“Our air conditioner was fourteen years old and quit on a hot Saturday. They found a failed part, fixed it that day, and told us plainly to start saving for the next one without rushing.”
Anastasia R.Brick house in Waldo
Heating and air, Kansas City
Repair it first. Replace it only when we can show you why.
We are a family shop of five. A technician checks the system you have and writes down what it needs. If a repair is the better buy, that is the quote you get.
- Findings in writing
- Repair and replacement side by side
Our rule
If a repair is the better buy, we will say so.
It is written into every quote. When fixing what you have makes more sense than a new system, the quote says that, even though replacement is the bigger job.
Repair or replace
What we usually say, by the age of the system
A rule of thumb for central air conditioners and heat pumps. The condition of your own system decides, not the number, and furnaces have their own table.
| We say replace when | We usually | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 8 years | We say replace whenRarely. Only if the compressor or coil has failed and no warranty covers it. | We usuallyRepair. Parts are easy to find and a manufacturer's warranty may still apply. |
| 8 to 12 years | We say replace whenWhen two or more major parts have failed, or the same part keeps failing. | We usuallyRepair, and tell you what else is wearing so nothing surprises you. |
| 12 to 15 years | We say replace whenWhen the repair is a large share of a new system, or the system runs on the retired R-22 refrigerant. | We usuallyRepair if it is one part and the rest is sound. Replacement goes beside it in the quote. |
| 15 to 20 years | We say replace whenWhen the compressor or coil goes, or it can no longer keep up with the house. | We usuallyRepair the small things. Start planning the replacement with you, on your schedule. |
| Over 20 years | We say replace whenWhen any major part fails. A big repair this late rarely makes sense. | We usuallyKeep it running while it is safe and cooling. Talk about when, not whether. |
The visit
When it is close, you get two quotes
A repair and a replacement can both be reasonable. When they are, you get both in writing, side by side, with what each includes. The choice is yours, and nobody calls you back with a deadline.
What a technician does on the first visit
The system is run, and the pressures and temperatures are read
The thermostat, wiring and the parts that fail first are checked
The ducts and the room that never gets comfortable are looked at
What we found is written down, whether or not you hire us
Services
What we repair, and when we replace
Air conditioner repair
Not cooling, iced over, short-cycling or tripping a breaker.
Furnace repair
No heat, a pilot or igniter that won't light, a blower that won't start.
Heat pump service
Heating and cooling from one outdoor unit, checked in both seasons.
Thermostats and controls
The cheap part that is often the whole problem.
Seasonal tune-ups
A look before the first hot or cold week, with the findings in writing.
Replacement, when it is time
Sized to the house, quoted line by line, installed and inspected.
Who is behind the work
The paperwork behind the work
- City registration
- Mechanical contractor registration · MO Registration 000000 · City of Kansas City, MissouriRegistered with the city to do mechanical work there; the owner confirms the class and number.
- Technicians
- EPA Section 608 certification · Held by our technicians, as the law requires to handle refrigerant
- Insurance
- General liability insuranceA certificate is sent on request.
From customers
What people say about the repair visit
“I got a second quote on the furnace and theirs listed the model, the permit and the haul-away. They also showed me the crack in the part and didn't push.”
Czeslaw P.Bungalow in Northeast
“The rooftop unit over our shop is old. They told us to repair it this year and put the replacement in next year's budget, and wrote both down.”
Dimitri L.Small shop on Main Street
Sample reviews.
Small buildings
Shops, offices and small buildings too
Rooftop and split systems at a small scale raise the same question, and get the same written answer.
What we do
Rooftop units and split systems
Quoted by the unit, in writing
Visits before or after your hours when we can
Where we work
Kansas City and the Missouri side of the metro
The shop is on Main Street in Westport. Most calls are within thirty minutes of it. If your town isn't listed, call and ask.
Jackson County
- Kansas City
- Waldo
- Hickman Mills
- Buckner
- Sibley
- Lone Jack
- Lake Lotawana
Clay County
- Excelsior Springs
Platte County
- Weatherby Lake
- Houston Lake
- Platte City
We stay on the Missouri side of the state line. For Kansas, call a firm that holds a Kansas license.
Questions
Questions people ask before they call
Will you tell me if my system can't be repaired?
Yes, and we tell you when it can. The quote says which it is and why. If a repair is the better buy, that is the quote we write.
How long should a furnace or air conditioner last?
Many air conditioners and heat pumps run 15 to 20 years and many furnaces 15 to 25, but upkeep, installation quality and the house matter more than the number. Age tells us where to look, not what to do.
What does the visit involve?
A technician runs the system, reads the pressures and temperatures, checks the thermostat, wiring and the parts that fail first, and writes down what was found. You get the findings whether or not you hire us.
The air conditioner is running but the house is warm. Where do I start?
Check that the thermostat is set to cool and that the filter is clean. Look at the outdoor unit: if it is iced over, turn the system off and call us. If the breaker keeps tripping, don't reset it again.
My carbon monoxide alarm went off. What do I do?
Get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911. Don't go back in to turn anything off. Call us once the fire department says it is safe, and don't run the furnace until a technician has checked it.
Do you work on every brand?
We work on most major brands of central air, furnaces and heat pumps. If we don't carry a part, we tell you before ordering it.
Book a visit
Tell us what you have
Say what it is and about how old it is. We call you to set a time.
Phone(816) 555-0102
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – noon
- SundayToday
- Closed