Two years ago when the tax credit program started, December 31, 2010 seemed so far down the road it would never come. Well, here we are at the end of one of the best deals we have seen and there is only a few months left to take advantage of the $1500 credit that has allowed millions of homeowners to replace old inefficient heating and cooling systems. There have been many negative reports in the media about the stimulus plan and its success or failure has been debated to death by the press and talk radio, but the positive side of this bill is the impact it has had on every average homeowner who had old worn out heating and cooling systems that needed upgraded. These people have been able to purchase top of the line super high efficiency heating and cooling systems for the same price as an entry level system. A very nice added feature to these new systems is a special thermostat that not only controls temperature but also controls and removes more humidity than a regular system. The increased moisture removal makes one feel more comfortable at higher temperatures saving cooling dollars.
There are many new models and sizes available today that earn the tax credit and they give homeowners many more choices that were not open to them just a few months ago. Another positive side of this tax credit program is that all the different manufacturers of heating and cooling systems have advanced technology and efficiency to meet the government standards and these new models will be around for years after the credit program goes away in a few months. If you have not looked into the tax credit program, you should call your heating and cooling provider and at least explore this program as it ends December 31, 2010 and there is no extension or plans to extend this program, so do not miss this opportunity to cut your utility bills in half and increase your comfort by two fold.
The cold weather is here now and it is time to get your furnace checked for proper operation and safety. A properly adjusted furnace can save hundreds of dollars in cost of operation and make sure that your heating system is in top working order. Furnaces should be cleaned of rust and soot and have the heat exchanger inspected thoroughly each year. Gas pressure should be adjusted and the gas jets cleaned to assure proper operation and efficiency. Your air filter should be changed every 2 months and the blower wheel and assembly should be kept clean and free from dirt build up.
Another nice addition to your comfort system this season would be a central humidifier that adds moisture to your homes heating system. These units prevent damage to your homes hardwood floors, cabinets and furniture. They also prevent dry skin and static electricity and reduce the heating bills as it is more comfortable at a lower temperature when the moisture is increased. This is the opposite of the summer when comfort is increased with lower humidity. Call Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air at 770 594-9969 for all the details about the expiration of tax credits.
People lock their doors and set their burglar alarms to try and keep their families save from harm, but often times forgot to look inside their homes at what could be a potential risk to everyone’s safety and welfare. The “Silent Killer” can be found in every home and one need take precaution not to accidentally fall harm to the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide or CO as it is commonly called is an odorless, tasteless gas formed by burning material that contains carbon. Common household appliances produce carbon monoxide and unless properly ventilated, can build up to levels that can be harmful. Some of the appliances that produce CO in a home are gas furnaces, water heaters, charcoal grills and gas stoves. The terrible thing about carbon monoxide poisoning is that the symptoms are usually confused with the flu. Headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea are often the first symptoms of CO poisoning and many times doctors and emergency room personnel look to treat the immediate symptoms instead of looking at the underlying causes. Carbon Monoxide builds up in the body over time and eventually can cause severe harm and death.
The most important thing you can do to protect your family is make sure all of your home appliances are in good working order and your chimney and fireplace is regularly inspected for proper operation. Have regular service on all gas appliances. Never start your car in the garage to warm it in the winter. Make sure the flue on your furnace and water heater is in good shape and has a proper draft. Make sure you have good exhaust and ventilation if you have a gas cook top or stove.
Most people are aware they need smoke detectors that are in good working order and have good fresh batteries. What most people do not know is that for just a few dollars more, they can purchase a combination smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector that will let you know if the levels of CO are too high or if there is a fire in your home. These detectors should be required in every home and at every level of multi level homes. You should change the batteries on an annual basis like a holiday or your birthday and make sure they are in good shape.
I was visiting a family a few weeks ago to give a bid on a new heating and cooling system, and when I went in their attic to look at their unit, I was overcome with fumes and my eyes burned. They had a new roof installed a few months before and the roofer had knocked the flue to the water heater loose when replacing the flashing and it was venting into the attic of their home. The entire family had been feeling sick and flue like and they did not have a detector. Had they not been taking estimates for a new HVAC system, dire consequences could have resulted from the eventual build up of CO in everyone in the home.
