With winter getting closer, it is time to start winterizing your home so that you are prepared when the cold weather hits. When that cold weather arrives, it is imperative that your heating system is ready to go without delay. Following this guide to furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO will help you make sure your heating system is ready for the challenge:
Check air filters: After months of hard work every year, the filters in your HVAC system have probably accumulated a substantial amount of dirt and other debris. Checking the condition of your filters not only ensures that warm air will flow undisturbed throughout your home all winter, but also that your family will have clean, quality air to breathe all season.
Check the chimney: Between extensive fireplace use and heavy winters over the years, your chimney might not be in the best shape. That is why it is a good idea to have a professional check your chimney every year to make sure it hasn’t sustained any structural damage, or collected an immense amount of debris or creosote. Creosote accumulates every time you use your fireplace, and if it goes unattended for too long, a chimney fire could potentially break out.
Check burners: Furnace burners should be checked and cleaned at least once a year, because faulty burners could cause your entire heating system to fail. To check your burners, remove the small chamber door on your furnace and make sure there isn’t any dust, dirt or rust covering any of the burners. After you have inspected the state of the actual burners, turn on your furnace to observe their operation. A blue flame indicates that your burners are in suitable condition, while a yellow flame is a good indication that a burner is old and needs to be replaced. If you see that the flame is yellow or that no flame appears at all, you should call a professional to make adjustments or install new burners.
Check air vents and ducts: If air filters aren’t maintained properly, the collection of debris could blow back into the tubing of your HVAC system and cause blockages that could weaken the air flow in your home. To check the condition of the ducts, turn off your HVAC system and unscrew the vent cover to check for any visible blockage. You should also check for any weaknesses that may be perceptible in the actual ductwork at this time. Even if your filters are consistently cleaned, dirt and other small objects might still find their way into the conduit of your heating system.
Consult a professional: While there are some things that you will easily be able to remedy yourself, it is best to have a professional come in and perform comprehensive maintenance and cleaning on your heating system. An experienced technician already knows which problem areas to check, and can troubleshoot any of the more difficult issues that you might run into while preparing your furnace for another winter. Bringing in professional help is the best way to guarantee that your heating system will work safely and efficiently all season.
If you haven’t been able to find the right professional for all of your HVAC needs just yet, call Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. In addition to your furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO, we can repair any trouble units in time for the winter, so act now before you’re left in the cold.
A long-standing debate between HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO has been whether tube heaters or unit heaters are best for commercial buildings and warehouses. The reality is that both are suitable options, and their compatibility with your specific needs is what will make one option better than the other. Let’s look a little closer at the functions of each, which will help to determine which one is best for your commercial heating needs.
Tube heaters
Tube heaters are tube-like heating mechanisms that are usually secured on ceilings or support beams, and are utilized predominantly in warehouses near dock doors or other small sections of space that consistently see cooler temperatures due to an influx of outside air. The tube heater doesn’t heat the air, but instead provides a great source of heat for all of the objects in the area, including people, flooring and walls. The biggest knock against tube heaters is that they don’t heat entire spaces as effectively as unit heaters, because they can only heat the area directly below their location.
While this is a valid concern, it is possible to at least partially remedy this issue with the strategic placement and layout of multiple tube heaters. The higher up a tube heater is placed, the more surface area it will be able to heat. You can also opt for a design that includes larger aluminum reflectors, which will increase the distance that the heat is projected. Tube heaters are also the most cost-effective option, especially if you are placing them in an open area from which forced air would be wastefully escaping. If you have a large warehouse with multiple open spaces and dock doors, then tube heaters might be the best option for your commercial heating needs.
Unit heaters
While tube heaters are powerful, unit heaters pack the most punch. With output specifications of up to 400,000 BTUH, forced air unit heaters are ideal when you do not have specific pockets of cool air permeating a space, and are instead looking to create a more uniform comfort level throughout a room. Forced air units usually operate as one entire system, instead of several individual units that need very specific placement for maximum effectiveness. Warm air is blown into an entire room, and this heated air is distributed evenly, creating a consistent and lasting feeling of warmth that allows you to move around the room comfortably.
Because of the high capacity of unit heaters, you will likely need fewer units to heat an entire building. This means that while tube heaters are the most cost-effective option in the long-term, the installation of unit heaters is cheaper, and can be the best choice if your budget is limited initially. Unit heaters are also ideal in situations where there will be lengthy interactions with customers inside of your building. Not to be taken for granted, this comfort could be one of the reasons people decide to come back.
Tube heaters and unit heaters both have their own practicalities that work best in certain situations. Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling has been one of the top HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO for more than 15 years, and our experienced team is ready to help you figure out which system will work best for your company.
Making sure to keep air filters clean as a regular part of your air conditioning service in St. Louis, MO goes a long way in conserving the health of your unit. But can something as basic as keeping your air filters clean really have a meaningful impact on your entire air conditioning system?
Why is it so important to keep air filters clean?
If you have an air filter that is sitting with dirt and grime on it, many aspects of your entire air conditioning system could be affected. Your air conditioner may be working at far less than its full potential, which will have a direct effect on the temperatures that you feel inside your home. If the dirt blows back into the condenser that sits outside and gets onto the cooling coils, frost can build up and hamper the operation of both the coils and the fans.
When this happens, the air conditioning unit will ultimately have to work harder to overcome these impaired internal components, which spells trouble for your energy bill. If the air flow is restricted for too long, the air conditioning system could be weakened significantly, and might need to be replaced much sooner than expected.
If the air blows the opposite way, into your home, the quality of air that you and your family are breathing will suffer greatly. The dust and allergens that will be blown into your home could cause health problems for everyone inside, pets included. As a result of the bad air quality, members of your family may experience headaches or chest tightness or have to deal with lingering cold symptoms and their complications with greater frequency. Those with pre-existing respiratory issues, such as asthma or allergies, could experience heightened irritation as a result, and they may not be able to stay in the home without getting sick.
