HVAC & Generator Blog | First Choice Heating & Cooling

Electric vs. Gas Furnace Efficiency—There’s a Trick to It

January 6th, 2020

Are you looking to have a new heating system installed in your house? If you are, one of the most important bits of information you’ll want to find out about potential models is their efficiency. A high-efficiency furnace uses less energy to provide more heat, and therefore costs less to run.

Or at least, that’s what it seems to mean.

The truth is a bit more complicated. Efficiency is a rating of the heating output of a furnace compared to the amount of energy it uses. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a furnace with a higher efficiency rating will automatically cost less to run. A good example of this is the difference in the efficiency ratings of gas furnaces and electric furnaces.

You May Be Due For Duct Cleaning If You Notice This …

December 23rd, 2019

Having the ducts of your home cleaned isn’t a task you probably have on a regular “to-do” list the same way you have heating and air conditioning maintenance. This is because duct cleaning isn’t something homes need done every year. In general, we recommend duct cleaning on a schedule of every 3 to 5 years or as needed.

The “as needed” part is what we wish to discuss here. Ductwork can become so choked with dust, lint, and other debris that it will end up affecting the HVAC system in multiple ways. Because you can’t easily see the interior of the ductwork, you may not know you’ve got a problem at first. We’ve put together a list of indicators that you’re due for duct cleaning.

Why Is My Furnace Inadequate at Warming the House?

December 9th, 2019

This is not the way you want to start the winter—with a furnace that turns on but falls short of providing the comfort you expect.

We have good news and bad news about your underperforming furnace. The good news is that the problem may turn out to be a simple one that you can correct yourself. The bad news is that it may … well, not be simple. However, if you find yourself with a furnace in the second category, you don’t have to worry about trying to fix it. In fact, you should never attempt to fix it. For furnace repair in Howell, MI, call on the top professionals in the area—the First Choice Heating & Cooling HVAC technicians.

Why Is My Boiler Making Strange Sounds?

November 25th, 2019

Using a boiler is a great way to enjoy even, comfortable heating throughout your house during the winter. Among the choices for heating in Brighton, MI, a boiler remains one of the best—and they have the extra benefit of needing far fewer repairs than furnaces thanks to the smaller amount of moving parts.

But you may encounter boiler problems at some point, and one of the most common signs something is wrong is when the boiler makes odd noises. Boilers run quieter than furnaces—that’s another one of their advantages—so when any sound from your boiler catches your attention, it might indicate a need for repairs.

But what causes these strange sounds? We’ll look into the usual suspects.

Home Performance and the Condition of Your Ducts

November 11th, 2019

Just what does home performance mean? You may hear the term thrown around and not have understood the exact definition.

There is plenty to say about home performance, but a simple working definition is that it is how all aspects of a house work together as a single unit to achieve the goals of energy efficiency, comfort, and health. A house with air leaks that create winter drafts and poor air circulation would be an example of poor home performance. Unfortunately, many homes suffer from poor home performance in Howell, MI, and their owners don’t even realize it.

Touring Your HVAC System: The Most Important Parts

October 28th, 2019

We would like to introduce you to your HVAC system. Okay, you’ve already met it. You may have lived for more than a decade with it. But we’re willing to wager you’ve never gotten time to sit down and understand all its parts, what they do, and how they fit together.

It’s not essential for you to grasp the technical details of your residential HVAC system. You have professionals like us to shoulder that responsibility and help you whenever you need HVAC service in Brighton, MI. But we believe a bit of knowledge is one of the best tools you have to ensure you receive the finest service from your home heating, cooling, and ventilation system. It helps you to know when something is broken and how serious the problem is.

With this in mind, we’re going to give you a tour of the most vital parts of the HVAC system—some which you might not have realized are part of the HVAC system.

Basic Gas Furnace Troubles We Often See

October 14th, 2019

We know you may not have turned on your natural gas furnace for the season yet. We’re not trying to rush you to do it either. But we want to help our customers prepare for heating season, and our dedication goes farther than our maintenance program. Sharing information about potential furnace repair in Howell, MI helps make it easier for our customers to tell when something isn’t right with their heating system. Any type of furnace malfunction must be taken care of right away—it’s not only a matter of comfort, it can be a matter of safety.

Below are the most common types of furnace issues we address during the winter.

Your Furnace Is Older Than 15: A Few Things to Know

September 30th, 2019

rustic old furnace

Keeping track of your furnace’s age is a good idea. This is because knowing how many years you’ve had your system provides guidance on if and when you need to consider repair or replacement.

If you are the owner of a furnace in Brighton, MI and you have had your forced-air heating system for over 15 years, it may be time to call a professional. The experienced technicians at First Choice Heating & Cooling will be able to help you make informed decisions regarding your unit.

There are some things you need to know about your heater when it reaches this age. If you are interested in the indicators that may show your furnace need replacing, read on.

It’s Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance—Don’t Skip It!

September 16th, 2019

September, when summer officially ends and autumn begins. We know it’s hard to say goodbye to summer weather, although fall has its joys. To get the most from the fall and ensure you enjoy a comfortable and worry-free winter, you need to ensure your heating system is ready to get back to work.

In other words, it’s time to schedule regular fall maintenance for your heating system.

Yes, this is another item on an already busy fall “to do” list. But it’s an important one. Please don’t decide you can sit out maintenance this year because the heater is “doing fine.” Skipping maintenance for even a single year has consequences, and if you skip it once, you’re more likely to skip it again in the future. (You know it’s true.)

My AC’s Compressor Died! Do I Need to Replace the Whole AC?

September 2nd, 2019

Okay, we know this is an urgent, even alarming problem. When an air conditioning system’s compressor burns out, its AC can’t provide any cooled air. The compressor is what allows the AC to circulate refrigerant and move heat from inside the house to cool down. (A few months ago we wrote a blog post detailing exactly what a compressor does.) Without a working compressor, the air conditioner will only circulate room temperature air around the ventilation system.

You may have heard that replacing a dead compressor is so expensive that you’re better off having a complete air conditioning replacement. This is true sometimes, but not always. Below we’ll look at the different replacement options and help you think about the right choice for your situation.