AC Tune-Up

OUR EXCLUSIVE PRECISION AIR-CONDITIONING TUNE-UP PROCEDURE INCLUDES, AS NEEDED:

1. Chemically clean and thoroughly wash condenser coil(s).
2. Thoroughly clean or replace standard air filter(s).
3. Wash and level condensing unit for proper motor and bearing wear.
4. Lubricate motor and fan bearings as well as other moving parts as necessary.
5. Clean and inspect evaporator coil and drain pain when readily accessible.
6. Clean and inspect condensate drain lines and fittings.
7. Clean, level and calibrate thermostat.
8. Adjust and thoroughly clean blower motor and fan assembly as needed. 
9. Inspect, tighten and test all electrical connections. This includes disconnect switch.
10. Inspect all cooling system electrical wires, connectors and terminals.
11. Test system starting and running capacitors.
12. Test all controls, switches, relays, transformers, contactors, motors and fans.
13. Measure starting and running amperes, line voltage and control voltage.
14. Test system starting capabilities.
15. Test system for proper air-flow and air delivery.
16. Inspect and adjust all safety controls.
17. Monitor refrigerant (Freon) pressures and temperatures.
18. Test and record super-hear and sub-cooling. Compare with factory specifications.
19. Adjust Freon metering control device per factory/manufacturer recommendations.
20. Test and measure air conditioning system for proper production and capacity.
21. Monitor fan motors and compresser operating temperatures.
22. Apply weather resistant protective coating to the outside unit. (Condensor)
23. Complete and present full written report and make any necessary recommendations.

Why You Need a Maintenance Agreement

10 Reasons you should consider investing in a PEAK PERFORMANCE Precision Tune-Up & Professional Maintenance Agreement
1. Fewer expensive repairs and inconvenient breakdowns.
Professional maintenance results in fewer and less costly repairs.

2. Quick response to your call for service.
As a Peak Performance customer, you are given priority status over other callers.

3. Discounted repairs.
You will receive a discount of 15% on BOTH parts and labor, should your system require any repairs.

4. Never be charged overtime rates again!
As one of our preferred customers, you will not be charged overtime, should a repair be necessary after normal working hours.

5. 24 Hour service available 7 days a week.
Your comfort is our top priority, and we will be there when you need us.

6. Extended Equipment Life.
It is a proven fact that regularly scheduled professional maintenance will enhance the lifetime of your HVAC equipment.

7. Lower utility costs.
Our Peak Performance Tune-Up’s keeps your equipment running efficiently, which will reduce operating costs, and save you money each & every month.

8. Improved Dehumidification.
Equipment with dirty coils or filters can lose as much as 40% of their capacity, which can lead to a lack of proper dehumidification.

9. Improved Health.
A clean system is a healthy system. Professional maintenance will keep your system clean.

10. Improved Safety.
As a part of our Peak Performance Tune-Up, we check all factory safety controls and switches, as well as check for frayed and loose wires, which greatly reduces the chance of an electrical short or fire.

New Home, Old AC

Congratulations on purchasing your new home! 

Let's talk about the elephant in the AC cupboard.

Sometimes a great house needs just one thing to make it perfect. In South Florida, if that thing is an AC unit, it can turn into feeling like a big thing quickly. It could be that your home inspector said

• that there are a couple of years left
• that it needs replacing immediately
• that the load test shows it is too small for the property
• that it is inefficient
• that the ductwork needs replacing

All of these are indicators of needing a new AC unit. Here's the good news:

A new AC will lower your monthly energy bill!

That's right. An older, inefficient unit will cost you more over 3 years than a new unit. It will essentially pay for itself. Plus, there are rebates you can request for replacing your AC unit from FPL and the government. Look at that, you're getting money back already!

Turn that frown upside down and trust us to do a great job replacing your AC unit and ductwork for clean, cold, fresh air!

Contact GMC AC Services at 954-973-5980 for an estimate today.

Home Maintenance

Save a little money later by doing a few small things now to maintain your air conditioning unit.

Change your filters. We will remind you on Facebook at the beginning of every month.

Clean the drain line. Pour a little bit of bleach down the drain line pipe every six months — that will reduce the amount of algae build up in the drain line and reduce the chance of the drain line filling up with water.

Clear the bushes. Check for efficient air-flow around your unit. Make sure your air conditioner has plenty of “breathing” room. Avoid enclosing or covering it; keep leaves, plants and other vegetation at least 18″ away.

Schedule maintenance. Your home's units should be tuned up at least once per year.

