Consumer Corner
What to Know Before Hiring an HVAC Contractor
(Family Features) For many homeowners, the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is among the home’s most important, and most costly, features. This system ensures the home remains at a comfortable temperature, and it also plays a significant role in the home’s energy usage.
HVAC
If you’re in the market for a new HVAC solution, you probably know there’s no shortage of installers. Before you hire a contractor, there are some important factors you should consider, according to the experts at Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), a leader in heating and cooling innovation.
Product Options
A qualified technician will have the knowledge and flexibility to install a wide range of products and solutions. As the country moves toward electrification, your contractor should be well-versed in conventional HVAC systems and more sustainable options such as energy-efficient, mini-split ductless and ducted heat pumps.
It’s also important to know about a prospective contractor’s experience with the equipment, including installation, maintenance, and repair. Accreditation, licensing, and training will give you a good idea, but you should also explore the contractor’s reputation and reliability through references and reviews.
Price
When exploring your options, get a written quote that details the proposed equipment and labor costs. Ask about incentives available at the time of service, including discounts, rebates, or other pricing specials. If you are installing an energy-efficient heat pump, you might also be eligible for incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act, such as tax credits and state rebate programs.
Financing
Replacing or repairing your HVAC system can be an unexpected expense. More HVAC contractors are beginning to offer financing options to help customers with upfront costs. Ask about financing options – preferably low-interest options – early on in your conversations with contractors. If any are offered, ensure the contractor is working with a trusted, reputable lending provider. If you are investing in an energy-efficient system, your heating and cooling savings may even allow you to recoup your loan over time.
Warranty
Many HVAC manufacturers offer equipment warranties that can help offset future repair costs, but it’s important to understand what’s covered. For example, Diamond Contractors, specially trained in installing Mitsubishi Electric equipment, allow for a 12-year warranty on parts and a 12-year warranty on compressors after equipment has been registered.
Equipment Issues
A qualified technician can help you understand the various options and explain terms you don’t know. You should feel comfortable asking questions and requesting the information in writing.
Learn what else you need to know before making a big investment in a new HVAC system at mitsubishicomfort.com.
Asking the Right Questions Matters
You’ve done research, budgeted for upfront costs, and compared units, but can’t make sense of the different HVAC systems. Hiring the right contractor can help alleviate these concerns.
Asking the right questions is especially important if you have specific energy goals in mind. Consider these questions:
- Are you certified in HVAC installation, repair and maintenance?
- Do you have insurance?
- Do you have references I can speak with?
- What are the indoor unit options for my home’s design and square footage? How many units do I need? How many of these systems has your company installed in the last few years?
- Does my home’s design support ductwork, or are ductless systems the best option for me? What are the pros and cons of each?
- What’s the temperature range this system can manage?
- How does this system handle partial loads? (“Load” is the amount of heating or cooling needed to bring a space to a comfortable temperature.)
- How frequently does the system need to be serviced? What kind of maintenance does the system need? What kind of maintenance program do you offer?
- What kind of utility cost savings can I expect comparing a split-ductless heat pump system to a conventional HVAC system?
- Will I need any supplemental equipment to achieve my energy usage goals?
SOURCE:
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS)
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Consumer Corner
10 Tips to Vacation-Proof Your Home While You’re Away
Vacation-Proof Your Home: Whether you’re headed toward the beach, the mountains, a new city or your favorite quaint small town, it’s exciting to look forward to a vacation. Use these 10 steps as a pre-vacation checklist so you can enjoy a worry-free trip.
10 Tips to Vacation-Proof Your Home While You’re Away
(Feature Impact) Whether you’re headed toward the beach, the mountains, a new city or your favorite quaint small town, it’s exciting to look forward to a vacation. Making sure all the logistics are planned, prepped and ready before your departure is the tough part, but it’s well worth putting in the effort now to save yourself stress later. That includes taking precautions to protect your home from break-ins, water damage and other unpleasant surprises you’d rather not return to.
“A vacation should end with great memories, not an unexpected repair bill,” said Larry Anderson, director of underwriting operations for Mercury Insurance. “Taking a few simple steps before you leave can help protect your home, reduce unnecessary stress and give you greater peace of mind while you’re away.”
Use these 10 steps as a pre-vacation checklist so you can enjoy a worry-free trip.
