During the heating season, poor indoor air quality in your home can have an adverse effect on your family's health.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent bad air
from infiltrating your house. To help you get started, we've listed 3
tips that will quickly improve the air quality in your home.
The Filter
A clean and regularly replaced filter is vital to the quality of your home's
air. Your furnace filter removes dirt and debris from the air before it moves
through your heating system and into your home. When you don't routinely change
your filter, it is unable to perform its job, meaning dust, pollen, pet dander
and other pollutants are not sufficiently extracted from your home's air.
Luckily, poor air quality due to a dirty filter is an easy fix. By simply
changing your filter every three months you can improve your home's air quality.
However, if you have pets or a family member with allergies, you should
consider replacing your furnace filter at a more frequent rate.
Open A Window
While opening a window in the dead of winter may seem counterproductive,
it's actually beneficial to your home's air quality and the health of your
family. Fresh air is key to keeping bacteria and viruses at bay. An open window
a couple of minutes a day will invigorate the air in your home and help fight
off many unwanted impurities or better yet, get a hrv/erv system installed. It
will provide fresh air to your home will filtering and tempering it first.
Get Your Furnace Checked
Scheduling an annual maintenance check-up and cleaning will ensure your
furnace is functioning properly, which will help improve your home's indoor air
quality. Allowing years to pass without getting your furnace tuned-up won't
only affect the air in your home, but it will also cut years off your
appliance's life. When your unit is performing inefficiently due to a lack of
maintenance you will notice increased energy bills and a more frequent need for
repairs. All of these issues are easily avoidable with a yearly service plan.
If you would like to schedule a yearly service plan, please contact Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning and we'll be happy to help you.
Monday, December 18, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
3 Reasons Fall is the Perfect Time for Heating Installation
With winter around the corner, fall is the perfect time to consider having
your heating
system replaced. If you experienced any issues with your heater last year,
having it replaced now could save you some stress in the coming months. If your
furnace is in need of replacement, here are just a few of the reasons to
consider having it replaced this fall.
It Will Ensure Your Comfort This Winter
If you experienced problems with your furnace last winter, and you were not as comfortable as you would like to have been, why suffer again this winter? Having your furnace replaced now will ensure the comfort of you and your family in the coming months, and it will prevent you from having to deal with furnace failure in the dead of winter.
Fall Installation Can Save You Money
If your furnace is aging then you will likely need to have it replaced in the near future. However, doing so in the fall can save you money compared to the cost of having your furnace replaced in winter. Fall, being between the busy HVAC seasons of summer and winter, is when you can find the best deals on HVAC systems. You may be surprised by how much you could save by having your system replaced in the off-season.
You Have the Convenience of Time
Fall is when you are least likely to need your HVAC system, which means that you will not be in the same hurry to have it replaced that you would be in if your system died in the dead of winter. This means that by having your system replaced in fall you can take your time to research HVAC installation companies, and you will be able to schedule to have your new system installed at a time that is convenient to you.
These factors make fall the best time to consider having your furnace, or your entire HVAC system, replaced. If you need your furnace replaced, contact Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule an appointment.
It Will Ensure Your Comfort This Winter
If you experienced problems with your furnace last winter, and you were not as comfortable as you would like to have been, why suffer again this winter? Having your furnace replaced now will ensure the comfort of you and your family in the coming months, and it will prevent you from having to deal with furnace failure in the dead of winter.
Fall Installation Can Save You Money
If your furnace is aging then you will likely need to have it replaced in the near future. However, doing so in the fall can save you money compared to the cost of having your furnace replaced in winter. Fall, being between the busy HVAC seasons of summer and winter, is when you can find the best deals on HVAC systems. You may be surprised by how much you could save by having your system replaced in the off-season.
You Have the Convenience of Time
Fall is when you are least likely to need your HVAC system, which means that you will not be in the same hurry to have it replaced that you would be in if your system died in the dead of winter. This means that by having your system replaced in fall you can take your time to research HVAC installation companies, and you will be able to schedule to have your new system installed at a time that is convenient to you.
These factors make fall the best time to consider having your furnace, or your entire HVAC system, replaced. If you need your furnace replaced, contact Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule an appointment.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
So Your Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit
One of the most common gas furnace problems is a pilot light that goes out
only seconds after being lit. Not only is this frustrating, but since it can
keep your furnace from starting up properly, it can be quite distressing as
well. Fortunately, this problem is often relatively simple to overcome. This
article will teach you how to troubleshoot a pilot light that keeps going
out.
How a Pilot Light Works
The whole idea of a pilot light is that it stays lit all the time. When working, this is the result of the accompanying component known as the thermocouple. The thermocouple senses the heat from the pilot and sends an electrical impulse to the gas valve, telling it to keep the pilot light’s gas flow open. Should the pilot light go out, the thermocouple will cool down and the gas valve leading to the pilot tube will close. This is a safety precaution used to prevent gas from leaking out into your home.
Override Button
In order to light the pilot, the flow of gas must be restored once more. This is done by pressing a manual override button on the gas valve. This button allows gas to flow up the pilot tube, despite the fact that the thermocouple is not telling the valve to open.
The most common reason for a pilot light to sputter and go out after being lit is that the override button was not depressed for long enough. In other words, the thermocouple simply hasn’t had long enough to heat up. Next time you try lighting the pilot, continue to hold down the override button for ten or fifteen seconds. This will greatly increase the likelihood that your pilot stays going.
As always, please feel free to call Blackie's Heating and Air Conditioning with any questions and/or service needs you may have.
