6 Ways To Prepare Your AC for Summer

Posted on March 24, 2023 by HVAC

ac maintenance

You may be waiting for hot summer nights to turn on your air conditioner. But believe it or not, you should start tuning up your AC unit while you’re still bundled up for winter.

ACs don’t always get the maintenance they need until they break down, so service is a step that needs to be taken when the season changes. Before the season begins, hire  HVAC repair services to help find problems before they worsen and cost more to fix.

Are you wondering about the service you should give your AC unit so that you are cool the entire summer? There are many of them, with the common ones being: 

Inspect and clean the filters.

Checking the filters is the first step in preparing your air conditioner for the season. If your filter is dirty, your system will have to work harder than it needs to, making it cool less well and raising your utility bills even more.

Not only is cleaning the filters the easiest maintenance task, but it can also cut your air conditioner’s energy use by up to 15%.

You should wash your reusable filters or replace the disposable ones at least once a month.

You can hire a professional to inspect the filter or do it yourself. 

Clear the drain

Your AC’s condensate drain line gets rid of the water that builds up near the evaporator coil.

A clogged drain can cause leaks that cost a lot to fix, and it can also make your AC unit work harder and put out less cool air. 

Depending on how old your AC is, algae and dirt can build up in the line over time, which can cause the line to clog.

So, draining your line and ensuring it is clear of clogs before summer will ensure the system works well when it gets hot.

Again, you can do the work or hire a professional to help you out. 

Clean the outdoor unit.

Before you even turn on the HVAC system, look at the outer part and ensure no bushes or weeds are growing on it or in the way of the air intake.

To ensure your unit can get air, ensure all plants are at least 2 feet away from the outdoor unit.

While at it, check the unit’s fins and use low-pressure water to wash away dirt to allow full airflow.

Inspect the overflow pan.

Check the pan under the AC every time you look at your unit. The pan collects and stores any water that your AC pulls out as it works.

Look to see if it is not only dry but also doesn’t have any rust on it. Something is wrong if it smells damp or rusty and your drain line is clogged.

In this case, it’s best to call a professional to check it out.

Upgrade your thermostat

Before using your air conditioner, you should always check the thermostat controls to ensure the system turns on and off at the correct times.

Spring is a great time to consider replacing your old thermostat with a smart one, which becomes a game changer when saving money.

With a smart thermostat, you can make your house warmer when you’re not there and cozier when you are.

These thermostats also allow you to control them virtually so that you can turn on your appliance even when you are at work so that you come home to a cool house. 

Tune up your appliance.

DIY maintenance can make a big difference in how well your AC system works, but it can’t replace a thorough tuneup that a trained HVAC technician can do.

It’s easy for a lot of homeowners to miss a problem with one of the many parts that make up an AC system. This is why you need a thorough checkup by a professional.

When hiring the air conditioner repair services Stony Brook technician, don’t hire just anyone—take time to find an expert that knows what they are doing. The last thing you should do is hire a cheap newbie who will most likely end up damaging your unit.  

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AC Tips To Boost Energy Efficiency And Cut Your Power Bill

Posted on March 14, 2023 by HVAC

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As summer approaches, it’s important to ensure your air conditioner is in good shape. At the same time, you need to take care of and maintain your AC unit to work well even when it’s hot outside. 

When your unit functions optimally, you save money on energy costs and get better cooling. To help you out, here are tips from AC repair services to keep your home cool and comfortable during the hottest months of the year.

Keep the AC running

It might sound counterintuitive to have your AC running all the time when you are looking to save money, but according to Xiaolin Wang, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at the Australian National University, the cost of starting up the unit might be more than the cost of leaving it on. 

To save some energy, don’t turn off the air conditioner when you run out to school or the store.

You should note that when you turn the AC off, the room will get hot, and the air conditioner will have to run again to cool it down, costing you more money.

On and off and on is bad for the air conditioner’s compressor. So, once it works, keep it working.

