Home Services HVAC

Every component of your HVAC system affects its performance and your comfort at home. That even applies to small parts such as furnace filters that many homeowners overlook. So, does furnace filter thickness matter?

Your water heater and furnace are essential components of your home. Having hot water and the ability to heat your home on even the chilliest of days are crucial to the comfort of any home. Keeping both running strong takes regular maintenance and care.

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.

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.

It’s hard to imagine a world without air conditioning, even if air conditioners can be a mystery themselves. The average homeowner doesn’t have professional-grade knowledge when it comes to air conditioner amperage, voltage, and wattage. So, how many amps does an air conditioner use?

A furnace that isn’t working problem is more than just an annoyance. Any problem with your furnace can indicate issues that are potentially dangerous to you and your family. A furnace that tries to start and then shuts down requires immediate attention.

Reversing valves are some of the more important small parts of an HVAC system, especially if you run a heat pump during the winter. During the winter, reversing valves have a tendency of getting locked into place. This makes it very difficult for the valve to adequately do its job. If your valve gets stuck, don’t get frustrated. Get good at loosening it up instead.

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.

When it comes to your home, there are few things that are as important as having a good HVAC system. It’s what will keep your home warm and also regulate your home’s temperature. In recent years, heat recovery ventilation systems have become very popular. As one of the newest “hot features” of homes, it’s worth taking a look at what they can and cannot do for your home.

With airborne viruses and hidden chemicals on the rise in modern times, purified air has never felt more important. Home HVAC systems with quality filters can help increase a home’s value, and certain areas with better air quality have even become more desirable. Air purifiers have also become quite popular in recent years. But with an average price tag between $200 and $500, you might wonder if air purifiers work or if they are a waste of money.

Many people live in a dry climate (hello, desert) or experience dry seasons (I’m looking at you, winter). To mitigate the effects of this dry air, many people often use humidifiers in their homes. Instead of having one for each room that requires daily refilling, what if you had one for the whole house?

Anyone with a boiler knows that repairs can be quite expensive, especially if you don’t keep up with maintenance. However, sometimes, repairs are out of the question, and you’re better off replacing the unit. That’s especially true if you notice one of many signs that indicate it's time to replace your boiler.

Did you recently leave your home for weeks or even months? If so, you’re likely shocked to find that your electric bill is high even though you weren’t there. So, why is my electric bill high when I’m not home?

For those of us that live in colder climates, the furnace is arguably the most important feature of a home. When the temperatures drop into the single digits and below, staying comfortable and warm is of the utmost importance.

In order to heat your home properly, your furnace has several components that work in tandem with one another. When those components do their jobs, the air that gets sucked into your furnace is heated and then blown back out into the home.

It can leave you feeling uneasy when you hear unusual sounds coming from your furnace. Some furnace sounds are normal, but they can also point to serious problems. So, you may ask, why is my furnace rattling?

Furnaces are designed not only to warm your house and make it comfortable, but also to be as safe as possible. One of the safety functions every furnace has is a flame rollout switch, which will trip and stop the furnace when something is wrong. You must reset the flame rollout switch to make the furnace work again, but some homeowners wonder if they can bypass it.

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.

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.

Honeywell thermostats are recognized as some of the best heat control devices a home can have. They also happen to have a tendency for using auxiliary heat pretty heavily. The problem is that excess auxiliary heat use can be a drain on your heating bill and may even contribute to higher energy bills. So, how do you turn this feature off?

One of the best ways to lower your heating costs this winter is to use your wood fireplace on cold days. A fireplace is not just great for setting the mood, but it can also effectively heat your home.

While going through the process of building your home, you’ll eventually have to consider how the ducts will be designed. You cannot overlook the ductwork because doing so will affect the type of comfort you’re able to experience at home. However, when it comes to determining an HVAC duct sizing rule of thumb, you need to avoid generalizations.

When it is working properly, your furnace is capable of making your home comfortable in even the coldest of temperatures. The process requires several components coming together at once to produce warm air that blows throughout your home.

With so many components in your furnace, it only makes sense that one may stop working from time to time. More often than not, a dirty or clogged filter will be the cause of a furnace that isn’t working properly.

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.

If you get manicures and pedicures often, you’re probably familiar with the smell of nail polish remover. It’s certainly a unique smell, and when it emanates throughout a home it’s impossible to miss. So, what causes a house to smell like nail polish remover?

I’ll be honest. When I first heard the word “auxiliary” to describe heat, all I could think of is the women’s auxiliary club in town. It’s a term that I only recently heard in conversation. Most of us, after all, tend to focus on central heating or space heating. If you’re like me, you probably were wondering what on earth auxiliary heat is.

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.

Homeowners are always looking for ways to add value to their properties. With nearly  140 million housing units in the U.S., the home industry is booming, including construction and electrical services.

Nobody wants to sit in a house full of hot, humid, and stuffy air, but many people have to. That said, you don’t need to put up with a stuffy house if you get to the root of the problem. So, why is my house so stuffy?

