Spring is just around the corner…
Are you ready for the warmer weather? We sure are! Spring may be a few weeks away, but we’re already thinking about gardening, warm weather and sunny days. What’s your favorite part of the spring season?
As temperatures rise, you want to make sure your air conditioner is in good shape. Schedule spring preventative maintenance to ensure proper cooling system operation. A contractor can catch minor issues before they become big problems.
But, your air conditioner is only one piece (albeit the biggest piece) of the cooling equation. You also want to keep your thermostat in mind.
The Department of Energy recommends a thermostat setting of 78°F during the summer. You are likely to save more money on cooling at this temperature. But, you want to make sure you make the transition at the right time. Drastic temperature swings can raise bills and decrease performance.
During your maintenance appointment, ask your contractor about your thermostat options. You can choose to go with anything from an analog thermostat with a dial to a smart, Wi-Fi-enabled model. Programmable thermostats fall somewhere in the middle. With a programmable model, you can set the temperature based on your schedule. Your thermostat does the thinking for you. It makes airflow adjustments based on when you’re home and when you’re out of the house. This way, you are using the right amount of energy to cool your home at any given time.
Dramatic temperature swings are not good for your home comfort or wallet. But, small adjustments made by your thermostat can make a positive impact. Make sure you ask your contractor about your money-saving thermostat options.
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The cooling season will be here before you know it…
…is your HVAC system ready? It may only be the beginning of March, but it’s never too early to start preparing for the cooling season. When it comes to your HVAC equipment, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Here are some things you should do to prep for spring.
Clear away any winter debris. Gunk leftover from winter weather can restrict airflow. And, restricted airflow to your condenser leads to increased utility bills.
Plan your garden around your condenser. If you’re planning on planting a garden this spring, make sure you account for your HVAC equipment. You want to allow at least two feet of clearance around your condenser.
Change your furnace filter. You need to change your furnace filter at least once a season. If you haven’t changed it recently, the start of spring is a great time to do so. Plus, you’ll have a fresh filter to capture all those pesky spring allergens.
Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the temperature based on your schedule. A programmable thermostat can reduce the amount of time your air conditioner spends cooling an empty home.
Call your local heating and air conditioning contractor to schedule preventative maintenance. When the summer heat arrives, contractors get busy. If something goes wrong with your air conditioner, it could be days before a professional is able to get to your home to diagnose the issue. During the spring, contractors are less busy. They can catch any potential issues before they can rear their ugly head during the summer.
Be good to your heating and cooling system this spring. Contact your local contractor today.
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Are you taking care of your furnace during the winter?
The answer to that question may be more important than you think. During the winter, we spend more time indoors trying to shelter ourselves from the cold. You want to make sure that your home is comfortable AND safe. Shockingly, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air.
Here are our tips for maintaining high indoor air quality during the winter.
The first, most important defense against poor indoor air quality is investing in a quality furnace filter. Look into your medical-grade filter options to keep the pollutants, allergens, dust and more away from your family.
If you do not think that a high-efficiency filter is important for your home, you should at least make sure that you are changing your furnace filter often enough. At minimum, you should change your furnace filter four times per year – once before the start of each season. However, if you are an allergy sufferer or you have pets, you may want to consider changing your furnace filter once a month.
Start off with a clean state at the beginning of winter. This starts with your ductwork. After your furnace does its work, the warm air is distributed throughout your home through a system of ducts. You want to make sure that the air is not picking up any unwanted pollutants along the way. To avoid this, schedule a duct cleaning appointment with your local contractor. this is also a good way to catch any hidden issues your home may be suffering from – like mold, insects or rodents.
Be conscious of the cleaners and air fresheners you use during the winter. Consider natural alternatives. Remember, you can potentially breathe in anything you spray on your surface or spritz into the air.
Lastly, don’t forget to schedule a maintenance appointment for your furnace at the beginning of the heating season to make sure everything is operating properly. The time for scheduling an appointment this winter has passed; however, you can always ask your local contractor about a maintenance agreement. Many contractors will set up something with you so that they come out to check your HVAC system twice-a-year – once before the heating season and again before the cooling season.
The time for scheduling spring preventative maintenance will be here before you know it. Don’t forget to talk to your contractor about a maintenance agreement during your yearly appointment.
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There’s more to a condensing furnace than just high efficiency.
Are you in the market for a new gas furnace? There are so many different models to consider! Make sure to keep in mind your high-efficiency, condensing furnace options. High efficiency does offer some pretty obvious perks, but there are other benefits to upgrading to a condensing model.
