Posts Tagged ‘hvac’

How To Select a Heating | Cooling Company

November 17, 2010  |  Posted by bschutt |  Comments Closed

Becoming a smart shopper for technical services is a skill you develop over a lifetime. If you’re not lucky enough to already “know a guy”, what’s the process you go through? While many people are paying for membership into services like Angie’s List, there are still plenty of people that venture into the world of Google searches and Yellow Page listings without knowing the first thing about what questions to ask.

So, assuming if you’re here, you already think Homesense is pretty great.  But, let’s say you don’t know how extraordinary our technicians are, how reasonable our pricing is, and how much our customer service exceeds expectations.  I would recommend you ask these questions:

- What’s the name of the technician that is coming out to fix my problem?  How many years has he been in the HVAC industry?

(Many larger companies have technicians fresh off getting their EPA certification, which is not the same as being a quality technician.  Someone without experience will perform a diagnostic like someone without experience.  These young techs specialize in trying to upsell systems that don’t need fixed.)

- What is your hourly rate, and how long does a service call generally take?

(You should expect anywhere from $70 – $125 for an hourly rate.  Knowing a general expectation of time will put the pressure on the technician to give you answers more efficiently.)

- Before you perform any work to fix my system, will you provide a written estimate?  Is that estimate good for a certain amount of time?

(This is a big problem in any technical industry.  The technician uses terms you don’t understand to pull a solution seemingly out of thin air, to produce a quote that seems equally arbitrary.  Then has the audacity to tell you it’s only good while he’s on site.  As a homeowner I wouldn’t expect it, so Homesense won’t do that.  Our quotes are good for 30 days.)

If you know who, how much, and how long the estimate is good for, your expectations should be appropriate for what quality of experience you’ll have.  Be wary of any company that doesn’t happily provide this information.

Tags :best prices in indianapolis, heating cooling indianapolis, hvac, tips for choosing company

Investors – Be A Smart Contractor Shopper

April 8, 2010  |  Posted by bschutt |  Comments Closed

At Homesense Heating | Cooling we want to be the go-to contractor for residential real estate investors. After a few months behind us, we can say that our combination of quality work and fair price has given us some great partners in this area. But, there’s always room to improve. So we reached out to some local experts to find out what investors are looking for.

We asked, if you are flipping a home or renting it out, or advising someone in this process what are you looking for in a contractor, and how should you interact once you find a good contractor? Here’s what they’ve had to say:

“As far as contractors go it is important to treat them like kings. I say this because once you’ve find two(2), not 1 that you like it is important to keep them busy. In return they will (hopefully) put you at the top of priority lists and start cutting you more deals on prices which in turn helps your profits. It’s the small things like people skills and loyalty that can help turn profits in this business.”

- Mark Forcum, is a realtor with Prudential Indiana Realty Group specializing in making amazing investments in real esate. Find out more about real estate investment in Indiana on his facebook fan page.

Next, we spoke to an experienced investor. He shared a variety of advice for potential investors, including:

- Your HVAC system is one of the most important investments you make with your investment property, consider having a licensed contractor do an HVAC Condition Report in advance of making the purchase.

- Once you had tenants, make it mandatory that they make for biannual maintenance on the heating and cooling system. And have accountability in place to make sure they actually do it.

- Expect availability from your contractors. Issues have a way of happening at inopportune times, so your contractors need to be available on nights and weekends. If they are not, then I’ll go to the next name on the list.

- Make sure your gutters and downspouts get regularly cleaned. Nothing can damage a property more quickly than water damage caused by failure to do this regular and easy maintenance.

- Bob Kort is best known in Indianapolis as the owner of Kort Builders. Other businesses in the Kort empire include Midwest Wireless and Commerical Awning Contractors. As Bob has grown different businesses, he has invested in real estate for rental, to flip, and to hold.

Any more ideas to share? We want to hear from you. Email us at trusthomesense@gmail.com

Tags :heating cooling indianapolis, hvac, Investment Properties, Shopping for Contractor

Heater Efficiency – What’s it Mean?

December 5, 2009  |  Posted by bschutt |  Comments Closed

So you’re looking at buying a new furnace (mind that it’s probably about 30 degrees in your house, because your old furnace just died). You didn’t budget the $3 Grand to replace it, you’re looking a the economy and wondering if you’ll still have a paycheck in 2010, and every story on TV is about Tiger Woods love life.

That’s not the time you’re going to do the essential math, to understand what heater efficiency ratings are all about, and determine what’s appropriate for you and your family. So let’s learn together today…

Furnaces are rated by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratio, which is the percent of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed.

Like the miles per gallon rating on your automobile, the higher the AFUE rating, the lower your fuel costs. All furnaces manufactured must meet at least 78 percent AFUE. If your furnace is 10 to 15 years old, it very well may fall below the current furnace minimum and waste energy.

This doesn’t mean that you should only look for a furnace with the highest AFUE rating. The efficiency rating is just one factor to consider when looking at a new furnace.

Furnaces use electricity to run fans and motors. The amount of electricity used varies greatly depending on the type of furnace. Be sure to check electricity usage prior to making a purchase decision.

There are several important factors to consider when making a purchase decision. Payback is a big factor. For instance, if you live in a colder climate, you could see payback in a few short years. But in a more moderate climate, it could take longer. In this case you may consider purchasing a mid-efficiency furnace. Remember, after the payback, you will continue to save money on your energy bills.

In the end, you should consider all these factors, plus your lifestyle and family needs, to show you which furnace is best for you.

Tags :efficiency rating, furnace, heating, hvac, Indianapolis

Welcome HomeSense fans

November 17, 2009  |  Posted by bschutt |  Comments Closed

Hello there. Homesense is a new heating | cooling company in Indianapolis. We look a little different, sound a little different, and do business a little differently than most contractors you’ve probably dealt with. That’s by intention. We’re homeowners ourselves, and have had the frustrating experience of being bullied into buying, having technicians talk over our head, and have had that sinking feeling that we’ve been taken advantage of. If you’re in the Indianapolis area, and are having trouble with your heating or air conditioning system, and want to have a professional take a look, give a second opinion, or just ask some questions – We would love to hear from you.

We hope this blog can be a venue to provide some worthwhile tips, ideas and savings to customers in our area and around the country.

Tags :air conditioning, cooling, heating, hvac, Indianapolis