First Choice Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Brighton’

Schedule Heating Maintenance Now and Beat the Rush

Monday, 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

Monday, 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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Reasons to Consider a Geothermal System for Your Home

Monday, 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?

Monday, 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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The Hot, Stuffy Home—You May Need Air Duct Sealing!

Monday, June 21st, 2021

duct-sealingYour summer season inside your home has gotten off to a rough start. Even though you have a central air conditioning system that you’ve relied on before, something isn’t working right. It’s not just that the house isn’t cooling down enough, even though the air conditioner is sending out cooled air. It’s also that the house feels stuffy and humid, and your electric bills are higher than ever before. What’s going on?

There are several possibilities, but all of these problems are signs of a particular problem the house may have: leaking air ducts. When you’ve got leaky ductwork, it will create a host of problems like the ones we’ve already listed. If you’d like to have comfort restored in your house and an HVAC system that does what it’s supposed to do, call us for air duct sealing in Brighton, MI.

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No, It’s Not Too Late for Air Conditioning Maintenance!

Monday, May 24th, 2021

tool-kitEach year we remind our customers to schedule their regular appointment to inspect and tune-up their air conditioning systems before the summer heat arrives. Early spring is the best time to arrange for AC maintenance, but there isn’t an “expiration date” for this service. It needs to be done each year, and it’s always better to have it done later than to skip it entirely.

But you don’t need to worry about getting your AC maintenance done “late,” because right now is a great time to have it done. It’s still officially spring, and although the weather is warming up now into the 80s on a regular basis, the most serious heat hasn’t arrived yet. You’re not late if you schedule air conditioning maintenance now. You’re right on time!

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Will a High Efficiency Air Conditioning System Save Me Money?

Monday, May 10th, 2021

If you’re considering installing a new air conditioner for your house before the summer heat arrives, now is the ideal time. But what kind of AC installation in Brighton, MI are you going to get? 

This is a more complicated question than it may seem at first, because there are more options for central cooling than before. If you’ve had your current air conditioning system for more than ten years, energy-efficiency standards have shifted and even the lowest efficiency system you can purchase will be higher than what it was when you purchased your current system. And there are also many special high-efficiency models.

High-efficiency ACs are an attractive choice because they have the lure of reducing energy use. But is getting a high-efficiency system a guarantee of saving you money? The short answer is no. You can’t be guaranteed money savings, but you can increase the chance of saving money if you make the right choices.

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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.

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How Long Can My Boiler Last?

Monday, March 29th, 2021

boiler gaugeOne 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. 

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AC Maintenance Season Is Almost Here

Monday, March 1st, 2021

air-conditioner-condenser-3D-renderActual air conditioning season is definitely not here yet! It’s still cold outside, and we can expect to have extreme cold weather continue to hit us through April. However, it’s almost the season for air conditioning upkeep … because before we know it, warm weather will be here again and air conditioners around the state will go to work. You want to make sure that your home’s air conditioning system is prepared for the change in weather. Getting professionals air conditioning maintenance in Brighton, MI completed in early spring is the kind of planning that can help you enjoy a great middle of the year with few comfort troubles. 

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