Kahn Air Conditioning began way back in 1961 as a family owned business when much of the Valley was mostly made up of orange groves. The business was the brainchild of Julian Kahn who became the first Carrier Dealer in The San Fernando Valley.
The business has grown and continues to be operated by a member of the Kahn family, Julian’s son David, who is the company’s President.
In 1998, Kahn Air Conditioning, Inc. was honored by The Carrier Corporation who presented them with The Carrier Distinguished Dealer Award. Kahn is the only recipient of this prestigious award in California. The award is given to Carrier Dealers who exemplify Carrier’s commitment to excellence.
Since then, Kahn has been rewarded with several other tributes including; The Carrier President’s Award in 2007 and now has received The President’s Award again for 2008.
However, the most humbling experience was when David was informed that his Dad Julian, was being honored by Carrier as the first inductee into the Carrier Dealers Hall Of Fame in a ceremony last year. “It’s certainly nice to be recognized as one of Carrier’s premier dealers and be given these awards, but it is the reward of providing quality air conditioning and heating systems to the Los Angeles community that keeps me coming to work every day”, said David.
A lot has changed since Julian started the business. Efficiency ratings on new equipment have increased by leaps and bounds. Energy costs have increased greatly as well. Today’s furnaces no longer have a pilot light and air filtration continues to be important to many homeowners. The refrigerant known as Freon (R-22) is being phased-out and due to concerns that it may be harmful to the Earth’s ozone layer. It is being replaced with a refrigerant called Puron (R-410a) that is “environmentally friendly”.
Heating and air conditioning complete “systems” are now more important than ever. The different components must “match” in order to be rated in terms of their performance and their efficiency. Replacing single components is not as common as it once was.
However, many things have remained the same in the heating and air conditioning business. Wives still control the thermostat, and the husbands the T V remote. Quality installations are still the key factor in getting a properly working heating and air conditioning system that will last for many years.
So homeowners need to be informed on these various changes before deciding on new equipment and which contractor that they’ll use to install their new heating and air conditioning system. If you’re lucky, you will be able to start the process before your furnace or air conditioner breaks down. This will give you some much-needed time in which to make your decision.
The Internet is a great tool for this. Start by checking out the contractors that you will be getting proposals from. The Contractors State License Board (www.cslb.cs.gov/) is a good place to begin. They will provide information regarding the company’s Worker’s Compensation and Liability insurance. They will provide a list of the company’s personnel, their salespeople as well as who owns the company.
Next, check them out with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.com). There you can see what rating the company has been given, and if any customers have lodged complaints. Angie’s List is another place to look for information. The information here is provided by homeowners.
When a new heating and air conditioning system is installed, it should last for many years. Unfortunately, if the original installation was not done properly, problems may not show up for a few years. Many homeowners have had to have their equipment replaced much too soon because it wasn’t installed properly from the start. Don’t let this happen to you.
“A good quality brand is still very important. That is why we’ve been a Carrier Dealer for the past 47 years”, said David. “However, the integrity, honesty, knowledge and experience of the contractor are equally as important. You should choose a contractor that is local and will respond if you need them. You do not want to hear excuses or have to wait for several days until they can fit you into their schedule”.
Homeowners could use some help understanding the technical aspects of these products. That’s why Kahn conducts free monthly workshops where homeowners can learn about related subjects. These Saturday workshops cover subjects such as: thermostats, ducts, duct testing, proper installation techniques, system design, equipment location, efficiency ratings, rebates, proper installation techniques, grilles, air filters, humidifiers, maintenance and repairs, Manual J & D Calculations and a variety of other related subjects. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and share their concerns and knowledge with other homeowners. For dates and times of upcoming workshops, call (818) 886-2600 and reserve your seat.
For more information regarding the workshop or other related heating and air conditioning questions contact Jim Berry at info@kahnair.com.