Lock Doors, Gates and Windows
You probably won’t forget to lock the front door before you leave, but other entry points can be easier to forget. Check all your windows, sliding glass doors, side entrances and gates. If you have any outbuildings like a shed or detached garage, secure them before you leave as well.
Automate Lights for a Lived-In Look
Although you don’t have to go full “Home Alone,” a home that appears occupied is less of a target for burglars. Use timers or automated smart devices to turn lights on and off throughout the day, ideally varying the schedules in different rooms.
Hold Mail and Packages
Beyond being easy prey for porch pirates, stacks of packages and overflowing mail signal no one is home to collect them. Contact your post office to place a hold on deliveries or arrange for a trusted neighbor to get the mail for you.
Consider Shutting Off the Water
A small leak can quickly become a big problem when there’s nobody home to notice. If practical, shutting off your home’s main water supply can help prevent major plumbing issues – and at the very least, be good for your peace of mind.
Set the Thermostat
It’s important to maintain a safe indoor temperature in your home while you’re away. The usual wisdom is to set the thermostat at 55-60 F during the winter to prevent pipes from freezing, and about 85 F during the summer to reduce energy use while protecting the home from excessive heat and humidity. Smart thermostats allow you to monitor and control temperatures remotely if the weather changes unexpectedly.
Test Smoke Alarms and Other Devices
Make sure your emergency alert systems are ready to do their jobs while you’re gone. Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and any leak sensors, smart devices or security systems. If needed, replace batteries and confirm your monitoring apps are set up to get notifications promptly.
Ask a Trusted Person to Check In
Neighbors, friends or family members will often keep an eye on the place during your vacation (especially if you return the favor during theirs). It’s up to you whether you want to give them a key to check things out inside; otherwise, a quick walk around the property can identify external damage or signs of forced entry.
Be Social-Media Savvy
Even if you trust everyone on your online friends list, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Save the vacation photos to post once you’re safely back so you don’t unintentionally advertise that nobody’s home.
Tidy Up Outdoor Spaces
Well-maintained landscaping gives the impression someone is home and cares about the property. An afternoon of yardwork before you leave can keep things looking fresh for a while.
Review Your Homeowners Insurance
No matter how well you prepare, it’s smart to have a fallback plan in case something goes wrong. Before your trip, review your homeowners policy to make sure you know what it covers and how to reach your insurance company in the event of any incidents.
For more information about homeowners insurance coverage and ways to help protect your home year-round, visit MercuryInsurance.com.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
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Consumer Corner
5 Simple Snake Prevention Tips
Check out these snake prevention tips to reduce the possibility of unwanted reptilian encounters on your property.
5 Simple Snake Prevention Tips
(Feature Impact) Summer is peak snake season, so if you’ve recently gotten jump-scared while gardening or walking up your porch steps, you’re not alone. Typically, snakes aren’t slithering around looking for someone to bite – they’re often searching for food, water and shelter, and the vast majority (97% in the U.S.) aren’t venomous. Even if the risks of any real danger are low, though, you probably have no desire to share your shelter or yard with any slithering housemates.
Check out these snake prevention tips to reduce the possibility of unwanted reptilian encounters on your property.
Tidy Up Your Yard
If there’s one thing snakes love, it’s overgrown vegetation. Tall grass, piles of leaves and unkempt landscaping offer cool, sheltered hiding places for snakes and other pests. By keeping your lawn mowed, shrubs trimmed and garden weeded, you immediately make your yard less attractive to snakes and other pests.
Seal Exterior Cracks and Gaps
Seeing a snake outside your home is one thing but inside is a whole new level of startling. Conduct a thorough inspection of your house’s foundation to look for holes or cracks where uninvited guests may be able to infiltrate. Batten down the hatches by sealing these up and installing sturdy mesh over other openings like vents and crawl spaces.
Control Rodent Populations
Households with a mice or rat problem are also susceptible to predators that like to eat rodents. Addressing the first issue removes a major food source for snakes around your property and makes them less likely to hang around.
Don’t Leave Food Around
Speaking of food sources, if you have bird feeders or have other animals you feed outdoors, store your supplies in sealed containers. When you host outdoor gatherings, clean up promptly so crumbs and spills don’t attract insects and rodents (and in turn, snakes). Promptly gather any fallen fruit from trees on your property as well.
