Author: Platinum Team

From being locally owned and operated, to providing trusted technicians and personal follow-up – Platinum has proudly built a solid reputation throughout the Valley. Our team is dedicated to servicing valued customers like you - and always taking care of your home like it’s our own! We’d like to introduce the members of our knowledgeable, hard-working staff that is always available with just a click or a call!

Let’s put names to the faces!

Leadership Team

Left to right:

Nathan Dolin, Operations Manager

Alex Helt, Vice President

Scott Jolley, Field Operations Manager

Business Development Team

Left to right:

Danelle Sucato, Account Manager

Marissa Guy, Senior Account Manager (third from left)

Yvonne Hunter, Regional Sales Manager (fourth from left)

Deana Caudillo, Inside Sales Representative

Customer Service Team

Left to Right:

Dane Fontaine, Customer Service Representative

Robin Canzona, Customer Care Advocate

Javon Lattimore, Customer Service Representative

Joni Kozaryn, Customer Service Representative

Misty McGee, Customer Service Representative

Authorization Team

Left to Right:

Justin Moody, Authorization Representative

Maj Hedlund, Authorization Representative

Sheryl De La Cruz, Authorization Representative

Jazmine Buck, Authorization Representative

Technicians

Left to Right:

Steve Chase, Appliance Technician

Alfredo Pedrego, Senior HVAC Technician

Serena Lancaster, Appliance Technician

Juan Castillo, Plumbing Technician

Enrique Hernandez, HVAC Technician

Chase Baker, HVAC Technician

Choose PHW and get the support of the full team! Any questions? Let us know!

“It can wait!” is the typical phrase we all say when confronted with a home repair. It’s easy to justify putting off a necessary service like thermostat, plumbing or a disposal upgrade because of time constraints and cost. Unfortunately, when these simple fixes are ignored, the problem can worsen and cause extreme inconvenience in the long run.

Being up to date with repairs is not only important for the home that you’re living in, but also the home you’re selling. You don’t want issues to appear when you put a property on the market or to sneak up in the middle of the process. The real estate market is hot right now, and when going through a transaction - there is no room for delay. Buyers notice the details: numerous fixes and to-do’s can add up in their mental checklist and result in a ‘no’ when trying to close a sale.

There are many reasons to fix up a property but here are some of the main reasons why it’s important to stay on top of things:

Safety First 

A lot of issues around the home are not only an eyesore but they can be extremely unsafe and unsanitary. For example, ducts and coils in your air and heating system that are not regularly maintained, can seriously affect air quality. It’s important to pay attention to all ventilation systems to ensure that the environment is safe - for you and prospective buyers.

Value 

Few will consider investing in a property that has insurmountable damage or issues to address. Though fixer-uppers can be fun, many who are looking to purchase a home want to see the value upfront versus the potential. By repairing and upgrading your home as soon as problems arise, it simultaneously increases the quality of the space.

Aesthetics 

Despite the message behind the adage - people tend to judge a book by its cover. A home is no different, and first impressions are everything. If you’re thinking about selling your property or are already in the process, it’s important to be mindful of what disrepair will communicate to prospective buyers. Outdated plumbing fixtures, broken disposals and disheveled cooling units give off the wrong impression. By staying on top of these issues, you’ll always put your best foot forward.

Efficiency & Function

Now, more than ever it is crucial to make the most of your resources. Faulty machinery and systems not only cause frustration, but can also negatively impact your bottom line. For example, an A/C unit that is worn or not functioning properly can result in a hefty bill when trying to cool a home. By contacting a technician immediately, you save yourself money and time. Functionality is one of the most important factors in property management, and it makes all the difference when it comes to ease and comfort.

Despite all of the reasons to address repairs - it still can feel daunting to commit. One common deterrent of scheduling a service is connecting with a reputable technician. With the amount of online reviews, websites and links to comb through - it’s no surprise that the task can seem overwhelming. Here at Platinum Home Warranty, we vouch for the most honest and reliable businesses. The process for getting it taken care of is simple: fill out the online form and explain your request, then submit a flat fee of only $50 dollars! The Platinum Concierge team takes it from there; they search their database for the best technician for the job and loop you in.

