was something wrong with the guy as soon as he came inside our house. I thought he was high off marijuana or something like one of the reviews I had read, but I didn’t smell anything funny. Anyway, about an hour into the installation, I went to go check on the guy and he was sleeping on the floor with his tools scattered around! I woke him up to make sure he was okay and he said he was alright. I wasn’t so sure, but he insisted that he would finish the air purification installation. He finished about 3 hours later after I caught him sleeping again a few times, but he did get the job done technically… I do appreciate that the air purification system works, but these professionals should not be falling asleep on the job!

 

a/c workman

My neighbor works for an HVAC repair service.

• We were sitting outside one night talking about nothing in particular and Jack mentioned tune-ups for the HVAC unit.

I didn’t know anything at all about tune-ups at the time, so I was surprised when Jack made it sound like this service was something I should have been doing all along. He offered to perform a tune-up on the heat pump and air conditioner free of charge. I thought that sounded like an awesome deal from my neighbor. The tune-up was supposed to help that machine, but it broke down a couple of weeks after the neighbor completed the service. I couldn’t reach Jack on the phone when the problem occurred. When I finally reached him, he offered to come to the house, but I had already contacted the other repair service to take care of the problem. The repair service did not have very good news for me. He claimed that it was time for me to replace the heat pump. I told them about the service that my neighbor had performed. Thankfully, the guy claimed that was probably nothing that would have helped or hindered the problem. He did confirm that routine maintenance and tune ups are a wonderful way to keep problems from occurring year after year and recommended service on the next system that I purchase. I thanked the guy for the helpful advice even though it was honestly too little and too late. I decided to get another opinion before I made any more changes on the heat pump and air conditioner.

 

air conditioner tune-up

During the winter months, the temperatures can be quite cold and icy.

We averaged at least 13 inches of snow each and every week.

That’s a lot of snow compared to the average for this region which is only around 7 or 8 in. It is difficult to live in this place at certain times of the year and winter is definitely one of those times. The temperatures are extremely cold and my house has a lot of drafty areas. I’m sure a brand new coating of insulation would be helpful, but I can’t afford to have that work performed. I’ve been trying to get disability for the past 18 months. I haven’t been able to work due to an accident and it has left me in quite a pickle. I am using up all of the money in my savings. I do my best to keep the temperatures at 8 study range that allows me to save money. During the winter months when it is cold, I use the wood furnace more frequently than the central heater. I keep the central heater set at 55° and I’ve run the wood furnace. Sure there are times when I am extremely cold and frigid, but it’s a lot better than paying the astronomical bills from the heating company. I’m not going to willingly give them my money when I can burn firewood and it doesn’t cost a dime. I save my money for the important bills that I have to pay no matter what, like the mortgage, insurance, and water bill.

 

heater for sale

I waited for my plane for 6 hours. My mom insisted that I go to the airport at least 2 hours early. She didn’t want me to get caught in security and miss my flight. I was actually at the airport two and a half hours before my departure. Due to some circumstances that were beyond my control, the plane was delayed for 2 more hours. I waited for the plane for a very long time before I finally sat down in my seat. I wasn’t the only person that waited a long time to get onto the plane and everyone was anxious and on edge. The guy in the seat that was right in front of me started complaining about the indoor temperatures as soon as he got onto the plane. The guy was wearing a long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants. The stewardess told that guy that she could not adjust the indoor temperature until after the plane had taken off. The guy was very unhappy with that answer. He started yelling and screaming about waiting to get onto the plane and being uncomfortable and tired and hungry. I could tell that the stewardess was trying to get the guy to calm down, but he was getting more and more upset about the whole situation. The airport passenger was getting on my nerves and everyone’s nerves and he was making the crew uncomfortable. They finally had to kick the guy off of the plane. It was warm and uncomfortable, but as soon as the plane took off, the stewardess turned on the AC and the temperature got very cold and chilly. If the guy would have been quiet and patient, he would have been able to depart with the rest of us.

climate control

My boyfriend made special plans for the two of us to visit a swanky restaurant near the bay.

I talked about the place for several months and I knew it was hard for him to get reservations.

I thought my boyfriend was probably planning something special. When I accidentally heard a voicemail from the jeweler, I knew my boyfriend was going to propose. I went to the mall and bought a brand new dress and heels. I wanted to look absolutely perfect that night. I went to the salon and got my hair styled and cut just the way my boyfriend prefers. We arrived at the restaurant 30 minutes before our reservation. Our table was already set and waiting for us. Tim started talking about our relationship and he reached into his pocket. All of a sudden, the waiter interrupted his speech to inform us about a problem with the AC in the dining room. The guy had the worst timing ever. My boyfriend asked a couple of questions about the problems with the AC. He always goes into repairman mode when there is an issue with a heating or air conditioning system. Jim offered to talk to the manager and that was the last time I saw my boyfriend until dessert. He managed to fix the AC problem, but he was tired and ready to go home. He got some steak and potatoes to take back to our apartment after fixing the problem with the AC in the dining room. He never popped the question that night and still has not, and that dinner as a week ago.

 

HVAC provider

When I finished with the HVAC repair, the owner of the bakery gave me a dozen hot buns to take home to my wife and kids or the guys at work.

Every Saturday morning, my wife sends me to the bakery down the street to get fresh bread and pastries for the weekend. Every time I go to the bakery, I get these items absolutely free of charge. I’ve been trying to pay the owner of the bakery for multiple years, but he hasn’t taken a penny of my money in a very long time. I own a local business that repairs Commercial Heating and Air Conditioning equipment. We also service and repair refrigeration equipment. I haven’t been in the refrigeration business for a long time and the owner of the bakery was one of my very first customers. The bakery needed some help with their walk-in coolers and I was the first person that they found online. When I finished with the HVAC repair, the owner of the bakery gave me a dozen hot buns to take home to my wife and kids or the guys at work. My wife loved the bread so much that she sent me back to the store a couple of days later to pick up more. That was on a Saturday morning and it has become a tradition for my wife to send me there for bread. It has also become a tradition that I do not pay for the bread. It makes me feel bad that after 4 years I am still getting free bread from the owner of the store, but I give him a discount on HVAC Services every once in a while and I really hope that it evens out over time.

 

 

Furnace filter for sale