Simple Tips to Keep your Furnace Running Smoothly

Properly maintaining your furnace is key to avoiding common furnace malfunctions throughout the unit's lifetime. Luckily, your furnace's most basic maintenance needs are simple tasks that when performed on a regular basis can prolong your unit's life and save you money. The maintenance tips provided below will help ensure your furnace runs smoothly all season long.

Call a Heating Expert

The most important and beneficial maintenance step you can take is calling an experienced heating technician to schedule your furnace's yearly tune-up. During a tune-up, a technician inspects your furnace for faulty parts and cleans the unit for optimal efficiency. Skipping a tune-up for even one year can lead to higher energy bills and a possible furnace breakdown.

Replace the Air Filter

If a tune-up is number one on your furnace maintenance list, replacing the air filter on a consistent basis should be listed as number 2. Your unit's air filter performs an essential job, which is stopping dust, hair, and other types of debris from clogging your furnace. If you don't change the filter, the debris it catches will eventually block the unit’s airflow, meaning your furnace will need to work harder to heat your home. Unfortunately, this places a large amount of stress on the mechanical parts that operate your unit, which will ultimately lead to your furnace breaking down.

How often you change your filter depends on your home. If you have pets, especially ones that shed heavily, you may find your filter needs replacing every month. On the other hand, if your home is pet free and you tend to dust and vacuum your house a couple times a week, your air filter may last up to three months. To ensure your filter is being changed in a timely manner, it is recommended you at least check it once a month and from there decide whether the air filter needs to be swapped out for a new one.

Keep an Eye on the Pilot Light

If your furnace has a pilot light, it's a good idea to check it from time to time. Any flame color other than blue indicates the ratio of gas to oxygen your burning in your unit is incorrect. An orange or yellow flame also points to a dirty burner. Both issues are serious and require immediate attention from a heating technician.

Clean the Air Registers

Dirty air registers can negatively affect your furnace's efficiency and health. Vacuuming the vents and areas around the vents will eliminate this issue while also cutting back on the dust and pollen that circulates when the furnace turns on.

If you would like to schedule your furnace's yearly tune-up or you have questions about your system's performance, please contact us today and we'll be happy to help you.

Does a Dirty Air Filter Affect My HVAC System?

As a homeowner, you have likely heard that it is important to change your HVAC filter regularly. However, you are not alone if you have wondered whether it is really that important to change your air filter as often as recommended. Would waiting a few extra months really hurt? The answer is yes. In fact, you may be surprised to learn just how big of an impact a dirty air filter can have on your HVAC system. If you have been tempted to wait to replace an air filter to save time and money, here is a look at just a few of the problems doing so can cause.

Increased Energy Consumption

When you do not replace your air filter frequently enough, your HVAC system will have to work harder to pull air through the clogged filter. This means that your system will have to run longer and consume more energy to heat/cool your home, which can cost you a pretty penny over time! On the flip side, replacing your air filter regularly can then save you money as your HVAC system will not have to work as hard.

You Won't be as Comfortable

Of course, if your air filter is severely clogged and your HVAC system is having trouble getting enough air, this can also affect your comfort level. Without enough airflow, your HVAC system will likely have a harder time heating/cooling your home, which means it won't be able to keep you comfortable when you need it most.

You Could Damage Your System

Not only will the strain of a dirty air filter cause more energy to be consumed, but it will also cause unnecessary wear and tear to your HVAC system’s components. This can result in your system needing costly repairs if your motor fails, and it could even cause your heater or air conditioner to overheat and fail. In fact, not changing a dirty air filter frequently enough is one of the most common causes of premature failure in HVAC systems.

While it can seem like a hassle, replacing your HVAC system's air filters regularly is critical in ensuring that it is able to keep you comfortable in your home. Contact us to learn more about the importance of regular HVAC maintenance!

Areas Not to Place your AC’s Condenser for Increased Performance

A single air conditioning unit comprises of two main components. The indoor system and the outdoor system, also known as the condenser. Both systems have to work together for the air conditioner to be effective.

Air conditioners are prone to breaking down. But with a few tips, you can get your system to work as desired for ages without developing serious faults. Sometimes it can be as simple as rethinking the placement of your AC's condenser. Here are some of the best locations you can place your condenser for enhanced performance.

Exposed Under the Sun

If your AC condenser is placed in an area where it's exposed to the sun, it is likely to overheat. A better alternative would be to place your outdoor unit outside under the shade. Point out those areas around your house where there's limited sun exposure. It could be the eastern or northern side depending on your location. If there's none, you could build a shade above the unit. The farther your AC's condenser is from the sun, the less likely it will be to overheat.

In an Attic or Garage

To protect their outdoor unit from the sun, some homeowners prefer to place their unit inside areas such as the garage or the attic. An outdoor unit is referred to as such because it needs to be outside in the open. Remember that an outdoor unit works to collect and release hot air outside.

If you place your condenser in an enclosed area like an attic or the garage, it is likely to overheat and possibly cause a fire hazard.

