Will Air Purifcation systems kill viruses?

With talk of coronavirus blanketing the airwaves and so many companies claiming to have special filters and air purifiers that can kill the virus, it’s no wonder we’ve received so many calls and emails from customers looking to protect their families and employees from this new illness, so we wanted to pass along some information to help you separate the signal from the noise.

Let’s start with the basics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s possible to get COVID-19 by touching a surface that has the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Noting that airborne particles play a significant role in the spread of the disease, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released proactive guidance that addresses COVID-19 concerns with respect to the operation and maintenance of HVAC systems.

You should know that viruses, like COVID-19, are much smaller than bacteria (roughly 100 times smaller) and other pollutants like pollen and pet dander which are the primary culprits when it comes to poor indoor air quality. This means that a standard HEPA filter will not remove viruses from the air.

Unlike air filters, some air purifiers can capture viruses, but they won’t destroy them so the virus will remain alive inside the

At Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning we care about our community. 

We are doing our best to keep our customers and employees safe, and all our families healthy.

This virus challenges our physical health as well as the health of our economy. Most of our customers have had to close their businesses, schools, and churches. We are all complying with the stay at home order while we weather this pandemic in apprehension of what will happen over the next few months.

We know things are financially challenging for everyone right now, but you can always count on us for trusted advice when you need it most.

Please keep us in mind if you are in need of any Air Conditioning maintenance, repair , or replacement. We hope to be able to continue protecting and serving our community as we have for the last 17 years.

We are all in this together.

Our Gratitude - For the heroism of our front line health care workers and their vital work.

We Care -  about your home environments and keeping you comfortable as we all work to flatten this pandemic curve.  

Our Community – Thank you for helping to protect each other.  We’re helping emergency medical workers by offering additional discounts.

We are all in this together, and together we will overcome this challenge. 

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating is proud to have been chosen one of the 2020 Best of SRQ Local by the readers SRQ Magazine.

Reactions like this one from Bob & Sue Eix fill us with pride and they inspire our team to go above and beyond to ensure the satisfaction of each and every one of our customers.

Hi Greg,

Thanks for a great experience in having my Heat Pump System replaced! Joshua and Marcus did a great job on our installation. They were friendly, polite, neat, clean and worked well together as steady "eddies" to do the job in a neat orderly way. The best! I was very proud to have them here for my installation. They represent Sean McCutcheon very well. They both work hard to be productive all day so when the job is done, they can clean up and be gone. Having been an Electrical Contractor it was a pleasure to see two very productive men come in and work at a steady, unhurried, thorough pace doing a neat clean job on my installation.

Your presentation and proposal were very good also. It was informative and very easy to hear at a perfect technical level. Your response to my additional questions was timely and very much appreciated. When I drove by the yard and office the first time, I was impressed with the neat clean appearance. The trucks were all clean and parked in a very orderly arrangement. The day I dropped off my signed contract, the lady who greeted me at the door had a smile and friendly greeting. This is all the sign of a well-run organized

In recent years, ductless systems have become a popular alternative to central air conditioning and heating systems, and there are a lot of good reasons for their new-found popularity.

Since ductless systems are still a relatively new concept for many, let’s begin by explaining what they are…

Ductless systems consist of an outdoor compressor and one or more indoor air handlers. Small tubes carry refrigerant from the outdoor compressor to wall-mounted air handlers inside your home, so you only have to drill a small hole behind each air handler. Ductless systems are extremely energy-efficient because there is no ductwork and they are sleeker, quieter, and safer than window units.

Ductless Systems are perfect for a variety of applications including:

• For heating and cooling additions like garage apartments and sunrooms. Ductless systems can be cool the addition without diverting air from the rest of the house and, because you’re not sharing ductwork, you don’t have to worry about stinking up the rest of the house if you’re smoking cigars in the man cave or she shed.
• For empty nesters who don’t want to heat and cool unused rooms. Closing HVAC grilles in unused rooms creates a pressure imbalance and you could end up with mold in those rooms. Ductless systems allow you to cool the main living area or master bedroom while keeping the central air conditioning system running just high or low enough to avoid mold and other temperature related issue.
• For creating separate temperature zones under one roof. If

Believe it or not, Florida Winters can put your HVAC system through the wringer.

