"The 6 Things That Furnace Repairman Do That Drive Everyone Crazy And How Service Legends Solves Them"

When your heating system fails in the middle of the night on the coldest day of the year, it can be scary opening up the phone book to select a contractor that you don't know. Are they going to answer the phone? Will they send a highly trained furnace technician to your home? Will they have the parts to fix your system?

1. Voicemail. Or even worse, some contractors use an answering machine. Then you have to wait and hope they will call you back. At Service Legends, our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so you can always talk to a live person.

2. Wasted Time. Many servicemen won't give you a real appointment time. They say, "We'll be there between 10 and 4" So, you have to waste a whole day waiting. Not any more! You get a precise "Appointment Window" when you call us. You don't have to waste a lot of time waiting.

3. Too Many Trips. Other servicemen can make 2 or 3 trips before they have the right parts to fix your problem. This costs you extra money and frustration. We stock over $65,000 in parts so we can fix the real problem right the first time, saving you money.

4. Invoice Shock. This is what happens when you are charged "time and material" and the servicemen gets paid more the longer he takes. Only at Service Legends do you get Straightforward Pricing. You know the exact amount before the work begins so you can decide.

5. Call Backs. Other servicemen have a "Concrete Guarantee".... When their trucks leave your concrete driveway, their guarantee expires! With us you have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are unhappy with our service for any reason, we will redo the repair for Free.

6. Only 1 Brand. Many companies carry 1 brand which makes them hard pressed to service older brands, when there are over 50 different brands of equipment. We belong to nationwide organization of contractors that allows us access to all brands, which saves you even more time and money.

We specialize in service and stock parts for the following brands:

Did you know that as much as 63% of furnace breakdowns are caused by lack of maintenance?

Are you aware that your utilities can be up to 25% higher without proper maintenance?

Service Legends Club Membership - It's about more than service... it's about prevention. With typical service agreements, you pay money for priority service when there's a problem. With a Service Legends Comprehensive Maintenance Agreement, you not only get priority service, you can prevent those problems from happening in the first place, and save money in the process!

The benefits of prevention with the service you expect from Service Legends! You will receive our exclusive Red Carpet Service. We'll strive to arrive on time and in a clean uniform! Plus, we'll cover our shoes before we enter, lay down work mats to keep our work areas clean, and tidy up when we're done. And we'll follow up to make sure everything was exactly as you expected.

After our skilled technicians spends 2 hours bringing your furnace up to factory fresh condition:

You will be wiser knowing you are not wasting your hard earned dollars on extra utilities!

Your Furnace will THANK YOU by not breaking down during the bitter cold winter!

Your family will be safer from worries of Deadly Carbon Monoxide Poisoning!

Club Membership services include:

Your Heating portion of your Club Membership comes with a Scheduled System Rejuvenation that consists of these 20 individual operations:

6 Secrets You Must Know If Your Furnace Is Over 12 Years Old And You Are Considering Replacing It...

Des Moines Area. If you are thinking about replacing your furnace, it can be vary scary, expensive, and frustrating experience. But it doesn't have to be if you know these 6 secrets. And remember you will live with your decision for the next 20 years. So, it pays to make the right one.

6 Secrets That Many Heating Contractors Don't Want You to Know...

Secret #1: Sometimes it is less expensive to replace your furnace than it is to keep repairing it. But some service companies make their money by "nickel & diming" you. You might be paying for a new system without owning one. Ask your technician to show you the professional service institute's chart that shows you exactly when you should repair your system and when you should replace it.

Secret #2: When it is time for you to replace your system, the next question is "what brand should I choose?" Here is the dirty little secret "brand pushers" don't want you to know: there isn't a $100 dollars worth of difference between brands, but there is a big difference within each brand and the quality of installation. If the serviceman tells you a brand is "best", it's time for a second opinion. There are over 50 different brands and about less than 10 major manufacturers. Many times different brands are built by the same manufacturer. The most important day in the life of any system is the day it is installed.

Secret #3: Most contractors only warrant parts and labor. They don't guarantee you will be comfortable or happy. Insert these words into any contract they ask you to sign: "this sale is contingent upon buyer's satisfaction. If buyer is satisfied, for any reason, he will notify seller within one year (365 days) of purchase for a complete refund or replacement at buyer's choice." This will protect you.

