A new AC System can significantly reduce your electric bill, but the initial expense can be intimidating.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating can help make that very worthwhile investment a little easier for you with a new clean-energy financing program.

Sarasota County Homeowners can now take advantage of the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing Program which allows them to borrow up to 20% of their home’s value to finance energy-efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation systems.

Homeowners can take up to 15 years to pay back the loan and, thanks to an agreement between the PACE Providers (the financing organizations) and the Sarasota County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector’s office, the amount to be repaid is included as a non-ad valorem assessment on your annual property tax bill instead of a monthly payment like most other home expenses.

The first of four PACE Providers, Renew Financial, is now able to provide PACE Financing to homeowners in unincorporated Sarasota County, the City of Sarasota, and the City of North Port.

Homeowners in the Town of Longboat Key should be able to access the program soon.

In order to take advantage of this financing program, your contractor must be an Approved PACE Contractor. PACE Contractors are trained on regulations related to the PACE program, they conform to a code of conduct, and their licenses and insurance are checked.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating is already approved and we’re ready to help homeowners like you make their homes more energy efficient.

Since 2016 Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating has been working hard to help consumers avoid predatory contractors.

We even created a humorous video series featuring the fictional A.C. Winterbottom, Agent for America’s Repair Force, and an accompanying website (www.AmericasRepairForce.com) that is full of information on how to spot a scam.

Unfortunately, as this recent news story illustrates, there’s no shortage of dishonest contractors trying to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners…

The Florida Office of the Attorney General is currently investigating Bruno Total Home Performance, formerly known as Bruno Air, in Bonita Springs for allegations of shoddy work, overselling and overcharging for products and services, performing unnecessary work, high-pressure sales tactics, and unscrupulous loan practices - including forging customers' signatures on financial documents.

Court records also indicate that Louis Bruno, LLC (d.b.a. Bruno Total Home Performance) has filed at least 3 foreclosure actions and over two dozen liens against property owners in Lee & Collier counties!

Predatory contractors will try anything to separate you from your money.

They’ll claim to find mold and tell you your family is in great danger - some will even claim that they can’t “legally” leave an AC system running in such bad condition. Other companies will strongarm you into signing documents and even refuse to leave before you do - obviously, they don’t want you to get a second opinion. The list of scams goes on…

But there are many ways to see if a company or contractor is reputable.

Consumers can

Small Business Owners Ask Attorney General to Investigate FPL's Business Practices Argue Company is Using Public Assets to Enter Private For-Profit Markets 

Link to Original Story 

The Florida Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (FRACCA) and a statewide coalition of mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors, the MEP Coalition for Fair Competition, today asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the business practices of Florida Power & Light (FPL). Specifically, the groups claim that FPL is misappropriating regulated public assets to enter private for-profit markets.

"FPL is using utility ratepayer funds and assets to buy their way into HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other industries and their goal is to put small local companies out of business and control these markets," said Jaime DiDomenico, the President of Cool Today, an HVAC, plumbing and electrical company based in Sarasota, and a member of the MEP Coalition for Fair Competition. "We hope the Attorney General will intervene to protect local businesses, jobs and consumers."

FRACCA originally filed a complaint with the state's Public Service Commission (PSC) on April 18, 2018 to prevent FPL from subsidizing Jupiter-Tequesta A/C through FPL Energy Services. Currently, Jupiter-Tequesta A/C is marketing itself as an FPL Energy Services company and is utilizing FPL's name and logo in all of its advertisements. FPL is also subsidizing Jupiter-Tequesta A/C in other ways such as recruiting employees, transferring incoming calls directly to the for-profit subsidiary, marketing their services in utility customer invoices and sharing a myriad of infrastructure and other

You may have seen a recent Herald Tribune article about a group of Southwest Florida air conditioning contractors that have organized in opposition to FPL’s expansion into for-profit home services.

Perhaps you just saw the headline, “Private contractors organize coalition to oppose FPL’s new services”, and decided, “this doesn’t affect me”, but here’s why you should be concerned…

Florida Power & Light (FPL), the largest utility in the state (and the 3^rd largest in the country), recently purchased Jupiter-Tequesta Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical and re-branded it as FPL Energy Services. This unregulated subsidiary is leveraging the assets of its state-regulated parent and improperly accessing the data of its 10 million customers to offer them services like surge protection, water heater and plumbing protection, and now air conditioning maintenance.

