Tag Archive for maintenance

Kate Miller | May 17, 2013
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How to Prepare Your Frozen Air Conditioner for Repairs

As summer weather moves in, many homeowners are finding out the hard way that their air conditioner needs repairs. For many, turning on the air conditioner for the first time did not bring comfort to a hot humid home, but instead brought a block of ice preventing proper operation. Ice on the air conditioner can be cause by a few different problems but no matter the cause, the result is an uncomfortable home. Having the system repaired quickly is your only option, but before the technician arrives, there are few steps you can take to aid in the repair process.

Prepare Your Air Conditioner for Repair

Thawing the system is your number one concern at this time as well as the prevention of irreversible damage. Follow these steps to make sure your air conditioner is as repairable as possible when the technician begins his assessment:

  • Shut the A/C Down: Running the air conditioner while it is frozen wont cool the home, will encourage further freezing, and could even damage the compressor beyond repair. Shut the unit down to protect it and to facilitate thawing of the ice. Read more
Category: Cooling, Helpful Tips, Repair | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | March 15, 2013
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Spring A/C Test and Prep

With spring on the horizon, the air conditioner will soon be in demand. It has had a long season in hibernation, and with the heat waves we have experienced across the country over the past few summers, the air conditioner needs to be in tip top shape before the heat arrives. Getting the system ready is simply a matter of having your yearly maintenance check performed, but you may want to test your air conditioner to make sure that it is working properly before they come out to clean it.

How to Test Your Air Conditioner

Testing the unit is simply a matter of setting the thermostat to cool and lowering the temperature beneath the current temperature in the home. However, there are a couple precautions you should take before running the unit. The first step is to check the air filter. If it is dirty, change it out with a new one before running the unit. You want to make sure that you have adequate air flow through the air conditioner before the test. Read more

Category: Air Conditioning, Cooling, Maintenance | Tags: , , , , ,
Kate Miller | March 5, 2013
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Awareness: Diagram

As we spring forward this coming weekend and set our clocks forward an hour, we should also take this time of year as a reminder to make a few other checks around the home. Local fire departments typically use this as an opportunity to increase awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and give homeowners a checklist of areas in the home to check and protect.

Carbon Monoxide Leak Protection and Prevention

Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning, the Midwest’s largest and most award winning heating and cooling contractor, has gone above and beyond this year to support this awareness movement. One of the ways that they are getting the word out is through the graphic below. This diagram of a house is the perfect way to illustrate where to check for carbon monoxide leaks in your home and how to protect your home from this harmful gas. Check it out, and protect your home this spring, and all year round, from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

(Click for full sized image)

carbon monoxide poisoning prevention

Category: Air Quality, Helpful Tips, Safety | Tags: , , , , ,
Kate Miller | February 26, 2013
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Keeping Furnace Efficiency at its Peak!

February may be coming to a close, but winter is still pounding most of the country. As we beg Mother Nature for a break, everywhere from Texas to Chicago is being coated in snow and ice. Though we may be wishing for warmer weather, winter is not showing any signs of coming to a close. This means that we still need to keep on top of the heating system maintenance for just a while longer. Now is not the time to take a break and sacrifice energy efficiency.

The Easiest Maintenance Step: Filter Replacement

The very least the every homeowner should be doing is changing the filter. Yes the filter protects the air quality in the home, but failing to change it could cause much bigger problems than dirty indoor air. Many homeowners don’t realize that a dirty filter can reduce the furnace efficiency by up to 60% and possibly even lead to a system breakdown. If you have noticed an increase in your energy costs, ask yourself when was the last time you changed your filter. Read more

Category: Air Quality, Heating, Maintenance, Money Saving | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | January 7, 2013
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Warranty Woes: Is Your Furnace Covered?

With the ever growing popularity of high efficiency furnaces, many homeowners have recently replaced their old inefficient system with a newer model that is capable of reaching much higher AFUE ratings. These systems are worth the investment because they save us so much money on our energy costs, but odds are when you purchased the system, making the initial investment was a little hard to swallow.

Two Ways to Void Your Furnace Warranty

When you put so much money into the home, you want to protect your investment, and chances are your new high efficiency furnace came with an equally impressive warranty. Warranties are great, and can save you tons of money on repairs down the line. However, there are a couple ways you can inadvertently void your warranty and leave your furnace unprotected. These are the two most common ways that homeowners void their furnace warranties:

  • Lack of Maintenance: Nearly every furnace manufacturer will require that professional yearly maintenance be performed on the system in order for them to honor the warranty. A poorly maintained furnace will breakdown frequently and experience part failures. This is true of many appliances and it is so true for your furnace that it will void your warranty. Professional maintenance checks are very affordable, but you have to remember to have them performed every year! Read more
Category: Consumer Protection, Furnace, Heating, Helpful Tips, Money Saving, Repair | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | December 17, 2012
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Yet Another Reason to Have Your Furnace Maintained

By now you have heard many times the importance of having your furnace cleaned and maintained on a yearly basis, and yes, we are going to take the time today to remind you once again of the value of having this service performed. When you schedule your yearly maintenance check this winter, make sure that the heating and cooling company you choose will include a heat exchanger inspection as part of the maintenance service.

