Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Can My Gas Furnace Become Dangerous?

Monday, January 6th, 2020
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More than 66 million homes across the country use natural gas in some way. It’s the preferred power source for kitchens and the most reliable way to provide warmth while also saving money. Yet people still have concerns about the safety of using natural gas. It’s easy to become worried when you hear about accidents with natural gas resulting in fires, explosions, or carbon monoxide poisoning.

It’s true that natural gas can become hazardous, and the gas furnace in your home does have the potential to create safety issues. However, natural gas would not be used in 66 million homes (and five million businesses) if it was a regular safety problem. Gas furnaces are constructed to operate as safely as possible. As long as you have the furnace serviced regularly—annual professional maintenance tune-ups and prompt repairs as necessary—you and your family can enjoy years of worry-free heating.

However, we recommend you read below to find out how the furnace might turn dangerous. Arming yourself with this knowledge can help you know when to call us for professional furnace service in Georgetown, DE.

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Why December Isn’t Too Late for a Heater Inspection and Tune-Up

Monday, December 9th, 2019
service-marker-blue

Any HVAC contractor who cares about their customers’ safety and comfort recommends annual fall maintenance for household heating systems. No matter if you use a gas furnace, electric furnace, boiler, in-floor heating system, heat pump, or ductless system, it needs to have a fall tune-up and inspection from our professionals. We are the Georgetown, DE, HVAC contractor with the ideal maintenance plan to see to not only your heating needs, but your cooling needs as well.

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A Few Important Facts About Boilers (Including Yours)

Monday, November 25th, 2019
boiler

Although furnaces are the most common type of heating system in the country, boilers are close behind them. Particularly in our area, with many homes built without a central ventilation system. Boilers provide powerful and clean heating (no dust blown around from vents) and they often outlast other types of systems.

Not all HVAC contractors in the area provide boiler services, but we do. We’d like to share a few facts with you about boilers that may help you understand yours better—and that will help you know when to call our technicians for assistance.

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Understanding Efficiency Ratings for Electric and Gas Furnaces

Monday, November 11th, 2019
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Efficiency is an important word when it comes to HVAC systems. People want to make sure they have heating and air conditioning units that waste as little energy as possible. This not only keeps utility bills lower, it’s better for the environment because it puts less strain on power plants and natural resources. The US Department of Energy has a program called ENERGY STAR to help consumers identify products with superior energy efficiency and quality features. When you’re hunting for a new heating system or other HVAC product, look for the ENERGY STAR label.

But you’ll also want to look at the actual efficiency rating of the appliance, and this can become a bit confusing because different appliances have different criteria. Sometimes, efficiency ratings can be misleading without some extra information—and this is the case with the two most common types of furnaces, gas and electric.

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Should You Replace Your HVAC System With a Heat Pump?

Monday, October 28th, 2019

You’re reading this because it’s fall and you have plans to make a big change to your HVAC system before the winter weather arrives. You’re debating about a new choice for comfort: a heat pump. Heat pumps are similar to air conditioners—they move heat from one place to another using the circulation of refrigerant. The difference is heat pumps can switch the direction they operate so they function as both air conditioners and heaters.

This sounds like a dream choice, doesn’t it? Your year-round comfort needs taken care of with a single system that can switch jobs with an adjustment of the thermostat. Of course, it can’t be that simple. And it isn’t.

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It’s Time for a Planned Inspection of Your Home’s Heater

Monday, October 14th, 2019

October is the best time of the year to plan for a maintenance inspection and tune-up for the heater in your home, no matter if you use a furnace, a boiler, a heat pump, or a ductless mini split system. These annual inspections are essential for a heater to work in top shape, avoid unnecessary repair work, and stay within manufacturer’s safety limits. It’s not something you can skip a year here or there.

Fortunately, arranging for this service is straightforward: call a professional Delaware HVAC contractor who offers a maintenance program. Signing up for one of these programs not only provides you with heating maintenance each year, it usually includes air conditioning maintenance in the spring and a raft of other benefits.

We offer a complete HVAC maintenance program for our customers. If you aren’t signed up, give us a call today so we can get you on the schedule as soon as possible to inspect and care for your heater before the winter weather arrives.

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How’s Your Boiler Doing? 4 Classic Signs You Need Repair

Monday, April 1st, 2019

boiler-repairsWith the end of winter, we’re seeing temperatures start to improve around here. However, it’s far too soon to be saying that we don’t need our heaters! We’ll be running them for just a bit longer, especially during the night.

But as you do, please keep your boiler in mind. It has been running since the beginning of the season. If there are any dormant repair issues in your boiler, they’ll most likely start showing up after all of this continued use.

Four signs that your boiler needs some early maintenance include:

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Should You End Winter With a Furnace Replacement?

Monday, March 18th, 2019

old-furnaceSpring is here, and temperatures will soon be on the rise. If your furnace is starting to give out, you have plenty of time to research your options and think about the features and efficiency ratings of your new furnace or heating system…

Wait, hold on a second, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. How do you know that you even need to have your furnace replaced? Even if your furnace is older than its predicted life expectancy, it doesn’t necessarily mean it needs replacement.

With winter coming to a close, here are some questions you should have in mind to determine if it’s time to replace your aging furnace:

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Here’s What You Need to Know About In-Floor Heating

Monday, February 4th, 2019

infloor-heatingWhen it comes to heating your home, many people would go with a gas furnace. Why? Simply because it’s popular, easy to install, and it gets the job done.

However, some homeowners are looking for a different kind of heating system in Delaware. And in-floor radiant systems are about as different as you can get from a gas furnace!

If you’re looking for something other than the standard furnace, then keep reading and discover why in-floor heating systems might be right for you.

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3 Unexpected Causes of Heating Issues

Monday, January 7th, 2019

blue-question-markHave you ever tried to fix the cause of one problem, only to realize that the problem was due to something else entirely? Sometimes it happens to homeowners with their home heating. In particular, here are three unexpected causes of common heating issues:

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