At the start of cooler weather, keep up with maintenance, by doing your own vacuuming and cleaning around the heating unit itself. Hire a licensed contractor and get your heating system inspected and serviced prior to use. A high functioning unit will eliminate many problems and contribute to the overall health and safety of those around you.

In addition, have your technician do a check for heat loss around your home.  Add or replace worn weather stripping in areas of your home that need it, add curtains to windows to keep in the heat, caulk areas around windows and doors and install attic insulation if needed.

If you’re interested in preventing or recovering lost efficiency, extending the life of your equipment, reducing the likelihood of a major breakdown and increasing your comfort while lowering your operating cost, then give Precision Air & Heating a call to schedule a preventative maintenance tune-up.

A few of these misleading and deceptive sales practices are:

1.  False Safety Notices - Used to scare consumers into buying unnecessary systems and repairs.
Advice – You should never purchase something that a company is trying to scare you into buying.

2.  Official Looking Solicitations – Direct mail that appears to be mandatory alerts from the federal government or post office.
Advice – Direct mail should look and appear like it’s coming from an air conditioning company, not the post office or federal government.

3.  Misleading Rebate Information – False deadlines given to trick a consumer into buying something  before it expires.
Advice – Always verify the information by researching the internet.  Fact:  ALL rebates expire November 15, 2011.

4.  Offering Free Service Calls – Used to get a serviceman into your house to offer you stuff you don’t need.
Advice – Be leery!  Nothing is for free…these companies are looking to get into your home and find something wrong so they can sell to you.

5.  Unrealistic Low Prices – Offering up to $5,000 Off a new air conditioner.
Advice – If it seems too good to be true…then it probably is!  The average cost of a new A/C unit is $5,000-$6,000 so there’s no way a company can make money offering savings of $5,000.

As one of the leading A/C companies in Arizona, it is frustrating for us to see competitors in our industry using these tactics.  It perpetuates a negative perception of our the entire industry and we end up battling the negative effects when we are in business to do the right thing.

There are good companies out there but be cautious and do your research.  Check the Better Business Bureau for a minimum of an A rating.  Look at the Registrar of Contractor’s website and look for a clean record.  Most importantly, get a referral from a friend and ask how they were treated.

At Precision Air & Heating, our motto is People Before Profits.  It might sound cliché but we tell our technicians all the time…take care of the people and the profits will take care of themselves.  Check out our A+ rating on the BBB and exemplary record on the ROC and then make “The Precision Decision”!

The ROC licenses and regulates residential and commercial contractors.  ROC staff investigate and work to resolve complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors.

When selecting a contractor, you should make it a habit to visit the ROC website at www.azroc.gov to check out the contractor.  This website is an excellent resource to find out the following information:

1.  Open Complaints – These are complaints that have been filed with the ROC.  They may or may not hold any merit since anyone can file a complaint and these open complaints have yet to be investigated.

2.  Disciplined – This is the number of complaints against this contractor that resulted in discipline being imposed after an administrative hearing or default because of a violation(s) of state contracting law.

3.  Resolved/Settled/Withdrawn – This is the number of complaints closed against this contractor that were resolved or settled by the contractor or withdrawn by the complainant after issuance of a corrective work order or formal citation.

4.  Denied Access – This is the number of complaints against this contractor that were closed without corrective work being performed because the contractor was denied access by the complainant.

5.  Bankruptcy – This is the number of complaints against this contractor that were closed because the contractor is in bankruptcy.

Use the information you find on the ROC along with the Better Business Bureau’s website to determine what contractor you would like to hire.

We would like to remind you to research and consider Precision Air & Heating when looking for an air conditioning contractor.  We’re proud to have an A+ Rating with the BBB and a clean ROC record!

This is a belief that hits close to home for me.  As a young man, I served as a Meritorious Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps during Desert Storm and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.  I know the hard work, dedication and sacrifice it takes to proudly serve in the military.

So please join me when you see someone who serves our country or community and please take the time to say “Thank you for all you do!”.

Erik Bryan
Owner of Precision Air & Heating

The story was highlighting the importance of keeping cool during the hot summer months and reported that a 70 year old woman who needed her air conditioning system repaired had refused offers by neighbors and the A/C company to stay somewhere cool until the repair was completed.  Tragically, she died that night from the extreme heat in her home which was found to be at 107 degrees when paramedics arrived.

