Interview with Laura Pearman

Laura Pearman is co-owner and Operations Manager of Frosty’s Air Conditioning. She is a Registered Respiratory Therapist, a licensed AC repair technician, and an expert in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) systems.

I’m here today with Laura Pearman at her Lithia office to discuss Frosty’s Air Conditioning, her AC services business. Laura and her husband Mike are owners of Frosty’s Air Conditioning, LLC. Frosty’s was formed on July 24, 2000, with Mike and Laura as a husband and wife team. Mike Pearman was the only AC technician at the start of the business, with 16 years of AC experience at the time. Today, Frosty’s AC is a successful local, family-owned AC company with a full team of competent field AC technicians in Hillsborough County.

Laura is one of the few women that hold a license from the State of Florida to perform air conditioning contract Work. She also has work experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist, so she understands air quality and the effects of AC on your health. The following is my interview with Laura.

To start, Laura, what are Frosty’s qualifications for AC services?

Laura: Mike, my husband and co-owner, is our Master AC Technician and is mechanically gifted. He can fix any AC system for commercial or residential use. Today, Mike has more than 35 years of experience and manages our field AC technicians by working with them on-site, mentoring them, and providing real-time consultations on the phone. Our field AC technicians have an average of 12 years of experience. We train our technicians with our best practices. Our entire field team meets every Monday morning to discuss customer problems and planning for the week. We have served Hillsborough County for more than 30 years, and understand the AC needs of our customers in this local area.

We are an ethical company. We care about our customers and provide the best AC service at the lowest price possible. This is the way we do business, and it is embraced by our entire staff. We believe in honest work for a fair price. We do AC services the right way, without cutting corners. We use quality parts in our AC repairs. We stand behind all our work with a warranty for labor, parts, and the AC systems we install.

We have an excellent reputation. Our online reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc. show us to be high quality and a valued AC service provider. We are family-owned with all the impeccable credentials, from Federal Tax ID, Florida State license, liability insurance, state-mandated workers’ compensation insurance, and active status on Sunbiz.org. We are an authorized AC dealer for Lennox, Carrier, Trane, and more. We take pride in our work and solve our customer’s air conditioning problems with superior customer service.

In general, what is the average life of an AC system in Hillsborough County?

Laura: As you know, the hot Florida weather takes its toll on AC systems in Hillsborough County. Broadly speaking, AC brands have a potential life that ranges from 10 to 13 years, depending on the AC manufacturer. Naturally, high-quality AC systems that are well maintained can likely last longer, and lower quality AC systems can last less than 10 years. The key to a long AC operational life in the hot Florida sun is the quality of the AC brand, consistent annual maintenance, and getting AC repairs when required.

After thousands of AC tune-ups and your experience with AC repairs, when will an AC system fail?

Laura: When it comes to electromechanical systems such as AC systems, there is no precise number, just the likelihood they will fail as they age. AC systems that are well maintained usually will break down less often. With regularly scheduled maintenance, some failures can be nipped in the bud and inconvenient breakdowns can be reduced.

A well-maintained AC system will take a much longer time to fail and can be easily fixed in most cases. This assumes proper annual maintenance, the current AC system has the capacity can handle the cooling load and, of course, the AC system is a quality brand. We have strong evidence to show that well-maintained AC systems has a significantly longer life; in some cases, twice the average of AC systems with no maintenance. For example, running a system with very low refrigerant until it breaks will drastically reduce the life of the AC system.

What are the warning signs or symptoms that an AC system needs service?

Laura: The first thing you may notice is your home is not comfortable or cool enough, or there may be no cold air flowing. The AC system may not turn on or may cut off; or, your system is running continuously; or, you might hear strange noises while your system is running. In general, if the the temperature in the house is too high and you’re not getting the cooling you want, it’s time to call us.

At Frosty’s AC, what is your maintenance strategy for old AC systems?

Laura: As the AC system ages, components and assemblies will fail. It’s all a matter of time. An AC company that knows your AC system can do repairs faster and more efficiently. We highly recommend annual AC tune-ups to inspect and evaluate the old AC system, to immediately address any issues, fix any failing components, or catch problems when they’re small. We keep old air conditioners running by performing only the necessary AC repairs using quality parts.

