Author: Developer

5 Red Flags of an Unlicensed HVAC Contractor

HVAC repairs are expensive, and important to get right the first time. That said, you should hire a contractor that is both experienced and properly licensed. Here are 5 red flags of an unlicensed HVAC contractor to watch out for when hiring a contractor for maintenance and repairs. You will want to make sure that you have quality work done by a licensed contractor to ensure that your system is safe and follows the legal standards set by your local government.

5 Red Flags of an Unlicensed HVAC Contractor

1. Can’t Find a Licensing Number

When it comes to advertisements, you want to know and follow the ads that are as open and honest as possible. When a contractor is legit, they will know that they are required to attach their license number on all printed and digital advertising. So, if you don’t see this number included, it’s a sure tell sign that they don’t follow all of the legal requirements they need to be an HVAC contractor.

2. Fail to Get Work Permit

Getting a permit for the HVAC work that needs to be done can only be accomplished by a licensed contractor. Your local building inspection department won’t give a permit to just anyone, so if you are asked to get the permit you should know that your potential hired contractor isn’t licensed. This are some exceptions to needing a permit for service work done on HVAC systems. You will want to check with your local government to see if the work you need done will fall under that category, or if a permit will be required. This will ensure that your system is up to code and safe to use.

3. No Proof of Insurance

One of the most important things you want to make sure your contractor has is liability and workers’ compensation insurance. When working with this type of equipment there are many obvious dangers and you don’t want to be held liable, as a homeowner, if anything happens to go wrong. You don’t want to be the one to foot the bill if the company was negligent in obtaining insurance for its employees.

4. Lack of References

Just as any employer checks references of a potential employee, you should also check references before hiring an HVAC contractor. Ask for references or check with your local business bureau to see if any complaints have been made about the company. If the company can’t give you any references, then you might want to do some more research to find out if they are actually legitimately licensed.

5. Advanced Payment or Cash

If you are being asked to pay in a large down payment prior to any work being done, you will want to tread carefully. For most projects you shouldn’t have to pay more than 30% of the total bill in advance. This is an exception when it comes to large construction projects that take a longer period of time. Also, if you are asked to pay in cash or to write a check to an individual’s name and not the company’s name, you should know something’s up. Be sure that you are working with a proper business and pay them directly.

If you notice any of these 5 red flags of an unlicensed HVAC contractor, DO NOT hire them. Contractors operating without a license means they are not backed by a larger, or professional company or authority. And licensing, references, cash payments, insurance, and work permits are only 5 red flags of an unlicensed HVAC contractor. Don’t get scammed and risk spending more on your project than needs be. Call the professionals at Altemp instead. Our courteous, knowledgeable, and fully licensed staff is ready to help you with your HVAC problems. Call us today!

About HVAC Inspections From Altemp Mechanical

Running a business takes more than just making and selling a product, or number of products. It is extremely important that you maintain your business space to give your employees and customers comfortable experienced. Find out all about HVAC inspections from the professionals at Altemp Mechanical. We have the knowledge and experience needed to get the job done right every time. Read on to discover more about HVAC inspections.

About HVAC Inspections

At Altemp Mechanical, we understand how important it is to protect your investment. Your building is an asset, along with all of the equipment that’s used to keep it running. HVAC inspections ensure the temperature in the building is comfortable and the air constantly flowing. HVAC inspectors check that the ducts are clean and clear, look for cracks or breaks in the system, and make sure the HVAC unit is running efficiently.

It’s important to hire a HVAC professional when inspecting your commercial system as they have experience in extensive building repairs to back them. Altemp Mechanical professionals know how to recognize when something is wrong. Furthermore, we provide fast and reliable repairs that are made to last, which keeps your doors open, your employees comfortable, and your customers happy.

Our technicians are qualified to repair anything you need. Do not allow any appliance malfunction to get you down at your business. Trust in the experts at Altemp Mechanical to keep you running efficiently 24/7, 365 days of the year. They carry a full one year labor warranty compared to the 30 day one most has in this industry. Altemp and its extensive team of professionals are dedicated to keeping each and every one of our clients up and running so they aren’t losing money. We’re dedicated to getting each of our clients up to par as quickly as we can when needed.

The True Value of an HVAC Professional

As a business owner or manager, you want to be sure that you hire a professional when it comes to your HVAC repair work. Professionals have the education and experience necessary to spot potential problems. As an HVAC expert, we are aware of common problems with various units and can use this information during our repair and maintenance. But that’s only one perk to hiring professionals. Find out the true value of an HVAC professional and what they can do for you.

