Is my home's AC ready for another Colorado Summer?

It seems like just a couple weeks ago I had snow filling my Broomfield home's backyard.  Wait, we all did!  Where did spring go?  All of a sudden, I'm using my AC in my car EVERYDAY.  I am glad I had my mechanic checked it the last time I had my car in for service.

The heat of this past memorial day weekend had me thinking…I had just serviced my car's AC, but haven't had anyone service my home air conditioner in a long time.  I figure, like many of us, I just switch the thermostat from heat to cool and all will work flawlessly. It's not like you take your house into a "home mechanic" at regular intervals like you do your car.   I guess the last time was only because my AC needed repair.  I called one of the large companies that advertise a lot in the Denver area.  I thought, if they are a big HVAC repair company, they must be reputable and a guy in single truck isn't.  What I didn't realize is they were charging me a premium for servicing my system and sold plans that seem like veiled ploys to get them back into my house.

I was told I needed to re-wire my home thermostat and was sold a preventative maintenance plan.  Being busy and not paying attention to detail, I agreed.  When they came back a year later, they checked my whole house, including plumbing and told me I needed a ton of plumbing issues addressed giving me another large bid.  I know plumbing better than my ac or furnace and realized what they were proposing could be addressed by nothing more than changing a bowl plug and other internals I could buy for $20.  I was immediately skeptical and felt like their preventative maintenance program was a ploy to get them back into my house so they could find something else wrong.    

So how do you choose a good HVAC contractor?  Drive from Westminster to Broomfield and you'll see 12 different pickups with a magnet saying they do HVAC work.  

Remember, your furnace and your air conditioner are two completely different home appliances, but interoperate and  use the same vents and ductwork throughout your house.  I've learned that as a home-owner, you should check your filters, condensors & coolant lines to make sure they are clean and in proper order.  Don't know how to do that? Maybe finding a company to check it out for you is in order.  I also learned that the filters I've been buying might be putting undue strain on my heating and air systems as my furnace can't handle the overly restrictive filters I had been buying.  

I like to buy locally.  Groceries, musical instruments, sporting goods…I think in this world of Walmarts, Guitar Centers & REIs, there is still room for the knowledgeable local specialist.  As a matter of fact, as the big boxes get bigger, it seems their service and knowledge base has suffered.  Doing searches online, reading reviews and calling around has helped me find many great local businesses that know their stuff, are competitively priced, take care of me and seem to genuinely appreciate my business.  

Not that you need to use someone in your backyard, but it is nice to know that help is 15-20 minutes away. Of the 3 local guys I called, I found Colorado Heat, Air and Fireplace Repair to be all I was looking for.  They are a division of Trinity Services, a decent sized local company that has more than 1 truck but doesn't spend thousands on tv and radio ads.  Check them out here: www.coloradoheatingandair.com.   I've switched my filter purchase and change it with greater frequency thanks to what I've learned from the folks at Trinity Services.