If you are going out for one or two hours, you can leave the air conditioner running at a constant temperature, but if you will be out for eight or more hours, it’s wise that you raise the settings a little bit. 

To easily set up your unit, consider investing in a programmable thermostat. 

Inspect and clean the air filters.

There is no way your AC will run optimally if the air filters are dirty. Remember that a dirty filter blocks airflow lowers efficiency, and raises energy costs, so it’s important to keep it clean.

At least once every three months, inspect your filters, and if dirty clean them. If the filters are too dirty or damaged, instead of cleaning them, replace them. 

Tune up the unit

The most important thing you can do to ensure your air conditioner works well and reliably year after year is to get it tuned yearly.

 Even if you’re good about checking and changing your air filters regularly, having a professional come by once a year to check how your system works inside makes a huge difference in how well it works over time. 

It’s recommended that you have your unit tuned up once a year, but if you put your unit into extreme work, consider having it tuned up every six months.

Clean and replace the coils

If your air conditioner isn’t cooling as well as it used to and you’re starting to feel the heat, resetting it by cleaning or replacing the coils might be time. 

Over time, your air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils get clogged with dust, dirt, and other debris. If you don’t give them attention, they are bound to reduce the efficiency of your appliance.

When you clean or replace these coils, you can breathe new life into an older unit or keep a newer one running at its best.

You can do the cleaning yourself, but let an experienced professional do it for the best outcome. 

Be cautious when cleaning the coils, as they are delicate and can easily get damaged. 

Clean the vents and registers.

Keep the vents and registers free of dirt, dust, and other particles to get the most out of your air conditioner. 

If you don’t, it could cost you money because clogged vents block airflow, which keeps your HVAC system from working at its best. 

You can keep the units clean by vacuuming them often, but you should also try to give them a deeper clean every few months.

Keep an eye on the refrigerant levels.

One of the most important things to do when taking care of an air conditioner is to monitor the refrigerant level.

Refrigerant is the most important thing that makes air conditioners work well. If the amount of refrigerant isn’t right, the cooling power and energy efficiency will go down, so it’s important to check it often. 

The good news is that this process is easy. During routine maintenance, ask your air conditioner repair services Huntington provider to quickly check the refrigerant level to ensure it meets manufacturer standards.

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Tricks to Save On Heat Costs In Short Winters

Posted on February 28, 2023 by HVAC

furnace service repair

Even if you live in an area that experiences short winters, heating costs can add up quickly. Thankfully with a few simple changes, you can cut your energy use by a lot without making yourself less comfortable.

To help you out, here are tricks given by furnace repair service professionals on some of the changes you can make:

Turn the temperature down at night.

During the day, when you are in the house, set your thermostat to the temperature you like best. At night, turn it down by 10 to 15 degrees.

When you turn the temperature lower at night, you save money and have an easy time sleeping, as it has been shown that most people find it easier to sleep in a cooler room and keep warm using winter blankets or comforters.

As you can tell, it’s a hustle to keep changing the temperature setting of your old, traditional thermostat. To have an easy time, get a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat, which automatically changes the temperature based on your schedule.

Put the fan on “Auto.”

Setting the HVAC fan to “On” can help keep cool air moving in the summer but can cause cold drafts in the winter.

To avoid this, change the setting from “On” to “Auto” so that the fan only runs when the heating system is on. This makes sure that your HVAC vents only let warm air out.

Get a new air filter.

If the air filter in your furnace or heat pump is dirty or clogged, it will have to work harder to keep your home comfortable. Like your car, when the engine works hard, it consumes more fuel.

To cut on the amount of fuel your appliance consumes, check the filter and replace it if needed.

If you have a fiberglass filter, you will need to change it every three months, but if you have a pleated or high-efficiency filter, you can get away with replacing it anywhere from six to twelve months.

Reverse your ceiling fan

Normally, a ceiling fan pushes air down, which makes the room feel cooler and helps cool air from the air conditioning system move around the room.