A carbon monoxide detector is a wise investment for all looking to prevent an accident or possible harm. It is just important and as needed as a smoke alarm.
There is an exciting new program from the gas company that will allow you to get a $1000 rebate and when combined with federal tax credits of $1500, earns a total of $2500 off the cost of a new heating and cooling system. This is almost half the cost of the entire system and when combined with the $1000 rebate now available from Trane, makes this the most lucrative time of the year to replace your old worn out furnace and air conditioner. This new program is called “Dump the Pump” and Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air is one of the few contractors in metro Atlanta that can handle this program to make sure you get the full rebate when your heat pump is replaced. The federal tax credit is a great program designed to help a homeowner upgrade their system lowering their power bills and recoup the bulk of the cost of the upgrade.
The new program from the AGL, the local gas provider, gives you the chance to replace your old heat pump or dual fuel system with a new high efficiency gas furnace and air conditioner and get $1000 no strings attached. Many of these old heat pump dual fuel systems were installed in past years as a result of kickbacks paid to heating and air contractors or builders by the local electrical companies. Many of these systems were not installed or applied correctly and they have not given good service or comfort. The local gas company for most of metro Atlanta is AGL and they serve everyone except the city of Sugar Hill and city of Austell. If you have a marketer, such a Scana or Walton Gas you purchase your gas through AGL and can earn the rebate. This rebate is available only through a select few approved contractors chosen by AGL to perform these dual fuel replacements. Call Dan Jape of Reliable Heating and Air today for details on this program. While a heat pump can be a good choice for a basement, many times they do not work as well as a gas furnace as the primary heating system in existing older homes or homes without extensive insulation in the walls and attics. This $1000 rebate is a great opportunity to get rid of an old heat pump that never should have been installed in the first place. Dan Jape has always been careful to make sure the heat pumps that Reliable Heating & Air installs are correctly applied.
Trane now has some very lucrative rebates and finance offers available through the end of November 2010 that will help reduce the cost of a replacement system even more. Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air is one of the few chosen by Trane to be a “Comfort Specialist” which is a special factory authorized dealer that can administer programs and rebates not available to a regular Trane Dealer. There are many advantages of doing business with a factory authorized Trane Dealer like Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air. There are instant rebates of $200, $400 and even $1000 on 16, 17 and 20 seer systems. Or if you prefer, Trane will give you three year interest free financing to pay for a new comfort system as you enjoy the energy savings and comfort afforded you by modern day Energy Star systems. The 3 year program requires no down payment, so one can immediately start enjoying the comfort and savings aspect of this program without any initial outlay of resources. A new 60 months 0% APR program has been offered by Dan Jape and many customers find that that can afford to pay for a top of the line system over 5 years with no interest and make the payments with the energy savings afforded them. Many people have contacted us this past summer about high energy bills and air conditioners that cannot keep up with the extreme heat wave we have seen this year. This past winter, we also saw colder temperatures than I can remember and the cold snap went on and on for months. These new tax credit qualifying systems also save hundreds of dollars in gas cost and can improve the comfort level of any home.
Dump your Pump today and enjoy up to $3500 in true rebate and incentives that will help you long term to enjoy your most valued belonging, your home. Enjoy lower utility cost, improved comfort, and lower humidity levels today! Call 770 594-9969 today and ask for Dan Jape for all the details about this exciting new program.
Reliable Heating & Air is an approved Atlanta Gas Light Advantage Dealer and can handle all needed gas work and re certification of gas pipe that has been unused for over two years. Reliable Heating and Air will come inspect all gas pipe for safety and to make sure it is pressure tight. After gas has been shut off in a home without usage, Atlanta Gas Light requires an inspection and permit from the county or city and Reliable Heating & Air is one the few approved contractors that can handle this task. Call Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air today for help in all of your gas furnace needs or any gas piping project you might encounter. Call today at 770 594-9969.
In the past two years, many homes in the Atlanta area have had new roofs installed due to the hail damage and storms that have hit us hard. With these new roofs came a very harmful side effect sold to the unsuspecting homeowner by roofing companies: a scorching hot attic. Most homes in Atlanta have a power assisted fan installed that exhausts hot air in the summer and keeps the temperature down in the attic which allows the air conditioning to work properly. The duct work in many homes is actually in the attic and by having proper ventilation, the air coming out of the vents can actually be 10 to 15 degrees cooler. Attics without these fans can approach 160 degrees in the middle of the afternoon.
