Collier's Heating & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Winter Isn’t Done Yet! Watch for Furnace Issues

Monday, February 19th, 2018

woman-shivering-in-winterPast mid-February isn’t the end of winter, even with March around the corner. March is a notoriously unpredictable month—so much so people can’t even keep straight whether the saying is “March enters like a lamb and leaves like a lion” or “March enters like a lion and leaves like a lamb.”

So even with some occasionally warmer days popping up in the future, you shouldn’t let slide the care of your home’s furnace. If you think you need furnace repair in Plymouth, IN or elsewhere in our service area, don’t hesitate to call. You never know how much longer you need to your furnace working.

Here’s some of the warnings to look for that will tell you to call for our help to repair your furnace.

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What to Do If Your Heating System Fails

Monday, February 5th, 2018

man-keping-warmEMERGENCY! It’s a cold winter day or night in Indiana, and you have your furnace running. Or maybe a heat pump or boiler. Then suddenly—nothing. The heater stops working and a chill settles over your home. You might feel panic creeping up your spine, and who could blame you? This is one of those winter nightmares homeowners hope never happens to them.

There’s no reason to panic. There’s reason to be concerned, but if you take the right steps, you and your family should make it through all right and have the heating restored in no time.

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When Is It Time to Replace a Boiler System?

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

larger-boiler-systemWhen people are shopping for heating systems to install in a new house, one of the points of comparison they make between different models is their estimated service life. In this column, the boiler has a large advantage over the gas furnace, electric furnace, or heat pump. A boiler usually outlasts any of these other heaters.

But a boiler can’t run forever. Once you’ve gotten a good number of years of warmth from your home’s boiler and it’s more than repaid its initial investment, you should consider having it replaced. There are a number of ways to tell that you have a boiler that’s ready for a retirement; we recommend you call on HVAC professionals to help you with the choice if you’re uncertain if your boiler can go for a few more years or not.

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When a Furnace Has a Cracked Heat Exchanger, Can It Be Repaired?

Monday, January 8th, 2018

question-mark-badgeMore than 64 million homes in the U.S. use natural gas to supply them with heat during cold weather, and most of these homes use a furnace for the job. It’s not surprise that gas furnaces remain the #1 option for winter comfort: they can deliver high levels of heat and deliver them fast—all without putting a huge drain on a household’s budget.

Using natural gas, however, brings with it a few cautions. Although gas furnaces are constructed to be as safe as possible, there are potential hazards they can run into. The most concerning one is the cracked heat exchanger. When this happens, can the problem be repaired? Or is it time for a new furnace installation altogether?

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An Electric Furnace Guide: The Sequencer

Monday, December 25th, 2017

dog-under-blanketFurnaces are the top type of heating system in the country. The majority of furnaces use natural gas to create heat, although they draw on electricity to power the blower fan and the ignition system. (Which means that, sorry, your gas furnace won’t work during a power outage.)

Since not all homes are connected to a gas main, the second most common type of furnace is the electric furnace. Because electricity costs more than natural gas, electric furnaces are more expensive to run. This is somewhat offset by their lower initial installation costs, longer lifespans, and fewer repair needs.

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Keeping Safe with Your Furnace in the Winter

Monday, December 11th, 2017

gas-furnace-burners-interiorLast winter we posted some steps to take to make sure your home’s natural gas furnace runs as safely as possible over the cold months. We’d like to run through a quick reminder of these steps before we talk a bit more about furnaces, safety, and you:

  • Professionally maintain the furnace: We can never stress this too much. If you haven’t yet arranged for annual maintenance through our HomeSaver’s Club, contact us right away. This inspection and tune-up is vital for a safe furnace.
  • Clear the area around the furnace: Don’t have anything combustible near the furnace.
  • Set up CO detectors: An essential early-warning system if toxic gases start escaping from a damaged furnace.
  • Stay on top of repairs: Never hesitate to contact us for furnace repairs if something seems wrong.

More Furnace Safety Talk

Whenever we bring up tips for gas furnace safety, we want to reassure homeowners that a furnace is not an automatically dangerous appliance. Modern furnaces are manufactured to high safety standards, and they include many precautions to prevent problems such as carbon monoxide leaks and combustion hazards. For example, the furnace limit switch will shut the system off if the temperature inside rises too high. If you purchase a furnace with the ENERGY STAR label, you’ll know you have a heating system that meets rigorous safety qualifications. (ENERGY STAR is about more than energy efficiency!)

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A Closer Look at Potential Boiler Problems

Monday, October 30th, 2017

boiler-residentialThe majority of homes in the U.S. have a furnace to provide warmth to their families during the winter. However, boiler systems remain common, and many homeowners prefer them because they offer even heating, long service lives, and increased energy efficiency.

If you have a boiler to help your home make it through the coming winter, make sure that you have it maintained during the fall so it will give you few, if any, troubles during cold weather. Our HomeSavers Club will see that you receive top quality service for your boiler each year. (And we’ll take care of your air conditioning in spring as well.)

No amount of maintenance will prevent all boiler issues, however. We’re going to look at what might go wrong with a boiler to help you better understand when you need to call on technicians for repairs.

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Early Warning Signs to Call for Heating Repair

Monday, October 16th, 2017

furnace-repair-technicianThe October cool is in the air, and you’ve probably already had your home’s heating system on a few times during the evening. It will start working more and more in the following weeks, so before you read any further, schedule regular heating maintenance with our team through our HomeSavers Club. You’ll receive the best tune-up and inspection for your heating system with our maintenance service.

But no one can work a miracle and make a heater 100% malfunction free! During this time of year, before you rely on your heater every single day, pay close attention to signs you may need heating repair in Syracuse, IN.

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Here’s How Our HomeSavers Club Prevents Furnace Repairs

Monday, October 2nd, 2017

gas-furnace-openFall is a slower time of the year when it comes to HVAC work because the hot weather subsides, taking the pressure off air conditioners, but the true cold weather hasn’t set in yet, keeping furnaces and other heating systems inactive. But there’s an important HVAC job that needs to be done at this time of year, which is regular professional maintenance for a home’s heating system.

If your home is like many in Indiana, it uses a furnace for winter heat. Arranging to have it maintained through our HomeSavers club will help the system run at peak efficiency through the coming winter. But it will also prevent many repair issues.

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Our HomeSavers Club Is the Best Way to Plan for Winter Heating

Monday, September 18th, 2017

As we’re writing this, it’s only a few days until the first official day of fall. Of course, temperatures don’t immediately drop on the first day of fall, and there may still be warm days ahead. But fall is definitely the time to start planning the transition into the season when you’ll need your furnace, boiler, heat pump, or radiant heating system working on a regular basis. And that means that it’s once more time for a routine inspection and maintenance tune-up for your home’s heating system.

If you want to take care of maintenance for your heating in Syracuse, IN this September or October and you haven’t signed up for our HomeSavers Club, now is the time to sign up and get a jump on this important fall task.

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