One day it’s in the high 80s and the next you’re cranking up the heat and piling on the blankets. Make sure your AC system is ready for the Florida Winter Workout by following these easy steps:

1. Make sure your air filter is clean.

Dirty air filters affect your indoor air quality and they force your AC to work harder than it needs to. If you haven’t changed your air filter in a while, now would be a great time to do so.

2. Program your thermostat for the “Heat” setting.

When switching from the “Cool” setting to the “Heat” setting, make sure you set the thermostat to a temperature that will provide comfort as well as energy savings and, if you’re ever tempted to use the “Em Heat” setting, read our What is Emergency Heat? blog first.

3. Schedule a maintenance visit.

Regular preventive AC maintenance is the best way to ensure trouble-free operation and peak performance throughout the year. Our maintenance agreements include two 32+ point inspections per year and our maintenance agreement customers enjoy 15% discount on any service need that may arise during the contract year, after-hours service calls billed at our non-emergency rate, and discounts on all system replacements. Click here to learn more about our maintenance agreements.

Making the holidays brighter for disadvantaged children.

True to our commitment to getting involved in our community with our time and treasure, the team at Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating is proud to, once again, be making the holidays brighter for some disadvantaged children.

We are proud of our employees who not only made monetary donations, which the company matched, but they will be helping out in the Salvation Army warehouse this month!

The Angel Tree program provides gifts of new toys, winter coats, and clothing to thousands of children and senior citizens who otherwise might not have anything for Christmas.

The service depends on donations, so it is an opportunity for people throughout their local community to help families and children in need during the holidays and it is also a resource for children from lower-income families to get the presents they deserve at Christmas.

Don't touch that EM switch!

With all this cold (by Florida standards) weather we’ve been having, you might be tempted to switch on that “Em Heat” or “Aux Heat” setting on your thermostat, but read this first…

Short for Emergency or Auxiliary Heat, this secondary heat source (which can be electric, gas, oil, or hot water) is automatically triggered when the temperature is too cold for the heat pump to extract enough heat from the air outside. Using a secondary heat source (electric for most heat pumps) increases your energy consumption, so you shouldn’t go out of your way to use it (unless you want higher energy bills).

Your system will automatically switch over to “Em Heat” or “Aux Heat” when the outside temperature drops below 35°F or so. Manually switching over, will shut off the heat pump and turn on the secondary heat source which can cost twice as much to operate so you should only do this in case of an actual emergency, like when your heat pump breaks down.

The best way to keep your heat pump (and every other part of your system) from failing at the most inconvenient time is through regular preventive maintenance.

If you don’t already have a maintenance agreement with Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, call 941-921-7208 and get two 32+ point inspections/year, a 15% discount on any service need that arises, after-hours service calls billed at the non-emergency rate, and discounts on all system replacements!

For many years, Freon-brand R-22 was the refrigerant of choice for residential air-conditioning systems, but we have known for some time now that its manufacture results in a dangerous byproduct that adversely affects the environment and the EPA has been phasing it out for several years.

Since 2010, manufacturers of residential and commercial air conditioning systems have been prohibited from manufacturing equipment that uses R-22 and starting January 1, 2020, the manufacture and import of R-22, which is considered a greenhouse gas, will be banned in the United States.

There is currently no EPA requirement to replace or convert R-22 units for use with a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant so older units can still be serviced with R-22 that has been recovered, recycled and reclaimed, but customers using older equipment will see skyrocketing maintenance costs.

Knowing the impact that this phase out would have on customers with systems that use R-22, Sean McCutcheon’s Air conditioning and Heating began recommending systems that use earth- friendly alternatives like Puron® (R-410A) in 2004.

