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Author: Platinum Team

If your A/C unit is over the hill, it may be time for an upgrade. Upgrading can improve your home’s cooling and reduce your electricity bill by 47%-60% (Source: Energy Star and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning). The ideal time to upgrade is now, before temperatures really heat up.

Is an upgrade right for me?

An upgrade is ideal if your current unit:

  • Is over 15 years of age.
  • Uses R22 Freon (this older Freon is being phased out due to environmental concerns).
  • Has a SEER rating below 11.

If any of these are true, upgrading will be worthwhile.

What are the benefits of upgrading?

Switching to a new unit can improve overall comfort within your home by providing more effective heating/cooling and quieter operation. Upgrading can substantially reduce your operating costs and help protect the environment by phasing out the R22 Freon that depletes the ozone. Data shows that you may even able to reduce your electricity bill by 47%-60% (Source: Energy Star and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning).

What are the options in terms of systems and financing?

We offer competitive pricing on American Standard Silver, Gold and Platinum Series systems as well as budget-friendly Heil systems, and we are happy to quote other brands as desired too. We’ll help you secure extra savings through manufacturer rebates, SRP rebates and federal tax credits. We also have 0% and low-interest financing options if you don’t want to pay for the whole enchilada at once.

Tell me more about extra perks from Platinum.

If you choose to purchase a new American Standard Platinum Series system through us, you’ll also land an extra perk -- one year of our Complete home warranty coverage for free. (Yep, that’s a full $450 plan!).

I’m interested. What should I do?

Give us a call today at 602.733.5000 to learn more about heating and cooling system upgrade options. We’ll help you assess the current state of your system and gauge whether an upgrade makes sense for you. If it won’t bring benefits in comfort or efficiency, we’ll be straight up and tell you!

phw-gratitude-kitchen-sink

This post is part of our Gratitude series, which reminds us to celebrate the ordinary things as we navigate life at home.

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Today we’re grateful for… the post-dinner kitchen scene. Oh dear. So many days it looks like total chaos. That big stack of dishes, pots and pans can get pretty crazy. It’s such a helpful, tangible reminder though -- life is a total creative process. It’s messy. It’s inefficient. There’s some work involved in creating what you desire. Sure, there’s a little cleanup necessary... especially when you decide to spice things up, try something new or venture beyond what is known. But the consequential messiness isn’t something to fret or despise. It’s a good thing. It’s evidence that we’ve chosen to engage and get messy… evidence that we are truly alive. And that ought to bring a joy-filled smile to our faces.

This post is part of a series to help you get to know the members of our team. We’re real people who call Arizona home, not a big corporate machine! Keep an eye out for more Q&A’s with the Platinum team.

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Tell us a bit about your personal background and family. I was born and raised in a suburb north of Detroit, Michigan. I moved to Arizona, sight unseen, in 2010 to finish my degree at ASU in 2012. I have two Shih Tzus, Bertolli and Zora, who are my fur-babies. It's very hard being so far away from family, but I stay connected and talk to them as much as I can -- sometimes a few times a day! It’s like I’m still in Michigan, minus the snow and freezing cold! I've grown to love Arizona, particularly the climate and beauty.      What has your career been like? / How did you get started at Platinum? I have held positions in a broad range of industries over the last several years. I spent time in the salon and spa industry, and have also spent years both managing merchant accounts and in the automotive aftermarket performance industry. Recently, after zeroing in on my own passions and visions, I knew I was ready to get out of the everyday office setting and focus on interacting with people in an upbeat and interactive environment. I was fortunate enough to have a great friend call me one day to let me know about the opportunity with Platinum. I was headed to see family in Michigan and missed my flight so I could interview with Platinum, and here I am! What are your hobbies? I love to cook, read and spend time with good friends and family (and of course, my two dogs). I grew up near lakes, so any chance I get, I love to slalom water-ski, lay in the sun and spend time on a boat. Some locals may say I should be ashamed to admit this but I am an avid Detroit sports fan...Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, sign me up!  I love the game, enjoy watching it and, yes, I actually get it. I scream at the TV every NFL Sunday and try to catch almost every baseball games (season is 162 games!).   What have you learned that you would love to share? Make sure you stay in tune with and follow your own intuition, despite your fears and doubts. Tomorrow is not guaranteed; live every day to the fullest. Say you're sorry, and own your mistakes. Learn from the past, and look forward to the future. Treat others the way you want to be treated. From the words of the great Dalai Lama: "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." What does "home" mean to you? Home is love. Home is security. Home isn't always a place but a feeling. The feeling that you are still safe even in your most vulnerable state. That is home.

