Experts in the HVAC industry agree that furnace maintenance and furnace repair in St Louis, MO is cheaper than having to replace major components. Now that winter is over, it’s time to stop using the heater and time to kick on the air conditioner! Before you do anything, let’s take a look at why end-of-season maintenance is so important, followed by some pro tips for proper furnace cleaning in St Louis, MO.
The importance of end of season maintenance
Depending on the area where you live, you might have started using your heating system in October, or maybe even closer to December. Regardless of when you first turned it on, chances are you used it on a regular basis over a few months’ time. A busy furnace accumulates wear and tear, gunk and debris, and components can jiggle loose, which is why you need to add the furnace to your spring cleaning list. But should you perform furnace maintenance yourself? While homeowners can do some visual inspections and cleanings on their own, the HVAC industry recommends scheduling professional checkups each season. This ensures problems are not overlooked so your furnace can get back to work next winter.
Spring maintenance tips
Investing a little time to address AC and furnace maintenance needs can pay off big-time. Here are some tips to help you close down your furnace for spring:
Change the filter: An air filter clogged with dust, pet dander, pollen, bacteria and other airborne debris is an inefficient filter, while a fresh filter allows better airflow and brings cleaner air to your inside spaces. For this reason, changing the air filter is one of the best things you can do for your furnace after winter has passed. You don’t have to think about all the dust and grime trapped in the filter because you can see it when you remove it!
Dust components: Whether your winter was dry or wet, the season usually creates a lot of dust. This dust can settle onto your HVAC system, and can even get sucked inside through vents, ductwork and dirty filters. Clearing dust away from your furnace keeps particles from getting inside the unit and prevents common fire hazards.
Clean the outdoor unit: If you have an outdoor AC unit as a part of your HVAC system, check it for salt, gunk, mud and mineral deposits. Clear away any debris blockage to avoid problems with your system later on. Also, be sure to remove leaves, cut grass, dirt and other debris from around it throughout the warmer months.
Install a new thermostat: Spring is a great time to consider upgrading your HVAC system’s thermostat. Choose a programmable or wi-fi thermostat to improve indoor comfort and energy efficiency.
Schedule maintenance service: Early spring is a good time to schedule a professional HVAC checkup and tune-up. An expert will service your furnace to ensure it’s ready to go next winter and inspect your air conditioner in anticipation of warmer days ahead.
If you need to schedule seasonal maintenance or need an HVAC repair in St Louis, MO, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today!
Residential and commercial HVAC companies in St Louis, MO are moving toward something better in 2019. This year, manufacturers for the HVAC industry will be introducing products that are said to be both smarter and more efficient. On the innovation front is the push for automation and connectivity in most new HVAC products for home and commercial buildings, all while keeping federal regulations at the forefront. What HVAC industry trends should you be looking for in 2019? Here are a few:
Commercial rooftop units: The biggest manufacturers of commercial rooftop HVAC units have a goal to meet the two-step U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency requirements that went into effect last year. Step one increased the minimum efficiency by about 10 percent; step two will require an increase of about 25 to 30 percent by 2023. Higher efficiencies are likely to bring more larger, three-phase, two-speed blower motors and more variable frequency drives to units that didn’t have them before.
Intuitive residential products: In 2019, preventative maintenance needs and wants in the residential HVAC market are predicted to grow—especially where damaging leaks and malfunctions are concerned. HVACs are now a huge part of smart homes, so much so that the industry is working hard to meet demands for more intuitive systems. There’s no question about it—intelligent HVAC technologies are on the rise.
Fan efficiency rating for residential furnaces: The HVAC industry is also striving to meet fan efficiency ratings for all residential furnaces. Come July, the fan efficiency rating for furnace motors will see major changes. This aims to save energy and reduce harmful carbon pollution, meaning homeowners with furnaces that meet the requirements can expect to eventually see a reduction in their electricity bills.
Individual business trends
Social media plays a huge role in business success. A strong online presence in 2019 is said to attract people looking for automation and efficiency opportunities as it relates to their HVAC equipment and HVAC service in St Louis, MO. Here’s why:
Customers can find useful information: Convenience is important to a lot of people. Luckily, the internet makes it easy for consumers to shop around for a variety of home services, and it’s only getting easier as technology advances. For HVAC companies, this means having their sales processes and pricing posted online for immediate reference. Customers can even order products and services right off a website without having to leave the house.
Creating trust and transparency: No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on low-quality products or bad service. As 2019 moves along, many HVAC companies are doing everything they can to offer customers the transparency they deserve. They want to build trust and remove as much risk as possible for buyers. When companies utilize technology, they can communicate better with their customers. For example, they are able to show a homeowner how much energy they are saving with their new furnace compared to their old, less-efficient unit.
When you need to schedule a time for HVAC repair in St Louis, MO, look no further than Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. Reach out to us today to book an appointment or learn more about our services!
If you recently got your tax return back, you might be wondering how best to spend it. Sure, you could plan for a fun family vacation this year, or maybe make a purchase on a luxury item you’ve had your eyes on for some time. Other people choose to put their tax return directly into their savings, or to spend it on more practical items they’re in need of around their home, such as repairs or new appliances or fixtures.
Here’s one idea: if you know your furnace is old and is going to need to be replaced within the next year or two, why not use your tax return on that? This is a purchase that is responsible, practical and can add some value to your home.
Here are just a few of the benefits of upgrading your furnace with the assistance of an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO:
Energy savings: If you have a brand-new heating and cooling system you’ve installed in your home, this will help you to save a significant amount of energy over time. All the systems you’ll find on the market today are made with energy savings in mind, meaning they’re excellent for the environment and reduce the amount of power needed to effectively run them. Considering how much of a focus there is and should be on environmental sustainability in today’s society, this is a purchase that can help you contribute to those efforts and reduce your carbon footprint.
