Tag Archives: Florence

Furnace

Are Furnace Inspections Really Necessary?

cincinnati northern kentucky hvac tune up before winter

If you find yourself asking this question, the answer is a big YES, you do need regular maintenance by a certified HVAC expert!

The benefits of getting regular maintenance include that you will extend the life of your system, you will save energy, you will keep your family as safe as possible and can you can reduce other health related-risks.

Recall that part of what a furnace inspection does is make sure you have no carbon monoxide leaks. Because carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, it’s hard for homeowners to know or detect that these may exist in the home. These leaks lead to symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and headaches, but they can also lead to death.

Approximately 500 people die each year, and 15,000 people are taken to emergency rooms due to carbon monoxide exposure—even though this could have bee preventable in most cases. (Source.)

Also, many HVAC systems also require regular maintenance in order for the warranty to be valid. Despite how manufacturer’s insist that maintenance is necessary for our HVAC system, as much as 3 out of 4 service calls in the fall and winter months because of no heat were related to a lack of system maintenance, according to Angie’s List. That means that as much as 75 percent of those no-heat calls potentially could have been avoided with regular maintenance by qualified professionals.

HVAC Maintenance Program by Greater Comfort

Not only are you keeping your family safe and saving money when we make sure your system is running as efficiently as possible, we will check and record the following:

  • Check evaporator fan motor amp draws
  • Verify proper manifold gas pressure
  • Check induced draft motor amp draw
  • Verify all safety’s
  • Clean flame rod (if applicable)
  • Check heat exchanger
  • Inspect flue and fresh air make–up
  • Inspect contractors
  • Electric resistance heating elements
  • Disconnects & wiring
  • Tightening all electrical connections
  • Verify proper thermostat operation & program

So Do I Really Need To Call my HVAC?

Again, if you want to make a small investment for the life of your HVAC system and to help ensure you don’t have an emergency situation when the cold temperatures hit, the right thing to do is to set up your maintenance with a qualified and trusted HVAC expert.

When you go to call your HVAC to get your tune-up, be sure that what you are getting is a comprehensive maintenance program. In other words, do a bit of research before you buy or agree to a contract/service visit. What you don’t want is to only receive service for one or a few items on the list you see above. Also be sure that you are contacting a qualified, trained technician.

In the end, it really isn’t just about safety—although that should be a compelling reason, too—but it is about preventative maintenance.

Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati and Southeastern Indiana Residents Turn to Greater Comfort

If you are looking for a reliable and trustworthy Heating & Air Conditioning Company, check out our exceptional reviews here, and give Greater Comfort a call today.

Source/Reference

  • http://www.angieslist.com/articles/how-often-should-you-have-furnace-inspection.htm
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HVAC

The Ultimate Fall Maintenance Checklist

HVAC maintenance northern kentucky

Maintaining your heating and cooling system will help you combat unwanted costs and avoidable system failures. Of course calling for your fall tune-up is a vital step, where we come and check the gas or oil connections, your gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger, and much more, to make sure you stay comfortable year-round.

Change Your Filters

When your furnace is forced to “work harder” to pull the air through, the more it will cost you, so be sure to replace your furnace filters on a monthly basis (or as your qualified HVAC professional tells you to do, depending on the climate where you live and your system).

Check the Fireplace

Have a professional check your chimney, clean when needed, and make sure the fireplace is working as it should.

Take a Look at Your Furnace!

Make sure nothing is near the furnace that shouldn’t be, such as something that could be flammable. Give the furnace a dust if it looks like it needs one!

Ask us About Sealing & Insulating

With winter around the corner, ask us about our recommendatinos for how you can insulate and seal air leaks. Whether those air leaks be in the attic, basement, a crawlspace, or around your windows and doors, you will notice the difference with these spaces taken care of.

Check That Your Carbon Monoxide Detector is Working

When you go to change out your air filter, just add one more thing to your list—checking the CO Detector. Yes, your furnace inspection is important to make sure your heat exchanger is not leaking, and a CO Detector is not meant to replace a tune-up, but this is a safety precaution to consider.

Regular System Checkups

You knew this had to be on the list! Regular maintenance is what you must do to make sure your furnace will run optimally, and when you need it most. This will save you money due to reduced energy requirements, keep you comfortable, and keep your intake pipe clear.

Look Outside the Home

Depending in your system, you may need to look at the exhaust and intake pipes that are on the exterior part of your home. Ask us for more information, but you want to make sure the  area around these pipes are clean from debris.

When You Have a Programmable Thermostat…Use it!

Being able to control your energy means you can better control your bill each month, as well as have a better sense of the demands you are putting on your system over time. Ask us if you have more questions about how to find comfort using a programmable thermostat. During your tune-up, we will ensure your thermostat is working as it should.

Consider Your Shades

Do you close your curtains or shades during the night? Give it a try and then you can open them back up during the day.

