Air Conditioning Comfort for Life

“How the heck am I supposed to know who the best air conditioning company is in Southwest Florida (SWFL) when there are so many to choose from?”

If you’ve ever felt the same sentiments, you’re not alone. There’s no doubt about it that air conditioning contractors are a dime-a-dozen in Fort Myers and surrounding areas.

Some are reputable companies that have been in the area for years and routinely give back to their community while others are fly-by-night operations that are here to take your money today, and gone tomorrow. And it’s completely understandable why you might hire an ac company solely based on price alone especially if you’re new to SWFL and have no past experience with any of us. So, why not choose the lowest priced competitor, right?

Want to learn how to choose the best AC company?

If you’re like most people, then you probably lump A/C technicians in with auto mechanics on the “scale of trustworthiness”.

But believe it or not, there are many trustworthy, reliable men and women in the AC industry that would LOVE nothing more than the opportunity to prove to you that not all of us are shysters.

In fact, some of us are long time members of the community who don’t care to swindle you and want to establish a long-term relationship.

If you want to choose the best air conditioning company in this neck of the woods, there are a few things you need to do:

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Have you had your air conditioner checked lately?

You’re probably thinking “It’s the middle of March in Fort Myers, it’s been cold outside recently, and I haven’t turned on my air conditioning system for a month or two. Why in the world would I bother having my AC checked?”

Because your air conditioner is a mechanical system and just like your car, it needs routine maintenance to avoid major repairs down the road.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is an oft-quoted tenet by Benjamin Franklin that couldn’t ring any more truer in regards to air conditioning systems because it’s so much less expensive to maintain your air conditioner than to repair it.

Case in point, the photo above is a drain fitting that rusted off the air handler of an unsuspecting customer’s AC system, months ago. She noticed water coming from her AC closet and called us to fix the problem.

When we snapped this photo and showed it to her, she was a little embarrassed. But honestly, she didn’t need to be embarrassed because we completely understand that not everyone is mechanically inclined.

Not everyone likes to “Check under the hood.” But if you don’t like to “check under the hood” every once in a while, you might find that your air conditioning system looks like this! →

If you have a filthy evaporator coil like this in your AC system, it’s going to cause major problems that require costly repairs (possibly replacement) down the road, if left unchecked.

I’m not telling you all this to try to scare you or anything. It’s perfectly fine if you’re not a “do-it-yourselfer.” Plenty of people aren’t and it certainly doesn’t make you a bad person, so there’s no need to feel ashamed.

But the reality is that without routine maintenance, you’ll definitely require air conditioning repair. It’s just a matter of time…oh an by the way, it’s usually NOT CHEAP.

So, what’s the alternative?

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Beware of  duct cleaning scams!

Here is the skinny: Most of the duct-work in homes today do not need to be cleaned or cannot be cleaned effectively with the methods that are proposed. There…I said it.

First let me start off by saying that most of the time, the issues that most homeowners are concerned about, such as dirt on the ceiling around the grills or a dusty home, are things that are not solved by duct cleaning, as some contractors would like you to think.

Instead, these problems are repaired by fixing problems with the duct-work itself… like fixing any leaks or breaks in the ceiling and around the grills, and by proper filtration.

My advice:

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Just the other day I was talking with a friend who was telling me about a bad experience that he had back in 2003 with a local AC company in Southwest Florida who we’ll call “O-Air” to protect their identity.

Jake said:

I remember as if it were yesterday because it was the summer solstice (aka the longest day of the year, north of the equator) when my air conditioner decided not to work. I just had replaced it a little over a year before that so I was quite puzzled as to why there was water all over the floor of the closet in which my air handler was located.

I called O-Air, which was the AC company that installed my air conditioner a year prior, and they told me that they were booked solid that day and couldn’t inspect it to see what the problem was.

By this time, it was approximately 91℃ and I was in no mood to hear that they couldn’t fix my AC especially because I had a maintenance agreement with them! When I told them this, the receptionist said that my maintenance agreement expired a month ago.

While trying to maintain my composure in my 90 degree home, I asked her why I hadn’t seen or heard from any of their technicians within the past year, after all they were supposed to maintain my AC every 6 months. She replied “Because you didn’t call to schedule an appointment with us sir. That’s your responsibility.”

Needless to say, Jake decided that O-Air no longer deserved his business.

The reason I share his story is because it got me thinking…Why wouldn’t an AC company actually call their customer to schedule a maintenance appointment?

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Just a word to the wise…

There are some air conditioning companies in Fort Myers and elsewhere that offer unrealistic discounts or specials. We have all seen them.

Just keep in mind that for a reputable A/C company to send a qualified technician to your home (one that can actually make the repair or offer a good solution to the problem) comes with a cost.

The A/C repair man that shows up in your driveway from the company with severely discounted prices has to make his money somehow, usually by trying to sell some kind of product or service you may or may not need. Typically those products and services are at an inflated price.

Also ask yourself this:

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Dirty filters or worse no filters in your air conditioning system can and will cause multiple problems.

Air conditioning filters that are not changed or cleaned regularly will form a buildup of dirt and dust causing a lack of airflow through the filter (as pictured above), which seriously impacts the system’s ability to cool properly, forcing longer run times, which in turn relates to higher utility bills.

Now even worse, is no filter at all in the system! This allows all the airborne dirt and dust to enter the air handler accumulating on the evaporator coil, the blower wheel, and housing. When this is allowed to happen…

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As the sweltering heat of summer sets in Fort Myers, it’s important to take a thorough look at your central air conditioner and it’s components.

Here are some steps to help ensure your central air is working as efficient as possible…..

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Do you want to maintain your central air before summer starts, but don’t know where to begin?

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Over the past couple of months we have provided tips about ways to save money on air conditioning services by checking a few things yourself first. Whether you are familiar with air conditioning repair or not, we hope you have learned more about what to check first before you call an Air Conditioning Specialist. In case you haven’t read this information, you can download it as a FREE eBook by clicking the picture above. Or simply read on and we’ll give you a summation of our posts on the nine things to check before spending money on AC repairs.

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This is the ninth installment of Nine Things to Check Before Spending Money on AC Repairs which can also be downloaded from our free eBook library.

If you are having frequent or severe problems with your air conditioner, it may be more practical to replace the entire unit rather than paying for continual repairs. How do you know if it’s time for a replacement? Here a few things that might indicate you’re better off with a replacement:

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