Tucked neatly in your utility bill, you’ll find a too-good-to-be-true AC Maintenance offer from FPL Energy Services, but that’s just what it is – too good to be true…

The following is the press release from MACCA:

***PRESS RELEASE***

COALITION LAUNCHES TO OPPOSE FPL’S PREDATORY EXPANSION

A state-wide small business alliance called the MEP Coalition for Fair Competition launched today to oppose Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) predatory practices. Specifically, the coalition stated that the company is using its public resources for private gain in the home services market including air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical services. MEP is an acronym for mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors. www.MEPCoalition.org
Coalition organizers include the South Florida Air Conditioning Contractors Association (SFACA), the

Did you recently receive an offer for air conditioning maintenance from FPL Energy Services?

You probably thought this was a new service that Florida Power & Light (FPL), the state-regulated utility that delivers energy to your home, was offering. After all, FPL Energy Services has a similar name, it uses the FPL logo, and the offer came in your FPL bill so why would you think anything else? But FPL Energy Services is not Florida Power & Light, and it is certainly not regulated in the same way.

FPL Energy Services is a for-profit subsidiary of Florida Power & Light (FPL). FPL is taking advantage of the relationship they have with its 10 million customers across half the state to sell them services like surge protection, water heater and plumbing protections, and now air conditioning maintenance through unregulated subsidiaries and affiliates that have not earned your trust.

FPL recently purchased Jupiter-Tequesta Air Conditioning, Plumbing and Electrical and re-branded it as FPL Energy Services (FPLES), but FPLES does not have their own technicians, they use contractors from outside the area who are desperate for any work they can get to offer services to unsuspecting customers who think they are dealing with FPL.

Local contractors work hard to build relationships in their communities, their kids go to school with your kids, they support youth sports in your community, and they help clean local parks and beaches. They know their customer base and they know they have to earn your trust every day.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season is currently defined as the period between June 1 and November 30.

This All-Hazards Planning Guide has all the information you need to prepare for any disaster, in particular, another hurricane. Stay Safe Sarasota!

Prepare Now

This guide is produced by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in partnership with your County Emergency Management Agency.

1. Make Your Family/Business Disaster Plan
2. Pull Together Disaster Supplies
3. Brace for Hurricanes
4. Discuss Your Evacuation Plans
5. Help Your Neighbor
6. Keep Your Pets Safe
7. Take Steps to Protect Your Home/Business
8. Review Your Insurance
9. Know Your Disaster Safety Tips
10. Know What to Expect After a Disaster

http://www.tbrpc.org/tampabaydisaster/pdf/2018DisasterPlanningGuide/TampaBayDisasterPlanningGuide2018.pdf

With the exception of those with “high-end” majors, skilled apprentices in the U.S. earn more than the average 4-year college graduate over their lifetimes, According to Dr. Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

In addition to their higher lifetime-earnings potential, an apprenticeship allows workers to earn money while learning a trade and get the hands-on experience that employers are looking look for so they are at a distinct advantage over those that are coming straight out of a classroom.

In contrast to earning as you learn, many who attend 4-year college institutions enter the workforce with staggering amounts of debt.

So why is it that less than 1% of workers in the U.S. begin their careers as apprentices?

Colorado recently became first state to offer a statewide youth-apprenticeship program. The program dubbed “Careerwise Colorado” was instituted because industries in the state were facing a severe shortage of “middle-skilled” workers. Middle-skills are those that require more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree.

This shortage of tradespeople is not unique to Colorado and it remains to be seen whether the success of Careerwise Colorado will lead to an increase in apprenticeship programs.

Apprenticeships and Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating

Our very own Sean McCutcheon started his career as an apprentice in a local air conditioning company shortly after graduating from Riverview High School in 1992. His hard work paid off quickly, by 1998 he had become a partner

Scammers will often target neighborhoods with high concentrations of senior citizens then go door to door claiming to have spotted something in need of immediate repair like a hole in the roof, but this is only the first part of the scam.

Some scammers will use this tactic to simply gain access to a home. Often working in pairs, one of the supposed workers will distract the homeowner while the other enters the home and steals money or other valuables.

Some will demand payment up front then pretend to do the work they were hired to do or they simply won’t come back after they’ve received payment. Others will claim that, upon further inspection, the problem they had diagnosed from the street is more severe and will therefore cost more to repair.

Bottom line, good contractors are in high demand and they do not go door to door looking for business. These scammers are not licensed and they do shoddy work which can do more harm than good.

For more information on avoiding scams visit America's Repair Force

Thank you to all our wonderful clients who took the time to vote for Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating in the Herald-Tribune’s Readers’ Choice poll.

We love online shopping as much as the next guy, but there are some things you just shouldn’t buy online and one of them is an Air Conditioning Unit.

Lately, there’s been a surge in the number of people calling to find out how much we charge to install an Air Conditioning unit they bought online.

The short answer is $0.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating will not install a unit we did not purchase directly from the manufacturer and neither will most reputable Air Conditioning and Heating companies. You may be wondering why we wouldn’t just charge you for the labor and be glad that we didn’t have to deal with the hassle of loading and unloading this very heavy piece of equipment?

