Fall has finally arrived in Hammond, LA, and as your air conditioner sees less and less use (and your heater more and more use), it’s time to think about repairs or upgrades to your system. In particular, consider the advantages of a zone control system, which can provide a number of tangible benefits to both your air conditioning and your heating system. Installing such a system now makes a lot of sense, since temperatures are milder and you can set an installation schedule at your leisure instead of rushing to get it finished in front of the next heat wave or chilly night. “How do zone control systems benefit me?” you ask. Here’s a quick breakdown.
Professional Heating & Air Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category
How Do Zone Control Systems Benefit Me?
Monday, October 19th, 2015Signs of Trouble with Your Thermostat
Monday, October 12th, 2015Your thermostat is designed to do its job without much fuss or bother, and because it doesn’t have a lot of moving parts, you can expect it to last for many years. But trouble can crop up when you least expect it, and your thermostat is no exception. When problems do arise, they can leave your Hammond, LA home without heating or air conditioning until it gets fixed. That’s why you should call in a trained technician the minute you spot signs of trouble with your thermostat. Here’s a short list of possible issues to help you make that determination.
How to Tell if Your Heater is Inefficient
Monday, October 5th, 2015Heating season is fairly short here in Hammond, LA, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. We still get our share of chilly nights and while we may be paying less for comfortable heating than other communities further north, you should still watch for signs of inefficiency in your heating system. They mean that you’re paying more than you should for the privilege, and by letting them go unaddressed, you’re throwing money away that should be staying in your wallet. A good repair service can address the problems of an inefficient heater, but first you need to spot the signs. Here are a few ways to tell if your heater is inefficient.
3 Common Problems with Your Fireplace
Monday, September 28th, 2015Your fireplace likely hasn’t seen much use this summer, as our hot, humid weather in Hammond, LA has left people far more interested in air conditioning than heating. But fall is officially here and with cooler weather comes the need to open up those chimney flues and warm your home with a nice cozy fire. However, all those months sitting unused may have created problems with your fireplace or made existing ones more difficult. Before you use your fireplace this fall, it pays to schedule a maintenance session with a trained technician to look for some of the common problems.
3 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Fall
Monday, September 14th, 2015Hammond, LA is a warm city, and even though Labor Day has come and gone, high temperatures are still bound to linger for a few more weeks. But fall will be here before you know it, which means that now is an ideal time to start looking at your heating system. The more preparation you can do before the mercury drops, the fewer problems you’ll have when you need your heater to respond. Here are 3 ways to prepare your home for fall, which could save you a great deal in winter heating costs.
Get a Jump on Heating Maintenance Now
Monday, July 27th, 2015Let’s face it: heating is probably the last thing on your mind right if you live in Hammond, LA right now. Our steamy southern summers are in full swing, and homeowners are rightfully focused on keeping their air conditioners well maintained. But the heat will cool off before you know it, and while Louisiana is a long way from Michigan or Maine, we still get our share of chilly nights in the winter. The last thing you want is to fire up your heater, only to find out that it needs a major repair or even have it running with less efficiency than you expect. You can get a jump on that by planning for heating maintenance now, before the temperatures drop.
Why You Shouldn’t Wait for Heating Repairs Even at the End of Winter
Tuesday, March 17th, 2015As we approach the end of winter, most of us will start thinking less about the heating systems in our homes and more about turning on the air conditioning systems to keep everyone in our households cooled down through another warm Louisiana summer. But we can still expect to rely on heating in Ponchatoula, LA for a bit longer, as well as during occasional spring cold days, so it’s important that we don’t forget about our homes’ heaters during this time. Especially if they show signs that they need to have repairs done.
If you believe that your heater, whether a furnace or heat pump, has a malfunction, you should never delay schedule repairs just because warm weather is around the corner. Pick up the phone and call A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning as soon as possible, and our expert technicians will see that you have the necessary repair work done.
But why should I bother with repairs now? Why not wait for fall?
There are a number of good reasons that you should always have repairs done when malfunctions crop up. If you have a gas-powered furnace, the #1 reason is safety. Gas furnaces are built today with safe performance uppermost in mind, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore repair issues. The best way to keep a gas furnace from creating health hazards due to toxic and combustible gas leaks is to have any repairs done promptly. It’s not worth taking the risk.
However, even if you have an electrically powered heating systems, it’s important to have repairs done s soon as you can arrange them. You will still need your heating system at points during the spring, and if you don’t have the necessary repairs taken care of, there is a much higher chance that the heater will completely break down, leaving you scrambling for emergency service to fix it. The unit will also drain additional power to operate and result in unnecessarily inflated bills.
Also keep in mind that a heating system that operates with faults will age must faster because of the additional stress placed on it. If you keep running the heater, you will start shortening its lifespan. The most expensive “repair” you can have done for a heating system is to need to replace it early. To see that this doesn’t happen, always move fast to have any repair work done.
A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning offers emergency repairs for heating in Ponchatoula, LA any time of the day or night. You can trust to our skilled technicians to find the problems in your heater and have them fixed so you are always ready for cold weather.
