HVAC systems that use a network of ducts to conduct heated and conditioned air are extremely common and have been for half a century. It’s a great way to get air that’s the exact temperature you want all throughout your home. But every good thing comes with some risks or downsides. According to the US Department of Energy, “ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling bills.” Even if you had that kind of money, you could surely think of better ways to spend it.
What can be done to repair HVAC duct leaks? How did your ducts sustain damage to begin with? If you understand the causes, you might be able to prevent duct leaks from happening in the future.
Are you ready for this? The #1 way to prevent major furnace repairs is through timely professional maintenance! Yes, it really is that simple. Routine furnace maintenance can help prevent up to 85% of the repairs your system may ever need in its lifetime. We’ll get into the “how” and the “why” of this below, but the most important thing you need to know right now is that investing in furnace maintenance is more about just a heating service. You’re investing in longer equipment life, less costly operation, improved efficiency, and most of all, your household’s safety.
There are some things that are staples in American homes that household members hope they’ll never need—but when they do need them, they’re grateful they have them. Smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, whole-house generators, fire extinguishers … these are just a few! And up there at the top of the list is the sump pump, essential in preventing water damage due to flooding that can come from stormy weather or even a plumbing mishap.
One of the most popular questions we get as HVAC professionals is how homeowners can improve their system’s efficiency in a way that it will cost them less to run their air conditioners, without sacrificing comfort. Considering how uncomfortable it can get outside during our summer seasons, this is a perfectly reasonable question.
When you first read the title of this blog post, you might have thought, “Wow, they’re going to tell me how to install an air conditioner? What a great way to save money!”
Without the right equipment and know-how, it can be hard to detect a plumbing problem. Most of your plumbing system, after all, is hidden from view, and the problems that occur start off subtly. This is a huge part of the reason we recommend scheduling preventing maintenance at least once a year.
Perhaps you’ve experienced this “hard-starting” scenario on a chilly winter morning at some point—the engine grinds, but it takes a few times before it turns over when you try to start it. Hard-starting can actually happen to any type of equipment that uses motors, no matter if it’s powered by electricity, natural gas, or even petroleum.