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Selecting An Air Conditioning & Heating Contractor Dependable Tips and Helpful Information from your Better Business Bureau

Houston is one of the few places in the country that can endure a hard freeze one day and sweltering heat the next. Since temperatures in this part of the country reach such extremes, it is important to have an air conditioning and heating system you can relay on. An efficient and well-maintained system also helps you reduce your heating and cooling bills.

The best way to get your air conditioning and heating system running the way it should is to find a company you can trust to service your system. This article will provide you with suggestions and tips that can help you find a reliable company.

Cooling System Checkups

Did you know that a well-maintained cooling system can reduce your utility bill by as much as $30 per month? Studies conducted by the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and Gulf States Utility Company show that a well-maintained system can restore capacity by 1/2 to 3/4 tons, improve humidity control and reduce running time.

If you are concerned that an air conditioning service company may advertise an unbelievable low price for a cooling system checkup as a way to sell expensive, unneeded repairs, then you should take extra care when selecting a company. Do business with a company that has a good reputation, and in the event the serviceman claims you need major repairs, get a second opinion. It is also helpful to know what you should be getting when you pay for a cooling system checkup. Here is what a typical checkup should include:

• Inspect and/or clean condenser coil
• Check voltage and amperage on motors
• Check pressures for proper refrigerant charge
• Inspect a adjust blower components
• Inspect condensate drain, clean if necessary
• Inspect air filters
• Check thermostat calibration
• Lubricate moving parts where necessary
• Inspect safety controls where applicable
• Check air flow
• Inspect appropriate electrical connections
• Start and operate unit

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Heating System Checkups

Did you know that the furnace is the most used appliance in the home? This is due to the fact that it furnishes air for both heating and cooling. A complete heating system checkup will help keep your furnace running efficiently and safely throughout the year.

A heating system checkup should take about one hour. Although the costs may vary, a checkup should include the following:

• Inspect thermostat
• Check filters
• Check furnace for cracked heat exchanger
• Inspect burners and heat exchanger for rust
• Check for gas leaks at furnace
• Check vent pipe and draft diverter
• Check vent clearance
• Inspect for obstructions and proper clearance at roof jack
• Clean and adjust pilot assembly
• Check and clean blower, if required
• Check belt and adjust tension
• Lubricate bearings
• Check for flame roll-out
• Check manifold pressure when necessary, and adjust
• Check burner for efficiency, adjust if necessary
• Clean and adjust all safety cut-offs
• Check high temperature safety cut-off
• Check fan control for proper setting
• Check complete furnace cycle

If you are making major changes to your heating system, there are three instances in which a permit form the City of Houston is required:

• Replacement of the heating system.
• Modification of the ductwork.
• Increase the tonage of the system.

An inspection of this work is mandatory, and the City of Houston will perform this inspection upon request by your contractor.

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10 Sensible Suggestions

Here is a list of steps to follow as you talk to contractors to find out about performing work on your home:

Do the contractors you are considering have a business address and telephone number? Check to see if the companies are listed in current telephone directories. This will give you some indications of how long the companies have been in business.

If you get several different bids, make sure they are based on the same specifications. The more precise you are on your specifications, the more accurate the bids will be.

Is the company city and/or state licensed? Does the company display the license in its advertising and on its vehicles?

Is the guarantee or warranty disclosed? Is the entire job under warranty or only certain materials? Is labor included in the guarantee? Who will make good on the guarantee - the dealer or the manufacturer? Of course, remember that a guarantee is only "as good and the firm that gives it."

Does the company provide liability and workman's compensation insurance to protect you in the event of an accident on the job? Insist on a statement of coverage from the contractor's insurance agent. If the employees are not salaried and have sub-contractors, do the subs have liability and workmen's compensation?

Before authorizing the job, check references. Be sure you call the Better Business Bureau for a report. If the installation involves financing, be aware that a lien may be placed on your home.

Remember to get copies of everything that you sign, including the contract and\or completion certificate. Always get receipts for any money paid. If full payment is made in cash, be sure to obtain written verification of payment from the contractor with a list of the labor and material charges covered by the payment.

How does the company compensate its service technicians - hourly, salary, or commission?

Does the company belong to any trade or professional associations? For example, The Air Conditioning Council of Greater Houston.

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The Clean Air Act

CFC's are used as refrigerants in some commercial air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The refrigerant in your central air conditioning or heat pump system is the chemical HCFC. Due to the ozone destroying properties of these refrigerants, the federal Clean Air Act calls for a total phaseout of CFC's by the year 2000 and a phaseout of HCFC's by the year 2030.

The Clean Air Act also prohibits the release of CFC's and HCFC's into the atmosphere as of July 1, 1992. Since this date, the Environmental Protection Agency requires the recovery and recycling of CFC's and HCFC's during the servicing of air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

This will ensure that an adequate supply of refrigerant is available to service equipment while these chemicals are being phased out.

In order to comply with the Act and EPA regulations, your air conditioning contractor, when servicing your air conditioner or heat pump, may remove the refrigerant and store it in an external container. The contractor will then choose to recycle or "clean up" the refrigerant and put it back into your system or send it to a center for reprocessing and put a new refrigerant into your system.

Your contractor will not have to recover the refrigerant during every service call. This process will usually happen when major system components need to be placed or when a system leak is detected.

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