Home Services HVAC

When you live in a cold-weather climate, your furnace becomes one of the most important tools at your disposal during those cold months. Your insulation can only keep so much of that cold out before your furnace needs to intervene and warm things up.

Heating your home with water and a boiler is not all that common in the United States.  However, this type of heating, called hydronic heating, is quite common in other areas.  In some cases, hydronic heating can be an efficient means of heating your home.  If you have a 2000 square foot home, what size boiler do you need?

Of all the components within your furnace, there are a couple that are vastly more important than the others. When one of those components gets worn down or stops working, it can mean the difference between a comfortable home and having to be huddled up in blankets in your own home.

Many people understandably dread using their furnace too much during the winter. After all, sometimes it can result in some hefty energy bills, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. That’s especially true if you follow our essential winter furnace tips and tricks.

Having a pet is a blessing and a curse in because all the joy you get from them comes along with many chores. Keeping up with these chores can help protect your clothes, furniture, floors, and HVAC system from damage and messes. That’s why we assembled an essential list of HVAC maintenance tips for pet owners.

Heat pumps are amazingly efficient for heating your home under most normal conditions. However, when conditions aren’t right, your heat pump depends on its emergency heating capability to keep the temperature in your house comfortable and stable. If you own a heat pump, there are some facts about emergency heating you should know.

Are you considering upgrading your air conditioner? A variable-speed air handler can make a huge difference in the comfort of your home. But before you choose a model with a variable-speed air handler, let’s go over all of its pros and cons.

With all of the components within a furnace, it only makes sense that some of them will wear down and simply stop working eventually. Being able to recognize the signs of failure and implement a fix can save thousands in the long run and even keep your furnace working for far longer.

Our furnaces are quite the piece of equipment. There are a number of components within that allow it to deliver heat into our homes, keeping us warm even when the temperatures are subzero. And just like any other type of equipment, things can go wrong.

A great heat pump can boost your home’s HVAC system. However, some brands such as Nordyne and Rheem are worth avoiding. Whether it be Ameristar or Lennox International, let’s take a look at the 6 worst heat pump brands.

Having a second level in your home is a bonus for most people who want more room and privacy. But what about heating and cooling your upstairs? Heating seems to be no problem since heat rises. The problem is, during the summer, how do you increase airflow to the second floor?

Many people don’t think about their air filters until it’s time to change them. However, it can be confusing when you notice that your filter is dirtier than it should be. So, why does my AC filter get dirty so fast?

With the winter months coming fast, ensuring that your furnace motor stays in good condition is paramount. Because of this, it is good to be aware of what causes a furnace blower motor to go bad. Having this knowledge will prepare you for quick action should a repair be required.

AC units are more complicated than they seem, yet many problems are repairable, such as:

In the past decade or so, freon prices have gone up drastically. But anyone who has central air in their home knows that freon is a necessity, especially for those in temperate climates that can get into the upper 90s or 100s in the summer. With Freon being a necessity, you must know exactly how much this will cost you per pound.

Your HVAC system is a complicated piece of equipment. When it is functioning properly, delivering warm or cold air throughout your home, you likely won’t even recognize it. But when issues creep up, it is hard to notice anything but.

Nothing can make a home feel comfortable quite like a reliable HVAC system. Sometimes, that means that you need to upgrade to a new thermostat or add one. Can you have two thermostats and one AC unit?

When the temperatures start to drop in the winter months, your furnace may struggle to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. While that may sometimes mean that you need a new furnace, it most often means that one of your furnace parts could benefit from a little maintenance. Understanding all of the various parts of a furnace can help you to make an informed decision about what is best for your home.

Winter is the time of year when people rely on their HVAC systems the most. That’s especially true in the Midwest and on the East Coast, where winters can be brutal. However, many people make some serious winter HVAC mistakes that cause nothing but trouble.

Your furnace is a complicated piece of machinery. There are so many components involved to ensure that your home stays nice and toasty without so much as a second thought. But those various components can mean that things will go wrong from time to time.

When your York furnace’s red light starts blinking, it’s time for a proper POA. The problem may be as easy to fix as a blown fuse or something more complex that requires professional help.

When it’s summer, there are few parts of your home that will be as cherished as your AC unit. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common times when you’ll face a blown air conditioner capacitor. While it’s a quick fix (all you have to do is replace the capacitor), you still need to find the supplies to make it happen. But where on earth do you find an air conditioner capacitor?

