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HVACi On The Go!

Here at HVACi we are dedicated to working hard to make your job as a claims adjuster a little less stressful. And now, if you’re busy and on the move, we’ve made it a lot easier to submit a claim, check claims status or contact a representative of HVACi. We have just rolled out our mobile website and now you can submit a claim no matter where you are from the palm of your hand. All you need is internet capability on your phone and you can visit our mobile site 24/7, just as if you were sitting behind your desk. Our mobile website was designed to be smartphone friendly. Everything is easily accessible and simple to read and operate. In today’s fast paced and chaotic society, you need to be able to get things done now and we’re devoted to giving you and your clients peace of mind with the fastest service imaginable.

So go ahead and give it a try today at www.hvacinvestigators.com. If you have a smart phone you’ll also have an option to download our HVACi app for direct access to our mobile site.

-AB

HVAC Investigators Offers New iCheck Desktop Claim Service

New service offers report within 4 business hours

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 13, 2013 – HVAC Investigators (HVACi), an established market leader providing insurance carriers across the country with heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) damage assessments, announced today the debut of their iCheck desktop review service to Property and Casualty insurance carriers across the nation.

The iCheck service offers insurance adjusters who are evaluating HVAC claims a simple way to verify repair or replacement estimates provided by local HVAC contractors.

“iCheck was introduced in response to growing frustrations in the adjuster community that an easy way to validate contractor estimates didn’t exist, without deep technical expertise or exhaustive research,” said Matthew Livingston, HVAC Investigators’ Vendor Relationship Manager. “The iCheck service ensures that HVAC equipment quoted is based on current market pricing and like-kind-and-quality (LKQ) parts.”

Adjusters can provide a copy of a local contractor’s quote to HVAC Investigators, and within four business hours, an HVAC Investigators processor will call the local contractor, verify parts and materials pricing and availability, adjust for local labor rates, validate level of effort, and prepare an actionable report. The report will definitively state whether the proposed estimates are within an acceptable variance of fair market pricing or should be adjusted based on real-world market factors.

The iCheck desktop review is offered at a simple, low cost flat rate pricing structure for residential and commercial claims of up to two systems. A pilot study of the service has revealed an average claims savings of $1,305 per residential iCheck review.

The complexity of HVAC claims continues to plague our clients, even in cases where field investigations aren’t warranted.” concluded Livingston. “The unique combination of significant time, stress, and monetary savings that iCheck provides prompted us to offer it nationwide. It’s a true win-win.”

ABOUT HVAC INVESTIGATORS

HVAC Investigators is the nation’s leading provider of data and inspections on HVAC property insurance claims. The company provides timely inspections and actionable reports to help settle HVAC claims more quickly and with a higher degree of accuracy. For more information, or to submit an assignment, visit HVACinvestigators.com or call 888.407.5224.

The Usual Suspects of Compressor Failures

Testing for compressor failures

With the unseasonably warm Winter season working its way through the new year and into February, Spring is just around the corner. And with the pleasant temperatures of the new season comes another not-so-pleasant one: lightning storm season. In the past here at HVACi we have seen an increase in claims submitted for lightning damage during the Spring and Summer months, specifically for damages to compressors in HVAC condensing units. More often than not, however, the actual cause of damage in these instances is NOT lightning! There are many other potential causes for compressor failures and we are here to help you understand what those causes might be.

There are seemingly endless ways that a compressor can “go bad” but for this article we’ll stick to the Usual Suspects: High Voltage Surge, Overheating, Contamination, and Refrigerant Floodback.

High Voltage Surge is a very frequent culprit in damaging the compressor. The prolonged electrical imbalances of voltage and currents often results in a failure of the compressor. Another cause for compressor failure is Overheating. This occurs regularly for reasons such as air in the system that raises pressures and temperatures, lack of suction cooling, and lack of regular maintenance. Contamination also can destroy a compressor. Acid is created when air, moisture, and debris from the atmosphere mix with the system’s refrigerant. Exposure to the acid can quickly destroy many internal components within a condenser, including the compressor. Finally, Refrigerant Floodback is another common reason for compressor failure. This happens when refrigerant gets into the compressor’s cylinder and causes pressures within the compressor to skyrocket, resulting in broken parts within it.

These are the usual suspects for compressor failure, and they are much more likely to occur than lightning. In 2012, 41% of all claims we received were reported as lightning damage. Following a thorough investigation, less than 20% of those claims actually sustained lightning damage. A lightning claim being authenticated as actual lightning damage is nearly as likely as your actual chances of getting struck by lightning (not really, but you get the point).

If you’ve seen the classic movie “The Usual Suspects”, you’ll understand why we refer to lightning as the “Kaiser Soze” of compressor failures.

-AB