Category Archives: Home-Tech

Fort Myers, FL (January 12,
2012) – Home-Tech announces the appointment of Tony Nestor to the position
of Application Program Manager.  In his new position, Nestor will be
responsible for overseeing Home-Tech’s website and search engine optimization
to enhance the company’s presence on the worldwide web, as well as innovative
web and smart phone and tablet applications, or “apps.”
Nestor has over 15 years of computer security, web development, and consulting.
He has extensive experience in database development and search engine
optimization.  According to the founder and CEO of Home-Tech, Steve
Marino, the company strives to enhance the customer experience from online
service agreement applications to the scheduling of service calls.
“Everything is going to the web and because we are a highly technical company
that emphasizes customer service and convenience, we plan to lead the way in
our industry in this online area of service as well,” said
Marino.    “We are growing our IT department to assure customer
service, privacy and innovative practices for convenient ways to access the
services of Home-Tech.”

About Home-Tech

Home-Tech has been an industry
leader and trendsetter in the fields of home-service agreements, air
conditioning, and major appliance sales and service for three decades. Founded
in 1981 by Steve Marino, who continues as President and Chairman of the Board,
Home-Tech is privately held and employee-owned. Home-Tech employs 135 people in
Southwest Florida and provides services in Sarasota, Manatee, Lee, Collier and
Charlotte counties. Home-Tech operates from its headquarters in Fort Myers and
a regional office in Bradenton. For more information, visit www.Home-Tech.com or call 239-433-3344 in
Fort Myers, 239-643-6262 in Naples or 941-355-5363 in Sarasota.

(Fort Myers, Fla- November 15, 2011)-  Overloaded garbage disposals and overused dishwashers during the holiday season cause breakdowns at crucial times. Home-Tech offers tips to reduce malfunctioning equipment that can take away from your magical holidays.

“Now is the time to take some simple steps to help ease this holiday season stress with a  little preventative appliance maintenance, not when you have a house full of guests and are turning on the stove to prepare the family feast,” says Steve Marino, president of Home-Tech. “A little preparation will ensure that you’ll save some money this winter as well as have the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything is in working order and your guests will have a nice, warm meal in a nice, warm home.” 

As Southwest Florida’s leader in air conditioning service and installation, major appliance sales and service, and home-service agreements, Home-Tech receives more calls for help during the holidays than any other time during the year. They offer the following tips to ensure homeowners a happier and less stressful holiday: 

Garbage Disposals 

• Turn on a medium to strong cold-water flow before you start using the appliance. Continue running the cold water for approximately 15 seconds after grinding has ceased to flush the drain line and the disposer free of food particles.
• Do not put liquid fat down the disposal; put it in a jar in the trash instead.
• Small bones can be placed in the disposal and may actually help keep the blades in your grinding chamber sharp, but NEVER put large bones down your disposal.
• Occasionally use a disposer cleaner degreaser to help eliminate grease that may cause unpleasant odors. Check to make sure that the product is authorized by the disposer manufacturer.
• Several times a year, and especially during the holidays, grind up peels from citrus fruits like lemons or oranges. This helps keep the grinding area smelling fresh and the natural acidity helps suppress bacterial growth associated with odors.
• “The most common plumbing breakdown during the holidays is blamed on the garbage disposer. Consider having your kitchen drain line snaked approximately every two years as preventative maintenance,” Marino said. “If your food waste disposer is over seven years old, it might be advantageous to consider having it replaced. Contact your Home-Tech technician to discuss the possibility of installing a new one. The money it saves in plugged drain bills may well be worth it.”

 Ovens

• Do not wait until the big cooking day to check your oven temperatures and working condition. Use your oven on at least two weeks before your big cooking day to rule out any irregularities.
• Do not use the self-cleaning cycle on or before a major holiday like Thanksgiving. The oven may overheat and damage a key component such as the fuse or the main control board. Instead of cleaning your oven before you do your holiday cooking, clean it immediately after. Ovens can sometimes get stuck or have problems when they are in cleaning mode. Cleaning your oven after cooking big meals will prevent pre-baking panic and keep your oven cleaner in the long run.
• If your oven temperature is off, the most likely cause is a bad oven sensor. Call your Home-Tech appliance specialist to help walk you through the repair.
• After your oven tells you it is done preheating, let it preheat for another 5 to 7 minutes. This will allow time for the inside walls to heat. By preheating the oven for an extra 5 minutes you will help keep the heat inside the oven nice and even.