Secret #4: Ask your contractor to calculate equipment size using a mathematical load calculation. This involves measuring windows, walls, ceilings, doors, and insulation. Don't use a contractor who wants to size your unit solely on the square footage of your house. To gather necessary information, the contractor should spend at least a half an hour poking around your house, taking measurements, and asking questions. Systems that have been properly sized to fit your home provide better humidity control, cycle on and off less frequently, and cost less than oversized systems.

Secret #5: Ask your contractor to inspect your ducts for leaks, incomplete connections, and compatibility with the rest of your system. Ideally, your contractor should use diagnostic equipment and fix leaks using a quality duct sealant (duct tape does not count). He or she also may recommend changes to your duct system. Since as much as 30 percent of the efficiency of your system is a result of duct work, overlooking duct improvements can compromise comfort and cost you money.

Secret #6: There is already a company that provides you with all of this and more. It's Service Legends Heating and Cooling. Whether you purchase a new system from someone else or invest in one with us, we will help you get the most value for your money.

If you invest in a 95% efficient system wouldn't you expect 95% performance?

One major study showed that the average heating and cooling system operates at 56% of its intended performance!

The fact is that over 60% of the efficiency and reliability of your new comfort system rests in the hands of the contractor that installs it. Unfortunately, according to a variety of studies of the heating and cooling industry, up to 90% of home comfort systems are installed improperly. This costs consumers millions of dollars each year in increased utility and repair bills. More importantly, however, is the safety and reliability of your new system. Service Legends has established strict installation guidelines to ensure your comfort and safety. They include:

Honeywell  

A typical heat pump would lose almost 50% of its efficiency after 20 years, even if a typical "dust stop" filter had been installed. Also in 20 years, a unit's efficiency could degrade by 50% if it is not properly maintained. This would double the energy cost!

Pacific Gas & Electric Study  

In the Summer of 1990, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) hired Proctor Engineering Group to investigate the potential energy savings in residential air conditioners and forced air gas furnaces. The study targeted clients with high utility bills. The objectives of the study were to:

1. Identify the major problems with existing residential air conditioning installations

2. Identify the major problems with existing furnace installations

3. Determine what actions could be taken to correct those problems

4. Estimate the potential savings from those actions

The results are startling. Here is a summary of their findings on heating problems:

· 60% Fan Off Temperature above 90º F

· 60% Steady-state efficiency less than 75%

· 27% Gas leak

· 13% Low heat anticipator setting (caused short cycles)

· 7% Incomplete combustion (Carbon Monoxide present)

· 7% Cracked heat exchanger

The PG&E study identified a significant source of untapped electrical and gas savings. In all cases the cooling energy use could be lowered by 10% to 30% without extreme effort. In addition, these repairs have the potential to improve customer satisfaction.

The Fresno project showed that the existing HVAC contractor infrastructure was not able to identify and solve the problems that led to the high bill complaints. This can be attributed to a business environment that concentrates on low first cost and lowest bid. This business atmosphere results in poor installations and inadequate time available to diagnose and repair extreme problems that exist.

North Carolina Alternative Energy Corp.

This non-profit organization examined air conditioning manufacturers' efficiencies versus the actual efficiencies that resulted after installation.

· 90% of the units tested exhibited some sort of energy-wasting problem

· 50% had an improper refrigerant charge

· 40% failed to meet minimum airflow criterion. 20% were barely inside the range     specified by manufacturers.

· A deficiency of only 20% in indoor airflow reduces the efficiency rating by 17%.

A 15% return air leak from a 120° attic could reduce efficiency by 50%!

"The 6 Things That Furnace Repairman Do That Drive Everyone Crazy And How Service Legends Solves Them"

When your heating system fails in the middle of the night on the coldest day of the year, it can be scary opening up the phone book to select a contractor that you don't know. Are they going to answer the phone? Will they send a highly trained furnace technician to your home? Will they have the parts to fix your system?

1. Voicemail. Or even worse, some contractors use an answering machine. Then you have to wait and hope they will call you back. At Service Legends, our phones are staffed 24 hours a day so you can always talk to a live person.

