This time of the year, when spring is almost here but winter temperatures are still gracing us with their presence, is a lousy time to have your heating system develop problems. It’s also the time of the year when heating system problems are most likely to happen, thanks to the stress they’ve been put under all season long. If you can detect problems in your heater early enough, though, you can have them repaired before they develop too far.
A furnace system that’s clearly showing signs of disrepair, though, that isn’t inspected, can fail you before the season is over, or never even start up next fall.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to watch for signs that something is amiss. One of the most common signs is a furnace that’s making strange noises. Keep reading to learn more about common problem noises, and what causes them.
No, 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 
Needless 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. 
If 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 
The bad news: It’s the middle of winter and your heater seems to be experiencing problems or a malfunction of some kind.
We 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 But, an outdated, miscalibrated, or improperly installed thermostat can certainly hinder the performance of your heater (and your air conditioner, for that matter).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 
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 
If 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%. 
HVAC maintenance, also known as a tune-up, isn’t something we just throw out as a recommendation to make a few extra bucks. We get it, it’s an easy recommendation to pass over unless something is already seriously wrong with your air conditioner or heater. But whether it’s all of the sudden or not, if you can’t get any cooling on a sweltering day or heating on a freezing cold night, you’re going to wish there had been some way to prevent it.
Being residents of the areas we serve ourselves, we understand that going without an air conditioner in the summer is simply not an option. So when yours dies on you, or its age indicates that it is just about time for a replacement, you may be tempted to rush out and replace it with a newer model of the same type of air conditioner you already have. For many homeowners in our area, this means sticking with