Worried that the task won’t fit into their scope? The variety of services that they offer, covers most home repair issues, and you can rest assured that each technician is an expert in their field. From A/C repair, fixture upgrades to water heater service, and duct cleanings -  we’ve got people who can help! You want a trusted expert to access and solve the issue without tedious scheduling, cost loopholes or inefficiency. When seeking a fair and dependable solution, Platinum Concierge can help.

As a homeowner, you have a choice to make — how will you handle repairs for your home systems and appliances? Will you put a game plan in place from the get go? Will you work with a handyman as each need arises? It may not come as much of a surprise — we’re fans of home warranties around these parts. What may be less obvious are the reasons why. As you shape your own pros and cons list, be sure to take these factors into account.

Why choose a home warranty over a handyman?

• Manage expenses — A big upside to home warranties is the ability to better manage expenses. For covered items, you’re responsible for the trade call fee ($75 at Platinum) instead of the full cost of repairs. This helps you budget more effectively and makes it less likely you’ll be caught off-guard with a massive bill.
• Trusted technicians — When you work with us, you know you’re working with a trusted technician. We’ve extensively vetted anyone we send to your property to make sure they know their stuff. When you hire a handyman, it can be a bit of a gamble. It’s hard to know the expertise and experience of the individual.
• Quality of service — With a home warranty, you have a full team at the ready to assist you. Though we can’t speak for all companies, we can say — our customer care team does a top notch job making sure they keep the lines of communication open — from getting you scheduled appropriately to making sure you’re happy post-service. We promise to deliver a professional and respectful service experience.
• Supervision — With a home warranty, you have a clear team who takes responsibility for the work performed. If repairs aren’t made up to your standards or issues persist, we’re here to take responsibility and ultimately ensure the problem is resolved. If you hire a handyman, who will you go to if you aren’t pleased with the quality of the work? How can you ensure that your repairman won’t just fade away?

It’s ultimately up to you to decide how to address your home repair needs. Here are some words from a few homeowners who found that a home warranty was right for them…

We did lots of research and finally picked Platinum Home Warranty. We are so happy with our decision. After a couple of months in our home our main bathroom started backing up in all drains and the toilet. It was scary to think of what the cost would be to have it repaired… They had a tech out within a few days and everything was working great!… I can’t say enough good things about PHW. We are so glad we went with them!

– Heather H.

We’ve had a great experience with Platinum. Friendly reps and service people, and professional service and repair work. So glad we have this warranty program, its already saved us a ton in unexpected appliance repairs.

– Melissa E., Phoenix

I have been with Platinum for a year. It is time for renewal and I am happy to renew! Over the past year we had a hot water heater issue, Platinum sent out someone who was professional and courteous and he was able to fix the problem… I did not have to wonder who should I call, what should I do, can I trust someone I find online?? No worries, I just call Platinum.

-Wendy L.

“My husband and I actually debated about whether to buy a home warranty on our house, but we did. Within the first six months, there was a problem with our air conditioning. We are sure glad we did make the decision to get a home warranty with Platinum because we saved thousands of dollars in repair costs. The speed with which our air conditioning issue was addressed was amazing. They were out at 7 AM the next morning to diagnose the issue and immediately recharge our unit. Then within a week our part arrived, and the unit was working perfectly. No hassles at all.

-Erin H., Phoenix

 

Want to help your clients be as satisfied as possible with their warranty coverage? These three tips can set you up for success:

1. Create realistic expectations. Though a home warranty can help bring your clients greater peace of mind, it doesn’t cover everything. It’s important to be upfront with your clients about this. Let them know that existing problems will not be covered by their home warranty. Walk them through the ways the home warranty will come in handy, as well as what’s beyond coverage. Steer clear of empty promises. They will only leave clients upset with you later on!


2. Order the proper coverage Is there a pool? Are there secondary appliances that need coverage? Make sure you double-check the custom coverage your client needs. If you have any questions, check in with your your local rep.


3. Maximize extra money at closing. If there’s extra money on the table at closing, use it to beef up your client’s home warranty coverage. Beyond the specific policy of choice, you can add credit toward future service fees. This will help homeowners breathe an extra sigh of relief when issues pop up down the line.

