Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions, Inc. installs a variety of products that achieve optimum energy efficiency. The company is an active sponsor of community education events and has given neighborhood net-zero and Heat-Pump presentations in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Mateo, Redwood City, and Burlingame. Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions is a BayREN, Peninsula Clean Energy and TECH Clean California participating contractor. “Customers often ask us to retrofit from gas-fired to electric heat-pump heating,” says General Manager Mike Rebholtz. “We also specialize in ductless split-systems, zoning, variable-speed and dual-source, some of which can heat and cool multiple rooms at the same time. We understand that energy-efficient solutions are becoming increasingly important to consumers, so we strive to remain on the cutting edge of this technology. We proudly represent Mitsubishi, Trane and Carrier products.”
Much of Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions’ success is credited to its highly trained personnel. “Everyone at our company comes from a perspective of true knowledge,” says Mr. Rebholtz. “We never stop learning. Our estimators and technicians are continually updated on the latest technologies and industry-best practices, and our highly trained and conscientious office staff make sure all of the details are handled expeditiously so every customer experiences 100 percent satisfaction.”
“Our goal is to become a trusted resource for our customers by educating them about heating and cooling so they can make informed decisions and together we can reduce their carbon footprint. We view ourselves as partners with our customers, our employees, our community and our environment.”
Take simple steps to maintain your home’s heating or cooling system.
As much as half of the energy used in the average home can go toward heating and cooling, so by making sure your HVAC system is operating at its peak potential, you can significantly increase your comfort while decreasing your utility bills. Consider the following maintenance tips:
Keep it clean.
”You can improve your HVAC system’s efficiency by 15 percent just by cleaning the blower,” says Mike Rebholtz, general manager of Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions, Inc. in Menlo Park. “You should also make sure the burners are clean and the heat rise (the difference between the temperature of the outgoing and incoming air) is within the manufacturer’s recommendations. Running a furnace with a poorly adjusted heat rise can cause irreversible damage, and inexperienced installers can overlook a simple check altogether.”
Invest in a good filtration system.
Mr. Rebholtz recommends HEPA-style filters, which are designed to improve indoor air quality by blocking up to 98 percent of pollen and dust. “HVAC efficiency isn’t just about comfort and lower utility bills; it can provide health benefits as well.”
Make sure ducts are sealed.
Poorly sealed and insulated ductwork can account for a surprising amount of energy loss, so check the seals on all the ducts that run through your attic, garage and crawl spaces. You should have a professional HVAC technician handle the job, but if you need a quick fix, use duct sealant or metal-backed tape to seal all seams and connections. Don’t use duct tape—it doesn’t have the right amount of staying power.
Mr. Rebholtz also suggests looking at alternative HVAC systems that offer environmental benefits as well as energy savings. “There are various solar systems on the market now, as well as ductless split air conditioners that are good alternatives to window units,” he explains. “There’s even an Italian-made system that cools the sheetrock from the ceiling without any airflow whatsoever.”
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for HVAC companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions, Inc., the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: provide personalized service throughout every step of every job. “Everyone who works here takes a personalized approach to their work,” confirms General Manager Mike Rebholtz. “Our customers really appreciate the amount of care we put into each project.”
Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions provides a variety of HVAC services for residential and commercial clients in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Francisco Counties. In addition to installing, repairing, and maintaining high-efficiency heating and cooling systems made by industry leaders like Mitsubishi, Trane, Daikin, Bryant, and Carrier, the company performs load calculations, offers custom duct work and more.
Ron Melrose owned his own business before joining hands with Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions at the end of 2017 and has become a key member of the team. Service and Operations Coordinator Jeff Evenson makes sure all of the details are handled expeditiously so every customer experiences 100 percent satisfaction. “All of us are committed to providing personalized service throughout every step of every job,” says Mr. Rebholtz.
Unlike HVAC companies whose owners delegate quality control responsibilities to less experienced employees, Mr. Rebholtz and Mr. Melrose oversee every job to make sure the customer experiences 100 percent satisfaction. “Ron and I meet with each customer to provide their initial estimate, and we monitor our installation and service technicians to ensure they’re doing everything properly,” explains Mr. Rebholtz. “Quality control is very important to us, and our customers appreciate that.”
Another distinguishing attribute of Alternative Heating & Air Conditioning Solutions is its highly trained and experienced technicians, all of whom are experts in evaluating each customer’s specific HVAC situation and coming up with the best solution. “Our service technicians are very reliable and professional, and they’re dedicated to helping our customers any way they can,” says Mr. Rebholtz. “We have to charge more per hour in order to keep such excellent technicians on our team, but it ends up saving our customers money because we’re able to work faster than most companies. We get it done right the first time.”
