Add Some Upgrades When Installing a New Air Conditioner

April 9th, 2014

Spring is here and that means summer can’t be far behind. Here in Kenner, LA, our air conditioning service technicians are standing by to install new cooling systems as replacements for older or more worn-out air conditioners. Now is the perfect time of year to replace your existing air conditioner, since temperatures are still mild and you won’t feel the heat during the time it takes to perform the installation. You might also want to add some upgrades when installing a new air conditioner, taking advantage of new advancements to improve your system. What kinds of air conditioning upgrades should you consider?

A brief list of some of the more popular options appears below:

 Zone Control Systems

Zone control systems are often associated with ductless air conditioning systems, though variations can easily be installed in existing centralized systems. They consist of a series of valves and shutters placed in your ductwork that divide the home into specific sections. Each section has its own thermostat and control panel, allowing you to control the temperature individually rather than heating the house all at once. For example, you could turn the air conditioner up high in the kitchen while you cook over a hot stove while leaving it off in the living room where another family member is watching TV. You can even turn off the air conditioner in parts of the house you aren’t using, helping you save money on monthly bills in the process.

Thermostats

Thermostats often make a fairly painless upgrade, since new units can often be installed in the exact same spot the old one was.  New thermostats often contain a host of attractive features, including smart systems that learn to adjust the temperature based on your regular habits, and remote activation systems that let you turn on the air conditioner when you’re away from home.

Regardless of what you have in mind, you can use a professional HVAC service to add some upgrades when installing a new air conditioner. The experts at A-Professional Heating and Air Conditioning provide quality air conditioning services in Kenner, LA. Give us a call to make an appointment today. You’ll be glad you did!

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What Qualities Should I Look For In An Air Conditioning Service Company?

April 8th, 2014

Having too many choices can create as many headaches as having no choices at all. When you need professional air conditioning service in Kenner, LA, the most basic Internet search will turn up a ream of companies looking your business… but only a small number who deserve it. How do you make as choice between them? Get started by checking what to expect from great AC service.

When you look over possible AC service companies, there are a number of factors you can focus on that show you the company offers quality work and pure professionalism. Here are some of the qualities to put at the top of your list when deciding on which company to hire.

A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning is proud to offer some of the best service for air conditioners in Southeast Louisiana.

Look for these qualities in a professional AC service company

  • 24-hour emergency service: Air conditioning malfunctions and breakdowns wait for no man or woman. They happen at the most inconvenient times, and it will do you little good to rely on a company that doesn’t offer emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make sure you look for repair technicians ready to jump on the job no matter if it’s 11 pm on Tuesday or 3 am on Saturday. For quick help, see how prompt AC repair saves time.
  • Extensive services, local business: Dealing with a company that offers little in the way of other services and can only perform work on a narrow range of comfort systems can be difficult and won’t give you the results you need. Dealing with a large company that covers many states can result in impersonal work where your repair and maintenance jobs are simply “the next thing on the daily schedule.” Aim to find a company between these: local and focused, but offering the same diversity of services you might expect from a large corporation.
  • Handles indoor air quality services: A company that also does work such as duct cleaning, duct sealing, and installation of air purifiers, filters, and dehumidifiers is a company with air conditioning knowledge that goes far beyond the single cabinet and the components inside it. These contractors have experience with the whole network that circulates air through your home, which makes them far more than basic repair technicians.

Since you are already on our website, take a tour of all the services we offer here at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning. From heating and indoor air quality to air conditioning service in Kenner, LA, we have all the comfort bases covered. (We even handle Commercial HVAC, which brings an extra layer of experience to our work.) Learn when your AC needs professional repair. Whenever you need AC repairs on the double, call us any time of the day or night.

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Air Conditioning Issues to Treat Before Summer

March 31st, 2014

We are starting to emerge into full spring weather now, with the temperatures climbing up from the 50s and into the 70s. Summer is around the corner, and before you know it you’ll have your air conditioner humming away and keeping you cool.

