Ask Mike 3/21/07

It’s official! Spring has sprung! It’s a time of renewal for most all of us. We give the house a good spring-cleaning. We spruce up the yard, wash the cars, and even bathe the pets. It’s a great time to refresh your home comfort system, too! Did you know that most air conditioner failures happen upon start-up each new cooling season? It’s true. Parts that were close to failure at the end of last year’s cooling season often fail upon start-up. Many movable parts that were getting old seize up during the long inactive period. But there is a great way to avoid most of those problems. That is the Quality Service Maintenance Program. For one low price each year, you can get the Peace of Mind of knowing that your system is running at it’s best and most efficient!

There’s not enough space here to explain all of the procedures, but the program consists of two tune-up/maintenance visits each year. We come once for cooling operation and once for heating. We’ll check all the moving parts, the motors, the fans, the electronics, the refrigerant levels and more. We can spot a coming problem and prevent it from occurring. We can replace bad parts before they fail completely and leave to uncomfortable on the hottest of days. Besides that peace of mind, you also get a 10% discount on parts AND labor, and preferred service scheduling. If we find a problem during one of our scheduled visits, you’ll save the cost of a service call, too. There are more benefits than there is room to write them in, but for more information please call us at 635-3452! You will hardly believe how inexpensive this twice-annually maintenance/tune-up really is. Change your filters, and we’ll be back next week!

Ask Mike 3/28/07

We’ve all asked these questions, if not out loud, maybe to ourselves. Replacing something as costly as a home comfort system is a serious matter. We are here to help.

Why would I even consider replacing a central heating/cooling unit that works? Great question!

You should consider replacing if your system is old, inefficient, or in need of costly repair. The units being made today can be 60%-plus more efficient than equipment made as little as 10 years ago. If utility bills seem worse than just the high regular prices, or if your unit needs a major component (like a compressor) replaced, there may be all the more reason to think about replacement.

How much is a new system? That’s a lot like asking, “How much is a new car?” Some cars have luxury features, options, and warranties that others don’t have.

You can buy a new standard Chevrolet; or you could buy a new loaded Rolls Royce. They’re both new cars, but the price for each will be wildly different. The most important thing is that you get the system you need at a price you can afford. We can make that happen AND offer financing, too.

How long will new systems last? That depends greatly

Upon how it is used and how well it is maintained. An average system that has proper maintenance performed regularly should last 12-15 years and more. The key is the maintenance. Heat pumps generally last longer.

If you have a question for us at Ask Mike, please call us at 635-3452, then watch for your answer here or catch it on “Ask Mike” on Saturdays on WTRB. Change your filters and visit us on the web at: www.qualityserviceinc.com.