Never too early to plan for new air conditioning purchase, repairs
News | Published on February 27, 2024 at 3:19pm GMT+0000 | Author: Tucker Henderson
0By Chad Koenen
Publisher
Thinking about an air conditioner in February or March may seem as strange as a winter with nearly no snow. However, with warm temperatures right around the corner, planning ahead for necessary repairs and a new cooling system may not seem like such a foreign idea.
“It is a good time. The sooner you make plans the more we can work with your schedule and get it installed in your time line,” said Joe Guck at Esser Plumbing and Heating. “If you wait until that first 80 degree day that’s when everyone else calls and you may need to wait (a short time to get a new air conditioner or repairs).”
The wait times on getting a new air conditioner installed, or repairs for that matter, depends greatly on the amount of service calls Essers receives and overall demand. Guck said July and August may get a bit busy with the amount of calls the company receives, but they always do their best to ensure people who need a repair due to health reasons will be looked at as quickly as possible.
“If we have an opening we can do it in the next day or two. It just depends on the schedule and when you call,” he said. “If it is for health reasons you have to prioritize the calls a bit.”
Since one of the biggest purchase a home owner can make is their heating and cooling system, Guck said it is important to plan ahead for the item whenever possible. New air conditioners are more efficient in how they operate, meaning they can eventually save residents money on their electricity bill that could offset a portion of the new purchase.
Not only are new air conditioners more energy efficient, which will save customers time and money over the long haul, but new air conditioners now feature a two stage system that can run at variable capacity. For example, Guck said single stage systems are typically on or off, which means on days where it isn’t extremely hot outside the air conditioner can go long periods of time without kicking in to cool a house. As a result, humidity can build up and a house can feel sticky or humid.
The new two stage systems will run at half speed to match the need of a home or business. That will allow the air conditioner to do a better job of dehumidifying the property and keep it feeling more comfortable inside.
In the case of air conditioners, Guck said bigger isn’t always necessarily better. He said specialists at Esser Plumbing and Heating can help customers find an air conditioning unit to meet their needs both now and in the future, without buying one that will run inefficiently due to its overall size.
“(If it’s too big) it will cool the house good, but it won’t run long enough to take the humidity out,” he said. “You are better off with longer urn times at lower speeds.”
Like all vehicles and kitchen appliances, the length of time an air conditioner will continue to operate at a high level will vary greatly from one machine to the next. One tell-tale sign an air conditioner is on its last leg will be if residents notice a sound coming from the machine, but other signs may not be quite so obvious.
“We always say when it gets over 10 years you should start thinking about it,” said Guck. “The average is about 15 years, but at 10 years it is time to start thinking about it.”
If purchasing a new air conditioner is not in the cards for you at this time, Guck recommended staying up to date on repairs and maintenance to get the most out of the important summer-time necessity.
A unique program offered at Essers is the Esser Plumbing and Heating Advantage Plan. For a small fee, a person can receive one free tune up per year on both their air conditioner and furnace, while also receiving member pricing on all repairs made at a residence. That includes repairs for things like plumbing, as well as heating and air conditioning.
Guck said staff members at Esser Plumbing and Heating are big believers in preventative maintenance and recommend having an air conditioner or furnace serviced once a year to ensure proper working condition.
“We are a big believer in preventative maintenance. If you have someone come out once a year you ma be able to catch something now, instead of the Fourth of July and have an emergency call,” said Guck.
Serving the lakes area since 1955, Esser Plumbing and Heating in Perham provides many services like all plumbing services including water softening/conditioning, water quality upgrades, pumps, water heater repair and replacement and plumbing remodeling. They also do all HVAC services including maintenance and repair, indoor air quality equipment, air conditioners, geothermal units and air exchanges.
The company routinely performs commercial and residential installations and services throughout the lakes area, as well as the Fargo-Moorhead area.
For more information about Esser Plumbing and Heating, contact them by phone at (218) 346-3530, online at www.esserplumbingandheating.com or in Perham at 542 West Main Street.