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As we begin to feel the temperature rise into the 90’s, there are a couple of things that will help make your ac perform a little better.

The first thing that you can do is to check your air filters.  I am writing this on June 1, 2015. It is the perfect day to replace your ac filters if they are dirty.

The second thing that you can do is to schedule your preventive maintenance. I would say that my ac works as hard, if not harder, than my truck. I depend on both. One to get me to work, the other to keep me comfortable when I am at home. It is recommended that your oil is changed regularly. It is also recommended that you have preventive maintenance performed on your ac once every six months.

Severely clogged coils!

For more information on preventive maintenance, check out our web page.

The third thing that can be done is to use your ceiling fans. Ceiling fans help us feel cooler by speeding up the evaporation of moisture off of our skin. Check out this video that explains which direction is correct for the summertime.  Be sure to turn fans off if no one is in the room.

Finally, consider installing a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to save money by slightly raising the temperature in your home while you are away. Then, you can program it to cool down before you come home. (It saved me $50 in the first month that I used it. Disclaimer (because we live in a sue happy society…LOL) … not all result will be the same.)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 843-821-0937.

Hope everyone has a Happy June!

News Flash – Synchrony Bank offers 18 months “Same as Cash” option on ac systems and repairs.

(Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see some interesting photos.)
Is your air conditioner on its last leg? Has the last leg already fallen off? Are you overpaying the electric company because your unit is not energy efficient? Are you wondering where you are going to get the money to pay for a new system?

Trust me, I know how you feel. Staci and I have a 9 year old Lennox unit in our home. We have tried to take good care of it over the years, but I know that it won’t be long before we hear the news.  “Mike and Staci, you need a new unit. It doesn’t make sense to keep putting money into this one.” Ugh.

On a personal level no one likes to hear that. And, when I go to see our customers, I don’t like giving them that news either.

Thankfully, Synchrony Bank, formerly GE Capital, has just sent us great news! They have changed two of their plans. Most of us hate change, but this is for the better. Synchrony Bank is now allowing us to offer 18 months “same as cash”. Before, we could only offer 12 month.  This is great news,  if you hate paying interest! Please call for details or visit our website.

In addition, Synchrony Bank has also reduced the monthly payments on the 7.99% interest. This simply means a more affordable payment each month over the lifetime of the loan. Please call for details or visit our website.

Synchrony Bank will usually approve credit for those with a 650 or higher credit score (this does not guarantee a loan, but is simply one of the criteria in the decision making process).

Finally, if your credit is less than stellar, I have another option for you also. My secondary company (not Synchrony Bank) will often approve customers with a 550 or higher. Again, this is just one of the criteria in getting a loan for your air conditioning and heating system. Many of my customers have been able to take advantage of this loan WITHOUT being “taken to the cleaners”. This is a great way to start building your credit score back up. We know and understand that bad things happen to good people. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask about this option. You are not alone.

Do you have questions about financing your equipment? Please call and set up a time to find a plan that is right for you and your family.

Oh yes, one other thing… What are your thoughts….?

Has Chuck gotten into the habit of sleeping on the job, or has he “Fallen and Can’t Get Up?”

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!!

I am extremely proud to work with Arctic Air and the group of people that are on staff. It is nice to see that everyone is on the same page when it comes to quality, dependability, integrity, customer service … and the list goes on.

Please take a look at this review that was left on Google Reviews for us.

Kudos to Troy for just doing his job the way that he always does. Apparently, “the other guys” don’t operate in the same fashion.

I think you will get the idea of what I am talking about once you ready this review.  (Click here for review on Google)

(Names have been removed of the other company) This is what Melanie wrote….

         Thank you Melanie for this review.

Hello Facebook Friends and Family!

I hope that the title of this post caught your attention.

Time to check your ac filters. If they are dirty and clogged, please take time to change them.

I have often said that there really isn’t anything sexy about air conditioning. Usually, an ac is just a box painted in a basic color of paint. Many times it is hidden by a fence, bushes, or is exiled to the back yard where no one can see it. It is out of sight and out of mind, until that dreaded 98°F day in the middle of the summer. You have to make that call… you know the one where you are desperate to have someone please come and fix that “box”. I have even heard people say that they would pay anything to get someone out today (now). They even offer hold a flashlight or an umbrella for a tech, if needed.

