Showing posts with label heating services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heating services. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Nifty Tips for Maintaining Your Home Heating System
Just as tuning up your car on a regular basis is essential to keep it running efficiently and dependably, regular care and maintenance is just as important for your home heating system. Heating system manufacturers recommend that you have your furnace and heating equipment completely cleaned and tuned every year, and there are good reasons for this. Yearly furnace tune-ups can reduce your heating bills as much as 10%. They also help spot and correct problems and prevent them from causing breakdowns; and they even help extend the life of your equipment.It's usually best to perform your furnace tune-up just before the winter season kicks in. You'll have the confidence of knowing that your heating system is in tip-top shape for the winter ahead. You'll also beat the winter rush of tune-up procrastinators and those who need to schedule service because their heating systems have broken down.
In addition to getting annual tune-ups, here’s a list of simple things you can do year-round that will help keep your home heating system running smoothly.
- Install a Programmable Thermostat: A programmable thermostat can help you reduce unnecessary load, wear and tear on your furnace...as well as reduce your energy consumption. You can set your thermostat so that your heating system only runs when you're at home. It will automatically turn on or off at pre-determined times. You can also set temperatures to automatically adjust at different times of the day or night. Most programmable thermostats go for about $150...but they can pay for themselves in no time!
- Be a Frequent Filterer: Check your furnace filters every month or two during the heating season, and if need be, replace them. Your Horizon heating service technician can show you how to do this.
- Check for Smoke Signals: Be alert to trouble signals such as black smoke rising from the chimney, soot collecting at the burner, strange odors, or surging water in a boiler. These may indicate malfunction or improper adjustment, and you should get professional help.
- Achieve Balance: If you have hot and cold spots in your home, or if one area of your home is getting more heat than it needs, your heating system probably needs to be balanced. A heating technician can do this for you.
- Plug Those Leaks: Once a year, inspect your heating ducts to look for air leaks. You can repair them with quality duct tape. Also inspect windows and doorways for drafts -- seal with caulk or install draft guards.
- Insulate Yourself: Heating ducts and water or steam pipes that pass through unheated areas, such as attics, crawl spaces and basements should be covered with duct insulation or unfaced R-11 insulating batts or blankets. This adds up to energy saved for you.
- Be a Dust Buster: If you have radiators, convectors, or baseboard heating units, vacuum them regularly. Dust acts as insulation and wastes heat. Also, clean your furnace's fan blades at least once a year and keep the area around the furnace free of dust, lint and litter.
- Let it Bleed: Once a year, you should bleed the air from hot-water radiators, because air in the lines inhibits circulation. Just open each radiator valve, hold a cup under it and keep it there until water begins to come out. This gets rid of the air.
- Use the Right Paint: For the best performance, paint radiators with special radiator paint. Your hardware store can provide this for you. A quality oil-based paint is recommended; it is more heat-resistant and durable than latex paints. Also, if you paint your radiator black, it will generate more heat than if you paint it white or a neutral color.
- Don't Block the Flow: Don’t block air inlets and outlets, including radiators, with furniture, drapes or clothing.
Related Information:
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Is It Time for a New Water Heater?
A quality water heater can last ten to fifteen years if it’s properly maintained. There does come a time, though, when you may need to repair or replace your system. Before you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new water heater, determine if your unit’s problems could be solved with a tune-up.If your water is not hot enough make sure the power is connected (if your heater is electric) or that the pilot is lit (if you have a gas system). Try resetting the thermostat and flush the heater to get rid of any sediment that’s built up in the tank. Add extra insulation around exposed hot water pipes and raise the temperature on the thermostat a few degrees. If your water heater runs on gas, clean the gas burner and replace the thermo coupler, a safety device that shuts the gas off if the pilot light goes out.
If your heater is making hissing or popping noises, drain the tank until the water runs clear to remove accumulated sediment and debris. Soak the elements in white vinegar and scrub them to remove lime scale and buildup.
If your water pipes are leaking try tightening the fittings. If that doesn’t work, shut off the water and replace them. Leaky valves should always be replaced.
A brand new water heater can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 or more; buying a new system should be your last resort. Many common problems can be resolved by a few minor repairs.
Most water heater parts are designed to be replaceable. This includes heating elements, thermostats, anode rods and valves. If your heater is less than 13 years old and has been working just fine until a specific time that you can pinpoint, you will probably need a simple repair. A professional will be able to tell you what’s not working and can install replacement parts to fix the problem.
Consider factors like local weather, design of your equipment, quality of installation, level of regular maintenance the unit receives, volume of daily use, and your water quality. All of these things can shorten the lifespan of your water heater. If your system undergoes a lot of wear and tear, replacement might be more cost effective than trying to fix a struggling unit.
If your heater is more than 13 years old and has started to malfunction it’s probably cheaper in the long run to buy a new system. If you notice leaks in the body of the heater tank itself or around plumbing fixtures, you should replace the unit immediately. Excessive corrosion on the tank or around pipe connections usually indicates a major problem, too. If you can only get cold water from the hot water tap, if your heater isn’t able to consistently produce enough hot water, or if you hear clanking, popping or sizzling noises that persist after parts have been replaced, it’s probably time to shop for a new water heater.
For More Information on Hot Water Heaters, check out this article from Horizon Services:
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Video: What You Need to Know About Boilers!
Thinking about installing a boiler for home heating and hot water? In this video, John Costa, Training Manager at Horizon Services, Inc. explains what you should be looking for in a boiler and what makes OUR boilers different from others on the market. John covers a variety of boiler topics and components including: boiler efficiency, firing rate, outdoor temperature sensors, variable speed blowers, domestic hot water, expansion tanks, pumps vs. zone valves, air elimination, flow check valves, purge valves, safety devices, set up and installation procedures.
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