These are condensed versions of the Radio Program

1/5/05

Today, we’ll continue our look at answers to some of our most common questions from 2004! We hope you have a wonderful 2005 and we at Quality Service, Inc. look forward to serving you in the New Year! One of our most important topics is maintenance. What is the benefit of proper maintenance? There are three major benefits to proper or periodic maintenance, or PM as some in our industry call it. They are: Lower utility bills, longer equipment life, and better comfort. When equipment is maintained properly, it runs at its most efficient- saving you in operating costs. When PM is performed regularly, you prevent equipment failure, find small parts that are going bad BEFORE they cause an expensive part to go bad, and when your system is operating smoothly and efficiently, your home is more comfortable. What is my part as a homeowner in maintenance? This may vary from one homeowner to another depending on how handy a person is, but it’s a wonderful idea to be involved with the Quality Service Maintenance Program.

Twice per year, (once for heating, once for cooling) we visit and perform a complete check-up on your equipment. We check the operation and all the electronics and controls. We oil and lubricate everything we can and give it a complete tune-up. We catch problems before they occur and program customers get a discount on any parts and labor. You also don’t have to pay for the service call, because we’re already there.

Physically, the single most important thing a homeowner can do is change those filters monthly. Keeping the filters clean is the first line of defense against every HVAC system woe. We’ll be back next week!

1/12/05

Why should I find out whether my ductwork needs renovation? A poorly performing duct system can cause high utility bills, air comfort problems, and could become hazardous. The duct system is a series of conduits that carry warm or cool air from your HVAC equipment throughout the home, and back to the equipment. If the duct system is improperly installed, damaged, or the wrong size, that can cut your system’s ability to heat and cool by 50% or more! It’s worth taking care of. How can I tell how well my ducts work? Ducts move air. Air is invisible. However, a qualified service contractor (Like US!) can effectively measure temperatures and pressures and report to you how well your system works.

How come no other contractor has brought this up to me before? Sadly, too few have the knowledge or own the tools and instruments we have to measure the performance of your duct system. They can’t measure it, so they certainly can’t fix it, so they just assume it’s okay and never bring it up. There’s no telling how much these kinds of contractors are costing their customers every day. Someone tried to sell me on the idea of “sealing” my ducts. Isn’t a renovation the same thing? NO! Duct sealing is part of a renovation, but alone it cannot address many of the problems in a duct system. You may have ducts that need re-attaching. You will probably require insulation re-wrapping, and you may very well need to have some duct strapped up.

(We use metal straps-NOT baling wire.) Call us to see if you need renovation today! 635-3452!  

1/19/05

There’s a change coming to our industry and today we’re going to try to explain it and tell you what it means to you. On January 23, 2006, the government will enact a new standard for air conditioner efficiency. That efficiency is measured in SEER, which are seasonal energy efficiency ratings. They are comparable to MPG or miles per gallon in vehicles. The SEER minimum will change on that date from 10 to 13. The last change was in the early 90’s when it went from 8 SEER to 10.

Each SEER represents 7% to 9% in operation savings.

Some estimates are higher, but in our region, the difference in a 10 and a 13 will run about $252 to $324 in operation savings over our cooling period each year.

A three-point jump in SEER is huge. It means that manufacturers will have to change everything from factories to the trucks and companies they use to deliver them. There will be more material, more warehouse space, and more overall costs involved in making this change. That naturally means more cost to consumers.

It also means that you will be spending less to cool your home, the price difference will be made up on the savings, and eventually, you’ll actually make money on the deal. 10 SEER equipment will be available until they’re all gone and we anticipate no issues with parts or repairs even after the date. Because it’s a market situation, we don’t know how much more the new 13 SEER will cost, but it’ll be more than the 10. This new standard will affect every one and every home the next time home comfort equipment is purchased. You can look for more on this from us and many others before the change date. Call us with any questions you may have.

Our number is 635-3452. Change your filters!

1/26/05

There’s a change coming to our industry and today we’re going to try to explain it and tell you what it means to you. On January 23, 2006, the government will enact a new standard for air conditioner efficiency. That efficiency is measured in SEER, which are seasonal energy efficiency ratings. They are comparable to MPG or miles per gallon in vehicles. The SEER minimum will change on that date from 10 to 13. The last change was in the early 90’s when it went from 8 SEER to 10.

Each SEER represents 7% to 9% in operation savings.

Some estimates are higher, but in our region, the difference in a 10 and a 13 will run about $252 to $324 in operation savings over our cooling period each year.

A three-point jump in SEER is huge. It means that manufacturers will have to change everything from factories to the trucks and companies they use to deliver them. There will be more material, more warehouse space, and more overall costs involved in making this change. That naturally means more cost to consumers.

It also means that you will be spending less to cool your home, the price difference will be made up on the savings, and eventually, you’ll actually make money on the deal. 10 SEER equipment will be available until they’re all gone and we anticipate no issues with parts or repairs even after the date. Because it’s a market situation, we don’t know how much more the new 13 SEER will cost, but it’ll be more than the 10. This new standard will affect every one and every home the next time home comfort equipment is purchased. You can look for more on this from us and many others before the change date. Call us with any questions you may have.

Our number is 635-3452. Change your filters!

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