February 2020

How Often Should I Clean My Air Ducts? Over time, air ducts can be come packed full of dirt and dust that affects both you and your HVAC system. Dirty Air Ducts = Dirty Air It goes without saying that if your air ducts are dirty, the air the passes through them will also become dirty. Overtime, dust, skin cells and other particulates from both people and outdoors make their way into your HVAC system. Left untouched over time, your air ducts and air returns can become a breeding ground for some pretty nasty stuff and cause both sickness and allergy flare ups. However, just how dirty should they be before you have your air ducts cleaned?  Visual Inspection A good way to get an idea of what may be hiding in your duct work is to look at the return vents in your home. Carefully remove the register and take a look inside. Can you see or feel a good amount of dirt or dust build up? If so, don't be alarmed. Air ducts are bound to get dirty over time and will require cleaning. It's important to note that everyone's home is different. If you have many pets, your air ducts will become dirty faster due to hair and dander build up.  Time For A Cleaning! Signs it may be time for an air duct cleaning include: Visual signs of mold or dirt build up in return vents or other components of your HVAC system. You notice foul...

How Often Should I Change My Furnace Filter? Both your furnace and air conditioner depend on a clean furnace filter to operate at maximum efficiency. Dirt and dust are the #1 cause of HVAC breakdowns. Who knew you could save your self so much money in the long-run by just changing an air filter! Failure to change your furnace filter on a regular basis could lead to such HVAC problems as ice build up on your air conditioner. Check Those Filters! It is recommenced to always check your furnace filter at least once per month, regardless of the size of the filter. Even if you have a large, media filter, debris can sometimes become caught inside of it and hinder air flow, making your furnace or air conditioner work harder than it needs to. We have even found pet toys inside filters before! Standard One-Inch Filter Furnace filters vary on when they should be changed. If you are utilizing a standard one-inch filter, these are recommended to be changed once per month. One-inch filters may need to be changed more frequently if you have pets or your home is dustier than usual. A dirty filter can also cause your furnace to short cycle during the heating season. Media Filters If you have a thick media-filter installed, these should generally be changed every 6 months. These filters don't need to be changed as often due to the size of them and the dirt they can hold. However, it is still recommended...

How Does My Furnace's Gas Valve Work? The gas valve on your furnace is one of the most important parts! Without it, your house would be quite cold! How do you tell if the gas valve is bad on a furnace? To tell if the gas valve to your furnace is bad, you can do the following:  Turn off your furnace’s gas supply, turn the thermostat up and check to see if there is no flame.  Check the pilot light to see if there is gas flowing to it, set the thermostat to below room temperature and wait a minute to see if there is a flame.  Set the gas knob to “ON” if the burner doesn't turn on, set the thermostat above room temperature and perform a voltage test. If you do not have the correct furnace knowledge or tools, you may want to have an HVAC technician perform these tests for you to determine if the gas valve on your furnace is bad and needs to be replaced. To get your furnace repaired, call us today. What happens when my gas regulator fails? If your gas regulator fails, it can lead to an excess of gas inside your home. Gas regulators are designed to identify when your furnace is lit to either enable or halt the supply of gas. If your furnace’s gas regulator fails, it can lead to a health and safety risk. To ensure that your gas regulator does not fail unexpectedly, you should have your...

Will a Heat Pump Save Me Money? Heat pumps are a great option for someone looking for a unit to both heat and cool their home! What Is a Heat Pump Anyway? A heat pump is a pretty cool piece of equipment. It is capable of both cooling your home in the summer and heating your home in the winter. It looks pretty much identical to an air conditioner but utilizes an air handler to move air throughout your home. A heat pump is a type of forced air HVAC system.  Some customers have a gas furnace as well that they use for "emergency heat" in the winter as heat pumps are designed to heat a home as long as the temp is above 30 degrees outside. Heat pumps work by moving warm air from one place to another. In the summer it moves the warm air out of your home, and in the winter it moves warm air into your home. Even when it is cold outside, heat energy is still present! By moving heat instead of generating heat, it can be a cost effective alternative to heating.  Can a Heat Pump Save Me Money? This really depends. Although you can certainly save money on fuel consumption in the winter, a heat pump will use a bit more electricity than a standard furnace and air conditioner as it is both cooling and heating your home. Also, heat pumps are generally more expensive to install than a normal air conditioner as...