Or will you…? What if your air conditioning isn’t fortified for the big summer heat? If your air conditioning was struggling or showing signs of malfunctions the last time it was running, then now is the time to attend to any repair needs to make sure that your AC won’t break down in summer and leave you sweating on a hot day, waiting for emergency repairs. Customers often put off calling for AC repairs because they believe the issue is not serious enough, but delaying repairs can lead to more significant problems. Professional ac repair is essential for fixing issues and ensuring your system is ready for the season. Do a test run on your system now and see if anything seems wrong. If something feels amiss, get a jump on repairs right away.

For fast and effective air conditioning repair service in Metairie, LA, call A Professional Heating and Air Conditioning.

As you do a test run, be sure to perform an inspection of your cooling unit to check that it is operating efficiently and safely before the summer heat arrives.

Here are some issues you should contact us about:

  • Strange clicking sounds from the cabinet: Clicking noises usually indicate trouble with the start capacitor, the device that sends an electric charge to the motors to catalyze them. This clicking sound means the AC is “hard starting” and draining more power as it comes on. Reliable repairs are necessary to restore your ac unit’s proper operation. Have a technician replace the failing capacitor before it fizzles completely.
  • Water leaking: During the time the air conditioner was on vacation, the condensate drain could have become plugged with mold or other obstructions. When the condensate drain is blocked, it will quickly cause the condensate pan to overflow as water drips from the condenser coils. Call for repairs to clear and then reconnect the drain line. Addressing leaks in your cooling unit promptly helps customers maintain their family’s comfort and avoid further issues.
  • Icing on the indoor coils: If you notice any frost developing along the indoor coils, it isn’t just an effect of cool air. It can mean that the air conditioner has lost refrigerant or the coils are excessively dirty. Repair technicians can track down and seal the leak, then recharge the refrigerant, or remove the coil to clean it. (Do not scrape off the ice; this will do no good.)

Don’t wait until the heat is unbearable—prompt ac repair ensures your system is operating efficiently and keeps customers comfortable all summer long. AC systems are more likely to fail on the hottest days of the year, leading to increased demand for emergency services. Addressing issues early can help you avoid the stress of a malfunctioning system during peak heat. The length of an AC repair depends on the complexity of the problem, with minor repairs taking only a couple of hours. This means that acting quickly can often resolve issues before they escalate, ensuring your comfort is restored promptly.

Introduction: Why Prepare Your AC for Summer?

As the summer months approach, preparing your air conditioning system becomes more important than ever. In Mandeville, LA, where the heat and humidity can be relentless, a reliable air conditioner is essential for your family’s comfort and well-being. Taking the time now to schedule regular ac maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs down the road, keep your energy bills in check, and ensure your cooling system operates at peak efficiency all season long. A well-maintained air conditioning system not only keeps your home cool but also helps you save money by running more efficiently and reducing the risk of a malfunctioning ac system when you need it most. At Professional Heating and Air Cooling & Heating, our certified technicians are committed to delivering top-quality air conditioning services, so you can count on your system to keep you comfortable, no matter how hot it gets outside.

The Importance of Regular Maintenance

Regular ac maintenance is the key to keeping your air conditioning system running smoothly and efficiently. Skipping annual maintenance can lead to a host of problems, from decreased energy efficiency and higher energy bills to unexpected breakdowns and even voided warranties. By investing in routine maintenance with a trusted hvac company, you can prevent costly repairs and extend the life of your air conditioner. Annual maintenance services include tasks such as cleaning air filters and checking refrigerant levels, ensuring your system operates at its best. Our comprehensive maintenance services include cleaning or replacing air filters, inspecting electrical connections, and checking all moving parts for signs of wear. This proactive approach not only helps maintain your system’s performance but also ensures your home stays cool and comfortable throughout the hottest months. With regular maintenance, you can enjoy peace of mind, knowing your air conditioning system is ready to handle whatever summer brings.

Common Air Conditioning Issues to Watch For

As temperatures rise, it’s important to keep an eye out for common air conditioning issues that can impact your system’s performance. Problems like faulty thermostats, clogged air filters, and refrigerant leaks can cause your air conditioner to work harder than necessary, leading to higher energy bills and potential system failures. Electrical connections that are loose or damaged, as well as worn-out evaporator coils, can also result in a malfunctioning ac system. By addressing these minor issues early through regular maintenance and prompt repair, you can prevent them from turning into major, costly repairs. Our team of certified technicians is equipped to diagnose and fix a wide range of air conditioning problems, ensuring your system stays reliable and efficient all summer long.