The True Value of an HVAC Professional

When hiring an HVAC repair expert, you will be getting the reassurance that they are licensed and even a member of the Better Business Bureau. Additionally, the insurance carried by a professional will be there for you if there is any error made or any problem with the work. This means that you are well protected and that you will have the backup that you need if there are issues. If you hire a person that does not do this work professionally you are not going to have this to turn to.

“A professional HVAC repair technician will be available to your 24 hours a day and will have the ability to respond to your needs more completely,” said a spokesperson for Chiller Systems Service, a Denver HVAC contractor. “You will find reliability and dependability with a trained HVAC technician. Additionally, if you have any questions or concerns, your technician will be able to address them more appropriately than someone that does not work in the field every day.”

If you are in need of HVAC maintenance or repair, you should consider hiring a professional that can provide you with competent and timely service. They will be the best choice for your business and for keeping your heating and cooling system up and running long term. Altemp Mechanical offers quality service and excellent prices for all of their customers. With well trained and loyal employees the repairs will be completed correctly the first time.

Common Furnace Fire Hazards You Should Be Aware Of

When it comes to keeping your family and home safe from fire disaster, it is important to keep your furnace in mind. One of the best things that you can do to ensure your furnace is secure is to have it regularly maintained. Regular maintenance of a furnace will allow a professional to look over the furnace and determine if there are any potential hazards. One such hazard might be the build up of grease, residue and debris in the system. Learn more about these common furnace fire hazards and what you can do to avoid them.

Common Furnace Fire Hazards

Furnace maintenance can also reveal dangerous leaks in the system that can release gas and oil into your home or place of business. The potential for a fire when these leaks occur can increase dramatically. An HVAC professional can provide you with the security of knowing that your furnace is solid and safe. This is an excellent way for you to get the heads up on any potential problems that you might be facing regarding the safety of your furnace. Faulty equipment – such as a bad igniter or poor wiring – can also be very dangerous.

One of the many mistakes that home and business owners make is congesting the area where the furnace is located. Putting too many items in the space may result in a serous fire hazard. The type of items you place near the furnace will also make an impact. Leaving flammable materials close to the furnace could cause a problem and start a fire if the furnace throws sparks or emits fumes. Keeping all items away from the furnace and checking if the walls around the furnace feel warm at any time is important. Having a professional do a regular inspection of the furnace and cleaning can help you stay aware of any potential hazards that you may not have considered.

5 Benefits Of Hiring A Commercial Ventilation Repair Professional

Commercial ventilation is a critical component of any business or organization, as is having a professional commercial ventilation contractor or repair company on hand to help maintain and oversee the proper function of the ventilation system in the building. Not only does a professional commercial ventilation expert provide reliable assistance in case of an emergency, they can also help you as a business owner maintain the healthiest air possible for you, your patrons and your employees. Below are 5 benefits of hiring a commercial ventilation repair professional.

5 Benefits Of Hiring A Commercial Ventilation Repair Professional

Air Quality

Ventilation systems are not just for circulating hot and cold air they, they are also critical to protecting indoor air quality. If your ventilation system isn’t operating at peak levels, or there are unseen damages or leaks in your ventilation system, the quality of the indoor air suffer, resulting in uncomfortably warm or cool climate control and unhappy people in those areas. A professional ventilation repair technician can diagnose and repair any issues with your system and assure that it’s operating at the healthiest level possible.

Energy Expense

Any type of air leak in your commercial ventilation system can cause massive spikes in your energy bills. Even the smallest of breaches in your ventilation system can drastically alter the efficiency of your HVAC system, ramping up electricity and power usage. Commercial ventilation professionals can find and repair any leaks within your system by providing professional duct sealing or replacement services.


Safety

Proper commercial ventilation is vital for safety within your workplace. Your commercial ventilation system assures that gases and vapors are safely exported outside in an environmentally efficient way. Commercial ventilation professionals will perform checks to make sure that all of the flues and fans in your system are operating properly, assuring that the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning is eliminated.

Cleanliness

The cleanliness of your building is highly dependent upon clean ventilation ductwork. Since you cannot see the inside of your ducts on a daily basis, it’s easy to understand how you couldn’t give much thought to the dirt, grime and dust that gathers within the duct work. Professional commercial ventilation professionals are trained with the latest tools and technologies to thoroughly clean your commercial ventilation system, thereby assuring a healthy level of air quality.


Commercial vs Residential

Commercial ventilation systems are complex and very different than residential systems. A commercial ventilation repair professional is the only person that you should trust to upkeep and maintain your commercial system. They are certified and maintain industry standards to keep your system operating at the very best levels.