AC Q&A

Here is a most informative Q&A from the Palm Beach Post:

What are SEERS?

SEER stands for “seasonal energy efficiency ratio.” The SEER rating is the BTU of cooling output during its normal annual usage divided by the total electric energy input in watt hours during the same time frame.

SEERS range from 13 (lowest) and 21 (highest). The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the system is.

I bought my first house and am now responsible for air-conditioning care. What is the difference between all these stage systems and compressors, and what will help me with my electric bills?
A two-stage system is designed to further reduce electrical consumption. Most people purchase single-stage air-conditioning units because they are less expensive than a two- stage, but aside from the price factor, most people are not properly educated on the benefits of having a two-stage system.

A single stage starts up at 100% capacity while two stages start up at 50-66% capacity, and 15 seconds later switch to 100% capacity. A two-stage system draws less amperage on start up, which helps you save money on the electrical bill. Two-stage systems also automatically switch back to 50-66% capacity when indoor and outdoor temperatures permit, therefore lowering electric use.

Other added benefits of the two-stage system include on-demand dehumidification features. If your home reaches the desired temperature set point but the humidity level is very high in the home, the system will go into de-humidification mode that brings the humidity levels down to the requested level. This allows you to have your home set at a higher temperature set point with less humidity in the air, so you are more comfortable in your home at an even higher temperature set point because there is less humidity in the air.

It’s 98 degrees outside and my AC is not blowing. What do I do?

Check the breakers, and if it is not related to an electrical short, call for service. You can check to see if you have a dirty filter, as this may cause the unit to freeze up.

How do I care for the filter?

Filters should be changed or cleaned once per month. You can clean them by vacuuming it off and washing it with water (if it’s a washable filter). Let it dry completely before placing it back in.

Use a good quality filter like an electrostatic washable, which we sell and can have custom made to fit in the AC unit. If you prefer to change the filter every month, invest in a sponge pad smart filter that has a custom-made aluminum frame and a rubber seal gasket that goes along with the top of the filter.

With filters removed, check the coils by shining a flashlight. If they appear to have microbial growth on the coils or appear to be clogged in any way by dog hair or dirt impacts, have a specialist come in for a coil cleaning.

The fan blower inside the AC should also be removed and cleaned once every two to three years.

How do I care for my AC’s drain line?

Pour a little bit of bleach down the drain line pipe every six months — that will reduce the amount of algae build up in the drain line and reduce the chance of the drain line filling up with water.

How often should I have my AC tuned up?

It is recommended that you check your unit every six months.

SEERs?

What are SEERS?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating is the BTU of cooling output during its normal annual usage divided by the total electric energy input in watt hours during the same time frame.

SEERS range from 13 (lowest) and 21 (highest). The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the system is.

Source: Palm Beach Post

Florida's Winter

We in South Florida don't have to winterize our homes and cover and protect our exterior air conditioner units. However, as the weather is a little bit cooler, and before it becomes necessary to turn from cool to heat, it would be a good idea to prepare your AC unit.

Whether you use your AC every day or almost never, simply switch your AC to heat and let it blow a few moments. This will dust off the heating coils. If you notice a bit of a "burning dust" smell, that's okay. Anything greater than that, including smoke, will need an inspection.

It is better to call us out now, before you need us on a chilly night or with a house full of guests.

Importance of Clean Air Filters

Breathing fresh, clean air is important to our health. But if we don’t make it a habit to change the filters in our home air systems, the equipment can fail, making matters much worse. Maintaining a good filter maintenance schedule protects the air we breathe and the heating and cooling equipment in our homes.

Airflow goes hand-in-hand with the efficiency of your HVAC system, and furnace filters assist with this. Dirty filters restrict the airflow, which results in higher energy and even HVAC repair costs.

With your typical off-the-shelf throwaway HVAC filter, it collects particles in the filtering medium. After it collects a certain amount of particles and is full, you simply remove it, throw it away, and replace it with another.

It is important to remember the more efficient the filter or the dirtier the air, the faster the filter is going to fill up and need to be replaced. It is recommended that HVAC air filters be checked at least every 30 days for an excessive load up of particles. If the filter looks overloaded on day 30, then you will have to change the amount of time you check the filter. On the other hand, if the filter looks particularly clean, you can relax the schedule of checking it.

Aside from keeping the air in your home clean, if your air system is working with a dirty air filter, it will slow down its efficiency as it slows down to do the same job. As a result, you’ll be paying more money to keep your home warm or cool.