Financial savings: Financial savings go hand in hand with energy savings. It stands to reason that if you’re not using as much energy to heat or cool your home, then you’re also not paying as much money on your monthly utility bills. When you consider the potential savings you’ll get over the entire lifespan of your brand-new furnace, that’s a significant amount of money. Sure, it requires an initial investment to get the new unit installed, but there will come a point in time where that investment essentially pays for itself.
Cleaner air: The air in your home can be dirtier than it is outside in many cases, depending on how well you’re filtering the air. New furnaces have much better filtering processes and functions, and are more effective at cleaning air that gets circulated through them. This is important for the health of you and your family—old, outdated furnaces do not have the same types of filtering options you’ll find on the new appliances. Cleaner air means fewer chances that you’ll either develop or exacerbate existing respiratory conditions, such as allergies or asthma. It also removes pollutants and germs that could otherwise circulate through the home, meaning there’s a lower chance your indoor air is making you sick if you’re using a new furnace.
For more information about the various benefits associated with installing a brand-new furnace, contact the team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We’d love to provide the top-quality HVAC service in St. Louis, MO that you’re looking for!
Having uneven hot and cold temperatures in pockets of air throughout your home can really be a nuisance, and can also result in some of your rooms being just plain uncomfortable to spend time in. What options do you have to balance the temperatures in your home and eliminate those inconsistent spots? Here are some tips from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO to help you out:
Open or close the register: This is simple enough. Open up the registers on your upper floor during warm-weather temperatures and partially close registers on the first floor or in the basement. During cold temperatures, reverse this. This can help you push cold or warm air exactly where you need it in your home.
Handling multiple thermostats: If you have a two-story home and have a thermostat for each floor, you might try setting the temperatures to have a two-degree difference. You’d set the downstairs thermostat a couple degrees lower than the upstairs thermostat to help you with uneven temperatures. Typically, the areas that are hardest to warm or cool are the upstairs spaces, if you have issues with your furnace or ductwork.
Clean filters: There are a number of benefits that come with changing and/or cleaning your filters. It improves the air quality in your home, and increases the efficiency of your furnace. It can also extend the life of your HVAC system and help you to keep your energy costs down. And of course, it makes it easier for you to regulate the temperature in the rooms of your home.
Avoid restricted airflow: Make sure none of your registers are covered up by furniture or any other items that could block air from flowing through the room. This will make your system work harder than it needs to, resulting in less efficiency, higher energy bills and a greater chance that the system will wear itself out earlier in its life.
Window coverings: You might find that installing window coverings can help you better regulate internal air temperatures. Options include drapes, blinds or shades. During the winter, you might even consider covering the windows with plastic to help keep the warm air inside.
Ductwork: There’s a chance you’re having some issues with your ductwork if the hot or cool air isn’t being spread evenly throughout your home. Some of the joints of the ductwork might be loose, which means they may need to be refitted and sealed. In addition, if the ductwork has any sharp turns, it may be difficult for the air to navigate those areas. You can also benefit from resealing or insulating the ducts to prevent air loss as it’s being pushed throughout the home.
These are just a few options you have that can help you improve the air balance in your home and avoid troublesome pockets of cold or warm air. For more information, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling to discuss HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. We look forward to helping you stay comfortable in your home all year long!
It might be hard to believe, but spring isn’t all that far off. We’ve made it through the coldest part of the winter, and now we can start thinking about the warmer, greener days ahead. For many homeowners this means performing some major spring cleaning. But it also means preparing your HVAC systems for the changing of the seasons, so your air conditioner is ready to run when the mercury rises.
Here are some tips from our HVAC service in St. Louis, MO to help you make sure you’re in good shape for the spring when it arrives:
Get all debris and plants away from your AC unit: Chances are you haven’t given your actual air conditioning unit a whole lot of thought during the winter months. This means there’s a good chance that there’s been some trash, yard waste or other debris that’s accumulated around it during the fall and winter. Therefore, when the snow melts away and the weather starts to warm up, make sure you go out and check the area around your AC unit to ensure it’s clear. This will help you ensure a properly functioning unit. In addition, as plants start to come back for the season, make sure to check around the unit for overgrowth so you don’t accidentally block off the air conditioning. The unit needs approximately two feet of clearance on every side to be able to maximize its efficiency.
Call in a professional for an inspection: Early spring is the best time of year to have a technician come out to inspect and service your unit. You’ll find that people suddenly realize they need to do this once the weather gets hot, meaning the longer you wait the harder it will be to get someone out to your property within a reasonable amount of time. Plus, by booking your appointment in the spring instead of the summer, when you already need to be running your unit, your technician will be able to pinpoint any issues that could cause you problems ahead of time, before you ever have to worry about them interfering with your comfort. This means you’ll be prepared with reliable, high-quality air conditioning operation all summer long and will have a drastically lower likelihood of having to call for emergency repairs.
Swap out your filters: Spring is a great time to swap out the filter in your HVAC system. People often don’t think about the air filters during the winter, but you should change your filters at least every few months, and some experts recommend every 30 days. Your manufacturer will have some specific recommendations for your system. Clogged or dirty filters can result in the air conditioner working harder than it has to, which could cause it to break down.
These are just a few tips to help you get off on the right foot this spring and summer with your air conditioning. For more information, or to schedule HVAC service in St. Louis, MO, reach out to Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today.
