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News, Updates & Tips
Interview with AFC Home Warranty by Home Warranty Wiz (www.homewarrantywiz.com)
September 29, 2011
Home Warranty Company Profiles: Interview with America’s 1st Choice Home Warranty
A note from the author:
Our company provides marketing services to a number of home warranty companies including the one being written
about here. Though I make every effort to remain objective and impartial it’s important that you as a reader
understand that any review or interview on this site is just one way for you to evaluate a home warranty
company you may be considering doing business with. It is not the policy of Homewarrantywiz.com or our
parent company to ever make a direct recommendation for readers of Homewarrantywiz.com to do business with
a particular home warranty company since doing so would be unfair to readers as well as the home warranty
companies we review who do not work with us as marketing clients.
In our series of company profiles I rarely contact executives or other members of the companies being reviewed.
In the case of America’s 1st Choice Home Warranty I know the owner of the company, John Craddock. So as a courtesy
I asked John if he would like to conduct an interview rather than me reviewing his company based on the information
available online. He graciously agreed to answer my questions. I hope you and other readers will find his answers
useful in understanding more about his company.
How long has America’s 1st Choice Home Warranty been offering home warranty plans to home owners in the U.S.?
We have been in in the warranty business since 2003.
How many states do you currently provide home warranty coverage in? Are there states you plan to expand into in the future?
We currently are in 17 states and will be in 27-30 by the end of the year.
Your website lists two main home warranty options as well as some optional items that can be added on. Can you tell us a bit about how a consumer might decide what package or custom combination is right for them?
At AFC Home Warranty our agents are trained to treat our customers with white glove service. We have warranty
agents not warranty salesmen working on commission as most companies do. Our agents are trained to do what is
best for the customer not their own commission plan. We go over all the options with the customer to be sure
that the policy fits all their needs not ours.
Do you have tips for first time home warranty buyers who are considering your home warranty options?
Do your research on the internet. Look up their BBB rating and even if they have a good rating see how many
complaints they have. Just because they have a good rating does not mean they take care of their customers all that
means is they answer complaints as they come in. Also Google the company name followed by complaints, that will
give you a good indication if the company pays their claims.
Home warranty companies are often perceived by consumers as being very similar. What stands out about your company that consumers might not be aware of after reading your company website?
We pay our claims and don’t look for ways to turn them down. We have a 30 day waiting period before we pay a claim to be
sure there are no pre-existing conditions. We also tell our customers upfront to be sure and have their heating and A/C
unit serviced. Most companies don’t tell customers this, they wait until the customer has a claim and then ask for proof
of service hoping the customer has not had the service required. We also put our terms and conditions on our web site
so the consumer can see exactly what they are getting before they purchase the product and have to wait to receive the
coverage in the mail.
Many experienced home warranty customers know to watch out for fine print in home warranty contracts, particularly limits on repairs or replacements and exceptions regarding what claims will be approved. Can you tell home owners who may be considering your home warranty plans what they should know even before they read all the contract details for your home warranty plans.
If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Our limits of liability are right on the terms and conditions on
our website. Look closely at the companies that boast huge limits of liability, they don’t pay claims. We also let
customers use their own companies they have done business with in the past to perform work needed. Most of the
companies out there you have to use who they want to service the problem. Our customers are treated like family.
If they have a claim we send someone to handle the problem within 24 hours. They don’t have to wait days like our
competitors just because the technician that warranty company uses is to busy.
Does your company back your home warranty plans or is there an additional company that underwrites the coverage?
We are fully insured and bonded.
I noticed you have some great customer testimonials on your website from customers who have previously been with other home warranty companies. What do you feel your company is doing right that impresses your customers so much?
It is all about customer service and treating each customer as family and addressing their needs with utmost importance.
I would like to thank John for agreeing to be interviewed. I hope our readers benefit from the chance to know more about America’s 1st Choice Home Warranty.
Should you wish to contact America’s 1st Choice Home Warranty you may do so via their website, www.afchomewarranty.com, or by phone, 866-242-0629.
Service Your Air Conditioner for Summer Comfort
We all know that we can pay our auto mechanics a little now for routine service, or pay them a lot later for a
major repair. The same idea holds true for your air conditioner.