Refrigerator 

• Check to see that your refrigerator hasn‘t shifted in the last few months. Give your refrigerator some breathing room by keeping the appliance at least two or three inches away from the wall to ensure ultimate performance.
• Don’t panic if your refrigerator doesn’t feel as cold as normal during the holiday season. You probably have a fuller load with all the extra meal ingredients and leftovers. It may take up to 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize from the door being open more frequently.
• Check and care for the rubber seals surrounding the inside of your fridge by using mild soap twice a year to help prevent cracked and torn seals. Use your money to test the seals by placing a dollar bill halfway inside the refrigerator door. If the dollar pulls out easily, then you’re losing money in more than one way and it may be time to replace the rubber seals
• Dusting off the coil under your refrigerator will help keep it running well. Use a soft broom or brush.

Thermostat

• Install a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the temperature at night and whenever the house is unoccupied. Lowering your thermostat by 10 degrees at night can reduce your heating bill by 10 to 20 percent.
• “Make sure your programmable thermostat is installed properly,” says Marino. “The thermostat should not be located in an unheated space, a poorly-sealed or seldom-used room, or in direct sunlight near a heat source. The thermostat should be able to sense the average temperature in your home. If it is not in the right place, contact one of our heating and air conditioning professional about having it moved.”
• Many thermostats are battery operated. If you have air conditioner problems and turning the breaker switch on and off doesn’t work, try changing the batteries.

Dishwasher

• Run the garbage disposal before starting the dishwasher. The dishwasher generally drains into the disposer.
• Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. You can collect the water you run and use it for watering plants or other purposes. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot.
• Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120F (50C). Water that is cooler than this won’t do a good job cleaning. Water that is hotter could scald.
• Load your dishwasher properly, stacking items facing downward and inwards. Check that all the arms can spin freely before running the dishwasher.
• Run full loads to conserve water and energy, but don’t pack dishes too tightly. Dishwashers wash dishes by spraying water over them, so the water needs to be able to get to the dishes to clean them. Don’t wash containers with labels that could come loose.
• Don’t pre-rinse too much. Dishwashers and detergents have both improved. If you haven’t tried putting dishes in dirty lately, try it again. You may be pleasantly surprised. 

“A holiday readiness plan can relieve this pre-holiday stress by having your appliances serviced and ready to use,” Steve said. “But if you do run into any problems this holiday season, Home-Tech has extended holiday rescue hours and our award-winning technicians are simply a phone call away ready to help you get your holidays back on track.”

About Home-Tech

Employee-owned, Home-Tech has been an industry leader and trendsetter in the fields of home-service agreements, air conditioning and major appliance sales and service for three decades. Founded in 1981 by Steve Marino, who continues as President and Chairman of the Board, the privately held Home-Tech employs 155 people and provides services in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties in Southwest Florida.  Home-Tech operates from two principal locations. Its headquarters, tech training facility and appliance showroom are located at 6400 Techster Boulevard in Fort Myers. A second office and training center is on Lena Road in Bradenton, which services Manatee and Sarasota counties. For more information about Home-Tech, visit Home-Tech.com or call 1-800-800-8356.

 (Fort Myers, Fla- October 27, 2011)-  As temperatures dip up north bringing residents down to the warmth of the Florida sunshine, they are sometimes greeted with the surprise of the southern cold snaps we often experience. Home-Tech, a Southwest Florida air conditioning and appliance sales and service company, offers tips on how to be prepared for the short unexpected weather fluctuations this winter with some tips to keep you warm during the cold season.

“Ensuring that the air conditioning and heating system is up and running properly is the most important factor to consider for the winter-ready home,” said Thom Rohde, service manager at Home Tech. “There’s no better time to check the status of your heater than before you need it, so this is a good time to schedule a “Clean and Check” from our licensed technicians to ensure proper maintenance of your heating and cooling system. The call is complimentary for service agreement customers.  Dirty coils and fans reduce the airflow through your heating and cooling system. Semi-annual checkups can improve your system’s efficiency and prevent costly repairs.”

Home-Tech experts also suggest you change your filter to ensure that utilities run efficiently this winter. A dirty filter makes your heating system work harder, which uses more energy. Replacing your filter every few months saves energy and also reduces dust around the home.

In addition, reprogramming your thermostat by turning it back 10-15 degrees for eight hours a day can save you around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills. If that  sounds like a difficult task, ask our Home Tech experts to install a programmable thermostat allowing you to automatically set specific temperatures at different times of the day.

Finally, keep the warm air flowing freely in the house this winter by reversing the switch on any ceiling fans in the house. Simply set the fans to operate in a clockwise direction. This will push warm air, which collects near the ceiling, back down into the room.

 While preparing for a winter in Florida differs a bit from other parts of the country, we  face at least a few days below 40 degrees every winter. Be prepared and avoid any unnecessary costs and frustrations by contacting Home- Tech today. If you run into any problems over the winter season, we are here to help seven days a week and will provide service by a qualified, NATE-certified friendly technician who will solve the problem.

