Cool Times . . . Hot News Fall 2017

Comfort Line

I find myself writing this letter on LaborDay weekend, sitting under my covered

porch while it ispouring rain. I amcounting themany blessingsthat our familiesat BENSON’Shave received,especially afterHurricane Irmahas passedthrough. Facing aforce of nature aspowerful as a hurricane is a humblingexperience, and one that makes youappreciate the many things we often takefor granted every day. We hope all of ourfriends who are reading this newsletterweathered the storm well.

Early fall is the traditional “hurricaneseason” here in Florida, but when I think offall I am reminded of a season with mildertemperatures, beautiful colors, and thereturn of some of my favorite routines: thebeginning of school, college football,hunting, camping, and all the other outdooractivities we enjoy so much.

Fall is a season of change, but I amsure that, like me, most people like to havesome sort of routine and to stay in their“comfort zone.” Unfortunately, life doesnot often keep us in that zone, but ratherbuffets us with change and evenmisfortune. Change and misfortune,however, can be essential elements ofgrowth. BENSON’S is no different. Just like you weare subjected to the constant rapid rate of

change in communication, technology, andpersonnel. We have our occasional

performance problems,too. But we areconstantly modifying andimproving our routine toprovide you, ourcustomers, the bestservice possible. We dofail at times, but restassured we are alwaysstriving to make thingsright and createcustomers who are more

than just “satisfied.” We want to create truebelievers of “Better at BENSON’S.”

I know that your expectations havenever been higher as we try to deliverperfect service, and I thank you for yourpositive comments and suggestions. Withyour suggestions BENSON’S can performat our best.

It does take change to live, grow, andprosper. I believe that is the secret to our 36years of service to this great community,and here is a toast to 36 more great years!

Thank you for yourbusiness and friendship aswe continue to serve youwith our best.

Fall for the Comfortable SeasonINSIDE

Save with

Our Monthly

Billing Plan

Rebates. . .

Fall / Winter

Maintenance

Your Own

Personal Benson’s

Dispatcher

Employee

Spotlight . . . . .

Repair vs.

Replace

Decision. . . . . .

Current

Commerical

Projects

Story Behind

Daylight

Saving Time . . .

Creative

Cooking . . . . . . 6

5

4

3

2

Hello Friends

Benson

Don’t Forget to Fall Back

Set Your Clocks Back onSunday Nov. 5, 2017

Page 2BENSON’S ComfortLine Fall 2017

New BENSON Warranties are:• 10 year Parts

• 10 Year Labor

• Lifetime Unit Replacement

• Lifetime Compressor

Up To $1,000 Instant ConsumerRebate on Amana Equipment!

Oct. 1 - Dec.31, 2017Consumer invoice must be dated on or before December 31, 2017

ASZ/ASX 16 SEER - Single Speed

$350 Instant REBATE

20 SEER Inverter Systems

$1000 Instant REBATE

AMANA / REBATES

*Complete warranty details available at www.amana.com. To receive the Lifetime Warranty, online registration must be completed within 60 days of installation. Online registration is not required in California or Quebec.

Our list of monthly billing clients isgrowing. These clients are reaping the

benefits of receiving the same outstandingservice as our annual paying clients, butsaving 10%.

I have received many questions about whywe offer a 10% discount to our monthlybilling vs annual paying customers, and it’seasy to explain. Our monthly billing clientsare not on a 12-month renewal cycle.Instead, their maintenance is ensured via Auto-Renewal.That means BENSON’S staff doesn’t need to call, e-mail, ormail out a letter to remind these customers to renew theirBENSON’S Energy Saving Agreement (ESA) and send uspayment. Not having to send out reminders saves us

money, and we pass those savings along to the monthlybilling customers.

In addition, monthly billing ensures your BENSON’S ESAalways remains in force, providing you with peace of mindall year long.

If you are interested in saving a minimum of $18.50 peryear on your ESA, please contact one of our customerservice representatives. They can convert you to monthlybilling no matter where you are within your agreement.

This is just one more way BENSON’S provides you with thebest service while also helping you save money.

How You Can Save with Our Monthly Billing

Maintenance Plan

C. Daniel BoyetteDirector of RetailOperations

– Daniel

Amana Complete System Purchases Qualify for the Following Consumer Rebates:

ASZC/ASXC/AVZC 16 and 18 SEER-2Stage & Inverter Systems

$750 Instant REBATE

Page 3BENSON’S ComfortLine Fall 2017

Now that a long, hot Florida summer iscoming to an end and those air

conditioners have done their job, it is timeto prepare for heating season.

Our technicians are gearing up to performmaintenance on your heat pump systemsand furnaces to ensure they will provideyou with optimal performance this winter.

All heating systems should have maintenance performed onthem before the cold of winter arrives. BENSON’Smaintenance service not only will confirm you are receivingthe highest efficiency from your heating system, it also will

ensure there are no safety concerns that may pose a dangerto your household or family members.