So, what about these efficiency perks? Furnaces have long lifespans. In fact, the average lifespan of a furnace hovers around 20 years! However, although your furnace may still be kicking after all these years, it could be operating poorly. If you have an older furnace in your home, it may have only been rated at 60% AFUE or 70% AFUE when it was first installed. As furnaces get older and older, they can lose some of their original efficiency through normal wear and tear. A condensing furnace upgrade can significantly cut your utility bill spending.
Here are some other perks of condensing furnaces.
- High-efficiency furnace qualify for better rebates. Not only are you going to be saving money on high-efficiency operation from month to month, but you could get some money shaved off of overhead costs by looking into manufacturer rebates and local utility rebates too.
- Better air distribution. Because a condensing furnace typically runs longer at a lower capacity than a traditional, non-condensing gas furnace, your home can experience more even temperatures and increased comfort.
- Variable-speed blowers for increased comfort at all times of the day. Some high-efficiency, condensing gas furnaces also contain variable-speed blower motors. These components can adjust airflow to meet the real-time heating needs of your home.
If you are in the replacement market, make sure you look into your condensing furnace options. You may be surprised at the amount of efficiency you can afford. Start your search for a high-efficiency furnace by scheduling a consultation with your local heating contractor.
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Are you having trouble staying comfortable?
The worst way to ring in the New Year is with a high electric bill and an uncomfortable home. Airflow may not be something you’ve though about, but it is a critical component of home comfort. In fact, your whole heating and cooling system depends on your equipment’s ability to access and condition the air in your home – trouble with airflow = trouble with comfort.
Here are some issues that poor airflow can cause:
- Lower efficiency
- Weaker air stream (a.k.a. it takes longer for your home to reach the temperature you’ve set).
- Poor indoor air quality
- Higher bills
- Emergency repairs
Here are some things that cause poor airflow
- Closing registers and vents
- Loose, collapsed or disconnected ductwork
- Planting too close to your outdoor equipment
- Dirt and debris on your outdoor condenser
- Dirty furnace filter
So, what can you do? These are the things you can do to make sure your equipment is receiving proper airflow.
- Change your filter frequently
- Have your ductwork inspected once a year
- Have your cooling equipment maintained in the spring and your gas furnace maintained during the fall.
Those are the big three! Call your local heating and air conditioning contractor today if you are having issues with airflow.
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Do you have any resolutions for the New Year?
Are you ready to leave 2017 behind and ring in the New Year? Did you accomplish everything you wanted to accomplish over the past year? While you’re contemplating your personal resolutions for 2018, consider setting some home improvement goals.
Here are some examples of positive changes you can make around your home that can help make you happier, healthier and more content.
- Lower energy use. You can make little adjustments here and there to make sure that you are using the least amount of energy possible. Lowering energy use may be as simple as turning off the lights when you aren’t in the room, or unplugging things when you aren’t using them. There are also some big changes you can make that can have a major impact on how much energy you consume during the year. Here are a few:
- Replace older windows with new, energy-efficient windows.
- Invest in a high-SEER air conditioner or high-AFUE gas furnace.
- Lower utility bill spending. This resolution goes hand-in-hand with the previous one. Your heating and air conditioning equipment makes up about 60% of your utility costs (on average). If you make some adjustments to how you operate your HVAC equipment, you could see major savings on your bills – like turning down your thermostat a few degrees during the winter and up during the summer, sealing windows and doors to prevent drafts and investing in a programmable thermostat for customized comfort. Here are some smaller changes you can make around your house to lower your utility bills.
- Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room.
- Invest in a timer for your Christmas lights.
- Avoid using space heaters for supplemental heating during the winter.
- Improve indoor air quality. You spend a lot of time indoors – especially during the peak cooling and heating seasons. You want to make sure that the air you breathe in is as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it may seem. Did you know that your indoor air is often more polluted than the outdoor air? here are some things you can do to make that fact not apply to your home.
- Invest in IAQ products like a whole-home air cleaner or UV light system.
- Set a reminder to change your furnace filter every month.
- Invest in a filter with higher filtration power – like a HEPA-grade filter.
Are you adding any of these to your home to-do list? You can start by calling your local contractor and scheduling a consultation for that new high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment.
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What is your favorite part of the holiday season?
‘Tis the season for winter coats, holiday cheer and, hopefully, reasonable gas bills. Maytag HVAC wishes you a happy holiday season. With these well wishes in mind, here are some tips that can keep you warm and healthy this holiday season (and may even leave you with a little more cash for holiday festivities).
- Change your furnace filter.
- Invest/gift yourself a high efficiency HVAC system. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
- Keep vents unobstructed – no tree skirts blocking registers please.
- Invest in weather stripping or caulk to block air leaks around windows and doors. Don’t let a cold draft ruin your holiday party.
- Speaking of parties… Turn the thermostat down if you are having a group of people over. More bodies = more heat!
What are you looking forward to the most in 2018?
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Is your furnace ready for the heating season?
