4 Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Most people think of the outdoors when they think of air pollution. However, the air inside your house can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Children, elderly people, and those with asthma are especially affected by indoor pollutants. Here are four ways you can improve your indoor air quality.

Replace Air Filters

Keeping your furnace's air filters clean is one of the best ways to improve the air quality in your home. Dust, debris, and dirt will build up in your heating and cooling system over time. How often your furnace's filters need changing depends on what type of filter you use. Follow the recommendation of the manufacturer. Not only will changing your air filters improve your air quality, it will also boost your HVAC system's performance.

Adjust Your Home's Humidity

Dust mites and mold thrive in a humid environment. Make sure that you repair any water leaks as quickly as possible. When you shower, run your bathroom exhaust fan to reduce humidity. Have your heating and cooling system inspected to ensure that it's keeping your humidity at an optimal level. Consider having a whole-home dehumidifier installed.

Keep Your Home Clean

Dirt and dust collect on your floor. Vacuum your home at least once per week. Use a vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes and strong suction power. Make sure it has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, which will pick up allergens. If any dust is left after vacuuming, mop your floors. Use a microfiber dust mop, which will pick up more dust and dirt particles.

Use bedding that's machine-washable, and wash it weekly to reduce allergens. Minimize the amount of dirt that's tracked into your home from outdoors. Place a mat at each door, and consider asking guests to take off their shoes when they come inside.

Avoid Smoking While Indoors

A number of health problems are caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. If you or your guests are going to smoke, do so outside to keep your indoor air clean.

For more information, or to schedule heating service, please contact us today.

Is a Gas or Electric Furnace Better?

If you are in the market for a new furnace, you not only want a new model that is within your price range, but you also want the best model. However, another factor that you need to consider is whether you want it to be gas or electric, as the fuel source can play a crucial role.

For houses with overly difficult gas hook-ups or no gas hook-ups at all, sometimes electric may be the only option available. However, electric furnaces come with some distinct benefits. Typically they require less of a financial investment when you purchase them and last slightly longer. Unfortunately, they will be more expensive to operate. You also get the benefit of having no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Alternatively, gas furnaces run more efficiently, so while they are more expensive to purchase, they cost less to run overall. Gas furnaces will heat up the home faster and reach a higher temperature. However, they have a lower life span and can potentially run a small risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

In most cases, you may want to choose electric if it doesn't get very cold in your area. For areas that experience extreme cold temperatures, it may be best to select a gas furnace due to its efficiency and how optimal of a fuel source it is for heating.

While there seems to be minimal advantages and disadvantages between these two furnace fuel sources, they do make a big difference. If you are still having doubts on which furnace to pick, you may want to look at other important factors such as cost. Furthermore, you will also want to make sure the furnace of your choice is actually an appropriate size for your home. In terms of furnaces, bigger is not better. In actuality, bigger is significantly less energy efficient no matter what fuel source it runs on.

If you have any questions about which type of furnace is right for you, contact us today. Our team of professionals will be able to advise you on the right decision given your home’s characteristics, budget, and any other needs.

Five Questions to Ask a Heating Contractor

It’s only a matter of time that your HVAC unit runs into problems. Whether it’s a minor problem like a dirty air filter that’s easily and quickly fixed, or something major like the pilot light failing to ignite or a gas leak, you will need to seek out a heating contractor to perform the necessary repairs or replacement.

Not Always a "Quick Fix"

When repairing or replacing a heating unit, there are many pieces to examine and time is needed to ensure the entire unit is ready to operate successfully. Even the smallest mistake can result in a lack of heat, or worst case scenario, the carbon monoxide poisoning.

Ask the Important Questions

In order to avoid these problems, you want to ask your heating contractor some important questions to help determine if they are a good fit for you. Here are five questions to start out with:

1. How do they handle estimates?

The contractor should provide a written and certified estimate ahead of any work that displays the breakdown of costs between parts and labor. In addition, it should contain an approximate time of completion. If there are any changes in cost or timeframe, you must approve them before the contractor can move forward.

2. Who supplies their parts?

An HVAC unit is not a vehicle. In other words, you can't go with a certified used heating unit or parts. You must know who their suppliers are or what manufacturers they're connected with. Don't go with unfamiliar names because it saves a few dollars.