A blower motor that works in A/C mode and not heat mode is a perplexing problem. Diagnosing these kinds of problems can be a challenge for a homeowner. Before you call an expensive repair technician, there are some things you should check yourself.

The cleanliness of most parts of your house has nothing to do with the results of your home inspection. However, it does affect how easy it is for an inspector to move through your house, which affects how long it takes. You can also set a good tone and make a great impression on the inspector if your home is clean.

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.

Your air conditioner, whether it is a small window unit or a large central unit, is a complicated piece of equipment. There are many components within it that, should they stop working, can derail the entire unit from working properly.

Honeywell thermostats are beloved for their fair price, useful settings, and effective interface. They especially come in handy during winter when you need to adjust the heat and enjoy your furnace. So, what does it mean when your Honeywell thermostat says “Heat On” but there is no heat?

During your regular monthly maintenance on your HVAC system, you notice something strange. Water seems to be dripping from your furnace exhaust pipe. You immediately wonder what is happening, why it is happening, and what you should do if you notice your furnace exhaust pipe dripping water.

It is normal for a furnace or air conditioner to make noises, but it can be disconcerting. Banging sounds that come from your furnace are common, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing. So, why is it that your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off?

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. 

It’s natural to reach for the thermostat during the fall and winter. Of course, you expect your home to heat up, but that doesn’t always happen. So, why is my house cold even with the heat on?

Most people are so used to air conditioning that they don’t think twice about it. However, you may start questioning your air conditioner if you feel sick and have ruled everything else out. So, can air conditioning make you sick?

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.

HVAC systems have become indispensable. After all, an HVAC system will provide cool air indoors when it’s hot outside, and then make a room warm and toasty when the temperature outside drops.

Choosing whether to repair or replace your furnace is tricky if you don’t have vast HVAC knowledge. After all, nobody wants to get stuck with a defective furnace after spending a fortune on repairs. So, should you repair or replace your furnace?

Your home’s HVAC system is one of the most important systems when it comes to your safety, your comfort, as well as your home’s value. That’s why minor issues with your heating system still deserve a lot of attention, even if it’s something that is as simple as a furnace that’s blowing warm air rather than hot air. Speaking of, what does that even mean?

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?

The furnace pressure switch, aka air switch, is a safety measure device found near the draft inducer motor. Its job is to ensure that the furnace only works when the venting air pressure is appropriate.

As the days get shorter and the nights long and cold, a reliable furnace becomes an essential fixture in the home. When the temperatures dip below freezing, your furnace is even a lifesaver. It helps keep you and your home warm, and with the assistance of your thermostat, you stay in a temperature-controlled environment throughout the winter months. So it might cause shock and alarm when you notice your furnace, instead of keeping your home warm, is blowing out cold air at night.

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.

You’ve spent a lot of money on your home’s HVAC system and smart thermostat. That makes it even more frustrating when for some reason, the furnace keeps turning on and off. One minute hot air is blasting from the vents, and the next it feels like you’re in a cryochamber. What is the explanation for this annoying situation, and what can you do to fix it?

Your furnace probably keeps turning on and off because of a dirty air filter or flame sensor. You may also have an electrical issue or a faulty thermostat. Check the air filter and clean or replace it as needed. Check and replace any blown fuses in the electrical panel. And if these don’t work, you may need to replace your thermostat.

Problems with AC units can be understandably unnerving, especially when they hum without turning on. This is caused by several reasons such as a bad capacitor or broken motor. Whether it be replacing parts or replacing the entire unit, let’s explore what you should do when your AC hums but won’t turn on.

No home is complete without a reliable HVAC system, but that doesn’t always come cheap or easily. That’s especially true when one part, like the air conditioner, fails, and it makes you wonder if the other components will fail, too. So, should you replace your thermostat at the same time as your AC unit?

Air conditioning, also referred to as cooling, is more intricate than heating. With heating, energy is used to create heat, whereas, air conditioning systems use energy to remove heat. While you may know how to turn on your air conditioning, do you know which type that you have? Although conventional air conditioning systems are what first comes to mind when you think of cooling, there are other alternatives that use less energy.

If you live in a house with an HVAC system, you can enjoy all sorts of benefits. From its centralized heating and air conditioning system to its clean filtered air, the bonuses are plentiful. But HVAC systems are quite pricey to repair, and even most costly to replace. So, you want to make sure your HVAC system lasts as long as possible, and stays in top condition. The best way to ensure this is to stick to an HVAC preventative maintenance schedule.

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.

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.

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?

Nothing is more annoying in the HVAC world than when your furnace won’t kick on. It can also be intimidating at first because we all know that furnace problems sometimes lead to expensive repairs. So, what should you do when the pilot light is lit, but the furnace won’t kick on?

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.

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.

Many people consider it worth upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace for the cost benefits alone. Utility bills in the United States have risen with inflation, and it won’t slow down anytime soon. You can enjoy many benefits if you switch to an energy-efficient furnace, such as: