Tag Archives: Heating

What will a furnace repair cost?

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This is a question I get constantly. What will a furnace repair cost?

Site unseen this is something that cannot be answered on the phone. Further investigation is necessary to determine what has malfunctioned.

On average Iowa spends $310.00 per repair. Ranges can be between $92.00 on the low end and $1350.00 on the high side.

Things that need to be factored into the cost is the type of furnace, (Electric, Propane, Natural Gas, Forced Air Heating, Boiler Repair or Heat Pump).

In addition the parts necessary with the labor hours. There are items in a furnace that can go bad such as blower motors, heat  exchangers, igniters, flame sensors, thermostats, and again those all depend on the age, make, model of the unit.

At some point in time you will need to weigh the cost of repairs with the cost of replacement. Let Mount Vernon Heating and Cooling help you make that decision.

A good rule of thumb is if your repairs exceed 50% of the cost of a new one. its time to replace.

Safety Tips For Heating Options In Your Home

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When the weather gets colder, people need to start using their heat. It is important to understand the heating options you have for your home. With the Iowa weather getting colder, many people are utilizing their heat. There are many factors to take into consideration when purchasing heating options for your home. Do you have smoke alarms installed around your home? Can they detect levels of carbon monoxide poisoning? Fortunately, many tragedies are preventable. It only takes a little education to protect your family and your home. Learning how to identify potentially hazardous situations is what will protect you and your home. Safety Should Always Come First. Safety and protection is crucial when it comes to a heating emergency. There are no rules to follow, however, these guidelines will help protect yourself and your home from preventable fire hazards. Listed below are a few examples of heating options. We will discuss the proper usage and prevention you can have with all heating options.

General Safety

  • DO NOT use your kitchen stove top or oven to heat your home. This is a severe fire hazard.
  • If you don’t already have them, install smoke alarms that have a battery back up. You should have one installed for every floor in your home. We recommend that you test your alarms once every three months.
  • Ventilation is very important when handling flames, fire places or candles. We recommend that you open a window or a door to help circulate the air.
  • Always remember to turn off heating options before leaving the room or going to sleep.
  • If you smell gas in your home, leave immediately. Do not use flammable items. We recommend that you contact your local fire department.
  • Never leave burning candles unattended.

Electric Space Heaters

  • Children should not have direct access to any type of portable heater, whether electric or fuel powered.
  • Space heaters need their own space. Everything should be kept at least 3 feet away.
  • NEVER refill your space heater while it is on and operating or currently hot.
  • For any type of portable heater, check if it is equipped with “tip switches.” Tip switches are designed to automatically turn off the heating element if the heater were to fall over. This safety switch protects your home and fabrics from catching fire.
  • Extension cords are not ideal for portable heaters. They should be plugged directly into the electrical outlet to prevent potential fire issues.
  • Your portable heater should have a thermostat control. This will prevent the heater from getting to a high degree of heat.
  • Always unplug the portable heater if not in use.
  • Use the correct type of fuel, specified by the manufacturer.

Fireplaces:

  • Your fireplace should be protected with glass doors or metal screens. This helps prevent hot ashes from igniting fabrics or other combustible items in your home. It is common to see sparks from the fire as well.
  • Do not use charcoal, for outdoor grills, in a fireplace. They will release odorless toxins and carbon monoxide into the air.
  • Clean your fireplace and chimney annually. Just like your air conditioning system, you should have an annual inspection.
  • Always have the damper open prior to lighting a fire.
  • Do not burn paper, trash or other items in your fireplace. These materials will cause buildup in your fire pit, which could be difficult to control.
  • Do not go to bed with the fireplace still lit. The fire should be completely extinguished before leaving the room.

Generators:

  • Always use your generator outdoors. Be sure the area is open and dry.
  • Carbon monoxide buildup can be preventable. Keep the generator away from windows, doors and air vents.
  • Do not use your generator while it’s raining.
  • Cool down the generator before refueling. Look for spilled gasoline on the engine parts. This could cause a fire.
  • We recommend that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. This will provide information and directions on how to use and maintain the generator.
  • Plug directly into the generator. For appliances or other heavy duty machines, plug into generator instead of a regular extension cord. However, you can use an outdoor-rated extension cord that had watts or amps equal to the connected appliances.

It’s always nice to come home to a warm cozy house on a cool day. With these heating options, there are many ways to provide heat for your family. Safety is important when dealing with heating elements. If you are not careful when handling these heating devices, you could lose control of the situation. Educate yourself and contact us if you have any questions.

 

IS IT TOO EARLY TO SCHEDULE HEATING MAINTENANCE?

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While in this part of the country we use our heaters just as much as much as we do our air conditioners. We know those those uncomfortably freezing cool temperatures are something that we do not look forward to but they will be here before we know it.  While our current daytime temperatures are certainly still high enough to warrant the use of our air conditioners, it is dipping down into the low 60’s and even the high 50’s during the nighttime hours. With that in mind, you should remember that those nighttime temperatures are only getting cooler from here on out.

Even if you like to sleep in relatively chilly weather, now is a good time to schedule professional to check out your heater. You don’t want to wait until last minute and are unable to get a HVAC specialist without paying a premium price.

YOU ASK WHY IS HEATING MAINTENANCE NECESSARY?

As we said, it can get cold in this part of the country and at some point in time your heater is a must! Having it checked out is the best way to guarantee that your system will be ready for you when you need it most. Just because your heater was fine when last you shut it off does not mean that it will be ready to come roaring to life the next time that you need it. Even simple inactivity can lead to operational problems as well as mechanical issues. Allowing a trained professional to thoroughly inspect and tune up your heater is the only way in which you can be sure that it will operate at optimal performance and efficiency.

Need an appointment, we are here to help and look forward to assisting you with your safety and comfort. Give us a call today!

Tips & Tricks

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THINK BEFORE CLOSING VENTS IN UNUSED ROOM

In many homes, the HVAC vents have fins that can be adjusted with a sliding switch. These fins can be used to direct airflow at a particular angle, but if you push the switch all the way to the side, they can be used to close off the vent entirely. You might think that you can save energy by closing off the vents in unused rooms, but that’s not the case – not only can this cost you more on your utility bills, it can cost you more in repairs over the long haul.

A Counterproductive Strategy

It’s not an unreasonable hypothesis — if cooled or heated air isn’t escaping through the vents into one or two rooms, it should take less energy to produce the amount of treated air needed for the remaining rooms. But HVAC systems just aren’t designed to work that way.

Closing vents increases the pressure in your ductwork, backs all the way up to your HVAC systems, forcing them to work harder. This causes the same types of problems as having a dirty air filter — your furnace or air conditioner uses more energy to produce the same level of treated air, driving up your monthly bills. It also puts a stress on fans, motors and other equipment, reducing maintenance intervals and leading to more frequent repairs.

Excessive duct pressure also creates another problem — duct leaks. Weak spots in your ductwork can turn into open gaps, allowing treated air to escape and forcing your system to work even harder.

Fortunately, the concept behind closing vents in unused rooms can be safely put to work with the right HVAC equipment. Certain systems called “zone HVAC systems” give you unprecedented control over which rooms receive treated air. Using a more sophisticated interface than an ordinary thermostat, zone systems allow you to assign different temperatures to different zones, which can be as small as a single room.

This is especially handy when you want to save energy by treating a room to a higher or lower temperature without shutting off the flow of air to those rooms completely. While there’s no need for an unoccupied room to receive the same level of comfort, a total lack of HVAC can lead to mold and humidity damage in the summer or frozen pipes in the winter.

If you’re interested in learning more about HVAC zone control and what it would take to upgrade your home system, get in touch with us.