Air Quality Considerations

Your air conditioning system does more than just cool your home—it also plays a vital role in maintaining healthy indoor air quality. A properly maintained air conditioner helps filter out dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, creating a cleaner and more comfortable environment for your family. Local government resources emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy indoor environment with functioning air conditioning, as it contributes to overall well-being. However, neglecting maintenance can lead to dirty air filters, mold growth, and the circulation of allergens, which can negatively impact your air quality and health. Our certified technicians are trained to inspect and clean air filters, check for signs of mold or mildew, and ensure your system is effectively removing contaminants from the air. By keeping your air conditioning system in top shape, you can breathe easier and enjoy a healthier home all summer long.

Have maintenance done as well

Spring is when you should schedule your yearly maintenance service from an HVAC professional to make sure your air conditioner is running in top condition. This is the best way to catch repair issues before they grow more serious. Your technician will identify what needs to be done and can sometimes perform the repairs on the spot.

A Professional Heating and Air Conditioning has 24-hour emergency service available when you need air conditioning repair in Metairie, LA, with emergency repairs offered any time, day or night. Their technicians are fully licensed and dedicated to customer satisfaction. Total Maintenance provides same day emergency service for air conditioning repairs, ensuring that your cooling needs are addressed promptly. Many HVAC companies emphasize the importance of rapid response times during AC emergencies, as quick action can prevent further damage and restore comfort faster. Look into our maintenance program as well it’s a cost effective way to help armor your AC for the summer.

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How to Prepare Your Heater for Summer

March 24th, 2014

We haven’t reached the full bloom of warm weather yet in Kenner, but we’ll arrive there soon. Air conditioners will switch on, and heaters switch off, and we can expect the situation to stay the same until the fall. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore your heater entirely as the cooler season winds down. You have a prime opportunity now to prepare your heater for its summer vacation so it will roar back to life when you need it in the fall and winter.

Here are some tips for what you can do during this time of the year to prep your heating system for summer. Our technicians at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning can assist you with your heating in Kenner, LA whenever you need us… we’re on call with 24-hour emergency service.

Some heating preparations for summer

  • Catch up on maintenance: Did you have regular maintenance done on your heater last fall before the winter weather started? Don’t fret if you forgot or put it off; at least your heater made it through the winter. But you can’t trust it to keep going without a check-up, so schedule maintenance now if you haven’t done it in over a year. It’s never too late for an inspection and tune-up.
  • Get to any repair issues now: It’s a big mistake to let a repair need in a heater slide because the weather is about to get warmer. That current small malfunction, like a clicking from the furnace cabinet or low airflow from the vents, might have turned into a huge malfunction—or even a breakdown—when you switch the heater back on in late fall. Have repairs taken care of now, while HVAC technicians still have easy appointment openings.
  • Schedule duct cleaning: If your forced-air heating system chugged away all winter, it has probably drawn a large amount of dust into its ductwork. Because your air conditioner will use these same vents, you don’t want to give it any difficulty. Schedule duct cleaning to make sure your heater and air conditioner are ready to handle the airflow, and so you’ll receive superior indoor air quality.

Keep in mind that you might need to turn your heater on at some point during the summer, such as on rainy nights. It’s always a good idea to have your heating system ready to help you. Keep it in the best shape possible with spring preparations. Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning for further help with your Kenner, LA heating system service needs.

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How Practical Are Heat Pumps for Heating in Metairie?

March 13th, 2014

For the warm summers and mild winters of Metairie, LA, a heat pump offers a number of attractive features. Heat pumps combine the power of an air conditioner and heater in one unit, which makes them automatically beneficial as two-in-one systems. However, heat pumps are not always the best choice for a particular region (unless installed as a hybrid with a back-up heater), and even in regions where they are practical, they aren’t always the best choice for an individual home.

