for the 7th year in a row!

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Howard Air has earned the service industry-coveted 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor awarded annually to approximately 5 percent of all the companies rated on Angie’s List, the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.

 “It’s a select group of companies rated on Angie’s List that can claim the exemplary customer service record of being a Super Service Award winner,” said Angie’s List FounderAngie Hicks. “Our standards for the Super Service Award are quite high. The fact that Howard Air earned this recognition speaks volumes about its dedication providing great service to its customers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2012 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, including earning a minimum number of reports, an excellent rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2012 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

Angie’s List

“We use Angie’s List to assess whether we’re doing a good job keeping valued customers like you happy. Please visit AngiesList.com/Review/145235 in order to grade our quality of work and customer service.

Angie’s List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 550 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. More than 1.5 million paid households use Angie’s List to gain unlimited access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine, and the Angie’s List complaint resolution service.

But, what system type is right for your home?

Furnace

How does it work?

A furnace uses some type of fuel, most often gas or oil, to produce heat within the furnace’s burner. Once the heat exchanger is fully heated, the blower disperses the heat through your air vents.

How efficient is it?

Furnace efficiency is measured by Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). The higher the AFUE percentage, the greater the level of efficiency a system has. Gas furnaces tend to be more efficient than oil furnaces, although Trane offers models ranging from 82.7-96.7% AFUE.

Heat Pump

How does it work?

Rather than burning fuel to produce heat, a heat pump simply takes heat from the air and uses electricity to pump it from location to location. In the summer it works reversely to pump hot indoor air to the outside to cool your home, and ultimately replaces your air conditioner.

How efficient is it?

Heat pumps typically have higher efficiency levels than furnaces, which are measured by the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). A higher factor equates to higher energy efficiency. Trane systems offer efficiencies as high as 9.2 HSPF.

Now is a great time to replace your system, before the peak of the heating season arrives. Your Phoenix heating and air repair company will gladly help you evaluate your system options and choose one that is best for your needs. Call Howard Air today to request a system quote!

It saves you money.

When an HVAC professional performs maintenance, your furnace will be cleaned, inspected, and fine-tuned for best operation. This allows your heating system to operate at maximum efficiency, which therefore means that less energy is used. When you use less energy, you save significantly on your monthly heating bills!

It prevents breakdowns.

Your heating system has likely sat unused for many, many months. As a result, there may be issues present that you are not aware of yet. As time passes and your system is used, the issue may progress and lead to the need for costly Phoenix heating and air repair. An experienced technician will catch these problems during maintenance and prevent the need for repair, or even premature system replacement.

It improves indoor air quality.

So it’s been a while since you used the heating system in your home. Can you imagine how much dust, dirt, and other particles have settled within? When you turn on your heat for the first time this season, the blower inside your furnace will circulate these particles through your home for your family to inhale. During maintenance, your technician will thoroughly clean your system to prevent this from happening.

It’s a safety precaution.

Fire and carbon monoxide incidents are a serious safety hazard, especially for those with a gas furnace. Your maintenance technician can inspect your system to ensure that everything is operating as it should be, and may also install a carbon monoxide detector if one is not already present in your home.

Click here for more information on our maintenance services, and contact Howard Air to schedule an appointment at your convenience. In the meantime, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Schedule an HVAC Check-Up: An annual service agreement not only ensures proper care of your system, with energy efficient and money-saving benefits, but can also improve indoor air quality. During inspection, an HVAC professional will clean your unit to prevent accumulated allergens, viruses, and bacteria from being circulated through your home when the furnace or heating system is in use. Additionally, your service technician will also be able to identify if mold may be present in your system, which could allow mold spores to be distributed through your air and inhaled by your family.

Clean Your Space Weekly: It might not seem like much, but cleaning your space regularly is a great way to eliminate airborne particles which could irritate your allergies. For example, dusting surfaces and vacuuming carpets can help significantly as these sources are ideal spots for the gathering of allergens. Of course, it is a good idea to wear a protective mask to prevent the stirred allergens from entering your nose and mouth.

Install an Air Purification System: If you suffer from severe allergies or even asthma, a whole-home air cleaner is a necessity. Trane manufacturers a number of reliable systems, removing up to 99.98% of allergens from the air in your home! For more information on air cleaners, contact your Phoenix heating and air contractor to discuss available models.

Consider Adding a Humidifier: Did you know that the level of humidity in your space also plays a role in the development of allergens? Air that is too damp allows mold to grow, while air that is overly dry creates perfect conditions for dust. Adding a Trane humidification system to your HVAC system will allow you to control the humidity in your space and gain allergy relief as a result.

If you are looking to relieve allergy symptoms such as runny nose, coughing, watery eyes, and sneezing, the above suggestions are sure to help. For additional information about the benefits of indoor air quality solutions such as the ones mentioned above, feel free to contact Howard Air for more information, or click here to learn more about our products.

Sources:

¹Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America; http://www.aafa.org/pdfs/Public%20LIST%20FALL_2012%20v1.pdf

Howard Air is honored to be selected by APS as one of the top 10 contractors of Arizona again for the second year in a row!

