Tag Archive for winter

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

Off Season Home Improvement Savings

The winter is typically the off season for many home improvement or repair companies. Unless your furnace experiences a breakdown or requires replacement, you likely aren’t having much if any work done on the home. However, not taking advantage of the off season is a major mistake and your wallet will regret it! Home improvement and HVAC companies offer deep discounts this time of year on their off season services, and you could have your dream project completed for much less than you imagined if you act now while the weather is still cold.

Affordable Off Season Air Conditioning

A great example of a service you may want to consider is air conditioner replacement. Air conditioners are obviously not used during the winter months, but heating and air conditioning companies still have them in stock for those that choose to replace their furnace and their air conditioner. Even if you do not need a new furnace, waiting until summer to have that old air conditioner replaced could cost you hundreds more once the heat arrives. You could also save on the upgrade of both systems by purchasing them together. The HVAC company is more likely to cut you a deal on the purchase of multiple systems and the savings could be quite substantial. Read more

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

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

What is Burning in My Furnace?

The smell of something burning has to be one of the most ominous and panic-inducing odors you could have circulating through the home. At best this smell is coming from anstock photo courtesy of Simon Howden at freedigitalphotos.net overcooked dinner and at worst the source of the smell is a fire within the home. Either way, locating the source of the burning smell and stopping the burning before it causes damage to the home is imperative.

Every fall, thousands of homeowners start up their natural gas forced air furnaces and within moments notice a burning smell in the home. The cause of this smell isn’t necessarily a problem, but regular burning smells or a burning smell that appears unexpectedly during the season needs to be addressed by a professional. Read more

Don’t Miss a Chance to Save on New HVAC: Part 2

Buying on a Budget

As the deadline of May 1st approaches, homeowners will suddenly find that the 90% AFUE furnaces the law now requires them to purchase are more expensive than they were in previous years. The manufacturers know that this change is coming and if you wait until next winter, winter 2013/2014, and experience a breakdown, you could find yourself paying way more than you could have had you replaced your system this winter instead.

What Should You Do?

Ask yourself these questions to find out if upgrading or replacing your system now is better than waiting for it to breakdown completely:

  • How Old is Your System?: If your system is greater than 15 years old or plagued by repetitive breakdowns, upgrading now is probably the better option. It will only cost more if you wait. Read more

Boost Boiler Energy Efficiency

With fall on the horizon, many homeowners are packing up the air conditioners for the season and looking to the heating system for comfort. Although much of the United States relies upon forced air heating systems for comfort, there are still a number of homes that use hot water and steam boilers to generate heat for the home, and these systems need to be maintained just like their forced air counterparts.

Everyone’s Favorite Maintenance Benefit

Regular maintenance checks have many benefits for boiler heating systems, but the one benefit that is often the motivator to have the service performed is its ability to boost the energy efficiency of even the oldest boiler systems. Dirty and air laden systems cannot function properly and therefore consume more energy than truly necessary to heat the home. A professional maintenance serviceman could take care of this service for you, and maybe even teach you a few tips along the way. Read more

Icicles Causing Power Outages

If your neighborhood is prone to power outages, you may already know that wet, heavy snow and icicles can cause power outages during the winter months. Every neighborhood that experiences large amounts of snow fall or freezing temperatures is susceptible to these types of power outages. If you have ever had a power outage in the middle of the winter, you already know how terribly inconvenient they can be. They not only cut out the lights, but they also cut out the furnace and the sump pump. Depending on the extent of the outage, it may take days to return power to the home, and unless you want to cough up the money for a hotel or spend that time in an emergency warming shelter, we suggest seeking out alternatives.

An Alternative Power Source

An alternative to no power would be to have an automatic generator installed in your home. It would automatically kick on in the event that your home is cut off from the electrical grid. Through the use of natural gas, the system will create electricity for the various parts of the home that are hooked up to the generator. When this system is installed there are no extension cords to hook up or tanks of fuel to fill. Everything kicks on automatically and is hard wired into the home. Read more

Cleaning and Organizing Your Garage

As the temperatures continue to drop, it is only a matter of time before the snow begins to fall. Those of us that have been using the garage as a dumping ground are going to find it very difficult to fit the car in with all of the other items in the way. Leaving the car out in the snow is not an option unless you want to dig your car out every morning before work. The only real solution is to get that garage cleaned and organized, and why not make improvements that will allow you to keep it that way for good?

3 Steps to Organization:

  • Sorting: The first step towards creating a cleaner garage is to look through and organize the things that are currently occupying this space. Assess which items you want to keep and which can be thrown out or donated. You will be surprised how many things you are holding onto that you haven’t used in years! Create two distinct piles: what you want to keep and what you want to go. Once you know what you are going to need to store, you are one step closer to a clean and organized garage.
  • Permanent Storage: There are two ways to tackle garage storage. You can either do it yourself or enlist the help of a professional. Slapping together wire shelves that can be purchased at nearly any hardware store is easy enough for most people to handle on their own. All you need are some plastic storage containers to place on the wire shelves and you are set to store the items you want to keep. For a more polished and professional look, you may want to consult a contractor. Professionally installed cabinetry, wall hangers, and work stations can truly transform your garage. These jobs are more complex, and if you are going to be hanging or storing heavy objects, you are going to want to make sure that these storage solutions are installed correctly! Read more

Snow and Your High Efficiency Furnace

It is the middle of winter. Through the night several inches of snow have fallen and suddenly the furnace won’t kick on. Everything seems to be working properly, but there is something standing in the way between you and your comfort! If you are the owner of a high efficiency furnace, finding yourself in this situation may be common, but luckily, there is a quick fix that may not even require the help of an HVAC serviceman.

New Technology

The technology that makes it possible for your furnace to operate at such high efficiencies is relatively new, and because of this fact, you may not be aware of some of the differences your new system has compared to the unit you had in the home before it. By improving the way that the system is vented, the manufacturers of your high efficiency furnace were able to get more energy out of the natural gas that the furnace would consume. However, this new venting system can become easily obstructed and the obstruction will trigger safety systems to prevent proper function of the system. Read more