We’ll take a more detailed look at heat pump operation to see how practical they are for Metairie, LA heating and if your home specifically will benefit from their advantages. For more information, as well as to schedule an appointment to discuss heat pump installation, contact A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today.

Heat pumps: How they work, what they can do for you

A heat pump uses the same operating principle as an air conditioner: refrigerant circulates through the unit, going through a cycle of evaporation and condensation to move heat from one location and puts it in another. The heat pump adds the ability to switch the direction the refrigerant flows, using a reversing valve. This means that the heat pump can both remove heat from the indoors and put it outdoors (air conditioning) and remove heat from the outdoors and put it indoors (heating).

If you’re immediate thought is, “How does a heat pump extract heat from the cold outdoors to warm up a home during the winter?”, then you’ve latched onto one of the potential drawbacks of a heat pump. In general, a heat pump works less effectively in heating mode than in cooling mode. However, heat pumps only experience difficulties with efficiency when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing. Otherwise, there is a sufficient amount of heat even in cool weather to provide enough warmth for the indoors. In a place like Metairie, which rarely experiences extreme cold, the warmth from a heat pump is enough to keep most homes warm.

Heat pumps will save you money on heating compared to a furnace. Heat pumps only use a small amount of electricity to run their mechanical components to move heat from outdoors to indoors. Furnaces, on the other hand, must expend a large amount of fuel to create heat. Switching from a furnace to a heat pump in an area without extreme colds can result in savings of up to 30% off heating bills each year.

Is a heat pump right for your home?

You will need to have heat pump installers to help you answer this question. The insulation of your home, its size, access to power, and other factors will determine how efficiently a heat pump will work for your cooling and heating in Metairie, LA. Call up A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning to get started: we’ll help you decide if you’ll benefit from a heat pump, and provide you a quality installation.

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Signs That You Need to Replace Your Furnace This Off-Season

March 3rd, 2014

Question: When is the optimal time to replace a furnace?

Answer: Whenever you least need to use your furnace.

If you want to plan ahead for installing a new furnace (instead of waiting for your current one to break down—never a beneficial strategy), then the best time to take care of it during the coming spring and summer, when heating in Hammond, LA is not a priority. However, proper planning also requires knowing that you need to plan. Here are some of the warning signs you may encounter during the closing days of winter that you should schedule pre-emptive furnace replacement.

Turn to A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning when you want to set up installation for your new furnace. We can help you pick and size the new unit, and bring the professional skill necessary to install it right.

Signs the time has arrived to retire your furnace

  • Steady rise in heating bills: As a furnace wears down with age, it will drain more power to perform its regular work load. If you have noticed a steady rise in your heating bills that you can’t trace to a specific malfunction, then you may have a furnace too old to do its job efficiently. Check on the manufacturer’s expected lifespan: if you furnace is approaching it, or even gone over it, than you should schedule a replacement.
  • Constant loud operation: Strange noises from a furnace cabinet usually signal repair needs. But if these noises become the rule rather than the exception, the furnace has deteriorated too far for any targeted repairs to restore it to its former working condition. Take special caution with gas furnaces, since this noisy operation could indicate problems that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.
  • Large repair bills: If you have regular annual maintenance for your furnace (and you should) you can expect minimal repair needs. However, an old furnace will begin encountering operating problems no matter how well it has been maintained. Furnaces have the most repair needs during the last two years of their lives, and if you find yourself spend around $500 a year on repairs to keep the furnace running, then it’s no longer worth it.
  • Comfort just isn’t what it used to be: A more subjective sign, but combined with the others it can make all the difference. If you simply no longer feel warm and comfortable in a home with an older furnace, then it’s time for the furnace to go.

Make sure you hire experienced professionals for installing your new heating system in Hammond, LA. Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning and schedule an appointment with our technicians today to get started.

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Consider a Dehumidifier with Your Heating Installation

February 24th, 2014

We don’t need to tell you that Louisiana can have extremely humid spring and summer weather, and that the higher the humidity rises, the hotter the temperature will feel. (The reason for this is that as the moisture in the air condenses on your skin, it releases additional heat.) But humidity can cause problems during colder weather as well, especially if it gets inside your home. When you have new heating system installation in Hammond, LA, you should consider the addition of a dehumidifier to combat these problems.

