The world is full of empty promises. All day long we are bombarded with advertisements that tell us to buy some amazing concoction because it will make us beautiful, some pill or diet to make us slim or to buy that weird-looking mechanical monster because it will shape our bodies and make us more attractive to the opposite sex etc, etc, etc.

     So, like it or not, we know that we have to almost “pre-sell” people on the value and benefits of doing business with us. We have to explain to them that what we have to offer…to make life more comfortable, healthy and convenient, is worth as much as we want to get paid…we must make them want to do business with us…maybe even before they know why.

     This requires selling skills…and selling skills depend mainly on words…and how they are presented. And we must be very careful, for to some people, words are construed as promises which are then equated as a guarantee.

     Over the past 51+ years, we have serviced tens of 1000’s of HVAC systems (over 9000 last year alone). We’ve found time and time again, that most HVAC systems fail to deliver the comfort or efficiency (or both) of which they are capable…and for a variety of reasons. Generally speaking, the blame can be about equally divided between home owners and contractors…but for different reasons.

     First let’s consider the contractors. Aside from those contractors who deliberately set out to defraud people (and mercifully they are precious few), most problems stem from lack of knowledge about the business they are in and/or how to operate that business successfully. For example most HVAC companies do not design systems…they depend on "experience" or "rule of thumb". These methods are not only inadequate but out & out wrong nearly 100% of the time. It’s an expensive risk and increasingly aggravated by the big box stores that want to treat HVAC as a commodity...the one size fits all mentality. If you had a 3 ton unit before, you must need a 4 ton unit now, they reason. It’s an expensive risk that does not have to be taken.

     Home owners too, must take their share of the blame. All of my life I have moaned that if only HVAC systems had the “eye candy” appeal of a digital camera, a flat screen TV or a hot tub and/or a swimming pool…if the air conditioner had to be parked in the driveway like a new car where all the neighbors could see it…then maybe…just maybe, we would be able to interest people in the things that could add so much more comfort and enjoyment to their lives.

      Things like clean air provided by electronic air cleaners that remove pollens and pollutants from the air…zoning where all rooms in the house would have temperatures to suit the occupants and activities…whether it was sleeping in the bed room, eating in the dining room, playing ping pong in the rec room or simply watching TV in the den…and a host of other things…like the proper control of moisture in both summer and winter and programmed thermostats for convenience and economy.

     Almost equally as important as the reduction of health and comfort benefits that you and the family may be missing when equipment is inadequate or improperly installed, is the unnecessary increase in the cost of operation that the home owner experiences when either (or both) of these 2 things are allowed to happen. These are just a few of the things we try to convey when any of our employees discuss any facet of an HVAC system with you.

     Deciding to replace (or install a new ) an air conditioner or heat pump is not a simple thing. A HVAC system is not an inexpensive item like a loaf of bread or a 6 pack of soda that you can throw away if you don’t like it. Usually the life of HVAC equipment, if properly installed and maintained is estimated at 15-20 years…and that’s a long time (and a high cost) to contend with discomfort (or unwarranted high operating costs) because of not paying attention to the words (negligence).

     And finally, even if you have the “perfect system” (designed & installed by Climatemakers, of course) we hope you use “common sense” (which we find is not so common after all) in regard to maintaining your unit. Our annual maintenance plan for a year round system generally costs $190.00 per year. It can mean the difference between your unit lasting only 8 years or lasting 20 years. It is like changing the oil in your car. You do change the oil in your car, don’t you?

It may be hard to define value but easy to recognize it!