AC vs. Heat Pump: Which Is Better for Your Home?

March 20th, 2023
Two modern heat pump HVAC units on a white background.

Is it time to replace your air conditioner? Maybe it failed completely at the end of last summer, or maybe you know it’s on its last legs. But since you’re looking into your replacement options, you’ve probably started to wonder whether a traditional air conditioner or a heat pump is a better choice.

Which HVAC system is better for your home: a heat pump or a traditional AC?

  • Heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, making them more versatile than standard AC systems.
  • They’re more energy-efficient in moderate climates and can significantly lower utility bills.
  • Air conditioners are typically more cost-effective upfront and ideal for hot regions with minimal heating needs.
  • Heat pumps may require supplemental heat in very cold areas to maintain indoor comfort.
  • Because they operate year-round, heat pumps may need more frequent maintenance.
  • For homes prioritizing energy savings and year-round use, a heat pump HVAC system is often the better choice.

Before you consult a professional for help sorting through the possibilities, you may want some more information. Here are some reasons you might want a heat pump instead of an air conditioner, and some reasons why you might decide against it. For more help, learn how to choose a great HVAC contractor to guide you through the process.

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Surprising Causes of Problems With Your AC

March 6th, 2023
person-making-a-surprised-face

We see air conditioner troubles every day. Some of them are quite common, and no one is surprised. Others can come as quite a surprise to the customer, and sometimes even to the technician. But no matter what the problem is, and no matter how it was caused, you deserve to have your home at a comfortable temperature and we want to help you get it there.

Here are some of the less common air conditioning issues that we sometimes run into. How surprised would you be to discover these?

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4 Ways Maintenance Saves You Money Over Time

February 20th, 2023
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We often emphasize just how important heating maintenance is. We talk about how often it needs to be done. We sometimes mention that we have a maintenance plan that can help you stay on track with your maintenance and even offers discounts and priority service. But if you’re concerned about paying for a maintenance appointment, it might be more helpful to you if we explained how much money you can save by making sure your heating system is properly maintained.

Here are the top four ways that you’ll have more money in your pocket when you get annual heating maintenance from qualified professionals.

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Bad Heater Airflow Can Lead to These Problems

February 6th, 2023
A-heating-and-cooling-vent-on-the-wall-of-a-home

When you’re chilly outdoors and come into your home, you expect—and deserve—to warm up thanks to plentiful hot air coming from your vents. It’s absolutely miserable to have just a trickle of warm air and be unable to get your home warm enough. 

Insufficient airflow through your heating system can have a variety of causes, and it’s important to address it, because it can also cause a variety of other problems. What are those possible causes, and what heating troubles could occur because of that low airflow? We’ll lay out some details for you.

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Understanding the Dangers of a Cracked Heat Exchanger

January 23rd, 2023
carbon-monoxide-detector-on-ceiling

A gas furnace is an effective and reliable way to heat your home. Because of the cost of natural gas as compared to electricity, it tends to be the more affordable option, as well. And as technology has improved, gas furnace efficiency has increased significantly. But what people sometimes wonder is just how safe it is to use a gas-burning furnace to heat their home.

On the whole, the answer is a simple yes. Driving a car, an everyday thing you might not consider risky, is thousands of times more dangerous than having a gas furnace. The improvements in technology that have allowed efficiency to go up have also improved safety. And as long as you have working carbon monoxide detectors and make sure your furnace receives routine maintenance, it’s perfectly safe. If you want to know exactly how to best ensure your safety when you have a gas furnace, though, you should learn about the heat exchanger.

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Most Common Furnace Repairs in Winter

January 9th, 2023
technician-repairing-a-furnace

If you’re a new homeowner, or are in the position of caring for a furnace for the first time, it may seem mysterious and confusing. What should you expect? What can go wrong? The truth of the matter is that furnaces are generally quite reliable and you don’t need to worry too much about them. The best way to avoid furnace problems is to make sure you get preventative maintenance every year. This way, little issues won’t add up, dusty mess will be cleaned before it causes trouble, and moving parts will be lubricated to reduce wear and tear.

However, there will be times when a furnace encounters a real need for repair. We’ll go over a few of the things we see most often, so that if these problems do happen to your furnace, they won’t catch you by surprise.

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What Exactly Is Done During Heating Maintenance?

December 26th, 2022
technician-maintaining-a-heater

We often emphasize just how critical it is to have your heating system maintained annually. It improves the efficiency of your heater, decreases wear and tear on the system, reduces the likelihood that you’ll require repairs, helps your heater live for many more years than it would if it were neglected, and ensures that your heater can continue to operate safely without posing risks such as carbon monoxide poisoning. 

What we don’t discuss as often is the actual maintenance process. Because we believe that well-informed customers are better able to make good decisions about their heating systems, we’d like to provide some more detailed information. Here are the main steps that your heating technician will perform during regular annual maintenance, with the caveat that gas and electric heaters do require some different steps.

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How Long Will My Furnace Last?

December 12th, 2022
old-furnace-in-need-of-replacement

Since you know how hard your furnace works to keep you cozy all winter, it’s no surprise that it won’t last forever. But you certainly don’t want furnace failure and the need for replacement to come as a sudden surprise. It can help to have a general idea of how long a furnace’s life can be. And while you definitely want to prolong that life and postpone replacing the furnace, you also don’t want to keep using a furnace that is a safety hazard, or one that has become so inefficient that it is costing you a lot more than it used to in energy usage.

How long can you expect your furnace to live, and how can you get the most out of it while avoiding excessive utility bills or safety risks? Here are some pointers.

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Maximize Your Heating Efficiency This Winter

November 28th, 2022
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The cost of heating your home is considerable. Whether your heating system is new or old, gas or electric, the impact on your utility bills can be significant. Even with an extremely efficient new heater, you might be wishing you didn’t have to pay as much for heat. 

In order to keep your energy costs as low as they can be, we’d like to share some tips for getting the most heat for the least expense.

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Why Does My Heater Smell Like Something’s Burning?

November 14th, 2022
dusty-heating-element

You’re peacefully enjoying autumn in Georgia: the heat and humidity have gone down, and you’re relaxing while watching a football game or gathering with family for a fall celebration. It’s chilly enough to turn the heat on for the first time. Suddenly you realize that it smells like something is burning! Do you need to call for emergency heating repairs?

We have good news for you. A burning smell when you first turn your heat on for the season is pretty common, and you can take a few simple steps to clear things up. You only need the help of a heating professional if these easy remedies don’t solve the problem. 

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