There are some good reasons that a dehumidifier will benefit your heating. We’ll look over why you should put a dehumidifier on your list for home improvements when you have your new heating system installed. Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule both jobs.

Benefits of a dehumidifier

  • Increased comfort: Although high humidity will make the heat in your house feel even warmer during the winter, this isn’t the sort of comfortable warmth you want. Humidity will make a house feel stuffy, muggy, and closed in; a drier heat (although not too dry) will make your house a more pleasant place to live.
  • Reduction in mold and mildew: The water moisture of humidity will encourage the growth of microbacteria such as mold, mildew, and viruses throughout your home, especially in hidden places like your vents. Aside from looking unpleasant, these growths can contribute to poor health, leading to flu- and cold-like symptoms and breathing difficulty. This is especially hazardous if you have people with allergies living in your home.
  • Wood rot and other damage: High humidity is bad for your home’s furnishings and construction. It leads to peeling wallpaper, warped boards, destructive wood rot, and the ruin of the finishing across furniture.

What a dehumidifier does

A dehumidifier added onto your heating system works in a simple way. A fan draws in the humid air from the ventilation system and moves it through a refrigerated evaporator. This cools the air below the dew point, which causes the water moisture in the air to condense along the surface of the evaporator. The water condensation from this process is removed through a drain line.

Installation of a dehumidifier is easy

You can have a dehumidifier installed in your heating system at any time, but the easiest time is to schedule it for when your new heating system is installed. Call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning today to talk about what we can do to decrease your home’s humidity and make it safer, cleaner, and more comfortable with professional heating installation in Hammond, LA.

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What Problems Can Fireplace Maintenance Address?

February 17th, 2014

Few enhancements to your home are more inviting than a fireplace near the middle of your living space. A fireplace isn’t only a cozy addition to your lifestyle; it can also serve as an effective secondary heat source to help your main heating system.

Fireplaces are no more dangerous than a furnace or boiler—provided they receive routine maintenance once a year from experts in fireplace repair. You may have heard that fireplaces only need maintenance every five years, but this is false. Problems can start developing in a fireplace after only a year without a check-up, so make sure to schedule maintenance annually. Contact the fireplace experts at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning to get started, or call for any heating repair service in Kenner, LA you need.

Here are a few issues you can avoid with your fireplace through regular maintenance:

  • Smoke or exhaust entering your home: The most immediate danger a fireplace in need of maintenance can pose is from poor ventilation, leading to smoke flowing out into your house. There are different causes for bad ventilation (broken damper, animal nests), but a maintenance check can catch almost all of them.
  • Fire hazards: It’s the worst-case-scenario for a fireplace… the fire getting out of the hearth and into places where it shouldn’t be. Cracks inside the chimney liner can permit heat to escape through to other areas of your home, making it possible for fires to break out on upper floors or on your roof. Cracks in the firebox are also potential hazards. Maintenance will look for all possible places where a fire might get out of the fireplace.
  • Creosote build-up: The No. 1 problem that can afflict a wood-burning fireplace is the development of creosote. Creosote is a shiny black substance that starts to appear on the fireplace bricks and in the chimney. It is unburned wood energy, often resulting from poor insulation, and is highly combustible, making it a major danger. Checking for creosote is an important part of maintenance, and technicians will be able to tell you if you need chimney sweeping to eliminate a possibly hazardous build-up.

Because fireplaces are seen as durable, almost invincible, homeowners often put off necessary maintenance. Don’t make this mistake: treat your fireplace as you would any heating system for your home and schedule an annual maintenance visit. A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning offers trained fireplace technicians to make sure you receive the important heating repair services in Kenner, LA you need to keep enjoying the pleasures of a warm hearth.

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The Original Valentine’s Day Greeting Cards

February 14th, 2014

It’s hard to imagine Valentine’s Day without the traditional greeting cards, whether accompanying a gift of flowers and candy, or sent between children in a school room. For commercial greeting card companies, February 14th is as important to them as the December holidays, Easter, and Mother’s Day.

