DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Westwood’

Does an Electric Furnace Need As Much Maintenance as a Gas Heater?

Monday, January 10th, 2022

technician-servicing-furnaceA number of homeowners in our area choose an electric furnace over a gas-powered system due to their convenience and flexibility. After all, practically all homes are wired for electricity, so electric furnaces are a reliable option for any homeowner. They’re also a bit safer than gas furnaces since there are no hazards from toxic or combustible gases. That’s not to say that gas furnaces are inherently dangerous–just that this is a reason that many homeowners choose an electric furnace!

Electric furnaces do tend to be less cost-efficient when it comes to month-to-month utility bills, but their current technology is far superior to what it once was, making electricity a competitive option for reduced energy use. The biggest benefit of an electric furnace as your home heating choice is its longevity and durability. Typically, an electric furnace can last up to 10 years longer than a gas furnace and need fewer repairs over the years.

However, this doesn’t mean they don’t need service! Just like a gas furnace, an electric furnace needs careful professional maintenance to prevent repair needs and keep the system running smoothly for the years to come. Read on to learn why!

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How to Set Your Heater Up for Success This Year

Monday, October 11th, 2021

woman-sitting-on-comfy-chair-sipping-out-of-mugFall is officially here, which means that soon enough, you’ll be using your heating system to keep you comfy for multiple hours a day. There are many things you can do to prepare your home for the heating season. One of the key things you can do, however, is to ensure that your heating system gets a proper tune-up! This is the best way to set your heater up for success this year.

Read on as we uncover why heating system maintenance is so vital to the health of your heater, and why it’s important that you do it sooner rather than later to get the most out of the service.

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As the Season Ends, Take Care of These AC Repair Needs

Monday, September 13th, 2021

two-technicians-working-on-outdoor-ac-unitWith temperatures still on the warmer side, and with the violent weather we had recently, your air conditioner’s repair needs are probably not at the top of mind, especially if that system is still running and keeping you relatively cool.

But the thing is, the end of the summer season is near, and this is actually the most likely time for an air conditioner to break down. This is especially true if your cooling system is on the older side. When well-maintained, an air conditioner should last about 10-15 years. Anything beyond this point and the system is going to start working inefficiently, costing you more to run and leaving you with repair needs. But if you take care of those repair needs as soon as you discover you have them, you might be able to keep your system up and running a bit longer!

Read on as we uncover some of the most common end-of-season AC repair needs we get called for.

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Don’t Ignore These AC Noises!

Monday, July 5th, 2021

woman-holding-hand-to-ear-to-listenIt would be really great if it were possible to have an air conditioner that, when there was a problem with it, would tell us what that problem is and how to fix it. Honestly, there’s probably going to be some sort of technology and an app that goes along with it that tells us just that–after all, look at everything a smart thermostat can do!

Unfortunately, this isn’t a reality quite yet. So, for now it’s up to us as homeowners to be diligent and have a basic understanding of how our air conditioners work, so that when something does go wrong, we know to address it right away.

And one of the most common ways to know something is amiss with your air conditioner is if it’s making strange sounds. But, what qualifies as a strange sound? Are there specific noises you should keep an ear out for? Yup! We’ll cover them below.

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How to Ensure Efficient AC Operation

Monday, June 7th, 2021

woman-opening-curtains-in-homeSummer is just about officially upon us, which for us means that hot and humid weather is on its way. So, now is the perfect time to make sure that your air conditioner is ready for the coming conditions. When you use your AC system, you want to do so as efficiently as possible, right? Well, if you answered “yes” to this question, then we hope you’ve already invested in maintenance for the season. Professional HVAC maintenance allows our technicians to comprehensively inspect, clean, and adjust the components of your air conditioner that need it.

Even without professional maintenance, however (though we do recommend you have it done every year for your air conditioner), there are steps you can take that will help boost the efficiency of your air conditioner and lower your cooling costs, without spending the extra money to do so. Keep reading as we uncover some steps you can start taking now to improve your AC efficiency.

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Is It Time to Invest in a UV Air Purifier?

Monday, April 26th, 2021

uv-lightbulbIt would be really easy for us to say, “yes! Every homeowner should have a UV air purifier installed if they don’t already have one.” But don’t worry, we know you deserve a bit more of an explanation than this.

The thing is, there are many factors that can have a negative impact on your indoor air quality, and there are a number of products and services that can help improve your situation.

The fact is, indoor air quality (IAQ) is a concern no matter what time of the year it is. In fact, many people don’t realize that without the right air quality products in place, their indoor air can actually be more polluted than the outdoor air. One of the many systems homeowners invest in to combat this is a UV air purifier. Read on to learn more!

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What Does It Mean When a Boiler Has a Scaling Problem?

Monday, February 15th, 2021

pressure-gauge-on-a-boilerHave you ever been told by a professional plumber or HVAC technician that your boiler can be affected by boiler scale? Perhaps you’re not sure how seriously to take this warning—scaling is a common problem but it doesn’t sound all that threatening right? Unfortunately, it can be, if it’s ignored for too long.

What causes scaling is high levels of minerals in the water—namely calcium and magnesium. This is also known as hard water and it leaves behind mineral deposits in your plumbing system, including in your boiler or water heater. It can lead to a reduction in heat among other issues.

A boiler that suffers from scaling and scale building for too long is in danger of breaking down, or even springing a leak. Read on as we explain further.

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How to Use Your Furnace Most Efficiently

Monday, October 26th, 2020

furnace-jetsIn our last blog post, we covered some tips on how you can detect if your furnace is struggling. It’s vital that you know these signs so you can give our team a call right away and we can get your heating system back to full functionality. Keeping up on repair needs is one of the many ways to boost heating efficiency!

With winter really just around the corner, now is a good time to be thinking of this topic—furnace efficiency, that is. You want a heating system that is going to work as powerfully as possible, while not costing you an arm and leg to do so. The good news, in addition to staying on top of repair needs, there are a variety of steps you can take toward using your furnace more efficiently.

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Have You Scheduled AC Maintenance Yet?

Monday, April 1st, 2019

air-conditioner-being-worked-onTemperatures are still cool, but with spring officially here now is the time to start preparing for warmer weather. Part of this preparation is scheduling your air conditioning system’s annual maintenance appointment.

There are a few small tasks you can do on your own when it comes to maintaining your cooling system. For instance, you should be changing its air filter every 1–3 months during periods of use (same goes for your forced-air heater), but only a trained and experienced technician can manage the numerous tasks involved with professional AC tune-ups.

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Poor Heating Maintenance Can Lead to These Problems

Monday, February 4th, 2019

technician-looking-over-gas-furnaceFirst, we’ll start off with a bit of good news—if you haven’t scheduled your heating maintenance appointment yet, it’s not too late. Sure, we recommend it in the fall, typically. The reason for this is that it gives you plenty of time to get ahold of a service technician and reduces the risk of an interruption in service. Ensuring that you have your heater maintained at least once a year (twice, if you have a heat pump system) will help it perform at its best, and is more important than what time of the year you have it done.

But you should have it done. The truth is, the biggest and usually the most expensive heating repairs in Westwood, NJ can almost always be prevented with routine tune-ups. It’s during these tune-ups that our pros are able to comprehensively inspect and clean your heating system, make necessary adjustments, and recommend repair needs as we go so that you have plenty of time to get them on your schedule before you need your heater. Skipping or delaying maintenance can lead to a number of heating issues, with two of the most common being a heater that won’t start up, and conversely, a heater that won’t stop running.

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