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New Year, New Home!

January 25th, 2012

The beginning of a new year is usually taken a symbol of new beginnings, and maybe 2012 can be a year of new beginnings for your home. We all have our to- do lists and if you haven’t done much to make that list shrink odds are it is just getting bigger. These problems are not going to solve themselves, and we need to be honest when it comes to our limits as amateur handymen and women. Take a moment to assess your list or sit down and compile one if you haven’t done so already. Don’t just look at what you think you can handle, consider everything that goes into a job before you ever take it on. Over reaching could increase the cost of the repair and hiring a handyman pro may be a better option.

Consider This Before Tackling a Repair:

  • Time: Many of the jobs on your list will take more than a day to complete, especially if you have no experience with the repair. Many of us only have a couple days on the weekends to work with when it comes to finding time for these repairs, and if you don’t have the time, you need to accept that you are never going to get these jobs done on your own. The pros will be able to check many of those repairs off your list in one day!
  • Tools: Another aspect of performing repairs in the home is the supplies that are needed to complete the job. Many of us don’t have power tools, painting supplies, and other basic tools of the trade, and renting or buying them could make doing the repair on your own pointless. Consider all of your costs before taking on a job by yourself. » Read more: New Year, New Home!

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Posted in Contractors, Home Improvements, Home Repairs, Home Services, Plumbing

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An Impressive First Impression

November 9th, 2011

When it comes time to sell your home, they say that the kitchen, the bathrooms, and the home’s exterior are what sell the place. The kitchen and the bathroom are important for obvious reasons, but the appeal of the exterior may not be so obvious because it doesn’t have much of a function. However, your home’s exterior and landscape provides the first impression for your home. It is the first thing that family and visitors will see, and from a buyer’s perspective, this aspect of the home needs to be impressive. Beef up your home’s exterior with a few small improvements, and it could make a huge difference when you decide to put your home on the market.

Curb Appeal Improvements

  • Window Replacement: Rotting or warped wood framed windows have to go! You will be hard pressed to sell the home with them in that condition anyways, so opt for an affordable and energy efficient alternative. Choose new vinyl windows that complement your home’s design.
  • Entryway Remodel: The front door creates a first impression on its own, so if should be a beautiful focal point not a distraction. Consider having elegant double doors installed or simply upgrade the door to a higher quality energy efficient entrance that looks clean and pulled together. » Read more: An Impressive First Impression

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Posted in Contractors, Home Improvements, Home Repairs, Home Services, Remodeling

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Customized Furnace Sales Pitch

October 19th, 2011

Most of us learn from the mistakes that we make. We do something wrong and then make a point to change something in the future to prevent a repeat mistake. Some homeowners, however, keep making the same HVAC mistakes over and over and it isn’t necessarily their fault. The problem lies with the HVAC contractor that installed the furnace and air conditioner in their home.

A Common Mistake

The salesman who recommended the unit that was installed fell into the all too common trap of recommending a unit based on the preexisting model that is in the home. For example, he recommends a 20,000btu furnace just because the furnace that has been heating the home for the past however many years is a 20,000btu unit. This can create problems if the old unit isn’t actually the right unit for the home. You deserve a customized sale that involves assessing your needs and the requirements of the home. » Read more: Customized Furnace Sales Pitch

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, Furnace, Heating

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Lennox Furnaces Stand the Test of Time

October 3rd, 2011

People are always asking, “Who is the best HVAC manufacturer?” There really isn’t a straight forward answer to that question because no matter who made your furnace, it will not be its best without proper installation and yearly maintenance. With that said, we recently dealt with a customer who was very satisfied with his Lennox furnace. He had scheduled a serviceman to check over the system for the season, and though it was found that the unit needed to be replaced, the customer couldn’t have been happier with what he had gotten out of his unit over the years.

37 Years of Service

            This customer’s Lennox furnace was installed back in 1974. This made the unit 37 years old, and when you consider that the typical furnace will last 20 to 25 years, this unit truly did stand the test of time. When we asked about the history of the unit, the customer was proud to tell us that over the years he only had one minor repair done to the system. The thermocouple was replaced about 15 years prior, and when you consider the number of expensive things that can fail on a furnace, this one low cost repair was truly remarkable. » Read more: Lennox Furnaces Stand the Test of Time

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Posted in Contractors, Furnace, Heating, Maintenace, Value

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Make Your Contractor Fight for Your Business

September 7th, 2011

 If you are one of the many homeowners that are currently looking for a new HVAC system you may feel like it is you against the HVAC contractor that diagnosed your unit as faulty. It would be easy to simply take them at their word and replace the system with whatever they have to offer, but wouldn’t you rather take control of the sale? Well, you can. All you have to do is get a few estimates. Many homeowners don’t want to bother with the hassle of having 3 different companies out for an estimate on a new furnace or air conditioning system, but not doing so could cost your hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars.

