What to Do Before Turning on Your Furnace

While your furnace has been sitting unused, it has gathered dust inside. This decreases its efficiency and can cause fires. Before you turn on your furnace for the year, do these four things to correctly prep it for safe and efficient operation. 1. Schedule Professional Heating Maintenance One of the most important things to do before turning your furnace on for a new season of warming your home is scheduled professional maintenance. can handle your heating maintenance needs in the Eureka, California, area. We complete the tasks you aren’t able to, such as cleaning the furnace’s internal components and inspecting its parts for damage. 2. Remove Items That Are Near the Furnace If you haven’t been using your furnace, you may have put items too close to the furnace that could catch on fire. Check around your heater and remove all items to prevent obstructed airflow and fire hazards. 3. Test Your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors Carbon monoxide leaks are a potential hazard with running your heating system. With annual maintenance, it’s unlikely you’ll ever experience this problem. However, you want to stay on the safe side and test your carbon monoxide detector before turning on your furnace to...

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What to Know Before Purchasing a New Air Conditioner

When it comes to making sure your home is always comfortable, your AC system plays a huge role. If you’re thinking about upgrading to a new air conditioner from , here’s what you need to do first. When to Replace One of the first things you need to consider before getting a new home AC system is whether or not you actually need one. For starters, a home AC system will usually last between 10 and 16 years, but age is not the only sign it’s time to upgrade. If your AC has a problem that’s going to cost hundreds to fix, you may be better off upgrading to a newer, more efficient model. Choosing a Model While there are a lot of good AC systems out there, you can’t simply choose any of them and expect great results. Before you buy an AC system, it’s important to make sure that you’re finding the right solution for your home. You can shop for models by efficiency, cooling power, extra features and more. Finding the perfect AC for your needs simply means expending some effort. Shop Around Home AC systems aren’t cheap, so you shouldn’t just go throwing your money at...

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Which AC System is Best for You?

If you’ve decided to make your home or commercial space more comfortable, you’ll need to find the right AC system. Read on to learn about some of the most common options on the market today. Window AC Units Window AC systems are a great option if you need to cool a relatively small space. They are also fairly affordable and can usually be self-installed. However, before you rush out and buy a window unit, you should also be aware that they can be quite noisy and ineffective at cooling large, open areas. Portable AC Units Portable cooling systems work in much the same way as their window-based contemporaries. The main difference is that a portable unit stands on the floor instead of being fitted directly into the window. It expels warm air through an exhaust hose that is connected to the window. Portable AC units are best suited to cooling small areas and are very easy to install. However, they do tend to be a little more expensive and less efficient than comparable window units. Ductless AC Units A ductless cooling system can cool your home or business without the need to install ductwork. They are mostly used in older...

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3 Tips for Greater Energy Efficiency

The concept of energy efficiency is beneficial for many reasons. By taking a few steps to lower your carbon footprint, you could find yourself saving the environment and lowering your utility bills. Consider the following ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Schedule an Appointment The problem might be with your air conditioning unit itself. In other words, the system might have issues that are causing it not to function properly. These issues might be small, and you may just need some maintenance to get it functioning with greater efficiency. Remember the importance of regular maintenance for the unit. When certain parts aren’t functioning correctly, they can use up more energy. Use When Needed As the temperatures climb, leaving the air conditioner on practically all of the time seems inviting. However, you are certainly using up energy unnecessarily. If you need to leave the air conditioner on when you are out of the room or out of the house, make sure that you have it set to an energy-saving mode. Instead of operating at full blast, the unit can keep the space at only the needed temperature. Then, when you come back to the house or room and want to...

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3 Reasons to Get Professional HVAC Help

If you enjoy being in absolute control of your indoor environment, you should keep your HVAC system in good working order. Without the required know-how and skills, however, there’s a 50-50 chance that you’ll fail in your effort. You can ensure a successful job by hiring an HVAC professional. Here are three reasons you’ll benefit from turning to the pros. 1. They Know More Than Just the Basics Licensed and seasoned technicians possess extensive insights. On top of that, they have the ability to take excellent care of your climate control system due to their rigorous training. This means pros are simply better prepared to assist you. 2. They Understand What’s Important You don’t have to worry about professionals dragging their feet or leaving screws loose. The HVAC professionals at work at a steady pace to complete jobs on time or ahead of schedule. Because we’re aware that your comfort is on the line, we provide turnkey solutions and double-check the work that we do. For the residents of Eureka, we stand ready to tackle comprehensive installations, effective repairs, and performance-enhancing maintenance. 3. They Can Improve Your Comfort and Peace of Mind Pros in the HVAC industry are bound to...