In all furnace applications, our technicians are trained andrequired to perform a carbon monoxide (CO) test to confirmthere are no hidden dangers from CO, which is invisible andodorless.

Please call today to sign up on one of our Energy SavingsAgreements so we may perform a fall/winter check to yourheating system for your comfort and peace of mind allwinter long.

– Athey

Athey CrawfordService Manager

Fall / Winter Maintenance:

For Your Comfort and Peace of Mind

As technology progresses it'simperative that BENSON’S keeps up

with it, and we’re happy to announce thatthere is now a BENSON’S app!

You can download the BENSON’S app fromthe Google Play store or Apple App Store.It will allow you to place a service call,request an estimate on a new system,schedule your maintenance, request acertain technician, and even meet our staff.You can do all this through the app, at your convenience,any time of the day or night.

The even better news is that by having this app you canreceive rewards. Just ask any BENSON’S representative tounlock a reward each time we visit your home, and afterthree visits we will send you a small gift in appreciation ofyour business.

Don't have a smartphone? That’s O.K. too. You can visitour website at

www.bensonshvac.com and place a call anytime.

Put Your Own Personal Benson’s

Dispatcher in the Palm of Your Hand

Brandi CostaCustomer ServiceManager

– Brandi

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Mark KingI have a long and varied career in HVAC.I started by working in my uncle's sheetmetal shop while in high school and thenearned a technical certificate in HVACfrom ITT Tech. I primarily worked in theinstallation and service side of thebusiness for years before taking aposition as program coordinator and instructor for anHVAC program at a community college in Indiana. I also

worked as a field service consultant for Lennox Industrieshelping dealers solve problems as well as training serviceand installation techs on proper installation and servicetechniques. Lastly, I have background in buildingautomation with Siemens. I'm very glad to be here atBENSON’S and will be working closely with our equipmentchange-out crews enhancing their skills and performance.

Regards,Mark King

Mark King

Page 4BENSON’S ComfortLine Fall 2017

Making the ‘Repair vs. Replace’DecisionHave you ever had an old car that you heldonto a little too long? You didn’t want to buya new car to replace your “old reliable,” butyou ended up repairing the clunker longafter it stopped making financial sense to doso. The same scenario can hold true for yourheating and air conditioning equipment.

Granted, most people become much moreattached to their cars than they do to their airconditioner! But both are complex pieces ofmachinery that serve a vital function, needregular maintenance, and – eventually --need to be replaced.

When faced with an unexpected repair oftheir older air conditioners, manyhomeowners may struggle with the repair vs.replace decision. Here are some thoughtsfrom the team at BENSON’S.

• The NationalAssociation ofHomebuildersestimates the lifespanof a typical residentialair conditioner to be12 to 15 years.However, manyfactors can affect thisestimate, such as howwell the unit has beenmaintained, how many hours it has run,and even if it has been regularlyexposed to humidity from salt water –something we have plenty of here inFlorida. If your system is 12 to 15years old or older and needs a majorrepair, it may be a good candidate forreplacement.

• Today’s air conditioners are much moreefficient than units made just 10 yearsago. It’s not unreasonable to expect tosave 20% to 30% on your electric billwith a new Benson’s unit. And thosesaving will accrue every month foryears to come.

• You can’t put a price on peace of mind.By purchasing a new BENSON’S airconditioner you’ll receive a 10-yearparts and labor warranty and theBenson’s complete-coverage extendedservice agreement. If your old unit is

beginning to need repairs on a regularbasis, you’ll appreciate the years oftrouble-free operation you can expectfrom a new air conditioner.

• Just like new cars that feature the latesttechnology and safety features, new airconditioners have cool features thatyou’ll like. For example, our Benson’sair conditioners come with a Wi-Fithermostat that gives you the ability tocontrol your unit right from your cellphone. That means you can turn onyour system while you’re on your wayhome from work or the golf course andbe greeted by a nice, cool home onyour arrival.

• A new air conditioner increases thevalue of your most important asset:

your home.

• Newer units useenvironmentallyfriendly – and lessexpensive –refrigerants. As wehave discussed inprevious newsletters,the refrigerant typicallyused in older systems,R-22, is being phased

out by the Environmental ProtectionAgency. That has caused dwindlingsupplies and skyrocketing prices. Yournew unit will let you leave R-22 worriesbehind, and it will be better for theenvironment, too.

• Purchasing a new air conditioner fromBENSON’S gives us the opportunity toassess the performance of your home’sductwork, insulation, and so on.Remember, your home’s airconditioning system is much more thanjust a “box,” it is a multi-facetedinvestment in your home and yourcomfort year-round.