During the winter, the warm air from your furnace will naturally rise, making the air near the floor feel cooler. If you turn your ceiling fan around, it will pull air up. This will push the warm air out of the room and back down to the floor.

Stop drafts from windows.

Add curtains, shades, or heavy drapes to your windows and shut them at night to keep your heated air inside longer.

During the day, you should open the curtains to let the sun’s heat in through the south and west windows.

This naturally warms the house. If your windows let in a lot of cold air, you might want to use new caulk and weatherstripping to seal them.

Put in insulation

If you have an old house, chances are it’s not well insulated against the cold. This means that plenty of cold air gets into the house, causing your furnace to overwork.

You can save a lot of energy by ensuring your insulation is up to code.

One excellent way to go about it is to have insulation blown into your attic or crawl space on your roof.

This will keep your house warm in the winter and save you money on cooling costs in the summer.

Get your furnace serviced.

One of the best ways to save energy and feel better in the winter is to have your furnace or heat pump serviced yearly.

When a professional checks, cleans, and fixes your heating system regularly, it will work better and use less energy to heat your home.

Most HVAC manufacturers recommend you tune up your appliance at least twice a year.

When hiring a furnace service Huntington professional, don’t hire just any other—take time to find a reputable and experienced one.

It’s common to find a cheap contractor, and you might be tempted to hire them, but you shouldn’t, as chances are that they aren’t experienced enough, and they end up damaging your appliance.

Remember that you are better off with an expensive but experienced contractor than a cheap inexperienced one.

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Heat Pump Myths You Should Know About

Posted on February 17, 2023 by HVAC

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As much as there are a lot more people talking about heat pumps as a low-carbon alternative to gas boilers. Few have them in their homes.

To cut down on emissions from homes and reach zero by 2050, the millions of homes that use gas to heat their homes will need to switch to a low-carbon heating method.

If you want to conserve the environment, you might consider changing to a heat pump.  

Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths around heat pumps that it might be hard to tell whether heat pumps are a great addition to your home. To help you out, here are common myths you should know as given by heating service repair professionals.

Heat pumps don’t work in cold places

In Sweden and Norway, where winters are much colder, heat pumps are already widely used and are a popular choice for home heating systems.

In Ostersund, Sweden, the coldest month of the year has an average temperature of -4°C to -9°C.

Tests have shown that heat pumps can still work well at temperatures as low as -16°C. This means that this technology is suitable for places with colder climates.

Before you can get a heat pump, your home needs to be well insulated.

It’s true that a heat pump will work better if your home is well-insulated, but this isn’t a must-have if you want to use one.

Heat pumps can work well in large, airy buildings like stately homes from the 1700s, churches, and cathedrals, as long as they have the right system and are set up correctly.

So, to dispel the myth, you don’t need a perfectly insulated house to install heat pumps. This means that even if you have an old house, you can still go ahead and install the heat pump.

Gas boilers are cheaper to run than heat pumps.

This one is more challenging to answer. Generally, an air source heat pump would have slightly higher running costs than a gas boiler in a typical home.

However, this depends on how efficient the gas boiler you’re replacing is, how efficient your new heat pump is, and how much electricity and gas costs now and in the future.

To keep your heating costs low with a heat pump, work with your installer to design a radiator system that lets you run the radiators cooler and set your controls well.

Heat pumps make a lot of noise.

Heat pumps make noise when running, usually around 40 decibels. In comparison, the noise level in a typical library is also about 40 decibels.

When installing heat pumps, ensure that the installers measure how loud your heat pump is compared to your neighbors’ homes.

Planning laws say that your heat pump can’t make more than 42 decibels of noise at the middle point between your property and your neighbor’s. To avoid problems, ensure that you play by these rules.

Your heat pump might make more noise when it’s cold because the system has to work harder. However, you wouldn’t expect this to happen on any other day, like when the temperature drops below 0°C.

You have to install a heat pump next to the house for it to work

For your heat pump to work best, it should be set up as close to your home as possible. This is because connecting it to your home’s heating system will take less work.

