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Signs It’s Time for a Heater Replacement

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Everything in your home has a shelf life—even your heater. If you’ve been having trouble with your furnace for the past few years, it can be difficult to discern whether you should have it repaired or replaced.

Fortunately, there are some telltale signs it’s time to get a new heater. Replacing your heater might not be something you want to do, but it will likely be worth it in the end.

Here is how you’ll know when to replace your heater.

Age

This is the number one factor in deciding whether you should replace your heater. Each furnace has a lifespan of about 15 to 20 years.

If you’ve recently bought a house and are having trouble with the furnace, you can check the owner’s manual or the model number to determine how old it is and whether you need to replace it.

Soaring energy costs

Everyone wants to conserve energy, both for the good of the environment and for their checkbook. If you find that your energy costs are rising quickly over time, the problem might be your furnace.

An improperly-working furnace has to work harder than it normally would to achieve the same temperature, lowering its efficiency while raising your energy costs.

Loud noises

While your furnace should make some noise, certain sounds can be legitimate cause for concern. If your furnace is making popping, humming, rattling or screeching sounds, you’ll want to have it looked at to see whether you need to replace it or not.

Popping can be due to temperature changes; rattling could be equipment or ducts that are loose; and screeching may be a damaged component like a blower motor, belt or pulley.

Uneven heating

The rooms in your home should be heated uniformly—that is, the temperature should be just about the same in every part of the room, and each individual room should be the same temperature.

But if you notice that temperatures are fluctuating within each room and between each room, the issue could be caused by your furnace, and you may need a new one.

Visible wear and tear

A big conundrum with HVAC systems is you can’t physically see the problems with them. You can usually only hear or feel them.

But sometimes you can see signs of wear and tear on your furnace, such as rusting or cracking. These are obviously significant problems and can develop over long periods of time, serving as indications that it might be time to invest in a new furnace.

Numerous repairs

If you find yourself constantly having to call repair technicians to come to your home to fix your furnace, that could be a sign that it’s time to get a new heater.

You can look at your repair bills over the past two years—if you’ve called repair technicians more times than most, that’s probably a good indication that it’s time to start talking to experts about replacing your heater.

Call for a consultation today

Before you know it, winter will be upon us, which means it’s imperative that you have a properly-working furnace. To discuss your furnace, or if you want a checkup, give us a call at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We can cover anything from inspections and repairs to maintenance and installation—all with high-quality brands and top-notch service.

Fall Heater Best Practices for 2021

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It’s probably been about six months since you’ve thought about your home’s heater, but with autumn setting in, now is the time to make sure your furnace is in proper working order. Checking and maintaining your furnace can ensure that it works well when you need it the most.

Some heater maintenance tricks might seem obvious to you, while others might be things you haven’t considered. This article will cover some fall heater tips that you can use to make your heater run efficiently this fall and winter.

Replace your filters

For your furnace filters to adequately do their job, they must be clean. You should be changing your HVAC filters every one to three months or as directed by the manufacturer. Changing your furnace filter can not only prolong your heater’s lifespan, but it can also ensure that your family is breathing in clean air as well.

Clean your vents

Before the leaves begin to fall, you should go around to your home’s vents and make sure they’re unobstructed. Once you’ve done that, you can remove the grate or register from the vents and use a vacuum on them to remove any dirt, dust or debris. This should not only improve your air quality but make your furnace run more efficiently too.

Test your thermostat

If you have an older thermostat, it might not be as accurate as you’d like it to be. You might have been able to get through the summer with an imprecise thermostat, but the winter could be a whole other story.

Check your thermostat, and test it to see if it’s correctly monitoring and adjusting the temperature in your home. A properly-working thermostat is key to a furnace’s efficiency, and if yours isn’t working anymore, you can invest in a newer, better model.

Install a carbon monoxide detector

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that is toxic to human beings. It prevents your blood from carrying oxygen sufficiently and can lead to serious injury and even death.