The first day of winter is less than two weeks away. Chances are cold temperatures have already started sweeping into your area. Have you made sure your gas furnace is ready to tackle Old Man Winter?
It’s important to know best practices for heating your home during the winter. You want to make sure you take steps to stay happy and healthy. See our tips below to make sure that you spend less time thinking about the comfort of your home, and more time choosing the ugly sweater you are going to wear to your next holiday party.
Winter HVAC Tips
Worried that your gas furnace isn’t going to reach your set temperature fast enough? Resist the temptation to dramatically raise your temperature settings! Raising the temperature your thermostat is set to does not make your home heat any more quickly. All you’re doing is raising your heating bill and damaging your equipment.
Do you have a portable space heater for supplemental heating? Make sure you turn off any portable heating equipment when you aren’t in the room. An unmonitored space heater is a major safety hazard.
Speaking of safety… make sure your fire alarm and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries. Test all of the detectors in your home to make sure they are ready to alert your family if there is a fire or the presence of CO in your home.
Do you have a fireplace? Make sure you close the damper when you aren’t using it. When your damper is open, your chimney acts like a vacuum. it sucks up the warm air in your living quarters. This can raise utility bills, cause longer system runtimes, and lead to increased system wear and tear.
Proper airflow is key to the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. Make sure you change your furnace filter before the start of the heating season. Not only is a dirty furnace filter a way to decrease airflow, but it can also dramatically lower the quality of your indoor air. Noticing more dust around your house? This could be due to a dirty furnace filter.
The most important thing you can do to prepare for a cold winter heating season is schedule preventative maintenance with your local heating and air conditioning contractor. They can make sure that everything is in working order and running as efficiently as possible.
Are you ready for winter?
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Has warm weather officially moved out of your area?
Hello December.
Fall is ending, and the first day of winter is going to be here before you know it. Are you ready to put away the cooling equipment for the winter? If you have an air conditioner, this may be a question you want to ask yourself before the first snow falls.
Here are a couple things you will want to do to get your air conditioner ready for a long, cold winter.
- Make sure you clear any leaves or debris away from your outdoor equipment. When it comes to the efficiency and longevity of your heating and air conditioning equipment, airflow is key. Restricted airflow can cause many problems such as decreased system lifespan, increased utility bills and decreased comfort during the summer. Clearing autumn leaves and debris away from your air conditioner before the start of winter can make the process of turning your air conditioner back on during the spring simpler.
- If you noticed issues with your air conditioner during the cooling season, consider replacing your equipment during the winter. This way you won’t spend days during the hotter months without your air conditioner. Just make sure you have your contractor come out before the start of the cooling season to make sure your system is properly charged.
While you’re preparing for winter, don’t forget to give your local heating and air conditioning contractor a call for preventative maintenance. This will ensure that your heating equipment is ready to tackle the cold weather.
How do you prepare for winter? Have you changed your furnace filter yet?
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Have you already experienced your first snow of the year?
Are you hoping for a snowy holiday season? There’s nothing quite like snow around the holidays. However, while it can create a festive atmosphere, there are some things you’re going to want to keep in mind when it comes to your home comfort equipment – particularly if you have a heat pump.
Some of these tips are geared at keeping you safe, while others are focused on keeping your utility bills low. Ensure you have a happy holiday season by following the tips below.
Advice for heat pump owners:
- Don’t have your unit installed directly on the ground. This is to avoid potential air restriction and blocked drainage due to snow and ice build-up.
- Consider planting shrubbery to block heavy winds. Just make sure to allow clearance for service calls and proper airflow – at least two feet.
- Don’t be alarmed by defrost mode. When your heat pump is in defrost mode, it will temporarily reverse operation so that warm air is being supplied to your outdoor equipment. This is to melt any ice or snow that may have accumulated on the system. This is perfectly normal and should not last too long.
- If it gets particularly cold, consider pairing your heat pump with a gas furnace. This way you can always use the most fuel-efficient source for the temperature.
Advice for gas furnace owners:
- Make sure your exhaust pipes are clear or snow and debris. The waste materials produced by your gas furnace during operation need to go somewhere. Make sure your flue is not blocked.
General advice:
- Resist the temptation to dramatically raise the temperature in your home. This will not warm your home more quickly, will raise your utility bills and may damage your unit.
- Change your furnace filter. A clean filter is good for maintaining premium air quality and maximum airflow. Try to remember to change your furnace filter once-a-month.
- Don’t forget your annual maintenance appointment. This is the best way to make sure that your gas furnace of heat pump is ready for the heating season. Also, before your appointment, make sure that if it has snowed or iced outside, your walkway is clear. Your contractor will greatly appreciate it.
Have you scheduled your annual maintenance appointment with your local HVAC contractor yet?