But the system doesn’t have to be put up against one of the perimeter walls for it to work. In fact, you can put a heat pump up to 20 meters away from your house, and it will still work well.

It’s important to remember that the further away the system is, the more digging and pipework it will take to connect it to your home. This means that it will cost more to install it too far from the house.

As mentioned, it doesn’t mean it won’t work when installing it far from the house.

A heat pump of any kind is better than none.

When compared to a gas boiler, installing a heat pump is always better if you want to reduce your home’s carbon footprint.

To get the most out of your set-up, have heat pump repair Huntington professionals assess your home and install a system that fits your needs.

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Tricks To Save Money On Your Heating Bill

Posted on February 12, 2023 by HVAC

furnace tips

During winter, you not only have to be indoors most of the time, but you also have to keep your house warm and toasty. As much as this keeps you comfortable, it often affects your heating bill.

You don’t want to continue spending thousands of dollars every month heating your home, do you? To ensure this doesn’t happen, you need to devise measures to keep your bills as low as possible. These measures, as given by heating service repair professionals, include:

Take good care of your heating unit

If you want your HVAC system to work as well as possible, it needs basic care and maintenance. First, ensure your system’s intake vents are free of dust and other things that could get in the way. Also, change your filters often.

Your HVAC filter is always working to eliminate pollutants in the air. The pollutants will keep building up if you don’t clean or replace your filter every 30 to 90 days. This will make your system work harder than it needs to move air, which will cause your energy bills to go up.

You should also have a local HVAC expert tune up your system once a year. During this appointment, the technician will check your system’s controls, connections, and fluid levels.

For the best outcome, have your unit tuned up before the heating season starts.

Check your door and windows.

Your home’s windows and doors are another way to save money on heating costs.

These are the main area where bad weather and drafts get into your home, so investing time in them is a sure way to save energy.

First, look for holes or gaps around the doors and windows where air could get in. You can also check places where pipes come into your house.

You should note that even small gaps and cracks in windows and doors can cause a lot of energy to get lost, so always use Caulk or weatherstripping to seal even the smallest cracks and holes in the door and window frames. You also should fill in the spaces around pipes with expanding foam insulation.

If your house is old, consider getting all new doors and windows. When making the purchase, look for products with a high R-value, which means a high level of insulation.

Change the fan on your ceiling.

Turning on your ceiling fans in the winter seems counterintuitive, but it has been shown to help keep your home warmer.

You need to flip the switch so that the fan blades turn clockwise and run the fans slowly in rooms where people are present. This will make an updraft that gently moves the warmest air near the ceiling.

Just because the fans effectively save you money doesn’t mean you should have them running all the time. To conserve energy, turn them off when going out of the house. Remember that leaving them on will only cause your utility bills to go up, and you don’t want this, do you?

Let the light shine

Getting as much natural light as possible can reduce heating costs. To do this, write down when the sun hits each side of your house during the day.

Even in the winter, the sun gives away free heat that you can take advantage of. So when the sun is shining on your house, open the curtains and blinds on windows that face the sun to let the warmth in.

You should then close the drapes when the sun goes down or when it moves away from that side of the house.

Change to Smart Systems

Installing a smart thermostat will go a long way toward saving you a lot of money. The beauty of these systems is they allow you to easily set your desired temperatures. When you aren’t in the house, you set it to a lower temperature, saving you a lot of money.

When connected, you can even control lights, locks, and a number of other smart home appliances.

Some thermostats learn your habits and automatically change the temperature to save the most energy and be as efficient as possible.

Do an energy audit.

Lastly, you should have an energy audit done on your home. These are professional assessments of how much energy your home uses. They can help you figure out where you can make changes.

You may have to hire a furnace service Huntington to fix your unit and replace your old appliance.

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How Can I Reduce The Fuel Consumption Of My Furnace?