 

Within this post, we’ll take a look at a typical heating and air conditioning system. What are all those parts, and what do they do? What’s covered in our home warranties, and what’s not covered? Compressor  - A mechanical device that circulates and compresses refrigerant. Liquid Lines  - A copper pipe that transports refrigerant. Condenser Coil  - Removes heat from refrigerant after it has been pressurized and heated in the compressor. Outdoor Thermoexpansion Valve (TXV)  - Controls the amount of refrigerant flowing in the unit. Filter Drier  - Absorbs and captures contaminants and physically filters the refrigerant. Control Board  - Regulates the amount of power supplied to the parts of the A/C unit. Capacitor  - Holds then releases a boost of power to get the air conditioner running. Disconnect  - Allows power to be completely shut off from the unit. Contactor  - Used for making or breaking an electrical circuit. Condenser Fan/Motor  - Moves air across the condenser coil to cool the refrigerant which helps it turn back to a liquid from a gas state. Furnace  - The furnace is a large indoor unit that produces and delivers warm air in your home. It moves air through the ducts and vents into rooms. This unit is usually housed in the garage, attic, or closet. Heat Exchanger  - The heat exchanger is a set of tubes or coils within the airflow of a furnace that heats air. Evaporator Coil  - Within a heating system, evaporator coils converts warm air to cold or cold air to warm air. They require regular routine maintenance and cleaning. Without such maintenance, dirt and debris can cause the system to malfunction, resulting in poor cooling or heating.

Plenum  - A box connecting to the HVAC system that helps distribute heated or cooled air through ductwork.

Heating Elements  - Used in electrical heating. Air blows over the element and heat is transferred to the air and blown into the inhabitable space.

Heating Relay  - Controls the voltage in a sequence.

Blower Motor  - Moves the blower wheel to circulate a volume of air for heating and cooling.

Transformer  - Reduces the amount of voltage to the unit.

Power Relay  - Controls the voltage in a sequence.

Fuse Panel  - Contains fuse that protects the low voltage. In the event of a power surge, the fuse will blow and will protect the transformer or other electrical components.

 Return-air Duct  - Duct used for recycling air from the inhabitable space.

 Filter  - Removes particles from the air (dust, dirt, allergens, etc).

 Blower  - Attached to the blower motor and helps circulate air through the home.

What is covered under a home warranty? Some of the main items covered include thermostats, motors, capacitors, filter dryers, fan blades, compressors, coils, boards and valves. For complete details, be sure to look at our terms and conditions. What isn’t covered under a home warranty? Some of the main items not covered include registers, grills, drip pans, filters, disposal and/or recovery fees and mismatched equipment or improperly-sized equipment. For a comprehensive look at what isn’t covered, be sure to look at our terms and conditions. What regular maintenance is required to keep your warranty valid? Filters need to be changed monthly. Coils need to be cleaned one to two times per year. And, all other maintenance required by the manufacturer to keep systems running at peak performance must be performed. What are heating and cooling checkups? To help maintain your heating and cooling system, we offer seasonal checkups. This 20-point check reviews some of the major components of the system to ensure it is up to par for the season. These are offered:

• Fall: October 1st – November 30th
• Spring: March 1st – April 30th

To schedule your appointment, call us at (602) 733-5000 during the checkup period. If you have questions regarding coverage, please give us a call at (602) 733-5000. And, if you’re looking to keep your heater in top shape, be sure to take a look at this related blog post: Winter Furnace Maintenance.

The Phoenix metropolitan area is growing by leaps and bounds. Given that, we often get folks asking whether we cover certain areas of the Valley.

You likely guessed that we cover the biggies -- like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and Tempe. But, what about some of those areas farther out?

This handy table should answer that…

Locations We Cover	Locations We Don't Cover
Ahwatukee	Arizona City
Anthem	Bellmont
Avondale	Black Canyon City
Buckeye	Bullhead City
Carefree	Clarkdale
Casa Grande	Congress
Cave Creek	Coolidge
Chandler	Cottonwood
El Mirage	Eloy
Florence	Flagstaff
Fountain Hills	Kingman
Gilbert	Oro Valley
Glendale	Payson
Gold Canyon	Pine
Laveen	Pinetop
Litchfield	Prescott Valley
Maricopa	Prescott
Mesa	Rainbow Valley
New River	Rimrock
Peoria	Sahuarita
Phoenix	Showlow
Rio Verde	Tonopah
San Tan Valley	Tucson
Scottsdale	Wickenburg
Sun City	Wittman
Sun Lakes	Yarnell
Surprise	Yuma
Tempe
Tolleson
Wadell
Youngtown

Picture your typical home warranty company technician -- a third party contractor you know little about. Is he trustworthy? Does he care? Does he know his stuff?

