This winter, you want to make sure that your home stays comfortable and warm for you, your family and any guests you may be hosting. Even though it’s important to ensure that your heating system is running efficiently and effectively, it’s even more important to make sure that your system is running safely. Unfortunately, many homeowners suffer injury or loss of property as a result of fires from systems that are not operated safely.
For this reason, it is imperative that you take care of your system and follow several safety tips that will prevent overheating and reduce the risk of fire. If you are at all concerned about the safety of your system or you think that it might be a fire hazard, you should call a professional technician to inspect it and provide you with tips to stay safe during the heating season:
Check your smoke alarms: Your smoke alarms are incredibly important devices in your home that can help ensure that you and your family are made aware of a fire in time to evacuate safely. Test your smoke alarms and consider replacing them if they are old or don’t seem to be working reliably.
Keep areas around heating sources clear: Laundry, papers and other clutter can catch fire if they are too close to your heating units. Make sure that the area around all major heat sources is cleared so that there are three unobstructed feet around stoves, fireplaces and heaters.
Be careful when using space heaters: Space heaters can be effective heating sources, but they can also be dangerous if they are not used correctly. You should place your space heater on a level surface away from any potentially flammable materials like clothing, papers or curtains. Make sure that your space heater is away from children and pets to prevent burns or injury.
Use fireplaces cautiously: You should have your fireplace serviced on an annual basis to ensure that the chimney is clean and ready to be used. You should also make sure that you have a screen in front of your fireplace to prevent a crackling log from throwing sparks and starting a fire.
Maintain and service heating sources and systems: The best way to ensure that your heating system continues to operate safely, effectively and efficiently is to have it serviced regularly. You should also make sure to invest in professional furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO in order to minimize the risk of house fires and to promote energy efficiency.
When you need expert help with your heating system, reach out to the experts at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We understand how important it is to keep your system running effectively, efficiently and safely, which is why we are proud to deliver all of the HVAC services that you need, including furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO. To find out more about heating safety or to get your system professionally serviced, just contact us today to schedule an appointment.
The transition from heating to cooling is the perfect time to catch up on preventative maintenance. Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling can help you out with this by performing maintenance tasks, from furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO to major repairs. Call us to schedule a maintenance appointment today and we will accomplish the following for you:
Fix last year’s problems: If you suffered weird noises, odd smells and frequent trips in your power breakers, let’s address those first. Many times, the solution is simple, like replacing air filters. Other times, there are serious problems like cracked combustion chambers and failed burners. If you address these now, you will have more success heating your home next winter. Also, if problems are linked to your heat pump, that can affect air conditioning, too. Fix these things now so you do not risk a sweltering home on the hottest day of the year.
Inspection: We can inspect for any issue from worn out belts and pulleys to cracks and blemishes in your furnace. Many of these, if caught early, prevent future failures and sudden spikes in your utility bills. It is also less expensive to fix them now before you have a catastrophic problem. Other times, we find serious damage that could poison your home with carbon monoxide or lead to a full-on system failure that requires replacement. Finding problems early may still result in expensive solutions, but at least you will avoid surprises.
Test thermostats: A thermostat that fails to communicate with your furnace or air conditioning unit will not keep your home heated or cooled. If you find the set temperature is not easily sustained, or rooms are heated or cooled unevenly, the problem may lie with your thermostats. During maintenance, we can test them and see if they are working for you. If not, we may recommend you replace them with better programmable models.
Charge refrigerant: This time of year, your maintenance appointment will prepare your air conditioning for a long hot summer. If it is time to charge the refrigerant, we can do this now so you know you will stay cool later. We will also take the opportunity to check for leaks and see if any piping requires replacement. Changing air filters also helps refrigerant last longer.
Discuss upgrades: HVAC systems have a maximum useful life, and yours may have reached it. If you suffer constant inefficiency, high utility bills and frequent repair calls, it is likely better to replace your system. Now is a good time because the moderate temperatures of spring make it possible to go a day without HVAC while we install the new system. Consider this an opportunity to enjoy a new Energy Star system or add new features like dehumidifiers and thermostats that you can access from your smart phone.
If you require furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO and other types of HVAC maintenance, call Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling for an appointment. We are also available for consultation on energy efficient systems and emergency service calls.