Posted on January 28, 2023 by HVAC

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Have you noticed that your furnace is consuming more fuel than it should? There are several things you can do about it. These things include:

Adjust your thermostat

One of the primary reasons your furnace is consuming too much fuel is that you have set it to work at higher temperatures than it’s supposed to.

To reduce fuel consumption, furnace service professionals recommend adjusting your thermostat downwards by a few degrees. While the house won’t be too warm and toasty when you do this, your unit won’t run at ultra-high temperatures, saving you a lot in the long run.

Another trick you can use is to use a programmable thermostat. This unit allows you to set specific temperatures for different times of the day. For example, you can select your temperature to be lower when you aren’t at home or sleeping.

During these times, the furnace doesn’t work as hard, which sees you saving money.

If your thermostat has the “Auto” or “Smart” settings, you can use them. These settings automatically adjust the temperature based on the outside temperature and your schedule, which comes in handy in keeping the furnace running efficiently.

Take good care of your furnace.

Like a car, there is no way your furnace will run efficiently if it’s in poor condition. For your unit to function optimally, you need to ensure it’s in top shape.

Some of the things you need to do to make this possible include:

Change the air filter: The air filter determines the air quality in your furnace. You must regularly check it for tear and wear and always change it if worn out.

For peace of mind, make it a habit to replace the filter every one to three months, depending on usage and the type of filter.

Always remember that a dirty air filter can reduce the furnace’s efficiency and cause the furnace to work harder than necessary.

Clean the burners: You need to clean the burners at least once a year to remove any dirt or debris that might have accumulated. To do this, you need a simple brush to remove all the trash.

Check the flue: You need to check your furnace’s flue, or chimney, for any blockages or debris that may have accumulated. If present, remove them immediately.

Check the blower: Check your furnace’s blower, or fan, for any debris or damage. You also should consider lubricating it if necessary.

Schedule annual professional maintenance: Schedule an annual professional maintenance check at least once a year.

You need to hire a qualified technician to check and clean the furnace. The professional should inspect the unit and perform any necessary repairs or adjustments.

Insulate your home

You might have the best and most efficient furnace, but it fails to function as well as it should due to leaks in your home that remove the hot air from the house or allow cold air in, which leads to the furnace overworking.

To prevent this from happening, you should insulate your home.

A great place to start is in your attic. You can use blown-in insulation or rolls of insulation to add insulation that will keep in as much hot air as possible.

Insulating your walls can also be highly effective at reducing heat loss. To add the insulating material, drill holes and inject insulation. You can also remove the drywall and add some insulation to the walls.

If you have a crawlspace or unfinished basement, you can insulate the floors to keep the house warm and reduce heat loss.

While at it, look for air leaks around the doors, windows, and other openings and seal them using caulk, weather stripping, or expandable foam sealant.

Get a new furnace

Your furnace might be failing to run efficiently because it’s old. If you have had your unit for more than ten years and it’s constantly breaking down, or you feel it’s running inefficiently, instead of fixing it now and then, furnace repair service Long Island professionals recommend getting a new unit.

When getting the new appliance, get a high-quality one with a high energy star rating.

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What Makes A Furnace Efficient?

Posted on January 16, 2023 by HVAC

Furnaces with efficiency ratings of 90% or more are considered high efficiency, and you should strive to make yours as energy efficient as possible. Are you wondering what would make your furnace efficient? Well, there are plenty of factors, with the common ones being:

Regular maintenance

Like your car, there is no way your furnace will function efficiently if you don’t properly maintain it. At least once a year, hire an experienced professional to inspect the unit and fix any faulty areas that might be present.

When hiring a furnace service professional, ensure that the professional is experienced and knows what they are doing. Remember that many inexperienced contractors are posing as experts, and they will most likely damage your appliance if you let them maintain them for you.

Always take your time when hiring them to stay on the safe side. Many homeowners rush to hire the first contractors they come across, but you shouldn’t do this. Take your time to interview several contractors and only hire the most experienced.

The professional should go through all parts of the appliance and fix even the smallest problem that might be present.

