Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get service today?
Absolutely! Just e-mail us your information by clicking on the "Schedule a service call" section of any web page or call us at 615-832-8500. After normal business hours call us at 615-832-8500 and our on-call personnel will take good care of you. Normal business hours are 7:00 am till 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday.

Do you give free estimates?
Yes! For new units, ductwork modifications, duct cleaning, inside air quality products, additions to a space, control systems or an estimate on a service call. Just e-mail us your information by clicking on the “Schedule a service call” section of any web page or call us at 615-832-8500

How do I know if something is wrong with my system?
There are several indicators that a system needs attention. The easy ones are when the unit will not reach the heating or cooling set point on your thermostat. Typically that means the unit is not working properly. If you have a digital thermostat and it is blank that means you have lost power to the thermostat. Check your breakers and if every thing is okay with your breakers, call us. If the blower is not producing the airflow that you are accustomed too check your air filter and change it if needed. If you hear the unit come on and it makes a noise that you normally do not hear pay special attention to it and if the noise continues call us. If you see ice on your unit and it does not go away call us. Heat pump units will ice up but the unit should go into a defrost mode and the ice will go away. Smells are a good indicator that something is going wrong. If you smell gas or a burning smell turn the unit off and call us before you turn it back on. The appearance of your outdoor system is a good indicator of how well the unit is working. If it is clean and sounds smooth in its operation that is a good indicator that the unit has been maintained properly. If the unit has dirty coils and sounds rough get it serviced promptly.

How often should I change my filter?
You should inspect your filter every month and change it when it is dirty. Some months like July or January the unit will run a lot and the filters will get dirty faster. Some months like April or September the unit does not run much and you may not need to change the filter. Use good quality filters to protect your evaporator coil from getting dirty. The dirt could restrict airflow and heat transfer. Plus a good quality filter will keep the indoor air that you breathe cleaner. Cheap low quality filters catch very few particals and that defeats the purpose of a filter.

Do I really need a maintenance agreement?
Absolutely! A heating and air-conditioning unit is just a big heat transfer unit. It will transfer your inside air from warm to cool or from cool to warm depending on the season
The unit cannot transfer or work properly if the unit is dirty and not tuned properly. On a hot summer day a lot of the service calls we run are due to the unit is dirty. Dirt makes the unit run longer using a lot more electricity and costing you money. Another side effect of a dirty unit is the unit runs a lot hotter and at a lot higher pressure. This can cause a system to fail or prematurely shorten a unit’s life. In the winter months a maintenance agreement pays dividends again by insuring you have a well-tuned and safe system. If you have a gas system we want to make sure the burning of the gas is efficient and clean. Plus we want to make sure that the safeties work and the unit is in overall good condition. If the unit is a heat pump system we want to make sure the refrigerant charge is efficient and the heat is working properly. There are over twenty different items we check or do on each maintenance service for the heating or cooling system. Additional benefits of a maintenance agreement include discounts on service repairs, priority status when service is needed, no overtime labor charges, discounts on new units and discounts on accessories such as air cleaners.

When should I replace my existing heating and air conditioning system?
We use a general rule of thumb that if a unit is ten years or older and you have a major repair such as a compressor, motor, or heat exchanger then you should consider upgrading to a new unit. Today’s minimum efficientcies rating for a new system is 13 seer. Older units were a 10 seer when new and some were just 8 seer. Just going from a 10 seer to a 13-seer unit can save you 25-35 % on your electricity consumption during the cooling season alone! Some units have two-stage gas heating which reduces your gas consumption during the heating season. Plus there are some tax credits of $ 1,500 for certain units for a limited time. Typically we can remove your old system and upgrade you to a new high efficient system with in 24 hours. And a lot of times less than that!

Is there a tax credit or rebate available for my new unit?
For the homeowners, yes. For commercial business no, unless you go with a geo-thermal system. For homeowners it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer on which unit qualifies for the Federal Government tax incentive program or the state of Tennessee rebate program. Call us before you make a decision on a new unit. We will send a specialist out to your home, at no charge, to analyze your situation and match your needs with the correct unit. This service will get you the best deal on a high quality unit plus get you qualified for the tax credit program.

For answers to your question you can email us on the “Schedule a service call or request information” section of any of the web pages and we will answer your questions on the following business day.

Call Interstate AC at 615-832-8500 for all of your Commercial and Residential HVAC Sales, Service and Repair.