“Does My Furnace Produce Dust and Allergens?”

February 25th, 2019

close-up-with-white-background-of-woman-blowing-her-noseNo, although this is a common misconception. Your furnace or ducted heat pump doesn’t produce dust any more than a boiler or a ductless system might. What your forced air heater does do, though, is circulate dust, allergens, and other debris throughout your home. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use your heater! It just means that you’ll need the right indoor air quality system(s) in place to combat this—such as a whole-house air purifier.

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How to Efficiently Stay Warm in Freezing Conditions

February 11th, 2019

family-home-covered-in-snowNeedless to say, it’s been a cold winter thus far! As your local HVAC contractor, we want to ensure that our customers stay as comfortable as possible during this chilly season. But we also want to make sure you’re doing so efficiently. High efficiency heating is accomplished in many ways, but one of the best ways is through correct use of your thermostat. Better use of your thermostat and control of your settings can do a lot for your heater, including reducing repair needs and helping it last longer.

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Common Furnace Repair Needs

January 28th, 2019

cute-dog-under-blanketIf you’re like many Pittsburgh area residents, you likely use a furnace for your winter heating needs. Since the furnace is the most common type of residential heating system across the country, we do see a lot of them and many of our professional Pittsburgh heating services involve repairing and replacing these systems.

Our expert heating repairs will get your malfunctioning furnace back in good shape. However, some furnace problems can be tricky to spot at first. We’d like to help you detect these problems early so our team can get out to you ASAP before the trouble grows worse and you end up with a cold and uncomfortable home. Keep reading for a list of warning signs, and if you notice any of them, do be sure to contact us right away.

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Heater Trouble? Check Your Thermostat!

January 14th, 2019

Note: 55 degrees is the energy-saving recommended heating setting for winter when you are not at home. Variations for heating and cooling when home and not home may be available.The bad news: It’s the middle of winter and your heater seems to be experiencing problems or a malfunction of some kind.

The good news: It may not be a problem with the actual heating system at all!

Pretty frequently, when an HVAC system doesn’t operate the way it should, the problem is actually with the thermostat. Sometimes you may still have to call in a professional for Pittsburgh, PA thermostat services, but oftentimes you may be able to “fix” or at least address the issue all on your own.

“But how?” you ask. By double checking your settings on your thermostat. Don’t worry if any of these scenarios below end up being true for you. They are very common mistakes for homeowners with digital, programmable thermostats—if it were uncommon we wouldn’t be blogging about it! Read on…

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Is My Older Thermostat Causing My Furnace to Fail?

December 31st, 2018

hand setting a thermostat down to 62 degreesWe wouldn’t go that far. But, an outdated, miscalibrated, or improperly installed thermostat can certainly hinder the performance of your heater (and your air conditioner, for that matter). Given how much we use our HVAC systems around here, it stands to reason that you want to do everything you can to save energy, and subsequently save money. We want that for you too! Which is why we offer thermostat services as part of our comprehensive Pittsburgh heating services.

The first thing we want you to understand about your thermostat is that the quality of this device and how you use it plays a pretty big role in how efficient your heater will work. Read on to learn more about this relationship, and to discover what your thermostat options are (and how they improve efficiency).

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Don’t Underestimate This Potential Gas Furnace Hazard

December 17th, 2018

Three natural gas burners with bright blue flames inside an operating gas furnace.First, we want to start by saying that if you have a gas furnace warming your home each winter, it is not inherently hazardous in any way. What can make it a danger, however, is not keeping up with system maintenance once a year, and/or not following up on furnace repair needs that your system may have.

Over 64 million homes in the U.S. use natural gas for winter heat. If they did pose a basic health threat to a home, this number would not be as high. The fact of the matter is, current standards for the manufacturing of natural gas furnaces places a special emphasis on maintaining safety in operation. So, what’s up with the title of this blog post?

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Could Your Home Use a Humidifier?

November 19th, 2018

Beautiful young woman sitting by the window having hot drinkIf you’ve lived in the Pittsburgh area for even just a year, then you are probably well aware of how dry our winters can get. When you take that dryness and put it in your home, you could end up with a lot of problems. And the thing is, the relative humidity outdoors absolutely impacts the moisture levels indoors! The lowest humidity level before your environment starts getting uncomfortable (and unhealthy) is 30%—you want your home’s relative humidity level to be between this and 50%.

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Tips for Staying Warm in Your Home

November 5th, 2018

Young smiling woman sitting on sofa and looking up while drinking hot tea. Young brunette woman thinking at home in a leisure time. Happy girl relaxing at home on a bright winter morning.Temperatures are dropping quickly, and with that you want to make sure you are well prepared. This means making sure your heating system is ready for the season by scheduling maintenance, and taking care of any repair needs that crop up right away, rather than waiting. But getting the right heater service in Upper St. Clair is just part of staying warm in your home. There are a number of steps you can take to actually use your heater more efficiently to get the most out of and to ensure your comfort all winter long. Read on to learn more!

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Never Ignore This One Furnace Problem

October 22nd, 2018

Technician looking over a gas furnace with a flashlight before cleaning it.There are a number of reasons a homeowner may choose to invest in an electric furnace over a gas-powered system. For one, they may not even have access to their municipal’s gas line. Another reason might be that they’re worried about the safety hazards that a gas-powered system presents.

That’s not to say gas furnaces are inherently dangerous. In fact, today’s systems are built much sturdier than those of the past, and so long as you have your system professionally installed and serviced by trained professionals, you shouldn’t have much to worry about.

However, just like any other powerful appliance, gas furnaces do need routine maintenance done. And skipping this service certainly can leave you in danger—in danger of a carbon monoxide leak due to a cracked heat exchanger.

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What Heater Repair Issues Could You Face without Maintenance?

October 8th, 2018

cold man looking at thermostatWouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to guarantee your heater would work flawlessly all fall and winter long this year? Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case. Eventually, you will have a repair need that requires professional attention. Of course, you can reduce the risk of major and sudden repair needs by scheduling maintenance once a year for your heater! This is one of the most important HVAC services in Baldwin, PA you can invest in.

We get it, with temperatures still pretty high in recent weeks, you probably aren’t even thinking about your heating system yet. But let’s face it when winter hits, it hits hard. You’ll be grateful for a fully functional and efficient heating system. Below, we’ve detailed some heater problems that can crop up if you skip this service, and what they potentially mean for your heater.

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