And last but not least, an air filter helps keep the interior of your equipment clean. If a dirty air filter I kept in use, it could damage your equipment, or even cause it to break down entirely, which won’t do you any good.

Prevent overpaying for heating and cooling your home, or repairing the equipment by maintaining a schedule to replace your air filters.

Source: Home is Where the Health Is

Satisfaction Guaranteed

With GMC, your satisfaction is guaranteed!

Our goal is that you are 100% satisfied with the products and services we offer you. To this end we make the following pledge. If you are not completely satisfied with a product or service you have purchased from us, simply let us know and we will do what's necessary for you to be completely satisfied. Satisfied customers are our most important product!
Read some of our testimonials here.
Make your opinion known by posting a review for us on Angie's List or Google Plus.

Pricing Policy

We understand that no one is comfortable hiring a company by the hour. After all, we are consumers, too! That is why, when you do business with GMC Air Conditioning Services, you will be quoted a flat price for your repair, and that is all you will pay, regardless of how long the job takes. We charge a small diagnostic fee in order to determine the problem with your A/C system and then we let you know exactly what the cost to repair will be. It is that simple; no hidden charges!

Our list of services includes:

• Air Conditioning Replacements.
• Duct Repair.
• Indoor Air Quality Solutions.
• 24 Hour Emergency Service.
• Fast Reliable repairs.
• Preventative Maintenance Agreements.
• Free Estimates.
• Free 2nd opinion of your cooling problems.

Let us worry about your air conditioning, so you don't have to!

Raise the Ratings!

We provide great service and want it to show to those who do not yet know us! Help us raise our ratings on Google Plus by telling everyone the sort of service you have had with GMC Air Conditioning Services.

A short, honest recount of your most recent experience, or why you come back again and again, would be most helpful.

Leave your comments here: Google Plus by clicking the blue box that says Write a Review.

Thanks!

Clean and Check Service

What’s The Temp In Your Home? Schedule a Clean & Check Service Today!

A Clean and Check Service ensures that your air conditioners and furnaces perform as safely and efficiently as possible. This routine maintenance should be scheduled twice a year and coincides with the seasonal changes from summer to winter and winter to summer. Our goal is to prevent mid-season interruption of service and to keep your family comfortable all year round.

Carrier Rebate Program

Get up to $1,350 cash back on a Carrier air conditioner 

when you replace your old unit 

by November 15, 2012.

Full details can be found here.

AC Maintenance

Step 1: Cool Breeze
Most people don't notice their air conditioning units until they stop working. Avoid that headache by cleaning and conditioning your unit. First, turn off the power.

Step 2: Get a Trim
Trim back any shrubbery and remove and leaves, lint or dirt from the outside condenser.

Step 3: Top Off
Remove the top cover with a drill.

Step 4: Comb It Out
If the fins are bent, use a fin comb to straighten them.

Step 5: Hose It Down
Clean the evaporator condensor coils by removing access panels, and use a strong spray from a garden hose to clean it.

Step 6: Clean It Up
Clean the fan blades and dust/vacuum around the motor.

Source: GMC Trade Secrets

Jump on the Bandwagon!

Whether you follow my blog, are my friend under my personal Facebook account, are my friend under my old business Facebook account, or we have just met, please go to my business Facebook page and become my Fan!

I promise to remind you to change your filters, keep you up-to-date with the latest in air conditioning news, offer you discounts and deals, and even entertain you every now and then.

Please use this link and then click Like. That's it! Meet you there.

Thanks,
Skip

Preventative Maintenance

From the experts at Trane, one of the leading manufacturers or AC units:

You wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without changing the oil. The same logic holds true for your home comfort system. Regular preventative maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance. Pre-season maintenance is also important. It can help to avoid a system failure in severe hot or cold weather when you need it most, and it can also keep your energy bill from getting out of control.

WHEN SHOULD I DO MAINTENANCE?

The old adage is true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Below you’ll find our Preventative Maintenance Checklist, which is our proven method to keep your system in the pink and your home in constant comfort.

