Heating and Air - 5 Steps Before Hiring a Contractor

Whether you intend to replace your heating and air system, need it repaired, or just want a company to come out and perform a routine inspection, you can do better than just picking a contractor out of the blue. By taking your time and doing a bit of research, you can ensure that you hire the best possible company for the job, rather than whomever had the good fortune to be listed first in the phone book. Treat your HVAC system with respect and you will get the same treatment in return. One of the best ways to do that is to hire a good company for installation and repair. Here are 5 steps you should take before doing so.

Check All Licenses In most areas, there are probably three or four "big name" heating and air contractors and then several smaller companies and one-man outfits competing for their share of the pie. If you stick with the top tier contractors, you probably don't need to worry too much about checking licenses and such. Their profile is too high to get away with not running a business in violation of state law. But there are benefits to going with smaller contractors. If you do, though, you need to ensure they are properly licensed.

Check Insurance Just as you must make sure that the heating and cooling contractor you hire has his license, you must also make sure he is properly insured. If he isn't, and someone from his crew is injured on your property (or he damages something in or on your house), you could be held responsible financially if the insurance is not in place.

Warranty You never want to pay for the same repairs twice because the heating and air contractor you hired did not offer you a warranty on their work. While installations should come with a manufacturer's warranty, there's no excuse for a company that fails to stand behind their work. If they don't, you should ask yourself why that is.

Stop By If they have one, take the time to go by their place of business. A heating and air contractor won't always have an office, but many double as an authorized seller of certain manufacturer's HVAC systems and parts and will have a store for that purpose. You can get an idea of the company's professionalism and service by stopping by their store (or their offices, if they don't run a separate store).

Check the Website Today, many contractors have websites that can tell you a lot about them and the services they offer. You can compare various contractors this way and find one that specializes in the services you need performed. You can also sometimes find specials and coupons by dropping by their website before you contact them.

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Mistakes to Avoid and Prevent Air Conditioning Repairs   Benefits of Running the Air Conditioner   

Life Without Water Heaters

There are many things in life that people take for granted. They don't realize how essential certain things are until they are forced to live without them. Take water heaters for instance. Some people may not believe their life would be very different without these units. Instead, they place more importance on things like the internet, television or even vehicles. Although all of the aforementioned things are essential, especially these days, water heaters are just as vital.

Imagine what your life would be like without water heaters. First of all, you wouldn't be able to take warm or hot showers and baths. This means that after coming home from a long and tumultuous day at work, you couldn't enjoy the luxury of soaking and relaxing in the bathtub full of hot water. Instead, you would have to endure the coldness, which isn't known to be very relaxing or enjoyable.

Some might say that this isn't really a big deal because all you'd have to do is warm the water up on the stove. Just imagine how many pots of water you would have to heat up and haul back and forth. This may have worked back in the day, but these days that is just seen as an unnecessary hassle.

Not only could the absence of this heating system take away your hot showers and warm bath privileges, but it would also cause issues when it's time for you to wash dishes. Many people are aware of the fact that hot water's known to kill germs. This is one reason many people choose to wash their dishes with heated H20. Without water heaters this would be a tough thing to do. Therefore, you and most everyone else would have to use cold water instead. Because the germs wouldn't be combated or destroyed, you would be wasting your time and defeating the purpose of washing dishes in the first place.

Lastly, these heating units also come in handy when it's time to wash clothes. Most washing machines and clothing pieces come with a set of instructions on the temperature certain clothes should be washed in. If a set of instructions call for a hot or even warm temperature, then that is most likely the best option. However, without water heaters, this would be nearly impossible.

Some may not see these units as being as important as television or the internet. However, if they would take a second to imagine their lives without them, it would be an entirely different story.

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Dynamic Issues of Air Conditioner Repair   Some of the Top Reasons Why Your AC Can Go Bad   Winter Strain on Heaters and Wallets   

Reasons You May Need a Boiler Service

In residences all around the world the item that requires occasional boiler service is the most important appliance in the home. The stove is a very important appliance in the home. They are the devices we use to cook our food, and since all humans must eat food, the stove is extremely important to us. The refrigerator that keeps our food from spoiling is a mighty important appliance. Both of these appliances are critical in a house, and yet, both of these appliances fail in comparison to the devices that provide us with hot water and hot and cold air.

