Summer is just around the corner, and soon homeowners will be relying on their air conditioners to beat the heat. April is the perfect time to make sure your unit is in good working order. But, before scheduling an AC tune-up, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona suggests homeowners do their research first.

According to Energy Star, heating and cooling a home costs the average homeowner about $1,000 a year — nearly half the home’s total energy bill. Without proper maintenance, ACs have to work harder and use more electricity. Additionally, a tune-up can detect problems before they escalate,such as a buildup of dust and debris.

Before getting your AC checked, BBB has these tips to help you find a trustworthy contractor:

• Consult your owner’s manual. Before doing anything, check the warranty on your current air conditioning unit to determine whether any tune-ups, repairs or replacements may be covered.
• Research the company. Visit bbb.org for the BBB Business Review of the AC service company you plan to hire to learn details about the company, including its history of complaints and other issues.
• Check licensing. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation requires a license for HVAC technicians and electricians. Ask to see a copy of the license before work starts.
• Compare prices. Get at least three estimates in writing. All bids should provide a full description of the services provided and the materials used.
• Review warranty coverage. If the company offers any type of warranty or guarantee, make certain you understand the terms and conditions of the coverage.
• Ask about energy efficiency. Many new air conditioning units are manufactured to be significantly more energy efficient than others, which often qualifies for tax deductions. If you find yourself in need of a new unit, make sure you get the necessary paperwork to cash in on those savings.

For the past 18 years, Todd Baker- owner of Baker Mobile Aire in Tucson- has been guiding the air conditioning contracting company his father started way back in 1972. In its many years doing business in Tucson, Baker Mobile Aire has built a sterling reputation for not only quality service, but for the integrity with which they conduct their business as well.

BBB met with Todd at the Baker Mobile Aire offices to learn a little more about the family behind the business, about the HVAC services they provide, and some of their secrets to building trust between themselves and their clients.

Baker Mobile Aire has been a BBB Accredited Business since 2007, and currently boasts an ‘A+’ rating with BBB.

With recent temperatures reaching triple digits, many Southern Arizonans are thinking about having an A/C unit installed, or having their existing unit tuned up, but consumers should be wary of too good to be true deals, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns.

An A/C unit or some sort of cooling system is more or less a necessity during Southern Arizona’s hot summers. Every year BBB sees a dramatic rise in consumer inquiries during the spring and into the summer as consumers look for HVAC contractors to tune-up, replace, or install units. In 2011 BBB received over 9,500 inquires from consumers about heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors in Southern Arizona between May and the end of September.

Unfortunately, complaints against HVAC companies increase along with inquiries. As HVAC contractors ramp up their advertising, unscrupulous contractors often make misleading, or even false claims about the price of their services, and even the quality of the equipment they’re selling.

Wade Hamstra, of Hamstra Heating and Cooling- a Tucson HVAC contractor doing business in Southern Arizona since 1983- says that there are a few “red flags” consumers can look for to ensure they’re not being ripped off:

RED FLAG #1 – THE LOW-BALL PRICE

Ever see those ads that say “$39 Heating or A/C Tune-Up!”? Sounds great doesn’t it? Don’t be fooled: an average heating and cooling service technician makes at least $18 per hour. Add in the costs of fuel to get to the home, the service van, overhead expenses for a basic office- people to answer the phone, schedule calls, process paper- and the average HVAC company has, at a bare minimum, expenses of $50 per hour. When you add up all these expenses it’s very unlikely you’ll ever find a true $39 tune-up.

RED FLAG #2 – THE 400 SQUARE FEET PER TON OF A/C “RULE OF THUMB”

Just about any consumer who has researched buying a new A/C system has read about, or had a contractor tell them about the “Rule of Thumb” for equipment sizing:  “Mr. Johnson, your home is 2000 square feet, at 400 square feet per ton; you need a 5-ton air conditioning unit today.”

“This is the most bogus and lazy lie that exists in our industry,” Hamstra says. “Every reputable heating and cooling company will insist on performing a Manual J Engineering Load Calculation- as required by the International Residential Code book, Tucson Electric Power and Energy Star- to determine the size of system you need.  This process takes a lot of education and extra time to perform, but is essential for proper sizing.  A system that is not properly sized will not keep a home comfortable, and will drive up energy bills at the same time it decreases equipment life.”

RED FLAG #3 – NEW SYSTEM QUOTES OVER THE PHONE ARE NOT ACCURATE!

There is a large range of variables when performing a system replacement. For that reason it’s virtually impossible for an A/C contractor to give an accurate estimate for a new system over the phone.

Hamstra lists three reasons why it’s not possible to give an accurate estimate over phone:

1. The home might have experienced changes since the original system was installed (new windows, added insulation, added addition, more internal heat loads like appliances, TV’s, computers, people).  All of these factors will affect the system size that the home needs. The only way to ensure proper sizing- which leads to better comfort, energy efficiency and longer system life- is to visit the home, take all the proper measurements and run a computerized Manual J Load Calculation.
2. There’s the issue of physical unit sizes: the contractor may need to visit the home to make sure that it has the physical space needed for a new model A/C unit.
3. Any customer looking to get new air conditioning equipment should also be concerned with making sure their duct system is adequate. If the duct is overlooked, a customer may get sold a highly efficient and more expensive unit that functions like a lower quality unit, due to leaky ductwork.  It would be like putting a brand new Ferrari motor on an old Yugo chassis.  It is not going to deliver great results.  In order to deliver a proper solution, A/C contractors need to inspect the system as a whole.

To find an HVAC contractor you can trust and to easily get free estimates scheduled through BBB’s free E-Quote service, visit www.tucson.bbb.org or call (520)888-5353.