HVAC Tips from Sears Heating and Cooling

How Cold Is Too Cold For My Heat Pump? Heat Pumps are highly efficient units but they do come with some drawbacks when the weather gets really cold. Heat Pump systems are highly efficient units but they do come with some drawbacks when it comes to cold temperatures. Will My Heat Pump Work When It’s Cold Out? This is a somewhat 2 part answer. The short answer would be yes, it will heat your home in cold weather. The tricky part is exactly how cold does it have to be before your heat pump just cant keep up? Let’s take a look. Heat Absorption Your heat pump heats your home by absorbing the heat in the outside air and transferring this heat indoors. It is basically working as an air conditioner in reverse through the use of refrigerant. This is great during heating season when there is some heat in...

Signs of a Furnace Gas Leak Rotten Egg Smell This is the most obvious sign of a gas leak. A smell of rotten egg coming from your furnace is something that should be addressed immediately. A faulty gas valve or even an electrical issue can give off this kind of smell so it's best to have a professional HVAC company come out and take a look. It's also possible that the smell could be coming from another appliance in the home such as a hot water tank or stove. What To Do: If you notice a rotten egg smell coming from your furnace or air vents, it's important to shut the furnace off immediately and call a professional for help. Go ahead and shut off your gas lines as well if you know how. Open the windows in your home to let the gas disperse. Do not light any matches...

My Furnace Keeps Short Cycling. What Is Going On? A furnace that is short cycling can be a frustrating issue when you are trying to keep warm. Does your furnace keep turning on and back off in a short period of time? This is what is called short cycling. A short cycling furnace can be a frustrating issue to have. Unfortunately, after not being used all spring and summer, some furnaces have some issues when it comes to firing up for the first time in the fall. Common causes of short cycling furnace include: Overheating due to a dirty filter Oversized Furnace Faulty Thermostat Blocked Exhaust Vents Blocked Air Vents Bad Flame Sensor Overheating From a Dirty Filter Dirty air filters are one of the top causes of furnace and air conditioner break downs. If your filter hasn't been changed in a while, go ahead and take a look at...

Why Is My Furnace Filter Getting Dirty So Quickly? Furnace filters can become dirty quite quickly depending on your home and living conditions. Your furnace filter is one of the most important parts of your HVAC system. Allowing your filter to become too dirty can result in your furnace short cycling or your AC to freeze up. Not only does the furnace filter help cut down on dust in the air, but it also helps protect all of the important parts of your furnace and air conditioner. Depending on your home and living conditions, you may ending up changing your furnace filter more or less frequently than others. If your furnace filter is getting dirty faster than usual, here are some things to check: Dust In Your Home Cleaning and dusting your home on a regular basis is a good way to extend the life of your furnace filters. It's...

Should I Get an Air Conditioner or a Heat Pump? Heat pump, air conditioner, they're all the same thing aren't they? I mean they both sit outside and look the same right? Well, kind of, but they are also both quite different in how they operate and their overall energy costs. Depending on where you live, one may be more economical than the other. Let's take a look at both units and see which one might be better for you in the long run. Heat Pump: A heat pump system can both cool and heat your home. Heat pumps work by having the ability to literally reverse it's operation through the use of a reversing valve. During the hot summer months, the heat from the indoor air is collected at the evaporator coil inside and then transferred to the outside condenser through the use of refrigerant. If you feel the...

New Air Conditioner Cost 2022 | Columbus, Ohio How much can you expect to pay to have a new air conditioner installed in your home in 2022? Let's find out! High Efficiency Air Conditioners When it comes time to buy a shiny new air conditioner, many people look to replace their old unit with a higher SEER rated one to save money on energy bills. By having a high-efficiency air conditioner installed, such as the 19 SEER Bryant 189BNV,  it is possible to save up to 38% on energy costs. With this increase  in energy savings, you can expect to pay more up front to have a high-efficiency AC installed. Most high-efficiency air conditioners can be installed for between $4,500-$8,000 depending on the efficiency rating, brand and other accessories you may want added on.  It's important to note that if you are looking to purchase a high-efficiency heat pump, you can...

What Is the Best Month to Buy a New Air Conditioner? The HVAC Off Season The best time by far to purchase is a new air conditioner in Columbus, Ohio is during the "off season" which includes both early Spring and Fall. Winter and summer are the busiest months for HVAC. A lot of people assume that the best time to buy is during the winter when demand is the lowest, but this is not the case when it comes to getting the best deal. During the winter months in Columbus, HVAC companies are just as busy as the warmer months fixing and replacing furnaces instead of air conditioners. You are most likely to get the best deal when during an HVAC contractor's slow time when they need the business to keep the schedule full. I can tell you from over 7 years of working as an HVAC professional that...

Gas Fireplace Won't Light A gas fireplace that won't ignite is a common problem among fireplace owners. Let's check out some common causes and options to repair your gas fireplace. Tripped Breakers A good place to start would be to check the circuit breaker panel and ensure the breaker for your gas fireplace has not tripped. When the electrical wiring in your home becomes overstressed with excess electrical current, the breaker will trip to prevent overheating. Gas Valve Issues Be sure the gas valve to your gas fireplace is set in the "open" position and that your gas is turned on as well. This part is usually located in the firebox. Some older models of gas fireplaces have a key in the wall or floor as well to control the gas valve. If your gas valve and gas are both turned on, you may have a gas flow problem or...

List of Common Furnace Problems Once the first cold weather of the heating season hits, our phones start ringing off the hook with people having first of the season furnace problems. A lot of these following issues can be prevented by having annual maintenance completed on your furnace. Most of the furnace issues we see are basic repairs and can be fixed rather quickly. Here is a quick list of the most common furnace problems we hear about on a daily basis: Dirty, Clogged Filters A dirty filter by far the leading cause of breakdowns that we see on furnaces. Dirty or clogged furnace filters reduce airflow, making a furnace work harder to circulate indoor air. Left unchanged, a dirty air filter will eventually overheat your furnace and you will need a furnace repair. In some cases, a clogged filter may damage the limit switch, which will shut off your...

What Causes a Furnace to Blow Cold Air? If your furnace is blowing cold air, it will not properly heat your home. This type of issue is actually a very common HVAC problem to have. There are several possible causes of a furnace blowing cold air, so it can be hard to give advice without gathering further information. However, below are some common causes that will cause your heating system to blow cold air. Thermostat is Set to ON Position Is your thermostat set to the ON position instead of the AUTO position? Check your thermostat for this important setting. If you have your thermostat set to ON instead of set to AUTO, the furnace blower will blow air continuously even when the burners aren't warming the air, causing cool air to come out of your registers. By setting your thermostat to AUTO, the blower will only blow air when...