If you are paying utility bills that are extremely high, then you may need to schedule a boiler service technician to come and do some maintenance on your system. If these systems are not properly maintained they will use a lot more energy than they do when they are well maintained on a yearly basis.

If you do not seem to have as large a supply of hot water inside the home as you had when your water heating device was new you will need to schedule a boiler service technician to come do a maintenance check on the device. You may have an element that has gone out or it may be about time for a new unit to be installed. You need hot water for cleaning, cooking, and bathing so you need to get the device working as efficiently as possible.

If you are feeling chilled in the winter time even when you have the furnace going full blast it is time for boiler service to be performed. The heating of the interior air, and the maintaining of a constant temperature that the people are happy with, is the number one job of these devices. You may not realize that common dust like we remove from our homes on a weekly basis can cause problems in one of these devices. Dust can build up to the point that it starts to stop the device from working properly. When this happen your utility cost start to climb and your air temperature is not what you would like it to be.

Yearly maintenance on these devices is recommended by the manufacturer. A lot of people do not feel that they require a yearly maintenance check by a service technician. The people that believe this is unnecessary also believe that the maintenance schedule is set up by the manufacturer so they can make more money by sending a service technician to your home each year. This is not the case at all.

The yearly check of the system actually saves the people that own the system large amounts of money. The systems that are thoroughly checked and tested each year tend to provide service for a period of time that is twice as long as the ones that do not get regular checks. When your technician checks the system frequently they can determine that there is a problem long before the problem escalates into a major expense.

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Why In Floor Heating Should Be Preferred To Forced Air Systems   Geothermal Heating Shows Improved Potential As Capacity Increases   

Getting the Most From Your Air Conditioning System

Every homeowner looks for ways to save money through their home, which is their largest investment. One of the easiest ways to do this is to take some steps to get the most out of your air conditioning system. This system runs throughout your home and has a great impact on virtually everything in your home, from the temperature and the humidity level to whether mold or poor air quality become a serious problem. Follow these five steps to get the most out of your air conditioning system:

1. Dump your air conditioner if it is more than 10 years old and replace it with an Energy Star rated model. The Energy Star rating is considered by many to be the golf standard when it comes to energy efficiency. By reducing the amount of money you need to spend on the electric bill each month, you'll be able to get more use for less money.

2. Make sure the system is sized appropriate for the home or room it is in. It might seem like bigger is better in the world of air conditioners, but nothing could be further from the truth. If the unit is too large for the space it is supposed to cool, it will cycle on and off constantly, which will cause extra wear and tear on the system and even cause mold or mildew problems because it won't have an opportunity to dehumidify the home as much as it needs to. Ask a qualified HVAC installer to find out what size system you need.

3. Change your filters about once a month or clean them regularly if they are reusable. This is one of the easiest things every homeowner can do to keep their air conditioner running efficiently. Not only will this allow better airflow, and thus, lower electric bills because it doesn't have to work as hard to cool your home, it will also extend the life of your system. In addition, it will improve the air quality inside your home.

4. Do a visual inspection on the fan blade inside the motor for the blower regularly. This will enable you to check for mold or mildew. If you see any kind of build-up inside of the unit, it is time to call an HVAC technician to get that cleaned out. Be sure to make the call before this problem spreads into the ductwork, which runs into every room in your home.

5. Have an HVAC technician do annual tune ups on the system. There are many things the average homeowner can't be expected to do, but they should be done yearly just to make sure that everything is operating smoothly and efficiently. This will help to ensure a long life for your air conditioning system and a lower electric bill because the system will be running efficiently.

Any homeowner can get the most out of their air conditioning system with a little bit of effort and care. This is one of the most expensive and important systems in your entire home, so it certainly makes a big difference when you take the time necessary to care for it properly.

It is always recommended that you call an HVAC specialist whenever you need any kind of moderate to heavy maintenance on your air conditioner. One seemingly small mistake can turn into a costly one if you don't know exactly what you are doing!