Keeping your house clean is an essential part of being a homeowner. The cleaning work never really stops; you dust, sweep, vacuum, clean your bathrooms and tidy up whenever there’s an accident. But did you know that cleaning parts of your house you can’t see is just as important as cleaning your kitchen and bathroom? It’s true! Here are several reasons why experts recommend yearly furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO:
Increase efficiency: Even the best furnaces become less efficient over time. Dust and other debris can coat the blower motor, switches, heat exchanger and the ignition system. When that happens, the furnace will slowly lose its ability to properly heat your home. If you call one of our technicians to service your unit, you’ll rest assured that we can clean out all of the debris to ensure maximum efficiency.
Avoid safety issues: Furnaces can be very dangerous fixtures. A faulty or dirty furnace poses the very real threat of starting a fire or spewing deadly carbon monoxide gas into your home. Old filters and clogged vents can lead to fires. What’s maybe even scarier is that a dirty heat exchanger is in danger of cracking, which can lead to carbon monoxide leaks! Carbon monoxide can lead to serious health issues rather quickly.
Extend the life of your furnace: A clean furnace is the key to a long-lasting unit. Dirt that gets into your furnace’s switches drastically ages critical components of your unit. Electrical switches and controls, the fan and blower motor and the heat exchanger are all necessary for a fully functioning unit. They also need to be kept clean at all times. Only a professional technician can properly clean all of these vital components.
Retain your warranty: Most furnaces come with some kind of warranty. However, some warranties become void if the manufacturer finds out you haven’t been taking proper care of your unit by having it serviced regularly. Yearly preventative maintenance that includes furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO will help keep your warranty intact throughout your furnace’s lifespan.
In addition to hiring one of our professionals to clean your furnace, there are steps you can take to help keep the unit clean:
Change the filters: You’re responsible for changing your unit’s air filters between annual maintenance and cleaning visits. Furnace filters can be purchased at any home improvement store for a few dollars. Just be sure that you purchase the exact size specified by the manufacturer of your furnace.
Keep the area around your furnace tidy: Dusting and sweeping around your unit can do wonders to improve the functionality of your furnace. Just think: all of that dust in the unit has to come from somewhere—probably from the floor and ceiling. Make sure you take care of that debris before it has a chance to get inside your unit.
Since this is the time of year when you’ll be using your furnace the most, call Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today to schedule a visit from one of our professionals for furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO.
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.
Just when it seemed like winter would never end and we’d be stuck with cold temperatures and heavy precipitation for months and months to come, spring finally arrived! Unfortunately, while springtime weather may be a welcome sight for sore eyes, its late arrival means a narrower window before summer quickly follows… which means you have a limited time to make sure your home is getting the attention it needs after such a long season!
One of the things you should consider amongst the never-ending list of springtime chores for your home is to have your furnace cleaned. Often, people are more worried about prepping their AC units for the season ahead (and rightfully so) than they are about giving their furnace a proper shutdown. The result, come fall and winter, is a furnace that might roar back to life with some issues that have been left to fester for the better part of a year.
Investing in furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO is a way to avoid a lot of trouble come fall. In having your furnace inspected and cleaned right before the summer season, you’ll be able to know confidently that it’s ready, willing and able to wake up in the fall when you need it most, and perform to a high level of function right away. Plus, this will eliminate the need for comprehensive startup services come fall—your unit will be in great shape, with only minor attention required.
So back to the question at hand: why invest in a furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO now? Why not just do it in the fall, when your HVAC is performing startup services? Let us count the reasons:
If dust, debris and dirt sit in your furnace environment all winter, they’re going to harden and oxidize into problems that can detract from your furnace.
Not changing the filter can result in crusting debris that lingers even if you do manage to change the filter in the fall.
If you don’t clean your furnace now, you might forget come winter! Spring is associated with cleaning, which means you’re more likely to get this task out of the way while it’s convenient.
Spring means your furnace has just made it through yet another enduring season of heavy use and high function—now, more than ever, it needs to be cleaned! Think of it like working out at the gym: when you get home, you want a nice shower to feel clean again!
Taking care of your furnace now is going to be a smart decision that you’ll reflect on come the end of summer and the start of fall and colder temperatures. Knowing that you undertook furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO earlier in the year is going to give you the peace of mind that you need when it finally comes time to turn on the heat in the fall. Why do tomorrow what you could do today—especially if it’ll save you time and frustration down the line?