Upgrade to a higher efficient model

Sometimes you will fail to achieve higher energy efficiency ratings because your appliance is old. If your unit is more than 10 years old, there is no way you are going to keep it running efficiently.

To save money, get a high-efficiency furnace. Newer furnaces have higher AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings, meaning that they use less fuel to produce the same heat.

Get a high-efficiency furnace and strategically place it in your home.

When buying the furnace, ensure that it’s of the right size for your home. Many homeowners have bought appliances that are either too big or small for their homes and fail to deliver the results they are after. Don’t be one of them.

Even if you already have a furnace, work with an experienced professional who will help you tell the right size of appliance to install in your home.

There are plenty of brands in the market, but it’s good to stick with the well-known and already-proven brands as they give you peace of mind that they will get the work done.

Keep your house airtight.

You might have the latest furnace, but there is no way it will function efficiently if all the heat it produces gets lost through cracks and holes in the house.

To make your unit efficient, seal any leaks in the house. You can do the sealing by yourself or hire a professional to help with that.

While at it, insulate your house to keep all the heat inside and reduce the amount of work the furnace has to do.

Use a programmable thermostat.

You must be wondering how a programmable thermostat will make your furnace more energy efficient, right? To understand how it will achieve this, you need to understand how it works.

A programmable thermostat allows you to set a lower temperature when you are sleeping or out of the house, which comes in handy to save you energy.

Since you set the furnace at a lower temperature when you don’t need it, you get it working more efficiently, saving you money and giving your appliance a longer life.

Invest in a good air filter

The air filters in your appliance determine the quality of air in the house and how well the furnace functions.

You should inspect the filters in your appliance at least once every three months, and if they are dirty, clean or replace them.

When replacing them, go with high-quality ones that will not only trap most air particles but also last for a long time.

Invest in a heat recovery ventilator

A heat recovery ventilator or energy recovery ventilator helps you improve indoor air quality while also helping you recover some of the heat from the exhaust air and preheat the fresh air coming in.

Like the other appliances, go with high-quality units that will give you a great experience.

Parting shot

These are some ways to make your furnace run more efficiently. For peace of mind that your unit is in top working condition, have it regularly inspected by a qualified heating service repair Long Island professional.

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Is It Bad For My Furnace To Run Constantly?

Posted on January 6, 2023 by HVAC

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If you are wondering whether it’s okay to run your furnace to keep your house warm and toasty, no, it’s not a good thing to do. This is because when your furnace is constantly running, it becomes inefficient. A unit that is continually running tends to wear out more quickly.

According to furnace repair service professionals, the best way to keep your unit in top working condition is to set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature and allow the furnace to cycle on and off as needed to maintain that temperature.

Besides this helping to save energy and extend the furnace’s life, it ensures that your house is always comfortable.

Other furnace best practices

Besides using the thermostat to ensure that your furnace is running optimally, you should do plenty of other things. These things include:

Have the furnace inspected by an experienced professional

At least once a year, have your furnace inspected by an experienced professional. This will give you peace of mind that your unit is in top condition and help you identify even the most minute problems before they get worse.

During the inspection, the professional should:

  • Check the furnace filter and replace it if it is dirty or worn out.
  • Inspect the furnace for any visible damage, such as rust or cracks.
  • Check the furnace’s combustion chamber and heat exchanger for cracks or damage.
  • Inspect the flue pipe for any blockages or damage.
  • Check the furnace’s blower motor and belt to ensure they are functioning properly.
  • Check the furnace’s ignition system to make sure it is working properly.
  • Check all of the furnace’s controls to ensure they are functioning properly.
  • Test the furnace by turning it on and ensuring it is heating your home properly.
  • If the professional identifies a problem, regardless of how minor it is, they should fix it immediately.

Keep the area around the furnace clean and clear of debris.

There is no way a dirty furnace will function efficiently, so you need to ensure that it’s clean all the time. And it’s not only the furnace that should be clean—the area should also be.

