HVAC

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There are thousands of HVAC companies on the market and most homeowners don’t know what sets them apart. How do you know you’re hiring the best company to solve your HVAC needs and how can you be sure you’re getting the most for your money? We asked James Wisler, of Wisler Plumbing and Air, to share advice homeowners should keep in mind when they’re in the market for HVAC service providers.

The best HVAC service provider match for you will boil down to the company’s availability, the quality of their service and how well that service provider handles adversity. While you want to make sure the service provider arrives on time for scheduled appointments, you also need them to be available when you call before the service, during the service, and after the service is complete.

This follow through will go a long way in keeping homeowners from feeling as though they were taken advantage of then left to fend for themselves once money has traded hands.

Anyone who pays for a service wants to know they’re getting the best quality. We all want the job done correctly the first time, but what if that doesn’t happen? How does that service provider respond to failure? Homeowners need to factor in how service providers respond when jobs don’t go as planned.

No company has a perfect record, not even Wisler Plumbing and Air. We’re excellent at what we do, however, mistakes are inevitable. How a company responds to these mistakes is critical when selecting the best HVAC service provider for you.

Wisler Plumbing and Air factors these inevitabilities into our approach to provide the best customer service experience possible. Our response to mistakes is to be there for you, even after we’ve been paid, to make sure issues are resolved swiftly.

Most HVAC service providers do a great job at being available and doing quality work, yet drop the ball with follow through after being paid. It can be frustrating when things don’t go according to plan, but Wisler Plumbing and Air makes sure to stand behind their work and resolve any issues that could arise, so you know you’re getting the best quality.

If you need your HVAC system replaced and would like to schedule an appointment with Wisler Plumbing and Air, please give them a call at 540-483-9382.

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When we start thinking about replacing our HVAC unit, what are some of the things we need to ask ourselves? Is there anything that may shine some light on the situation and help us make the best decision?

Well, yes. There are several questions you can ask yourself to hone in on the best possible solution. We’ll discuss a few of those questions below!

Quality of life considerations…

The past is the best predictor of the future. So the major question you want to ask yourself is, “Am I satisfied with the comfort and air quality in my home?” If the answer is no, we highly recommend you tell your HVAC professional.

A true professional will consider your concerns and preferences to recommend the best options.

But remember, comfort doesn’t necessarily mean whether you are just cool or warm enough. Comfort can also relate to the amount of noise your air conditioner produces. It may just be us, but we’d rather not hear our air conditioner rattling throughout the night.

You may also want to consider allergies. Do you or your family have any that your HVAC professional should consider? If so, tell them. They may be able to help you get a unit that will maintain a high level of air quality in your home.

Investment considerations…

Purchasing a brand-new HVAC unit can be a considerable investment. So there are a lot of finance-related questions to ask yourself. For instance, how long do you want the unit to last? If you want to ensure you don’t have to replace your unit again in the near future, make sure you get a unit that will stand the test of time.

Also, ask yourself whether you prefer comfort in your home or wallet. Some air conditioners will provide you with high air quality and the perfect temperature but run up your electricity bill. Other options may be highly efficient but less powerful than you’d prefer.

In most cases, the best option is a healthy balance between the two extremes.

Other important questions to ask yourself include:

• “Do I care about the brand?”
• “Do I care about the warranties in play?”
• “Is safety very important to me?”
• “Do I care who does the install?”

Each of those questions can mean something slightly different to you than it does to us. But they’re important for you to consider. For instance, to someone who has young children in a home, safety could refer to those who do the installation.

Are HVAC professionals trustworthy or not?

On the other hand, safety could refer to the unit itself for other people. For instance, some people may be worried about carbon monoxide– the silent killer.

So be sure to look at everything from multiple angles.

Return on your investments…

If you’re going to sell your home in the future, you may want to hold yourself back from buying the cheapest option on the market. As tempting as that is, buying a quality unit may help your home sell later on.

One last thing to ask yourself…

After you ask yourself all the questions on your mind, you need to ask just one more.

“What caused the unit to fail?”

Some units give out due to typical wear and tear– it was just their time. However, other units may have been pushed past their limits– causing them to give out under pressure. So as you’re discussing your HVAC unit with a professional, ask for their opinion.

If you understand why it broke, you may be able to avoid it happening again.

Of course, if you’d like to have one of the Wisler Plumbing and Air Comfort Advisors talk to you about your unit, give us a call at 540-483-9382!

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Replacing HVAC systems is possibly a mastered craft by some contractors, but for others, it is still a learning process. There are many small details that can be easily overlooked, yet every nitty-gritty makes the difference in terms of a quality installation and a satisfied customer.

Here are the top three mistakes that we see contractors making when they replace or install HVAC systems.

Mistake #1: Relying on Rule of Thumbs

There are many rules of thumb used in the HVAC industry that contractors mistakenly use in every project they work on. For instance, they may say things like, “the average BTU we found optimal for every square foot” or “generally speaking, the insulation value on your wall is going to be X because that’s a good rule of thumb.”