How a Pilot Light Works
The whole idea of a pilot light is that it stays lit all the time. When working, this is the result of the accompanying component known as the thermocouple. The thermocouple senses the heat from the pilot and sends an electrical impulse to the gas valve, telling it to keep the pilot light’s gas flow open. Should the pilot light go out, the thermocouple will cool down and the gas valve leading to the pilot tube will close. This is a safety precaution used to prevent gas from leaking out into your home.
Override Button
In order to light the pilot, the flow of gas must be restored once more. This is done by pressing a manual override button on the gas valve. This button allows gas to flow up the pilot tube, despite the fact that the thermocouple is not telling the valve to open.
The most common reason for a pilot light to sputter and go out after being lit is that the override button was not depressed for long enough. In other words, the thermocouple simply hasn’t had long enough to heat up. Next time you try lighting the pilot, continue to hold down the override button for ten or fifteen seconds. This will greatly increase the likelihood that your pilot stays going.
As always, please feel free to call Blackie's Heating and Air Conditioning with any questions and/or service needs you may have.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Energy Efficiency Guide for Summer
With summer in full swing and at least a few more
weeks of hot, sunny days on the horizon, it’s more important than ever that
your home is as energy efficient as possible in order to keep you and your
family cool and comfortable without causing your energy bills to skyrocket.
There are many ways in which you can make your HVAC system and home as a whole
more energy efficient this summer. Continue reading for a few of our top tips
on energy efficiency.
·
System
maintenance: If it’s been over a year since you’ve had your HVAC
system serviced, now is the time! An inspection and overall maintenance can
help your system to run at peak performance, saving you money and keeping your
home cool.
·
Clean
air filters: The air filters in your HVAC system should be cleaned
or replaced at the start of every new season, sometimes more often depending on
your system usage. When your air filters are dirty, your system is forced to
work harder in order to push air through your vents into your home. Keeping
your air filters clean can go a long way in keeping your system running at
maximum efficiency.
·
Keep
clean: Keeping your home clean is an easy way to increase
energy efficiency. When dust, pet fur, and other allergens are eliminated from
the air, furniture, and linens in your home, they are less likely to get caught
in ducts and air filters and slow down your system. Frequent vacuuming and
sweeping can go a long way towards eliminating these allergens, and an air
conditioning expert can also help to clean your ducts.
·
Energy
audit: A home energy audit can alert you to where energy is
being lost in your home and the changes you can make in order to make your home
more energy efficient. Our team is proud to offer energy evaluations in order
to help you make your home as comfortable and healthy as possible.
For more information on energy efficiency or to
schedule a home energy audit in Tilton IL, click here to visit our website.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Why We're Here
Most of you don’t call us just because you feel like chatting (unless our moms are reading this blog). Most of you get in touch with us because you have something on your mind. We’re glad that you do.
We want to know whatever problem you’re experiencing with your home comfort, because we want to help solve it. That’s why we’re here. It’s to serve customers who want to be comfortable indoors, who want to breathe clean indoor air and who want to save on their energy bills.
We’re part of the air conditioning and heating industry for a reason. And it’s not because we’re afraid of hard work. This kind of residential contracting work that takes us into attics, basements and all other parts of the home on really hot days can get quite messy. But that is not a problem for us.
In fact, we like knowing that we’re going to make your life better and a lot more comfortable by the time we’re done with our service or installation. After all, it sure does feel great to restore someone’s air conditioning system on a very hot day – and see the relief on their face when they feel the relief in their cool home.
So, if we can ever be of service to you, be sure to let us know. We’re happy to help.
We want to know whatever problem you’re experiencing with your home comfort, because we want to help solve it. That’s why we’re here. It’s to serve customers who want to be comfortable indoors, who want to breathe clean indoor air and who want to save on their energy bills.
We’re part of the air conditioning and heating industry for a reason. And it’s not because we’re afraid of hard work. This kind of residential contracting work that takes us into attics, basements and all other parts of the home on really hot days can get quite messy. But that is not a problem for us.
In fact, we like knowing that we’re going to make your life better and a lot more comfortable by the time we’re done with our service or installation. After all, it sure does feel great to restore someone’s air conditioning system on a very hot day – and see the relief on their face when they feel the relief in their cool home.
So, if we can ever be of service to you, be sure to let us know. We’re happy to help.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Prevent Costly Winter Heating System Repairs BEFORE the Worst of Winter Hits!
We'll inspect your entire system, tune it up, clean it out and get it
ready to do its job over the next few months. If anything needs repair,
we'll do it on the spot if possible. (This avoids "emergency" service
calls when your system unexpectedly stops working.)
Once your system is serviced, you'll rest easy and keep warm without worry of your system breaking.
Schedule today and get 10% off winter service AND any needed repairs!
Right now, we have a winter service sale going on. We're offering select families a gift of a 10% discount until 2/10/2017. (With this huge saving on winter service, there's no longer any good reason to risk heating system breakdowns.)
Please book your service appointment now to lock in savings and to make sure you can get the date and time you want. Just fill out this form online, and add "Prevent Costly Winter Heating System Repairs" in the comments section, or email us at admin@blackies.com or give us a call at (217) 442-1440 to lock in the 10% discount on winter service now, because with these prices, we're sure to get booked up fast.
Once your system is serviced, you'll rest easy and keep warm without worry of your system breaking.
Schedule today and get 10% off winter service AND any needed repairs!
Right now, we have a winter service sale going on. We're offering select families a gift of a 10% discount until 2/10/2017. (With this huge saving on winter service, there's no longer any good reason to risk heating system breakdowns.)
Please book your service appointment now to lock in savings and to make sure you can get the date and time you want. Just fill out this form online, and add "Prevent Costly Winter Heating System Repairs" in the comments section, or email us at admin@blackies.com or give us a call at (217) 442-1440 to lock in the 10% discount on winter service now, because with these prices, we're sure to get booked up fast.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)