2. Wasted Time. Many servicemen won't give you a real appointment time. They say, "We'll be there between 10 and 4" So, you have to waste a whole day waiting. Not any more! You get a precise "Appointment Window" when you call us. You don't have to waste a lot of time waiting.

3. Too Many Trips. Other servicemen can make 2 or 3 trips before they have the right parts to fix your problem. This costs you extra money and frustration. We stock over $65,000 in parts so we can fix the real problem right the first time, saving you money.

4. Invoice Shock. This is what happens when you are charged "time and material" and the servicemen gets paid more the longer he takes. Only at Service Legends do you get Straightforward Pricing. You know the exact amount before the work begins so you can decide.

5. Call Backs. Other servicemen have a "Concrete Guarantee".... When their trucks leave your concrete driveway, their guarantee expires! With us you have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are unhappy with our service for any reason, we will redo the repair for Free.

6. Only 1 Brand. Many companies carry 1 brand which makes them hard pressed to service older brands, when there are over 50 different brands of equipment. We belong to nationwide organization of contractors that allows us access to all brands, which saves you even more time and money.

We specialize in service and stock parts for the following brands:

Did you know that as much as 71% of air conditioner breakdowns are caused by lack of maintenance?

Are you aware that your utilities can be up to 25% higher without proper maintenance?

Service Legends Club Membership - It's about more than service... it's about prevention. With typical service agreements, you pay money for priority service when there's a problem. With a Service Legends Comprehensive Maintenance Agreement, you not only get priority service, you can prevent those problems from happening in the first place, and save money in the process!

The benefits of prevention with the service you expect from Service Legends! You will receive our exclusive Red Carpet Service. We'll strive to arrive on time and in a clean uniform! Plus, we'll cover our shoes before we enter, lay down work mats to keep our work areas clean, and tidy up when we're done. And we'll follow up to make sure everything was exactly as you expected.

After our skilled technicians spends 2 hours bringing your air conditioner up to factory fresh condition:

You will be wiser knowing you are not wasting your hard earned dollars on extra utilities!

Your Air Conditioner will THANK YOU by not breaking down during the sticky heat!

The ozone will appreciated not having harmful refrigerant gases in the air!

Club Membership services include:

Your Cooling portion of your Club Membership comes with a Scheduled System Rejuvenation that consists of these 20 individual operations:

Your Heating portion of your Club Membership comes with a Scheduled System Rejuvenation that consists of these 20 individual operations:

6 Secrets You Must Know If Your Air Conditioner Is Over 12 Years Old And You Are Considering Replacing It...

Des Moines Area. If you are thinking about replacing your air conditioner, it can be vary scary, expensive, and frustrating experience. But it doesn't have to be if you know these 6 secrets. And remember you will live with your decision for the next 20 years. So, it pays to make the right one.

6 Secrets That Many Air Conditioning Contractors Don't Want You to Know...

Secret #1: Sometimes it is less expensive to replace your air conditioner than it is to keep repairing it. But some service companies make their money by "nickel & diming" you. You might be paying for a new system without owning one. Ask your technician to show you the professional service institute's chart that shows you exactly when you should repair your system and when you should replace it.

Secret #2: When it is time for you to replace your system, the next question is "what brand should I choose?" Here is the dirty little secret "brand pushers" don't want you to know: there isn't a $100 dollars worth of difference between brands, but there is a big difference within each brand and the quality of installation. If the serviceman tells you a brand is "best", it's time for a second opinion. There are over 50 different brands and about less than 10 major manufacturers. Many times different brands are built by the same manufacturer. The most important day in the life of any system is the day it is installed.

Secret #3: Most contractors only warrant parts and labor. They don't guarantee you will be comfortable or happy. Insert these words into any contract they ask you to sign: "this sale is contingent upon buyer's satisfaction. If buyer is satisfied, for any reason, he will notify seller within one year (365 days) of purchase for a complete refund or replacement at buyer's choice." This will protect you.

Secret #4: Ask your contractor to calculate equipment size using a mathematical load calculation. This involves measuring windows, walls, ceilings, doors, and insulation. Don't use a contractor who wants to size your unit solely on the square footage of your house. To gather necessary information, the contractor should spend at least a half an hour poking around your house, taking measurements, and asking questions. Systems that have been properly sized to fit your home provide better humidity control, cycle on and off less frequently, and cost less than oversized systems.

