Company Related
How do I become a customer?
You’re in luck!
We conduct our services in “good faith” . Which essentially means we provide service and have confidence we will be compensated – No contracts necessary.
By calling our office (401) 356-0230 or sending an e-mail, you can schedule an appointment and the information we’ll ask you for is your:
- Name #1 (This is the homeowners name and will be used to refer to the account)
- Name #2 (This is the name of the contractor or the company who handles billing)
- Phone number(s)
- Location and billing addresses
- E-mail address (Used for billing - subscribe separately to receive our specials, tips and events)
- Any equipment information you can provide. (ie. Gas Fired Viessmann Vitodens 200)
What is the service area radius?
We service a 50 mile radius – from our office in North Smithfield, RI as far as Newburyport and Provincetown, MA, ALL of Rhode Island and the eastern border of CT.
If I leave a voicemail on the Emergency Service cell phone how quickly will someone return my call?
Our Emergency Service phone is carried by staff technicians who are out traveling in various sectors of our extended service area. Please note that when these technicians are in the field, they often travel into areas having with limited or no cell service.
This number is to be used for URGENT or EMERGENCY issues only. All other calls will NOT receive a call back and will need to call the main office at (401) 356-0230.
So, if your emergency related call is not answered immediately, rest assured that you will receive a call back as soon as the the technician is back in an area with adequate signal.
When do you consider payments past due?
Invoices are “Due on Receipt” although considered “Past Due” after 30 days.
At the 30 day mark a 12% APR interest charge will be applied to any over due invoices.
After 60 days and multiple unsuccessful attempts to collect payment the invoice will be transferred to collections.
We understand hardships and are willing to work with you as long as we are made aware of it.
I forgot about my appointment and I recieved a No Call Fee - What is this?
We work our schedule to try our best to be on time. 90% of the time, we are. When we can't be, we call to let you know and/or reschedule.
We look for the same courtesy within our customers and urge your communication. We ask that you give a 1-2 hour notice at minimum and call our office or our emergency service cell in order to cancel an appointment. If we arrive to your appointment and a request was not made to cancel in advance, you will receive an invoice in the amount of $85 to cover our time and mileage.
My invoice is past due but I've ran into a financial struggle. Do you offer payment plans?
We understand life throws you curve balls and you may end up in a financial hardship. As long as it is coordinated with our office we will work with you to set-up a payment plan that is reasonable for both parties involved.
Service Related
What is a service call fee?
A service call fee is our rates for a requested service technician to come and resolve an issue. Boiler Cleanings are charged at a fixed rate separately.
If a technician needs to order a part and return to replace (same day or otherwise), it will be invoiced for total time and material.
How prompt is service?
Our existing customers applaud how quickly we execute a technician.
We schedule a time that works for your convenience within company hours according to the priority of the service. (i.e. we have an Annual Cleaning scheduled as the next appointment except a NO HEAT or NO HOT WATER call comes in – this “emergency” would take precedent and the Annual Cleaning would need to be pushed back or rescheduled)
What is considered an "Emergency"?
Defined by our company – An “emergency” is having NO HEAT or NO HOT WATER.
Neither of these situations are comfortable to live with and you shouldn’t have to.
Do you service on Saturday and Sunday?
Although, we do offer Saturday and Sunday rates, we generally do not conduct business hours during the weekend.
If you should have an “emergency” as defined by our company then we will make every attempt to resolve your issue at a Weekend Rate.
How will i know it's time for my annual cleaning
Most customers keep track of their Annual Cleanings but in case your one to forget we’re here to help!
On your last cleaning, your information was placed in our database and most likely you will receive a reminder e-mail or phone call from our office. Another way to tell is if your boiler is FLASHING a red light and reads “service”.
How often should I check my glycol system?
Glycol systems should be checked at least once a year to ensure the system pH levels have not dropped below recommended levels.
Glycol in general is acidic. The inhibitors that are added to them help neutralize the system pH, and help protect the system components. As the system ages, the inhibitors break down, causing the system pH to drop. At this point more inhibitors should be added to the radiant floor heating and snow melt systems. The system will reach a point where it will require a complete flush and re-fill. This is usually around 5-7 years, but will depend on the glycol used.
I don't have a Viessmann Boiler - Will you service the boiler I have?
