Schedule Annual Heating Repair and Service

The only item above you can accomplish without training is changing the filter. Enjoy the benefits of professional heating repair and service, including maximum performance, efficiency and safety. Don’t worry about forgetting to schedule maintenance next year when you sign up for and Aire Serv^® Total Comfort Tune-Up. The Total Comfort Tune-Up from Aire Serv includes a professional cleaning, adjustment and safety check.

Learn What Type of Heating System You Have

An important step to properly caring for your heating equipment is to learn what type you have. Then, you can increase your knowledge of your equipment and perform maintenance specific to your equipment between formal visits from a heating system expert. Rest assured that Aire Serv repairs and services all brands and types of heating systems.

When to Repair or Replace

It’s impossible to keep a furnace running indefinitely. There comes a time in every furnace’s life when it no longer performs at the level you need. When that happens, a replacement makes more sense than a repair. Here’s how to tell if it’s time to replace your furnace:

• Age: If your furnace is well over a decade old, it could be time to replace it.
• Repair frequency: Is this the second or third repair this year? Is a looming repair close to half the cost of a new system? Stop throwing away money and put your funds toward a high-efficiency replacement.
• Energy bills: Rising energy costs could be one reason your heating bills are higher than a few years ago, but it’s also likely due to your aging furnace losing its ability to perform efficiently. A steady increase in energy bills is a sign that your furnace is past its prime.
• Comfort: Higher energy bills combined with diminished indoor comfort is incredibly frustrating. Uneven temperatures, trouble keeping up with demand, and cold air exiting supply registers are signs of a pending furnace replacement.

Green Apple Mechanical is committed to providing top-quality heating repair and service while maintaining a respectful attitude toward you and your home. Our world-class technicians know how to treat you with respect and courtesy, and we are always available to ensure that you receive help when you need it. We charge by the job, not by the hour, and we promise that you will be satisfied with your furnace repair or we will correct it at no cost to you.

To schedule your heating repair and service with Green Apple Mechanical, contact us today. We’re happy to answer all your questions.

Reasons the Furnace has Stopped Working Properly

It’s easy to notice when the above problems are occurring, but they are merely symptoms of an underlying cause. Here are the top reasons your furnace has stopped working and how Aire Serv technicians repair them:

• No power to the furnace: If the fan doesn’t respond to raising the thermostat’s temperature, a breaker may have tripped, the wiring could be loose, or the furnace switch might be turned off. More complicated problems include trouble with the transformer, thermostat, control board, run capacitor or blower motor. A technician can perform a diagnostic test to pinpoint the exact problem and come up with a solution.
• Failing motor: Squeaks and squeals may emanate from a motor that’s about to fail. Immediate attention from a technician is required to save the furnace from a complete breakdown.
• No ignition: In furnaces with spark ignitions, rapid clicking sounds indicate that the burner is trying to ignite. Failure to do so could be caused by a blocked flue, faulty control board, or improper limit control. Repairing or replacing these parts should remedy the problem.
• Main burner problems: Burners that won’t stay lit are most commonly caused by a dirty flame sensor or a clogged condensate drain in the case of condensing furnaces. If the burners won’t light at all, the gas supply could be cut off. Cleaning key components and making a few adjustments should be all a technician is required to do for this furnace repair.
• Issues with the run capacitor or motor: These problems cause the blower not to turn on after the burners ignite.
• Clogged air filter: Assuming the thermostat isn’t set to “on,” which keeps the blower motor on continuously, a clogged air filter is the primary cause of a blower motor running all the time. The restricted airflow may have damaged the limit switch, which senses the internal furnace temperature. An Aire Serv technician not only replaces the switch; he also pinpoints the problem. If a clogged filter is the cause, he will educate you on changing the air filter and the process for doing so.

Preventive Furnace Maintenance

Aire Serv is available 24/7 to assist you with your emergency furnace repair. By definition emergencies are unexpected and can happen in spite of even the most vigilant upkeep routines, but in reality most homeowners do not include their furnace in their seasonal rituals. Our furnace maintenance information guides you through the things you can do to maintain the health of you furnace.

To schedule emergency furnace repair, please contact the professionals at Green Apple Mechanical today.

What Should be Considered When Choosing a Heater Replacement?

• Geographic location: Furnaces and boilers make the most sense in cold climates while heat pumps could be an energy-saving heater replacement in mild climates. However, keep in mind that all-climate heat pumps are becoming a viable option for residents of colder climates. Your geographic location also affects the efficiency you choose. In short, the more you spend on heating bills, the more worthwhile it is to invest in high-efficiency equipment.
• Home type and existing system: If you don’t have ductwork, it makes sense to choose a boiler instead of a furnace or heat pump. If your home is ducted, perhaps your air conditioner needs to be replaced soon. You could cut back on your investment by choosing a heat pump instead of a traditional furnace/air conditioner combination.

