Ah- the conveniences of modern life: in the heat of summer we turn on the air conditioning to make us cool, during the cold of winter we switch on the heater to make us warm. The goal, of course, is constant comfort.
Air conditioners work by warm air hitting a cooling coil inside the device and that air being pushed out through ducts in the house, or from the air conditioner itself, depending on what type you have.
Furnaces work by burning fuel (either gas, electricity, or oil) which produces heat. That heat is pushed through radiators, ducts, or vents in the home. Have your furnace inspected and cleaned annually to make sure there isn’t carbon monoxide being pumped into the house and that the furnace is still working properly. The average life of a quality furnace is twenty years. Annual inspections and cleanings will help keep the furnace healthy, but the day will come, like with most things, that you will need to purchase a new one. When that day comes, make sure you purchase the correctly sized furnace, make sure the furnace is energy efficient (not too difficult nowadays), and comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best price possible.
To get your new furnace installed, you will need a hvac contractor. hvac stands for heating, Ventilation and air conditioning, and as with all professionals, research hvac professionals by getting estimates from several companies, check them all with the Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau, and then pick the best one of all the options.
The same information applies to replacing air conditioners: do your research when shopping around for a new air conditioning unit and when shopping around for the hvac professional to install it. Most professionals recommend replacing, instead of repairing, air conditioning units if your system is older than ten years, or if repairs are as much or more than the cost of replacement. The majority of air conditioners will have a twelve to fourteen year lifespan, and regular maintenance and cleaning will help your AC have a long and productive life.
With both furnaces and air conditioners, it is best to be prepared and replace the units before you need to. In other words, you don’t want the air conditioner dying on the hottest day of the summer or the furnace giving its last performance the night of the big winter storm. When having your furnace and air conditioner inspected, a hvac professional will be able to give you a good estimate on how much more life your units have left.
Latest Videos of Heating and Air Conditioning; What You Need To Know:
home-inspection
