Articles for July 2011

Why an AC/Furnace Maintenance Plan is a GOOD IDEA

Date: July 27, 2011 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply

There are some surprises in life that we all love.

  •   “Bank Error in Your Favor – $200”
  •   Meeting your future spouse at the grocery store
  •   Finding a $20 bill in your “skinny jeans” after you’ve lost the weight to fit into them again

On the OTHER hand, surprise bills, not so much.

That’s why it is a good idea to get your AC/Furnace checked at least twice per year.

And, while everyone knows this is needed; you get busy, so it’s easy to forget to call about your check-up.   That’s why it is a good idea to have a maintenance plan.  You invest in an annual agreement and, when the time comes, your AC/Heating Company calls YOU to set up you appointment (which you paid for already..so no surprise).    PLUS, if you do regular maintenance, it cuts down on surprise repair bills (THAT’S good).

Of course, if you’ve used the tips in our previous BLOG about How To Choose a Great AC/Heating Contractor, you will feel great about know your unit is in capable hands!

At the Cool Dude AC, we not only provide top-tier service for all of your Air Conditioning and Heating needs in Houston, Sugar Land, Stafford, and Missouri City; we also offer the best guarantee you will find anywhere for parts AND labor. We are a family-owned, local company that treats our customers like family; while being big enough to service our customers in a timely manner. Clay Sheffield started The Cool Dude to provide people with the type of service and care HE would appreciate.

For The Cool Dude, the ONLY acceptable customer satisfaction score is a 100! Call The Cool Dude Air Conditioning repair at (713) 773-2910.

 

5 Cool Dude Tips to Save You Money on Energy Costs

Date: July 21, 2011 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply

When it is 99 degrees outside, many of you have your AC running almost constantly.  How can you stay cool, and save money at the same time?

1.  Change Your Filters – Often

Your AC unit needs to “breathe.”  If your filters are dirty, the AC works harder (and uses more energy, costing you more $$) to work.  Especially during the summer, check your filters every 2 weeks, and replace them if they are covered with dust (will happen, no matter how much you clean 🙂 ).

2.  Set Your AC to the highest possible comfortable temperature and use fans

For every degree that your house has to be cooled, it increases your energy usage by an average of about 6%.  So, if you are at 74degrees instead of 78, a $250 AC bill could easily become $310.

3.  Use a Programmable Thermostat

If you MUST have a cooler house, then get a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature.  Not only are digital thermostats more accurate, but you can set the AC to a higher level for the times you may not be home.   Why spend extra money cooling an empty house?

4.  Get Higher Efficiency Equipment

You know that greater efficiency equals greater savings.  And the right equipment will work hard to save you money on your heating  and cooling bills by using less fuel in the first place. Are your current  heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)  components saving you the money they could be? Here are a few things to think  about:

If your unit is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it with a more  energy-efficient model.   The higher the rating, the more efficient the product  and lower your energy usage can be. Make sure your components meet the following  minimums:

– Furnaces: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)  ratings of 80 or higher
– Heat pumps: Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF)  ratings of 7 or higher
– Air conditioners: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)  ratings of 13 or higher

 5. Make sure that your equipment is the Right Size

Sorry, but buying a “Bigger” AC will not necessarily make your house more comfortable at a lower cost because it is more “powerful.”  Homes that are heated and cooled by units that are too big, too small or just  plain mismatched, miss out on quality performance and efficiency.

Ask your AC Installation Company to come out to your house and perform a load calculation for  your home. This will help define products with the right capacity  for your home, and help you find the best system to meet your comfort needs.  The best answer is to use a matched system: which refers to components that are  designed to work together to provide greater efficiency, reliability and  comfort. Matched systems can be “split” (separate units placed inside and  outside the home) or “packaged” (one single unit, which houses all components in  a single cabinet, placed outside the home).*

Using these tips will not only increase the comfort of your home; they will really help your bank account!

 

At the Cool Dude AC, we not only provide top-tier service for all of your Air Conditioning and Heating needs in Houston, Sugar Land, Stafford, and Missouri City; we also offer the best guarantee you will find anywhere for parts AND labor. We are a family-owned, local company that treats our customers like family; while being big enough to service our customers in a timely manner. Clay Sheffield started The Cool Dude to provide people with the type of service and care HE would appreciate.

For The Cool Dude, the ONLY acceptable customer satisfaction score is a 100! Call The Cool Dude Air Conditioning repair at (713) 773-2910.

5 Things You Should Expect from your Air Conditioning Service Technician

Date: July 5, 2011 Author: cdoelle Comments: Leave a reply

When you call for an Air Conditioning Service Technician, there are certain expectations that the most professional providers will satisfy. These are especially true, since you are inviting this person into your home or business.

The Technician will:

  1. Have excellent customer skills – very simply, they must listen well; ask clear questions; and treat you with respect. This is particularly true when you call them and it’s 100 degrees outside, and you feel frustrated because this was the last thing you wanted to be thinking about that day.  The professional technician will respond with empathy to your situation.
  2. Present themselves, their uniforms, vehicle, and tools in a professional manner.
  3. Have excellent and systematic trouble-shooting skills. This is where the best companies have experienced technicians; and then apprentice their younger technicians systematically.  Today’s HVAC systems are “smarter” and more complicated than ever before; so having expert  knowledge goes a long way towards providing you top-quality service. Great companies will easily be able to provide references; and, if you check them out online, they have excellent recommendations on-line at places like Yelp and LinkedIn.
  4. Be familiar with the specific job requirements.
  5. Be available to complete the call.

The best Air Conditioning Service provider does much more than show up, read a manual, and attempt to fix your Air Conditioner. The provider will treat you, your house, your business, and your equipment like it is his own; so that you get back to being cool quickly and are elated with the service you receive!

At the Cool Dude AC, we not only provide top-tier service for all of your Air Conditioning and Heating needs in Houston, Sugar Land, Stafford, and Missouri City; we also offer the best guarantee you will find anywhere for parts AND labor. We are a family-owned, local company that treats our customers like family; while being big enough to service our customers in a timely manner. Clay Sheffield started The Cool Dude to provide people with the type of service and care HE would appreciate. For The Cool Dude, the ONLY acceptable customer satisfaction score is a 100! Call The Cool Dude Air Conditioning repair at (713) 773-2910.