Myth 1: Find your air conditioning technician through Craigslist.
The internet has given us a variety of places to go to look for an AC service technician, but be careful because not all are qualified. While the Better Business Bureau displays information on whether a company is accredited depending on their organization’s history and practices, other websites are open to anyone who wants to post an ad. Case in point, Craigslist will let anyone post an ad for their services, regardless of whether or not they’re truly qualified, licensed and bonded, or have the correct training and experience.
If you choose a business or individual without being able to confirm their qualifications and competence, it might end up costing you more over time. If the tech doesn’t have the qualifications to properly fix your particular air conditioning system, you may end up needing a different, more experienced contractor to fix their mistakes and it could cost you multiple Trip Charges.
Myth 2: Choosing a small business is better.
Hiring small businesses can be great for some small fixes – it’s great for the local business, great for the economy, and maybe even great for your bank account. But proceed with caution: small businesses or one-person businesses could leave you in a lurch. If something fails, they may conveniently disappear and not be there to repair it, or they might not have the resources to get your issue resolved quickly, which is bad news if your air conditioning system dies in the dog days of summer.
Budgeting a little bit more for a sizable, more reputable and reliable company can come with perks that help offer you more peace of mind, including a one-year satisfaction guarantee, excellent workmanship, a large certified team of technicians who give you service 24/7/365, and the peace of mind that they’ll be there in the future if you ever need them again.
Myth 3: It’s fine to use any type of refrigerant in your air conditioner.
With the government ending the making of R-22, many homeowners are seeing the fee of refilling their air conditioner’s refrigerant increasing. It may seem like an easy fix to just use a different and less expensive refrigerant, but if an air conditioning service technician advises you to do that, you may want to call for a second opinion.
Manufacturers detail the exact refrigerant the air conditioner is produced for, and prior to 2010, it was normally R-22. Despite the extreme reduction of the production of R-22, those air conditioning systems are still designed for it, and using a different refrigerant may not only cause destruction to your AC system, 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 A/C system maintenance.
A lot of people who don’t currently have trouble with their air conditioner may think 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 routine AC tune- up costs around $79 while repairs will set you back around $500. Also, most manufacturers demand annual maintenance to keep your warranty valid, so foregoing your routine tune-up could also mean foregoing your warranty, resulting in a huge payout if your air conditioner decides to breakdown on the hottest day of the season.
Myth 5: Researching the contractor isn’t important.
It’s critical to make sure you do your research before deciding on an air conditioning service contractor, especially if you feel a specific company is pushing you. As we discussed in Myth #1, some sites don’t require a person to be qualified to advertise their services. You need to know their qualifications and history so you don’t have to worry about paying for the same service twice.
Website reviews, references from neighbors, 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 best for you. Google+, Angie’s List, and the BBB are all good places to start your search. Also, don’t be scared to ask for previous customer testimonials. You may have to invest your hard-earned money with your air conditioning company, so invest a little time and research to make sure they are the right company for your home.
Myth 6: It costs more to turn your thermostat higher while you’re out of your home.
Long-term, it will increase your bills to leave the thermostat at a cooler temperature over the course of the day than to raise it 10 degrees while you are gone. It typically will not take an outrageous amount of extra energy to get your home comfortable once you arrive, depending on your home.
A programmable thermostat allows for the temperature to be increased or decreased 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 arrive. This reduces your energy throughout the day, as well as lowering your cooling bills.
Myth 7: Continuously running ceiling fans will help cool your home.
Fans help keep people cool, they don’t really decrease the temperature of the home solo. In fact, fans (comparable to refrigerators) actually increase the temperature in your home. The motor that is causing your fan to run creates heat, which can add heat to the air in the home. An efficient ceiling fan can help level the temperature of your room and may assist in cooling air by circulating, but if nobody is under the fan to feel the cool air, all it’s doing is blowing through energy and money, especially if the air conditioner is already working. So leave ceiling fans off when there is nobody in the room and more air circulation is unneeded.
Myth 8: Don’t worry about where the thermostat is installed.
Thermostats read the temperature around it to determine whether it needs to turn on the air conditioning system to cool your home. Placing a thermostat in your bedroom will only ensure that bedroom reaches the temperature that the thermostat is adjusted to. Once that bedroom is cooled, the air conditioner will turn off and the rest of the floor or home could be much warmer. If the thermostat is put near a well-lit window or an appliance, it could continuously determine the temperature is much higher than the living area actually is and constantly run your system, upping your utility bills.
Myth 9: Excessively lowering your thermostat will help it cool faster.
Turning your air down lower may only make your air conditioning system run longer, it won’t get to a colder temperature any faster. If your thermostat is set to 77, but you really would be more comfortable at 75, then put it at 75 and it will kick on until it cools to that temperature. Decreasing the thermostat to 73 won’t make it lower to 75 any faster, and it will result in your system running longer, wasting money and energy.
Myth 10: It’s acceptable to swap out your air filter annually.
Depending on the health conditions of the residents of the home, and the type of air filter you have for your air conditioning system, your air filter could need to be changed as often as every 30 days. Failure to change the air filter often enough not only causes your air conditioning system to work harder and decrease efficiency, it could also irritate respiratory conditions like common allergy symptoms.
Call Robinson Service Experts today for more information about your air conditioner or to set-up your no-charge in-home consultation.