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We recognize that no one likes it when their furnace or air conditioner isn’t working the way it should. It’s miserable when your water heater goes out or your sink springs a leak.

You’re busy and we understand that the last thing you want to do is to have to deal with broken equipment around your house. It’s irritating when you’ve earmarked money from your budget for something else and now you must use it for repairs.

When you need a heating, air and plumbing specialist to assess an issue, you want to be assured to get the needed expertise and value for your money. We recognize that the uncertainty of how much the service will cost adds to the stress and inconvenience of the situation. It would be nice to pick up the phone and call someone and they could tell you exactly what it would cost to fix the problem. The thing is, there’s a lot that can go wrong with your equipment. It could be a simple fix or it could turn into a replacement.

It has long been debated in the heating, air and plumbing industry whether flat rate or hourly plus parts is best. We’ve seen far too often that the best value for our customers is hourly plus parts.

When flat rate methodology is used, there is a tendency to mark up to hide high labor rates within the pricing. This setup encourages to quickly make the repair and move on to the next job. Or worse, instead of repairing, the company would rather replace because the up-sale would be better for their bottom line.

We’ve had worried customers call us because they’ve had a flat-rate company look at their issue and were recommended a replacement. They’d call us for a second opinion. Everyone should investigate and receive more than one quote for such a big investment. To be completely honest, there have been many times where we’ve assessed their system and had found the true issue and a replacement hadn’t been necessary.

So, how do you know if you are getting the best value and expertise you need? The more you know, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions.

We are honored to be a part of the new radio show “

It’s Your Money.” It airs every Thursday at 3:00 pm on . This Thursday, A&D will be interviewed and

discuss different ways you can save money in your home equipment repairs. I encourage you to tune in and even follow the show on Facebook. If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, please don’t hesitate to call into the show or even send a message via Facebook.

On Thursday’s radio show, we’ll go over the differences between flat-rate and hourly so you know what is right for you and your budget.

So, catch us on “It’s Your Money” at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 17 as we will dive into the subject of flat-rate vs. hourly and how it affects your wallet.

We are sure you are acutely aware that it’s been HOT lately! July and August in Missouri can be downright miserable. Did you realize that last year was the hottest year on record for most of Earth!

Freeze Your Breeze: Place a bowl of ice in front of your fan!
Shut Out the Sun: Close your curtains and keep your rooms dark in the heat of the day.
Wear Cotton: Man-made fibers do not breathe like cotton does. Use cotton sheets too because they can help with your rest on those hot summer nights.
Eat Small Meals Regularly: Your body works harder to digest a large meal and even heats up to do so.
Rinse Your Wrists: Running cool water over your wrists can help you immediately cool down.
Plunge Your Feet: Dunk your feet into a tub of cold water for immediate cooling relief.

Don’t take the heat for granted You should take some serious precautions especially if you work outside, have certain medical conditions like asthma, or are elderly. Check out this National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips image for quick reminders.

Heat can overtake even the young and active crowd. You can become dizzy, dehydrated, and disoriented in a short amount of time. No matter your age or activity level, ALWAYS stay hydrated.

Make sure no children or animals are left in your car! Even with a cracked window, the temps can be well over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes. Be sure to check on your elderly relatives and neighbors without A/C frequently. This could save a life.

Keeping your A/C running in tip-top shape through the summer months is paramount. A little fine tuning on your unit makes it more efficient and will save you money. Remember these tips:

• Clean off the outside of your unit a few times during the summer to remove grass clippings, leaf matter, etc.
• Check your unit for ice. If you see ice on your A/C unit, turn it off and call us!
• Leave your thermostat alone. Set your thermostat to a temperature where you are comfortable and do not adjust it every hour. It will cost you more in utilities if you are constantly adjusting the temp either up or down than if left it alone at one temp.
• Change your air filters every 3 months. A more frequent air filter change schedule is needed if you have indoor pets, are a smoker, or have allergies. A clean filter helps your A/C to run more efficiently and your unit won’t work so hard to keep you cool. So it’s a good idea to take look at your filter to see how clogged they are.

We help with you’re the health of your A/C unit along with your heating and plumbing systems by providing you Peace of Mind. It’s a service plan like no other! Give us a call and ask how you can have Peace of Mind. Let’s see if it’s right for you.

It’s Summertime, and the feeling’s fine!

Unless you have leaky faucets…

Indoor pools are great, but not one made by the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet! We’ve all heard a leaky faucet could fill a pool, well that’s true. Those drips add up and end up costing quite a bit.

We talk a lot about preventative maintenance because we know it saves you headaches and a lot of money. A few simple things taken care of now helps you avoid major catastrophes down the line. A dripping faucet CAN fill a pool over time and adds to your monthly utility bill.
Did you know most utility companies can perform an efficiency test to see where your energy dollars are being spent? It’s something we recommend, especially if your bill increases suddenly. Checking your pipes and faucets for leaks is a good idea and will save money. Most leaks occur at or near plumbing fixtures like tubs, sinks, and toilets. If something has been leaking for a while (and you might not even realize it) you could have mold damage in the surrounding area. Wet wood will need to be professionally repaired or replaced if it has started to rot.
Sometimes you’ll notice your water pressure isn’t like it used to be. Often the cause is clogged faucet heads. In the Ozarks, we tend to have quite a bit of calcium and lime in our water. Sometimes, we even have rust in the water from older pipes.

These factors can clog your shower or sink head. You can clean them with an old toothbrush and vinegar, gently scrubbing out the build-up.

Maybe it’s time for a new faucet. Don’t let the seemingly simple and little job like a faucet change-out lead to a big headache of leaks and water shut off. Give us a call and we can replace your sinks and faucets without it turning into a headache for you.

If you have a slow-draining or clogged drain, try our recipe that works wonders for many of our customers. We hope it works for you too. But if not, we are here to help.

A little reminder, if you find you need a whole new heating, A/C system or new plumbing, we provide you with Peace of Mind. As with any major outlay of money, we encourage you to get more than one bid. You need to know your options to better assess who you’d like to replace your systems. We always give free estimates!
Better yet, if you are a Peace of Mind member, replacement costs may be included (ask us about the details of the plan). For a low monthly membership investment, you are assured that we get to know your systems and work to make sure they are in tip-top shape. You wouldn’t be afraid about the cost of having even the little things checked out because you have Peace of Mind. If you want to learn more, simply give us a call or click here.