The problem has come from the fact the majority of roofing companies have convinced the homeowner they no longer need power fans, instead replacing them with an inferior venting system called “ridge vents”. A ridge vent is simply a cap that goes over a hole cut along the peak of the roofing shingles. It is supposed to allow super heated air to naturally rise up and out the roof of your home through convection instead of using an electric fan to blow the air out of the roof. While some heat is exhausted, nowhere near as much is actually taken out of the attic when using a power fan and the result is a hot home and an air conditioner that has to run twice as long as it should under proper conditions. Also, the shingles can get too hot, shortening the life of the new roof. Roofers promote ridge vents because they have a high level of profit for the roofing companies, but this passive venting system does not do an adequate job for most homes in Atlanta. We see home after home that can’t cool to the level it used to before the change of the attic venting system. To make matters worse, there is much misinformation on the internet about attic ventilation which makes it more difficult to know what to believe.
There are power fans that mount in the gable vents already in the attic and there are also vents that need a hole cut through the roof and are usually mounted near the top or peak of the roof. These fans draw cooler air from under the overhang or soffit into the roof and blow up to 2000 cfm of air out when needed. They are controlled by thermostats mounted in the attics that turn the fans on at somewhere around 110 degrees. Critics of these fans complain they use too much electricity and the ridge vents do not, but time after time we have noted the temperature in the attic is 20 to 40 degrees warmer without power assisted fans. Whatever amount of electricity these fans do use will come back to you with lower cooling bills and reduced run time.
Do not let anyone convince you to change from power ventilation to passive ridge vents for any reason. If you already have, consider looking into changing back to power assisted fans, as it will bring you enhanced comfort, lower temperatures and reduced power bills for years to come.
Free service call. Free diagnostic with service call. Free repair with paid service call. Free furnace with air conditioner!! And now FREE FREON. I know you have seen them all before. That ad that screams an offer that is too good to be true. It makes you stop just a second and ask yourself, could this really be free- like that quarter laying on the ground of the parking lot- or is just a come on to get me to buy something else at an inflated price to cover the cost of the “free” offering?
I have always found there is no “free” in life, that free always comes with strings attached and sometimes those strings are not pleasant. The free service call, the free repair, the free furnace and free diagnostic are all priced into what you are charged for and in the end you pay more for usually inferior goods and services than if you had just used an honest contractor offering no free services.
Now comes the most harmful “free promotion” I have seen used as a marketing campaign to date: The offering of “free Freon” if your unit has a leak and needs a recharge of refrigerant. While this is a way to get in the home and pitch a new system to the homeowner with a leaky system which needs to be replaced, the danger of this advertising campaign is there will be people who have systems that leak thousands of pounds of Freon into the atmosphere every summer and they will take advantage of this program to simply put more Freon in their system only to have it leak out two or three times over the season. The problem with this is that Freon, which is just a brand name for R-22 refrigerant is actually difluoromonochloromethane which is a hydrochloroflurocarbon or HCFC, a poisonous toxic gas that when released into the atmosphere causes damage to the environment and the ozone layer. It is not something to be pumped into leaking systems to only leak out into the atmosphere. If you have a leaking air conditioning system, the proper course of action is the stop the leak and stop polluting the world for future generations.
If you call this company, they will gladly come out and pump your system full of difluoromonochloromethane at no charge and keeping coming back and filling it up at no charge as it leaches into the air we breathe. This is just not being socially conscious or “green”. They may think it is a good way to get into your home to try and sell you a new system, but in the real world, a lot of people will just opt to have their systems filled up over and over again, never really knowing what problem they are contributing to. A law was passed called the Clean Air Act and it called for the removal of Freon from our cars first then our homes and businesses. It is now illegal to keep pumping up a leaky air conditioner that has over 50 pounds of Freon in it and it is environmentally irresponsible to keep pumping up a home air conditioning system that will just contribute to a problem that will have long reaching ramifications for future generations.
