New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time a year again, the time when you make promises to yourself that you plan to uphold throughout the coming year. Unfortunately, if you’re like me, it’s also the kind of promise that gets broken, more often than not, within a few months’ time. I’m talking, of course, about New Year’s resolutions. We all consider a new year to be a new start and a chance for a new and improved outlook, lifestyle, you name it. This year, we can help you keep one of your new year’s resolutions! All you have to do is resolve to improve the comfort of your home for you and your family. We will take care of the rest!

The following are a few of our most popular services during the winter months:

·       Furnace Tune-Up and Repair

·       Heat Pump Tune-Up and Repair

·       Installation and Testing of Carbon Monoxide Detectors

·       Filtration System Installation and Tune-Up

·       Air Cleaner Installation and Tune-Up

·       Humidification System Installation and Tune-Up

·       Thermostat Installation and Replacement

If your home is too warm, too cold, or different rooms in your home are different temperatures we can fix it! Imagine every room in your house comfortable at the same time. A tune up, by itself, may or may not solve these issues, but it will definitely make your system more efficient and save you money on your utility bills. In fact, you will save more in utilities than you will spend with us. Save even more with a programmable thermostat.

Are you suffering from skin irritation or static electricity, or finding it difficult to breath during the winter months? Are you prone to respiratory infections? Your home could actually be the cause. A little known fact is that the quality of the air in our homes is generally much worse than the air outdoors. Installing a filtration system or an air cleaner could minimize the effects of indoor contaminants. Also, installing a whole house humidifier will help keep the relative humidity in your home at a comfortable level and protect your family from the effects of dry air.

Whatever your new year’s resolution is, Kilowatt is here to help you uphold it. Call us today at 818-780-0701 for more information. We’ll see that your year gets off to a great start!

What Homeowners Insurance Does NOT Cover

Contractors Cutting Corners Can Cost You Plenty

Drip . . . drip . . . drip . . .

            Diane walked into her kitchen one afternoon and stepped into a growing pool of water. It took her a moment to realize that the leak was coming from a recessed light in her ceiling.

            “I knew I had trouble,” she laughed later, “but I had no idea what kind of nightmare I was about to endure.”

            Diane checked her homeowners association’s Web site for a plumber. One of her neighbors had recommended a plumber on the Service Providers List, so she felt confident calling and setting up an appointment.

            The plumber who came to fix Diane’s leak was nice enough. During the course of the repair, he slipped and fell on the slick floor, but he quickly assured Diane that he was fine. She thanked him and said goodbye—the leak was fixed, the bill was paid, and she didn’t give it another thought.

            Months later, though, Diane received a subpoena. The plumber who had slipped on her kitchen floor was suing her for $200,000 for medical costs and “loss of profession.” Diane was horrified—she’d had no idea anything was wrong, and she felt like she was being taken advantage of. She called her lawyer for advice.

            Over the next two years, Diane fought the plumber in court. She couldn’t sleep at night, and her hair began to fall out. It ended up costing her $127,000 out-of-pocket.

            “I trusted my homeowners association,” Diane lamented.  “Wouldn’t you expect an HOA to recommend only properly licensed and insured service providers? I had no idea I was putting myself at risk by hiring someone they recommended, and I was shocked to find that California law was so stacked against homeowners.”

Why wasn’t I covered?

            Diane’s HOA had recommended a plumbing contractor who cut corners by not paying Workers Compensation insurance for his employees. This left Diane legally responsible for her plumber’s accident. But Diane’s insurance, like most homeowners insurance policies, did not cover the contractor she hired.  Homeowners insurance usually only covers domestic employees like maids and babysitters. Most homeowners do not realize that they are personally liable if an uninsured worker is injured on their property.

California law is very clear:

            It is the homeowner’s responsibility to verify that repairmen and contractors are properly licensed and insured. If a homeowner hires a worker who does not carry the appropriate liability and Workers Compensation insurance, the homeowner is liable if an accident happens.  

 

You don’t have to do the paperwork.

            Diane came to me a year later when she needed air conditioning repairs. She was more thorough than anyone I’d ever met.  Diane asked for copies of my licenses and insurance certificates. I was happy to provide them, but I let her know that there is an easier way to make sure a contractor is properly licensed and insured.

The Contractors State License Board makes it easy to check your service providers.

1. Go to CSLB.ca.gov

2. Search for service providers by business name, a worker’s name, or a license number.

3. Find out whether the contractor is properly licensed and insured, and whether they pay workman’s compensation for their employees.

One thing even licensed contractors lie about:

            The Contractors State License Board may show that a company is exempt from paying workers compensation insurance, but that’s only true if the owner of the company is its only employee. Even licensed contractors lie about this from time-to-time. I know many talented air conditioning contractors, but not one of them can lift an AC unit onto a rooftop alone. Every HVAC contractor should carry workers comp, but many of them do not.

Why don’t all contractors carry Workers Compensation coverage?

            Workers compensation coverage is expensive. A contractor who cuts costs by skipping it can offer a much lower price than a contractor who insures his employees properly. As people who have gone through Diane’s ordeal know, however, a very low bid can turn into a very expensive nightmare.

Homeowners associations can protect their members from irresponsible contractors.

Most of the time, accidents do not happen. But when they do, homeowners are ultimately responsible for what happens on their property. Fortunately, homeowners associations can easily protect their members from irresponsible contractors by checking the credentials of the service providers they recommend at CSLB.ca.gov.

Dean Gilford is a licensed and insured HVAC, Electrical & GeneralBuilding Contractor in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. He can be reached at dean@kilowatthvac.com.