It’s hard to go through life without smelling a dusty furnace. This common smell is nearly unavoidable because of how much dust comes into contact with a furnace. Air filters and ducts get filled with dust and debris, and that’s unavoidable.

Air conditioners are incredibly complex machines, which is why most people will immediately throw their hands up in the air and give up when they suddenly stop working. However, it’s not a smart thing to do. In many cases, your AC unit probably has a fairly fixable cause. If it’s a blown fuse, you can fix it in minutes. But, how can you tell if it’s actually a blown fuse?

When you install a furnace in your home, you expect it to run for long periods of time. This is especially true when you’re still working on making your home warm. This includes the furnace blower as well. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen.

When you face replacing the major components of your HVAC system, new technologies can offer some interesting options. Heat pumps have been around for years. With the introduction of the residential geothermal system, a lot of confusion has resulted. Many homeowners wonder about the differences between a geothermal and an air-to-air heat pump.

The air quality in your home is just as important as any other necessity. Your HVAC system can determine your comfort at home, but it can also be a matter of safety. Even still, you may be unfamiliar with how a dirty home air filter can affect your home.

Adding some warmth to your home through the winter can keep your space cozy and comfortable. Many people opt for a furnace blower to help push the hot air through the house effectively. While this is a great solution to heat a home, sometimes the furnace blower can become quite loud. Fixing a furnace blower yourself is possible for the technical and savvy DIY homeowner.

The weather outside is frightful, but your furnace fire ain’t feeling so delightful. If your furnace won’t stay lit, trying to deal with winter weather can become a serious problem. Furnaces that don’t stay lit are more than just a pet peeve. This is a major problem that can harm your wellbeing. So, what’s the deal with this issue, anyway?

Refrigerant is essential for an AC unit to absorb and release heat throughout the system. Without refrigerant, this exchange won’t happen, and it can explain why your AC evaporator is freezing up. Several signs indicate that your refrigerant level is low, such as high bills, and a long cool-down time.

Your home’s air ducts are an essential part of your comfort, especially during the peak of summer or the dead of winter. Understandably, it can be concerning to hear your air ducts sound much louder than usual. So, why are my air ducts so loud?

Your furnace is a complicated piece of equipment. There are various components working in unison at all times and when one of them goes bad, it is imperative to identify the problem in short order. The last thing that you want is for your furnace to continue failing, leading to bigger and more expensive repairs.

Periodically, your furnace will turn on to reach a desired temperature before shutting off. This is called cycling, and the frequency in which it occurs depends on a few factors.

Air conditioners will no doubt play an important role in your home. When you live in hotter climates especially, going without air conditioning means a very sweaty experience. But choosing the right unit is key as well.

It is alarming when you discover that your HVAC system sends some unknown white dust into your home through the vents. With no clear understanding of the material and whether it is hazardous or just annoying can lead to panic in some cases. If your HVAC system is new, the dust problem can be even more upsetting.

When homeowners have a furnace that works well, they’re not going to complain. Furnaces that are well-maintained can easily last 20 years or more. However, after a certain point, even the most reliable furnace will need to be replaced or repaired. If you’re like many homeowners, you probably are wondering when it makes more sense to replace rather than repair.

Some parts of HVAC maintenance, like replacing filters, are easy enough. However, the average person can’t justify heavy-duty tasks, like cleaning the air ducts. That’s especially true for renters, who aren’t required to clean the air ducts of an HAVAC system.

It wasn’t until I owned my own home that I realized how coveted storage space is. Having an entire closet dedicated to a furnace seems like a giant waste of storage space. So, what about the attic? Could that be a practical place to install a furnace to save storage space on living floors?

Furnaces are one of the most important parts of any home you go into. Without them, you won’t have heat during the winter and there’s also a good chance your hot water could also be linked to it. (If you have a steam furnace, anyway.) Running them is vital, and so is replacing the filter…or is it? Do you always need to use a filter when running a furnace?

Don’t ignore your instincts if you suspect your gas furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. Not repairing a damaged heat exchanger in a timely manner can cause serious health issues for your family. Among the toxic gases released into the air is carbon monoxide. It’s important to check to see if it’s cracked and then stop all use. But, how do you tell if it’s broken?

Your furnace blower motor is an essential part of your HVAC. It is the reason your furnace or AC is able to blow the air throughout your home. Many reasons can cause the blower motor to fail, such as old age or a high amperage draw. If you have an issue, how much would it cost to replace your HVAC blower motor?