Valentine’s Day as a celebration of romantic love predates printed greeting cards by a few centuries. In fact, the reason that sending romantic greeting cards became popular was because of the most un-romantic thing you can imagine: a reduction in postage rates.

In 1765, Parliament authorized the creation of “Penny Posts” that used a uniform rate of one old penny per letter throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Printers took advantage of the ease with which people could send letters to each other on Valentine’s Day by crafting cards with love poems on them. Many of these verses were collected in 1797 in the book The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, which was a resource for the lover with a romantic soul but not the most confident poetry style.

By the mid-19th-century, the Valentine’s Day greeting card was flourishing across England. Although people still followed a tradition of creating handmade Valentine’s Day cards from lace, ribbons, and flowers, commercially produced cards now overtook them. In 1835, the English post office mailed 60,000 valentines. As production expenses dropped, the English card manufacturers branched out creatively with humorous and sometimes vulgar cards… many of which we would find startlingly familiar in the 21st century. One of the common jokes on these cards was to design them to look like marriage certificates or court summons.

Across the Atlantic, the United States was slower to embrace the popular British custom. It wasn’t until 1847 that a U.S. printer mass-produced greeting cards for Valentine’s Day. Only two years later, American journalists noted how rapidly people in the country had embraced the tradition, turning into a fad that has never died down. The woman who printed the first U.S. Valentine’s Day card, Esther Howland, is today recognized by the Greeting Card Association with the annual “Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary.”

The greeting card industry certainly has reason to thank Ms. Howland. Her idea of going into business printing romantic greeting cards, which came to her after she received a traditional English valentine when she was 19 years old, now sells 190 million cards in the U.S. every year. That number doesn’t include the smaller exchange cards used in elementary school classrooms, which would swell the number to 1 billion. (Who receives the most Valentine’s Day cards each year? Teachers!)

Whether you send out Valentine’s Day cards—handmade, store-bought, digital—or not, we at A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning hope you have a happy February 14th.

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Reasons to Move Your Thermostat

February 2nd, 2014

The small size and basic operation of a thermostat often deceives homeowners into thinking they are less important to their heating than they actually are. The thermostat is not only a control center that gives you access to how your heater and air conditioner operate, it also measures the heat in your home (usually through a device called a thermistor, although older models use mercury sensors) to gauge when to turn the HVAC systems and theirs fans on and off.

You need to take care of your thermostat so you have the best climate control possible in your home. For heating repair service in Matairie, LA, call A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning any time of the day or night.

Because the thermostat senses temperature, it’s placement in your home is crucial for it to record accurate readings and provide precision control over the HVAC system. If you are experiencing uneven behavior from your heater or AC that doesn’t seem to stem from a mechanical failure, you should check on the position of the thermostat and ask yourself these questions:

Is the thermostat often in direct sunlight?

The radiant heat from direct sunlight can raise the temperature of an object many degrees above room temperature. If your thermostat is in a position where sunlight from a window falls across it for long stretches, it will record temperatures higher than it should (“phantom readings”), which will lead to it either shutting off the heater prematurely or running the AC for too long.

Is the thermostat near drafts?

A thermostat that is adjacent to windows that are often open, or near to a door that opens to the outside, drafts of colder air will affect its readings and lead to inaccurate temperatures from the HVAC system.

Is the thermostat too far from the center of the house?

With a central heater and AC, it’s important for the thermostat to sense the average temperature of a home to provide accurate information to the HVAC system. The farther from the center of the house the thermostat is located, the more anomalous temperatures it will record. This will turn into a vicious cycle, since the heater and AC will run inaccurately, leading to the thermostat recording further erroneous readings.

If you answer “yes” to any of the above, you should call professionals to move the thermostat to a better position. The wall outside the master bedroom is often one of the ideal spots.

A–Professional Heating and Air Conditioning can handle the heating repair in Metairie, LA that will take care of any thermostat problems you have, as well as any malfunctions in your HVAC system. We aim for complete customer satisfaction in all our work.

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