South Georgia Heating & Cooling Frequently Asked Questions

There’s a lot to know about cooling and heating systems, and there’s a lot of jargon in this business. Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning understands this, and that’s why we’ve put together this collection of frequently asked questions about the air conditioners and furnaces that we sell.

Of course, we can’t cover every question here, so if there’s something you’d like to know, just give us a call. We’re always happy to help!

Your Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER, for short) measures just how efficient your air conditioner and furnace are, and is a simple, fair way to compare systems between each other. Here’s the deal: SEER is a calculation of how much cooling you get for each dollar you spend on electricity or gas. Most systems fall between 13 and 17, with some exceptional Carrier units pushing the boundaries beyond that into the 20s. If you have questions about SEER, feel free to give the experts at Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning a call. We’d love to help you!

That’s because SEER ratings are measured under average conditions. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary, and it’s possible that your home has very different conditions than wherever the system was originally tested. It’s also possible that your SEER score may end up being even higher than you originally were quoted at. If you have questions about this or want to get more information about how to boost the energy efficiency of your air conditioner and furnace, give the team at Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning a call.

This often comes as a surprise to people, but both your air conditioner and furnace require regular, season-appropriate maintenance to keep them running right. These are complex machines with sophisticated electronics and delicate parts that are often used consistently for months at a time and—for air conditioners—are exposed to the elements outside of your home. The wear-and-tear on even the best-built systems (such as those from Carrier) is significant, and without regular checkups, you’re not going to get the years out of the machines you’re expecting. It’s just not worth the risk. At Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning, we not only know how to tune-up your AC or heating system to perfection, but we also offer seasonal specials so you can get your air conditioner fixed in the spring and your furnace looked at in the fall.

As we mentioned above, your air conditioner and furnace require regular tune-ups, but you should also think about getting your ductwork, pipes, and every other part of your furnace looked at, at least annually.

That’s where Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning can help. We’re a Carrier Factory-Authorized Dealer, which doesn’t just mean we sell Carrier systems. It also means that our technicians are experts when it comes to Carrier furnaces and air conditioners. When you encounter a problem, give our team a call. We may be able to talk you through a quick fix over the phone. If it’s more complicated or mechanical, our technicians can come out to your house and get the system working.

Many of our technicians have been working with Carrier systems for more than a decade: they’ve practically seen and done it all. However, if there’s something that is new to them, or your system needs something from the factory, we know just the right people to call.

Today’s thermostats are far more efficient and effective than those made decades ago. They’ve swapped out mercury for electronic sensors, which means they can better determine what the temperature actually is. As the name implies, programmable thermostats give you more control over your home’s cooling and heating. Want to wake up to 76 degrees but then leave your home at 82 for the day? With a programmable thermostat, you can make that an automatic switch the computer does. Some thermostats can even talk to computers and smartphones, which means you can adjust the temperature while you’re gone or even set the house to cool while you’re on your way home from work.

For your Carrier system, you should use official Carrier filters. Here’s why. Carrier filters aren’t just for filtering out stuff that could make a mess of your ductwork, but are also for removing indoor air contaminants, including pollen, dust, and pollutants. That’s not the case for your average, run-of-the-mill filter. In fact, Carrier filters catch up to 7 times more than the store brand.

You should replace a disposable filter at least once a month. If your filters are reusable—and the good Carrier ones often are—you should wash them once a month. That will make sure you have the cleanest possible air in your home.

That’s because only a Carrier Factory-Authorized Dealer can sell filters for Carrier systems. Here’s the reason for that: Carrier’s furnace filters are made with higher-quality materials than the normal ones at the store. The ones at your home improvement shop are probably disposable, while most of the Carrier filters we sell are reusable—you can hand wash them in cold water and they’ll be as good as new! That means that, while they’ll cost more, you’ll get more years of use out of them.

For both your air conditioner and your furnace, you’ll want to use official Carrier parts. Using anything else could lead to problems down the road. Take it from us: it’s just not worth it, as we can usually get you a great price on the real deal anyway. Give us a call, and the team at Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning will help you find the official part you need.

That depends on your home! When you call Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning to purchase a new air conditioner, we’ll conduct an in-home measurement to match you to the right system. Finding the “Goldilocks” air conditioner is important: too big, and your AC will constantly be cycling on-and-off as it struggles to maintain a temperature without freezing your home. Too small, and your system will strain itself trying to keep up with the cooling demand. Both issues can lead to premature system failure. Our in-home audit will cover everything that might impact your AC load needs.

Carrier provides some of the most extensive warranties in the industry, but the length and scope of each warranty depends on the specific system purchased. However, the Carrier standard factory warranty covers any parts or system failures not caused by an outside issue, such as a tree branch falling on your system. Interested in learning more about your system’s specific warranty fine print? Your homeowner information packet came with a certificate. That will also have details you’ll need when it comes time to redeem your warranty.

With the right kind of maintenance and annual tune-ups, a Carrier air conditioning (or, for that matter, heating) system has the potential to last for more than two decades. Of course, it’s impossible to completely predict the lifespan of an AC unit—after all, a major variable is how much stress is placed on the system through constant use. That being said, Carrier systems are specially engineered to live long lives, so long as they’re taken care of. For that, you’ll want Ray & Son Heating & Air Conditioning to give your system a regular tune-up.

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