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Reported on Thursday, July 29, 2010 8:37 AM

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BBB has determined that this business meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.

BBB accreditation does not mean that the business' products or services have been evaluated or endorsed by BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business' product quality or competency in performing services.

Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of A+

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B. S. & S. SERVICES INC

PO BOX 1748, GRAPEVINE, TX 76099, Tarrant County
      Google map    Mapquest map    Yahoo map

(877) 237-5397
(817) 329-0874 (FAX)

The license number is m36082. 

The company's size, volume of business and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company has handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgment on the validity of complaints filed.

Number of complaints processed by the BBB
    in the last 36 months: 4
    in the last 12 months: 1

The BBB has no information regarding Government Actions at this time.

The BBB has no information regarding Ad Reviews at this time.

Hiring a plumber
Most consumers give little thought to calling a plumber unless a major problem is involved. Even small plumbing problems can turn into large ones so it is important to do some research in advance on plumbing
contractors. There are two levels of plumbers, journeyman and master. A journeyman must have a high school diploma, 4 years of verifiable plumbing experience, and pass an exam given by the state board of
plumbing. A master plumber must have 2 years experience as a journeyman and also pass a state examination. Plumbers must have a state license if they operate in cities of 5,000 or more. Make sure the plumber is licensed. The service truck should have the name and icense number displayed. Consumers can request the license number of the master plumber and contact the Complaint Department of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (1-800-845-6584) to verify the license and to determine if any complaints have been filed against the
plumber and for what reason. Plumbers should be able to produce their licenses when requested by consumers. Plumbing licenses expire annually, and the expiration date is clearly marked on each license. Each plumbing company must have one master plumber who is responsible for the company's jobs. On each job there must be either a licensed journeyman or master plumber present, although they may be supervising rather than actually doing the work.

If a major plumbing project is involved, solicit two or more bids and get a written contract. The contract should specify the type of work to be performed, total charges, warranty coverage, the completion date, and the condition in which the plumber will leave the house. This last point is especially important since the plumber may have to do some structural or cosmetic damage to do the job. In some cases it is not possible to come up with a
firm price for repairs in advance; in such a case, the consumer should get a written estimate of the extent of the work to be performed, a firm confirmation of the hourly rate to be charged, and the extent of the warranty before repairs begin. Depending on the work required, it may be necessary to obtain a plumbing permit from the city prior to the work being performed. If a permit is required, the work will be reviewed by a plumbing inspector also licensed by the state. You can contact the BBB for a list of plumbing contractors who are members. These
contractors have pledged to uphold our standards, including answering complaints presented by the Bureau.
Tax Energy Credit: 2009-2010 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Energy Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 from the Internal Revenue Service (FS-2009-10, April 2009) (Clarified statutory language in Section 1142, 5/13/09)

You may also wish to visit the Internal Revenue Service Website at: www.irs.gov and search for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Another website offering information on tax energy credits is www.achri.net. On this site you can enter the model number of your equipment to determine if it qualifies for a Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credit.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides energy incentives for both individuals and businesses.

Here are some of the key energy provisions in ARRA that may impact taxpayers:

Residential Energy Property Credit (Section 1121): The new law increases the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy efficient improvements to their existing homes. The new law increases the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements and raises the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements placed in service in 2009 and 2010.

The credit applies to improvements such as adding insulation, energy efficient exterior windows and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems.

A similar credit was available for 2007, but was not available in 2008. Homeowners should be aware that the standards in the new law are higher than the standards for the credit that was available in 2007 for products that qualify as “energy efficient” for purposes of this tax credit. The IRS has issued guidance that will allow manufacturers to certify that their products meet these new standards.

Until the guidance is released, homeowners generally may continue to rely on manufacturers’ certifications that were provided under the old guidance. For exterior windows and skylights, homeowners may continue to rely on Energy Star labels in determining whether property purchased before June 1, 2009, qualifies for the credit. Manufacturers should not continue to provide certifications for property that fails to meet the new standards.

(According to energystar.gov, to claim the tax credit for energy efficient products placed in service in 2009, you will need to file the 2009 IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your 2009 taxes. Also, save your receipts and the Manufacturer's Certification Statement for your records. A Manufacturer's Certification Statement is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit. The IRS encourages manufacturers to provide these Certifications on their website to facilitate identification of qualified products. Please visit energystar.gov and choose "Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency" for more information.)

Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit (Section 1122): This nonrefundable energy tax credit will help individual taxpayers pay for qualified residential alternative energy equipment, such as solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbines. The new law removes some of the previously imposed maximum amounts and allows for a credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of qualified property. See Notice 09-41.Air Conditioning
Air conditioning needs can be divided into two categories:
equipment servicing and equipment purchasing. When having
equipment serviced inquire about additional charges (such as
travel charges) prior to servicing; ask if technicians are paid
on an hourly or commissioned basis. Consider annual servicing to
prevent future problems.

The purchase of an air-conditioning system involves both cooling
capacity and efficiency. The system must be correctly sized for
the home; an air-conditioning contractor or the local utility
company can provide information about the appropriate size for
your home. The system's efficiency is expressed in its "SEER"
rating, which indicates the amount of cooling per watt of
electricity used. The higher the "SEER," the more efficient the
unit. The availability of ductwork and electricity will also
affect the overall cost of installation. Altering or installing
ductwork or rewiring to handle the additional electrical load can
substantially increase the final cost.

When purchasing a new air system be sure to get two or more bids.
Make sure bids are comparable in terms of equipment and services.
Ask for local references and inspect finished work. Be sure that
the firm is licensed; The license number should be clearly marked
on the service truck. Many air conditioning firms offer service
contracts covering annual inspections and emergency repairs.
Before purchasing such a contract, compare existing warranty
coverage with the service contract you are considering; don't pay
for the same coverage twice.

Should you be interested in finding out if a new air conditioning unit is tax deductible go to: http://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/home.aspx and try to print your tax deductible certificate by the unit number you are thinking of buying. Give this certificate to your CPA to use with your tax return.

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BBB Reliability Reports are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information in this BBB Reliability Report is believed reliable, but not guaranteed as to accuracy.

BBB Reliability Reports generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Reliability Reports are subject to change at any time.

If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted the BBB for a BBB Reliability Report.

ID: 97010013
Report as of: 7/29/2010 8:37 AM

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