I seriously doubt the company advertising this “free freon” promotion meant any harm. They are by all accounts an honest company that does good work. The heating & cooling industry is extremely competitive in the Atlanta area and we’re all looking for new and inventive ways to grow our businesses, but we have to make sure that we do it in an ethical and environmentally responsible manner. Pumping “free Freon” into the atmosphere is not something we should do in any way shape of form!
The bottom line is this: Do not be fooled into thinking you are getting something for nothing. Repair or Replace your leaky air conditioner instead of just pumping it up. I still believe what my parents taught me years ago: Nothing free is worth having.
After a ten year phase out, Freon is now dead and gone forever and this change will have an impact on most every home and business in the country. Back in the early 1990′s, law was enacted that called for the phase out of CFC’s, halons, and HCFC,s due to the fact they destroy the ozone layer and are responsible for creating an ozone hole over the South Pole. Freon is an HCFC and whether you believe in the ozone issue or not, everyone who currently has an old air conditioner that runs on Freon will be affected by the phase out since the law mandated that no new Freon based a/c units can be built after January 1, 2010 and after January 1, 2015, there is a ban on the sale and use of Freon in residential use. As the production of new Freon is limited, the price of this gas is going up to the point to where if you have an old leaky a/c system that uses Freon R-22, it will be a better idea to replace your a/c system instead of spending hundreds of dollars fixing leaks and recharging the system with Freon. Freon is going to be expensive this summer and to keep adding more to a leaky system is not a good use of your money. The state of the economy has the price of new systems lower than ever before and warranties have been escalated to 10 years parts and labor making this the best of times to cut ties with your Freon based a/c system.
New units now use R410a refrigerant which is far better than Freon in removing heat and moisture and is the only refrigerant available for home use. New units can cut your electric bill by 50 percent while giving you comfort you have never known. There are tax credits available of $1500 from the federal government which will pay the cost of upgrading to the very best furnace and a/c system. You will get a variable speed furnace with a built in dehumidifier and a 16 seer a/c system that will keep your home cool and dry in the summer and an even temperature in the winter. There are also factory rebates of $1000 or 36 months same as cash to help with the cost of upgrading your comfort system. Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air was one of the first contractors in the Atlanta area to specialize in the new R410a refrigerant having installed some of the first units on the market late in 1999.
Every year people who know they have to replace their cooling systems get estimates over the winter when business is slow and they get the best prices of the year. But instead of going ahead and getting the work done early before the warm weather arrives, they procrastinate until it get hot and contractors are already busy, then they call and try to get off season deals. The heating and cooling business is all about supply and demand. In the warm months, there is an abundance of jobs and customers waiting to have work performed and no contractor can give you a special deal because the time to do your work could be sold at full price to the next person waiting in line. Do not wait until spring to try and repair or replace your a/c if you already know you need service. Get it done early if you want the best price and experience no waiting in a hot house. Call Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air today for details about the new green refrigerant R410a.
By Dan Jape, owner of Reliable Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical
One of the most important aspects of having a new comfort system installed in your home is who is going to install it and maintain it. For many years, potential customers would perform their due diligence by asking for a number of references from former customers and of course, contractors would give a
list of their customers who were the most pleased. Somehow unhappy former customers would never be included in this reference list. Due to the advent of certain Internet sites, these days are over. Customers never ask for references anymore, instead they turn to websites that list former customer
reviews that are posted on these sites and give all the details of their experiences with contracting firms, both positive and negative. The most popular site people turn to is Kudzu.com and it lists reviews all types of companies.
Kudzu.com has been online for 4 or 5 years and it is an amazing tool to be used in selecting a service business. Kudzu.com is anonymous, so many people open up and write reviews they might not if their identity was disclosed. They are brutal if a company does not perform up to snuff, and many times will write very negative reviews over small missteps. They are also quick to
sing the praise of a company that goes above and beyond the normal level of expectations that they had. What also is very useful and fascinating is the fact the business owner or manager has the ability to answer every review listed about their company. One of the most telling parts of this website is how they respond, if they respond and what their response is to negative comments. We at Reliable Heating & Air use every comment about our companyas a learning/training experience. We go over every detail with the employee or crew and see what caused a negative review and how we could avoid a similar reoccurrence. We then answer each and every review and if a customer is not 100% pleased, we try and rectify the problem. I strive for 100% customer satisfaction and will not stop until we achieve that goal. We will redo the service or refund a customers money if that is what it takes to make sure every one of our customers is pleased.