All About Thermostats: 3TV Segment
Steve Higgins, our VP of Field Operations, walks through some basics on thermostats and HVAC units with 3TV.
This segment touches on questions like:

  • What are the different types of thermostats available these days? (builder standard, programmable, wi-fi enabled, LED)
  • Which types of thermostats can save you money, and how?
  • What’s the best way to program your thermostat?
  • How can you get your HVAC system ready for the season?

Aired: 3/13/2017 9:33AM

Need help getting your HVAC system ready for the warm weather? We’re here to help! We offer pre-season checkups, HVAC system upgrades and home warranties to keep you covered.

To learn more about how we can help you, just reach out! 602.733.5000.

This post is part of our Gratitude series, which reminds us to celebrate the ordinary things as we navigate life at home.

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Today, we’re grateful for... electricity. The power went out for a few hours the other day. Threw us for a loop, that’s for sure. Breakfast prep looked a bit different. There were some challenges doing our whole morning hygiene routine in the semi-dark. And, opening the garage door was a trip too.

It’s unexpected moments like those that hand us a chance to decide -- how will we react? Which path will we choose? It’s easy to get a little ticked off. Toast isn’t the same when the toaster can’t do its thing. Drying your hair becomes impossible. And who really has time or energy to figure out what manually opening the garage door looks like first thing in the morning?

Still, we can choose to say -- wow, thanks electricity for being there… EVERY OTHER DAY. And if we’re feeling bold enough, we can even say -- thanks for the chance to move beyond auto-pilot and get a little creative with the morning routine. Thanks power outages for reminding us, the hiccups might be just the thing we need to stay awake and alive.

This post is an excerpt from our resource Your Guide to Home Warranties. For the full guide with more helpful scoop, head to www.platinumhw.com/yourguide

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When it comes to home warranties, one of the biggest differences between the happy homeowners and the not-so-happy ones lies in expectations. Happy homeowners know that the purpose of a home warranty is to reduce the cost of repairs. They know that some things will be covered and some things won’t. They realize that out-of-pocket expenses are to be expected.

On the other hand, not-so-happy homeowners tend to be misinformed about the purpose of a home warranty. They believe it will eliminate the cost of repairs. Sadly, they soon find -- it doesn’t matter which company or plan you choose, a home warranty does NOT eliminate the cost of repairs in your home. There are, indeed, many things that could go wrong that lie beyond the scope of any home warranty coverage.

Knowing the purpose of your home warranty can make a big difference in your overall satisfaction with your home warranty! For more helpful scoop on what you can expect, check out our full resource.

Grab Your Guide to Home Warranties here

This post is part of our Gratitude series, which reminds us to celebrate the ordinary things as we navigate life at home.

Today we’re grateful for… the water heater.
Can you imagine showers this time of year without it? Instead of a nice, warming experience, our shower heads would shoot out an oh-so chilly stream. And as far as dishes and laundry go, they’d be washed in frigid water too. Noooo thank you.

It’s true, we don’t see near as frigid temperatures as many other cities. But, temps certainly do dip enough to make our water heaters worth noticing. So, thank you, water heater… we appreciate you continuing to do your thing. Without you things might get a little too wintry.

It may not the most glamorous of tasks but cleaning your appliances is still a worthwhile endeavor. Routine home maintenance can mean the difference between spending a few dollars on preventative measures to thousands of dollars in costly repairs if something breaks. Steve Higgins, our VP of Field Services, shows us simple tasks that you can do at home to keep your appliances in shape.

