On Choosing and Maintaining a Good Furnace

An efficient furnace makes sure your family stays warm throughout the winter season. As your furnace plays an integral part in comfortable living, you need it functioning at optimum performance. Throughout the years, however, your furnace is likely to experience wear and tear. If your unit is more than 15 years old and gives you more problems than comfort, it may be time to replace it.

A faulty installation will not only leave your family in the cold but could also be the cause of a fire emergency. To prevent this from happening, be sure to find a reputable furnace dealer that will guide you in obtaining a unit from trusted brands in the industry. These companies employ trained and certified technicians to ensure quick and efficient furnace installations. More importantly, you can make full use of their factory warranties and service guarantees.

After your unit has been installed, you can arrange for an annual maintenance program from your dealer to keep the new equipment running smoothly and even extend its service life. If you encounter any problems, you can take advantage of their services for furnace repair, as well. Once you begin working with a reliable dealer, you will have a one-stop shop for all your furnace needs without needing to worry about who to call.

Keep the Repair Guys Close for Your Heating Woes

Given that winter only happens once a year, some homeowners tend to take the maintenance of their heating equipment for granted. As long as their units are running, most people are contented with letting them be without inspecting for potential issues. If you deal with your heating system this way, there is a big chance that you may encounter severe damage at the most inopportune time. In other words, it pays to remain vigilant at all times.

When making sure your heating equipment at home is running efficiently, not only you promote a comfortable living environment for your family but also reduce the risk of any health hazards. If you encounter a problem in any part of the system, have it fixed immediately. In any case, it is best to have a professional take a look at your unit during the fall season to make room for any repairs before winter sets in. This way, you will have a fully functioning heating system during the coldest season of the year.

Choose a heating repair service provider that maintains the highest standard of expertise. A professional company hires only certified technicians who know the ins and outs of a heating system, from how the unit works to how it should be maintained. By having a trusted expert conduct this assessment, you can rest assured that your heating system will run smoothly.

AC Tune-up Should be a Spring Cleaning Priority

Everyone always looks forward to the spring season after a frigid winter. As plant life begins to shake the snow off and bloom once more, homeowners start cleaning out their homes and repairing any damage the house may have suffered during the winter.

Experts agree that one task of utmost importance during spring cleaning is checking up heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Furnaces, which are winter workhorses, still prove useful in the spring and will need a few final tune-ups before being retired for the summer.

Ventilation and air conditioning systems, however, need more extensive checking to make sure they are fully functional come warmer weather. Air conditioning system inspection includes cleaning the outdoor component, the interior of the unit, replacing filters, etc.

Though you can do all these tasks by yourself, it is best to have them completed by professional air conditioning technicians. However, once you've had pros perform the initial assessments and necessary repairs, you can also ask them for advice on how to do subsequent minor maintenance work by yourself. It can help you save a few dollars or precious time once you call for air conditioning repair again and need to explain a problem to a technician.

HVAC Safety Highlights CO Poisoning Prevention

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Inhaling carbon monoxide is a health hazard as the gas is toxic to humans. Prolonged exposure to the gas can result in irreversible damage to both the nervous and circulatory systems.

Year in and year out, overworked and neglected furnaces inevitably emit carbon monoxide once their components such as gas lines, exhaust stacks, and vents show signs of problems. This possibility becomes even more likely during the winter months when pipes can freeze and snow can block vents

Whether you are a renter or homeowner, it is your responsibility to check on your furnace to see if it is in working condition. All the more furnace inspection matters in areas where consistently cold weather necessitate the regular use of heating systems. Call an HVAC technician to regularly perform an inspection and any necessary tune-ups on your home furnace. Otherwise, if you are renting, demand that your landlord implement a strict building maintenance program.

You can bolster these precautions by installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, as well. Of course, you should also make sure that these devices are made by top-quality manufacturers and will not fail you in an emergency.

Some Winter Maintenance Tips for Your Oil Furnace

As winter approaches, it'll be once again time to gear up your heating equipment for months of keeping your home warm and toasty. Among such equipment is your trusty oil furnace. Here are a few cleaning and maintenance tips that you can follow to keep your furnace in good condition throughout the season.

Many oil furnace designs tend to develop soot quickly, and a buildup will eventually impact their effectiveness. Make sure that you clean them regularly and check on the blower's condition before the winter, and once again in the middle of the heating season.