The best outcome of having a website like Kudzu.com is it has raised the bar of the industry by keeping companies on their toes and forcing them to perform their best work. Before the Internet, companies could sweep unhappy customers under the rug and go on. Now the whole world can read each and every detail about each unhappy experience. I personally know some HVAC
company owners who have changed the way they do business to keep their Kudzu clean and they have had employees change the way they treat their clients.
There are also some big heating and air/plumbing companies who just can’t get it when it comes to the level of service needed to have a good Kudzu rating. Several companies refuse to even answer their reviews because they get so many negatives ones. Some blamed their negative reviews on other companies writing fake reviews about their companies instead of taking a long hard look at their own level of customer service. It is an attitude that will catch up with them soon or later. One large HVAC company in metro Atlanta will not respond to their negative reviews instead refusing to even acknowledge they exist. They feel sites like this are not worthy of a response.
The next time you need a service business, a new restaurant, a doctor or a lawyer I suggest you turn to Kudzu.com to look at reviews from other people who have used these business’s to see how they stack up. Reliable Heating & Air is one of a few select 5 star rated companies on Kudzu and we work hard everyday to make sure all our customers are happy. Call Dan Jape today for help in all your hvac, electrical and plumbing needs. 770 594-9969
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There are many different ways to find and screen good contractors to perform work at your home. Some people prefer word of mouth and personal referrals. A number of people turn to Internet services such as Kudzu.com or Angie’s List. Others use the yellow pages or other advertising services when compiling a short list of companies to interview.
Whatever method you use, when selecting a heating and air conditioning contractor, one of the most important questions one should ask is whether sub contractors or employees perform the actual work. One would never want to use a company that uses subcontractors, as they are paid a set amount to perform a certain task and they have no vested interest in the outcome or quality of the job. They simply do the work as fast as possible so they can move on to the next job. They gain nothing by taking their time and making sure all the little extras are done properly. In the past, most heating and air companies that specialize in new construction residential installation work would use subcontractors so they could control the labor costs when building new homes. On the other hand, most heating and air companies that service and replace systems in existing homes all employed technicians that work by the hour and work only for that particular company.
Now, there is a new method of paying employees who replace and install heating and cooling systems that is designed to fool the homeowner into thinking they are not getting a subcontractor, but in reality they are. The method of payment is called “piece rate” and it is the most dangerous method of payment arrangement a homeowner could contract for. Under this method, a technician or installer is paid a certain amount of money to install each component or “piece” of equipment regardless of complexity or difficulty. The technician’s goal would to be installing a new system as quickly as possible so as to expend the least amount of time possible allowing them to move on to the next job. This method was developed by the managers of a certain large heating and cooling company as a method to control their costs and insulate the company of the ups and downs of the individual jobs. When a customer asks this company if they use subcontractors, they are told no without any mention of this other payment method. It is a dishonest way of tricking a customer into thinking they are contracting with a company that pays a technician for all the time spent at their home when in reality they are just getting a subcontractor who will not care about the finished product, only the time spent installing it.
One needs to ask their heating and cooling company they are considering hiring if the people installing or servicing their heating and cooling equipment are hourly workers paid prevailing hourly wages to work at their home and are not paid any type of “piece rate” or performance incentitive to perform this type of work. This same type of query would be appropriate for other types of companies one might be contemplating hiring. You will much happier with a contractor who does not employ this type of payment method. If you are unsure of how a company pays it employees, give me a call and I will be glad to give you what information I have from interviewing people who have worked for these “Piece Rate” companies.
The floods that struck Atlanta brought many tragic results included the destruction of life and home for many and my heart goes out to all those affected. Sometimes one is at a loss to understand why such occurrences happen and how they become so terrible out of something so necessary such as rain. The floodwater also can have long reaching affects on our lives and safety unless properly cleaned up and treated.
