Boehmer Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘HVAC’

Maximizing Your Home’s Energy Efficiency with a Smart Thermostat

Monday, February 13th, 2023

All you have to do to see how far we’ve come with thermostat technology is to try and use a slider thermostat–they’re extremely frustrating. In stark contrast, new thermostat systems offer perks that our parents or grandparents likely never dreamed were possible.

The benefits that newer thermostats come with don’t just make them interesting to have. These perks make them beneficial to your home comfort and your overall home efficiency. We’ll go over the benefits you’ll enjoy when you upgrade your thermostat and how to tell that an upgrade is something to add to your to-do list.

Tags: Heating, HVAC, Thermostats
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Myth Buster: Why You Should Avoid High-MERV Filters

Monday, September 12th, 2022

If you’re asking this question, then we’re glad you found our page–because you certainly do need a qualified HVAC professional to help you with your filter replacement. The higher the MERV rating of a filter– that is, the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value– the tighter the weave of the fiber. And the tighter the weave, the smaller particles can be caught.

Not all HVAC filters are created equal. The purpose of this filter that comes standard in your HVAC systems is to protect the system from debris that can get sucked into it and harm its sensitive components. So it sounds like a higher MERV rating would be the best to protect your HVAC system, right?

Well…. not quite. And we’ll get into the reasons why below. First, let’s explain further what MERV ratings are. Read on!

Tags: Filters, HVAC, MERV, Pittsburgh
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Myth Buster: Why You Should Avoid High-MERV Filters

Will Closing HVAC Vents in Unused Rooms Save Me Money?

Monday, February 14th, 2022

One of the most common questions we get from our customers is in regards to the best ways to save money. How can they lower their energy usage, how can they use their systems more efficiently, and yes even will closing their HVAC vents in unused rooms save them money?

We’ll dive into all of this—but the short answer to “will closing HVAC vents save me money” is no. Actually, this can do more harm than good to your HVAC system, which we will explain in a moment.

The best way to save money starts with having a home energy audit done. This is when our professionals come in and assess where you may be losing energy, whether it’s through drafty windows and doors, damaged air ducts, etc. From there, we can look at the best ways for you to conserve that energy, including informing you of the best HVAC systems for your specific home. Read on to learn more!

Tags: Home Energy Audits, HVAC, HVAC Services, Pittsburgh
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Here’s Your Spring Cleaning Checklist!

Thursday, April 1st, 2021

When you see something about spring cleaning, you likely envision dusting and decluttering your home. Maybe you bag up some stuff to donate and call it a day. These tasks will certainly help you enjoy your home more, but we have a slightly different idea of what spring cleaning looks like.

For our professionals, spring cleaning means investing in home services and completing home maintenance tasks that will keep your household running as efficiently as possible. This improves your family’s comfort and contributes to lower monthly energy bills. Read on as we uncover our version of a spring cleaning checklist.

Tags: HVAC, Indoor Air Quality, Pittsburgh
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3 Things To Know About CO

Monday, November 2nd, 2020

Keeping warm during a Pennsylvania winter is already a challenge in itself. It shouldn’t be something that could cost you or your loved one their health. It is a sad fact, however, that lives are lost each year to a preventable heating issue that leaks deadly gas into your home.

We are, of course, discussing the threat presented by carbon monoxide in your home. There are multiple homes in the area that utilize natural gas as fuel for appliances in their home, such as their stove or your furnace. If that gas leaks into your home though, it can go from being helpful to harmful very quickly. Here are some facts that you should know about carbon monoxide and how to protect yourself from its effects.

Tags: Canonsburg, Furnace Repair, HVAC
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How Can You Save Money on HVAC Service?

Monday, February 26th, 2018

So your heater has broken down, your air conditioner needs replacement, or you’re looking for technicians to perform routine service. We know how frustrating this can be, and for many people, it’s a daunting task to take on. Finding technicians in your area that you can trust is hard enough. Will they overcharge you? Is there any way to save money on having technicians out to your home?

It won’t be easy, but there are ways you can cut down on costs when it comes to needing HVAC service. Some will require advance planning, but in the end, you’ll have a comfy home without overpaying.

Tags: Allison Park, Heating, HVAC
Posted in Heating | Comments Off on How Can You Save Money on HVAC Service?

Professional HVAC Service from Boehmer Heating and Cooling of Pittsburgh

Monday, August 27th, 2012

“Thank you so much for the professional work done at my home. I am quite pleased and will most certainly contact Boehmer for any additional work that I might need.”
-Diana D.

Boehmer Heating and Cooling offers professional expertise and excellent customer service for all of your Pittsburgh area air conditioning, heating, air filtration, and geothermal needs. Check out our current offers on our promotions page, and give us a call to schedule a checkup for your furnace or boiler for the upcoming heating season.

$30 discount on our Plus Agreement Precision Tune-up

$30 discount on Plus Agreement Precision Tune-up

$50 in Boehmer Bucks on Signature Service Renewal

Renew a Signature Service Agreement and add $50 in Boehmer Bucks ($500 Maximum) to be used for replacements.