• For a system that heats and cools: perform maintenance in the spring and fall.
• For cooling only: perform maintenance at least once a year, before the cooling season.
• For heating only: perform maintenance at least once a year, before the heating season.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Many dealers provide priority service for their customers who have an annual maintenance or service agreement. Bi-annual preventative maintenance will ensure that your system runs as efficiently as possible. Your local dealer will perform the following tasks, depending on the unit:

OUTDOOR UNITS

• Inspect unit for proper refrigerant level and adjust if necessary
• Clean dirt, leaves and debris from inside cabinet
• Inspect base pan for restricted drain openings—remove obstructions as necessary
• Inspect coil and cabinet—clean as needed
• Inspect fan motor and fan blades for wear and damage—on older models lubricate as needed
• Inspect control box, associated controls/accessories, wiring and connections. Controls may include contactors, relays, circuit boards, capacitors, sump heat and other accessories. All control box and electrical parts should be checked for wear or damage.
• Inspect compressor and associated tubing for damage

INDOOR UNITS

• Inspect and clean blower assembly (includes blower housing, blower wheel and motor)
• On older models, lubricate motor and inspect and replace fan belt if needed
• Check combustion blower housing for lint and debris and clean as necessary
• Inspect evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain lines. Clean as needed
• Inspect for gas leaks in gas furnaces
• Inspect burner assembly—clean and adjust as needed
• Inspect ignition system and safety controls—clean and adjust as needed
• Inspect heat exchanger or heating elements
• Inspect flue system—check for proper attachment to the furnace, any dislocated sections, and for signs of corrosion. Replace if necessary.
• Inspect control box, associated controls, wiring and connections
• Clean or replace air filters
• Inspect conditioned airflow system (ductwork)—check for leaks

WHILE YOUR SYSTEM IS OPERATING

• Monitor system starting characteristics and capabilities
• Listen for abnormal noise
• Search for source of unusual odors
• Monitor air conditioning and heat pump systems for correct refrigerant charge
• Measure outdoor dry bulb temperature
• Measure indoor dry and wet bulb temperature
• Measure high and low side system pressures
• Monitor gas furnace for correct line and manifold gas pressure—make adjustments as needed
• Measure temperature rise and adjust airflow as needed
• Check vent system for proper operation
• Monitor system for correct line and load volts/amps
• Monitor system operation per manufacturer's specifications
• Provide system operation report and recommend repairs or replacement as necessary

NOTE: Trane recommends all maintenance and service work be performed by a professional air conditioning and heating dealer that holds the appropriate credentials to install and service air conditioning and heating equipment.

A+ on Angie's List

The people have spoken!

We have an A+ rating on Angie's List.

See our page captures here and here.

About GMC

GMC Air Conditioning Services was created to provide Residential, Commercial, and Industrial customers with a "one stop shop" for all of their indoor comfort, indoor air quality, HVAC service and maintenance needs.

Our founder, John B Flathe, has spent his entire career in the HVAC field. Upon graduating from Vanderbilt University with a Mechanical Engineering degree, John secured Engineering positions, first with Lennox Industries and then York.

Being a true entrepreneur, John decided to branch out on his own and formed Georgia Metal Corporation. For over 30 years Georgia Metal Corporation has installed HVAC systems in some of the most prestigious Retail Centers, Office Complexes, Condominiums, and Residences in South Florida and Georgia. Our extensive list of clients include Publix Supermarkets, Kohl's Department Stores, Staples Office Supplies, Wallgreens, Best Buy and Whole Foods Market, just to name a few.

While much was accomplished over the years, John still had one goal; to build a HVAC Service and Maintenance Company that would delight customers in the same fashion that Georgia Metal Corporation has for over 30 years. To achieve this goal GMC Air Conditioning Services was created.

The 1st step was to find a leader for the new entity. John hired Skip Farinhas, an industry veteran, as General Manager. Skip is a University of Miami graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. Skip also has spent his entire career in the HVAC Industry, beginning his career in his family's HVAC contracting business, then co-owning and operating a wholesale HVAC distribution company. Skip also spent several years with York as the Sales Manager for Florida. As General Manager of GMC Air Conditioning Services, Skip has built an organization that is focused on exceeding your expectations each and every time!

You can trust GMC Air Conditioning Services to provide solutions to the most difficult cooling problems. We pride ourselves on honesty, integrity, and dependability.

Changing Filters: How & Why

Trust This Old House to inform us on how and why you need to change your air conditioner's filters monthly:

Dirty filters kill your AC's efficiency, so install a new one every month during the cooling season for central and window units (or clean them if you've got the washable type). Look for the filter's minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV, which ranges from 1 to 12 for home AC units; the higher the number, the better filtration it provides (and the more energy needed to pull air through it, so balance air-quality concerns with energy costs).

How Air Conditioners Work

Today, a little educational message about how air conditioners work from How Stuff Works.

