If you looked at your heating bills during the previous winter and wondered why they seemed higher than normal, this post can help. We know you probably spent more time in your home last winter than usual (pretty much everyone did), so that will account for some of the increase in how much you paid for heat. But if you factor out that, as well as any rise in energy costs, and the price still seems too steep, then there are several steps you can take.
First Choice Heating & Cooling Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category
If Your Heating Bills Seemed Too High Last Winter…
Monday, November 8th, 2021Is Your Furnace Older Than 15 Years? We Have Some Vital Advice!
Monday, October 25th, 2021
A common question we hear from customers is when to replace their natural gas furnace. Homeowners want to get the most years possible out of their investment in a central heating system, but they also know that no furnace can last forever. At some point, a furnace will become less effective, less energy efficient, and even less safe. At what point is a furnace replacement ready?
There are several factors that can help tell you when a furnace needs to be replaced, such as regular malfunctions and soaring heating bills. But one solid determining factor is the furnace’s age. If you have a gas furnace that is older than fifteen years, our advice is to replace it. And we’re not the only people offering this same advice…
When Your Heater Isn’t Working, Don’t Try to Rely on Space Heaters Rather Than Repairs!
Monday, October 11th, 2021
When the winter arrives in Michigan, central heaters in homes across the state come on to keep people warm. You can’t afford to go without some kind of heating system for your home if you want to make it through the winter. Unfortunately, we can tell you plenty of stories about people who tried to patch together a “cheap” solution to home heating when their furnace or other central heater went out.
The most common “fix” for heat when a central heating system fails is to use space heaters. These can work as a temporary solution … and by temporary we mean “until our HVAC technicians arrive.” When you need heating repair in Brighton, MI, please don’t delay with calling for the service. Trying to get by with space heaters for a stretch can end up disastrous.
Schedule Heating Maintenance Now and Beat the Rush
Monday, September 27th, 2021
Fall started officially on the 22nd of September, but most people think of the season starting after Labor Day, or when the calendar leaf flips over to September. Now it’s almost October and the reality of fall (and a certain even colder season that follows it) will strike homeowners. They’ll start making cold weather preparations. One of the most important preparations is arranging for professional HVAC technicians to do a maintenance inspection and tune-up on their heating system.
We can’t overestimate the importance of annual fall heating maintenance. It helps home heating systems work at high energy efficiency with little chance of repairs cropping up. The peace of mind that comes along with heating maintenance is worth the cost alone.
Although you can have heating maintenance done anytime in the fall, or even during early winter, we urge you to have it scheduled as soon as possible. Or just “now.” Why?
Winding Down the Furnace for the Season
Monday, April 26th, 2021
The cold weather may still linger, but it won’t linger for much longer as we get deeper into spring. You’ll soon turn on the AC and stop using the furnace for many months. This is the time to schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with our technicians to ensure your AC is in peak shape for the summer heat.
But you do have to think about your furnace at this time as well. You may need furnace service in Brighton, MI before it’s time to shut it off, as well as take a few other steps.
Planning Your Future With (Or Without) Your Current Furnace
Monday, April 12th, 2021
As we switch into spring and focus on air conditioning systems, it’s easy to forget about the furnaces that just put in a hard winter keeping our homes warm. Now, your furnace doesn’t have feelings, but we recommend you give some thought to its future at this time—such as whether it has a future in your house.
Spring is a good time to take advantage of warmer weather and the less crowded schedules of HVAC technicians to make major changes to how you heat your home. Maybe you can get that important furnace repair in Howell, MI done that you’ve been putting off. Or maybe it’s time to finally get a new furnace, or even another type of heating system.
How Long Can My Boiler Last?
Monday, March 29th, 2021
One of the major benefits of using a hydronic boiler to provide heat to your house is that these systems often last longer than standard forced-air heaters such as furnaces and heat pumps. Boilers do not contain as many moving mechanical parts as forced-air heaters, and this slows down the speed at which they age.
But no boiler can last forever—yours will need to be replaced eventually. But when? How many years can you expect to get out of your current boiler before you get a new one?
As with all questions about the longevity of a heating system, the answer is “It depends.” Several factors affect the service life of a boiler, such as maintenance, repair, and its type. We’ll try to give you a short overview to help you consider the future of your home heating.
Your Heating Future: Is It a Condensing Furnace?
Monday, March 15th, 2021
As we enter the final stretch of winter, we recommend you think about how your heating system performed and if you’ll need to have it replaced at some point during the middle of the year so you’ll be ready for the next winter.
If you’re due to have an upgrade to your home heating system, there are many options available. One example that’s popular and which we often recommend to our customers is the high-efficiency condensing furnace.
Does a High-Efficiency Furnace Guarantee I’ll Save Money?
Monday, February 15th, 2021
High efficiency is a common buzzword for many products today. Everyone wants high-efficiency appliances, because it helps lower energy use and contributes to the environment.
However, we recommend any consumer be cautious when it comes to promises they hear about how much a high-efficiency appliance will save them. The important word to watch out for is will. Because to get straight to the question in the title, getting an appliance such as a high-efficiency furnace installed is not a guarantee of money savings.
Looking into high-efficiency units is a good way to plan for energy savings, and we recommend customers investigate units with high AFUE ratings (more about this in a moment). But there are other factors to consider when it comes to a new furnace installation, and just focusing on efficiency can lead to wasting energy.
How to Tell You Need a Late-Season Heating Replacement
Monday, February 1st, 2021
This is not a situation you want to find yourself in: a failing heater when winter is still in force. Unfortunately, you can’t always control problems like this. Excellent regular maintenance can help make emergency replacements rare, but nothing is a 100% guarantee. Your best defense against the sudden replacement blues is to catch early indicators your heater is coming close to crashing so you can call a Holly, MI, HVAC contractor to replace it. Learn to strike first!
Okay, but what are the signs to watch for of a heater that’s about to go into a crash-dive? Here are a few to look for: