Frequently Asked Questions

One of the best ways to improve your heating and air conditioning efficiency and lifespan, is to schedule a yearly maintenance visit.

Maintenance for your central heat and air systems is like maintenance on your car. You don’t realize how much it makes a difference until your energy bill comes. Lower energy bills is only one of the many benefits to maintaining your system, reduced repair costs and longer lifespan of the system are just a few more great benefits to scheduling your furnace and air conditioner maintenance agreement today.

Dirty filters and dirty coils are the leading cause of heating and air conditioning system failures.

What Routine Maintenance do I Need Help with in the Fall?

There are a number of parts and functionally to check when performing a furnace tune-up. Below are just a few things to check on your furnace. Fall maintenance—In the fall, you can expect us to check your furnace in the following areas: 
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  • Burner and pilot assemblies
  • Cracks in the heat exchanger
  • Check the pilot thermocouple
  • Examine the filter and check vent piping
  • Test the electronic ignition
  • Test the fan
  • Test the limit switch
  • Burner adjustments
  • Measure manifold gas pressure
  • Measure temperature rise
  • Carbon monoxide test
  • Set the heat anticipator
  • Check and adjust belt tension
  • Examine the draft diverter
  • Lubricate the fan motor

What Routine Maintenance do I Need Help with in the Spring?

Routine maintenance of your heating and air conditioning equipment can save you a lot of money and frustrations. Just as you need your car running at all times, you should plan and schedule regular maintenance.

There are a number of parts and functionally to check when performing a furnace and air conditioner tune-up Below are just a few things to check for both your furnace and air conditioner. 
In the spring, we can typically check a heat pump or air conditioner for all or some of the following:
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  • operating pressures
  • refrigerant charge
  • filter condition
  • compressor
  • fan motor
  • capacitors
  • belts
  • crankcase heaters
  • coils cleaning
  • lubrication of moving parts

How often should I change my air filter?

At the risk of telling you something you’re tired of hearing, replace the air filter in your furnace on a regular basis. Dirty air filters reduce the amount of air flowing through a system and make the furnace work harder to maintain the temperature. How often you change the filter depends on the type of filter you use, if you have pets, and the size of your equipment. Please give us a call and we can give you proper guidance.

When Does a Heating System Require Service?

If you are experiencing any of the following, you may need to have a professional evaluate and fix the problems.

  • No heat in one or more locations
  • Detection of a funny smell/gas odor
  • The pilot light is out
  • The furnace is making odd noises (squealing/rumbling)
  • The furnace runs constantly
  • The system cycles on and off rapidly
  • Circuit breaker/fuse controlling the furnace is tripped/blown
  • Thermostat not working
  • Blower fan continues to run

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When you’re dealing with an appliance that runs on natural gas, propane, or other flammable materials, you don’t want to take chances. The Heat and Air Guy can inspect, diagnose, and repair heating systems and help you determine if you need to modify an existing heating system or require a new system.

Why should I replace my existing heating or air conditioning system?

You may wish to consider replacing your air conditioning or heating system if it is old, inefficient or in need of repair. Today’s systems are as much as 60% more efficient than those systems manufactured as little as ten years ago.

​The utility cost savings of a new unit may provide an attractive return on your investment. If you plan on financing the purchase, the monthly savings on your utility bill should be considered when determining the actual monthly cost of replacing a system. The offsetting savings may permit you to purchase a more efficient system.

How do I select the right heating/cooling system?

​First, make sure the unit is properly sized. Most heating and air conditioning contractors will provide a load calculation for your home.
​Next, consider any comfort issues in the home. Some products can reduce air stratification and uneven temperatures from room to room. If you have allergies, an indoor unit with an ECM motor will allow you to circulate the air in your home continuously while filtering the air for about the same cost as operating a standard light bulb.
Finally, know your budget parameters and the efficiency of the system being proposed. Does the system offer a payback? In other words, will the monthly savings over time offset the cost of the new unit or efficiency option being considered?

How long can I expect a new system to last?

If you have a qualified technician perform regular preventative maintenance and service suggested for your unit, industry averages suggest that an air conditioner should last 12-15 years and a gas furnace should last as many as 20-25 years.

At what temperature should I set my thermostat?

Normal cooling settings are 75 degrees – 80 degrees. Normal heating settings are 68 degrees – 72 degrees. You should always set your thermostat to the highest possible setting that is comfortable for you in the summer, and the lowest comfortable setting in the winter. Setting your thermostat in this way will maximize your energy savings.

​On average, every 1 degree of temperature change is equal to about 1% energy savings.