Spring comes early in our neck of the woods, even if the calendar says otherwise. Chances are, you’ve been running your air conditioning for a little while now, and your heating system is likely finished until next fall. That means now is a great time to get it checked for repairs. Not every problem with your heating system results in a shutdown, and it’s always better to treat a big issue while it’s still pretty small. Before too much time passes, it’s probably a good idea to get it serviced.
Professional Heating & Air Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category
Check Your Heating System Before Summer
Monday, April 2nd, 2018Watch Out for Cracked Heat Exchangers in Your Gas Furnace
Monday, March 5th, 2018Most homes in the area rely on forced-air furnaces for heat. They’re inexpensive and effective, which makes them an excellent fit for our short winters and comparatively mild heating needs. But they run into problems just like any other appliance, especially now, at the end of winter, when they’ve been running on a regular basis and are likely subjected to the pressures of wear and tear. Older furnaces, in particular, need to be watched carefully because fundamental components may begin to break down.
In particular, a cracked heat exchanger is a serious problem that may require a replacement furnace before you can safely heat your home again. It may also help explain why your system suddenly shuts off and can’t be turned on again. Here’s a quick breakdown of what it means when this problem appears.
Alternative Forms of HVAC Systems You Should Consider
Monday, February 19th, 2018
We live in a part of the country with long, hot summers and very short winters. Household comfort is a vital part of life here, especially as winter turns to spring and the temperatures begin rising again. Most homes in the area rely on traditional heating and air conditioning systems: usually centralized systems that heat or cool the air in a single location, then blow it through the home with a series of ducts.
The system worse quite well, but it’s not the only kind of HVAC system out there. Depending upon the needs of your home, another one might be able to do the job much more effectively. Now is an excellent time to consider replacing an old HVAC system, when the weather is mild and you can go without it in the time it takes to install one. You may want to consider an alternative model like the ones detailed below.
Get Your Gas Furnace Maintained Soon
Monday, January 8th, 2018
Most heating systems in the area are gas furnaces, which are inexpensive and easy to keep running. They make a good fit for our warm weather and can provide reliable heat this time of year, when nighttime temperatures take a dip. Unfortunately, because our weather is so hot most of the year, homeowners tend to focus on their air conditioning systems, leaving their gas furnaces to suffer from slow neglect. Repair issues have a way of cropping up without warning in such scenarios, leaving you scrambling to get the system fixed just when you need it the most.
We can provide timely repairs for your gas furnace when called upon to do so, but we also believe that an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure. That means that furnace maintenance sessions make a better way of dealing with your heater’s problems than waiting for a breakdown and rushing around. Ideally, you should schedule one once a year, and if it’s been more than 12 months since you last one, now is an excellent time to make an appointment. Here’s a quick look at how it works.
Repair or Replace Your Old Heater?
Monday, November 13th, 2017
The weather has been growing steadily cooler for many weeks now, and as fall turns to winter, prudent homeowners are using their heating system more and more often. If you have an older heating system that may be on its last legs, now is the time to determine that. When a problem crops up with such a system, is it worthwhile to repair it? Or would that money be better spent on a replacement heater?
Labor Day Means It’s Time to Check Your Heater
Monday, September 4th, 2017Labor Day represents the unofficial end of summer, and while that doesn’t mean we’re ready to turn off our air conditioners just yet, it does mean that you’ll need your heating system before too much longer. We recommend heating maintenance sessions every fall to help that process out. Scheduling a session now helps your system get ready for another winter of use, as well as heading off potential trouble.
Heat Pumps Make Great Options for Your Home
Monday, February 6th, 2017
One of the benefits of living in places like Covington, LA is our mild winters, which tend to be warmer than they are further north and allow our residents’ heating systems some manner of relief from cold temperatures. But that doesn’t mean we can simply ignore the heating needs of our home, and while many of us rely on forced-air furnaces and similar systems, there’s an elegant solution tailor made for our environment: heat pumps.
The Benefits of a New Thermostat
Monday, January 16th, 2017Thermostats are a staple of our households, and in most cases they can last for decades. We’ve become so used to seeing them that we hardly think of them except when we’re adjusting the temperature. Thermostats usually have few moving parts and with the exception of replacing the battery in certain models from time to time, they don’t require a lot of maintenance. It’s not unusual for thermostats to last for 20 years or more, and while you should always replace old mercury-based thermostats immediately (mercury is toxic), there’s no reason not to get as much mileage as you can out of your existing unit.
What Happens When Furnace Burners Won’t Work?
Monday, January 2nd, 2017Most homes in the Walker, LA area use gas forced-air furnaces to heat their homes in the winter. They’re simple and effective, and they make a great fit for our warm Southern climate. Furnaces depend on burners for their heat, and when the burners don’t work, there’s a big problem. The good news is that a trained repair services can usually take care of the problem quickly and effectively.
How Burners Work
Burners in gas furnaces rely on natural gas for fuel. They burn it below a heat exchanger – a shaped piece of metal that effectively transfers the heat to the air (which can then be blown into the ducts of your home with a fan). That’s more energy efficient than just letting the gas burn in the air. But that also means that any problems with the burners need to be addressed quickly. At best, a few burners knocked out of commission will lower the efficiency of the heater a great deal: increasing wear and tear on the rest of the unit and raising your monthly energy bills to boot. At worst, they can shut the entire system down completely.
What Causes Burners to Fail
Sometimes, burners will shut off automatically, to prevent a gas leak or present a similar type of hazard. In these cases, the problem usually lies elsewhere, such as a leak in the gas lines or a faulty ignition system. Burners can often become clogged with dirt and gunk as well, preventing them from running. And in some cases, wear and tear, can take their toll, or they may suffer damage from misadventure or something similar.
Regardless, you need a qualified repair service to diagnose the issue and find a solution. The friendly professionals at A Professional Heating and Air are on the job for you!
Now Is a Great Time to Install a Zone Control System
Monday, December 26th, 2016Winters aren’t exactly an Arctic wasteland here in Covington, LA, and our HVAC systems aren’t tested nearly as much this time of year as they are in the summer. Heating systems, while necessary for those cool winter nights, aren’t put under the same strain as air conditioning systems. That makes December an excellent time to look into any changes or upgrades to your system. You’ll have time to install it without worrying unduly about your HVAC system being out of commission, and can reap the benefits the moment the weather starts to change.