Heating and cooling are two of the most vital aspects of a home. While it may seem like the obvious answer is to go with central, ductless heating and cooling, that isn’t necessarily an option for everyone.

A clean evaporator coil ensures your  air conditioning system is working efficiently and effectively. Evaporator coils can collect dust, debris, and oils over time. It is crucial to maintain this element of your air conditioning system regularly.

Cleaning your air ducts can improve your home’s air quality and airflow. Air ducts are constantly exposed to dust, debris, dirt, pet hair, and dead skin cells that make them dirty. Dirty air ducts can lead to health problems, especially if you have a respiratory issue like asthma. 

It’s sad for many homeowners to watch their yards and gardens become less vibrant as summer ends. That said, you can reap the benefits of a beautiful fall season if you tidy up your yard before everything goes dormant. This is the best way to encourage healthy growth when spring returns after fall and winter.

When you start to notice your home furnace is acting abnormally, you might start to picture your savings account shrinking. While your furnace may have lasted 20 years or longer, the cost of a new one can be quite painful, especially in 2022 with energy costs and inflation soaring. With so many new furnace options, add-ons, and potentially hidden fees, you might even struggle to understand exactly how much it will cost to replace your furnace. 

The urge to adjust the temperature on your thermostat throughout the winter can be overpowering. As tempting as it may be, choosing the wrong temperature for too long can be expensive and damaging. So, what should you set your thermostat to in the winter?

Your house seems a little chilly, so you go out to your garage to check on the furnace. You notice it has a blinking red light- what does this imply?

If you live somewhere cold, you are used to your utility bills increasing as temperatures drop. Unless you heat your home exclusively with a wood fire, you can expect to pay a high price to keep your home warm and cozy in the winter. While a higher utility bill is common in the winter, it shouldn’t shock you when you read your monthly bill. 

You’ve probably come across the names SpacePak and Unico in your search for heating and cooling solutions. They are the leaders in high-velocity HVAC systems. These systems have a lower profile and require less space than your average air conditioning unit. Their supply tubing is more compact than traditional ducts, and they are often used in older homes that have space limitations.

It’s easy to neglect your thermostat and think that it’ll last forever. However, like every other part of an HVAC system, the thermostat will eventually wear out. You’re not alone if you’ve ever struggled with how to tell if you need a new thermostat.

Proper planning is critical when installing appliances. If you rush the initial planning, you risk creating more problems in the future. Especially when it comes to propane furnaces, your initial blueprint is essential. There are many reasons to chooses a propane furnace. Some people don’t live close enough to town for natural gas. Others might be looking to replace an old propane furnace. Regardless, if you wonder which areas of the house are appropriate for installation, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’ve never been to Arizona before, you may be surprised to see air conditioning units on top of houses. This is a common practice in hotter climates, and you’ll also notice rooftop AC systems in New Mexico and Florida. But what’s the point in putting an air conditioning unit on the roof?

Good airflow in a home is something you don’t think about until it's lacking. Stagnant air can create all sorts of issues in your dwelling. It causes humidity fluctuations, increases pollutant levels, and significantly increases your risk of mold and mildew problems. If your home does not ventilate well, you’ll want to find proven ways to quickly improve indoor airflow.

When the weather begins to cool off furnaces start to warm up. Most of the time, the sound of furnaces waking from hibernation reminds as above spending the cold nights of winter in the warmth and security of our homes. Sometimes, however, the sounds were here are a bit less comforting.

Heat pumps offer an alternative to central heating or furnaces. They basically take the warm area from one area and move it over to another. They are more efficient than furnaces, which burn fuel to create that heat source.

As you’re used to your furnace doing its job without any issues, it can come as a shock to see water pooling around its base and realizing that something is wrong. It’s essential to take immediate action as, left uncorrected, even a small leak can result in extensive and costly damage.

Are you in the market for a new furnace? If so, it’s a good idea to treat this as a significant investment which is why you must choose the best furnace for your home. While name brands may seem ideal, have you researched the furnace brands you should avoid? If not, we did it for you!

Arguably, they are one of the most popular alternatives to air conditioners for home cooling options. That is partly because of the comparable cost and effort of purchasing and installing air conditioning systems. What happens, and what do you do though, if your swamp cooler starts making noises? Swamp cooler making humming noises or sounds? Read on.