What’s the Difference Between a Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilator?

November 22nd, 2021

question-markWhen you’re looking for better indoor air quality in Flushing, MI combined with savings with your heating and cooling, an option we recommend is to install either a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV). Our HVAC professionals can install one of these devices into your home’s ventilation system to give you the power to circulate fresh air through the house without putting extra pressure on either the heater or the air conditioning system. An HRV or an ERV is a year-round helper when it comes to having healthier air without sacrificing money to run the heater or AC more often.

But does it matter which one you get? What’s the difference between these two devices? These are good questions, and we’ll get to them below.

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If Your Heating Bills Seemed Too High Last Winter…

November 8th, 2021

Frustrated-man-looking-at-laptopIf 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.

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Is Your Furnace Older Than 15 Years? We Have Some Vital Advice!

October 25th, 2021

furnace-with-pipesA 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…

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When Your Heater Isn’t Working, Don’t Try to Rely on Space Heaters Rather Than Repairs!

October 11th, 2021

space-heater-electricWhen 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.

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Schedule Heating Maintenance Now and Beat the Rush

September 27th, 2021

service-reminderFall 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?

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The Sinking AC Condenser: How This Can Be Bad News

September 13th, 2021

ac-on-slabGo outside your house and look at the condenser cabinet for the central air conditioner. You’ll notice that it’s placed onto a concrete slab, rather than just set on the ground. This is because the condenser is a heavy object and it would start to sink right down into the ground if it wasn’t put on a solid foundation. Laying down a concrete pad is a critical part of putting in the first AC for a new house.

That doesn’t mean the concrete slab won’t start to sink at some point! If you noticed during your trip to look at the condenser (and how often have you really looked at this critical part of your home comfort system?) that the unit appeared a bit uneven, then you may have a sinking condenser. 

No, the condenser isn’t going to vanish into the ground. But an uneven condenser because of a sinking slab is still a problem that calls for air conditioning repair in Brighton, MI. Read on to learn more!

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August AC Tips So You Have a Cool End of the Summer

August 16th, 2021

outdoor-acAugust brings two challenges for air conditioning systems:

  1. It is usually the hottest month.
  2. ACs have already put in several months of hard labor dealing with the heat.

The combination of these two mean air conditioners face a higher chance of malfunctions and breakdowns in August. It’s definitely one of the busiest times of the year for us! Our technicians tackle many emergency calls for air conditioning repair in Flushing, MI and throughout our service area. 

We’re always happy to help with AC repairs whenever you need them, but we also want to provide the service of prevention. If you already schedule preventive HVAC maintenance in spring, you got your AC off to a good start. The tips below can help your AC have a good end to the season, which means you’ll enjoy it more too!

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Why Ice Might Form on Your AC’s Coil

August 2nd, 2021

frost-patternHere’s a common misunderstanding people often have about air conditioning systems: it’s normal for ice to appear on them, because it means the AC is doing an extremely good job of cooling the air.

Nothing about this is true. Air conditioners should never create ice as they operate, the same way that you shouldn’t see ice forming inside a modern freezer (unless you specifically put water in it to turn into ice). When you see ice developing on your AC, it will appear along the indoor coil, the evaporator coil, and that sends a warning that something is wrong with the air conditioner. Not only is a problem present in the AC, but the ice will cause the air conditioner to provide less cool air, not more. In most cases, ice on the coil means you need to call for AC repair in Flushing, MI.

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Reasons to Consider a Geothermal System for Your Home

July 19th, 2021

geothermal-loopsGeothermal heat pumps (a.k.a. a “ground-source” heat pumps) are becoming more common for residential homes. People who once thought that installing geothermal heating and cooling was out of their reach are finding that these installations are more flexible and affordable than ever before. If a home already has a standard AC or heat pump, most of the indoor work for installation is already done—a geothermal heat pump will use the same ductwork the current AC or heat pump uses. Putting in the ground loops isn’t as difficult as it may seem either.

If you’re thinking about changing over to geothermal heating and geothermal cooling in Brighton, MI, you should know about some of the major benefits of this switch. It’s true that a geothermal installation is a larger investment than other HVAC systems, but the system can pay you back in many ways:

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Why Is My AC Leaking Water?

July 5th, 2021

water-dropletsAs the hot months of summer in Brighton keep getting hotter, your air conditioner is most likely going to be working overtime to keep your home cool and comfortable. If you have had your air conditioner for a long time, you must have faced several issues over the years that require repairs. One fairly common issue that people face with their cooling systems is an inexplicable water leak from their ACs.

If your air conditioner is leaking water, you might be confused about why that’s happening and if you need to do anything about it. We will discuss why your air conditioner might be leaking water inside your house and why you should consider hiring expert Brighton, MI geothermal heating and air conditioner services to address the problem before it gets worse.

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