You should remove clothes, boxes, and other items from the indoor unit to keep the area clutter-free. Besides the indoor unit, look at the outdoor unit and ensure that there are no branches, pieces of clothing, and any other materials that can block the unit and prevent it from functioning as well as it should.

Most homeowners keep paints, cleaning supplies, and even gasoline in the same room as the furnace. If you don’t have any other place to store them, you can have them in the same room but ensure they aren’t too close to the furnace that they risk clogging up.

Replace the furnace

Every homeowner dreams of holding on to their furnace for as long as possible. Most furnaces last for 10-15 years, after which they become problematic. After this time, they start breaking down more often.

If your furnace is more than 15 years, you should stop repairing it, as you will be pouring money down the drain. Instead, you should replace it with a better unit.

When getting a new furnace, pay attention to the size of your home. Of course, you should go for a unit that is the right size for your home. While at it, also consider the energy star rating.

For your unit to consume as little energy as possible, you want a unit with a high-energy rating.

Never ignore problems

Even the most properly maintained furnaces will develop problems. For example, you will notice your unit making weird noises. Since such a problem doesn’t prevent the unit from running, some homeowners simply ignore it and keep their units running. This is wrong.

Remember that the small problems get worse over time, and when you run your appliance with the small issues, they get worse, and you are left with a damaged unit.

To stay safe, don’t run your unit regardless of how minor the problem appears. The right way to go about it is to shut the unit and ask an experienced furnace service Long Island to look at it.

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Oil Burner Best Practises

Posted on December 23, 2022 by HVAC

If you use oil to heat your home, keep your oil burner in top shape. Since the burner is different from the standard heating systems, you might have the impression that it will be different to maintain it, but this isn’t the case.

In fact, according to oil burner repair service providers, you need to do almost the same things as your regular heating appliances. Some of the things you need to do to keep your oil burner in top shape include:

Keep the area around the burner clean and free of debris

Like your furnace and any other heating appliance you might be using, you need to ensure that the area around your oil burner is clean and free of any debris.

Begin with switching off the appliance to eliminate the chances of accidents happening. You should then remove any dirt and debris that might be there and ensure that the surface is perfectly clean.

You shouldn’t only clean the areas around the oil burner but also show some love to it. Use a wet towel or any other relevant material to remove any dust and debris for the best outcome.

Once the oil burner and the area are clean, turn on the unit.

Inspect the burner regularly.

To avoid being unaware when the oil burner abruptly stops working, you should regularly inspect it for signs of wear or damage. If you find any problem, fix it immediately.

Some of the areas you should focus on when doing the inspection include the following:

Fuel filter: Inspect it for clogs and replace it if necessary.

Oil nozzle: Test for proper operation and replace if it is not functioning correctly.

Fuel pump: Check it for proper operation and replace it if it is not working correctly.

Oil lines: Inspect for blockages or damage and clean or repair as needed.

Safety controls: Test the safety controls on the burner, such as the low oil pressure switch and the high-temperature limit switch and confirm they are functioning correctly.

Chimney and flue: Inspect and clean the chimney and flue to prevent blockages and ensure proper venting.

Fuel tank: Check for leaks and repair if necessary.

Use the right oil

You should always use the type of oil recommended by the manufacturer of your oil burner. This is because using the wrong oil can damage the burner and create a safety hazard.

When buying the oil, go for a high-quality one with a low pour point. The pour point is the temperature at which the oil becomes dense and difficult to flow. You should go for low pour point oils because they are less likely to clog filters and lines in cold weather.

The oil should also have low sulfur content. The reason for this is that low sulfur oil reduces the amount of sulfur dioxide emissions, which can be harmful to the environment.

It also doesn’t hurt to ensure that the oil is light heating. This oil will be easily vaporized and burned more easily than heavier oil, making it more efficient and less polluting.

Don’t tamper with the safety controls.

Most oil burners come with safety controls meant to keep you safe. These controls include:

Low oil pressure switch: This switch shuts off the burner if the oil pressure falls below a certain level.

