Check your Furnace Filter

January 19, 2016

Check your furnace filter monthly and change it when it’s dirty. You’ll get better heating, you’ll save on your utility bills and extend the life of your furnace too. Many costly furnace repairs in Houston can be avoided with regular filter changing. If you don’t change the filter, lack of airflow through the furnace will cause it to overheat and shut down. Similarly, a dirty filter can cause an air conditioner to shut down because the coils freeze up when airflow is inadequate. Both events stress the system. Why it’s so important to change your filter It’s a big factor in your indoor air quality and how well your furnace operates. As the filter collects various bits of airborne debris, it starts to clog up. After a while, that build up makes it very difficult for air to pass through. That means the blower is working harder, increasing your energy bills, taking longer to heat your home, and risking burning out the blower motor. The best way to know how often you need to change your air filter is by simply checking it on a regular basis. Every furnace heats a different home, with different factors that affect a filter’s...

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When is it time to replace a furnace?

December 2, 2015

Deciding on whether or not you need to replace a furnace ranks low on most peoples to-do list. However, there are some warning signs that will let you know it’s time. Generally an increase in energy efficiency alone is not usually an economically valid reason to consider furnace replacement; as long as your furnace is still in relatively good working condition. You might want to think about replacing your older model furnace if any of the following situations apply: It’s more than 15 years old It has a pilot light rather than an electronic or hot-surface ignition It’s  burner flame yellow instead of blue It does not have vent dampers or a draft fan Variable-speed blowers will often improve the efficiency of your heating system. Variable-speed blowers enable the furnace to run at a high speed in colder weather or low speed under more mild conditions. This added feature not only saves energy but it also reduces the wear and tear on your furnace; preventing it from always cycling on and off. Furnaces with variable-speed blowers produce fewer drafts, and help to maintain a more constant temperature making less noise, since they’re not always running on high. Another thing to...

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Better Cooling with a Furnace?

September 30, 2014

You’re either scratching your head, or you’re thinking that we’re the dumbest HVAC contractor in Houston right? Nobody stays cool with a furnace. Well, actually you do. Remember what an air conditioner does: it compresses refrigerant. Compressing refrigerant condenses it down to a chilled fluid. The chilled refrigerant is then pumped inside your home to the indoor coil. Once that happens, the fan motor in your furnace pulls air from the home, and forces it through the coil. If an air conditioner doesn’t have the furnace fan motor, your home would never be cool. And we offer furnaces specifically tailored for South Texas heating and air conditioning. Variable Speed ECM Fan Motors If you have to turn up the game or movie when the air conditioning and heating kicks on, it’s because you probably have an older, single speed furnace. If your furnace is tucked away in a nearby closet, this adds a lot of noise to a living environment. Variable speed ECM fan motors run at varying speeds for increased comfort, and they’re whisper quiet. You can actually have a furnace in a closet right in the living room, and barely notice when it turns on! Plus, variable speed motors are more energy efficient....

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