DIY Furnace Repair Guide – Do THIS Before Calling a Furnace Repair Technician!

January 10, 2017

DIY Furnace Repair Guide HVAC owners are almost always encouraged to call on a trained and experienced HVAC technician for fixing any issues with the furnace. But we believe that a little knowledge never hurts anyone, and it’s important to know what you can do yourself and when you need to call a repair technician. This guide is aimed at getting HVAC owners equipped with enough knowledge that they can perform some basic troubleshooting before calling their St. Louis HVAC technician. Simple DIY Furnace Repair Guide: Thermostat – Start troubleshooting at the thermostat. The thermostat setting should be on heat and the temperature should be above room temperature. It is also advised to troubleshoot with the temperature set at the highest. Turn the thermostat off and back on again. Check that the furnace fan is running.   Power – If the fan of the furnace does not run, check the breaker, the fuse, and make sure the furnace switch is in the on position. If the breaker has tripped, you should check for a loose wiring connection. You should also look for any burn spots on the control board. The control board can be replaced if there are burn spots and...

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St. Louis HVAC Specialists Suggest 5 Solutions for Warmer Floors

April 14, 2016

It can sometimes be difficult to keep your hardwood or tile floors warm. Here are some HVAC solutions for keeping your toes warm! When people consider house heating solutions, they generally consider solutions that heat the air around them. The cold, chilly floors are often neglected. Thermal socks, thick carpets and fuzzy slippers offer only temporary solutions for your loved ones. Try as you might you cannot ensure that your young children and toddlers will keep those socks on. Though your home’s HVAC system can take care of air temperature issues, floors often get left out. For houses that have floors made of wood, stone, or ceramic tiling, the heating system makes very little or no difference. How Can you Keep Your Floors Warm? Keeping the floors warm at times requires simple measures. These are easy steps that can be taken to not only keep floors warm but also ensure the whole house temperature is taken care of. Keep the cold air out – Look at areas in the house where cold drafts enter and keep those shutters shut. Any cracks and holes between walls and baseboards that let air in can be filled up with any sealant. Check if...

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HVAC Efficiency: What You Need to Know Before Installing Windows

December 14, 2015

Windows play a major role in keeping our rooms well-ventilated and also allow for the entry of sunlight into our home. However, windows have low insulation values, so they allow more heat or cold air to pass. As a result, the cost of heating or cooling your rooms with many windows is higher than the cost of heating or cooling rooms with more solid walls. Moreover, a window consists of several movable parts, so it is more likely to leak air into your rooms. This is exactly why we need windows with low U-value or high resistance to heat or cold. Understanding U-value and R-Value U factor simply implies the rate of heat loss through a window. The lower the U-value, the better its insulation value and the greater its resistance to heat flow. U-value is inversely proportionate to R-value, meaning that U=1/R. Windows usually have an R-value of two or three. In comparison, walls generally have an R-value of 13, and attics often have an R-value of 38. This simply means that windows are less resistant to heat flow. You’ll find windows with higher R-value, but you need to know certain things about them before making an investment. A...

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Fiberglass Insulation – St. Louis Heating and Cooling

November 25, 2015

Insulation can save you hundreds of dollars on heating and cooling costs throughout the year. Proper insulation can make your home more comfortable and save you money. Insulation is available in a wide variety of forms. One of the best products for home insulation is fiberglass. Here are some important things to know about this type of insulation. (Click here to learn how insulating your home can lower your energy costs). R-Value of Insulation R-value is the unit of thermal resistance. The R-value of a product shows you how well the product is resistant to heat transfer. Materials with higher R-value are more thermal resistant. If you insulate your home with a material that has a high R-value, you are likely to experience better results. Installing Insulation Which part of the home you want to insulate is another important thing to consider. St. Louis HVAC experts explain that not all parts of your home require the same level of insulation. For example, use denser insulation materials for the attic, while interior walls do not need to be insulated with materials having a higher R-value. Fiberglass insulation is ideal for walls. The cost of insulation depends on the amount, the R-value of the insulation material, and...

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Can You Tell When It’s Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner or Furnace?

October 23, 2015

Proper installation and regular maintenance can help extend the lifespan of your air conditioner or furnace. However, normal wear and tear is unavoidable. In fact, the average lifespan of a furnace, if properly installed and maintained, could be around 20 years. On the other hand, with proper installation and maintenance, a heat pump can last for around 14 years, and an air conditioner for 16 years, according to a recent study conducted by American Home Comfort. It is also important to consider that manufacturing companies nowadays upgrade their HVAC models at frequent intervals. This means that if your HVAC equipment is more than 10-15 years old, it may be using outdated technology. So it would be a good idea to replace your old air conditioner or furnace when it’s nearing the end of its lifespan. Upgrade from an R-22 System to R-410A If you are currently using old R-22 HVAC equipment, consider upgrading to a new R-410A system. The old ozone-depleting refrigerant not only lacks efficiency, but it has lately been identified as harmful for the environment. Manufacturing companies are gradually switching to R-410A from R-22. The price of R-410A models have come down considerably over the past few years,...