Secret #5: Ask your contractor to inspect your ducts for leaks, incomplete connections, and compatibility with the rest of your system. Ideally, your contractor should use diagnostic equipment and fix leaks using a quality duct sealant (duct tape does not count). He or she also may recommend changes to your duct system. Since as much as 30 percent of the efficiency of your system is a result of duct work, overlooking duct improvements can compromise comfort and cost you money.

Secret #6: There is already a company that provides you with all of this and more. It's Service Legends Heating and Cooling. Whether you purchase a new system from someone else or invest in one with us, we will help you get the most value for your money.

If you invest in a 16 SEER efficient system wouldn't you expect 16 SEER performance?

One major study showed that the average heating and cooling system operates at 56% of its intended performance!

The fact is that over 60% of the efficiency and reliability of your new comfort system rests in the hands of the contractor that installs it. Unfortunately, according to a variety of studies of the heating and cooling industry, up to 90% of home comfort systems are installed improperly. This costs consumers millions of dollars each year in increased utility and repair bills. More importantly, however, is the safety and reliability of your new system. Service Legends has established strict installation guidelines to ensure your comfort and safety. They include:

Louisiana State University & Gulf States Utility

Consumers could save about $30 per month just by making sure that their air conditioning system is cleaned and serviced regularly.

Texas A&M University

A 23% refrigerant undercharge could result in a 52% efficiency loss.

Pacific Gas & Electric Study

In the Summer of 1990, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) hired Proctor Engineering Group to investigate the potential energy savings in residential air conditioners and forced air gas furnaces. The study targeted clients with high utility bills. The objectives of the study were to:

1. Identify the major problems with existing residential air conditioning installations

2. Identify the major problems with existing furnace installations

3. Determine what actions could be taken to correct those problems

4. Estimate the potential savings from those actions

The results are startling. Here is a summary of their findings on cooling problems:

· 67% Airflow less than 375 cfm/ton (dry coil)

· 53% Coil Dirty or Clogged

· 40% Filter Dirty, Clogged or Missing

· 27% Refrigerant overcharged (averaged 10% above correct level)

· 27% Refrigerant undercharged (averaged 20% below correct level)

· 20% Refrigerant leak

· 20% Other (Kinked refrigerant lines, wrong capacitor, etc.)

The PG&E study identified a significant source of untapped electrical and gas savings. In all cases the cooling energy use could be lowered by 10% to 30% without extreme effort. In addition, these repairs have the potential to improve customer satisfaction.

The Fresno project showed that the existing HVAC contractor infrastructure was not able to identify and solve the problems that led to the high bill complaints. This can be attributed to a business environment that concentrates on low first cost and lowest bid. This business atmosphere results in poor installations and inadequate time available to diagnose and repair extreme problems that exist.

North Carolina Alternative Energy Corp.

This non-profit organization examined air conditioning manufacturers' efficiencies versus the actual efficiencies that resulted after installation.

· 90% of the units tested exhibited some sort of energy-wasting problem

· 50% had an improper refrigerant charge

· 40% failed to meet minimum airflow criterion. 20% were barely inside the range specified by manufacturers.

· A deficiency of only 20% in indoor airflow reduces the efficiency rating by 17%.

A 15% return air leak from a 120° attic could reduce efficiency by 50%!

Duct Leakage. Air leaks in and out of ducts at all the connections within a system. This leakage means that air that occupants have paid to have heated or cooled escapes from the heating or cooling system and does not heat or cool the house. Also, air leaks into the heating or cooling system increase the amount of outside air that must be heated or cooled. Outside air is usually cooler (for heating) or warmer and more humid (for cooling) than air inside the house and the heating or cooling capacity of the system is then used to heat or cool this outside air instead of the air in the house. Even with the heating and cooling system off, the leaks in the ducts increase the ventilation rate of the house - increasing the need for heating or cooling.

Homeowner spends $8365 on a new home comfort system and their utilities actually went UP!

Repairing ducting systems can significantly reduce your utilities. Many people will replace their heating and cooling system in hopes of better comfort and lower utilities, and after the heating and cooling system is installed they find that their challenges are no better than before or in some cases worse! Many of today's contractors will neglect this area of the system, due to lack of knowledge or inability to communicate the value of a properly designed duct system. In many cases your system may not need to be replaced to fix comfort issues and lower utilities!