Air Conditioning and Heating systems are not “plug and play” like ovens or refrigerators. If you can save a few bucks by purchasing an oven or a refrigerator online, go right ahead. Air Conditioners, however, must be installed by skilled technicians who know how to purge the system, how to pull it into a vacuum, how to charge it with refrigerant, how to adjust the airflow, and much, much more.

But we have the skilled technicians, so what’s the problem?

The complexity of an Air Conditioning system installation gives online retailers a lot of room to shift blame, when a problem does occur, to issues related to the installation rather than a defect in the unit itself. This means they can easily get out of

Don’t fall for insurance companies that offer policy’s that supposedly will repair or even replace your AC when it fails. They never replace the system – they will just keep sending people out to patch it up and keep it barely running.

According to Angies List “Historically, home warranty service companies have been one of the "worst graded" categories on Angie's List. Members misunderstanding or disagreeing with what their warranties cover and the quality of repair work are cited in the majority of complaints.”

Read the fine print. Some home warranty companies claim to cover major appliances but will in fact only cover a small portion of the total repair cost. They will also most likely send an Less than quality contractor out for the work.

The average cost of a basic coverage plan ranges from $350 to $600 a year, plus $50 to $75 per service call. However, consumers frequently expect more from these plans than they deliver. Home warranties aren’t insurance policies. They’re service contracts.

Some reasons not to use a Home Warranty Program:

• Don’t assume your policy will replace a faulty component. The warranty company may insist on repairing it instead.
• You may not be able to call your favorite service provider. Home warranties usually require you to use a contracted servicer.
• Home warranties rarely cover the entire cost. Claims may be rejected because of “pre-existing problems or insufficient maintenance”.
• When your AC breaks down in the middle of the summer you will wait a lot longer

Don’t trust anyone contacting you out of the blue with an unbelievable offer.

Reputable companies don’t go around promising free services or massive discounts. After all, they’re in business to make a profit. When someone makes you an unbelievable offer, you should maintain a healthy suspicion.

Be Cautious of Big Discounts or Phony Offers, especially when a company tells you they will give you cash for your old equipment. Most of the old equipment can be recycled and any coolant should be properly extracted from the unit and that can also be cleaned and recycled, but any reputable contractor will have already built this cost into their replacement estimate.

Any HVAC contractor who say’s they will give you $1,000 towards your new installation in exchange for your old equipment is makig up that money somewhere.

After all, this isn’t an old car you are trading in – once it leaves your home it will not be reinstalling it somewhere else. If an HVAC contractor is offering you cash for your old equipment this should throw up a huge red flag. This means that they are inflating the actual cost and overcharging you the amount they claim they are paying you.

It takes time, expertise and much work to properly dispose of HVAC equipment and nobody is going to do that for free. It’s Illegal to dispose of your own AC equipment, and only a trained professional will be able to remove the materials safely and according to specific regulations.

And

Today most of us shop on the internet – it’s quick, easy, and usually cheaper than any store.

However, sometimes attempting to save a few bucks can cost you plenty down the road.

Avoid HVAC discount websites - you are just asking for trouble. Those Too Good to be True cheap Internet deals usually do not carry a warranty! It’s standard for HVAC manufacturers to void the warranty on any system that was purchased online. This is because buying equipment online almost always leads to poor installation, which will, in turn, negatively affect how the system performs and how long it lasts. There is a very good reason reputable AC Techs are factory authorized – and that is mainly to protect you the consumer!

When you buy online, you’re taking on enormous risk.

HVAC is expensive and it’s tempting to try and look online for a good deal. However, without the advice of a knowledgeable HVAC specialist, you may get a lower price for the equipment, but will experience major consequences in the long-run with inefficient performance and replacement costs.

When trying to buy an HVAC system online the average person will not know which unit to get and will end up with something too large or too small. If the equipment is too small, it will never efficiently cool your home during the summer. If a system is too large, it will start to short-cycle until it breaks down prematurely. A qualified HVAC contractor will perform calculations to determine

We are delighted to hear that Gold Star Father Kris Hager will be attending our Memorial Day lunch. Kris is the chairman of Gold Star Fathers of Florida, Inc. and he regularly speaks at events honoring our fallen soldiers. His son, SSG Joshua R. Hager, was killed in action on Feb. 22, 2007. Please join us as we honor fallen heroes like Josh on Thurs. May 25 from 11 to 2 at our shop at 5696 Pinkney Ave in Sarasota.

https://www.facebook.com/Gold-Star-Fathers-of-Florida-Inc-231305513653776/

2017 Sarasota Herald Tribune Readers Choice Finalist.

Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating is honored to have received the Angie's List Super Service Award for achieving and maintaining a superior service rating on Angie's List throughout 2016.

