Heating, Air Conditioning and Indoor Air Quality Blog

Why We Recommend Whole-House Generator Installation

May 8th, 2023

Nobody wants to be at the mercy of a power outage in their home. Even a brief one that lasts only a few minutes is an annoyance because you have to go check on all your electrical appliances and reactivate them, as well as reset several clocks, the thermostat, and re-log into your Wi-Fi modem from several devices.

The real threat comes from extended power outages that can last for hours or even days. These can strike in extreme weather conditions or due to massive strain on the electrical grid. A household depends on electrical power in numerous ways, and losing that power will mean a loss of heating and air conditioning, the refrigerator, ways to charge mobile devices, computer connections, Wi-Fi connections, and more. When it comes to the HVAC system and powered medical equipment, power outages can turn into genuine emergencies.

How Can I Tell If My Home Needs Duct Cleaning?

April 24th, 2023

Homeowners often forget about duct cleaning or else think it’s not necessary. Unfortunately, there are some shady companies that hawk “duct cleaning services” that don’t do much of anything at all except a shallow vacuuming of several ducts. This nearly useless type of duct cleaning has soured some people on the idea of the service.

However, duct cleaning professionals with the right equipment who take the time to do a thorough job can make a major difference for a home. A complete cleaning with a pressurized power vacuum and rotary brushes returns ducts to a “like new” condition that reduces resistance on the HVAC system and lowers the amount of dust and other debris that gets blown around the air. (Consider that the average 6-person home circulates 40 pounds of dust a year and you’ll understand what duct cleaning can really do.)

But do you need duct cleaning now? How can you tell? Let’s take a look at whether it’s time to call us to schedule an appointment for duct cleaning in Ellensburg, WA.

Give Your Furnace a Grade for the End of the Season

April 10th, 2023

The weather is warming up, although we can expect to have a few more cold days come our way through the spring. It isn’t time to shut off your heater for mid-year.

Not yet. But it is the time to consider your heater’s future based on how well it performed over this last winter.

You never want to let a major furnace breakdown sneak up on you. It’s better to replace an ailing furnace before it has a chance to trap you in an unheated home.

To help you get a better understanding of how well your furnace is currently doing, we want you to try this thought experiment: give your furnace a grade (“A” through “F”) for how well it performed over the previous winter.

Below, we’ll examine what these grades may mean for your furnace’s future and what steps you might need to take, like furnace replacement or furnace repair in Yakima, WA.

Is Replacing Your AC With a Heat Pump a Good Idea?

March 27th, 2023

The simple answer to this question is a noncommittal: “It depends.” That’s often the answer when it comes to major decisions about replacing HVAC units.

Every home is different, every household different, and what works well in one situation may be inappropriate and wasteful in another.

As local HVAC experts who often work with HVAC replacement in Ellensburg, WA and the surrounding areas, we can provide you with information that will help you think about whether replacing your current AC with a heat pump is a wise choice.

If you want solid answers, you can get in touch with our team. We’ll consult with you based on your specific needs and budget to find the ideal outcome.

The Importance of Carbon Monoxide Testing for Your Furnace

March 13th, 2023

If you have a natural gas furnace providing your home with heat, you probably know that there is some potential for dangerous carbon monoxide gas exposure. This is something that’s true of any home appliance that combusts natural gas, not just gas furnaces. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of the combustion process, a colorless, odorless, and toxic gas that creates health complications and can even cause death with extended exposure.

Gas furnaces aren’t inherently unsafe—they would never be permitted in homes if they were—so you don’t need to panic about having a gas furnace in your house. But you must take several precautions to ensure the furnace runs safely and that you and your family have ample warning in case CO leaks into the home. One of these precautions is to have annual carbon monoxide testing.

Never Ignore Furnace Problems, No Matter the Time of Year

February 27th, 2023

We’re now in late winter, and spring officially starts in less than a month. This doesn’t mean the immediate end of cold weather. March is notoriously unpredictable and April is often filled with cold and rainy days. Still, warmer weather is on the way as the winter wraps up, and this is a good time to remind you of the importance of keeping your furnace in good repair, no matter the season.

If you run into problems with your furnace that don’t seem too bad (such as strange noises and uneven heating), you may feel tempted to just “ride out” the rest of the cold weather and worry about getting the trouble fixed later. We understand this temptation, but please don’t give in to it. When your furnace needs professional repairs, have them taken care of as soon as possible. We’ll explain why below.

I See Smoke Coming From My Heat Pump! What’s Wrong?

February 13th, 2023

First, take a deep breath. Your heat pump is almost certainly not on fire. In fact, it’s probably working just the way it’s supposed to.

If this is the first winter you’ve used a heat pump to provide comfort to your home, then we’re not surprised that you might find this sight alarming. A heat pump works similarly to an air conditioner, and if you see smoke coming off your air conditioning system’s outdoor unit, that’s a big problem, likely some kind of electrical fire. This is extremely rare, but not impossible.

However, that “smoke” you see rising from your heat pump isn’t smoke at all, as we’ll explain.

How to Tell You Need to Replace Your Furnace

January 30th, 2023

The furnace is the true workhorse of heating across North America: gas furnaces and electric furnaces are the heating systems most commonly found in residential buildings, and that isn’t likely to change soon, even with the growing popularity of heat pumps.

Because furnaces are so common, it’s easy for people to think that the furnace in their home will just keep running forever. Of course, no furnace is immortal, and it’s important to know when you need to replace yours.

No, It’s Not Too Late for Heating Maintenance

January 16th, 2023

We like to say that there’s no expiration date for heating maintenance. This is a vital job for your home heating system, and it’s best to have it done before the winter weather begins.

However, if you missed having your heater maintenance in Yakima, WA scheduled during the fall, that doesn’t mean you should just skip it entirely and wait until next fall to pick it up again. A great deal depends on annual maintenance, so even though it’s already mid-January, we strongly recommend calling us to get on the schedule. Trust us, it’s much worse to skip maintenance than to have it done late.

What to Do If Your Heating System Stops Working

December 19th, 2022

Brrr! The cold winter weather has definitely arrived! This is when you’ll need to depend heavily on your home heating system to keep your family safe and warm.

What happens if your heating system suddenly stops working? This can be a scary event—understandably scary—but we’re here to help you. We have great technicians who’ll quickly solve your home heating troubles and see that your house is warm once again.

However, before you call us for heating repair in Yakima, WA, there are some steps you can take that might restore your comfort. We don’t recommend you ever attempt to repair your heater on your own, but you can go through some troubleshooting steps.