Home Improvement Scams Can Cost You A Lot More Money!
March 7, 2008
Home improvements can cost $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, and even up to $100,000 to make major renovations. A mistake in hiring the wrong contractor can easily double those figures. Not to mention the hassle and inconvenience to complete a job that’s only half done.
The Whirlpool Pedigree
March 7, 2008
This month’s featured residential HVAC equipment line is Whirlpool.
The Whirlpool trade name has had a very distinct history with homeowners for over 75 years. The majority of American homeowners have owned a Whirlpool appliance at one time or another. Quality Whirlpool stoves, refrigerators, washers & dryers and dishwashers continue to be a standard in homes across America today.
In the past few years, the Whirlpool name brand has entered the residential HVAC market as well. Homeowners can now enjoy the Whirlpool legacy of quality and craftsmanship in their home comfort systems as well.
To give you some background on Whirlpool Home Comfort Products, here is a little pedigree for you.
Outrageous Prices not just in Residential HVAC
March 7, 2008
This morning I received an email from a friend of mine. His company provides commercial HVAC products for large commercial projects. He knows that AskBoyd is the defender of the homeowner for residential HVAC, but he wanted me to see that outrageous price quotes also exist in the commercial world as well. The problem that this poses and how it affects you the homeowner is in the form of increased prices for the services that you receive from the companies that have to absorb these extreme price gouges.
How HVAC Works
March 7, 2008
Air conditioning includes both the cooling and heating of air. It also cleans the air and controls the moisture level.
An air conditioner is able to cool a building because it removes heat from the indoor air and transfers it outdoors. A chemical refrigerant in the system absorbs the unwanted heat and pumps it through a system of piping to the outside coil. The fan, located in the outside unit, blows outside air over the hot coil, transferring heat from the refrigerant to the outdoor air.
DIY – Do-It-Yourself
March 7, 2008
Good Idea or Bad Idea?
As you read articles here on AskBoyd.com you will see several stories that focus on some unfair practices by HVAC Professionals that involve over charging for services and obscene prices for HVAC equipment installations. This would lead you to believe that DIY is the way to go. It is very important to understand that DIY HVAC is in some cases a great idea, but in most cases, these projects can be daunting and are not for everyone.
Let’s look at what is involved in a few of these projects and then decide if you are up to the task.
Choosing a Contractor
March 7, 2008
Whether you are hiring an HVAC Company to put in a new system, or are simply looking for a contractor to make repairs and maintain your system, you want to take your time now to avoid costly mistakes later.
SEER Guide
March 6, 2008
Central air conditioners are rated on their seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit. The minimum SEER rating allowed to be sold today is 13. Models with SEER ratings of 13 or better are recommended.
View the table, which shows the savings possible on your electric bill when you replace an existing inefficient air conditioning system will a higher efficiency system. *