This achievement is particularly significant as Angie’s List experienced unprecedented member growth in 2016. More than 1.6 million consumers, many of whom were eager to quickly hire highly qualified service pros, joined Angie’s List after the company added a new, free membership tier.

“Companies that can meet higher demands without missing a beat in their exemplary performance standards truly do stand apart from their peers,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “Only a fraction of the HVAC companies in Sarasota, FL were able to do it.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2016 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade. The SSA winners must also be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Keeping cool is great for you, but not for your attic...

According to FPL, over 70% of homes in Southwest Florida have leaky ductwork. If you live in one of those homes, you’re probably spending 20 to 30% more on your electric bill – just to cool your attic!
Why are we telling you this now?

If you need to repair or replace your ductwork in Florida, there’s no time like winter.

Attics in Florida can reach temperatures of up to 130 degrees during the summer, so technicians can’t stay up there as long during the summer as they can when it’s cooler outside. This means that a job that takes 1 day during the fall or winter may take 2 days during the dog days of summer.

Air Conditioning companies are also much busier during the summer, so you’re more likely to get a great deal between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day!

How do you know if your ductwork needs to be repaired or replaced?

Most homes in Florida have flexible ductwork. Flexible ductwork is less expensive and easier to install, but it’s just plastic and, as such, it will deteriorate over time. If your ductwork is more than 5 years old, you should inspect it at least once a year.

1. Start by visually inspecting your ductwork. Look for tears in the protective coating, kinks, flattened areas, or even exposed insulation.

2. Flexible ductwork is very susceptible to wildlife. If you suspect that you might have had rats, squirrels,

Not all air cleaning devices are appropriate for home use; some can even be harmful to your health.

Ozone generating air cleaners, for example, can lead to respiratory tract irritations and other breathing difficulties, while passive electrostatic air purifiers actually do very little to clean indoor air.

The best way to promote cleaner air in your home is to have UV lights installed in your HVAC System.

For over 100 years, UV lights have been used in a variety of applications to safely and reliably kill germs on surfaces, in the air, and in water. Germicidal ultraviolet lights generate UV-C, the “C” in UV-C refers to the particular frequency of UV light that kills germs. Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. can safely and efficiently improve your home’s indoor air quality by installing germicidal UV lights in your air handler.

UV Purification is a cost effective way to bask stationary objects like your evaporator coil and duct walls with the germicidal power of UVC light. Most UV lights are installed in such a way that the UV rays directly treat the evaporator coil. Other types of UV lights can actually be installed in the return or supply air duct to treat the air as it passes through. There are even portable UV units that can purify up to 900 sq. ft. These portable units may be ideal for those who work in offices without a purification system, or for those who do not have a forced air system.

Whichever

Chances are your air conditioning system is out of sight and out of mind, at least until there is a problem.

Adjusting the thermostat and changing filters is probably the extent of your integration with the largest appliance in your home.

So how do you know when it's time to think about replacing your air conditioning system?

If your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up, your cooling or heating equipment may have become less efficient. If your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old. Replacing your system with a high-efficiency unit can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

But replacing the system may not always be the only answer. It's very important to also make sure the ductwork is in good condition.

If some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold, this could be due to duct problems or inadequate insulation. You may want to have your ductwork inspected and tested for leaks. leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer which will also cause humidity problems.

Leaky ducts will also pull particles from the attic which will create excessive dust in the home.

During the cooler winter months here in Florida, it's a great time to repair or replace ductwork. Most air companies are not as busy as they are in the summer months, and they will most likely give you a

There is an enormous temptation for business owners to be a "Jack of All Trades".

After all, none of us want to turn away potential business and "one stop-shopping" is very convenient for the customer so it's a win-win for everyone, right?

Customers like the idea of a one-stop shop, because it makes life easy if you have someone you can trust to take care of all your needs. Merchants like the idea because they aren't sending businesses elsewhere.

It all sounds like a great idea except that, when you are trying to be all things to all people, you quickly find out that you can't be the best at everything and nobody is ever completely satisfied.

Gone are the days of the days of the backyard mechanic, today's vehicles require skilled technician's that understand the science and technology required to keep them running, the same is true of your Heating and Air Conditioning equipment.

Advances in technology have made specialists more important than ever and Social Media and websites like Angie's List or Ask the Seal make it easier than ever to do a little bit of research online so you do not have to settle for a second rate company.

It used to be that hiring the best meant paying more, but that is simply not the case anymore, especially in a highly competitive industry like the HVAC industry.

In fact, quite often the opposite is true. When you hire a less expensive company, you frequently end up