Home Heating Myths

As energy costs continue to rise, people are constantly looking for ways to make home heating more economical. Experts for heating in New Providence NJ have identified common myths that homeowners tend to believe. Misconceptions about home heating can cost you money, especially if you find yourself getting caught up in these popular heating myths:

Myth #1 – Cranking the Thermostat Heats the House Faster

The thermostat does not dictate how warm the air will be that is produced by the furnace; rather, it provides an indicator of how long the furnace should run before the room reaches the desired temperature. The furnace produces heat at the same rate regardless of how high the thermostat is turned up.

Myth #2 – A Fireplace is a Suitable Replacement for a Home Heating System

While a fireplace creates a nice ambiance in your home, it cannot replace your furnace. Wood burning fireplaces are notoriously inefficient because heat can easily escape through the damper. Gas inserts require more resources than other house-wide systems and only heats the area close to the fireplace.

How Pet Hair Increases the Need for an Air Conditioning Tune-up

Your furry companion brings you a great deal of joy, but can nonetheless wreak havoc on your home’s HVAC system.  Even if you have a very short-haired animal, you will still require an air conditioning tune-up more often than usual-here’s why.

How Hair and Dander Affect Your A/C

Forced air systems suck up stale air from a room at the same time they push conditioned air out. When sucking up air, pet hair, dust, and dander are drawn up along with it. These contaminants will eventually make their way into your filter, where they will become trapped before they can enter your unit. However, some particles will nonetheless escape, particularly if your filters are clogged or very dirty.
Pet dander is actually more problematic than fur. Dander consists of microscopic particles of skin that are often so small that they are able to pass through your system’s filter. Metal ductwork tends to attract these particles, causing them to be pushed back out into your home whenever your system blows. This in turn leaves more particles for your system to suck up, meaning the process is continually repeated.
If you have furry pets, you should:

• Check your filter more often than usual, particularly if you have multiple animals
• Keep pets away from your outdoor unit, as having an animal urinate on your system could cause damage
• Use an air purifier designed to collect pet dander so that less of it becomes trapped in your system
• Have a complete air conditioning tune-up at least twice each year so that any pet hair or dander that is caught in your unit can be removed before it causes damage.

Regular air conditioning tune-ups are a must for pet owners, and will improve the efficiency of your system and increase its longevity. Contact your local Fort Worth TX AC Repair to get your air conditioning tune-up!

Common Reasons Your Home's Heating System May Not Be Working

There is nothing more frustrating to find that your central heating system has stopped working, especially during the cold-weather months. There are a number of different issues that can cause your central heating system to stop working, as explained below.


Even if you have a forced air system that uses natural gas as its fuel, if the power is out, most systems will no longer provide heat, as operating the blower may require electricity. Something as simple as too many electronics and lights on at once can cause a power overload, which trips the electrical circuit breakers.


More factors that can cause your system to quit include air leaks or blocked air ducts, especially if only one room remains cold while the rest of the house heats, or insects and rodents build nests in these warm areas, blocking the air circulation throughout your home.


Time can cause connections to deteriorate, allowing the warm air from the furnace to leak into the unfinished spaces of your home. If you home is equipped with radiators, air trapped in the radiator can sometimes prevent the hot water or steam from moving throughout the unit, leaving rooms in your home to remain cold.


If you have a gas system with a standing pilot light, the unit should continually burn. Backdrafts or wind gusts down the flue can extinguish the pilot light and prevent the unit from operating properly.



If you find that none of the above issues seems to be the culprit for your home's heating issues, contact a company for heating in Shrewsbury MA today to assess the situation and get your system working again.

Warm Air Coming from Vents

A well-maintained Atlanta GA air conditioning unit should blow crisp, cold air from vents. If the air feels room temperature or warm, this is likely because there is not enough refrigerant to cool it before it is pumped into the home.

Ice Buildup Outside: Is Your AC System Ready?

If you check the air conditioning unit that is located outside your home and see ice or frozen condensation, this is due to low refrigerant. When low, the evaporator coil gets too cold and freezes the line. This not only affects the indoor air temperature, but can cause considerable stress – and damage – to mechanical components of the unit.

Refrigerant flows in a closed system, meaning that the only cause of low refrigerant is a leak. If you are experiencing any of the above problems, a professional Bakersfield CA AC installation and repair technician can diagnose the problem, find the source of the leak, and return your unit to top performance. Is your air conditioning system ready?

Low Refrigerant

Refrigerant is the liquid in the condenser of your air conditioning unit that is responsible for removing heat and maintaining optimum temperatures indoors. If refrigerant levels get low, your unit will become less effective at keeping your home cool and it will also need to work harder, causing it to be less energy efficient. If this is the case, call a local Willoughby OH air conditioning repair professional to help you get everything back up and running.

Keeping Cool This Summer by Installing Mosquito Screens

During the summer in many areas, the days are incredibly hot while the nights are cool. If you live in such an area, you may want to keep your windows open at night to let the cool air come in. However, if you don't have any mosquito screens installed, you will be letting far more than cool air into your home. Install mosquito screens on all of your windows if you plan to open them at night.

Once the windows are closed during the day, if you notice your air conditioning doesn't seem to be cooling your home, contact a local Ventnor NJ air conditioning repair professional today!