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Heating Maintenance

Regular heating maintenance can go a long way in helping your furnace system have a long, healthy life with minimal repairs. While we can’t prevent repairs completely, Ace Hi can ensure that the unit is running efficiently, is producing quality heat, and regular cleaning and inspections will ensure that any small issues are caught before they become bigger, expensive repairs.

Have your home’s heating system inspected at least once a year, but ideally in both the spring and the fall.

When you call an HVAC company for furnace maintenance, here are a few things that the technician will do to ensure that your furnace is healthy and efficient.

Replace the Air Filter: This is one of the easiest, and maybe one of the most important, things you can do to ensure your furnace or heating system is working efficiently. The filter’s job is to limit the amount of particles (dust, dust mites, pollen, pet dander, bacteria, spores) that get into your home’s air. With a dirty filter, your air quality will decrease and your energy bills will increase. The air filter should be changed every 30 to 90 days, depending on the quality of the filter and if anyone in your home has allergies.
Inspect the Blower Motor: The blower motor is what powers the fan that moves air within the furnace. As the heat exchanger heats up, the blower motor pushes air above the heat exchanger, allowing the air to warm up before it’s sent through the home. The blower motor is also used when the air conditioning is turned on. Because this component has a lot of moving parts, it’s essential that it is well maintained. Without proper care, the internal parts will break down and can result in many of the strange noises that signal a furnace repair is needed.
Seal the Home: When the home itself isn’t sealed properly, even a brand new furnace won’t be able to heat the space efficiently. An HVAC contractor can do a home audit and determine which areas need improvement. To prevent heat loss in the winter and loss of cool air in the summer, you may need to add weather stripping on windows and doors, seal and insulate the duct system, or add insulation in the attic.
Vents: For a furnace to work properly, the air must be able to circulate completely through the duct system and into the home. Walk through each room and inspect the vents. Make sure they are fully open and are clear of any furniture, boxes, or other household items. When a vent is blocked, it will prevent air from flowing freely, making the system work harder than it needs to.

Exhaust Flue: This is an incredibly important component of a furnace system, as it prevents carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide from getting into your home. When the flue is blocked, these gases could end up inside your home instead of being released outside. These gases can be incredibly dangerous, causing health effects such as dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and they can even be fatal.
Clean: Even though it doesn’t sound like it would help a lot, cleaning the systems vents and ductwork will keep the furnace working longer and help it to remain efficient. At least once a year, thoroughly clean the unit itself, vents, and floor registers throughout the home to prevent future furnace repair needs.

Heating Repair Northern Colorado

When it comes to heating repair, whether it's a furnace, boiler, or heat pump, it can be difficult to judge when something is wrong unless it’s not turning on or it’s not producing any heat at all. But even when things are running, your heating system may still need some repairs in order to work effectively, efficiently, and to keep your home and family safe and healthy. If your furnace hasn’t even crossed your mind in a year or two, look out for these warning signs. And if you decide it’s time for HVAC service, call the team at Ace Hi.

Water is Pooling

Take a look at the floor around your furnace. If you see pools of water, this is most often caused by a clogged condensate line. It is best to let an HVAC company handle this repair, as it requires both HVAC and plumbing experience to fix.

A Gas Smell

At the first sign of a gas-like smell in your home, it’s essential that you take immediate action. First, shut down your furnace. Then, open up the furnace, look for the gas supply valve, and turn it off. Call an HVAC technician right away.

Sounds

When strange sounds from the furnace don’t go away on their own, this is a fairly clear sign that you need heating repair. Listen for clicking sounds, booming, rattling, squealing, and chirping. Each sound signifies a different issue with the furnace, and your HVAC repair specialist will know what to look for.

Broken Thermostat

When the thermostat on your wall goes out, which tells the furnace how much heat to produce, it’s generally an electrical issue, either a blown fuse, loose wiring, or a tripped circuit breaker. Electrical issues should be handled by an expert, unless you have formal training.

High Utility Bills

If you see an unexpectedly high utility bill, it could be a sign that the furnace isn’t working efficiently. This issue could be a range of problems, from something small like the air filter needs to be changed or something larger like a leak in the duct system.

Cold Air

Homeowners will definitely notice this one right away. When the furnace is blowing cold air, it is usually an issue with the thermocouple or the pilot light. Both of these components should be inspected and repaired by a licensed HVAC technician.

Frequent Cycling

When you hearing the furnace kick on and then only a few minutes later turn off again, it could be an issue with an old filter, improper air circulation, or an issue with the thermostat.

When you call Ace Hi Plumbing, Heating & Air for heating repair, you can expect us to inspect the furnace, boiler, or heat pump, diagnose the issue, and offer an honest opinion on the best course of action. We provide Northern Colorado with a variety of HVAC services:

Pilot light or ignition control issues
Thermostat issues
Problems with the ductwork
The furnace isn’t heating
The furnace is making strange noises
Leaking in the system
Issues with the heat exchanger
Issues with the blower motor
Maintenance, repair, and installation
Emergency service
And more

Furnace repairs are becoming more and more frequent.
Repairs are costing more than the unit is worth.
The home’s heat is uneven.
If you start hearing unusual sounds.
When the system is 15 years or older.
There are higher utility bills.
The pilot light flame is yellow instead of blue.
There’s a significant leak in the unit
There’s gas coming from the system.

When it does come time for a furnace installation, the HVAC technicians at Ace Hi Plumbing, Heating & Air can make some recommendations for the best make and model of heating system in your home, depending on your needs. Here are a few quick tips on how to choose a new furnace:

Consider the Efficiency

For a gas furnace, one of the most important things to consider may be the efficiency of the unit. Efficiency rating for furnaces is done with an AFUE number, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The minimum AFUE number has increased steadily as new technology has made it easier for systems to be more efficient. Today, the minimum AFUE is 92 and a maximum of 98.5. This essentially means that for every dollar you spend on gas, 92 cents to 98.5 cents will go toward heating your home.

You’ll also want to consider the electricity a furnace takes.

Do You Want Two Stage Valves?

Another way you can make sure that your energy costs are as low as possible is to get a furnace with two stage valves. These control the amount of fuel that is used. If you have the thermostat set at a lower temperature while you’re at work during the day, and then come home and want to heat up the house fast, two stage valves will allow the furnace to run high at first and then the fuel level will decrease to maintain the temperature.

Do You Want a Programmable Thermostat?

This is just as it sounds. You can tell the thermostat what temperatures you want the house to be at a given time, whether it’s during the day when no one is at home or at night.

Consider the Size

When looking at the size of a furnace, a BTU (British Thermal Unit) is used. A BTU is a measurement of energy — or how much energy is required to raise the temperature in a home. A furnace with a higher BTU will be able to produce more heat. How many BTUs you need in a furnace will depend on the size of the home, the type and quality of insulation in the walls, the climate, and how tall the ceilings are.

Heating Services in Northern Colorado

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Heating Repair