Air Conditioners, Furnaces, & getting what you pay for.

In today's economy, everyone is looking for a way to keep their cost of living down and maintain their way of life and in my 37 years on this earth I have learned that this is almost impossible unless you sacrifice the latter. As I go out to consumers homes on a day to day basis, I see beautiful homes with nice cars parked in the driveway, but when I see their A/C or furnace, on some occasions, I see CHEAP! If people only knew what the true cost of going with the cheapest quote really was they would think twice. Maybe it's because people don't look as good standing beside their new Trane high efficiency system as they do in the 2011 Range Rover Sport. While I do understand that you may look great in that new Range Rover, you'll actually look smarter standing next to the energy efficient Trane system. The first reason is due to the fact that energy cost are not coming down! Every year the cost of our energy consumption rises! So while you decide to go with the cheaper product that has a low rating on the consumer report, not only does energy cost stay the same, but your repair cost to a less reliable system increases. Let's create a Pro & Con list.

Cheaper/Less Efficient Product Trane/High Efficient System

1) Less expensive ($4,000) 1) More expensive ($6,000)

2) Lower reliability 2) High reliability (check consumer rep.)

3) cheaper parts 3) quality parts

4) repair cost 4) usually no repair cost

5) shorter life span 5) longevity

6)Another ($4,000) to replace . 6) Still working & still saving.

So the next time you are in need of an HVAC system replacement, make sure you do thorough research and don't just go with the cheapest quote. At T.M. Street Heating & Air Conditioning, we will advise our customers of the best option for them based on their available income and we offer great financing options as well. Based on our experience we feel that Trane offers the best product around & since we offer the best service, we feel that joining with a company that operates under similar standards was a no brainer. It is true in all area's of life, you get what you pay for.

Are you getting a salesman or a technician in your home?

It sure feels cold inside! I don't think the heat is working. I guess I should call a HVAC repairman. But what if a salesman showed up instead. How would you feel? Would you be confident that the "salesman" would listen to your problem and look for the best and most cost efficient solution? Well did you know that most HVAC contractors have gone to a commission based pay for their employees. That basically means that if the technician doesn't sell you a new bill of goods then his income is going to be a little short. In this economy I'm sure most people would like a repair to take place verses someone selling them a new furnace or a/c unit. Make sure the contractor you call pays his employees and hourly rate and not commission so that you can be sure that the service technician doesn't have motives different than yours.

Bye, bye to R-22

As of January 1, 2010, all manufactors of HVAC equipment stopped the manufactoring of equipment that uses the refrigerant known as R-22. For those that don't know, the EPA decided some time ago to rid the earth of the ozone depleting refrigerant know as R-22. What does this mean for the HVAC consumer? Well for one, the price. With the first stages of the HCFC phase out begining you can bet that the price of R-22 refrigerant will continue to rise at a rapid pace. This will also affect you when it comes to replacing half of your HVAC system versus the whole system as a lot of people have done in the past, something that I would never recommend for an older system. We have until 2020 for the refrigerant to be completely phased out. Hopefully with the begining stages of this phase out upon us, it will result in a better environment for us and the future. For more info on the R-22 phase out, visit www.epa.gov .

HVAC Tax Credits

Part of the economic stimulus plan passed by Congress made significant changes and improvements to the tax incentives for federal taxpayers who install qualified higher efficiency heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment in their primary residences. You may now qualify for tax credits equal to 30% of the costs (up to a $1,500 limit) for installing a high efficiency furnace, boiler, air conditioner, or heat pump. Changes made to the previous tax credits allow you to apply the entire $1,500 limit to a single installation. The old tax credit program limited the amount a taxpayer could to $500 and capped certain improvements. But you have to hurry because these tax credits are only available for improvements made in 2009 and 2010. Not taking advantage of this incentive just leaves money on the table. Advances in technology over the last ten years mean that today's higher efficiency HVAC equipment uses less energy, runs more quietly, and provides improved indoor air quality and comfort. And by using less energy and improved refrigerants, your new HVAC equipment is better for the environment. Most homeowners would like to reduce their energy bills with higher efficiency HVAC equipment, and these tax credits help make the initial investment more affordable. Talk to your local and licensed contractor about finding the right qualified equipment that meets your budget. They should be able to show you how much money and energy you could save over the long term. If you live in the Northern Virginia area, contact T.M. Street Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC at (703)291-0900 or visit them on the web at www.tmstreethvac.com .

Home Warranty. Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other.

I've been battling over wether contractors should do home warranty work any longer. There are several pros & cons when it comes to working with a home warranty company. Let's look at the PROS. 1) You don't have to advertise in order to get into a customers home, which means free exposure. That's where the pros end! Now let's look at the CONS. 1)Someone else other than you controls your pricing. You are expected to give the home warranty company a HUGE discount. 2)" The home warranty companies best interest at heart" is their motto. It's never about what is in the best interest of the customer but what is the cheapest repair that can be made to just get the customer by. No matter what the PROFESSIONAL recommends! 3) Just another middle man getting involved in our industry lowering HVAC Contractors value everywhere.
Do we really need them? Or do they need us? Yea, yea I know. There's a sucker or desperate joe out there who'd install an entire system for $200 bucks and I'm pretty sure that bleep bleep does work for home warranty or isn't licensed at all. But we, the Contractors that take pride in our work, that pull up to a customers house in a lettered van or truck, that are educated in our industry and strive to further that knowledge, that realize that our worth is much more than a value meal from Wendy's, that follow industry standards, laws, and practices. Do we need them? If you're the guy trying to make a dime, I'm not talking to you, but if you're trying to build something much more, then do something! The customer isn't happy, and the contractor isn't happy, but you can bet that the home warranty companies made a profit during this recession.

Local HVAC Contractor with A+ rating with BBB

I hear about alot of consumers being taking advantage of by contractors, but why? When you have so many tools out there so that the consumer can properly do their research and check the contractors qualifications with the state contracting board, BBB, local chamber of commerce, or even Angie's List. At T.M. Street Heating & Air Conditioning you will find a company that is in good standing with all of these organizations. Before you call for heating or a/c service, check out the company and check us out at T.M. Street Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. . You can find out more about us by visiting www.tmstreethvac.com . You can also visit some of the sites when you need to find a quality contractor. (www.bbb.com, www.angieslist.com, www.dpor.va.gov , www.acca.org)

Consumers purchasing HVAC equipment online.

In todays econimic times it's understandable to have the consumer search for the best price that they can find, but be careful how you find that price. Now a days the consumer can go online and and purchase some brands of HVAC equipment. BUYER BEWARE! When you purchase equipment online the manufactor voids the warranty on that piece of equipment. Companies that sell equipment online are middle men who have a license and turn around and sell to consumers. Your purchase is rarely or never from the distributor. 1.) It is against the law to sell or pruchase equipment that contain dangerous or hazardous chemicals such as refrigerant or what a lot of people call freon. You must have an EPA license. 2.) When you purchase online the manufactor has no evidence that the equipment that was purchased was installed by a licensed contractor who has been trained to properly install their equipment. 3.) If you hire a contractor to install the equipment most will not offer a labor warranty on equipment purchase online. 4.) The money that you attempted to save, you usually end up spending anyway, if not more. With the lost of the warranty and the possibility of improper installation, you could end up spending more than what you were trying to save. Remember BUYER BEWARE!