Many basements and crawl spaces were flooded with water that was laden with bacteria and byproducts of sewer due to the overflowing of the drain water systems and septic tanks. This water made its way into walls, carpets, floors, and most importantly, furnaces and water heaters. The modern day furnace is lined with insulation panels that absorbed all this very dangerous and polluted water and it cannot be removed the fibrous material. These panels have to be replaced as do all the controls devices, limits, fan motors and gas valves. The furnaces have to be removed and completely taken apart and scrubbed and disinfected and by the time all the damaged parts are replaced, one would come out much better by replacing the entire furnace. The cooling coils are also insulated with fiberglass panels that soaked up this dirty infected water and should also be replaced to ensure safe indoor air quality.
Water heaters that have been under water are extremely dangerous, as they often will relight after drying out, and people assume sine they fire up and heat water, they are safe. This could not be farther from the truth, as the water and sediment that seeped in gas valves, burners and safeties can cause trouble in the days that follow the flood. One should never attempt to light a flooded water heater without a complete replacement of the controls and burners or replacement of the entire heater. These appliances are far too cheap and the consequences of a malfunction are too severe to chance using a damaged and flooded heater.
Outdoor air conditioner condensers are designed to sit outside in the rain and they faired much better in the floods than furnaces. If an outdoor unit flooded and the controls did not get immersed under water, there is a good chance the unit can be cleaned out and put back in service. If the control box and the electronics got wet, they will need to be replaced. The coils should be acid washed and thoroughly cleaned before the unit is operated.
The two mail concerns with flooded systems are safety from gas valves and controls that were damaged and dangerous indoor air quality from fecal matter and sewer water that was mixed in with the rain water. The last area of concern was ductwork and insulation that got soaked in the flood. All duct work that got saturated needs to be replaced regardless whether it’s metal or flexible. The insulation on ductwork will never dry out to properly insulate the ductwork after it has been under water, and the ducting itself can’t be properly cleaned to make sure it is clean and disinfected to not spread airborne pollutants.
The floods hurt many people and cost untold millions in damage to homes and property. Make sure you properly repair and replace your homes heating and cooling systems along with your water heating appliances to make sure you are safe and secure and all systems work as designed.
When people think of hybrid technology, they generally think of cars that run on both electricity and gas. This is the most efficient way to achieve maximum miles per gallon and utilize the best of both worlds in energy usage. This same technology can be applied to the heating and cooling system in your home and you can use the least expensive energy to heat your home at any given time. At certain times of the year and at some outdoor temperatures, it is more cost effective to use natural gas to heat your home and other days it is more desirable to use electricity.
The hybrid system uses an electric heating system to heat your home in the temperature range that is most cost effective for electricity rates, which is down to 32 degrees. Below this temperature, it becomes less expensive to heat with natural gas. A high efficiency induced-draft furnace takes over to provide heat in the colder weather and this hybrid system switches back and forth from gas to electric heat, utilizing an outdoor temperature sensor that registers the information to a device called a dual fuel interface thermostat. This thermostat determines which energy source to use and it switches back and forth automatically using preprogrammed information about the cost of gas and electric in your service area. This information can be updated as the cost of both gas and electricity fluctuate to make sure you are using the most efficient, least expensive energy source available at the time. Another name for the hybrid system is dual fuel and some utility companies pay an upfront rebate on the unit.
Most people are unaware that electricity rates are much lower in the winter than in the summer. This is due to the simple economic concept of supply and demand. In the summer, there is high demand for electricity to run all the air conditioners needed to cool homes and businesses. The utility companies have to expand their electricity generating capabilities to meet peak demand in the summer, but that leaves them with extra capacity during the winter. To get rid of the extra electricity in the winter, they charge less for it and that means a lower cost source of heat for you. The gas company also charges different amounts for gas due to demand, but demand is always highest in the cold of winter. A lot of people prefer the cooler discharge temperature of a hybrid as it does not dry you out as bad as a gas furnace and the need for a humidifier is lessened. In the summer, a hybrid system cools exactly the same as a regular air conditioner, but in the winter it can save hundreds of dollars in expense in gas consumption.
Hybrid technology has been used in the automotive industry for years and it has been incorporated in the home heating and cooling systems for over twenty five years. The extreme cost of energy has now renewed an interest in the savings afforded to those who “hedge” against the unstable rising cost of utilities. Think about replacing your old worn out system with a new hybrid system this season before the hot summer months arrive. By Dan Jape
