Category Archives: Heating

FIVE SIMPLE TIPS FOR PURCHASING A NEW FURNACE

Getting your heating system ready for winter will make the winter cozy and fun!

Brrrrr! This winter has been a cold one for us throughout Northwest Indiana. Our sub-zero temperatures can determine whether your furnace is your best friend or your frigid nightmare! A furnace nightmare can be a costly and time-consuming experience. Hopefully your furnace is up and running properly but if you are looking to purchase a new furnace, we understand that it can be a costly and time-consuming undertaking. Here are a few, simple tips to help you turn a nightmare into a dream-come-true. Make a decision that is the right fit for your family, your home and your pocketbook!

Look at Your New Furnace as a Long-Term Investment: Most buyers make a buying decision just on the basis of price. We understand that price is an issue for most people but you should also consider equipment with higher energy efficiency ratings. Your investment can help you save money on your NIPSCO bills for years to come, which yields a hiagh return on your investment.
Take a Long, Hard Look at the Furnace’s Features: There are many “extras” that some people steer clear of when purchasing a new furnace but many of these features complement your plan to be energy efficient and provide hard savings to your bottom line. When making a purchasing decision, here are a few to look for:
- Variable Operation: This means the system can adapt itself to changing conditions and provides better comfort and reliability.
- Safety: Look for systems that offer improved safety, especially when it comes to carbon monoxide detection, which we all know can save lives.
- Humidity Control: Check if the system offers humidity control. It should have the ability to add moisture to the air during winter when the environment gets very dry and should remove humidity during summer.
Carefully Choose Your HVAC Company: A quality, licensed HVAC companywill install the furnace properly and ensure peak performance of your new system. Check the company’s experience with the particular type and model of equipment. For example, make sure your HVAC installer has experience installing and maintaining your brand of furnace equipment. And, whether you have a gas furnace or an electric furnace, your provider should provide the services necessary to keep your system in good condition. This includes routine maintenance services (with an inspection and tune up of your system, or one each year if you join a maintenance plan), repairs, new installations or gas or electric furnace replacements. Most import – hire an HVAC company that has been in business for more than ten years. Their experience is priceless!
Consider Energy Ratings: As heating systems are becoming more and more energy efficient, there is no reason why you should invest in a model that isn’t going to save you money in the long run on your energy bills. Check out the ENERGY STAR ratings and choose a model that offers better efficiency at a price that fits your budget.
Look for Tax Credits and Warranties: Some energy efficient heating systems may qualify you for federal tax credits, some of them up to 30 percent! Warranties are another major consideration to bear in mind while making a choice – the longer and more inclusive the better. ALERT!! NIPSCO may also offer a rebate on energy efficient systems. Your HVAC contractor can provide up-to-date information on these offers.

If you are exploring various options for a furnace and need professional help to make a choice and install the system, give Earl’s Heating and Air Conditioning a call at (219) 942-9023 or contact us on our website at http://www.earlsheating.com/contact/send-message. We are happy to help and offer free quotes in our service area!

4 Signs You Are In Need of Heating Repair

With the weather drastically cooling down here in Crown Point, IN it’s no secret that you need a fully functional heating system to get you through the next few months. Hopefully, you’ve had routine maintenance done within the last year to ensure your heating system is ready for its job. Either way, however, no heater is immune to problems.

If you do discover that your heater is in need of repair, it’s best to have it done as soon as possible, to avoid costlier problems down the road—or worse, being stuck without heating in the middle of a cold winter day. Here are 4 signs that it’s time to call one of our professionals to repair your heater. Continue reading →

Furnace Inspection Steps: Is Your Heater Ready for Winter?

Hopefully, you’ve already had maintenance done for your heater this year. It’s recommended that you have this service done at least once a year—twice a year if you have heat pump. If you are one of the many homeowners that has a furnace, though, then once a year is sufficient, but it’s imperative that you not skip this appointment.

The safety risks involved with older furnaces are not as large of a concern today, as modern furnaces are much more advanced than those of the past. However, there is still at least a small chance of carbon monoxide leaks with gas-powered furnaces, and fire hazards if you have an electric-powered heating system. Fortunately, all it takes is one maintenance appointment—and inherent inspection—a year to make sure that your furnace is ready to perform effectively and safely this winter. Continue reading →

Is Your Furnace Failing to Light?

As the weather cools, the last thing you and your family likely want to face is a malfunctioning furnace. If your furnace is failing to light, there are a number of problems that could be the cause. Some of these problems are easily fixed while others may be signs of a serious issue that needs professional attention as soon as possible. Continue reading →

Is Heating Maintenance Really Worth It?

We have written in the past about how important maintenance is, listing some of the many benefits of such a service. It’s cooling off now, so if you haven’t scheduled this appointment yet, now is the time to do so. Of course, you may be hesitating because you don’t see the value of regular maintenance. On the contrary though, maintenance is essential for your heating system. Keep reading to learn why. Continue reading →

How to Care for Your HVAC System between Tune-Ups

No matter what type of heating or cooling system you have in your home, it’s vital that you schedule routine maintenance so that our expert technicians can fully inspect, clean, and adjust your system and its component on a regular basis.

Doing so will ensure that it works as effectively and efficiently as it should for as long as it should. But something very important to remember is that you can’t just neglect your HVAC system between maintenance appointments. There are a couple tasks that you can and should be doing on your own—one of those being to change your air filter. Keep reading to learn more about what a dirty air filter does to your air conditioner or heater. Continue reading →

How Can a New Boiler Benefit Your Home?

So you’ve decided to have a gas-powered boiler installed in your home. Congratulations, you’re making an investment in the long-term performance of your heating system, and you’ll soon recognize energy savings as well. When you live somewhere like this, with considerably cold winters, anywhere you can save on your heating costs is beneficial!

Boilers are known for their longevity, easy maintenance, and relatively few repair needs, resulting in a lengthy period of payback for your initial purchase. Keep reading to learn more about how you can save on your utility bills with your new boiler system. Continue reading →

Do You Cover Your Air Conditioner Each Winter?

As the heating season quickly approaches, it’s time to begin thinking about furnaces, boilers, etc. If you haven’t already scheduled heater maintenance this year, now is the time to do so! But this doesn’t mean you should forget about your air conditioner all together as the cooler temperatures hit. After all, you want your AC to be in good shape when spring rolls around again.

There are companies out there that claim that wrapping your air conditioner when it’s not in use if incredibly important, while others say it can actually damage the system. In the long run, it comes down to where your home is located and the conditions of your environment. But we recommend some sort of protection over your condenser—it’s a good idea as long as you do it correctly. Continue reading →

Does Maintenance Really Protect Your Furnace?

In recent weeks, we’ve been discussing the importance of heating system maintenance. Even though our temperatures have stayed generally mild as of recently, it’s only a matter of time before our weather turns cooler, and when winter hits full force, you’ll be grateful for a fully functioning furnace.

Of course, the only way to ensure its reliability and functionality is by scheduling routine maintenance, and now is the best time to seek this service out. This means you won’t have to worry about it when temperatures reach a point that you have to use your heater on a regular basis. Keep reading to learn how furnace maintenance helps protect your valuable heating system. Continue reading →

Dodge These Boiler Problems with Seasonal Maintenance

There are a wide variety of advantages to using a boiler to heat your home and keep warm through even the coldest of winters, and now is the perfect time to start thinking about maintenance for this system.

Boilers do need fewer repairs than other heating systems such as furnaces and heat pumps, since they require a small number of mechanical parts, however that does not make them immune to problems. Keep reading to learn about some of the more common issues that your boiler can run into without proper preventive maintenance. Continue reading →