Always Hire A Florida Licensed Air Conditioning Professional

Dangers of Hiring Unlicensed Workers

Poor qualifications: . Unlicensed individuals have not demonstrated the education, insurance, or qualification required of a licensed contractor. This can leave you with poor quality work or unfinished projects, which means you could spend more money hiring another contractor to repair or finish the project.

Possible criminal background: . Unlicensed individuals often have criminal backgrounds that may include fraud, theft, violent crime, sexual offenses, and substance abuse.
Likelihood of being the victim of a scam: Unlicensed individuals often disappear after taking your money, leaving you with very few options to help you get your money back or your work completed.

No coverage under homeowner’s policy: Homeowner's insurance does not cover unlicensed contractors, and by law the homeowner is held responsible for hiring an unlicensed contractor and is held accountable for any work associated with the contractor. If an unlicensed contractor's carelessness leads to injury or damage to you or your neighbor’s property, the problem is yours.

Noncompliance with building codes: . Most projects, even small ones, require permits and inspections that unlicensed contractors ignore or are unfamiliar with. If your project isn't permitted or doesn’t comply with the building code, you may have to remove or repair the work at your own expense and be subject to fines by local government.

Voided warranties: Installations performed by an unlicensed contractor void the manufacturer's warranty so you could be spending thousands of dollars on a unit that is not covered if it fails.
If a contractor files bankruptcy or skips out while working on your home, you are responsible for all fines and unpaid bills to suppliers. You're also responsible for the wages of employees who worked for the unlicensed contractor.

In addition, hiring an unlicensed contractor is a violation of Florida Statute 455.228 which can result in a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for the home or business owner and you could be liable for the court costs on top of that.

These tips from the Sarasota County Building department can protect you from predatory contractors:

•   You can verify a State of Florida Licensed Contractor at www.MyFloridaLicense.com. Ask your contractor for a license number. Always verify the license number!   Make sure the license is in the owner’s name. 
•   Get a signed, detailed contract that spells out the work to be done, when, and for how much.
•   Ask for local references and check them.
•   Verify the company's reputation with organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce.
•   Do not make a large down payment and do not pay in full until the work is complete.

If you have a smart phone you can search for the Florida DBPR Mobile App – it's free, and will let you easily search for companies and individuals to make sure they are licensed.

Besides it being illegal to hire unlicensed contractors, unlicensed contractors are subject to arrest and prosecution for working without a license.

Unlicensed contractors are dangerous because they expose you to significant financial harm if injury or property damage happens.

If an unlicensed contractor offers services to you

#1 Do not hire the unlicensed individual.

#2 Keep copies of all information provided by the unlicensed individual (ads, flyers, cards).

#3 Report the unlicensed person by sending the information to the Department of Business &
Professional Regulation.

Report Unlicensed Activity
1.866.532.1440
www.MyFloridaLicense.com

Please visit our website to learn more about Air Conditioning and Heating

Air Conditioning Tax Credits

On New Year’s Day Congress approved a legislative package that reinstated dozens of popular tax breaks that benefit individuals and small businesses,  including the extension of the “25C” tax credit for installing energy efficient appliances in existing and new homes.

The ”25C” tax credit allows homeowners to claim up to $500 in tax credits for installing qualified energy efficient improvements. 

The tax credit is equal to 10% of the cost  (up to a $300 limit) for installing a high efficiency central air conditioner, heat pump or hot water heater.  Also a homeowner can get a tax credit for up to $150 for installing a qualified furnace or hot water boiler, and a smaller tax credit of up to $50 is available for installing a system with an advanced main air circulating fan.

The IRS will soon release information instructing taxpayers on how to file a claim.

If 2013 is the year you replace your air conditioning system, please give Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. a call.  We’ll help you choose the best system for your needs.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. – “The Quality and Service You Expect!


For information about applying for the tax credit click here.

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. is now an accredited QA Program Participant!

Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. has just been recognized by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) as an ACCA Quality Assured New Homes Contractor.

This certification is awarded to HVAC contractors who satisfy the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Program (Version 3). New ENERGY STAR certified homes are independently verified to be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and they feature additional measures that deliver a total energy efficiency improvement of up to 30 percent compared to typical new homes, and even greater savings when compared to most resale homes.

Only HVAC contractors who are credentialed through an EPA–recognized organization, such as the ACCA, are eligible to install HVAC equipment in these new ENERGY STAR certified homes. These expert contractors are committed to abiding by the best-practices standards set forth by the ACCA, and their compliance with ENERGY STAR requirements is validated by qualified 3rd party raters from the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET®) thus ensuring the consistent delivery of  high performance homes.

HVAC credentialing makes it easy for builders to identify contractors capable of helping them build ENERGY STAR certified homes, and it gives consumers the piece of mind of knowing that their new homes will bring them the efficiency, comfort, and durability that they expect from an ENERGY STAR certified home.

Excerpt from an actual email we received...

"Please help, I have just been mislead and pressured into having my air ducts cleaned and sanitized, UV light installed, for $2,772.00... and he said I was down 6 lbs of Freon? They haven't done the cleaning yet, that will happen Wednesday. My creditor is supposed to mail them a check within 7-10 days. After reading about why you do not clean air ducts, I'm so confused because I feel like I've been totally ripped off!

I'm wanting to call 8 on your side. It's like you mentioned, it was high pressure sales. The company is ******".

Nobody should ever feel uncomfortable or pressured when dealing with any company. Unfortunately the air conditioning industry has some unscrupulous contractors who have found that they can make lots of money selling unsuspecting customers products and services they do not need.
If you are ever suspicious of an estimate you have received - or just want a second opinion - please call Sean McCutcheon's before you do anything!

For a tongue-in-cheek and "slightly" exaggerated parody of the tactics some of these predator companies use - please visit www.acbarn.com.

At Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. our mission is to educate people so they know what to look for, and do not get ripped off!

Sarasota Air Conditioning Repair, Service, And Maintenance