It’s a brand new year and a brand new start. That means that all the ways you wanted to take care of your home last year that you may not have done can begin now. You have a clean slate. Why not have a clean home energy system? To begin with, it’s chilly outside, even if it’s not as chilly here as it is in say, Minnesota. If you’re like the rest of us, however, you’ve got your heat on at least at night, when everyone is home and the temperatures have dropped. There’s no better way to start off taking care of your home than by making sure your heating system and air conditioning system is in top shape. One way to do that is with a home energy inspection provided by heating experts such as our technicians at Penguin Air.
Heating Tune-Up
Have a heating expert check every part of your heating system. You’ve been using it for a few months now, but has it been working efficiently? An inspection at any time of year can help your home’s energy system perform at its best – and you want to always be ready and prepared with a system that works.
A Penguin Air heating tune-up includes steps such as the following:
For heat pumps, a heating technician will inspect the fan blade, the contractor, all electrical connections to ensure they are safe and working properly; wiring conditions, condenser coils, fuses and duct seals. After tightening all electrical connections, he will test the compressor capacitor and the condenser fan capacitor, check Freon levels, check the Shrader Valve and other valves, and inspect defrost control. Be sure to have him inspect your vibration isolation pads, relays, blower squirrel cafe and the evaporator coil. A professional will be able to identify areas that are rusting or corroding or just dirty and under-performing. Your thermostat is also a very important device a technician will take a look at. Old thermostats don’t always control your heat as well as they could; you always want to have the right temperatures circulating throughout your home. A heating tune-up involves much more than this, especially when the technician has been trained to be extremely thorough. You never want to invest in a heating tune-up that leaves your system under-performing; always have a heating technician take his time and move throughout your home to check all areas of the system.
Furnace Tune-Up
For furnaces, a Penguin Air heating tune-up professional will inspect and oil outdoor motors, tighten electrical connections and make sure they are safe and performing efficiently; he will check pilots, gas shut-offs, all valves and filters, and all duct work. Like a heat pump heating system, furnaces have specific parts that when left unattended for long periods of time will cause the system to under-perform or break. You also want a heating technician who knows what he’s doing when it comes to your furnace tune-up. There are very easy ways that a heating system can lose hot air and under-perform, causing you to spend extra on your energy bill. With the new year in full swing, you want to save as much as you can on your energy bills.
If your home’s energy system is in one unit – if your air conditioning and heating function in the same space – make sure you take advantage of the fact that all units under 14-SEER are now being sold by manufacturers until they’re GONE. This means that since the federal regulations for A/C units moved from 13-SEER to 14-SEER Jan. 1, 2015, manufacturers are no longer developing units under 14-SEER and have to get rid of all inventory that doesn’t meet regulations. As higher-SEER units are around $1,000-$2,000 more, now is the time to invest. This new regulation may not affect your home’s heating system, however. It’s best to talk to your local heating professional to understand what your home needs and how to start off the new year with a strong, efficient system and heating energy savings.