Unfortunately, not all air conditioning companies were as forthright regarding how long R-22 would be available and customers with older units are now seeing exorbitant maintenance costs. In fact, what little R-22 is still available for purchase has already increased to over $100.00 per lb.

If your Air Conditioning system is more than 10 years old, a new Energy -Star® rated product could save you as much as 40% on your heating and cooling costs and you don’t have to worry about

Happy to support the Tiny Hands Foundation's Back-to-School Backpack Brigade which aims to provide 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies for children in need across Sarasota and Bradenton.

If you would like to support this worthy cause, you can click here https://www.tinyhandsfoundation.org/backpack-brigade/.

Feel The Love, originally launched as Heat U.P. in 2009, connects Lennox dealers, like Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, with deserving individuals and families in their own communities.

Participating dealers volunteer their time and labor, Lennox provides the equipment and hands-on support, and select recipients get a new heating or cooling system at no cost to them.

Recipients are selected based on a variety of criteria, including physical, mental, or social disabilities; financial challenges; job loss; military service; and community service, but there’s one thing they all have in common - they always put others first. In the 10 years since the program started, Lennox dealers have installed over 1,000 units for deserving families in their communities.

How it works:

People like you nominate unsung heroes who may be going through hardship, helping others in need or simply supporting their community. After receiving all the nominations, Lenox honors a select group of recipients with new home comfort systems. Then, on the first weekend in October, Feel The Love Weekend, dealers from across the country donate their time and labor to make the program a success.

Nominations close August 31st so don’t delay!

If you or someone you know is down on their luck and could really use a new air conditioning system, visit https://www.feelthelove.com/florida and fill out the online nomination form today.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a “near-normal” hurricane season this year, but you don’t need a very active season for just one hurricane to make landfall and wreak havoc.

Secure the Unit

Make sure your outdoor unit is properly secured to the concrete. Check the metal bolts and straps that hold your system in place for signs of rust or deterioration which could make the unit vulnerable to high winds.
Clear and Cover

Prior to the storm, bring in any outdoor tables, chairs or other items that could become airborne and cause damage to the AC System. You can even cover the outside unit with a tarp in order to keep it free from flying leaves, dirt and other debris, but make sure to remove the covering before you turn the unit back on!

Cool Down Your House

Before the threat of the storm is imminent, try cooling your house as much as possible so you are comfortable for a while after you turn off your AC System.

Turn Off the Power

Nearly 90% of all electrical system damage occurs when the AC is left on during a thunderstorm or hurricane. You may have to tolerate a bit of heat and humidity when you turn off your AC but leaving it on could cost you thousands of dollars in repairs.

Wait 20 Minutes

Keep the AC System turned off until the storm passes and don't be in a rush to turn it back on. In the event of flooding,

Forget about buyer negotiations for a new AC system or failed home inspections.

With PACE Financing, Sarasota County Homeowners can finance energy-efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation systems with no money down and no credit check so you can sell your home quickly.

PACE Financing is easy to qualify for and the loan amount can be tacked on to your property tax bill so it gets paid off at closing, but you must use an Approved PACE Contractor, like Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, to qualify for this amazing deal.

For more information call 941-921-7208 today!

You already know who to call for all your residential HVAC needs.

But did you know that our accurate estimating, reliability, and drive to meet construction deadlines also makes us the preferred HVAC contractor of many of your favorite businesses across Sarasota and Bradenton?

In honor of National Senior Fraud Awareness Day, the Sarasota Senior Friendship Center hosted a free symposium featuring Melissa Leedom, CPA MBA of Secure Aging and Steve Mooney of Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating.

Leedom discussed the top 10 scams targeting seniors, including health insurance fraud, prescription drug fraud, funeral scams, investment schemes, mortgage scams, lottery scams, and identify theft, while Mooney's talk focused on scams employed by dishonest HVAC contractors.

Teaching consumers how to protect themselves from would-be scammers is an integral part of the mission of Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating. Community. Informed. Protected.