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Some of the Top Reasons Why Your AC Can Go Bad   Winter Strain on Heaters and Wallets   Mistakes to Avoid and Prevent Air Conditioning Repairs   Benefits of Running the Air Conditioner   

Temperature Control Leads To Savings

Savings are what everyone is after, especially with utilities. Why? Because reduced utility costs over a long period of time results in savings that everyone wants. And when people save, they have money for other areas of life and tend to have more fun because they are able to do more.

So, how exactly do you save on utility costs? Well, it starts with your air conditioning unit. Most people spend high amounts of money on utilities because their air conditioning unit is running constantly. However, most don't know a few simple tricks that can save considerable amounts of money in the long run. These tricks don't require anything out of the ordinary. In fact, they are quite easy, but require discipline.

Discipline yourself to control your air conditioning and you will save. Start by regulating your thermostat properly. This includes finding an optimal temperature for your living space and being willing to shift it up a degree or two, depending on the temperature you have set. If you are set below 76 degrees, then you should consider shifting into the 76-80 range. In this range you will find comfortable air and low cost. How is this possible? It's based on how much your unit runs. Between 76-80 your unit doesn't run as much as it would at lower temperatures; and when the unit doesn't run, you don't spend money.

When you leave your living space for the day or extended periods of time, remember to turn up the temperature. It's good to shoot for 80 degrees while you are gone because this will keep the unit from running. If you're not at home, why have your unit running? It costs money to run your unit and if no one is at home, then it's a waste. So, remember to turn the temperature up when you leave and you will save.

Lastly, speak to heating and air professionals about more tips and tricks on how you can save money. Speaking to professionals will provide insight you never knew about and they can offer great services to improve your unit. Who knows, they may offer efficient systems for your unit and help you make the unit as efficient as possible.

Discipline yourself with the thermostat and remember to ask for professional advice. If you follow these steps, then you will see a reduction in utility costs. Never stop finding ways to become more efficient and cost-effective.

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Benefits of Running the Air Conditioner   Why In Floor Heating Should Be Preferred To Forced Air Systems   Geothermal Heating Shows Improved Potential As Capacity Increases   Dynamic Issues of Air Conditioner Repair   

Installing Ground Source Heat Appliances

If you have been considering buying ground source heat appliances for your home then you are thinking about an economical and environmentally friendly way to heat your home. You should also be thinking about the installation problems that some people face when they decide to switch from their current boiler system to a ground source heat system.

If the structure that is going to be using the ground source heat is a new construction then the installation of the appliance and the necessary attachments will be no problem. Before the structure actually goes up you will have the installation crew come to the property and map out where the pipes will need to be laid in the ground.

Even if you are normally a do it yourself type of person you will not be installing these items yourself. You need n expert to do the installation properly. Professional know exactly how far underground the pipes have to be placed and they know exactly how many feet of pipe must be installed in order for you to have a sufficient heat source for a home the size of the one you have. These appliances are not doing it yourself units.

If you are converting from another type of heating system in a pre-existing structure you can still install ground source heat appliances, but the installation is a little more difficult, and sometimes a little more expensive, than it is for new construction. When there is plenty of room around the structure the pipes are laid into trenches horizontally, but for structures that are already standing the space to lay the amount of pipes needed may be an issue. When this occurs the pipes are placed into the ground vertically. Digging the vertical holes for the piping is more time consuming and thus it is more expensive to have done. Connecting the loops that the liquid will make through the sections of pipe is also more difficult and this also increases the price of installation.

You have likely heard the old saying about a penny saved is a penny earned and when it comes to heating your home in this manner you are saving many pennies every month of the year. Heating and cooling are some of the largest expenses we have each year in connection with our homes. Heating a home with the free fuel that the earth provides makes the cost of heating and cooling easier to take.

Once you have paid the initial installation charge, and purchased all of the necessary equipment to connect the components you will need in your house, you will be finished paying for the heat and the cool air that the unit will provide. When you install a boiler that uses mains gas then you will have to buy mains gas every month to operate the unit. If the gas prices go up all you can do about it is gripe. You still need the gas to heat your home. If your het is coming naturally from the heat stored beneath the upper layer of the earth then the price never goes up.

Air Conditioning Installation - The Advantages of Demand Controlled Ventilation   Portable Air Conditioners: A Rescue From the Hot Summer Day   Benefits of Running the Air Conditioner   Mistakes to Avoid and Prevent Air Conditioning Repairs