Yes I agree with your Installer. The laser has to work within a different range for CD-Rs and DVD-Rs and calibration is advised. It makes the laser work harder and there is a potential penalty a year or so downstream.

To avoid this or maximise laser life, I believe that AZO CD-Rs cause less laser wear than other CD types. It's to do with the cleanness with which the CD-R is burned (zeroes are burned to make the spot opaque to the read laser reflection). If there is to much "melt" on either side of the opaque bit then the laser has to work harder. It's a complciated subject.