HVAC Tips for All

I also cleaned the washable filter; that was the most I could do

When my friend called me to tell me that I had won a three-night-getaway, I was over the moon. All that changed when she mentioned the name of the hotel. It was disappointing that it was an Airbnb instead of a hotel. If it weren’t for the fact that the stay was fully-catered for, I would have canceled. When I got into the place, the living room had a floor-to-ceiling gas fireplace on one wall and a built-in bookshelf on another. A set of double french doors was situated in the middle of a row of windows and appeared to lead out onto a back deck with a fantastic view of the lake. Their online information stated that they had a boiler installation that would cater to whole-home heating during the cold months. A heating provider’s number was provided but given their records of regular furnace/heater tune-up, it was likely to be of no use unless in the case of an emergency. There was also a pinned list of various energy-saving help tips in the kitchen that the guests were encouraged to apply. All this reminded me of the gas furnace back home. It was long due for maintenance and duct cleaning. The heating corp had advised the cleaning be done every three to four years. I checked for any leaks in the ductwork and sealed them. I also cleaned the washable filter; that was the most I could do. I left the rest for the home services company. The HVAC repairman scheduled to clean the HVAC duct on the same day I was heading to the Airbnb, so I called ahead to postpone to a later day. In the meantime, I would enjoy the newly discovered gem.

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The house we pulled up brought back all my childhood hopes and dreams.

It was s beautiful victorian home.

The facade was blue-gray with white trim and a veranda that ran the side of the house, disappearing around the back. It was quite simply the house of my dreams; it was beautiful, unique, and almost magical. The interior was nothing short of breathtaking. I was squealing like a little girl at every turn and every room we viewed. All other houses I had looked at during the house hunt paled in comparison. The owner of the house, who also happened to be the realtor, told me that I needed to know about the whole home heating system and the pleasant fact that it had a washable filter. The house had a gas furnace and a beautiful gas fireplace to match. She showed me her records and receipts of the furnace/heater tune-up that she never seemed to miss. There was a smart thermostat. She had it installed after learning its energy-saving help capabilities from the same heating corp where she bought the heating equipment. After signing the paperwork and I was the rightful owner of the house, I asked her for the number of the heating provider that did her boiler installation and that also happened to take care of her home services. I wanted them to take a good look at the ductwork and carry out duct cleaning since most people forget all about it. After the inspection, the HVAC repairman only found one leak in the HVAC duct, but the cleaning was well worth it. Even the indoor air felt fresher after the cleaning.

 

heating maintenance

It had been five years since the boiler installation with no complaints.

Every year during fall, I would contact the heating provider for furnace/heater tune-up to ensure that the whole home heating system was in its best condition, equating to stress-free heating throughout the year. Last year, I had the heating maintenance done twice, in spring and fall. The main reason was that I suspected the gas fireplace of leaking, so I needed it to be checked and repaired before the cold season. I also needed the washable filter replaced since I had recently learned that even the washable ones required to be replaced after some washes but luckily not as often as their counterparts. The HVAC repairman who took care of it told me that as much as I took care of the gas furnace, I needed to consider duct cleaning since it had been five years since the last cleaning. The heating corp where we got the heater from had suggested this, but I had forgotten all about it since it was not something to be done every year. During the home services done over the years, the ductwork never crossed my mind. The technician discovered two leaks in the HVAC duct during the cleaning process. The leaks would explain the rise in the energy bill in the past six months. Later that day, I went through all the paperwork we had for when we purchased the heater, and one of the energy-saving help tips was regularly checking for leaks to ensure the unit runs optimally. The leaks he had discovered had caused the system to run more, thus using more energy.

 

new heating

I hate that my life might resemble a Friend’s episode in any way, but the truth is, it did.

• There is an episode where Ross uses an air purifier to the chagrin of Joey and Chandler.

Chandler even remarks on the fact that he had to listen to that air purifier all through college. Well, that’s where my life and a Friend’s storyline have something in common. I too had a roommate in college who had an air purifier. This guy had some respiratory issues that were improved with air purification. And so, he needed to set up the air purifier in our dorm room. But that room was so tight and small already. One whole wall was taken up by the radiator which provided radiant HVAC heating during the winter. So that air purifier was often right in the middle of the floor where I would trip over it. That annoyed me on a level which is hard to explain. However, let’s just say it stayed with me. My wife wanted to get an air purifier for our home and I rejected that idea out of hand initially. She rightly suggested that perhaps I get the facts before I just express my feelings about air purification. And man, was she ever right. Again, it’s yet another reason why I count myself lucky to know and live with a person like her. My wife introduced me to the whole house air purification system and it was far from anything I experienced in college. We now have some of the best indoor air quality we could possibly get inside our home thanks to the whole home air purification system.

air conditioning company

I don’t have to worry about calling the HVAC company to schedule the HVAC maintenance any longer.

That’s because I finally got smart and left that sort of stuff up to the HVAC company.

I mean, they are the HVAC professionals so why not let them do the scheduling of the HVAC maintenance. Plus, I was just never as consistent about HVAC maintenance as I wanted to be. So joining the HVAC service plan from our local HVAC company will work out just great. I’ve always tried to get to the HVAC maintenance twice a year. I like to have the heating maintenance done in the fall. This way, I know that the gas furnace is tuned up and ready to face the winter temperatures. You got to have that sort of confidence in the gas furnace when you deal with our winters. But we also have central air conditioning as our summer is not exactly cool and comfortable. We get a combination of heat and humidity that makes HVAC cooling not just nice but necessary. And so, I like to get an air conditioning tune-up prior to the summer heat setting in. Yet, as much as I like to be on point when it comes to seasonal HVAC maintenance, I’ve missed a few seasons. And that’s just no good. HVAC equipment is too valuable to allow for that sort of forgetfulness. The HVAC service plan now takes that part off of my plate. I love the idea of just waiting for an email from the HVAC company. That’s a whole lot easier than forgetting about it, remembering it and then forgetting about the HVAC maintenance again.

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