These are only 5 benefits of hiring a commercial ventilation repair professional. Call the experts at Altemp Mechanical and find out more ways our professional contractors can help you and your business.

5 Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Refrigeration Professional

If you own a business, you know how much you rely upon your appliances to make it operate smoothly. If you own any type of food service business, commercial refrigeration is an absolutely critical component to the overall success of your organization. The significance of your commercial refrigeration appliances such as freezers, coolers, walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers and ice machines cannot be understated if you are in the food industry. If you are dealing with a faulty freezer, here are 5 benefits of hiring a commercial refrigeration professional for your company.

5 Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Refrigeration Professional

Commercial refrigeration equipment includes any appliance that provides cooling or freezing storage for your company’s perishable goods. Commercial refrigeration includes a wide variety of both refrigerators and freezers, including walk-in units, reach-in units and commercial refrigeration display cases.

Keeping your refrigeration units running optimally protects a vital asset of your company – the perishable goods that you rely upon for income and profit. Although the food service industry can be hectic and fast paced, you can control how well your commercial refrigeration works and how dependable it is by having your appliances inspected regularly by a Commercial Refrigeration expert, like those at Altemp Mechanical.

Routine maintenance should be performed at least twice per year by a professional in order to assure that your commercial refrigeration units are functioning at optimal levels, properly sanitized and also saving you money by not ramping up electrical costs.

A thorough plan performed by a service company should be scheduled twice per year and include the following:

– Pressure Cleaning Condenser Coils, including degreasing

– Pressure Cleaning of Drain Lines

– Monitor Temperature & Cycling

– Check Refrigerant Level

– Check Condenser and Evaporator Fan Motors & Blades

– Wiring and Compressor Electrical Connection Verification

– Unit Thermometer Verification

– Ice Machines should be completely dismantled and thoroughly cleaned.

– Acid descale solution should be flushed through the water circuit.

The other reason you need to keep your refrigeration equipment in top operating condition through regular commercial refrigeration service is because of the energy costs related to operating it. For most restaurants and small grocers, the energy costs related to operating their commercial refrigeration equipment make up a large part of their overhead. When your equipment is operating inefficiently due to lack of proper commercial refrigeration service, then your energy costs can go up significantly.

Here are 5 benefits of hiring a commercial refrigeration professional for your business:

1. Service, selling, installation and maintenance of all major brand freezers, coolers, walk-in coolers and freezers, ice machines, and more.

2. Our professionals provide outstanding and unparalleled experience in all areas of commercial refrigeration.

3. We understand the importance of maintaining optimal freshness and cooling temperatures for your food perishables and how critical those items are to the financial success of your business.

4. Altemp works closely with your individual business to develop a customized maintenance plan to assure that your commercial cooling products are always operating at their very best, assuring that it’s one less thing for you to worry about.

5. Altemp provides a one-year labor warranty on all services and products provided by our company.

Cooling Tips for Hot Homes You Can Do Today

Keeping your home cool in the summer can be challenging with the high temperatures of the outdoors. It is a constant battle to stay comfortable in the summer when your natural surroundings just keep getting warmer and warmer. Taking advantage of some of the cooling tips for hot homes below will help minimize the heat flow in your home so that you can retain as much cool air as you can.

Cooling Tips for Hot Homes

Keep the air flowing.

Utilizing the fans that you already have in your home can also help you stay cool. Using your ceiling fan – and making sure that it is rotating counter-clockwise – will allow for a cool breeze throughout the room. Another fan that is often forgotten on hot days is the bathroom fan. By turning on the bathroom fan, you are allowing the hot air that rises to the ceiling to escape through the vents. By drawing the warmest air out of the house, only the coolest air will remain. This will help keep the house at the most comfortable temperature.

Cook outdoors.

It only makes sense to keep the oven off during the summer months. You can move the kitchen outdoors to the grill to keep the heat out of the house. When you’re struggling to stay cool, don’t allow yourself to turn the oven on, only to trap more heat inside your space. It’s a fact that the 400° temperature in the oven is bound to make a difference in the room as you open the oven door to take your food out. Just keep the oven off for the summer, and work on becoming a grill master.

Scrap the hot lights.

The use of incandescent lights is going to increase the temperature of your home. This is exactly the opposite of what you want during the hot summer months. Not only are these incandescent lights a source of heat, but also a waste of energy. By using a different type of bulb, you can lower the electric bill and keep your home cooler.

Keep the doors closed.