If you’re facing a repair on an older systemand struggling with the repair or replacedecision, let our experienced personnelexamine your system and present you withall your options. Your satisfaction is alwaysour goal!

Win a FreeDinner for Two fromBENSON’SReturn your customer

response card or visitour website and entercomments about yourexperience doing businesswith us and you might wina free dinner.

We believe strongly inseeking out customerfeedback. Every responsecard we receive, andcomments posted on ourwebsite, are automaticallyentered into a drawing fora $100 gift card.

Thank you for takingthe time to let us knowwhat you think of us!

Congratulations to Our

Most Recent Winner:

Michael Barrett

Kudos to Michael Barrett

I have been a maintenancecustomer for a number of years,and every service tech I ever metwas courteous, and thorough. Irecently crossed the bridge forneeding a new heat/AC system,and met Rob Kuhn, whocompetently assessed my needs,and provided valuable advice.He also facilitated what I call“over the top” customer careand service - - the Companybrought and installed a workingunit to use while I am in theschedule for the new system!Wow, wow, wow . . . Sherry inthe office, Jacob and Jessie inthe "change-out" crew andmany other Benson's associateswill work hard to meet andexceed your expectations

Page 5BENSON’S ComfortLine Fall 2017

BENSON’S Current Commercial Projects

DEP Elevator Renovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cook Brothers Inc.

Fletcher Building Re-roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cook Brothers Inc.

FSU Shores Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cook Brothers Inc.

Havana Water Well #5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dowdy Plumbing

Hermitage Centre Chiller Plant AC . . . . . . Hermitage Centre

Kirkman Building 3rd Floor B Wing . . . . Cook Brothers Inc.

Maclay School Dining Hall Expansion . . Cook Brothers Inc.

Shanks Middle School Kitchen Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gadsden County Schools

TMH 4B South Nuclear Medicine Rennovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Childers Construction

TMH POB 3rd & 4th Floor Neurology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Childers Construction

TOSC New Surgery Suite . . . . . . . . . . . Precise Construction

VR Systems New Building Renovation . . . . . . . VR Systems

Spring Ahead and Fall Back: The Story Behind Daylight Saving Time

Everyone is no doubt familiar with the daylight savingtime (DST) refrain of “spring ahead and fall back,”

meaning we turn the clocks ahead one hour in the springand back one hour in the fall. This year, Sunday, November5 is the day to “fall back.” DST means many things todifferentpeople but formany it seemspretty simple:in the summer,you gain anextra hour ofafter-workdaylight foroutdooractivities. Inthe fall andwinter, yougain someearlier daylightin the morningbut the sun setsearlier in theevening. (Of course, that may not be a bad thing if youneed some extra-long evenings to binge-watch yourfavorite television shows.)

Germany became the first country to adopt DST in1916, during World War I. It was first introduced in theUnited States in 1918, However, it did not becomestandardized in the U.S. until the passage of the UniformTime Act of 1966, which provided the framework for a

nationwide, synchronized DST schedule. Today, DSTbegins the second Sunday in March and ends the firstSunday in November.

One interesting thing to know about DST is that therough concept for it goes all the way back to 1784, when

Americaninventor andpoliticianBenjaminFranklinwrote anessay for TheJournal ofParis called“AnEconomicalProject forDiminishingthe Cost ofLight” inwhich hesuggested –jokingly! –

that Parisians could economize candle usage by gettingpeople out of bed earlier in the morning, making use of thenatural morning light instead.

Two hundred and thirty years after that humorous essaywas written, DST is now used in over 70 countries worldwideand affects more than 1 billion people every year.

Page 6BENSON’S ComfortLine Fall 2017

PRSRT. STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDTallahassee,FLPermit No. 801

Visit us online:

www.BensonsHVAC.com

Best Heating and AirConditioning Company

Best Heating and AirConditioning Company

Like Us on Facebook.com/BensonsisBetter

2015

5402 Tower RoadTallahassee, Florida 32303

Phone: (850)562-3132Toll Free: (800)201-4317Fax: (850)562-6546

Send us your email address if youwould like to receive ourspecial offers throughout the year:bensons@bensonshvac.com

1 egg

1 tablespoon all-purposeflour

¾ cup white sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups pumpkin puree

1 ½ cups evaporated milk

½ cinnamon stick or 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon groundnutmeg

2 tablespoons light cornsyrup

1 9" single pie crust

Pumpkin PieHeather’s Mom’s Recipe

Ingredients:

DirectionsPreheat oven to 450 degrees F . Add the sugar graduallyto the pumpkin puree. Beat well and stir in the flour, saltand spices. Stir in the corn syrup and beat well. Stir inthe slightly beaten egg, then slowly add the evaporatedmilk, mixing until well blended. Pour the batter into theunbaked pie shell. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes

then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F andcontinue baking pie for an additional 30 minutes oruntil a knife inserted into the mixture comes out clean.