The quality of air you breathe has a direct correlation with your quality of life, so keeping your air filter clean will lead to a healthier, happier time at home.
How often should you change your air filter?
How often you change your air filter will depend on which type of filter you use. Newer filters include innovative technology that slows dirt buildup, so there isn’t much danger of the buildup becoming so severe that it completely blocks the airflow. The main issue, however, is that the longer the dirt remains on the filter, the longer the dirt will pollute the air. Electronic filters should be changed every six months at a minimum. Another commonly used filter is the electrostatic filter, which needs to be changed every three to six months. A third filter that is relatively common is the HEPA filter. Because this filter is extremely efficient and collects a lot of dirt and dust regularly, it should be checked at least once a month.
Even taking these guidelines into account, it is still a good idea to check the filter frequently, even in between the scheduled cleaning intervals. Allowing filters to remain uncleaned greatly compromises the ability of the filter to work properly, which subsequently alters the output of the entire air conditioning unit. If you do find that your air conditioning system doesn’t seem to be operating as effectively as it should be, call the team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling for air conditioning service in St. Louis, MO and make sure you are getting the most out of your unit.
When your air conditioning unit goes down, choosing between repairing or replacing the unit can be difficult. Sorting through all of the pertinent factors can be overwhelming, but HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO can help.
To repair or replace?
The very first thing to take into consideration when deciding between repairing your current AC system or replacing it with a new one is the age of the existing unit. The industry recommendation is that, if your unit is more than 10 years old, you should consider replacing it. Although a quality unit is built to last longer than this 10-year threshold, the unit loses its power and efficiency with age. As a rule, if the age of your unit in years, multiplied by the cost of repairs, exceeds $5,000, then it is in your best interest to replace the system.
Additionally, if you are shelling out big bucks for repairs on a frequent basis due to the age of the unit, it might be time to invest that money in a new, properly working unit. And if the unit that you are sinking money into is less than 10 years old, that could be an indication that there is a larger problem with the unit that is causing continuous malfunction, and it may need to be replaced.
There are certain times, though, when repairing your existing unit is the best option. Careful contemplation of your current circumstances and your future plans could reveal the best course of action. For example, consider the length of time you plan on being in your home. You may have plans to move to a bigger house in the near future because you are planning on adding to your family. Or you might only be in a particular city for a temporary job relocation, and you know that your living situation will be changing soon. In these instances, it would be more economical for you to try to repair your system if at all possible.
On the other hand, if you have just purchased a new home and know you will be there permanently, ask the seller for access to the maintenance history of the AC unit. Knowing that the unit has received maintenance on a regular schedule suggests that the unit will need less repair overall in the future, and you can have confidence that these repair costs will be manageable.
Energy efficiency saves you money
Even if you have an older unit that is in good condition, you might still be spending quite a bit on your air conditioning bill because it isn’t equipped with any of the new energy efficiency options that many newer units include. It has been shown that upgrading to a system with improved energy efficiency ratings could save you up to 20 percent on your energy bills. Upgrading to this type of system also raises the value of your home, and could even put you in line to receive rebates. This innovative energy efficiency is also much better for the environment, and can drastically reduce your carbon footprint.
When the time comes and you have to make a choice between keeping and repairing your current AC unit or installing a new one, let your local HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO be your guide. There are pros and cons with either choice, but the knowledgeable technicians at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling can walk you through all of your options so that you are able to make the best decision for you and your family. Contact us today to learn more.
There is debate among HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO and throughout the country regarding the best way to manage air conditioning. This is especially relevant to people who work all day and with no one home during that time. Many wonder if they will save on cooling costs if they keep their machine turned off. However, the efficiency of leaving a machine running versus shutting it down depends on climate and preferences. Here is why, in St. Louis, you should consider leaving the AC on even when you are gone.
Better efficiency
There are climates where shutting down the air conditioning is a prudent decision. Homes do not heat up as quickly, and once a resident turns on the air conditioning, the environment will cool down in a timely manner. If the home does not have indoor pets or sensitive equipment, there is no reason to keep the AC on in these climates when no one is inside.
However, in humid climates, like in the Midwest, this does not work as well. Even shaded homes will heat up quickly and the moisture in the air will make it more unbearable. If you shut down the AC while going to work or taking a vacation, your HVAC will have to work harder to cool the atmosphere when you are desperately needing that. Also, your pets will be miserable without the air conditioning at least running on a low setting.
Best AC practices
There are still ways to control cooling costs even when you leave your AC on. For one, purchase a programmable thermostat. You can set it to maintain a higher temperature when you are gone and then lower that later so you will arrive home to a cooler house. Also, keep any thermostat away from anything that produces heat, like lamps, TVs, computers and ovens. That will compel them to overwork themselves and show the evidence in your next utility bill.
Never forget regular maintenance. Changing out filters regularly and cleaning the unit will help it run better. If you have ducts, arrange for those to be cleaned regularly, as well.
Ceiling fans partner with air conditioning very well by keeping airflow going. This will help keep your home cooler so your HVAC does not have to work as hard. They also reduce humidity for a much more comfortable environment. Many people also enjoy the sound and appearance of ceiling fans.
Finally, if you have any control over the matter, install your outdoor AC units in the shade. Just as you want to keep thermostats away from heat sources, you need to do the same with the main unit. Otherwise, it will be under the impression that your home is warmer than it is in reality. If you do not have much choice in the unit’s location, hire a contractor to build a shade over it.
We know you have a choice of HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO. Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling is available for service for air conditioning units and furnaces. Call us today to set up an appointment. We also have emergency services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