Need more reasons to take care of your home this Fall as you prepare for winter?  Here’s just a few reasons:

  • You can work to reduce allergy-causing pollutants
  • Ensure you don’t have carbon monoxide or gas leaks
  • Ensure you don’t have any disconnected or leaky fuel lines or connections
  • Ensuring your air flow is what it should be

Do your best to prevent any surprises. Call Greater Comfort to schedule a visit at your convenience 859-491-4915.

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Heating & Cooling

4 Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bill this Summer

Air Conditioning Repair Northern Kentucky

Summer brings family barbecues, trips to the pool, and rising temperatures.

Knowing the heat of summer is here, we uncover 4 ways you can be sure to beat the heat and avoid overpaying on your energy bill.

1. Start managing your windows.

You read that right: it is time to start managing your windows to take control of the summer heat. When possible, utilize energy-efficient window coverings that allow natural light to come in, but prevent solar heat gain in your home.

During the day, keep windows closed. If you then open them at night—that is, when it is a cool night—be sure to close them early in the morning. Last, place houseplants in front of your sunniest windows to help naturally absorb some of the sun’s rays coming in to your home.

2. Check your air conditioning & cooling system’s efficiency.

The Greater Comfort Heating & Cooling experts can help you consider and evaluate what it would mean to upgrade to a higher-efficiency unit. As much as 50 percent of people would be able to save money by switching to a high efficiency unit. 

We can also make sure you have installed and set up a programmable thermostat. This alone can save 10 percent on heating and cooling over the course of a year. Also, one of the fastest ways to save energy on home cooling is to clean and replace your cooling unit’s filters. In some cases, you need to change your filters as much as once every three months. 

3. Look at how you ventilate.

Ventilation is one of the least expensive ways to cool your home. Depending in your needs, natural ventilation, fans, and whole house fans are options. Natural ventilation will rely on wind to cool your home and is a fit for those who live in cooler climates. Fans, as you are aware, help you cool off in certain areas of your home.

Fans won’t cool your entire home by any means, but it is a great solution to help raise the thermostat but still let you be comfortable. Check to make sure that your fan is blowing wind downwards—not upwards, which wouldn’t do you any good! Last, whole house fans work to pull air in through your windows and exhaust it through the home’s attic and roof. Be sure to take advantage of your bathroom fans when you shower or when you cook. These help in removing the heat and humidity in your home.

4. Contact the Greater Comfort Heating & Cooling team. 

Common air conditioning problems include issues with your refrigerant, sensor, thermostat, drainage or even your filters—all of which we can identity and work to quickly fix. Ask us about how we can help your home performance in other ways, including:

  • Duct inspection & repair
  • Insulation upgrades
  • Vents you can close
  • Other thermostat-related issues you may be unaware of

Our maintenance program brings well-trained technicians to your home to find and fix any problems with your air conditioning system. It is our goal to work with you to fix any inefficiencies in your cooling system! We examine airflow, check for seal duct leakage in central systems, your coils, capacitors, compressor and refrigerant. As much as 5 to 15 percent of your efficiency can be lost if you do not maintain the A/C.

Sources

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Air Conditioning

How a Lack of Maintenance Causes Air Conditioning Repair Needs

You most likely depend on your car on a daily basis, right? During hot weather, you probably also depend on your air conditioner just as much. But while most people are aware that a car needs regular maintenance to keep it in top shape and avoid serious breakdowns, few people make that connection with their air conditioner. They take it for granted that the system will plug away, providing cool air without fail. But your AC is prone to break-downs from wear and tear. And during warm and hot spells, you may be running it more than you run your car. Shouldn’t it get the same regular check-ups and tune-ups?

In need of Florence, KY air conditioning repair help? Then reach out to Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.® today!

One of the most immediate problems that lack of maintenance causes with an air conditioner is dirty air filters. A clogged filter chokes off the air flow into your AC, which makes it work harder. The harder it works, the more quickly the parts will wear down and require repair. The air filter also protects the internal workings of the AC, and if it becomes clogged, the performance of certain components could suffer. If your air conditioner receives regular use, you should make it a point to check and replace the air filters once a month.

Dirt and debris can still get into your air conditioner even with regular filter changes though. Maintenance can catch early damage like dust in the blower motor or bent fan blades—both of which can lead to even larger problems and expensive repairs if they aren’t corrected without delay. A maintenance technician will check over all the components most susceptible to damage to make sure they are in proper working condition.

A number of different motors are required to keep your air conditioner operating. The fans and the compressor all require motors. As with a car, a motor can wear down if it is run too long. If your air conditioning system starts to work inefficiently, it puts greater stress on these motors, which could result in a burn-out. Regular AC maintenance can keep your air conditioner working at its best, thereby giving these components a longer life span.