When it is particularly hot, be aware of how often and for how long your doors to the outside are open. The cool air from inside your home will escape rapidly if there is any opening to the outside. To prevent your air conditioning unit from having to work harder, keep the doors closed as much as possible to help the cool air from escaping the house.

The extreme heat of the summer can really take a toll on the internal temperature of your home. In order to keep it as cool as possible, it is wise to take some practical steps to help maximize the retention of the cool air. These cooling tips for hot homes provided will work alongside one another to assist your working air conditioning unit, or to prevent extra heat from getting into the house if you don’t have a cooling system in place already. These are just a handful of tips that you can use to help keep your home comfortable in the warm season.

The Real History of Air Conditioners

Americans frequently use air conditioners to combat dangerous heat levels and maintain a healthy balance of moisture in their homes during the summer months. While air conditioning is today regarded as a common convenience, the development of this cooling device has a long and storied history. Read on to discover more about he real history of air conditioners.

The Real History of Air Conditioners

Before Modern Air Conditioning

Prior to the invention of the air conditioner, people dealt with hot and muggy weather in many original and creative ways that go far beyond what one might consider. Attempts to regulate cooler air in hot climates have existed for a very long time, but only recently become fairly standard in American homes.

Ancient Romans are noted for using the famous aqueduct systems of their city to circulate cold water throughout the walls of their homes. The emperor Elagabalus built a mountain of snow into his garden to keep himself cooled off during the hot summer months.

The 1800s

As the Roman empire declined, these type of extravagances were non-existent and the concept of air conditioning wasn’t revisited again until around the 1800s by engineers in the United States. In the time periods between the fall of the Roman empire and the advancement of America, people used common cooling devices, such as fans, palms and eventually electric and rotary fans. Homes were built in order to face away from the heat of the sun and reduce the enormous amount of heat that would build up within houses and buildings during these time periods.

The invention of electricity truly spearheaded the advancement of air conditioning. It allowed for rotating and oscillating fans, and spurred the imagination of engineers across America.

1900s

Willis Carrier is credited with inventing the very first air-conditioning system in 1902.
His unit utilized water-cooled coils to send cold air throughout spaces, for the purpose of controlling humidity at a printing plant where he was employed.

Carrier continued to tinker and toil with modifications to this unit, and finally invented an air conditioner that greatly reduced the size of the air conditioning unit in 1922. Businesses were the primary purchasers of these units, and patrons would frequently visit those places on humid and hot days in order to seek reprieve from oppressive heat.

Today’s Air Conditioning:

During the 1930s, air conditioning was quite standard to stores and offices. Home air conditioning units didn’t really begin to be utilized until the 1990s, and by 2010, it was approximated that 85% of homes in the United States had some type of air conditioning unit in their houses. The real history of air conditioners, as we know them today, is really limited to the last 150 years.

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter

There are several ways to keep your home warm during winter. Many of these ways are home remedies that do not require you to make any changes to your furnace or heating system. By paying attention to your windows and the temperature of your home, you will be able to minimize the amount of heat that is leaving your home. Let’s take a look at several ways to keep your home warm during winter and enjoy less extreme energy bills throughout the season.

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter

Let the Sunshine In.

Opening your curtains during the daytime allows the heat from the sun to be trapped inside your home. This will help your home stay at the desired temperature throughout the day. On that same note, keep your curtains closed at night to keep the heat inside your home.

Use a Programmable Thermostat.

By using a programmable thermostat you will have better control over the temperatures in your home. If you are out of the house for the whole day you can turn the temperature down, thus saving you energy, during the times you are not there. Then, in your prime activity hours in your home, you will be able to increase the temperature so that you are comfortable.

Take Advantage of the Fan.

It may seem strange to use your fan in the winter but most ceiling fan have a reverse switch on the top of the fan. By putting your fan in reverse it can help keep the warm air off of the ceiling and down to where you are living.

Free Up the Vents.

Another little tip is to be sure that none of your furniture is blocking any of your vents. If your furniture is covering up a vent then the warm air from your heater is being trapped underneath the furniture making your furnace run harder in order to heat up the entire room.

Plastic Wrap Your Windows.

Using special window insulation film will give you an extra seal of protection against leaks or cracks in your windows that allow the heat to escape. This will also help keep the draft from your windows out of your home.

In the winter months there is nothing you want more than to stay out of the cold. By taking strategic steps throughout your home, such as, annual furnace checkups and the list of smaller practical things listed above, you can maximize the efficiency of your furnace. If you add these things to your seasonal checklist you will be sure to utilize your homes heating system in the best possible way before each season.