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Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

Heating and Air Conditioning Repairs, Read This For a Start

February 24th, 2012

Based on your ability to bring up this page on a website and that your looking at it now you probably know how to read and aren’t just staring at the pretty pictures. Truth be told, I think reading needs to be a prerequisite for any job that requires technical know how. Without the ability to read you would not know to, “Unplug power cord from socket before licking copper cable.”

For some really helpful advice from an unbiased HVAC tech visit this link…pretty awesome real advice

Many of us routinely throw instructions immediately into the trash once we open up a new item but as a professional sometimes it is important to read some of this stuff before installing something new in a customers home. I watched a heating and air conditioning tech just yesterday read some instructions, it said, “place tobacco in middle of rolling paper, roll, then wet ends to stick”.

All this being said I believe YOU and most heating and AC technicians do in fact know how to read. If techs know how to read why is it so difficult for them to make the smart choice and actually pick up and feel the directions, even if they don’t even read them?

I believe this whole thing about not reading directions is a macho man thing. I don’t like wearing pastel colors but for my wife I will sometimes wear these colors for Easter for a nice family picture.

It might just be that direction pages seem somewhat intimidating because the booklet can be 50 pages long or more. In reality when you actually get past all the safety pages, warnings, and multiple language translations you may only have a couple paragraphs to read.

I have had a heater installed in my house that was a new type of device the heating technician had never installed before. He got it installed in record time but a funny thing happened. The flex ducts connected to it were all bent at a 90 degree angle cutting off any ability to actually circulate air. There was also a weird smell in the air like what you smell when their is a natural gas leak.

Funny thing, there was a natural gas leak coming from the newly installed heating system, a trickle of air heating my room, directions in the trash and no heating tech in site.

When it comes to picking a professional heating and air conditioning company to install or repair your HVAC system make sure that if they start scratching their head about something they eventually pick up an instruction manual.

Why wait for their supervisor to come out and tell them to read the instructions if you might be able to encourage them to do that yourself.

You could also hire a professional quality HVAC company in Tyler Texas that has competent staff available that know to stay updated on new technology and read instructions as necessary.

We recommend calling:

Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning of Tyler Texas

2221 W Southwest Loop 323 # 10
Tyler
(903) 592-7773

Heating Repairs in the Baby’s Room and a Frantic Mother

January 4th, 2012

When working in the HVAC industry and in most construction related industries the company must work with customer schedules. This scheduling problem is typical and comes with the territory but sometimes the scheduling dilemma is a little more complicated than being there when the customer comes home from work.

There was a situation I recall having been told to me by a previous heating repair technician at my old job where a baby was involved. The mother had planned for the heating repair guys to come over and agree to work in between the baby’s naps. There was a problem in the baby’s room where not enough hot air was coming in to his room as was coming in the rest of the rooms of the house. There were other issues with the system as well but this was the main issue at hand.

The technicians came over and began work on the heating system but just as they seemed to have gotten started working the baby was down for a nap. The techs had to pick up their tools and move into a different part of the house to work on something else until the baby was awake again.

You can probably see how this moving back and forth in between a newborn baby’s frequent naps could start to get old. The heating guys had to carry and lug tools around and in the process lose track of where certain items were at and what needed to be done next. The whole stop and start process created inefficiencies in the job and a lot of frustration with the HVAC company techs.

On a different day the techs came back to complete the job and they were hoping for a quicker more efficient time at the house in order to knock out the job once and for all. The initial problem of scheduling the job in this way in the first place is solely the responsibility of the HVAC company so they really have nothing to complain about as they had agreed to this setup.

What do you think they did to speed things up this time? Well, they needed to finish things up in the baby’s room by cutting a hole in the ceiling. They soon discovered while in the room that the baby wast fast asleep in the crib right next to them.

With not a lot of thought the heating repair tech’s decided to place a drop cloth on top of the crib while they cut away at the ceiling. They thought that this would be sufficient to catch any falling debris from landing on the baby while they finished up the job.

The mother ended up walking in on the job as a piece of sheet rock fell onto the drop cloth and on its way down into the baby crib. The baby was fine but the mother was more than just frantic as she got down right violent and through the two heating repair company guys out of her house.

The guys didn’t fight back and left peacefully but there is a lesson here for customers hiring any kind of construction company. Many construction companies will have their quirks and unprofessional behaviors and it is almost unavoidable to see something you don’t like during a job.

When choosing a heating repair company in Tyler TX consider hiring a company that has a professional code of conduct as a part of their business process. Take reasonable steps to schedule them to come to your house when there are no baby’s sleeping around the job site 🙂 And finally choose a company that you believe will adhere to the scheduling arrangements you require without getting the feeling they are over-promising on how they will work while at your house.

