Opinion vs Fact: The Difference Between Guesswork and a Solid Diagnosis
Opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
When something goes wrong with an HVAC system, there can be great value in seeking the opinion of an HVAC professional – if, that is, the opinion turns out to be correct.
How do we know when we can have confidence in an opinion, even an informed opinion? The fact is, you can’t. An opinion is just a starting point that may or may not be correct. It can be either supported or disproved by established facts.
“When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras”. This phrase reminds doctors to consider the most probable diagnosis first before moving on to more unlikely explanations. But in HVAC – and medicine – this doesn’t mean it’s always a horse, because zebras DO exist. You wouldn’t allow a doctor to perform surgery based on an opinion, without going over your medical history, determining all of your symptoms, and perform- ing tests, and the same standards should apply to your HVAC system.
Accurate HVAC diagnostics requires a combination of knowledge, experience, the right tools and instruments, and some good old-fashioned detective work. A good HVAC service contractor invests the necessary time, money and brainpower required to collect the pertinent information necessary to accurately diagnose and solve problems in an HVAC or process system. Far too many contractors, however, don’t bother, because opinions are easy and cheap. They offer diagnoses and perform repairs or replacements based only on vague symptoms and customer complaints. These diagnoses are often wrong, and it’s the customer that bears the cost.
As the only HVAC service subspecialist in the tri-state area, MSC in the business of fixing and optimizing what you have, not performing unnecessary repairs and selling new equipment. We don’t substitute opinions for solid diagnostic work. We discuss the issue with the client, observe, perform all necessary testing, analyze the collection of testing data and other information to come up with an accurate diagnosis. Customers receive a detailed diagnostic report, including information on how the data was collected, a conclusion, and recommended repairs or other options.
About MSC - The Go To Guys
We are a service sub-specialist in the technical intricacies of HVAC, process cooling, and building automation systems in commercial, industrial, and institutional environments. MSC is recognized as the leading industry expert in solving elusive problems and attaining peak performance from clients & mechanical equipment and overall systems.
Located in northern New Jersey, MSC is the only specialized contractor of our kind in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We are MSCA STAR-qualified, NEBB-certified, fully-licensed in electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and our engineers and technicians are the most knowledgeable in our field.
MSC - Mechanical Service Corp.
41 South Jefferson Road
Whippany, NJ 07981
973-884-5000