Where There's Limited Airflow

Of importance is that even as you keep your AC's condenser under a shade outside, the area should also be open. Away from bushes, from thick trees, other types of vegetation, in between walls that are too close, and so on. Such obstacles end up limiting your AC's access to cool fresh air. This, in turn, limits the performance of your entire air conditioning unit.

The smartest route to installing a working air conditioning system is to work with an experienced contractor. For professional AC installation, maintenance, and repair services, please contact us today.

Air Conditioning Repair: Examining, Diagnosing and Repairing

When you're looking for good air conditioning repair, it's necessary to find a reliable, dependable contractor. This means hiring a contractor who is efficient, professional and courteous—all good qualities to look for in someone who is going to perform an important service for you.

Examining Your Air Conditioner

A good air conditioning contractor will examine your air conditioner carefully in order to find the source of its malfunction and then give you an estimate. In fact, if they are unable to find out what's causing your AC to malfunction in that moment, they might even take it away to run some tests on it.

It's nearly impossible to just turn on an air conditioner and immediately tell the other person what's wrong with it. If your air conditioning contractor is doing that, it’s possible that they're not very reliable.

Diagnosing the Problem

A good air conditioning contractor will be able to answer your questions about what's wrong with your machine. They will let you know if any parts need changing or if it's better to give up on that AC unit altogether. This might be the case if the AC is 10-15 years old.

On the other hand, it's possible that the problem is a minor one and can be resolved by adding coolant or changing one of the parts, such as the condenser coil. If your AC contractor is unable to tell you the exact source of the problem, then you may want to go with a different contractor instead.

Efficient Air Conditioning Repair

A good AC contractor will also be able to solve your problem in a matter of days. If they're holding on to your AC for a week or more, then they're probably not very efficient.

If your air conditioning contractor exhibits any unprofessional behavior, you should probably choose someone more reliable the next time around. Contact us today!

Optimize or Replace Your Furnace This Heating Season

Be ready for the cold weather coming soon by calling an HVAC technician to come and service or replace your furnace today. When your system is serviced, it reveals how well your furnace is running.

If your system is somewhat new, routine maintenance checks can extend its life and help you spend less money to keep the house warm. If the system is old and no longer efficient, a technician will most likely explain that it can no longer be optimized and instead, must be replaced. An older system that continues to run can cost you a lot more money to keep your house warm than installing a new system altogether.

Know When It's Time to Replace Your Furnace

If you find the heating system needs frequent repairs, this is a sign that it needs replacing. As the system breaks down and repairs need to be made, check to see that replacement isn't the better option. The cost of replacement is often less in the long run than repairing.

Beyond saving money, a heating system that is no longer efficient is not good for the environment. You will need to use extra resources to run the system and your carbon footprint will increase. Good maintenance is an investment, and it is wise to invest thoughtfully in such an important system within your home.

Advantages of Replacement

To assist you in determining whether your system needs replacing, remember to factor in the benefits of replacement:

• Cost - The most obvious and immediate benefit to replacing an older system will be the reduced operating cost. Notice a theme developing.
• Environmental - As mentioned, newer systems are designed to be eco-friendly.
• Smart Systems - Home heating today has changed. Smart Home technology has vastly enhanced your climate control capabilities. Online operation and voice control are just a couple of the newer features.
• Tax Incentives - Depending on the system installed and its efficiency rating, you may qualify for certain tax breaks.

If you have questions or concerns about your home’s heating system, please contact us at Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning today.

Air Conditioning Service Tips for Fall

The temperature is dropping, which means homeowners are beginning to think about end-of-summer home maintenance. This fall, don't leave air conditioning service off your to-do list. The change of seasons can have a number of effects on your home systems, and pushing HVAC maintenance off can have costly consequences.

Vacuum your AC unit

As leaves begin to fall, they can easily be pulled into your AC unit. Additionally, grass bits thrown into the air while mowing your lawn, lint particles that escape through your dryer vent, and dust in the air on a hot summer day can stick to your unit's coils, creating an insulating barrier that reduces efficiency. In time, dirt, pollen, pebbles and bugs can wind up clogging up your unit. Use an industrial vacuum to clear your AC of unwanted debris.

Clear the condensate drain tube

Condensation formed on the air conditioning coils can lead to bacteria and slime, which can clog up your drain tubes. The result is pooling, nasty water that can turn into bigger problems, like ineffective cooling or a smelly AC. Clear out the tubes to keep your unit free of bacteria and working properly. Use a diluted bleach solution to kill any bacteria.

Check the surroundings

The perfect environment for an AC unit is on firm, level ground that isn't crowded. If the land surrounding your unit is starting to slope, take the time to level it out. Also, make sure the area is clear of unnecessary items like toys, lawn furniture or broken branches. Leave at least a 2-foot clearance around the AC.

Arrange for seasonal AC maintenance

Conducting basic maintenance on your AC unit can help in identifying problems early. However, it's also a good idea to have your unit inspected periodically to ensure any small issues are fixed before they become larger problems.

Your air conditioner should keep your home cool for years to come, and proper maintenance is the best way to ensure it'll last. To schedule a maintenance check with Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning, contact us today.