A second symposium was held on Thursday, May 16 at the Venice Senior Friendship Center.

By now you’ve probably received several different official-looking letters offering you air conditioning and heating, electrical, plumbing, and other home services from what appears to be Florida Power & Light (FPL).

Don’t be fooled. These letters are actually coming from FPL “Energy Services”.

Recently, FPL, the largest utility in the state and the 3rd largest in the country, purchased Jupiter-Tequesta Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical and re-branded it as FPL Energy Services. Now, this unregulated subsidiary is leveraging the ratepayer-funded assets of its state-regulated parent and improperly accessing the data of millions of FPL customers to offer them a variety of services.

The Florida Public Service Commission has cautioned FPL against misrepresenting the communications of its unregulated subsidiaries and the MEP Coalition for Fair Competition (MEP), a statewide small business alliance established in opposition to FPL’s expansion into the for-profit home services market, claims that FPL is using predatory pricing and leveraging their corporate resources in order to “decimate the small business owners and contractors who offer these services locally.”

MEP believes that FPL aims to force small community-based contractors out of business and that, once they have succeeded, “FPL will be free to hold a monopoly position in these new industries, destroying competition and raising prices as they see fit.”

For more information visit: https://www.mepcoalition.org/the-case-against-fpl/.

You sign up for a home warranty, you pay a little each month and, if anything goes wrong with your air conditioning, plumbing or any other appliance, the repair or replacement is totally covered.

How can you go wrong?

The problem is, you pay your monthly fee then, when something breaks down, you quickly realize the contract you signed is filled with fine-print exclusions that leave you responsible for much of the cost of the repair or replacement. In fact, the vast majority of homeowners who sign up for these warranties will pay far more in premiums, service fees, and uncovered repairs than if they didn’t have a warranty – that’s the business model.

With a home warranty, you don’t get to choose who does the repair, so you never know who’s going to show up and the technician that does show up works for the home warranty company so they’re incentivized to take the least expensive route like using the cheapest parts available or doing temporary fixes that keep the appliance running when it should be replaced.

These contracts also state that the home warranty company is not responsible for the negligence or conduct of the workers they dispatch.

Common homeowner complaints include denied claims, repairs performed incorrectly, and repairs taking days or weeks to schedule or complete. Additionally, hold times for reaching a customer service can be an hour or more. In some cases, when covered items can’t be fixed, the company refused to pay the entire cost

With Sarasota summer right around the corner our air conditioners will soon be working much harder to keep us cool.

Just like normal upkeep on your car, your Sarasota air conditioning needs regular maintenance to ensure it continues to run efficiently.

During the AC preventive maintenance visit, skilled technicians carefully inspect all essential components of the air conditioner. They will make sure that your unit is in the best condition possible. Any damaged or worn parts can be replaced before further deterioration of them would damage other components or impede the operation of the unit.

A little prevention now will keep you cool all summer and save money in the long run.

In 2018, the U.S. Senate designated May 15 as National Senior Fraud Awareness Day.

They took this action in order to raise awareness about the growing number of fraudulent activities specifically directed at older adults across the country, to encourage the implementation of policies designed to prevent these scams, and to improve protections for seniors.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating can’t stop IRS impersonation scams, charity fraud or identity theft, but we can help stop predatory HVAC contractors from taking advantage of seniors in our community by teaching them how to spot a con so they can protect themselves.

Common scams include:

• Offering you a low-priced inspection then trying to sell you unnecessary and expensive repairs.
• Using scare tactics such as the threat of mold to sell additional services or extended warranties.
• Promoting free service calls then overcharging you for repairs you didn't need in the first place.

We’re so committed to fraud awareness and prevention that we created a website called Americas Repair Force (www.americasrepairforce.com) and a series of humorous videos designed to protect you from predatory contractors and help you avoid scams.

Don't be fooled, call Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating at 941-921-7208, whenever a deal sounds to good to be true!

#CommunityInformedProtected