Residential & Commercial HVAC and Refrigeration Tips Blog | Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Inc.

Weird Sounds From Your Water Heater? Here’s What They May Mean

December 20th, 2021

How often do you listen to the sounds your water heater makes? Probably not often. Your water heater is designed to run as quietly as possible, and the minor sounds it does make turn into the standard background noise of day-to-day life.

So when your water heater starts to create odd or strange sounds, you’ll notice them. You might feel tempted to then ignore these sounds, but please don’t do this. Most unusual sounds from water heaters are warning of something wrong. You may need to schedule water heater repair in Smyrna, DE with our professionals before you have a more serious trouble that will leave you without any hot water at all. When you know when to call for help, you can prevent much bigger water heater problems in the future.

We’ll list some of the more common cautionary sounds you might hear from your water heater and what they may mean.

Possible Reasons Your Electric Furnace Isn’t Working

December 6th, 2021

Natural gas furnaces are the most common type of home heating system in our area, but not all homes have access to natural gas. For all-electric homes, the most popular option for central heating is an electric furnace. These furnaces are safer than gas-burning appliances and they can also last for five years long on average. They also need fewer repairs in general because they have a simpler design and don’t suffer from the strain of combusting gas.

But a gas furnace can still malfunction, and this winter you might need the help of our professionals for furnace repair in Dover. We’ve put together a list of several reasons for your electric furnace to quit working. Some won’t require a professional repair, only an adjustment. Anything more complex, however, needs trained experts.

Why Your Furnace Is Overheating and What Can You Do About It?

November 22nd, 2021

Any powered mechanical device can potentially overheat. A furnace, a powerful device designed to generate heat, is especially susceptible to overheating. You’ll know that your home’s furnace is overheating if it keeps shutting down early and you notice a burning odor coming from the vents. You may also notice a humming sound coming from the furnace, which indicates a motor that’s overworking.

The first thing you need to know in this situation is that the furnace is acting the way it should in case of overheating: it’s shutting off. Gas furnaces are designed with safety features that will shut the system down when overheating occurs. The furnace’s limit switch detects a temperature that’s too high and turns off the heating cycle.

You still need to have furnace repair in Milford to fix the furnace—you absolutely don’t want to risk any potential furnace dangers, and continuing to run the furnace puts it at risk of burnt-out motors and even more expensive repairs.

How Boilers Can Help Save You Money on Home Heating

November 8th, 2021

Boiler heating systems aren’t common in large parts of the country. But you’ll find many of them here in Maryland and Delaware, often in homes that don’t have the ductwork for a forced-air heater like a furnace. This isn’t a disadvantage, however! Boilers are excellent options for home heating, and if you’re considering one for your home, we encourage you to check out some of the ways a boiler can help you save money on heating each winter.

We’re local professionals who offer service for boilers, from boiler installation to boiler repair in Maryland. If you are considering a boiler installation, we can provide you with the expert service you need. We’ll help you decide if a boiler is the ideal heating installation for your house. (We also work with other central heating options like furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless mini splits.)

A Furnace That’s Leaving Your House Too Cool? This Might Be Why…

October 25th, 2021

You may not have turned your furnace on yet for the season, but the time is approaching rapidly. We recommend you have regular maintenance for your furnace before the first true winter weather day, since this is the best help you can give to your heating system to make it through the season without trouble.

It’s furnace trouble that we’re here to talk about today, because one of the most common complaints the people who call us for furnace repair in Dover have is that their furnace cannot compete against the cold the way it used to. Instead, it’s leaving the house or certain rooms too chilly, and people are cranking up the thermostat to try to get more heat.

Calling us to investigate is the right step. You don’t want to open up the furnace yourself and tinker inside it—it’s potentially dangerous. We can help you better understand what might be happening by looking at several reasons why your furnace is falling behind on its job.

The Top 6 Reasons to Have Heating Maintenance Done This Month

October 11th, 2021

Considering how cold it gets here in the winter, taking the proper steps to maintain your home heating in Delaware is a vital fall job. And the most important part of maintenance is arranging for HVAC professionals to give your heater a thorough inspection and tune-up. This professional heating maintenance is the best thing you can have done for your home comfort, both for the immediate and long-term future.

At Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Inc., we have a Maintenance Agreement Club to make this job easy for you. When you sign up, you’ll enjoy special membership perks along with the general benefits of keeping up with fall maintenance. To help convince you, we’ve listed the top six reasons to have heating maintenance scheduled this month.

An Air Purifier Is a Big Health Help in the Fall

September 27th, 2021

Today, there’s a growing concern related to air pollution both outside and inside. According to information from the EPA, indoor air is often five times more polluted than outdoor air. The main reason for this is because indoor air isn’t circulated like the outside air, which allows airborne pollutants to thrive indoors.

Investing in an air purifier Smyrna can help refresh stale air and reduce the potential of health problems related to indoor pollutants, which can aggravate asthma symptoms, cause neurological problems, and trigger respiratory infections. Also, now that children are back in school, more and more germs and particles are coming into your home each day. With a quality air purifier, it is possible to eliminate many types of indoor air pollutants and keep your entire family healthy.

A Dying AC in September … Should You Have It Replaced Now?

September 13th, 2021

A central air conditioning system that starts to fail in September. That’s almost the textbook definition of a problem you can “put off.” Or one you think you can put off.

But procrastination is rarely a virtue, and in this case, delaying doing something about an AC that’s on the way out can create serious problems. When it comes to your home comfort, it’s always best to act fast, whether you need an air conditioning repair in Dover or it’s time to have the full system replaced.

We’ll go into more detail about why rapid response AC replacement is always best, no matter the month.

3 Alternatives to a Standard Central Air Conditioning System for Your House

August 16th, 2021

You’re interested in installing new air conditioning in Middletown, DE for your home, but you wonder if you have better options than the conventional central AC you’ve used for many years. The answer is “yes,” although determining if any of these alternatives is the right one for your home is something you’ll want to consult HVAC experts on.

Below we’ve listed the three most common alternatives to the typical central AC system, i.e. a split system with an outdoor condenser and indoor evaporator and blower connected to ductwork. Each alternative has benefits and drawbacks, and our technicians can help you navigate to the best option.

Do I Need Professionals for Every AC Repair?

August 2nd, 2021

We think a better way to phrase this question is “Do I need professionals to solve every AC problem?” Because when it comes to what we would call a “repair” for an air conditioner, the answer to “Do I need professionals” is a straightforward “yes.” Any work that involves opening up part of the air conditioning system and using tools to fix troubles must be left to licensed and experienced pros. Attempting any of this work on your own, with nothing but store-bought tools and an online tutorial video, will likely make whatever is wrong far worse, create additional problems, and void the equipment warranty.

However, there is a difference between repairs and troubleshooting. Some air conditioning problems don’t require full repairs but only basic adjustments that you can do on your own. They don’t require tools or expertise or any tinkering around inside either indoor or outdoor components. We’ll go over some of what you can do to solve AC troubles before you call us for professional air conditioning repair in Delaware.