The actual process air conditioners use to reduce the ambient air temperature in a room is based on a very simple scientific principle. The rest is achieved with the application of a few clever mechanical techniques. Actually, an air conditioner is very similar to another appliance in your home -- the refrigerator. Air conditioners don't have the exterior housing a refrigerator relies on to insulate its cold box. Instead, the walls in your home keep cold air in and hot air out.

Air conditioners use refrigeration to chill indoor air, taking advantage of a remarkable physical law: When a liquid converts to a gas (in a process called phase conversion), it absorbs heat. Air conditioners exploit this feature of phase conversion by forcing special chemical compounds to evaporate and condense over and over again in a closed system of coils.

The compounds involved are refrigerants that have properties enabling them to change at relatively low temperatures. Air conditioners also contain fans that move warm interior air over these cold, refrigerant-filled coils. In fact, central air conditioners have a whole system of ducts designed to funnel air to and from these serpentine, air-chilling coils.

When hot air flows over the cold, low-pressure evaporator coils, the refrigerant inside absorbs heat as it changes from a liquid to a gaseous state. To keep cooling efficiently, the air conditioner has to convert the refrigerant gas back to a liquid again. To do that, a compressor puts the gas under high pressure, a process that creates unwanted heat. All the extra heat created by compressing the gas is then evacuated to the outdoors with the help of a second set of coils called condenser coils, and a second fan. As the gas cools, it changes back to a liquid, and the process starts all over again. Think of it as an endless, elegant cycle: liquid refrigerant, phase conversion to a gas/ heat absorption, compression and phase transition back to a liquid again.

It's easy to see that there are two distinct things going on in an air conditioner. Refrigerant is chilling the indoor air, and the resulting gas is being continually compressed and cooled for conversion back to a liquid again. On the next page, we'll look at how the different parts of an air conditioner work to make all that possible.

How Many Tons Do I Need?

Whether you want to install a window unit to cool a single room or are putting in a central air conditioning unit to cool the whole house, it is good to remember that bigger is not necessarily better. A unit that is bigger than is required will not only have a higher initial cost, it could cost you more by short cycling. Of course a unit that is too small can quickly run up your energy bill by running constantly in a futile attempt to keep the area comfortable

Manual J
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America is the industry organization responsible for developing a method for calculating residential cooling loads. The result is the Manual J. Professional contractors should use it to determine the proper size of any home air conditioner they plan to install. Manual J takes into account numerous factors including the average geographical temperature, type and amount of insulation, ceiling height, exterior construction materials and square footage.

Homeowner Calculations
Most do-it-yourselfers don't have access to Manual J, nor to the sophisticated tools available to professional installers. Still, armed with a tape measure and hand-held calculator, most people can make a relatively accurate estimate of their cooling needs. The process is simple--measure the length and width of the room to be cooled and multiple the two factors to get the square footage of the room. Repeat the process for each additional room that is to be cooled and add all of the sums together to get the total square footage that requires cooling.

BTU to Ton
A ton of cooling capacity is equivalent to the cooling effect of a ton of ice melting over a 24-hour period. However, most air conditioning units today are measured in British thermal units, so a little conversion math will be required. Twelve thousand BTUs is roughly equivalent to 1 ton of cooling capacity. A well-insulated room with 100 square feet will require a 4,000 to 6,000 (a half ton) BTU air conditioner while a 12,000 BTU (one ton) unit can cool up to 500 square feet. A 2-ton (24,000 BTU) central air conditioning unit can effectively cool a 1500 square-foot residence.

Source: eHow

NATE Certified

Each of our technicians is NATE certified. NATE is North American Technician Excellence, the leading non-profit certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry and the only test supported by the entire industry. NATE aims to help regulate our industry – and make quality the norm, not the exception with their 5-year renewable certification.

Nationwide, there is a shortage of HVAC/R technicians. Worse, there is a more severe shortage of verifiably trained HVAC/R technicians. Having a certified technician is important because:

• A recent American Home Comfort Study reports that 88% of homeowners believe having a certified technician repair or install their home comfort system is important to them.
• Utilities note that poorly installed and badly serviced units waste energy and cause consumer electric bills to soar.
• Half of consumers defer retro-fits or new installations because they don’t know which contractors have competent technicians. In other words, they are living in less than “comfortable” situations because they don’t know which contractors they can trust to do the job properly.
• Manufacturers note that a third of units returned as “defective” are actually “installer error.”

Certification is not just about contractor professionalism; it’s about customer assurance. Contractors whose technicians are NATE-certified can legitimately claim that their technicians have passed a stringent certification test national in scope, ultimately leading to increased customer service and business profitability.