High-temperature limit switch: It shuts off the burner if it becomes too high.

Flame sensor: This sensor detects the presence of a flame and shuts off the burner if the flame goes out.

Fuel pump shut-off: This shuts off the pump if the burner is not operating correctly.

Emergency shutdown switch: Allows you to shut off the burner in an emergency manually.

To ensure that everything is working correctly, never tamper with these controls. If you notice a problem, don’t try to fix it, especially if you don’t know what you are doing. Instead, leave the work to an experienced heating service repair Long Island professional.

Many people try to cut costs by hiring the cheapest contractor, but you shouldn’t do it as, in most cases, the cheap contractor is inexperienced, and they will most likely end up ruining your appliance.

For peace of mind, you are better off hiring an expert. The expert will be a little expensive, but they will do an excellent job.

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What Typically Fails On A Furnace?

Posted on December 19, 2022 by HVAC

furnace service

As a responsible homeowner interested in keeping their appliance in top shape, you might wonder what fails more often so you can keep a close eye on it, right? Well, plenty of things can go wrong with the furnace. Here are some common areas that can fail, as given by furnace service professionals.

Thermostat

The thermostat is responsible for controlling the temperature of your furnace, and it works by measuring the temperature of the air in your house and compares it to the temperature you have set on the thermostat.

If the temperature in your home is lower than the set point, the thermostat signals the heating system to turn on and start warming the air. Consequently, you have a warm, toasty house.

Like any appliance in the house, the thermostat is prone to several problems. One of the problems is the wiring problem. The wires can be old and damaged by animals, among many other issues. As you can guess, when your unit has wiring problems, there is no way it will accurately control the temperature in your house.

The thermostat can also have battery issues. Battery problems are often the leading causes of the thermostat not working, and the most common one is the battery dying due to constant use. When you notice your thermostat not working, you should check the batteries as they might be worn out and need replacement.

Other parts of the furnace, such as the display or sensor, might also stop working due to abuse or old age.

The ignition system

From its name, the ignition system is responsible for lighting the fuel in the furnace. Furnaces can have different ignition systems, such as a pilot light, continuous ignition, and electronic ignition.

The ignition system used in your furnace determines the efficiency and reliability of the appliance.

The ignition system can fail due to various factors, such as wear and tear, poor maintenance, improper installation, and electrical issues.

A telltale sign that your furnace’s ignition system has a problem is the furnace struggling to maintain a frame.

You shouldn’t ignore this problem. Instead, move with haste and fix it before it gets worse.

The burners

From their name, they are responsible for burning fuel to produce heat, which the heat exchanger picks up and transfers into the air.

In most furnaces, burners are located at the bottom of the furnace, and you control them using a thermostat.

Plenty of factors can make your burners fail to work as well as they should. These factors include dirt, dust, and other debris. If you have gone for a long time without cleaning your unit, this problem is bound to happen.

Your furnace burners will also have issues if the thermostat is malfunctioning. When the thermostat isn’t working properly, it can cause the burners to turn off or even turn on at the wrong times, leading to inefficiency and discomfort.

If you have noticed that your burners aren’t running properly, don’t ignore it—fix the problem as soon as you notice it.

The blower motor

The blower motor is responsible for circulating warm air throughout your home, and when it’s not working properly, the furnace may not effectively heat your home.

The blower motor will fail to run due to malfunctioning, faulty thermostat, tripped circuit breaker, or a wiring problem.

Sometimes you will find the blower motor running, but cold air isn’t blowing. In such a case, you might have a clogged air filter, a damaged fan belt, or a problem with your ducts.

In some cases, you might have the blower motor making noises, often due to a worn-out motor bearing, damaged fan belt, or issues with the blower housing.

Like with the other problems, move with haste and have experienced furnace repair service Long Island professionals fix the problem before it gets worse.

The flue

The flue is a pipe that vents gases from the furnace to the outside of your home. If the flue is blocked or damaged, the furnace may not vent properly, which can be dangerous.

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