There are over 2,000 HVAC contractors in the valley and to be recognized for their dedication to replacing 1,000′s of inefficient systems each year with energy-conscious systems is their mission. 

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Fall is a beautiful time in Arizona. The summer heat dissipates and locals can step outside and enjoy outdoor activities without fear of overheating. In addition, your air conditioning Phoenix systems will get a much-needed break and your heating system may even get some use. The onslaught of cooler weather and the impending fall allergy season leave locals with a lengthy to-do list in preparation. Check out these tips for preparing your home for fall:

1. Seal Energy Drains-While there may be many sources of energy drains in your home, common sources include air leaks around your window and door frames. Inexpensive weatherstripping and caulking can be purchased at your local home improvement store and installed to close off these leaks. You will experience savings on your energy bills as a result!
2. Inspect Smoke Alarms- Your home likely has multiple smoke detectors, and you may even have a carbon monoxide detector for added protection. Fall is a great time to inspect these safety devices and change batteries if need be.
3. Improve Air Quality- Did you know that Trane offers whole home air purifiers to remove 99.98% of allergens from the air? This can be a life saver during the irritating fall allergy season and is great for those with asthma. Your carpet is home to large amounts of allergens and respiratory irritants (despite vacuuming regularly). Consider having them cleaned this fall and breathe easier!
4. Change Air Filters- Your heating system uses a filter to trap airborne particles from being expelled into the home. When these filters become overly dirty, they can clog the system and reduce energy efficiency. This costs you in inflated energy expenses. Check your filters every month and change them regularly. Call your heating & cooling specialist for the proper replacement filters.
5. Sign a Maintenance Agreement- Maintenance services are the best way to avoid the need for heating and AC repair Scottsdale. Planned maintenance agreements are a great way to save money on preventative services and often have additional benefits such as discounted, preferred service. As a result of maintenance, you will see improved performance and reduced energy costs.

Howard Air can help you with the majority of these tasks so be sure to call for service or product solutions from the reliable Trane brand. We would love to help you prepare for fall so you have more time to spend enjoying the weather!

Ask for a Referral

The best place to start is by asking your friends if they can refer someone. Who better to trust than your friends and family? Chances are that they can direct you toward (or away from) a contractor whom they have dealt with in the past. Of course, not everyone’s experience is the same. While someone may have had a negative experience, another may have had a positive one. Be sure to do your own research on the contractor before making a decision.

Check Them Out Online

Visit a contractor’s website for more information on their products and services, and to better gauge their level of professionalism. Does their website have customer reviews? Video reviews from real customers are great to see. Additionally, are they a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business, Angie’s List approved, or a Factory Authorized Dealer? Do they have NATE certified technicians? How long have they been in business and are they properly licensed and insured?

Ask For a Second (Or Third) Opinion

Whether you are in need of repair or a completely new system installation, these services aren’t always affordable. This makes choosing a good contractor even more important. On the other hand, it isn’t a good idea to choose the contractor with the lowest prices, as quality may be lacking. Always seek multiple estimates from varying contractors. This will give you a better idea of what to expect and prevent yourself from a disastrous experience.

In business for over 30 years, Howard Air is an award winning BBB Accredited Business with NATE certified service technicians. We have also earned the Trane Comfort Specialist distinction from the manufacturer. Don’t take our word for it— check out our customer testimonials and call us today to request an estimate!

In more than 117 years of records, July 2012 stands alone, as not only the hottest July on record in the lower 48 United States, but also the hottest of any month on record in that time span. To put it another way, July 2012 was the hottest of more than 1,400 months that we’ve gone through since 1895.

“Exceeding July 1936 at the peak of the Dust Bowl heat — is BIG”

The report released by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Wednesday says that July 2012 surpassed the previous record hottest month set in July 1936. That year was during the middle of the very dry and hot Dust Bowl era. Senior Meteorologist Stu Ostro (Twitter) says, “Exceeding July 1936 at the peak of the Dust Bowl heat — is BIG.”

July 2012 was 3.3 degrees above the 20th century average. Ostro puts this in perspective, “While three degrees might not seem like much because temperatures can vary a lot more than that from day to day, it’s significant when averaged over a whole month, and particularly so in the summer when temperatures typically have less variation than at other times of year.”

NOAA

July 2012 Temperature Rankings: A number of 118 represents the warmest July on record and a number 1 would indicate the coolest July on record.

NOAA says that warmer-than-average temperatures engulfed much of the nation in July, with largest departures from average in the Plains, Midwest and along the East Coast.

A total of 32 states had a top ten warmest July. Among those, Virginia recorded its hottest July on record and seven more states recorded their second hottest July (North Carolina, Kentucky, Delaware, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming).

Only Washington, California, Arizona and Louisiana had temperatures that were near average in July. Outside the lower 48 states, Alaska recorded its eighteenth coolest July.

Warmest Start to the Year Continues

With the addition of July, the warmest start to a year on record continues in the lower 48 states.  NOAA says that most states have seen a record or near-record warm start to the year, except the Pacific Northwest.

So far this year, a total of five months have been a top four warmest for that respective month. March and July lead the pack as the warmest of their respective months.

In addition to the warmest start to the year on record, the last 12 months dating back to August 2011 have been the hottest on record.