Winter is here to the delight of some and dread of others. But whether you enjoy winter or not, any home that has a heating system has it running at this point. The comfort and also safety of you and your family depends on it. With the amount of reliance that we place on many of our home devices, one would think owners would be constantly checking on and taking care of them. Many homeowners, however, can be intimidated by an HVAC system and avoid its maintenance all together. This is a leading factor in the need for emergency furnace repair in Toms River. The best way to avoid this is to perform some simple DIY maintenance tasks. Winter can be tough enough to get through without having to worry about a broken furnace.

What Can a Homeowner Do

Truthfully, the items that can be taken care of by a homeowner is not long a list when it comes to furnace maintenance. However, the things you can do are important and do a lot to keep your furnace running efficiently. Plus, these simple steps can do a lot to lengthen the life of your furnace, saving you money in the long run.

Change the Air Filter

Ideally, you should be changing your filter at least every 3 months. Certain households may need to do it more or less depending on the situation. The presence of shedding animals, home renovations that produce a lot of dust and debris, or if people living in the home have allergies are just a few things that may require the filter to be changed more frequently. Also, if you live in an area that has a lot of construction constantly happening, you should check your air filter more often.  Good air flow is crucial for your furnace to function at its best. A clogged air filter can wreak havoc on your entire system and can lead to costly repairs. If you need help finding, changing, or selecting a new filter for your furnace, give us a call today!

Check the Pilot Light

Whenever you remove the door to your furnace, be sure the power is shut off. After you remove the combustion chamber door, use a flashlight to take a good look around. First, turn the power back on and turn up your thermostat to trigger the furnace to go on. Look at the pilot light and ensure it is a steady blue flame. If the flame is yellow, you could have dirty burners. When inspecting the pilot, make sure you don’t breathe on the flame as extra oxygen can also make the flame turn yellow. If you notice anything wrong with the pilot light, please contact us.

Visual Inspection and Light Cleaning

We’re not talking about anything too in depth, but if you feel comfortable doing so, a visual inspection of the inside of your furnace can tell you a lot. After you are done checking the pilot light, turn the power to the furnace off again. If you notice any amount of soot, or fine black powder, in your furnace, this could be an indication of a combustion problem. On the exterior of your furnace, make sure there is nothing blocking any vents. Also, ensure the area around your furnace is clear of debris. If there is any part of your furnace you are uncomfortable dealing with, we can help. Give us a call anytime you need a hand and we’ll schedule a furnace repair appointment with you.

Listen to What Your Furnace is Telling You

While your furnace is running, occasionally listen closely to it. Any noises that are out of the ordinary could be a signal that something is wrong. Noises like squeaking, screeching, scraping, or banging can all be cause to give us a call. If you hear any odd noises, schedule your furnace repair in Toms River as soon as possible. Noises like these that sound like metal on metal or are abnormally loud can be the first indication that something may be off inside your furnace. By calling us as soon as you hear these noises, you can avoid being stuck in the cold with a broken furnace.

Professional Inspections

Possibly the easiest furnace maintenance task is calling us to inspect your furnace. We recommend at least one inspection per year, but two is even better. While the items we’ve just discussed are important and can do a lot to prevent an emergency with your furnace, there are things that only a professional can do. Our technicians are expertly trained and know just what to look for and how to address any issues. By allowing us to take care of your furnace BEFORE things go wrong, you are saving yourself a lot of time, money, and stress.

Don’t get left in the cold this winter. Avoid an emergency furnace repair in Toms River and contact us today to inspect your furnace.

To many people, these words are interchangeable.  Homeowners believe one is the same as the next and all serve the same purpose.  However, these are in fact three very different items. While each do have certain things in common, what they do and how they do it varies greatly. Let’s take a look at each one individually to give you a better idea about all of them. The more homeowners understand about all their homes appliances the better. General knowledge can help identify potential problems, communicate with technicians, and take better care of their homes.

Water Heaters

With the exact purpose of the appliance in the name, water heaters do simply that. Unlike a furnace, water heaters do not provide heat to the home. They simply heat an amount of potable water for use in the home. When you take a hot shower, your water heater provides the hot water. When your dishwasher runs, a water heater helps to clean those dishes. There are two different types of water heaters. There are tank systems and tankless water heaters.