No company is perfect but reasonable effort should be made to accommodate your specific situation. Accommodating customers is normal in the HVAC service industry so don’t be afraid to tell the company to park on the street while not blocking the mailbox, wear footsies in the house, and even to stay away from the sleeping baby (although consider moving the baby to another bedroom just to be safe.)

American Plumbing Company Satisfaction Guaranteed

December 23rd, 2011

About three months ago my brother stopped by my house to borrow a book. Fortunately I was not at home because he and his wife were able to smell gas before even entering the house. Lacking an acute sense of smell I brought a couple friends who immediately validated what my brother had told me. I called the gas company but the gentleman who responded was unable to pinpoint the source of the leak. After about a thirty minute examination of the house he decided the only course of action available was to disconnect the gas. I would need to get a plumber to test the pipes and locate and fix the leaks before the gas could be reconnected.

Obviously some time was required to save up the necessary funds. So following several months of cool mornings and cold showers I finally managed to scrape together enough money to have someone come look at the problem. Now before disclosing the resolution of my tale, I should offer a bit of criticism of our dear inspector here in Tyler, who recently mandated that all gas plumbing be tested at a pressure of ten pounds per square inch, (p.s.i.), a very high bar considering the gas companies only provide their product at four p.s.i. The increased pressure actually creates a real problem for owners of older homes like mine. The higher pressure can actually create more leaks than would otherwise exist. Of course it could mean more work for area plumbers and local inspectors, but I’m fairly sure the high standards are merely a means of increasing safety, and not a city make-work program… right?

All this being said; after briefly speaking with a number of area plumbers, I settled on a good company. The guys at American Plumbing Company did a great job for me. They climbed under my house, diagnosed the problems, removed some unnecessary plumbing under the house, and fixed some leaks that were very difficult to reach. They did all this while I was on a tight budget, helping me keep track of the money I spent on labor and materials. Most importantly, they were honest, keeping me informed of everything they had done, and advising me on what they needed to do. At the end of a long day the pipes were fixed and I enjoyed the first hot shower I’d had at home in weeks.

For more information on American Plumbing Co. call their office at (903)592-5508. Customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

Related websites related to gas leak repair: Heating Repair in Tyler TX

 

Do You Need Assurance You Will Not Die This Winter From Your Crazy Furnace?

November 10th, 2011

Many of us save money and buy a nice old house to fix up or move into some apartments that are not the trendy ones in the good part of town. What happens is you end up living with some rather outdated appliances, not so insulated walls and windows, and perhaps a furnace that looks a bit like an antique.

If you are in this situation you need to go out to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Ace Hardware store and get yourself a carbon monoxide detector. You can also shop online for a good cheap home security company that installs a system that detects break-ins, fire, and deadly gases all for around $20 a month. You really shouldn’t pay more than $20 a month for a home protection system and these things are great because your fire and deadly gas protectors are not battery powered but hook up to your electrical system.

If you want to install a carbon monoxide and deadly gas detector yourself you can buy these at Home Depot and Lowes. They are about $40 a piece and I recommend getting about 5 of them.

Most come with the option to install them as a battery powered system or allow you to hook them up to your electricity in your home. It may cost you a little bit to get an electrician to set this all up and for that reason a home security system may be a better choice for you.

This winter do not wait but go ahead and install something if only battery powered as most deaths in the winter do not happen from the cold weather but by carbon monoxide poisoning from a broken furnace leaking this deadly gas into your home.

I personally know of a few different people who have had close calls with carbon monoxide poisoning in Tyler Texas. One family actually past out a couple times, woke up and crawled out of the house on their hands and knees just barely escaping death.

It is common to not recognize the hints of carbon monoxide poisoning. Many people will pass out, hallucinate, and complain of headaches only to go back to sleep. If you have any signs like these go ahead and get out of the house and ask questions later.

The reason people get carbon monoxide leaks is that they do not hire a heating service technician to come into the house every 6 months to 1 year and service the HVAC system including the furnace. The HVAC tech will check for furnace leaks and if they find one by law they must condemn the unit.

I have seen a company in Tyler that actually got mad that a heating repair company was condemning their furnace instead of repairing it but when the furnace is leaking it becomes a safety hazard and could actually kill their employees and customers.

Eventually if a company or home refuses to get their furnace replaced the natural gas utility will turn off service until they get a new furnace.

What To Be Mindful Of Once You Have to Replace That Leaking Death Trap

In one situation I am aware of a new furnace was installed by a certain HVAC company in town that will remain nameless. A cold front came in and lasted 3 weeks. During this time the house was not being heated and so the calls started coming in for the service company to come back out to check on what could be the problem.

The first call it seemed to be simply that the pilot light had gone out. The pilot was lit and the technician left. The calls kept coming in and after the 4th call the furnace techs began to realize it may not just be a pilot light issue.

Now with each new call the technician would replace a different part on the furnace. The gas valve was replaced, then it was a switch, and the incompetence just kept getting worse. The problem eventually settled down but it stopped simply because they cold snap left the Tyler area for a short while.