3. What type of warranty to they provide?

If the contractor is replacing certain parts, then they must provide a warranty on them. This should be somewhere between one year and the part's lifetime. If it's a new heating unit, then you need to know how long the manufacturer's warranty is and if it covers both parts and labor.

4. Do they install Carbon Monoxide detectors?

State and federal regulations require carbon monoxide detectors be installed on all floors of a home when utilizing a gas heater. Your heating contractor should provide these as part of the installation package. In addition, they should be warrantied in case they begin to fail.

5. Are you allowed to speak to previous clients?

If the heating contractor says they don't want you speaking with them, then it's time to say goodbye and look elsewhere. While you can find online reviews, some of them are from customers who are disgruntled for something other than the service or price. It’s most valuable to speak with people the contractor has directly dealt with.

Take these actions first to ensure you heating repairs are done right the first time. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us today.

Why Is My Furnace Not Igniting?

Gas furnaces are one of the most popular means of home heating. Like any appliance, your gas furnace will occasionally need repairs. A common issue with gas furnaces is a failure to ignite. If your furnace does not ignite, one of these components may be causing the issue.

Air Filters

If your air filters are especially dirty, they may be impeding airflow to and from your furnace. It will not ignite if airflow is too restricted. Try replacing your air filters and see if your furnace will ignite. Continue to replace your air filters regularly. Keeping your filters clean will improve both your indoor air quality and the performance of your heating system.

Thermostat

You've raised the thermostat temperature, but your furnace hasn't responded. In some cases, the problem isn't the furnace itself, but a faulty thermostat. If your thermostat's screen is unresponsive, or if your programmed settings are lost, the thermostat is likely to be the problem. Contact a heating repair technician to determine the cause of the issue.

Burners

If your burners are rusty or have begun to corrode, they will not ignite. A heating contractor can clean the burners for you or replace them if necessary.

Circuit Breaker

Modern gas furnaces are lit by an electric ignition system. Check the circuit breaker connected to your furnace. If the circuit breaker has been tripped, turn it off for several minutes and then try to reset it. If the furnace continues to trip the breaker, call a Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning HVAC technician for repairs right away.

Safety Switch

The furnace's burners will not turn on if the safety switch is open. The safety switch could be triggered by a clogged flue, a failing blower, or a dirty air filter. A repair technician can diagnose the problem and ensure that your furnace is running safely.

If your furnace isn't igniting properly, contact us to schedule heating service.

Signs You Need Furnace Repair

Before winter hits, you want to make sure your furnace is in good working condition. Faulty pilot lights, dirty air filters, and other issues can make your furnace less energy efficient and less functional for keeping your home warm.

Are you in need of furnace repair? Before you begin to rely heavily on your heating unit on for the season, use this guide to help you determine if it's time to call a furnace specialist for repairs.

You haven't had your furnace inspected

Responsible furnace care and maintenance involves having your heating appliance inspected every year before use. Some homeowners have their furnace inspected during the summer so repairs can be made in advance of winter use. If you haven't had your furnace inspected in recent months, or can't remember the last time you had your unit serviced, you may be in need of repairs.

Call your HVAC specialist to check out your furnace, even if you haven't had issues with your heating unit in the past. Small repairs done now can prevent costly replacement in the future.

Your heating bill keeps going up

Furnaces will start to use a lot of energy to keep areas warm when they start to fail. Pay attention to your energy bill; if your heating costs keep going up every year, poor air filtration, a failing motor, or even a deteriorating heating element may be to blame. Your heating specialist will make repairs to your unit by replacing dated or worn elements or may recommend replacing your appliance for a modern model.

Your heating is unreliable

Do you have to constantly check your thermostat and reset your furnace to keep your home warm? Your furnace should be able to supply you with reliable, consistent heat. Power breaker surges, declining heat, or poor heat quality in your furnace are all signs your unit is in need of repairs.

Always hire a professional furnace and heating specialist to inspect your appliance for you. Contact us today to schedule a system inspection. Home repairs are not recommended, so it’s best to invest in quality furnace repair when your unit isn't working as it should.

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.