Source: NATEX

Bad News for Old ACs

Older model air conditioning units use R-22 coolant. These units are being phased out in favor of R-410A coolant, which is more environmentally friendly. This means that the old coolant will now cost about triple what it used to, if you can find it at all.

If you have recently replaced your air conditioner, you are in good shape! If not, the cost of buying the old coolant, and difficulty obtaining it over time, are going to add up. Also, forget trying to sell your place with the old unit. The buyers may have you put in a new unit before the sale.

Source: Fox News

EPA Tips

The EPA weighs in on some ways you can incorporate their tips into your air conditioning for the good of your home, your wallet, and the planet.
1. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
   When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics,heating and cooling equipment and appliances.


2. Heat and cool smartly
   Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.


3. Seal and insulate your home
   Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A home energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ethical Repair Work

Using an ethical contractor like GMC protects you from unnecessary repairs. If you do have to call for service, some unethical businesses will charge you for items not needed, as in this investigation:

CBS Atlanta Investigates contacted four companies for a general check-up on a heater that worked perfectly. One company did great, but the others recommended repairs ranging from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars for what our experts said were completely unnecessary repairs.

CBS Atlanta News installed hidden cameras in a home where the heater was located to document each sales pitch. Then we had our heater inspected by an expert, Staton Conditioned Air, who has a complaint-free history with the Better Business Bureau.

"Nothing obvious needs to be replaced," said the expert from Staton Conditioned Air, giving the heater a clean bill of health.

"The power will come to it, to come on, it will not come on, but the gas will still seep out," a Bardi technician told Saltzman during the hidden camera investigation...Whenever it gets like that, the gas will keep coming. And if the gas builds up, you know what's going to happen. So we don't want that," the Bardi technician said. Bardi Heating and Air upsold the heater repair costs by $264 for a hot surface igniter, which experts from Staton Conditioned Air said weren't needed.
The next call was to Chuck Maddox at Maddox Comfort Systems. Maddox misdiagnosed the dual-fuel heater and said it wasn't working properly. He recommended replacing the control board and a new thermostat. "I'm gonna say $300 for the thermostat," Maddox said. The control board cost an additional $350.
The most expensive upsell was made by Mechanics Heating and Air Conditioning in Marietta..."When these start to go bad they just explode and stop working," the Mechanics technician said about the heater's air conditioner capacitor. "I recommend the booster, it is extra protection," he said. The technician also suggested a refrigerant top-off, to fix what he claimed was a leak.Mechanics also recommended cleaning the heater's air conditioning coils and cleaning the flame sensor. The flame sensor cleaning is a service that takes about two minutes, which another company did for free, but Mechanics charged $79 for it. Mechanics' biggest sales pitch was a duct cleaning for $875, padding the bill for more than $1,400.

Source: CBS

Filter Gram

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Maintenance is essential

Preventative maintenance is essential to your air conditioning unit. Regular maintenance helps to:

• extend the life of your unit
• ensure your unit works properly at all times
• reduce the number of repair calls and emergencies
• reduce your overall cost for repair
• save you time and money

Maintenance is necessary for both individuals and corporations. A recent article about a city library highlights the need for regular maintenance before you notice a major problem. In this particular case, the unit is so old that carpeting is ruined, the library has fallen out of favor with the residents, and rennovations have become necessary. This could have been avoided. 

Read the story here. Source: News OK

Licensed and Insured

Why should I use a licensed and insured contractor? 

There are always those people looking for the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. Unfortunately there are those who prey on the misfortune of others in unscrupulous and often illegal ways. Do not feel rushed into making agreements with contractors. It is in the best interest of both homeowners and legitimate, licensed contractors to protect homeowners from scams by unlicensed contractors.

There are many reasons to use a licensed contractor, even if you think you can save a few dollars by accepting an unlicensed contractor’s bid. It is cheap insurance using a licensed contractor. If the homeowner contracts with an unlicensed person or company, then the homeowner can be held liable for on-the-job injuries sustained by that unlicensed person’s or company’s employees. Sometimes even the homeowner’s insurance will not cover this, all because the contractor is unlicensed. This exposes you, the homeowner to liability you never dreamed of, all because the contractor lied to you about being licensed. Using a licensed contractor offers protection to the homeowner in the following ways: The contractor knows his trade and has been tested and is bonded for this.

GMC is fully licensed and insured for all your AC / HVAC needs.

Source: YCCA