We only service and install Viessmann boilers. However, we will work with another boiler brand if you have a radiant system attached. In that case we will take on the responsibility of the radiant system and leave the boiler to your existing maintenance company.
What brands of equipment do you use?
We offer only the best products. We install and service only Viessmann boilers. We use Taco pumps and hydronic specialties and only use Uponor radiant tubing and manifolds. Our product family also includes Runtal and Buderus Radiant Panels, and Tekmar and Uponor Controls.
Installation Related
Does a radiant heat system cost less to operate than the alternatives?
Yes they do. The amount of savings will vary depending on the heat loss, how well the structure is built, how well the building is insulated and the natural fuel source being used. For the most part radiant floors will operate anywhere from 25% to 40% more efficiently than other forms of forced air heating.
How much does a new radiant system cost?
How much does a bag of groceries cost?
– It depends on what is inside your bag!
System costs will vary greatly from project to project depending on the installation requirements, control choices, and project size. But keep in mind the quality of the product and the quality of the service. The principal advantages of radiant are comfort and lower operating costs.
How quickly is a quote supplied?
Generally, the quoting process begins after the location for the work is assessed (and/or blueprints received).
The length of time a quote is supplied can range from job to job and season to season. It could be a few days or it could be a few weeks.
How quickly can an installation be completed?
The amount of time an installation or repair on an existing system can take ranges depending on the season, size of the job and our schedule.
FYI: We are at our busiest in the winter months and working with other vendors can have impacts on our schedule. We do our very best to work quickly and conveniently without jeopardizing quality.
Can I use any kind of fuel source for my radiant heating system?
Any natural resource can be used to fire the heat source, natural gas, propane, electric, wood, etc. It does not matter what the heat source is, as long as it can provide the necessary btu’s (energy) at the required design temperatures. There will be a variance between heat sources based on efficiency, response, cost and capacity. We can help you choose the one that best suites the needs of the heating system.
How do you prefer recieving blueprints?
Sending photos make it difficult to view. However, you can e-mail a PDF version or drop off a hard copy to our office. Either way you choose – we prefer to have the most updated set.
Is there a warranty associated with my system?
Yes. Normally there is a 2-year Limited Warranty associated – Although, we are members of the Viessmann ViPRO Partner Program, a premium membership group of select Viessmann contractors.
As a ViPRO Partner, we are exclusively eligible to offer a 10-year Extended Limited Warranty to our residential Viessmann customers. The warranty covers the Vitodens 100-W, vitodens 200-W, Vitodens 222-F and the new Vitocrossal 300 CU3A.
* The warranty covers parts up to 10 years – Labor is not covered by the Viessmann warranty.
Can I make Payments?
Yes. Traditionally, we break down the cost of your system into progress payments–
(20%) Upon acceptance of the Contract
(40%) When materials are delievered to the site
(20%) When radiant tubing and manifolds are installed
(20%) The final payment is due when the system is in operation
How long should my system last?
If properly maintained your system should last an average of 25-50 years. We advise all our customers to care about their Annual Cleaning/Maintenance just as much as they make a routine doctors visit.
Are you willing to fix a system you did not install?
Yes! Whether you didn’t see eye to eye with your last contractor or your last contractor no longer does business we understand it can be frustrating to find someone to service your system. We’re here to help.
Just a friendly reminder that we do not service non-Viessmann boilers. We don’t carry the necessary parts to work on other boiler brands but we CAN repair your radiant, solar, or snow-melt system.
I'm planning to build a large house with high ceilings and lots of windows. Is radiant practical?
High ceilings and “lots of windows” are one of the main reasons why radiant heat is chosen as a building heating system. Since hot air rises, in a forced air heating system all of the nice, usable heat is first sent to the ceiling. This may be anywhere from 10 to 20 feet up. By the time this air makes its way to your level, about 6-ft. off the ground, it has lost most of its energy and has started to get pushed down by the other hot air entering the room. If this air is cooler than when it entered, where did all of its heat go? Right out the ceiling.
Radiant heating works in just the opposite way. Since a radiant heat system stores its energy in the floor, all of the room’s warmth is kept right where it needs to be, on the floor where you are. The ceiling in a radiant floor system is always much cooler than the floor area, just the way you would want it. This cooler ceiling temperature means less energy is being wasted to the outside. Less waste means higher efficiency.