As we all know, the Stimulus Bill was signed on February 17, 2009 that made some significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credit. The highlights are;
- Tax credits have been extended to 2011
- Tax creditsavailable up to $300
If you purchase a new qualifying air conditioner this season - the minimum efficiency requirements are - HEAT PUMP - 15 SEER, 12.5 EER and 8.5 HSPF. STRAIGHT COOL - 16 SEER 13 EER. (SEER is Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating; EER Energy Efficiency Ratio, HSPF Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)
These are the minimums outlined by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 and all systems must be ARI Performance Certified. (ARI is the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute). If you are looking to purchase a new qualifying air conditioner this year, you may receive a $1500 tax credit along with the traditional rebates that are offered by various Manufacturers, like Carrier Corporation, that currently has a rebate of $1325 on qualifying systems. All Florida Power and Light rebates apply when purchasing a FP&L qualifying system.
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When Hiring An A/C Contractor
ALWAYS - Hire a licensed & insured Contractor. Make sure the technicians are NATE Certified (the highest standard a technician can achieve). Four Seasons is the only "NATE Quality Circle Contractor" in Charlotte County.
ALWAYS - insist on your Contractor getting a permit and having your new system inspected by the local building department. Remember - permitting is a way of assuring your system has been installed correctly. You are investing thousands of dollars on your new system, make sure it gets installed properly.
ALWAYS - Take the time to check the Contractor out. Take 10 minutes, call the utility company, Building Department and Better Business Bureau. Your air conditioning system is a long term investment - it needs to be installed correctly to last. A few minutes of your time BEFORE signing that contract could save you hours of headaches down the line.
REMEMBER - if a Contractor comes over to your home and "high pressures" you, telling you you're system can cause a fire, threatens you, has several employees over at one time to talk to you, etc., that's the best reason to say "no thank-you". Don't fall for high pressure sales tactics.
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Buyer Beware! As unbelievable as these circumstances may seem, these are some incidents that have happened to people when they were in the market for a new air conditioner.
A few years ago one of our customers called our office and told us that she was very concerned about her neighbor, an elderly woman. A couple years ago an AC Company came out, sold her a 3.5 Ton 14 SEER air conditioning system that cost $11,000. What caused her concern that day was that the same company was out and now wanted to sell her $5,000 worth of duct work. After we visited her neighbor, we discovered the system that was installed was "way over priced" for the type and quality of the system and that the duct work should have been done at the same time as the installation.
Another person called our office a few months back and wanted us to come and look at their system. Another company had been out to their home several months prior, and told them they should not use their system because it was in such "bad shape" that it could cause a fire. The people did not use their system for six months because of this statement made to them. They could not afford to purchase a new system, and were not given an option of repairing it. When we went out to their home, the only thing that the system needed was to have refrigerant added.
Most recently a person called our office after seeing an ad for a Carrier A/C unit that we had on "special" in the local paper. She had just signed a contract because "she was high pressured" that very morning into purchasing a new system. She had called another company to have a cleaning/maintenance done on her system - the "$29.95 Special". She said that the man that came over only pulled the filter out, cleaned it, and said her system needed to be replaced. He never sanitized the duct work as originally requested by her. When she called to cancel her purchase (you have 3 days to cancel any contract), she said the "sales person" called her a liar, threatened her, then tried to charge her $500 for a duct sanitizing that never occurred.
The bottom line is whether you use Four Seasons for your air conditioning needs, or another company, don't make costly mistakes. Don't buckle under high pressure sales tactics or be fooled into thinking you need a replacement. The most common "scare tactics" include "your system is frozen", "your system is going to flood your house", "your system is full of mold", "your system is going to burn your house down". GET A SECOND OPINION. Get a NATE CERTIFIED technician to look at your system before you sign a contract with anyone!
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