At Frosty’s AC, we strive to increase the time between failures to as long as possible. We will do that until it is no longer cost-effective. We recommend an AC replacement when it becomes cost justified. We explain the pros and cons to our customers and leave it to them to make the decision. Of course, if a major expensive AC assembly or subcomponent fails, such as the compressor or evaporator, the question is whether it’s more cost effective to continue to perform repairs on the old system or replace it with a new energy efficient AC system. The new AC system has a lower cost-of-ownership that will save you money in the long run. Our strategy is to keep the old AC system working as long as possible with cost-effective services.

What are some tips you can give to prolong the life of my AC system?

Laura: Regularly replace your AC filter(s) every 30 days to 3 months, depending on the quality of the filter, to keep your air clean and allow air flow back to the air handler. A clogged air filter can cause the AC system to work harder and reduce operational life. I recommend the customer schedule our Frosty’s AC tune-up every year to resolve any potential issues. And of course, call us for service immediately if the system is not working correctly or making noises or if there are burning odors.

What can I do to reduce my AC energy cost?

Laura: This is a good question. Everyone wants to save money. The easiest way to do this is to keep the thermostat at one temperature during the day and another in the evening. Clean or replace the inside filter periodically. Clean the outside AC compressor unit coil with a garden hose so air can freely flow. Keep your blinds, shades, and curtains drawn to prevent direct sunlight into your home, and close all outside doors and windows to keep in the cold air. Finally, you need to schedule preventive maintenance by calling us to set up an appointment for our Frosty’s AC tune-up every year.

How do I pay for Frosty’s AC service, and is there an extra fee for the service call?

Laura: After performing the services, an invoice presented to you with the details of our AC service. You can pay with cash, check, or credit card. Our service calls are free if we perform the repairs on your AC system. If we perform the AC diagnostic and do repair assessment service and you decide not to use our repair services, our service call will cost $89 with documented items to be repaired in our invoice.

For new AC replacements, there are financing options available. You can visit our website to find more information regarding financing. For AC services covered under a new AC warranty, the labor cost is free if your system is under a year in operation and you pay nothing for the parts if the AC system is less than 10 years old (5 years for non-owner occupied).

For preventive maintenance, we highly recommend our AC tune-up offering. 2 visits is $189, or $99 for a single visit AC tune-up. Our 2-visit plan also includes a 15% discount on repairs and savings of $19 over two single visit tune-ups. Our site visit for a new AC system quote is free and includes the price of the new AC system and installation with a summary list of materials options and tasks.

Tell me more about the Frosty’s AC tune-up. What is the cost?

Laura: As I said previously, the single visit AC tune-up is $99 and is a one-time service. Our 2-Visit AC tune-up is $189, and more cost-effective. It is performed over a 2-year period.

How long does it take?

Laura: Once our technician arrives on site, it takes approximately 40 to 90 minutes to complete our AC tune-up.

What are the benefits of the Frosty’s AC tune-ups service?

Laura: There are several. These include:

Lower energy costs (electricity bill),
Ensuring that your AC system is working at peak efficiency,
Ensuring that there are no outstanding issues or failing parts,
Fixing problems when they’re small at a lower cost, before they become huge problems,
Improving the life expectancy of your system,
The opportunity to ask our technician any questions about your AC system,
And, with our 2-Visit Frosty’s AC tune-up, a 15% discount on all repairs.

What is Frosty’s warranty for AC repairs and new AC replacements?

Laura: For AC repairs, our warranty is 30 days to 90 days on labor (on most repairs) and the warranty on the parts is 1 year. If the same problem reoccurs or the parts fail, it will be fixed free if it’s within the warranty period.

For new AC installations or AC replacements, our warranty is a full one year for labor and generally 10 years for the new AC system by the manufacturer’s warranty. Frosty’s handles all the warranty transactions with the manufacturer to save you time and money.

Thank you, Laura, for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions.

Laura: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about Frosty’s. If you have any questions regarding Frosty’s Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at (813) 621-5900.