Several electrical appliances, like stoves, furnaces and generators, can generate carbon monoxide and leak them into your home, but with a carbon monoxide detector, you’re alerted to the gas’s presence and can get out of your living space before it’s too late. Be sure to place your carbon monoxide detector at least 15 feet from any HVAC ducts, as putting it any closer could result in false alarms.

Schedule an inspection

While there are steps you can take yourself to make sure your heater is working before the frost sets in, there’s no substitute for an expert. Getting a tune-up for your furnace is a must for any homeowner, as professionals can catch small problems before they become larger ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even recommends that you have your furnace inspected every year, and right before winter is an ideal time.

Call for your heater’s tune-up today

Hopefully, these fall heater tips and heater maintenance tricks can prove useful to you in some way, but if you want the expertise of a professional, call us at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We have over 15 years of experience in the HVAC industry, and we’re available 24/7 for HVAC repairs whenever you need assistance.

What Will HVAC Look Like in the Future?

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Unless you work in the HVAC industry, you probably don’t think much about the future of HVAC—but the new innovations that are emerging will be exciting for everyone. Whether you want to save money on your energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint or both, these new technologies are sure to make an impact.

Here are some of the most interesting HVAC developments to watch:

If you’re looking for the latest innovations in HVAC technology, we can help. Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling is dedicated to bringing you the future of HVAC—or simply ensuring that your existing system runs well. Reach out to us today to get started with a maintenance appointment!

Is My AC Broken, or Do I Need to Replace My Filter?

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It’s hot and muggy outside—so it’s just about the worst time for your air conditioner to break down. Why is this happening? It was working fine yesterday. Is your AC really broken, or do you just need to replace your filter?

Air conditioners require regular maintenance, including a filter change every 30 to 90 days. If you’ve been slacking off on your filter changes, that might be the reason your AC isn’t performing appropriately. Here are some things to troubleshoot before you call your local HVAC company for help:

Why do I need to replace my AC air filter?

Once you’ve troubleshooted your air conditioner problems, you might forget to change your filter again—but that would be a big mistake. When you fail to replace your filter regularly, it can cause problems. Poor air quality, inefficiency (and the resulting high electricity bills), uneven cooling and malfunctions are all possible.

Your air conditioner might also start “short cycling,” which is when it kicks on and off repeatedly throughout the day. This is supposed to happen—at least on a limited basis—but when your filter is dirty, it can happen every few minutes. Change the filter and see if the problem is solved. If not, call your HVAC contractor for assistance.

When you need AC help, reach out to Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We’d be glad to take a look at your AC and make sure it’s doing its job correctly!

The Real Use for Ceiling Fans

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Summer is here, and that means you may be retreating indoors to enjoy the comfort of central air. But the downside to every HVAC system is that the air inside the home is likely to become stuffy and stale.

Did you know that there’s a simple way to improve air quality inside the home? The fact is that ceiling fans improve air circulation, which can help you breathe better and get better sleep.

Using ceiling fans for air circulation

Many people believe that ceiling fans are designed to cool down a room. They can have that effect, but their true purpose is to improve air circulation in whichever room they’re used in. This creates the illusion that the room is actually a few degrees cooler.

Ceiling fans work by creating a breeze that removes moisture from your skin—it’s that artificial breeze that creates a cooling sensation. Hot air and heat have nowhere to go once they reach the ceiling, so running ceiling fans counterclockwise during the summer can help with heat management.

Then in the winter, you can reverse the blades to mix and distribute the cold air at the bottom of the room with the hot air that rises to the top of the room. Consequently, you can save money on your cooling costs in the summer and on your heating costs in the winter by using ceiling fans.

Other fans

Ceiling fans improve air circulation, which can have health benefits and save energy. But let’s say you don’t have ceiling fans installed in your home—you can still reap the benefits of air circulation through the use of other fans. Here are some of the most common:

Do you want to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter? At Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling, we provide a full range of heating and cooling services to meet any need your home’s energy-efficient system may have, from furnace maintenance to AC repair. Our dedicated team has the experience and know-how to get the job done right. Give us a call today to learn more about our services and get a free quote!