This is one way that you can help prevent that call. It is time to get a little dirty.

Since Arctic Air is an ac company, you know that I have to mention that it is time to check your air conditioning filters. Yes, we are entering May. Today is the perfect day to take care of this seemingly menial task.

Some people don’t understand why this is so important. I think this will help most understand why it is critical to life of your unit. Take a straw and just suck air through it. No big deal, right?  Air freely flows through the straw.

Now, take your finger and cover half of the hole at the bottom, and try sucking air through it. With the whole partial covered, air flow is still there, but not quite as free flowing, nor as easy, as when the hole wasn’t covered. Now, cover the hole completely. If you do this long enough, you will feel like your head will explode. You are starving for air. This is the same thing that is happening to your ac. It is starving for air. That is when the life of your unit is in the danger zone.

Air filters keep dust and other particulates from getting trapped in the coil. The coil is the component that allows air to flow through, and moves heat out of the air that is passing through. This process leaves us with “cooler” air coming through the vents. If this coil is filled with dirt, it won’t do a good job of pulling the heat out of the air.

Regular preventive maintenance by a licensed contractor is also important. I will write about this in the next blog. 

Until then, have a safe and wonderful weekend.

Dates to be note:

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo

May 10 – Mother’s Day

A Service Tech Falls in Charleston SC, and He Can’t Get Up!

With all of the work that we have been doing, our service technicians have been working really long hours. On this particular morning, Chuck and Craig were working in Downtown Charleston SC at one of the restaurants that we take care of.  Craig took this picture of Chuck and reported to the office that Chuck was sleeping on the job. When we saw the picture, we all laughed.

Just for some background, I was brought up in the 80’s. You know when all of the Life Alert commercials started coming on tv. The famous line that shot through my mind was “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

I just wanted to show you the picture that we all got a good laugh at!  We love you Chuck… we are always here to give you a hand up! LOL

Ooops … I did it again!

I cannot believe how much time has past since my last post.  When I looked back, I found that I haven’t made a post in almost a month.  I do apologize for my lack of correspondence. I will say that it has been a little crazy around here.

It seems like when it started to get a little warm, our service calls increased greatly.  We cannot say, “Thank You” enough. Many of our calls have been through good ole word of mouth. I am so thankful for the trust that you have put in Arctic Air.

I would like to mention that when it starts warming up, it is a good idea to have preventive maintenance done on your air conditioner. Here is how that maintenance benefits you…

• Savings: Preventive Maintenance pays for itself through higher efficiency, lower electric bills, and, if you have an signed agreement, it adds contractor discounts.
• Peace of Mind: Preventive maintenance will mean fewer system failures and a longer life for your HVAC equipment.
• Priority Service: Should a system failure occur during the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter, customers with Preventive Maintenance Agreements receive priority service. No overtime!
• Continuity: The service technician becomes more familiar with you and your equipment.

If you would like to know more about what our preventive maintenance plan looks like, click here.

As an early reminder, remember to check your air filters. If they are dirty, please change them ASAP.

Thanks again for your support, trust and referrals. We appreciate all that you do for us!

This morning on Facebook, one of my friends wrote these words, “Good Morning and Happy Friday!!!” And I thought to myself, “Yes it is!”  Thanks Scott for the positive start to the morning.

So, I took care of our precious little pugs, took a shower and got ready to come to work.

On the schedule today… meet with a Business Networking International member to discuss how we could help each other pass referrals to each other. This was a very informative meeting. The member that I met with was Stephanie with Providence Landscaping (https://www.facebook.com/ProvidenceLandscapes). She and her husband own the company. They are affordable, have great customer service and great quality work. They are currently taking new customers in the Summerville and West Ashley areas. If you need some landscaping, landscape/lawn maintenance, or even some landscape lighting, look them up on the facebook page listed above.

I was able to share some information about Arctic Air, and how we are also focused on quality work, great customer service and fair pricing.  There is nothing better than word of mouth advertising and finding other professional that have the same school of thought.

To all of our customers, friends, family and acquaintances , I would like to say, “Thank You” for passing our name on to your friends, family and acquaintances. All of us at Arctic Air appreciate your willingness to tell others about us!

