Frequently Asked Questions

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning – all of the various technologies that go into making hot days cool and cold days warm.

When choosing an HVAC system, it’s important that the system is large enough to effectively heat and cool your home, without being so large as to be impractical or inefficient. When Pruett’s specialists prepare an HVAC estimate, they’ll take several factors into account:

• Your home’s square footage and ceiling heights
• Is your home insulated? If so, how effective is your home’s insulation?
• Is there pre-existing duct work, and is it arranged correctly to provide maximum effectiveness and efficiency?
• How many doors and windows are in your home, and how efficient are they?

Following this assessment, they’ll be able to tell you what options are available to you and each option’s pros and cons.

With the information our sales and installation professionals will share, you’ll be able to confidently select a system that will meet your needs without breaking your budget.

When looking at HVAC systems, you’ll see a SEER number for every heating and cooling system available. This rating – the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio – is a measure of a system’s efficiency compared to other systems, based on the amount of cooling a system will deliver per unit (or, per dollar) of electricity.

For modern air conditioning systems, a SEER rating of 13-15 is good, 16-19 is better, and 20-24 is the best, denoting a very efficient system.

For several years, HVAC installers have been required by federal environmental regulations to install units with a minimum SEER of 13 in the northern US and 14 in the southern US. In 2023, those minimums have increased to 14 in northern states and 15 in the southern states – so all units available from Pruett will carry a minimum rating of 15, and many will offer even higher efficiencies.

All split systems – the most common type of central heating and air system in US homes – have a nominal SEER rating, which is based on an installation using standard indoor equipment. If you choose to upgrade your system’s indoor equipment, however, that SEER rating may increase to reflect the improved efficiency of the upgraded system.

Traditional thermostats maintain a home’s temperature within one narrow temperature range until someone physically walks to the thermostat and makes an adjustment. That means that forgetting to adjust your thermostat every day can lead your home’s air conditioning system running at night when it’s not needed or during the week when nobody’s home, wasting both energy and money.

With a programmable thermostat, the system can automatically adjust according to a set schedule, allowing the system to run less when nobody’s home or during parts of the day when it’s not needed. Many programmable thermostats also feature internet connectivity, allowing you to monitor and control your home’s temperature even when you’re away from home.

What is the life expectancy of my new or existing HVAC system?

Carrier’s products are among the longest lasting heating and cooling systems on the market today. The longevity of a unit will depend on many factors, including:

• How much it’s used
• How well it’s maintained
• The quality of any repairs made to the system

At Pruett, we understand that the HVAC system is one of the most expensive investments you can make in your home – and we want to help you keep that investment in good order with our regular preventative maintenance plans and skilled repair technicians.

When you choose a filter for your HVAC system, there are a couple of things to consider. Regardless of the filter you choose, it must be one that matches your blower’s capacity; our local HVAC service professionals at Pruett can help you determine which filters meet that requirement.

After that, it’s a matter of reviewing the many options available and determining which filter will work for you. A few of the general options available are:

• Standard filters are effective only at removing large dust particles to keep your ductwork and blower clean, but won’t improve indoor air quality beyond that. These are typically the lowest-cost disposable filters available.
• Media filters are up to seven times more effective at removing particulate matter from the air in your home, and cost more than standard filters.
• Pleated media filters are among the strongest filters available and can remove even insecticide dust and airborne viruses from the air in your home, at the cost of being the most expensive disposable filters.
• Washable filters are a different class of filter altogether – instead of throwing away your filter and replacing it with a new one each month, a washable filter can be cleaned and reused multiple times.

After you’ve chosen a filter, set yourself a reminder that it needs to be replaced or cleaned every thirty days. Many newer thermostats contain an internal timer that will regularly show you a reminder to replace the filter.

If you need filtration beyond your HVAC system’s standard filter, Pruett offers a wide range of indoor air quality solutions.

The filter shipped with your Carrier unit is made from higher-quality materials than those in the disposable filters found in retail stores. For that reason, replacement Carrier filters can only be purchased through a Carrier dealer. However, keep in mind that some Carrier filters are reusable, and can be washed by hand in cold water.

No other machine in your home works harder or in rougher conditions than your HVAC system. The fans and compressor in your unit run for long periods, start and stop several times throughout the day, and aren’t protected from the elements like your indoor appliances. Regular maintenance can help ensure that these conditions don’t lead to an early failure of your heater or air conditioner and that your unit is operating at its maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Regular maintenance should be performed annually on heat pumps and cooling systems, and every two years on gas-fired heating systems. During this service, technicians will clean and inspect your unit, looking for:

• Leaks
• Rot
• Soot
• Frayed wires
• Loose or corroded electrical terminals
• Any other issue that could cause an interruption of service.

• Heat pumps and air conditioners should be serviced once a year. This service should include cleaning and inspection of the fan, compressor, indoor and outdoor coils, line kits, and refrigerant lines.
• Gas-fired equipment (furnaces, boilers) only need service every other year. This service should include cleaning and inspection ductwork, plumbing, dampers, valves, chimney, registers, radiators, pumps, blowers, fuel lines, gas meter or oil tank, and all parts of the furnace and/or boiler.

HVAC systems are complicated and troubleshooting an issue can be tricky. The local HVAC service experts at Pruett are happy to assist you in determining what needs to be done to get your system back in working order.

Under the standard factory warranty, Carrier covers parts that fail during the warranty period due to defect in the part. The warranty does not cover labor. A warranty certificate was included with your homeowner information packet, and is specific to the model numbers, serial numbers and installation dates of your products. If you cannot find your warranty certificate, Pruett will also be able to provide you with the information.

Probably not. Unless the damage was caused by a fire, flood, or other event not localized to the HVAC system, air conditioner repair and replacement is not a component of most homeowner policies. Some aftermarket home warranties, however, do offer HVAC coverage for major repairs.

If you have questions about your insurance coverage, contact your insurer.

As a Factory Authorized Carrier Dealer, Pruett Air Conditioning Associates is the best resource for identifying and supplying the correct, current parts for your system, as well as providing pricing and availability.

Possibly. Even if the repair scheduled only affects your outdoor equipment, technicians may still need access to your home’s attic, crawlspace, or interior to access the ductwork and thermostat, or to perform system checks on your unit’s performance.

When you call to schedule an appointment, Pruett’s customer service staff will do their best to work around your schedule, so that your HVAC repairs and maintenance cause the absolute minimum of disruption.