Dear Friends,
Think of what you value most in a heating company and see if your answers match the responses below, which are based on a comprehensive survey of more than 40,000 homeowners, who were asked which factors were the most important to them when selecting a company for maintenance and repair.
Here are the top five answers:
These factors are also important to us. We are committed to keeping you comfortable and helping you save energy, and our company mission is designed around those values. When we install equipment such as a boiler, a water heater or a central air system, we stand behind our work 100%—because we care about quality and our reputation is on the line.
No matter what happens outside, you can depend on Wilson Oil and Propane to be there to keep you comfortable and safe inside. After all, that’s what we’ve been doing for 90 years now.
Warmly,
David and Betsy O’Connell
P.S. Congratulations to Adrian Bennett and Tom Roever, winners winners of the iPad Pro from our contest last fall.
Some customers ask us if they should get their a/c system tuned upevery year, or just every couple of years. That’s like asking if you should brush your teeth every day, or every other day.
Every equipment manufacturer requires regular maintenance to keep warranties valid. It’s that important! Regular tune-ups prevent a wide range of problems that can lead to expensive repairs. A tune-up keeps your cooling system operating at peak efficiency, which helps you save on electric costs. It’s not expensive, and it will eliminate hassles.
Contact us today to request your tune-up!
Thank you to all of our customers who participated in our recent Facebook contest! We had asked you to visit our Facebook page and post a comment about your experience as a Wilson Oil and Propane customer.
We drew the names of six customer sat random and awarded each of them a fuel delivery at 10¢ per gallon—the prices we charged in 1926, the year of our founding. The winners are:
Every summer, we fix air conditioning problems — some simple, some tricky. Here’s a closer look at a few of these problems and how we solve them. We’ve also provided hot tips to help you avoid problems from happening!
One of the most common problems we see is an air conditioning system that runs but fails to generate any cool air. When we dispatch our technician on a call like this, he will begin his diagnosis by checking out these typical causes:
In some cases, our technician may find an ice buildup on the evaporator coil and stains on the refrigerant piping. This usually indicates a loss of refrigerant. A few tests will confirm the diagnosis. If a system has lost too much refrigerant, it can no longer cool the home properly.
The technician’s solution: He will use a detector to find and fix a leak in the refrigerant line. Next, he will recharge the system with the proper amount of refrigerant so cool air can flow again.
If you have an old system that uses R-22 refrigerant, adding more can be a costly expense. See related article down below to see how you can avoid this.
Your air conditioning equipment creates cold air by passing warm air over the indoor evaporator (cooling) coil. This causes condensation to form and flow off the coil. During normal operation, a cooling system produces large amounts of water from condensation.
Normally, the water exits through a drainage system. But if the drain line gets clogged, water backs up and spills over the drain pan and into your house. If it’s not detected right away, you could be facing expensive water damage.
We can stop this from happening. When we do annual service on your a/c system, we’ll clean the coil and flush the condensation line to prevent dirt buildup in your system. We can also install a float switch, which will automatically shut down your system if a drainage problem occurs.
In a typical a/c system, about 27 gallons of water go down the drain every day!
Liquid refrigerant enters the coil of the indoor unit (A), absorbs heat and cools the air, which is then blown through ducts (B). The vaporized refrigerant, which now carries heat, is piped (C) to the outdoor unit (D) where it is compressed back into a liquid and the heat is released outside.
(That’s why you feel hot air coming out of the back of your outdoor air conditioning unit.)
Use this guide to help you decide whether it’s best to repair your system or purchase a new one.
REPAIR | REPLACE | |
AGE OF SYSTEM | Less than 10 years |
More than 10 years
|
COST AND FREQUENCY OF REPAIRS |
Less than 50% cost of new unit
|
50% more than cost of new unit
|
EFFICIENCY OF UNIT |
More than 13-SEER
|
Less than 13-SEER
|
If your system is not keeping your home as comfortable as before and your electric bills have been getting higher, ask us to evaluate your equipment. It could be that it is reaching the end of its life span and should be replaced. If your system still has some life in it, the main problem may be a lack of maintenance.
Over time, dirt and debris build up inside a system, lowering its efficiency. Not only will your home become less comfortable, but you will spend a lot more money on electric bills. You also risk a costly repair and the loss of your manufacturer’s equipment warranty, which can be voided if a proper maintenance schedule is not followed.
That’s why it’s so important to get your air conditioning system serviced at least once a year!
On your own, you should change or clean the system’s air filter about once a month to keep the system running as efficiently as possible.
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for changing or cleaning your filter.
Here are a few tips to help you cope with extreme weather this summer.
✔ Discuss an emergency plan with your family—including instructions on how to turn off propane systems during a power outage.
✔ Once a storm passes, check your appliances for water or other damage. Never turn on a light switch, use a power source or inspect your appliances while you are standing in water. You run the risk of electrocution.
✔ Ask us to inspect your appliances if you believe they have been damaged.
✔ Don’t operate outdoor appliances and generators in enclosed spaces — you could be in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
✔ If you smell propane in your house, leave immediately and call for help.
Wilson has the right equipment to keep you cool for less while delivering peace of mind! This is the very best time of year to upgrade, because we can schedule your replacement installation when it easily fits your schedule. No one has more experience in matching the right system to a homeowner’s budget than Wilson.
You’ll also save money if you contact us soon. Right now, through June 30, you can qualify for Carrier Cool Cash rebates of up to $1,650 on qualifying Carrier a/c systems. Wilson is a factory-authorized dealer and installer of Carrier equipment. Qualified customers may opt for 60 months of 0% financing.
Visit the Specials page for more details and then contact us to schedule your FREE estimate.
Q: What are the biggest mistakes people make when buying a central air conditioner?
A: In my experience, here are the big ones.
Overspending on efficiency. Sometimes it makes sense to spend extra for an ultra-high-efficiency system. Sometimes it is not worth the cost. It depends on your total usage and the trade-off between up-front cost and energy savings.
Choosing the wrong contractor. It’s not the equipment but the quality of the installation that makes the biggest difference. You can invest in the best system in the world, but if your contractor installs it improperly, you will not get the comfort and savings you paid for. What’s more, it can be a nightmare to try to get a contractor to stand behind what he sells.
Not understanding all the options. We can give you lots of different options for your budget and physical space. If you have more choices and good guidance, you are much more likely to live “comfortably ever after.”