What to Do Whenever Your Furnace Acts Up

Winter is coming, and homeowners in Salt Lake City certainly can’t afford to be caught unprepared. While the cold months may be brimming with festivities, temperatures can drop to uncomfortable levels, especially when your furnace is dysfunctional. Before you get all snowed out, here are some basic furnace repair tips you might want to follow.

First, keep in mind that most heating systems are equipped with thermostats. If you have a conventional non-programmable one at home, consider replacing it with a digital programmable version that can be set to shut down at your preferred time. Such a feature allows you to save energy yet keep your home sufficiently warm.

Next, replace your furnace filter with a new one as necessary to improve heat flow efficiency. Experts in home heating recommend that this be done monthly. During winter, it's best to have several replacement filters at hand so you’ll have spare supplies should the old one require emergency replacement in the midst of a raging blizzard.

For best results, it's always ideal to call in a professional technician to fix your malfunctioning furnace before it’s too late. You might do more harm than good if you attempt to fix it yourself. An expert can take care of all the complex tasks and ensure that your furnace is up and running in no time.

A Look at Some of the Best Salt Lake City AC Units

Even though Utah’s Great Salt Lake minimizes the effects of high temperatures, summer in Salt Lake City can still be very hot due to the absence of cold fronts. As such, most residents resort to keeping their air conditioning (AC) units turned on for much of the day to stave off the heat, with varying degrees of success. Interestingly, AC units in the city are just as diverse as the people who live in it.

The most common type of AC is the window air conditioner, a self-contained unit that is affordable, simple to use, and easy to install. Despite its name, this type of AC can be installed by drilling a large enough hole in the wall, although experts largely discourage this method due to the possibility of air leaks. Meanwhile, a heat pump works by pumping indoor heat outward, or vice-versa, depending on current climate conditions.

Other households utilize central air conditioning systems, which are considered some of the most expensive and complex AC units out there. The system itself requires a lot of planning because a central AC that is too large for the house can short cycle (i.e. the cycling compressor turns on and off rather quickly) within a short period. However, such a system is considered very efficient at cooling down indoor temperatures and doesn’t emit loud mechanical noises to boot.

Maintain, Retain: HVAC Maintenance and Performance

While cars have relatively long service life spans, they nonetheless require regular maintenance in order to keep working properly. The same thing could be said of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which similarly run on motors with delicate parts. Something as simple as dirt can severely affect HVAC performance, especially if the grime manages to build up considerably over time.

Skimping on maintenance can have disastrous effects on an HVAC system. The system could suffer from poor energy efficiency simply due to clogged air flow and compromised components. Worn parts could also lower HVAC performance, and could potentially cause even more damage to the entire assembly. There's also the risk of health hazards due to gas leaks, which no homeowner can afford to disregard.

All things considered, it becomes imperative to be consistent with the upkeep of your HVAC system to keep it in good condition. Regular cleaning and replacement of filters can help prevent problems arising from dust buildup, and likewise maintain HVAC efficiency. For more serious performance issues, don’t hesitate to call on an HVAC repair professional for thorough inspection and repair services. This way, your home can stay comfortably cool or warm depending throughout the year.

Things You Should Know About Hiring a Heating Contractor

The heating system is an important part of your home. If it breaks down or needs to be replaced, it is just as important to hire a reliable heating contractor to work on it. If you want to get an experienced and trusted heating specialist, you first have to know the model of your current heating system and its maintenance history. This will help your future contractor understand your heating needs.

Next, ask for referrals. Talk to friends, neighbors or co-workers and ask for a list of trusted heating contractors. You may also get member names from the local trade organization. Once you have a list of potential contractors, you should contact them and ask for customer references. Get in touch with the past clients to find out if the contractor did a good job and if they were able to finish a project on time.

If you've already settled for a contractor, make sure that your home and system will be assessed properly. The contractor should also inspect all areas of the system to make sure that they're functioning well or if they meet the manufacturer's needs.

Lastly, get a written estimate. You have to consider cost and warranties, among many things. Don't forget to ask for a written proposal or a contract as well to know the project cost, schedule and warranty information.

The Importance of Furnace Repair

It is highly recommended to have furnaces checked yearly. Though it can be expensive, having furnaces serviced or repaired can make the system work safely and efficiently. Best of all, early damage detection can help extend the system's life and avoid more costly damages in the future.

Safety being the primary reason to have your furnace serviced or repaired is not something new. Remember, oil and gas furnaces produce deadly carbon monoxide (CO) as they burn fossil fuel. CO is also flammable so there is a risk for fire damage. If your furnace is maintained or checked for faults, however, CO can be detected and remedied to avoid poisoning and other damaging effects.

Furnaces also trigger high fuel bills. But when they're professionally serviced, they can work efficiently using less fuel. This means that the cost for running the system will not be too overwhelming. Moreover, if a furnace is properly tuned, repair bills can be reduced. Repairing it on time can also help in preventing worse damage that can be very expensive.

Having furnaces serviced or repaired is important for you and your household. Not only will it prolong the system's life, it will also reduce the chances of a breakdown especially during the winter season. Best of all, a well-maintained furnace will help you save money on fuel bills and ensure heating system safety in your home.

Things You Need to Remember About Choosing an Air Conditioner

Houses that feel a little bit too sticky hot in warm climates can be remedied with just one solution: a good air-conditioning unit. You can shell out at least $3,000– quite costly– on a central air-conditioning system for the entire house, but if money is tight, you can instead get a durable A/C unit for a much lower cost to cool one area or room of your home.

If you're thinking of getting an air-conditioner at home, here are a few things you need to remember before buying:

Consider the size of the room and the A/C. An A/C unit's cooling capacity, measured in Btu per hour, depends on the size of a room. Check what cooling capacity will be adequate for your desired space; most units come with information regarding its Btu capacity with a room's square footage, and you can use an air-conditioning calculator online to compute how much you need.

Opt for an energy-efficient unit. A/C units come with an EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio that shows the electrical energy needed to run its cooling capacity; the higher the EER, the more energy-efficient it is. It also means a higher upfront cost, but you can save more on energy costs in the long run.

Choose units with control features. Most A/C units allows you to control and adjust the thermostat and temperature, and even set a time for the unit to turn off automatically; some digital models also come with remote controls for easier use.