Show Transcript
3TV
KTVK 01/24/2017 09:55:57 AM

Lina: Good morning! I have to confess to you -- you said that this sounds boring. No. I’m telling you -- it is the most exciting thing I have seen in an age. We’re going to get to that part in a second, but I want to introduce you to Steve Higgins with Platinum Home Warranty. You have some amazing tricks for us. Scott was saying he had no idea we are supposed to clean our appliances… I mean, he’s a guy. We know that we’re cleaning the inside of the refrigerator, right? We’re cleaning the front of it, but you’re saying there’s something else we need to pay attention to.

Steve: The seals around here need to be cleaned, probably twice a year. Just get all the gunk so it makes a good seal around here. So, clean both that and the inside here.

Lina: And that’s going to keep us from…

Steve: Losing energy, right. The unit will just run more and more. And a lot of people don’t know that half full or full refrigerator is better than an empty refrigerator. Empty uses more electricity than half full or full refrigerator.

Lina: Cha-ching. We’re already saving you some money. And, you should also do that with your dishwasher seal as well. We’re going to save you more money when it comes to the air filters. So, you probably think -- you know what -- I’m going to spend a little more. Get a better air filter. That is not what we want to do.

Steve: It’s not the case. No. We want to actually let it breathe. So these cheap filters that are sold in the big box stores. Change them once a month. They’re actually better for the utility consumption, than it is for these heavier ones.

Lina: Right, because all the air is going to push through this, and that’s going to take more energy.

Steve: Correct. The motor runs faster, runs harder to get the air through the filter.

Lina: Okay, so cheaper filters.

Steve: Right. Or you can use the one you can wash out. You cut it to fit, then pull it out when it’s dirty, and wash it off, let it try, put it back in.

Lina: And no matter which one you use though, we should be doing that once a month. One of my friends said -- you know whenever you make your mortgage payment, do it then. Right? So you keep on schedule. Here’s the most exciting thing. And it doesn’t sound exciting, but we’re talking about cleaning out your garbage disposal and your drain.

Steve: Correct. When you get that smell in the house, just take time -- you can use the home remedy one, which is a little lemon, the ice and the baking soda. Chop it up. Run it with warm water, and flush it down the disposal. Or, the big box stores sell these packs of ten. You can take the little orange ball. Just throw it in there. Let it run with hot water, and it will take the smell out too.

Lina: So, we’ve got a little less than a minute left, so let’s show the garbage disposal.

Steve: The disposal -- when it clogs, it clogs because of the disk. There’s stuff jammed on the side. The tool that everybody thought the plumber left is really just to unclog this disposal. You can see how you can turn it and unclog it manually.

Lina: Easy and cheap. But guys, I have to tell you this -- so at the box stores, this sucker right here -- the pipethon is three bucks. This is what you use to get all of the dirty, nasty, gunky hair out of your drain, and it comes with a little bag -- a disgusting bag we’re calling it -- so that you don’t have to touch all the gunk. You guys. Thank you so much. We gotta go get these after the show. Alright guys, I’m going to send it back to you.

 
Well, we see it all -- from happy homeowners who sing the highest praises about their home warranty to homeowners who are super frustrated with their coverages. So, we put together a little guide called Your Guide to Home Warranties.

It’s intended to help you understand what you can expect from any home warranty, determine whether a home warranty is right for you, and get the right coverage. In the end, we want you to help you be a happier homeowner, whether that’s with or without a Platinum home warranty. After all, homeownership is complicated enough. Your home warranty is there to make life easier for you.

Contact us for the latest copy of Platinum Home Warranty's guide, or ask us any questions about your existing warranty or a new one! We want you to have the best Experience, no matter what!

Check out our AZTV segment, featuring easy tips to keep your systems and appliances running smoothly.