Taking Advantage of a Desperate Situation

The first way you loose money by not getting multiple estimates is by purchasing the unit right off the bat from the company that diagnosed the system as faulty. Many times the unit breaks down when we need it most and in our desperation for comfort we may agree to anything. Some companies will take advantage of this desperation and do little to nothing to save you money on your system. Instead, step back, take a breath, and give it some thought. Don’t jump into a sale without assessing all of your options. » Read more: Make Your Contractor Fight for Your Business

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, Heating, Money Saving

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Suffering Without Central Air

August 3rd, 2011

I finally got a chance to talk to a new neighbor of mine. Since
they moved in a few months ago I’ve seen him take his garbage out a few times, but today I got a chance to meet and talk to him. My curiosity got the better of me and I asked him why their windows were always open. His reply floored me. They didn’t have central air conditioning. I asked what was keeping them from getting an air conditioner installed. He said it was because they had hot water heat and they didn’t have any duct work in their home. He then answered my next question before I could get it out and told me that they couldn’t get window air conditioners because of the size of their windows. My reply was: it doesn’t matter!

You Can Get Central Air Conditioning Too!

Most homes that don’t have preexisting duct work can get a central air conditioning system installed for a reasonable price. The procedure is just a matter of putting an air handler in the attic to circulate the cold air and running flexible ducts to each of the rooms. There is no major carpentry or drywall work involved at all. » Read more: Suffering Without Central Air

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, Information

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Too Small to Keep Up

July 13th, 2011

Sizing an air conditioner for your home can be a tricky task if you do not know what you are doing. A mistake of choosing either too big or too small a unit can end in disaster, but more often than not, homeowners that try to buy a new air conditioner without the assistance of a trained professional purchase a unit that is too small for their home. Why is that? Well, a smaller system will typically be cheaper than a larger one. Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs these days, but the installation of a new air conditioning system is not an area you can afford to make drastic cuts. Doing so and making a mistake could cost you more in the end than hiring a professional and having a system properly sized.

Comfort

Air conditioners are designed to cool only a limited number of square feet. When a unit that is undersized for a space is installed, it encounters many problems. Since the unit is designed to cool a much smaller space, it will have to run for a longer period of time in order to meet the temperature set on the thermostat. The thermostat will not trigger the unit to shut off until this happens, so your unit could have cycles that are several hours long. In some cases, the home never gets to the desired temperature and rooms that are furthest away from the system receive little to no cool air. » Read more: Too Small to Keep Up

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, HVAC Repair

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Is Your Air Conditioner the Right Size?

July 11th, 2011

When it comes time to replace your air conditioner, make sure that you are purchasing the new system from a reputable company. Selling an air conditioner to a customer means big money for the business and as a result, some less scrupulous contractors like to take advantage of the customer’s ignorance of the HVAC industry. How do they do this? Well, one way they increase their profit is by selling customers a unit that is too big for their home. This may not seem like that big of a deal, but when you consider the problems that can be caused by oversized air conditioners, you may think twice about who you trust with your next air conditioner installation.

Years of Problems to Come!

Some illegitimate contractors will tell you anything to get you to purchase a more expensive unit. They will promise more cold air and lower energy bills, and before you know it, you have purchased a unit that is twice the size of the unit you need for your home. Once that unit is installed, the real problems begin. Not only did that contractor scam you out of hundreds of dollars, he also left you with years of problems to come! » Read more: Is Your Air Conditioner the Right Size?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, Money Saving

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Home Inspections and Second Opinions

June 29th, 2011

This summer, a good friend of mine and his wife thought that they had found their dream home. They bought a home that had been repossessed by the bank, then purchased, and remodeled by a rehab contractor. The house was beautiful. The kitchen had granite counter tops with complementing back splashes. All of the floors were hardwood with matching woodwork. On the surface this was the perfect dream house that they had been looking for, for months!

The Original Inspection

When buying a home, the mortgage company is going to want the home inspected before they hand over a penny. The lender that my friends used had their own home inspector go through the house and give the “thumbs up” before they would approve the loan. The loan was approved, and my friends became the proud owners of their first home. » Read more: Home Inspections and Second Opinions

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, HVAC Repair

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Summer Time Home Repair Scams

June 15th, 2011

The majority of scams that you hear about concern shoddy repair jobs or “fly by night” contractors, but there is another scam that dresses itself up as an offer to do home repairs but ends in a robbery. Any area that is affected by weather damage is vulnerable to these types of scams especially. The bad weather often cause roofs to crumble, gutters to fall, and a plethora of other home damage that needs to be repaired quickly. The scammers take advantage of this fact and will go door to door until they get a taker. Then the real scam begins…

Getting Their Foot in the Door

This scam is often carried out by a couple of thieves. They will say anything they can in order to get their foot inside your door. They will offer affordable low pricing and even a free on the spot inspection. An unsuspecting homeowner may think that this is their lucky day, but in reality you are anything but lucky. The “servicemen” will either try to split up or they will return later to finish the job. » Read more: Summer Time Home Repair Scams

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Posted in Consumer Protection, Contractors, Home Repairs

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