Contrast that with Platinum. Instead of farming things out like everyone else, we hire our own techs. They’re people we’re proud to have on our team. Ones we’d trust in our own daughter’s home.

Who are they exactly? Well, let’s start with our three lead techs…

 

 

 

We certainly do!

But, guess what? That’s NOT the industry norm! Many companies do NOT classify lack of air conditioning in extreme temperatures as an emergency requiring expedited service.

Not cool! -- pun intended ;)

At Platinum, if your AC unit goes out in summer -- and it’s the only form of cooling in the entire home -- you can count on us to deliver expedited, emergency service. 

You can keep your cool, because we’ll get you cool!

Our new home warranty plans and website are here, and we want to give you an overview.

1. Our plans are now called Bronze, Silver and Gold. We’ve made it easier to understand our coverage tiers with clearer names.

2. Platinum Plus is included in our Silver and Gold plans. Due to Platinum Plus’ popularity, we’re including it in two of our coverage tiers!

3. We’ve shifted our plan structure for better customization. Washer/dryer and refrigerator are included in Gold, and pool is an add-on for all plans to make customization easier.

Our sales team is ready to assist with any questions and walk you through the updates! Call us at 602.733.5000, or reach out to your specific rep. PS -- You’ll find new marketing brochure here. And, for our refreshed Terms & Conditions click here.

Repair and replacement of household appliances can nibble away at your bank account.  We’ve rounded up a few tips to help you prolong the life of your everyday appliances. In a nutshell, cleaning is your best friend. Cleaning can extend the life of just about any appliance and save you a significant amount of money.

Refrigerator:

For example, the coils of your refrigerator should be free of dust and debris. If dust gets into the coils or the vent, the appliance motor can overheat, resulting in a hefty service charge. Coil cleaning only takes about five minutes. Start by unplugging the refrigerator. Pull or unscrew the vent plate that protects the coils. Then, clean the coils with a vacuum hose, using a brush to wipe off any dust in sight.

It’s also helpful to pull out refrigerator drawers for regular cleaning, and icemakers can also benefit from a good cleaning twice a year. For more tricks to keep your refrigerator in tip-top shape, check out our post Tips to prolong the life of your refrigerator.

Dishwasher:

Cleaning is again your not-so-secret weapon. Make sure to clean the dishwasher gasket on a regular basis.  The gasket is the watertight seal around the door of your dishwasher. In every dishwasher, there also is a component called the trap. It collects food and hard water build-up.  Like the gasket, the trap needs regular cleaning to stay top of game, so be sure to give it the attention it needs.

It’s also helpful to remove all filters and clean them thoroughly with warm water. While you’re at it – keep the soap dispenser free of soap scum and other buildup. Use only dishwasher detergent in recommended amounts. Load the dishwasher properly, and run only when you have a full load.  If you have hard water, use an anti-limescale product once a month.

Oven:

If you have a self-cleaning oven, put the self-cleaning cycle into action. Do not use any other method to clean it. Clean up spills immediately, and give the interior of your oven some TLC regularly. When you allow food to linger and build up, it just gets more difficult to clean.

Garbage disposal:              

To keep your garbage disposal at its best, be careful about what you put down it. Food high in fiber is notorious for wrecking havoc on garbage disposals. Whether it be celery, cornhusks, potato skins or seafood shells, save those scraps for the trash. Never put rice in the garbage disposal; it’s another clogging culprit.

To freshen your disposal, occasionally grind half of a lime or lemon in it while running cold water. Keep the strong flow of cold water running throughout grinding, and continue it for at least 30 seconds after turning off grinder.

Washer and Dryer:

Overloading your washer or dryer might be a nice way to get more clothes clean in one fell swoop. But unfortunately, when you cram your washer or dryer to the brim, its performance is impacted. Over time it can take a toll and add to repair needs. So, resist the temptation to overload, and make sure to choose the correct load size.

While you’re at it, be sure to use the proper laundry detergent for your particular model, whether it be high efficiency or regular detergent. Make it a habit to clean the dryer lint filter prior to each load, and clean the dryer exhaust vent routinely. This will both protect your dryer’s performance and prevent possible fires.