AZ TV Cable 13 KAZT 01/17/2017 08:36:02 AM

Catherine: We always like giving you some great tips on how to save money. Right now, it's all about things you can do right now to keep your home appliances from breaking... of course, costing you money. Steve Higgins is with Platinum Home Warranty. He is an expert. We're talking about specifically if people don't have a home warranty, there are some things that they should be doing to prevent their appliances from breaking and obviously having to shell out a lot of money. Simple fixes they can make to their appliances on their own. Walk me through some.

Steve: Let's start with the refrigerator. A lot of people don't -- aren't aware they have to clean the door seals annually. Baking soda and warm water around the door seals helps. You don’t want leaking, and refrigerators are designed for max mass, which means full or nearly full. So an empty refrigerator uses a lot more electricity than, say -- some people say put jugs of water in. It helps with the rush of warm air as you open the refrigerator.

Catherine: If you are not doing these little things we are going to walk through, how much is it going to cost you annually on average?

Steve: To run a refrigerator? It's about $200-300.

Catherine: You add that up with various appliances, that's a lot of money.

Steve: That is true. All combined is a huge electric bill.

Catherine: Walk me through some of this.

Steve: Hot water tank. You should flush that annually. This is an example. Arizona has some of the hardest water out there, and so the calcium builds up. This is a temperature probe that is in the hot walker tank. When this gets coated with calcium, you can see it's plugged completely.

Catherine: And those are expensive.

Steve: They are very expensive. This will take your hot water tank from going from 3 years to 10 years to 12 years.

Catherine: How should you flush it?

Steve: There is little knob on the base of the hot water tank. Hook up your garden hose. Do it two or three times, and then fill your tank back up.

Catherine: That's it?

Steve: That's it.

Catherine: What else?

Steve: There are little things you can do on unclogging the drain. This is something you can buy off the shelf from the big box stores. It's a simple little plastic ribbed strip of plastic here. You put it down the drain. It goes down to the p trap and pulls the hair and debris. Stuff you can do on your own without having to call a plumber.

Catherine: And, they are expensive these days.

Steve: They are. Your garbage disposal -- a lot of people think the plumber left behind a tool. What happens is the disk inside, it's a plate with some teeth that climb around in here. Well, every once in awhile something will get wedged on the side of this disk, and it becomes inoperable. This thing is designed on the bottom, you just stick it in there and turn it to unclog. There you go. Unclog the thing. A lot of times if it's a bone or something that's got in there, this will unclog it, take it out, start it again, everything works fine.

Catherine: You like these, too. I use something similar.

Steve: I like these. We talked about the beads. Anything. They make a concoction or something online that says you can chop up lemons and ice cubes and baking soda, or you can buy these for $3-4, and there is a pack of 10. Put it in there as it's running with warm water. Takes all the smell out of it. Cleans it all up.

Catherine: Great idea. I love what you have to say about the vents. The cheaper the better.

Steve: Everybody asks the same thing when we go out -- how often do I replace the filter? The best filter is the one you can see through easily. Replace it once a month. You can get these in the big box stores for like $6 or $3. A lot of people have allergies, and so they're talked into buying the big thick ones. Restricts the airflow. What I have to say is, because the analogy is the same when you put your hand over the vacuum cleaner to clean it, the motor speeds up. Well, the motor speeds up because it's using more electricity to speed up. Same with your air conditioner. You are restricting that airflow. The motor is running faster and you are using more electricity.

Catherine: Who knew. Great advice.

Steve: Or you can get a washable one like these.

Catherine: That's a great idea, too. If people do need to get a home warranty, what is the cost savings when you talk about a home warranty? Why is that so important? And how does it work.

Steve: It's substantial. Basically you have an annual fee. It's good for 12 months. You have a service fee that usually runs from $50 to $75 to $85 per call. Our call we handle up to two items for the same thing. If you have two toilets that are messed up, we do them both. Just do your research. A lot of the home warranties, the national home warranties, hire people that aren't licensed -- or whoever they can get to hire -- to get to the call. We have our own techs in house.

Catherine: That's key.

Steve: It's key.

Catherine: platinumhw.com is where you can go for more information. Thank you, Steve. Good to have you here. When we come back, we will talk about investing in precious metals. More "Arizona Daily Mix" coming your way next.