Brown's Heating & Cooling Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Should You Go Ductless This Year?

Monday, January 24th, 2022
ductless-air-handler-on-wall-in-modern-looking-living-room

Have you seen a ductless HVAC system before? Chances are that you probably have, even if you can’t pinpoint when it was. If you’ve noticed a unit up on the wall of a room that resembles a sleeker version of a window air conditioning unit that doesn’t go through the back of the wall too, then you’re looking at the air handler of a ductless system.

Also referred to as a ductless mini-split heat pump, ductless systems work through these wall-mounted air handlers, each of which is connected to a single outdoor unit. An outdoor unit can be connected to up to 4 indoor air handlers, which all work independently of one another with their own thermostats.

Ductless systems have become increasingly popular in the U.S. in the last decade or so, and for good reason. Read on as we uncover the various benefits of such a system.

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How to Increase Home Comfort When Your Heater Seems to Be Making Air Drier

Monday, January 3rd, 2022
room-humidifier

Home comfort can seem like quite the challe

nge in the winter–especially when temperatures are at their coldest. You run your heater, but you don’t feel as comfortable as you think you should. In fact, it only seems to make the dry air drier!

This is a bit of a strange phenomenon, but your heater isn’t actually making the dry air drier. What’s actually happening is the dryness is making the cold air colder, and this is why you’re feeling uncomfortable.

You see, the ideal relative humidity level in any given home is between 30-50%. Anything below 30%, which our humidity levels often are as the temperatures cool down, is considered too dry. Since humidity holds in heat, you’ll not only feel dry but you’ll feel like you can’t quite warm up either. Read on to learn what the solution is to this problem!

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Tips for Boosting Heating Efficiency in Your Home

Monday, December 20th, 2021

When temperatures decline and you need your heating system to run on a consistent basis, it can seem hard to save money. After all, your HVAC systems take up half of all the energy use in a home, and it’s obviously not practical to just shut off your heating system–we need our heaters here in Colorado Springs!

You can improve heating efficiency with these tips from our expert technicians. Reach out to a professional technician to schedule service today!

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Why You Don’t Want a Cracked Furnace Heat Exchanger

Monday, December 6th, 2021
gas-burners

If we were to guess what kind of heater you use in your home to stay comfortable during our chilly winters, it’s probably safe to guess it’s a natural gas furnace. After all, these are the most popular heaters throughout the country, and their popularity is highest in states with weather systems like ours. Natural gas is a cost-efficient fuel source–more so than electricity. Since most households also have ductwork running through, furnaces are also a bit more popular than boilers.

Today’s modern furnaces are designed with safety in mind, and will operate even more safely if you make sure you stay on top of your annual professional tune-ups.

But it’s important to remember that even the most well-cared-for gas furnace has the potential to suffer from gas leaks and combustion hazards that require quick, professional repair. The biggest repair concern is a cracked heat exchanger. Ignoring this problem can lead to a significant safety hazard in your home. Read on to learn more!

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Are You Ready for a Heater Upgrade?

Monday, November 22nd, 2021
man-shivering-on-couch

Not sure if it’s time to replace your heating system? We understand that this can be a difficult decision. Deciding to buy a new furnace or heat pump for your home and spending money on the installation service needed to get it put incorrectly is an investment of your time and money, so you want to make sure you’re making the right decision.

On the other hand, you don’t want to wait too long to take action if something really is wrong with your heating system. Waiting too long could leave you with a completely broken down heater when you need the system the most this fall or winter.

Read on as we uncover some signs that it may be time for you to go ahead and contact us for a heating system upgrade!

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“Help! My Heat Pump Won’t Switch Modes”

Monday, November 8th, 2021
vent-low-on-wall

By the definition of most Colorado Springs residents, temperatures are still pretty “mild.” Still, though, you are probably at least itching to turn on your heater during our very chilly nights. So, what happens if you went to switch your heat pump from cooling mode to heating mode, only to discover that it won’t switch over?

First off, it’s worth mentioning that this problem is a lot less likely to happen with preventive maintenance. While a standard central air conditioner or furnace needs maintenance once a year, a heat pump does twice the work as these conventional systems and therefore needs twice the care.

Maintenance allows our professionals to thoroughly inspect, clean, and adjust components that need it. We’ll also check for signs that your system needs repair, and alert you to those repair needs so you can get that on your schedule.

If you’ve already had maintenance done in the last few months, however, and you’re still experiencing this problem, then it’s very clear something is amiss. But what is it? Read on to find out!

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How Can You Tell If Your Furnace Needs Repairs?

Monday, October 25th, 2021
technician-working-on-furnace

If there’s anything we don’t want our customers to do this fall and winter, it’s sitting around wondering if their heating system is going to allow them to stay comfortable all season long without suddenly breaking down on them.

Of course, if you keep up on your maintenance sessions, this is a lot less likely to happen! Maintenance allows your furnace system to work as efficiently and effectively as possible for as long as possible. When we maintain your system, we thoroughly clean it, inspect it for signs of wear and tear, and adjust components that need it.

This all actually helps prevent repair needs. Still, it’s a good idea to be aware of the signs that you might actually need furnace repairs, in case a repair need does crop up in between tune-ups. Read on as we uncover some of the signs of a furnace in disrepair.

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Take This Important First Step in Preparing for Chilly Weather

Monday, October 11th, 2021

No, it’s not going to start snowing tomorrow, most likely. But fall is certainly upon us, which means temperatures will soon start cooling down.

This means that it’s just about time to turn our attention away from our homes’ air conditioners and turn it to our heating systems instead.

The first step in preparing for a potentially very chilly winter is making sure your furnace is actually ready for the huge decline in temperatures, through a maintenance tune-up.

This is a service that should be done annually. Now is typically the best time to have it done because it’s before you need the system the most, and so you’ll be less likely to experience a disruption in service. Read on to learn more!

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Don’t Ignore Your Furnace This Time of Year!

Monday, March 1st, 2021
woman-holding-hand-to-ear-to-listen

While winter has certainly brought some surprises this year, especially to our neighbors in the south, the season is almost officially over. And when it does end, we don’t need to think about our heaters again for six more months, right?!

Well, not quite. If you’ve lived in this area for even just a year, then you are very well aware of how variable our weather can be. Heatwaves come just as much as unseasonable cold snaps. As such, you need your furnace to always be in good shape. If it has repair needs now, you shouldn’t ignore them—that could leave you with a malfunctioning heater or a completely broken down one next time you need it.

Also, ignoring certain furnace problems—such as a problem with your ductwork or thermostat—can impact your air conditioner too, then what does that leave you with? Expensive energy bills and decreased comfort, that’s what.

Read on as we uncover some of the most common signs that you need repairs for your furnace sooner rather than later.

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What to Know about a Cracked Heat Exchanger

Monday, February 15th, 2021
furnace-jets

The first thing you should know about a cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace is that you don’t want one!

Gas furnaces are not inherently dangerous devices—something we should clear up right away. However, if you don’t take proper care of your gas furnace, it can become dangerous. Just like any other powerful appliance or appliance that creates combustion gasses, a furnace can potentially create health hazards if it is not properly maintained on a consistent basis.

What we want to caution you about today is one of the most common causes for a gas furnace becoming unsafe. Cracked heat exchangers are more likely to occur in older furnace systems (10-15 years old), so we recommend looking into a replacement sooner than later if you have an aging system. Routine maintenance does help catch problems like this before they start! Be sure to call for maintenance if you skipped it in the fall.

In the meantime, read on to learn more about heat exchangers in gas furnaces.

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