As I am writing this, I realized that the end of the month is here. One of the most important things that you can do to keep your heater and air conditioner running is to check your air filters. If the air filters are covered in dust, dirt, debris, pet hair, etc., it is time to change the filter.

Have a HAPPY WEEKEND!! May you spend it with the people you love and who love you!

Peace.

ALERT! Carbon Monoxide Warning! CO Poisoning can even happen here in Charleston, SC.

Because South Carolina is undergoing some of the coldest weather of the season, the information in this blog could save your life. Am I being dramatic? Absolutely not!

On February 14, 2015, a mother and her 5 year old son were killed by CO poisoning. This happened in Orangeburg County… yes, right here in South Carolina. If the mother would have only known the dangers of CO poisoning, I am sure she would have purchased a CO detector.  This is certainly a tragedy, especially since a CO detector costs between $20 and $60. Our prayers go out to the family who have suffered this loss of life.

Keep your family safe

So, what is carbon monoxide (CO)? CO is a gas that is odorless, tasteless and colorless. But how does it get in your home, you might ask? It is created when organic substances (ie, fuels) are not completely burned. If you have gas heaters, furnaces, fire places, or gas water heaters, you are susceptible to CO Poisoning.

The reason that CO is dangerous is because it interferes with our ability to take in oxygen. This creates a form of suffocation. This is true for humans and other living organisms that require oxygen to exist. We cannot smell, see or taste carbon monoxide. This makes CO poisoning a silent killer.

How can you prevent CO Poisoning? Here are a few tips…

• Proper maintenance of fuel burning equipment.

• Look for evidence of problems….

-Have your furnace checked by licensed heating contractor

-Look for streaking soot around any gas appliances

-Be sure there is an updraft in your chimney

-Look for excessive rust on flues, or chimneys

-Flames should be blue in your furnace or heater (orange or yellow flames indicate a potential problem)

– Brick on the top of the chimney that look damaged or discolored

– Rust on the outside of the flue pipe (looking from the outside of your home)

• Know the symptoms of CO poisoning

At low levels…

-mild headache

-breathlessness with moderate excercise

At higher levels…

-severe headaches

-dizziness

-tiredness

-nausea

-confusion

-irritability

-impaired judgement

-memory and coordination issues

If these signs are ignored, a loss of consciousness could occur which would leave the victim(s) unable to escape. In extreme situations, lethal amounts of CO can be produced within 10 minutes (ie, a car running in a closed garage).

These symptoms are very similar to the flu. So, how can you tell the difference?

-If you feel better when you leave your home.

-Everyone in the home gets sick at the same time

-Those who are in the home the most are the one’s most affected

-You notice these symptoms after lighting or using a gas furnace, gas stove or fireplace.

-You notice these symptoms after a car/truck/suv (or gas powered equipment) is started in an attached garage.

• Be sure you have proper ventilation fuel burning items in your home.

• Install, and test CO alarms in your home on a regular basis.

This blog is very brief. There is more information on the internet that can help you. The most important thing that you could do to protect you and your family is to purchase a CO detector for your home.

As always, we are here to help. If you haven’t had your furnace service in awhile, feel free to contact us to schedule your appointment.

Stay warm!

Hello fellow Charlestonians and Summervillians!

Winter Reminders

It looks like we have a week of cold weather ahead. We wanted to remind everyone to insulate any exposed water pipes, keep the water dripping at night, and bring your pets and plants/flowers inside.  The old saying goes… “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

We know that our friends up north have had a harsh winter, but by the Grace of God, we have been pretty lucky with our weather.

If you have a chance tonight when you get home, check to be sure that your heat is working properly. If you find that your heater is not keeping up, or is running longer than it should, give us a call. Likewise, if you have a furnace that doesn’t seem to be heating properly, call us.

We have a couple of specials that we are running to help save you some money. The first is a service call special for $45. This includes travel to your home and a basic diagnosis of what is wrong with your system. All repairs will be quoted for your approval before any repairs are made.

$45 Service Call Special for the Charleston SC area

The second special that we are running is a winter start up special. This includes a multi-point inspection (it will take about 45 minutes – 1 hour to complete) and it includes the travel. Please mention these coupons when placing your service request.

$79 Winter Tune Up Special

Service requests may be place by calling 843-821-0937. We have live operators ready to take your calls. If you would like to use the internet, please visit our website at www.arcticairinc.com.