Florida Solar Energy Center

Researchers found that by repairing leaking ductwork, cooling energy was reduced by an average of 17.4%.

Pacific Gas & Electric Study

In the Summer of 1990, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) hired Proctor Engineering Group to investigate the potential energy savings in residential air conditioners and forced air gas furnaces. The study targeted clients with high utility bills. The objectives of the study were to:

1. Identify the major problems with existing residential air conditioning installations

2. Identify the major problems with existing furnace installations

3. Determine what actions could be taken to correct those problems

4. Estimate the potential savings from those actions

The results are startling. Here is a summary of their findings on air distribution problems:

· 93% Duct leakage greater than 150 cfm (recommended maximum in this study)

The PG&E study identified a significant source of untapped electrical and gas savings. In all cases the cooling energy use could be lowered by 10% to 30% without extreme effort. In addition, these repairs have the potential to improve customer satisfaction.

The Fresno project showed that the existing HVAC contractor infrastructure was not able to identify and solve the problems that led to the high bill complaints. This can be attributed to a business environment that concentrates on low first cost and lowest bid. This business atmosphere results in poor installations and inadequate time available to diagnose and repair extreme problems that exist.

1999 Department Of Energy Research

The following statements were made in a 1999 Department Of Energy Research report entitled "Improving the Efficiency of Your Duct System".

Energy Losses and Comfort

"Typical duct systems lose 25 to 40 percent of the heating or cooling energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner."

"Homes with ducts in a protected area such as a basement may lose somewhat less than this while some other types of systems (such as attic ducts in hot, humid climates) often lose more."

"Duct repairs could be the most important energy improvement measure you can do..."

Health Hazards

"Leakage in the duct system can be hazardous to your health. Especially problematic are leaky returns in an enclosed space or garage that also contains the furnace."

Get A Professional!

"You should not attempt to repair duct leaks. Safe duct repair requires a licensed heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor... one that has sent their technicians to a good duct repair school. One of the special tools that would be used by a technician is a blower door."

How does humidity levels in a home effect comfort?

If the relative humidity is 100 percent, we feel much hotter than the actual temperature indicates because our sweat does not evaporate at all. If the relative humidity is low, we feel cooler than the actual temperature because our sweat evaporates easily; we can also feel extremely dry.

Low humidity has at least three effects on human beings:

1. It dries out your skin and mucous membranes. If your home has low humidity, you will notice things like chapped lips, dry and itchy skin, and a dry sore throat when you wake up in the morning. (Low humidity also dries out plants and furniture.)

2. It increases static electricity, and most people dislike getting sparked every time they touch something metallic.

3. It makes it seem colder than it actually is. In the summer, high humidity makes it seem warmer than it is because sweat cannot evaporate from your body. In the winter, low humidity has the opposite effect. If you take a look at the chart above, you'll see that if it is 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) inside your home and the humidity is 10 percent, it feels like it is 65 degrees F (18 degrees C). Simply by bringing the humidity up to 70 percent, you can make it feel 5 degrees F (3 degrees C) warmer in your home.

Since it costs a lot less to humidify the air than to heat it, a humidifier can save you a lot of money!

For best indoor comfort and health, a relative humidity of about 45 percent is ideal. At temperatures typically found indoors, this humidity level makes the air feel approximately what the temperature indicates, and your skin and lungs do not dry out and become irritated.

The EPA States that "Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose, throat, lips, and skin. The moisture they add to dry air also helps alleviate common nuisances brought on by winter heating, such as static electricity, peeling wallpaper, and cracks in paint and furniture. However, excess moisture can encourage the growth of biological organisms in the home. These organisms include dust mites, which are microscopic animals that produce materials causing allergic reactions to household dust, and molds."

Whole House Humidification can:

Lower your utilities by allowing you to run lower temperatures on your thermostat because with the proper humidity levels you can be more comfortable with less heat

Protect your furniture from drying and cracking, prevent hardwood floors from shrinking up

Improve your overall health and comfort by relieving dry skin, chapped lips, sore throats and much more!