Ductless AC- Instant Rebate of $500

Instant Rebate of $500 (On New Mitsubishi Ductless Mini Split AC Units)

Tags: Air Conditioning, Boehmer Heating and Cooling, Customer Service, Heating, HVAC, Pittsburgh, Reviews
Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Repair, Heating, Home Maintenance, Maintenance Plan/Comfort Club | Comments Off on Professional HVAC Service from Boehmer Heating and Cooling of Pittsburgh

Your McKeesport HVAC System and Electricity

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

While not every McKeesport HVAC system in your home requires electricity, many of them do. Your air conditioner and water heater and ventilation system all need access to the central power line. So what does that mean for your system and what problems should be you beware of?

How Your HVAC System Uses Electricity

How your HVAC system works depends largely on which components need electricity to operate. Here is a quick summary of how each system uses electricity:

Air Conditioning – Most air conditioners are electric and therefore use electricity based on the number of BTUs produced. For example, if your air conditioner produces 25,000 BTUs and has a SEER of 16, it can produce 16 BTUs for every watt of electricity consumed per hour. As a result, it consumes 1,562.5 watts per hour when the system is running at maximum capacity. If it runs at full capacity for 8 hours per day, 30 days a month in the summer, that’s 375 kilowatt hours – which is the measurement unit you’ll see on your electric bill.
Ventilation – Your ventilation system is almost always going to use electricity to circulate and filter air. While mechanical filters rely on the movement of air to remove certain particles, ventilation systems have a variety of components including fans and possibly even condenser coils to conserve energy as air is exchanged between the inside and outside.

Electricity plays an important role in your McKeesport HVAC system no matter how your system works. To ensure yours continues to operate as intended, have your power system checked on a regular basis when the rest of your HVAC system is serviced. To schedule your annual maintenance visit, give Boehmer Heating & Cooling a call today!

Tags: Air Conditioning, HVAC, McKeesport, Mt Lebanon, Murrysville
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The Preventative Maintenance That Will Save You the Most

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Having a high performance, energy efficient HVAC system will save you a good deal of money in terms of your monthly heating and cooling bills. But that efficiency will not last unless you also take the necessary steps to keep your equipment in good working order. While regular maintenance visits from a professional HVAC technician are an important part of this, there are also several things you can do on your own to keep your equipment running at peak efficiency.

Keep it Clear – The first thing you should do is to make sure that there is plenty of space cleared around your outdoor unit. Whether it is the condenser and compressor for your air conditioning system or part of your heat pump, that outdoor equipment needs to have plenty of space to vent hot air. Also, the space will mean that debris is less likely to develop inside the unit.
Clean the Condensing Coil – While your technician will do this when they make their annual visit, it is best to clean your coil more than just once a year. Just make sure that the power is turned off to your unit before you begin. This will help the unit cool air more efficiently and can prevent a whole host of other problems from developing.
Check on the Blower – If your blower is not working right or the blade is clogged, your HVAC unit will not work properly. Make sure your blower fan is free of all debris and that is turns freely once you have cleaned it. If you are still having a problem with it, you may have to call a technician for repairs. Cleaning the blower out on a regular basis, however, should keep this from becoming a problem you need a professional for.
Air Filters – You should also make sure you change your air filters regularly. This can help to keep your indoor air clean and healthy and it will also enable your HVAC system to run more efficiently.
Clean it Out – Clean out any debris that you can reach from any part of your system. Just make sure any time you work inside your HVAC system that you have all of the power turned off. Anything from leaves to dust can get in there and cause a problem if it is allowed to build up over time. As long as you are on top of things and keep to a regular schedule of maintenance, none of this should take you very long.

Tags: Air Filters, Condensing Coil, HVAC, Washington County, West Mifflin, Wexford
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How Much Can I Save with New Equipment?

Monday, July 25th, 2011

There is certainly something to be said for upgrading your current HVAC equipment to newer, more energy efficient equipment. Doing so can save you a ton of money in heating and cooling costs and it can make your home a more comfortable place in general. Of course, upgrading your equipment is a big investment, but ideally you will save enough on your monthly energy bills that it will more than make up for the initial cost of the installation.

But before you can decide whether or not it makes sense for you to upgrade, you need to know exactly how much you stand to save every month by upgrading. And that will vary considerably depending on several particulars of your situation.

For instance, you will have to take the age of your current system into account. No matter how energy efficient your system was when you first bought it, that energy efficiency has almost certainly deteriorated over time. Plus, the older your system is, the less energy efficient it probably was to start with. And the less energy efficient your current system is, the more you will save when you upgrade to a newer, more energy efficient system.

But that is not the only variable you will have to be on top of. The amount you will save monthly and annually will also have to do with how much you use your HVAC system. If you live in a rather temperate climate, you may use your HVAC much less, both in the summer and the winter.

In a case like this, the percentage you will save with an equipment upgrade will be the same as it would for someone who lived in an area with a harsher climate, but the actual dollar value will be much lower. All that really means is that it will take you longer to recoup your investment, but it may still be worth it to invest in a new system now.

You will also need to be aware of other factors that could impact the energy efficiency of your HVAC system. For instance, if your house is not well insulated, it will not matter how good your HVAC system is. You will still be paying more than you should to keep the indoors comfortable, and while investing in a new system may save you money, you will save more by taking care of your insulation problem first.

Tags: HVAC, O'Hara, Oakmont, Upper St Clair
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