What Types of Heating Systems are Available?

• Gas furnaces are the most common type of heating system in the United States thanks to the low cost of operation.
• Electric furnaces cost more to operate, but they are often the go-to option when natural gas is not available.
• Oil furnaces require you to store fuel onsite. It’s another viable alternative to a natural gas furnace.
• Boilers are known for delivering quiet, comfortable heat in homes with no ductwork and are particularly popular for their use in radiant floor systems. Gas, oil and electric models are available.
• Air-source heat pumps move heat rather than generating it from a combustible fuel source. Thanks to a reversing valve, heat pumps can operate as heating systems as well as air conditioners. They are most efficient in mild climates where the temperature rarely drops below freezing.
• Geothermal heat pumps are often the most expensive heater replacement to install, but they produce incredibly efficient, environmentally friendly heating by transferring energy from the earth. The same as air-source heat pumps, geothermal systems can both heat and cool your home.

What are the Benefits of an Energy-Efficient Heater Replacement?

• Energy savings: Consider that heating accounts for upwards of 50 percent of your energy bills this winter. While a more efficient heater requires a higher upfront investment, the resulting energy savings are often well worth it.
• Improved home comfort: Advanced features that allow a heater replacement to perform more efficiently also make your home more comfortable. Expect fewer drafts and more even temperatures from room to room when you choose an energy-efficient heater.
• Environmentally friendly: There’s no reason why staying warm this winter should make you feel guilty. Conservative fuel consumption achieved by high-efficiency equipment is a step in the right direction for a cleaner environment without sacrificing home comfort.

What Energy Efficiency Laws Affect the Decision?

The EPA planned to put new furnace efficiency laws into effect on May 1, 2013. The proposed plan involved raising the current minimum Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) from 80 to 90 in the northern United States. However, this plan fell through and the old requirement of 80 AFUE still stands around the country. Minimum boiler efficiency depends on the type of fuel. The minimum AFUE ratings for each type include:

• 80 AFUE for gas-fired steam boilers
• 82 AFUE for gas-fired hot water boilers
• 82 AFUE for oil-fired steam boilers
• 84 AFUE for oil-fired hot water boiler

To learn more about making an efficient heater replacement, please contact Green Apple Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning. Our skilled technicians can provide the professional replacement you’re looking for.

Different Types of Furnaces and Heating Systems

Furnaces are one of the most popular heating systems today:

• Gas furnaces have low operational costs and are therefore the most common.
• Electric furnaces are a good alternative where natural gas is not available.
• Oil furnaces are another choice if natural gas isn’t an option.

Other types of heating systems are also available:

• Heat pumps work like ACs during the summer and ACs in reverse during the winter.
• Boilers heat water for radiant heating systems.

What to Consider when Choosing a Furnace Replacement

• Geographic location: If you rely more on heating than air conditioning because you live in a cold geographic location, it’s worthwhile to invest in a high-efficiency furnace replacement. Paying the extra upfront cost might not be economical for warm-climate residents, though.
• Existing system: If you’re interested in adding air conditioning, a heat pump might be a better choice than a furnace, depending on your climate. Then again, if your home doesn’t have ductwork, a boiler could prove to be the most economical.

Benefits of an Energy-Efficient Furnace Replacement

• Energy savings: Upgrading from your mediocre furnace to a high-efficiency model, you can expect immediate and profound savings on your monthly utility bills all season long.
• Improved home comfort: The features that help an efficient furnace perform better also keeps you more comfortable. Expect more even temperatures from room to room and fewer drafts that diminish your comfort level.
• Environmentally friendly: Put away your guilt while running your high-efficiency furnace this winter. By keeping your home comfortable with less fuel consumption, an energy-efficient furnace replacement helps conserve fossil fuels. It also gives off fewer emissions that negatively impact the environment.

Energy Efficiency Laws

Perhaps you have heard about the EPA’s plan to implement new furnace efficiency laws. Initially, the EPA planned to require the northern half of the United States to increase the minimum Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating from 80 percent to 90 percent on May 1, 2013, while keeping southern states at the previous 80 percent requirement. This plan fell through, however, and all states’ minimum efficiency requirements are still 80 percent AFUE.

To learn more about making an efficient furnace replacement, contact Aire Serv. We’re equipped to provide the professional replacement you’re looking for.