Home owners interested in learning more about how to winterize their home for a cold snap can visit Home- Tech’s new website with featured tips from our technicians at www.home-tech.com or call 239-433-3344 to schedule an appointment and learn more about our Service Agreements.

About Home-Tech

Employee-owned, Home-Tech has been an industry leader and trendsetter in the fields of home-service agreements, air conditioning and major appliance sales and service for three decades.  Founded in 1981 by Steve Marino, who continues as President and Chairman of the Board, the privately held Home-Tech employs 135 people and provides services in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties in Southwest Florida. Home-Tech operates from two principal locations.  Its headquarters, tech training facility and appliance showroom are located at 6400 Techster Boulevard in Fort Myers.  A second office is on Lena Road in Bradenton, which services Manatee and Sarasota counties. For more information about Home-Tech, visit www.Home-Tech.com or call (239) 433-3344.

(Fort Myers, Fla. — November 22, 2011) – Home-Tech, Southwest Florida’s leading air conditioning and major appliance sales and service provider, donated 30 turkeys to the Nations Association Charities on Monday, November 21, 2011. The donation marked the anniversary of the company’s 30 years in business, demonstrated Home-Tech’s commitment to the community and celebrated the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We are so grateful for this generous gesture,” said Rev. Israel Suarez. “We could not continue to provide food for those in need without the support of community-minded companies like Home-Tech.”

Steve Marino, Home-Tech’s founder and president, delivered the turkeys along with Mike Hendershott, regional sales manager.

“We’re pleased to support our community which has been where we’ve done business for the last 30 years,” said Marino. “By donating these 30 turkeys to the Nations Association, we hope to make the holiday a little brighter for some of our neighbors.”

About Home-Tech

Employee-owned, Home-Tech has been an industry leader and trendsetter in the fields of home-service agreements, air conditioning and major appliance sales and service for three decades. Founded in 1981 by Steve Marino, who continues as President and Chairman of the Board, the privately held Home-Tech employs 130 people and provides services in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties in Southwest Florida.  Home-Tech operates from two principal locations. Its headquarters, tech training facility and  appliance showroom are located at 6400 Techster Boulevard in Fort Myers. A second office and training center is on Lena Road in Bradenton, which services Manatee and Sarasota counties. For more information about Home-Tech, visit Home-Tech.com or call 239-433-3344.

(Fort Myers, Fla- November 28, 2011) –  Home-Tech, Southwest Florida’s air conditioning and appliance service and sales company,  is celebrating  30 years of service  to the residents of Southwest Florida with a give-away contest of three Maytag  Bravos X™ Top Load Washer and Dryer sets for three deserving families, a $1700 value per set.  Some anniversaries are honored with gifts of wood, clocks, pearls, and diamonds, but Home-Tech is celebrating their 30^th with suds and good, clean fun by giving back to the community.

Nominations are being accepted now through Dec. 12 for residents in need of a new washer and dryer but are unable to purchase the appliances.  Maybe it’s a family member who has lost a job, a neighbor who takes care of foster children, a friend who has had a string of bad luck, or that kind-hearted single mother who lives next door and spends her weekends at the Laundromat.  Home-Tech encourages others to nominate candidates online at http://www.home-tech.com/index.php/santasuds/.

“It’s our anniversary celebration and it feels much better to give than to receive, especially at this time of the year – it’s rewarding,” said Steve Marino, Home-Tech founder and president.  “Our employee-owners enjoy giving back to the community if even to just help lighten someone’s load, figuratively and literally.”

The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and the nominator will be contacted on Dec. 15 to arrange the surprise delivery.

No purchase is necessary to nominate or to win, though only one nomination is allowed per household.  The winners must be 18 years or older and residents of Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota or Manatee counties and live in Home-Tech’s service area.  Nominations, including a brief 100 word or less summary on why the nominee is deserving, must be entered online at the Home-Tech Santa Suds page http://www.home-tech.com/index.php/santasuds/ by 11:59 p.m. (E.T.) on December 12, 2011.  Official give away rules are also posted on the website.

About Home-Tech

Employee-owned, Home-Tech has been an industry leader and trendsetter in the fields of home-service agreements, air conditioning and major appliance sales and service for three decades.  Founded in 1981 by Steve Marino, who continues as President and Chairman of the Board,  Home-Tech employs 135 people and provides services in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties in Southwest Florida. Home-Tech operates from two principal locations.  Its headquarters, tech training facility and appliance showroom are located at 6400 Techster Boulevard in Fort Myers.  A second office is on Lena Road in Bradenton, which services Manatee and Sarasota counties. For more information about Home-Tech, visit www.Home-Tech.com or call (239) 433-3344.