A water heater with a tank heats and maintains that container of water at a set temperature and can use either gas or electricity to do so. It is dispensed for use via pipes that run throughout your home. When you turn on your faucet, the water heater releases a certain amount of heated water. The more you turn your faucet on, the less cold water is mixed in. One brand we are proud to carry and service water heaters from A.O. Smith, a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters. We carry other products as well, so give us a call today to determine which one is best for you.

A tankless water heater, on the other hand, only heats water on-demand. When you turn on your tap, the tankless water heater heats up the water. It will continue to heat and supply hot water until the tap is shut off. We carry a range of tankless water heaters by Rinnai, the #1 selling tankless water heater brand in North America. 

Regardless of which type of water heater you have, this system will not heat your home in the winter. They simply serve to provide you with hot water.

Boilers

A boiler also heats water. However, this heated water is not intended for your personal use. This water is heated to the point that it becomes steam. This steam then essentially pushes heat throughout your home with the objective of raising the temperature in each room. A boiler is what is known as radiant heating. It does not use ductwork, but rather pipes instead. These pipes lead to another item such as base board heaters or radiators located in each room.

Boilers can be powered with gas or electricity. Natural gas boilers are supplied with their fuel from either a set of pipes connected to a main gas pipeline or occasionally from a large propane tank installed on the property when pipelines are unavailable. Electric boilers are very efficient and are popular due to the fact that they do not require the use of fossil fuels to run. Not only is this more environmentally friendly, but it also opens up many rural users who do not have access to a gas pipeline. The biggest downside to this type of boiler is that if you have no electricity, you have no heat. Electricity can also be more expensive than gas or oil as well.

Two brands of boilers that we are familiar with are supplied by Navian and Weil-McLain. We strive to provide and service the best products on the market. Contact us today to find out more! 

Furnaces

A furnace is a forced hot air system. In order to raise the temperature of a room, the furnace uses a fuel source to heat up the air and then distributes that hot air through a system of ducts throughout your home. Your furnace is powered on by your thermostat. As the air inside your home cools, the thermostat detects the drop in temperature. When it hits a set degree, the furnace clicks on and begins heating the air. The motor and fans then begin to force that hot air through your ductwork and all through your home.

Which is Best for Your Home

A lot of this decision is based on cost.  Homeowners need to take into account the up-front installation costs as well as the cost to run each of these systems. The function of each is important too. The style of home, monthly budget, and personal preferences, all influence the decision between a forced hot air system with a furnace or a radiant heating system with a boiler. Some people find a forced hot air system uncomfortable due to the fact that there is a certain amount of a breeze associated with this type of home heating system. Even though the air is warm, the movement of the air can create a draft which some find annoying. However, during the summer months, the slight breeze can help your home feel more comfortable.

This ability to effectively heat and cool is one major difference between a furnace and a boiler.  A boiler cannot cool your home. So, even if you choose to use a boiler system for heating your home, you will still need to install ductwork for a cooling system if necessary.

The best way to decide on what is best for your home is contact us. We can answer any questions you have on the function, cost, and repair of both furnaces and boilers. Our Sea Girt furnace repair and Toms River boiler repair technicians are factory trained and certified. If you need HVAC repair in Ocean County, give TRHAC a call!

The subject of air filters for your furnace can be a confusing topic. You will discover they are sorted by different ratings, have diverse components, and come in distinct sizes. How is an average homeowner supposed to know which air filter is right for their HVAC unit? Which one is right for the dwelling as well as the furnace? With the appearance of COVID-19, it seems like a good time to review the options.  It is important, possibly now more than ever, to keep everything in your home clean and sanitized. Give your home a breath of fresh air by changing your air.

How Do Filters Differ

Filters are produced by a diverse list of suppliers.  They are also made with a varied range of materials which affects their cost, overall performance, and rating. Furnace filters are rated on the MERV scale (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value).  This scores a filter by its efficiency in removing particles in the air from 0.3 – 10.0 μm in size. Air filters that filter out the largest quantity of a certain type of particle have a higher rating.