Decaying Heat Exchangers

Like any other appliance in your home, age has an impact of the condition of your furnace or boiler heating system. What was once a solid, sound device can turn into a dangerous contraption with age or neglect. The heat exchanger absorbs heat during each cycle and passes it to the air that will be circulated throughout the home. The constant heating during cycles and cooling in between cycles can take a toll on the system and cause cracks in the heat exchanger. Read more

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Guest Blogger | November 12, 2012
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Furnace Preparation for Winter

Preparing your furnace for freezing temperatures is important, and if you take the necessary steps you’ll not only extend the life of your furnace, but you’ll also lower your monthly gas bill.  Regular maintenance and occasional checkups by a licensed HVAC contractor are crucial, and should not be overlooked.

Increase Furnace Lifespan, Decrease Gas Bill

Below, I’ve listed some easy steps you can take to make sure your natural gas furnace continues to perform efficiently and effectively throughout the winter season.

  • Have an HVAC service technician inspect your furnace: You may certainly be a handyman, but you’re not a licensed HVAC professional.  Call a reputable HVAC company and have them send a licensed service technician out to your home for a furnace inspection.  They’ll perform a thorough inspection of your flues and temperature settings, examine your heat exchanger for cracks, and check the safety mechanisms on natural gas units. Read more
Category: Furnace, Heating, Helpful Tips, Money Saving | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | October 22, 2012
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To Cover of Not to Cover Your Air Conditioner

Don’t be fooled by the little blast of warm weather, winter is still just around the corner! Dropping temperatures and snow blowing will be here before you know it! Are you ready? Have you protected your air conditioner with a proper fitting cover? If not be prepared for the potential damage ice and snow can cause your unit. Today’s manufacturers’ do not require a cover for your unit, but they do recommend one, especially when you live in an area that frequently experiences large snowfalls.

Warped Air Conditioner Blades

The fan blades on modern air conditioners are larger than older models. These larger blades hold more ice and snow causing your blades to warp creating a louder unit that will use higher amount of electricity. These blades will put excess wear and tear on the motor shortening its life span. You can prevent this all from happening by simply covering your unit with a proper fitting cover. 

Getting a Proper Fit

You can’t install just any cover on your air conditioner. The cover you purchase should be specifically made for your air conditioner make and model. This will prevent moisture from getting trapped inside the unit which can cause rust and decay. It will also allow for adequate amount of air flow during the long months the air conditioner is under wraps. Read more

Category: Air Conditioning, Contractors, Cooling, Helpful Tips, Maintenance | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | October 18, 2012
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Are HVAC Tune-Ups a Scam?

It is that time of year again! Fall furnace maintenance season has arrived and your mailbox has probably been packed with offers from various HVAC companies for their cleaning services. Many people have this service performed every year, others never have it performed, and then there is the small group of skeptics. If this service is worth the cost, they are more than willing to have it performed, but they do not want to waste their hard earned money on a service that is basically a scam. So, are HVAC tune-ups a scam? The short answer is “no,” but if you choose the wrong HVAC contractor for your cleaning, the answer could most definitely be “yes.”

Benefits:

A cleaning that is properly performed by a professional HVAC technician will have many benefits for the home including: Read more

Category: Consumer Protection, Heating, Helpful Tips, Maintenance | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Kate Miller | October 11, 2012
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Furnace Maintenance: Energy Efficiency

It’s that time of year again! Fall has arrived, and now is the time to start preparing our homes for the winter season ahead. Part of that maintenance involves cleaning the furnace. Furnace maintenance is important for several reasons and for the remainder of this week we are going to shine a spotlight on some of these benefits. The first benefit we are going to look at is energy efficiency improvements that can be made by having the furnace cleaned professionally.

Improving AFUE

When you first purchased your furnace, one of the major selling points for the system was probably its AFUE rating. You chose a system that was energy efficient because you wanted see savings on your monthly energy bills. However, as time went on you began noticing that the savings weren’t nearly as significant as they once were. Read more

Category: Go Green and Energy Efficiency, Heating, Maintenance, Money Saving | Tags: , , , , , , ,
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