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3 Common Myths About Cooling Systems

As the warmer months set in and temperatures rise, homeowners must balance staying comfortable with paying a reasonable amount for cooling their houses. Both of these concerns have led many people to notions that may seem intuitive on the surface but don’t actually work. Consider the following three common cooling system myths. 1. Lower Your Thermostat for Faster Cooling You arrive home and the temperature isn’t as cool as you like, so you drop the thermostat to 60 degrees, even though what you really want is 68 degrees. As a leading provider of cooling services in Eureka and Humboldt County, we encounter this misconception often. The idea is that lowering the temperature even further will make the system work harder and achieve the cooler temperature sooner. A central AC unit, however, can’t actually cool faster, so this approach actually has no effect. 2. Close Registers in Unused Rooms for Better Performance The idea here is that if you close vents in unused rooms, then the AC won’t work as hard and will actually get the cooled air to your desired rooms faster. What actually happens is that pressure in the system is increased so that energy efficiency and airflow are...

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Why You Need an Emergency Repair Service Company

Heating and cooling systems are important for your home. You want to remain comfortable throughout the year. When the system breaks down, you want it fixed immediately. You’ll also want to find a company that offers 24/7 emergency support because emergencies don’t happen just during regular business hours. Here are a few reasons why you need to find a company that offers emergency repair services. Problems can happen at any time. You can trust the team at Evans Mechanical to repair your heating or cooling issue in the Eureka area. Keeps Your Home Comfortable When your system fails in your home, you can start to feel uncomfortable. This isn’t just unpleasant, but it can cause health problems as well. During the summer, stagnant air can increase your risk of respiratory issues. If you have asthma or allergies, you’re at a greater risk for health problems. A failing heating system can cause a rapid drop in your home’s temperature in the winter, and it can put you at risk for hypothermia. You want to keep your family safe throughout the year. Regulates Indoor Air Quality Dust and pollen are trapped by filters in your heating or cooling system. When those systems...

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You Don’t Want to Hear These 5 HVAC Sounds

Do you hear weird noises coming from your HVAC system? These strange sounds may be a sign your air conditioning or heating system is about to fail. When your system is operating normally, it should only make a few clicks. Certain sounds mean it’s time to call a professional company for an inspection. Here are a few noises you do not want to hear. Screeching or Squealing A screeching noise coming from your unit may be an indication of a motor bearing problem or a bad belt. A belt replacement is an easy and inexpensive fix. You should always replace your belt before they break. Once they snap off, the blower will no longer work. Squealing can also be caused by parts that have lost lubrication. You can apply a little oil to the motor to stop the squealing sound. Loud Banging, Thumping, Rattling, or Clanking Noises These loud sounds indicate that you may have an issue with the motor or the assembly. Rattling sounds are usually the first sign that something is coming loose. The heavier banging sounds might be a clue that a part is broken. If that is the case, you need to call a professional company...

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How Do Home Solar Panels Work?

Residential solar panels are becoming more affordable and accessible nationwide. That has led to increased interest from homeowners who now view them as a practical way to save. With that in mind, let us consider how this technology works, the cost advantages and the installation process. How Solar Panels Work Although solar panels vary from one brand and model to the next, they are all fundamentally the same. These panels contain photovoltaic cells that are able to convert sunlight into electricity. In a nutshell, this happens as electrons are freed from atoms, which creates an electrical flow. The connection between the solar panel array and the grid allows DC electricity to be converted into the AC electricity that the home can use. Any surplus is fed to the grid for use by other utility customers, and the electric company gives you a credit on your bill based on the amount provided. Cost Benefits Associated With Solar Panels has helped many customers throughout Eureka and the surrounding areas lower their electric bills. Solar panels provide free energy, which offsets your electric costs. Any surplus electricity created offsets the cost of the grid power you do have to use. These panels do,...

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Warning Signs You Need a Furnace Repair

By knowing the warning signs of furnace repair, you can prevent yourself from having to be in a freezing cold home while you wait for repairs. Dust If you have noticed an unusual amount of dust coming from the vents, this could be a sign that the furnace isn’t able to clean the air and could need repairs. Check and change the filters first and if you still notice the same problem, it’s time for a technician. Other signs of dust accumulation can be furniture cracking, drooping plants, or static shocks. Strange Noises If you hear squeaks or pops, something could have gotten loose and will need to be fixed. Another sign is if you hear the furnace blower running excessively, or turning on and off frequently, Yellow Pilot Light If you take a look inside the unit and see that the pilot light is yellow instead of blue, then it could be a sign of carbon monoxide. Other signs of carbon monoxide could be streaks of soot around the unit, and excess moisture found on cold surfaces such as walls and windows. Family members may feel frequent headaches, disorientation, and nausea if carbon monoxide is present. This can be...

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