As with the blower, you also need to check on the air filters at about the same frequency and replace them as necessary. Read the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and replacing these, since most furnace designs have filter systems that vary in appearance and operation.

Check your oil furnace for a strainer; make sure that it is cleaned out when you're planning on replacing your filter. Then check for leaks in the furnaces' supply lines, since they are very damaging to your home's heating system when left unremedied. You will need the services of a professional heating repairman in this case.

You should make sure to check your oil furnace for any repair needs well before the winter temperatures begin to subside significantly. By doing so, you will be assured that your heating won't run out just when you need it the most.

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.

Bundle Up! Tips to Stay Warm During the Winter Season

Winter is coming. It's now that time of year to don comfy sweaters and thick socks, and warm up your homes to shelter you from the cold. Here are a few tips on bundling up for warmth during the cold months:

1.     Keep your home warm. Having a good HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning) system that is durable and energy-saving allows you to easily adjust and regulate room temperatures inside your home to your liking.

2.      Layers, layers, layers. Big, thick sweaters are nice, but you can also warm up better by wearing thin items of clothing in multiple layers to trap body heat. The more your skin is exposed, the colder you'll feel, so wearing a scarf and earmuffs can also add to the warmth.

3.    Grab a hot drink, like coffee or tea. Decaffeinated drinks are better at keeping you warm, however, because caffeine makes the body lose heat despite the fact that the skin feels warmer. A nice, full meal, preferably with a bowl of soup, can also warm you right up.

4.      Exercise. Exercising can get the blood flowing, which then leads to the warming up of the skin. Even just simple physical activities like jogging in place can do wonders in keeping the cold away.

5.   Snuggle up. Seal and insulate doors and windows to keep drafts from entering the house, then snuggle up in bed underneath a pile of warm blankets and share body heat with family members and loved ones.

Autumn Checklist: Should You Have Your Salt Lake City Heating Equipment Replaced?

"The weather is beginning to change in Utah's capital city; as the blazing heat of the summer sun fades, the cool winds of autumn are finally taking over. For the wary homeowner, this means that at least one major project is looming in the horizon, i.e., winterizing the house and yard. One of the things you should consider when preparing for the cold seasons is to get your heating equipment in check. You need to inspect your furnace and have the necessary repairs done lest you find your Salt Lake City heating equipment barely able to function just as snow begins to fall. In the process, look around for signs that your gas or electric furnace might be more in need of a replacement than just some repair job. Below are some of the common furnace problems that you should look out for."

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/autumn-checklist-should-you-have-your-salt-lake-city-heating-equipment-replaced/

How Furnace Repair in Salt Lake City Can Save You Money

"In her article on the CBS Local website, Dee Lee discussed how homeowners can save on their energy bills through energy usage discipline. The following are some of the tips she suggested: Have your furnace serviced before you need to turn it on. Include on that list your chimney flue, space heaters and the fireplace. Use a programmable thermostat and set it lower when you are asleep or not at home. Weather strip around doors and windows. It comes with a self-adhesive backing. Caulk around windows and sills. Easy to do with the new caulking guns. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Be sure your attic is insulated. Here again, this is not a hard job…just avoid falling through the ceiling when you are laying down the bats of insulation. Clear space around heat registers, appliance vents and return ducts. Remove window air conditioners or cover the unit to prevent drafts. Consider a new furnace or water heater if yours is over 15 years old. Insulate your water heater, especia

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/how-furnace-repair-in-salt-lake-city-can-save-you-money/

Functional Air Conditioning in Salt Lake City Schools: Enhancing the Learning Environment

"For some, air conditioning units are a simple means of escaping the heat indoors during the warmest of days. However, a recent study conducted by University of California-Los Angeles researchers suggests there's more to air conditioning in Salt Lake City than just maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures. Maintaining properly ventilated and air conditioned classrooms can help students learn more effectively, as the physical environment plays a key role in the learning process. The study, which states that the learning environment is just as vital as educational materials, was initiated after issues concerning classroom environmental inequality were left unresolved. Environmental inequality is part of a larger debate that focuses on the unequal quality of education across American schools. In many cases, students in less affluent neighborhoods were forced to study in classrooms that were being ravaged by intense heatwaves. "

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/functional-air-conditioning-in-salt-lake-city-schools-enhancing-the-learning-environment/