Basic Types of Filters

• Fiberglass filters: These are a very affordable option. They typically have a MERV rating of 1 -4. Meaning, this type of material only filters out larger air particles.  So, if expense is the only factor you happen to be thinking of, they are a good alternative. Nonetheless, you have to remember that since they do not eliminate much besides dust, they are not recommended for homes with people with allergies. When you have no one in the household with allergies or immune concerns, these may be just an appropriate option for you.
• Electrostatic filters: If you are looking for a filter you don’t need to replace, this is it. Rather than replacing this type of filter, you simply clean it. Typically, this is done by spraying it thoroughly with a hose. They work by making the air particles passing through multiple layers of material have a positive charge.  This causes the particles to stick to the filter before they have a chance to be spread through your home. They’re 97% successful in removing particles from the air.  You won’t find a MERV rating for an electrostatic filter, however.  This is because they’re not a dry media filter.
• HEPA filters: HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and was originally developed during World War II to safeguard researchers whilst working on the atomic bomb. They needed something that would filter out radioactive particles from the air. That might give you a good idea of just how much these filters can eliminate from the air! The ability to get rid of almost 100% of particulates that are 0.3 μm in size makes a HEPA the most effective filter type on the market. That particular size is known as the MPPS or Most Penetrating Particle Size. It has been found that particles both larger and smaller are much easier to capture with a filter.  So, if a filter can grab almost all of the particles that are this size, it is very efficient.  Keeping this in mind, the capability to remove this much out of the air also indicates they may considerably hamper air flow if your system is not designed to handle that type of filter.  You can always give us a call and we can help you determine what type of filter is best for you.
• Pleated filters: Normally in the range of 5-12 around the MERV scale, pleated filters end up right in the middle of the scale and make up pretty much the rest of the air filters on the market. A pleated filter is much more effective at removing air particulates than a non-pleated filter no matter the material. Their life span can be slightly longer than the significantly lower priced option also.  They are a great mid-range option that are usually appropriate for just about any system.

When you need a new air filter, the options can be overwhelming.  Thankfully, there are professionals like us who can help you navigate through all the alternatives.  Changing out your air filter is one of the easiest things you can do as a homeowner to help keep your HVAC system running efficiently.  It also helps keep your family healthy and helps reduce the symptoms of allergies and other respiratory issues when you select the right filter. Get in touch with us anytime and we can answer any questions you have!

Spring is finally here! While the extended daylight hours and rising temperatures are a welcome change for most, if you suffer from allergies, spring may not be your favorite season. Are you prepared? What steps have you taken to help protect you and your family members from air pollutants? Contact us today to discuss which air treatment option is best for your home.

One product we would like to highlight this month is the REME HALO® air purifier. This is an in-duct air purifier so it easily helps treat the air in your entire home. Any area that your air conditioner reaches, the REME HALO® can purify it. As stated on the product page the “REME HALO® in-duct air purifier produces Hydro-Peroxide plasma that is distributed through the air handler, through the duct system and into the conditioned living space. Unlike passive air technologies, which need pollutants to pass through the unit for purification or filtration, the REME HALO® in-duct air purifier sweeps through your home actively purifying pollutants at the source. In addition, the charged plasma induces particles to coagulate or stick together making them bigger and easier for your filter to catch.” Unlike other air purifiers, rather than waiting for the pollutants to make their way to the machine to be eradicated, the REME HALO® actively treats the offensive air particles where ever they are.

The REME HALO® reduces odor and all three types air pollutants in your home. Particulates that the REME HALO® easily treats include common allergy triggers like dust, dander, pollen, and mold. In addition, with all the talk of new viruses in the news lately, the REME HALO® kills up to 99% of bacteria, mold, and viruses. It now has a higher ionized hydroperoxide output allowing it to boast “faster kill rates for microbial contaminants in the air as well as on surfaces” according to the product description.

If you are interested in having a whole-home air purifier installed, now is the time! As always, we are available to go over any questions you may have and discuss what options are best for you. Make sure you give us a call to get on the schedule for installation today to make your homes air healthier!