A client’s house and setting might fit the average, but every household is different. Therefore, the approach, the calculations, and specifications should be tailored-fit to the customer’s home and not taken out of an HVAC beginner’s handbook.

For example, contractors have to be exact when calculating the heat load. This is done by considering all the factors that influence the value. This includes the direction of the household, the walls used for plugging in, every shading inside the house, and the type of insulation they used, among others.

Accounting for these elements will enable contractors to understand heat loss and heat gain in a household, and provide customers with a custom solution that soothes their problems better.

HVAC service providers can’t rely on rules of thumb if you’re dealing with comfort. The key to being a trustworthy business is being completely accurate.

Mistake #2: Improper ductwork sizing

If the ductwork isn’t sized properly, it can result in low airflow. This mistake is often made by contractors who take a “one size fits all” approach or who don’t understand the proper way to calculate airflow. Every ductwork installed in a household requires a certain amount of airflow to work properly, whether that’s the supply duct going into different rooms or the return duct.

For example, ductwork that’s too small will restrict air flow, making it difficult to cool or heat a home evenly. This can lead to higher energy bills as your HVAC system will have to work harder to make up for the restricted airflow. While ductwork that’s too large causes the HVAC system to cycle on and off more frequently, which puts unnecessary wear and tear on the system and can shorten its lifespan.

Being precise with ductwork helps improve the efficiency of an HVAC system, which can save customers money in the long run.

Mistake #3: Dwelling in a “that’s good enough” mindset

Being in the HVAC industry means understanding what matters most for clients: comfort. With that being said, every tech or contractor must have that same endgame in mind when working on a household. They must stray away from rules of thumb or shortcuts that will get the contract fulfilled but not provide what clients are ultimately looking for.

HVAC installations or replacements can be expensive. Clients don’t want to spend a bunch of money for mediocre and disappointing results.

Nowadays, the equipment used for HVAC is getting more advanced. With that said, the energy guidelines are also getting higher and every piece of tech equipment used is receiving tighter tolerances. Every contractor must pay close attention to the most minor nuances, as reliance on shortcuts can result in improper installations.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, committing any of the 3 errors above can lead to customers’ comforts being sacrificed and them not receiving a good return on their investment. Ultimately, this can be a bad look for a business and jeopardize a contractor’s reputation in the industry.

Customers like you are always looking for top-notch service for every dime they spend and we can make that happen. If you’re ready to replace yours, call Wisler Plumbing and Air at 540-483-9382.

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When it’s finally time to stop calling in for repairs, bite the bullet and pick a new air conditioner unit, what is the best way to go about it?

Well, when looking into a new air conditioner unit, you have to separate everything into two categories. Category one: things you can control, and category two: things that you can’t control. Separating everything into these categories will make your decision very simple.

So let’s look into the first category to start.

Things That You Can Control

There are a few things that fall within the borders of your control. The most important one is your service provider. After all, you have to invite near-strangers into your home and let them install your new unit.

There are usually many service providers in one area, so picking one might be difficult. I would always advise you to pay attention to warranties, training and reliability. And don’t be afraid to ask if they do background checks on employees. When you let a service provider into your safe space, you want to be sure they’re decent people.

I recently hired a cleaning service for our office, and I did exactly that— I asked if they did background checks on their employees. And I’m glad that I did. That cleaning service is here when no one else is working, so trust is necessary.

Other things in your control revolve around your lifestyle and needs. Ask yourself a few questions to narrow down your options.

For example:

• Are you looking for maximum comfort?
• Do you want really clean air?
• Are you after a convenient system?
• Are you looking for the longest-lasting piece of equipment available?
• Are you looking for the most efficient type of equipment?

Those are all factors you should consider when looking into getting a new unit.

Things That You Can’t Control

For starters, there are some technical limitations that you can’t control. For instance, your house only has so much square footage, it only has so many windows and its insulation is only so good. These limitations may reduce your options. All of these limitations also play a role in your new unit’s performance.

You also can’t control federal code requirements. These are things that a professional installation team is obligated to do. As an example, a code in our area requires permits for every gas furnace.

Why You Shouldn’t Compare Brands

After some people eliminate options due to personal needs and technical limitations, they may instinctively compare brands.

It seems like a reasonably choice, because we all have some sort of brand preference. But air conditioning units are different than most things. In the way that brands rarely matter. The majority of new AC units will perform relatively the same.

We choose to use Amana equipment because it has a 10-year parts warranty, a lifetime replacement warranty on the compressor and heat exchange. Plus, it always has good performance.

The thing to remember is that you can buy the best piece of equipment on earth, but if it’s not installed properly, it will not give you good performance. So hire professionals that know what they’re doing.

If you think it may be time to bite the bullet and get a new AC unit of your own, call Wisler Plumbing and Air for the help you need to determine the right course of action.

Our number is (540) 483 – 9382.