HVAC in Salt Lake City: Surviving Record-Breaking Summers

"The National Weather Service pronounced the summer of 2013 in Salt Lake City to be the hottest on record. With average temperatures hitting just below 81 degrees, the residents of Salt Lake City were at the mercy of scorching summer days that saw temperatures rise above 95 degrees. For a total of 16 days, temperatures soared to 100 degrees, which is more than the usual five 100-degree days Northern Utah experiences annually. While the report, which appeared on CacheValleyDaily.com, may provide amusement to some folks, those who actually felt the intense summer heat in Salt Lake City may find it hard to grin. For meteorologist Eric Schoening of The National Weather Service, the high pressure over the western portion of the United States is to blame for the phenomenon. If conditions persist, functional HVAC in Salt Lake City homes and commercial buildings will become a necessity. "

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/hvac-in-salt-lake-city-surviving-record-breaking-summers/

The Blistering Heat can be Avoided by Employing Salt Lake City Air Conditioning Professionals

Being no stranger to heat waves, Utah has set the all-time high record for the hottest day on June at 105 degrees. As reported Brady McCombs from the Associated Press, the scorching heat has left locals to turn up their AC's all at the same time. With that being said, locals should seek the services of reputable Salt Lake City air conditioning companies such as Harris Aire Serv. Doing this will keep their AC units well-maintained and prevent them from acting up during the last hottest days of the American summer. Enduring the scorching heat isn't advisable since it is dangerous to one's health. Cases leading to heat stroke from the blistering heat wave are well-documented. Viewing one's AC as saving grace to combat the heat, one must take all the necessary procedures to keep it from incurring irreversible damage due to continuous usage. Always remember that Summer happens every year and you don't want to experience it without the aid of your AC.

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/heat-waves-driving-demand-for-efficient-air-conditioning-in-salt-lake-city/

Winterize Your Home With the Aid of Salt Lake City HVAC Professionals

It is undoubtedly been hot in the past few months in Utah thanks to heat waves. It will be over sooner or later, and without noticing, its winter again. Preparing your house during the snow season is called winterization, wherein you check every part of your house and lessen the potential damage it might incur during winter. You can have your houses checked by Salt Lake City HVAC professionals from reputable companies such as Harris Aire Serv. They will check your furnace for maintenance issues that will help you conserve energy and lower your bills when the snow comes. Preparations such as clearing gutters, adding insulation and plugging air leaks will be heaps of help during those unbearable cold days. Prevention is always better than cure, and being prepared before something uneventful happens is the key to enduring winter. Always have the prerogative to maintain your house and be confident that nothing will act up.

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/salt-lake-city-hvac-considerations-five-easy-winterization-tips/

Air Conditioning in Salt Lake City Will Help Combat the Unbearable Heat!

An article on the Salt Lake Tribune on July 27, 2013 by Judy Fahys stated that the 2013 Summer might be Utah's hottest to date. An interview with Jim Steenburgh, a professor in the University of Utah, revealed that the escalation of heat from the past decade are indeed higher than those recorded the last 65 years. Statistics show that the average daily temperature from the last ten years are 5°F higher that in the 1940's to 50's at 63°F. This brings up the possibility of an even hotter summer next year and so on. Having an air conditioning in Salt Lake City houses is a viable option to combat the unbearable heat. Even power companies felt the effects when the demand for power consumption surged. Spending a lot of time indoors using your air conditioning System will be your best bet when the heat turns up. Having your units checked by companies such as Harris Aire Serv will assure you that your AC unit is well-maintained and won't act up during the hottest days.

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/cooling-down-with-air-conditioning-in-salt-lake-city/

A Well-Maintained HVAC in Salt Lake City Aids in Protecting Locals From Pollution

An article written at the Huffington Post last June 23, 2013 that stated the different dangers of poor air quality and air pollution that looms over Salt Lake City. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, a group of doctors, made an effort to send a petition to the local government to reduce the city's pollution. The group of doctors have already identified the causes of the hazardous smog that engulfs the city and hopes to convince the officials to aid them. Prolonged exposure to polluted air is proven to cause health risks such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The toxic smog can even cause cancer or have fatal consequences for anyone who has inhaled too much of it. Staying indoors are very much advised for residents. Equipping their homes with a well-maintained HVAC in Salt Lake City is encouraged as well. Locals can contact Harris Aire Serv to repair or maintain their AC units and ensure fresh air is circulating in their house.

http://www.harrisaireserv.com/2013/09/preserving-health-by-operating-effective-hvac-in-salt-lake-city-homes/