An air conditioner is a very tough piece of equipment. It is engineered to withstand all sorts of abuse and
keep on running. This is great in most respects, but it can lead to complacency about maintenance. Like a
car, air conditioners need regular tune-ups to run properly.
Without regular maintenance an air conditioner looses about 5% of it's original efficiency for each year of
operation. The good news is that you can recover most of that lost efficiency through regular maintenance.
Studies show that regular tune-ups to a unit will maintain up to 95% or it's original efficiency. This means that
the cost of an annual tune-up is recovered very quickly in savings on your monthly electric bill. A properly
serviced air conditioner will also do a better job of dehumidifying your home.
Many local air conditioning firms offer special prices and some even offer annual service programs that insure
that your will be reminded of the need to service the unit at the beginning of the cooling and heating seasons.
There are some things in addition to yearly tune-ups that you can do to help ensure a high level of comfort
and proper system operation. First, buy good filters and change them regularly. Next, keep bushes and other
materials away from the outside unit of your air conditioner. Another good idea is to avoid closing air outlets
in your house. In almost all cases, closing supply outlets is harmful to the operation of the overall system.
It is important to keep all your records when you have your system serviced so when you have a home warranty
claim it will be paid because you have kept up proper maintenance.
News
AFC Warranty Monthly Vacation Club
**Please note this vacation club is no longer active for AFC Home Warranty
BriefingWire.com, 12/03/2010 - AFC Home Warranty a division of Crast Inc. is pleased to announce it's new monthly
vacation club. Every person that purchases a home or auto warranty from AFC Warranty will receive a vacation certificate
each month. These certificates will range from a 2 night hotel stay up to a 7 day resort in Mexico. This program will
be a free benefit to all customers of AFC Home and Auto warranty. John Craddock with Crast Inc. says "this will set up
apart from any other warranty company in America. We can offer this benefit to our customers at not additional cost to
them and they have the option of using the certificate when they choose."
You can visit the auto warranty at www.afcautowarranty.com or the
home warranty at www.afchomewarranty.com.
Home Maintenance Tips
1. Roof: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks. Repair as necessary.
2. Attic: If there is no ridge vent, keep gable vents open year-round to ensure proper ventilation.
3. Gutters: Clean gutters and drain pipes so leaves won't clog them and be sure they drain away from the house.
(Fall: In cold-climate areas) Drain outside faucets.
4. Fireplace: Clean fireplace of ashes. (Fall) Check chimney for loose or missing mortar. Have chimney
professionally cleaned. Make sure damper closes tightly. (Spring) Leave damper open for improved
ventilation if the home is not air-conditioned
5. Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters once a month, or as needed. Check and clean dryer vent,
air conditioner, stove hood and room fans. Keep heating and cooling vents clean and free from furniture and draperies.
6. Safety Equipment: Ensure that all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers
are in good working order. Replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.
7. Air Conditioner: (Fall: In cold-climate areas) Remove window air-conditioners, or put weatherproof covers on them.
8. Refrigerator: Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a
dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, the latch may need to be adjusted or the seal may need to be replaced.
In addition, if you have a coil-back refrigerator, vacuum the coils at least twice each year. Your refrigerator will
run more efficiently with clean coils. Also, stock up! A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.
9. Faucets: Check for leaky faucets in kitchen and bathroom(s). Replace washers as necessary.
10. Windows and Doors: Seal drafty doors and windows. If you added up all of the small cracks where heating and
cooling escapes from a home, it would be the same as having a window open. Replace seals as needed.
11. Storm Windows and Screens: (Fall) Take down screens (if removable type) and replace with storm windows.
(Spring) Remove, clean, and store storm windows (if removable). Check and patch all door and window screens.
Put screens up (if removable type).
12. Siding and Paint: Look for cracks and holes in house siding or paint. Replace caulk if necessary. A carpet
knife can work well for cutting away old caulking from house siding. Slice down alongside it from both directions
with the hook-like blade, then use the knife to lift out the old caulk bead intact.
13. Basement: Check basement walls and floor for dampness. Be sure to clean dehumidifier regularly, if you have one.
14. Heating System: (Fall) Have heating system serviced. Change filters.
15. Hot Water Heater: (Fall) Drain hot water heater. Remove sediment from the bottom of the tank.
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When my dishwasher broke they replaced it with a brand new one within 24 hours.
Greg, Clinton, MS
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