Staying Cool in Your New, Dream Home

It's a common misconception that air conditioning systems "create" cold air, but how these systems work is far more interesting and clever. A typical residential system continually cycles the same air through your home, passing it through a cleaning filter each time. The warm air travels from your return ducts to your air handler, where the evaporator coils absorb heat (energy) and move it outside. Of course, removing heat isn't enough.

Homeowners with chimneys should have them inspected each year. In some areas, your homeowners insurance company or HOA may even require this. A chimney inspection is meant to detect problems with your chimney in order to prevent accidents such as fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and smoke buildup in the home. But what problems, exactly, will a chimney inspector look for? Here are the key ones. Creosote Buildup Creosote is a sticky, black substance that can build up on the inside of your fireplace and chimney.

Many people know they need to call a heating repair contractor if their heater stops working. But what you may not realize is that there are other small problems your heating system may develop over the years. If you remain on the lookout for these small problems, you can call an HVAC contractor about them. In doing so, you may protect yourself from dealing with bigger heating issues down the road.

All modern HVAC systems require electrical access. While heat pumps, air conditioners, and electric heaters clearly run on mains power, even oil and gas furnaces require power for their igniters and control circuitry. Problems with your home's electrical system or inadequate service can affect your HVAC system and lead to issues. If you're installing a new HVAC system, now is the perfect time to address these issues and ensure your home's electrical service can provide enough power to run your HVAC system.

A functional furnace keeps the indoor temperatures at a comfortable and cozy level. Although your furnace is designed to have an extended service life, it may sustain unnoticeable problems since it operates in the background. Therefore, if you notice that the temperatures are quite low in the winter, hire a furnace technician to diagnose your unit and fix it for improved heating capacity. Below are the issues that you may encounter with a furnace.

Heat pumps function by taking heat and pumping it into your home when it's cold. A heat pump also pumps heat inside your home outside when it's too warm inside. However, you might wonder how a heat pump can keep your home warm when it is freezing outside. Heat Pumps Still Work in Cold Weather On the coldest days of the year, there is still some heat that a heat pump can extract from the surrounding environment.

Furnace maintenance is an essential home chore no matter how old your furnace is. Both new and old furnaces need regular checks and cleaning so they operate properly. You'll probably be advised to have furnace maintenance done once each year, and this could even be a requirement for your warranty. Here's a look at what professional furnace maintenance entails. The Maintenance Technician Services Parts Some parts in your furnace might need to be lubricated or tightened.