Some Common Furnace Repairs
Wednesday, February 25th, 2015Being the most common kind of heating system on the market has given furnaces a couple of advantages. Their parts are the easiest, and often cheapest, to find and install. It’s easy to find a company that provides heating repair for them, and most homes are outfitted with the proper equipment to use them. Being the most common also means that furnace problems are the most common type of HVAC problem in the industry. Since it’s always a good idea to have at least a little bit of knowledge about how your home heating system works, let’s explore some of the most common furnace repairs.
Dirty Air Filter
Technically, this isn’t even a “repair” so much as it is a maintenance issue. It still causes a great deal of repairs every year, though, so it’s worth examining. The air filter is a part installed in the air return duct of your furnace’s air handler. It is designed to protect the furnace from any dust or other particles that might blow in from the home’s ducts and damage the system. Though it’s very good at this job, the air filter is unfortunately incapable of getting rid of these particulates once it captures them. If not cleaned or replaced every 1-3 months, the air filter can become so clogged that it restricts the flow of air into the furnace. That can cause all sorts of problems, including overheating and cracks in the heat exchanger. So, if you don’t know how to change your furnace air filter, call an HVAC technician to show you how to do it. Then, change or clean it every few months.
Ignition Failure
Failing to start is a really common problem among all heating systems, not just furnaces. In the furnace’s case, however, the problem is likely with the ignition device. Some furnaces still use the old gas-powered pilot lights as ignition systems, in which case you’ll want to check and see if the flame is still burning. Otherwise, it is possible that a heating element or electrode has burned out, removing the only method the furnace has for lighting the burner assembly.
If your furnace is experiencing issues, call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning and make an appointment with us. We provide professional heating repair in the Mandeville, LA area.
Signs That It’s Time to Replace Your Heater
Thursday, February 5th, 2015No one likes to hear that their heater is at the end of its life. Unfortunately, that eventuality claims all heating systems. No matter how well you maintain your heating system, you will eventually see a day where it has to be replaced. Are you prepared to recognize that day when it arrives, however? Let’s examine the signs that indicate it’s time to replace your heater, instead of repairing it.
Repairs Increase in Frequency and Cost
Even a newer heater will incur repair needs on occasion. The odd faulty part or unusual circumstance will arise every so often that requires professional attention. As your heater gets closer to the end of its lifespan, however, these occurrences will begin to become more and more frequent and costly. It will begin to seem like your heater breaks down at least every other month, and the cost of each repair will steadily grow as replacement parts stop becoming available. Once this begins happening, it is very likely that your heater needs to be replaced.
Rise in Heating Bills
If your heating bills begin to show a consistent rise month after month, it’s a sign that something is wrong with your heating system. Normally, there should be slight variations in your heating bill as your need for heat fluctuates. As the heater gets older, however, the various parts in the system begin to wear down. This slowly decreases their efficiency, lowering the system’s heat output until it has to stay on for much longer in order to heat the same sized space. If your heating bills are getting more and more expensive for no apparent reason, you should consider replacing your heater.
Age
Age is often the number one indicator of whether or not you should replace your heater. The older a heater gets, the harder it gets to keep it in good condition. Parts go out of production, and advancing efficiency in newer systems vastly increases the benefits of replacing the old heater with a new one. If your heater is older than 10-15 years old, even if it seems to be working fine, it might be a good idea to start looking at replacing it.
If you think your heater may need replacing, schedule an appointment with A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning. We provide heating services in the Covington area.
What Is a Thermocouple?
Friday, January 30th, 2015Every combustion heating system needs a number of safety mechanisms to ensure that the unit runs safely. One area that has to be highly monitored with both furnaces and boilers is the pilot light. In a furnace that has a standing pilot light, the component responsible for monitoring the pilot is known as a thermocouple.
What It Is
A thermocouple is an instrument made from two differing metals; these metals are soldered together at a single point for the purpose of monitoring temperature. When the metals are heated at the point of contact, a voltage is generated; this is known as the Seebeck effect. As the heat on the metals increases, the voltage also increases; the voltage coming from the thermocouple is what indicates to your furnace that there is a pilot and that it is viable and good for lighting your furnace. The thermocouple is placed so that the point of contact, which is encased in a stainless steel encasement, is right in the flame; this is so the thermocouple can accurately measure the pilot.
How It Works
The thermocouple not only measures the standing pilot flame, it also acts as a gatekeeper to the gas line valve. When your thermostat calls for heat, the thermocouple checks the pilot light; if there isn’t a pilot light, or the flame isn’t strong enough, the thermocouple won’t allow the main gas valve to open. This helps ensure that gas won’t flow unless it can be lit. If the standing pilot is viable, the thermocouple allows the main gas valve to open and your furnace’s burner is successfully lit.
Common Problems
Thermocouples are exposed to very high temperatures, and then cool off; this kind of prolonged wear and tear can cause the thermocouple to crack. Additionally, the metal strips can corrode, which also cause operational issues. A dirty thermocouple may not be able to accurately read the flame, and a thermocouple that shifts position or is positioned incorrectly will be too far away to correctly read the flame. Any of these problems can result in ignition problems with your furnace.
The safety mechanisms on your furnace are critical; as such, they should only be repaired by professionals. Having problems with your furnace? Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today and schedule an appointment with us! We offer quality furnace repair services in the Hammond area.