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3 Factors That Affect Your Comfort

July 22, 2015

Your home’s HVAC system plays the crucial role of keeping you comfortable inside your home. If you are looking to invest in a new HVAC system, you should not just consider its ability to cool or heat, but also how it affects your overall comfort. There are three key factors to consider in an HVAC system that will help you stay comfortable. 1. Temperature Regulation You need your HVAC system to keep you cool when it is warm outside and warm when it’s cold outside. However, the important point here is to consider how cool or warm you want to keep it. Often, the first instinct of every homeowner is to purchase a system that is the cheapest, even though it may have the lowest efficiency. Such systems tend to have long swings of colder and hotter temperatures. This occurs when the system has achieved the desired temperature and shuts down. You might not notice it, but even when you set the thermostat at 72 degrees, the temperature can go up or down by even 10 degrees through the operating cycle depending on your HVAC system. Choose a system with a higher SEER rating so that the temperature does not vary...

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Selecting a New Furnace for Your Home

February 19, 2015

Purchasing a new furnace should be based on energy efficiency and price. The energy efficiency of new furnaces available in the market is forty percent better compared to that of old furnaces. Energy efficient furnaces can cover their own expenses within a few years and helps homeowners save money. Understanding Energy Efficiency The fuel utilization efficiency rating is the first thing to check as it shows the percentage of fuel converted into heat. Ratings of modern furnaces are between 78 percent and 96 percent. The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and the Energy Star label should also be checked. These require an efficiency of at least 90 percent. It allows homeowners to become eligible for a tax credit of at least $1,500 up to around 30 percent of the price and installation cost of the furnace. Additional rebates may also be available for CEE-approved models. Increasing Efficiency of Furnaces Furnaces with an efficiency rating of over 90 percent are capable of condensing and reusing water vapor, allowing them to save fuel. Energy can also be saved by using variable speed fan motors. These upgrades can make a furnace quite expensive, so they are practical only when the furnace is used in exceptionally cold...

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Importance of Keeping Your Home Properly Heated

February 17, 2015

A cold temperature inside the house can be detrimental to your health. Having to deal with harsh winters here in St. Louis can be unpleasant at times and one should be able to come home to an inviting, warm, cozy atmosphere after a long day’s work. A chilly, under-heated house is quite unwelcoming and can be easily avoided if correct measures are taken. Keeping your temperatures set at the right range of desired comfort all year round can go a long way while inefficient heating systems and inadequate insulation can leave the home under-heated. According to the World Health Organization, the ideal indoor temperature during winters should be set no lower than 64 degrees Fahrenheit and topped out around 70 degrees for homes with young and elderly ones. Here we’ll explain the importance of keeping your home properly heated from a health standpoint. Health & Safety Any moisture inside the house condenses in the winter due to low temperatures which leads to further dampness and mold formation. Mold causes complications and further aggravates individuals suffering from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. Installation of extractor fans in the kitchen and bathrooms to vent the stale and humid air outside of the...

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7 Warning Signs Your Furnace is on the Fritz

January 28, 2015

7 Warning Signs Your Furnace is on the Fritz Check out the following 7 signs that should alert you to the need for a service call before the whole HVAC system breaks down on you. Age of the Furnace The average life expectancy of a furnace is 16 to 20 years. If yours is around that age, consider having a new one installed. Shopping for a new furnace in an emergency situation in the middle of winter may lead you to making a poor decision. Call your local HVAC company to help you decide the right size for your home, and pick one that is going to provide the most comfort efficiently. Utility Bills Are Increasing If your utility bills seem to keep rising without explanation, the furnace may need a tune-up. A poor running furnace is going to suck up resources and cause your bills to skyrocket. If your heater is running longer to provide heat to your home, it is time for an HVAC technician to provide HVAC maintenance. Replacing Parts Have you had to have parts replaced recently in the last couple of years? The last years of a heater’s life can be costly and you will find your HVAC...

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Deciding the Right Heater for Your Home

December 26, 2014

Selecting the right heater for your home can be a tricky task, since no two homes have the same requirements. There are manufacturers’ size charts available which may be helpful in making your choice for a heater; however, the product installed may not meet the actual requirements needed. There are ways to minimize errors in making the right decision by educating yourself about heating basics and what you desire to achieve with your heating system. It is advisable to consult a St. Louis HVAC expert to recommend the best heating equipment for your home. Determine Load Calculation While designing an HVAC system, heating experts consider load calculations to estimate the correct size and capacity of the heating system required for a space. They take in consideration the local climate, the build and layout of the house, insulation of the house, and the number and size of doors and windows. When you decide to install a heating system, you can undertake the above mentioned calculations at a much simpler level so that your estimate is better than one made only on square footage. The Size of the Space The first calculation to make is the size of the space. Manufacturers recommend equipment based on the area of the...

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