You guessed it, the cold came back as it usually does in Tyler during the winter and the furnace was once again cold. A supervisor at the HVAC company was finally told of the problem house and the question was raised, “What is the gas pressure at this unit?” None of the furnace techs had a clue. Someone decided to speak up and say, “It’s natural gas, it likely has about half a pound of pressure.” The supervisor retorted, “Get your butts back out there and check it.”

So what did they discover? The gas pressure basically didn’t even exist. The techs called the city of Tyler gas utility only to discover the demand for gas in the area because of the cold was so great that there was low pressure in this area of Tyler at the time.

In summary with a quick glance at a manometer all of this work could have been avoided. This HVAC company could have saved about $800 in parts and labor from all the service calls they did for this one issue. Point being, your furnace repair company should always check for the basics to start off with. For a recommended heating repair company in Tyler please check out Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning

Furnace Tip: How Do I Turn On My Pilot Light?

Turn black knob to “pilot”, about 15 degrees counterclockwise from assumed position. As you turn the black knob press the red pilot button down. When the black knob gets to the right spot the red button will depress further. Hold the red button down and light the pilot. Continue to hold the red button down for 60 seconds before releasing it. You have to hold the red button down until the pilot remains lit on it’s own after the thermistor has heated up. Turn black knob to “on” and everything should be cozy. You won’t hear the gas flow to the pilot. Some gas utilities will actually come out to your house and light your pilot for you for free if you feel uncomfortable doing these instructions. You will need to call Centerpoint Energy to see if they offer this free service.

East Texans Really Have No Clue When it Comes to Energy Savings

September 28th, 2011

energy efficiency tyler txGo ahead, think of one of the best ways to save money as it relates to Texas home energy costs? Most people have this obsession with turning off the lights and even I remember being nagged about this growing up with my parents but sadly this will do little to truly impact your energy savings at home.

If you think turning off the lights every chance you get will do the most to save energy at home you have your energy-saving priorities about this all out of whack and it is hitting your pocket-book because of your cluelessness. You are not alone in your clueless behavior as a study shows that most of us don’t really know what actually works best to lower our energy bill.

Don’t get me wrong, if you have a habit of turning off the lights you are not doing anything wrong but don’t pat yourself on the back and not do anything else as you are living a false sense of energy savings. The reality is that if you swapped out your light bulbs for the more energy-efficient ones as well as replaced your light switches with motion sensing ones you would do a lot more to reduce your energy.

You could even leave your energy-efficient lights on all day and night and save more energy than continuing to use the older energy hog light bulbs. If you have old wiring in your house you may find that replacing your lights may not help as the bad wiring may terminate those bulbs prematurely but if you are in a new house with proper wiring you have no excuse.

The reason it may be better off leaving your lights on with the newer efficient bulbs is simply the lifespan is cut short with frequent on and offs. By only turning them off when you go to bed you protect the investment in the more expensive more energy-efficient bulbs and realize the true return on investment in those bulbs from their dramatic increase in energy efficiency compared to old bulbs.

The study has found that if you were to try curtailing your energy by not using old appliances and bulbs as much you would still be using way more energy compared to simply upgrading all your energy using equipment and appliances to new more energy-efficient technology.

Overall the study found that people take themselves off the hook if they are doing one or two energy curtailment tasks such as turning off the lights and using the dishwasher less frequently. The problem with this is that the perceptions are completely wrong as by simply upgrading the lights and appliance these things could be used even more and save a household a substantial amount of money and energy.

In conclusion if you were to do just two things to increase the energy efficiency in your home they should start with replacing your light bulbs and weatherizing a home. You can do these things very simply by picking up do it yourself weatherization kits at a local hardware store. You can blow in attic insulation as time permits and seal doors and windows with the weather-stripping kits you have bought.

The number 3 most energy-efficient task you can do for your home is a bit more costly but can be financed and the energy savings will subsidize its purchase. Guess what it is? It is installing a more efficient heating and/or air conditioning unit. If you would like to talk with a good ac company in Tyler TX that can do this for you we recommend checking out some of these AC contractors as recommended by the BBB: Tyler TX Air Conditioning Companies as listed with the BBB

Here are listings to 3 Tyler TX AC heating companies as found on the BBB:

Aire Serv of Smith County

Phone: (903) 592-7773
Fax: (903) 595-2640
2221 Wsw 323 Loop Ste 103A,
Tyler, TX 75701-0493

ACR Air Conditioning and Heating Services

Phone: (903) 597-6075
Fax: (903) 877-9464
11597 Highway 69 N,
Tyler, TX 75706-5633

TDI Air Conditioning

Phone: (903) 597-8381
Fax: (903) 593-96382600 E 5th St,
Tyler, TX 75701-3533

Important Fact: About 80 % of old homes are not insulated enough as found in a study by the US Department of Energy