Practice Snake Safety
It never hurts to exercise a little extra caution when you’re spending time in places where you might encounter snakes. Stay alert when pulling equipment out of sheds, going elbow-deep in garden weeds, walking around in the dark or moving piles of wood, rocks or debris. Educate family members, especially kids, on what to do if they see a snake: stay calm, don’t provoke it, give it space and tell someone.
If you’re experiencing recurring snake sightings or issues on your property, it might be worth calling a professional. A wildlife removal or pest control specialist can look around your home and give you more specialized guidance on how to keep your spaces safe and snake-free. Visit eLivingtoday.com for additional home and garden guidance.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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home improvement
Ducted or Ductless: Improve Home Comfort with an All-Climate Heat Pump
Making your home a comfortable, welcoming place starts with the choices you make about heating and cooling it. To figure out what factors you should take into account while planning your HVAC system revamp, consider this guidance. All-Climate Heat Pump?
Ducted or Ductless: Improve Home Comfort with an All-Climate Heat Pump
(Feature Impact) Making your home a comfortable, welcoming place starts with the choices you make about heating and cooling it.
If you’re looking to upgrade your system, it may not require a complete overhaul of your existing HVAC setup to add a modern heat pump. Ducted heat pumps can often be installed using a home’s existing ducts – and in some cases, it might make sense to combine ducted and ductless equipment. It all depends on the needs of your space.
To figure out what factors you should take into account while planning your HVAC system revamp, consider this guidance from the heating and cooling experts at Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), leading providers of all-electric, all-climate heat pumps in the U.S.
How Heat Pumps Can Work with Existing Ductwork
Similar to traditional HVAC systems, ducted heat pumps are designed to distribute conditioned air through ductwork. Therefore, if your home is already set up with a usable duct system, adding a heat pump and air handler could allow you to heat and cool your home more efficiently and comfortably. Depending on the condition, size and layout of your ductwork, you may just need minor modifications during the installation process.
Getting a professional home assessment with a qualified HVAC contractor can help you evaluate your options. Because no two spaces are the same, they will assess the design and condition of your existing system, evaluate whether it can support a modern heat pump and identify other potential opportunities for improvement.
Why You Can’t Use the Same HVAC Approach for Every Home
Every home is different, so there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all HVAC solution. If you have certain rooms that consistently make you shiver or sweat when you walk into them – no matter how comfortable the rest of the house is – that’s probably a space your ducted system isn’t equipped to reach on its own.
Commonly, these are additions that weren’t included in the original HVAC design, rooms at the end of long duct runs or areas of the home with different airflow and insulation conditions. Finished basements, for instance, often stay naturally colder than the rest of the home since heat rises and basement walls are cooled by the surrounding earth. Converted attics or bonus rooms above garages, meanwhile, can become extra hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Sunrooms and rooms with large amounts of glass are typically less insulated and experience extreme temperature shifts.
When to Combine Ducted and Ductless Systems
A combined approach may make sense when you have spaces with different heating and cooling needs. By leveraging existing ductwork in the main areas of your home, you can install a ducted heat pump to keep your most-used living spaces comfortable without extensively reconfiguring your HVAC setup.
Spaces outside the main zones can be more difficult to keep climate-controlled using ducted systems alone. Additions, sunrooms, finished basements and converted attics or garages are good places to add ductless indoor units to help manage temperatures.
Combine ducted and ductless solutions in a sustainable way by choosing energy-efficient models like Mitsubishi Electric’s all-electric, all-climate heat pumps. Integrate a ducted air handler into your existing whole-home system to control the bulk of heating and cooling then install wall-mounted ductless units as needed to provide targeted, on-demand comfort in areas that are more difficult to heat or cool. The heat pumps are designed for high performance in a wide range of temperatures and conditions while remaining quiet, adaptable and energy efficient.
Benefits of Combining HVAC System Types
If you have a house where it feels like some rooms are always too hot or too cold, a combined ducted and ductless system can help you maintain more consistent temperatures throughout your home. They also give you more control over temperatures in different spaces, since you can adjust individual units rather than changing a single thermostat. Plus, if you know your home needs HVAC upgrades, choosing a combined system means you can make those changes with minimal disruptions to your existing setup, saving you time and money.
Learn more about all-electric ducted and ductless heat pump systems at MitsubishiComfort.com.
SOURCE:
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US
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