The public is urged to listen to the Heat Alerts and take the warnings seriously or it could cost your life.

The story ended by saying that Kris Adams “Is not just a repair guy, he’s the guy that can help save a life!”

Get a Referral – Ask neighbors and friends for a referral to a company they’ve had a good experience with in the past.

Check the Better Business Bureau – Click on the BBB Arizona link here to check into the background and history of any recommended company.  An A+ rating should be required when looking for a reputable company.

Use a Licensed Contractor – Click on the AZ Registrar of Contractors link here to verify that a company is licensed to work and in good standing.

Use only NATE Certified Technicians – Nate Certification is about professionalism, pride, knowledge, proficiency and consumer trust because NATE-certified technicians are experts in residential HVAC and commercial refrigeration.
There are a few other things that should be considered when choosing a company which include being EPA Certified, Insured & Bonded and a member of the Arizona Heat Pump Council.

After meeting with a company, if something doesn’t seem clear or “right” then ALWAYS get a 2nd opinion from another company.  As a consumer, it’s important to feel comfortable with a company that demonstrates integrity, quality and trust.

Precision Air & Heating meets all the guidelines above and can provide references from hundreds of satisfied clients we’ve served in the past.  Call us today for more information.

How do you determine if you need attic insulation?

• Your air conditioner works extra hard to cool your home.
• Your home heats up quickly after the A/C cycles off.
• You can’t maintain a comfortable home during hot summers or cold winters.

The two most common types of insulation are blown-in or batts/blankets.  An R value is assigned to each kind of insulation and gives the measurement of the insulation’s resistance to heat flow.  The higher the R value, the more effective the insulation.  Most professionals recommend a minimum of R38 for homes in the desert areas of Arizona.

Insulation must be properly installed to achieve its R value.  Make sure there are no gaps or voids since studies show that air gaps can reduce effectiveness by over 30%.  Make sure the insulation isn’t compressed as that can also make insulation lose a substantial part of its insulating value.  Also important, care must be taken not to cover up attic vents or recessed light fixtures.

You can avoid all these installation pitfalls if you would like Precision Air & Heating to do blown-in attic insulation for you.  We use high quality, brand name material by Owens Corning.  Give us a call for a free estimate.

Effects of a Dust Storm on your Air Conditioning system.

Your air conditioning system is a sealed system so you don’t need to worry about dust getting into your home through your air conditioner.  If you are experiencing dust in your home after a dust storm then it’s from having your doors and windows improperly sealed.  If this is the case, then it’s a good idea to clean and/or replace your air filters a few days after the storm.

We do advise that you rinse your outside condensing unit with a hose to keep dust and debris from reducing efficiency.  First, turn off power to the unit at the breaker box.  Do NOT use a high pressure washer as you do not want to bend your cooling fins resulting in a costly repair.   Also, do not use any cleaning solution when rinsing off your unit. Take care not to spray any circuit boards or electronic parts.  After rinsing, clean all debris and leaves from around the bottom of your unit.  Turn on the power at the circuit breaker.

Breathe easier knowing that your outside condenser unit is made to handle the elements and is completely sealed from anything entering your system.

North American Technician Excellence, Inc. (NATE) is the leading non-profit certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry and the only certification agency supported by the entire industry.  Certification is about professionalism, pride, knowledge, proficiency and consumer trust because NATE-certified technicians are experts in residential and commercial HVAC. To become NATE-certified a technician must take and pass 2 NATE exams.  These specialized certification tests are based on installation, service and specialty areas.

As a consumer, you should always use contractors employing NATE-certified technicians so you are assured the technician working on your heater or air conditioner knows heating and cooling.

When using a certified NATE tech, you’ll benefit by:

• Lower utility bills through proper installation and maintenance
• Fewer callbacks and warranty returns
• Fast, efficient service
• Job done right the first time
• Equipment that runs at peak efficiency
• Advice & knowledge of a skilled, certified technician
• Greater peace of mind

At Precision Air & Heating, we hold our technicians to very high standards of service and competency and we are proud that 100% of our technicians are NATE certified.  As a result, we have the most NATE certified technicians in the West!

You can feel confident when using Precision Air and Heating for all your HVAC needs!