Enrolling in a preventive maintenance program with an experienced HVAC repair company is the best way to ward off costly repairs. In Florence, KY, our air conditioning repair experts at Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.® offer a preventive maintenance agreement that will suit your needs to keep your AC working its best for you with minimal need for pricey repairs.

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Heating

Home Heating Options in Cincinnati, OH

Deciding how to heat your new home or how to upgrade your current heating system in Cincinnati, OH involves several stages of planning, consultation, professional installation and service. It is a big decision, in part because it significantly impacts your everyday comfort, and because you will rely on your heater for years to come. The process of learning about your heating options does not have to be daunting, however. Call Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning in Cincinnati, OH today for expert advice. We will work with you to design a home heating system that is effective and efficient.

There are a variety of different options on the market today. Today, I’d like to focus on three different options: furnace, air-source heat pump and ductless mini split heat pump. Each have their advantages and disadvantages and all boast high-efficiency ratings. As all homes and homeowners are different, so should their heaters. At Greater Comfort Heating & Cooling we can help you make the right choice.

The furnaces of today are very different than those of yesteryear. Gas furnaces are high-efficiency units, with an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of up to 98%.Furnaces that use oil or electricity are also options that may work for your home. The trick is balancing upfront costs with long-term cost-benefits.

A heat pump is appropriately named: it uses electricity to move heat from outdoors into the warmth of your house. Because they move heat, rather than a generate heat, they can produce up to 4 times the amount of energy they consume. Their efficiency has served many customers well. Some systems use a gas furnace as a backup to supplement the heat pump on particularly chilly evenings.

If you do not yet have ductwork in your home, or do not want to go to the trouble of having it installed, a ductless mini split heat pump may be your best bet. They offer a sleek design and high-efficiency. From hyper-heating inverters to multiple zone units, your local heating technician will work with you to find the best solution.

Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning installs and services York, Lennox, and Mitsubishi heating systems. To find out which heating option is right for your Cincinnati, OH home, please give us a call today.

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Heating

Cincinnati Furnace Guide: Why Install a Lennox Furnace?

Replacing your furnace is a big project that requires homeowners to think carefully about the characteristics they want in their new furnace. Here at Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, we take pride in the reputation that we’ve built up throughout the Cincinnati area. We recommend Lennox furnaces because they have the same commitment to excellence that we do. Here are a few of the reasons that we recommend Lennox furnaces to our customers in Cincinnati.

Efficiency

In the race for the most efficient furnace, Lennox is the leader. Furnaces are given an AFUE rating to describe how efficient they are. The AFUE rating represents what percent of the fuel consumed is actually turned into usable heat. Older furnaces typically had an AFUE of 60% which meant that they wasted 40% of the fuel that they burned.  The Lennox SLP98V furnace has an AFUE rating of 98.2% which is the highest rating of any furnace on the market. When you’re looking to seriously take a dent out of the amount of energy that you use at your home, getting a high efficiency furnace is a great step. When you want the most efficient furnace available, get a Lennox.

Noise

Noise is another common complaint that we get from our customers. If you’re tired of waking up in the night to the sound of your furnace kicking on, call Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning for new furnace installation in Cincinnati. In addition to having the most efficient furnace available, Lennox also has the quietest furnace. The SLP98V offers unparalleled efficiency as well as being the quietest furnace available.

When you’re interested in having a new furnace installed at your Cincinnati home, call Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning. We can help you pick out a furnace that matches your home’s needs and your budget. Lennox offers a complete line of furnaces for homes of all sizes. Call us today!

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Heating

Cincinnati Heating Tip: When to Replace Your Boiler

When you schedule your boiler installation service with a qualified, professional heating service provider you can expect an efficient, dependable performance from that boiler. High-quality repair services and routine maintenance will help keep that boiler operating at maximum potential for years to come. Unfortunately, no heating system available can last forever. Making the decision to replace the boiler in your Cincinnati home can be difficult. With the advice and services offered by the experts at Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.®, though, you can be sure that you are making the best decision about your boiler replacement.

One of the major indicators that there is a problem with your boiler is any sudden drop off in the efficiency with which your boiler operates. There are a lot of possible causes for an issue such as this, and it may not necessarily mean that your boiler must be replaced. There comes a time, though, when your boiler can be repaired but may not justify that expense.

Consistent increases in the cost of operating your boiler and the cost of frequent repair services can actually wind up being more expensive than a boiler replacement. Just because a heating system can be repaired does not necessarily mean that it should be. If you are experiencing these issues consider the amount that you are spending to keep this boiler operating. You may find that a replacement boiler, while certainly an investment, will save you money over the course of time.

Plus, if your boiler is getting on in years it may not be as efficient as newer models even when operating at top performance levels. Technology and efficiency expectations have come a long way in recent years. Your boiler may be working as efficiently as the day you bought. That does not mean that what was considered highly efficient back then can compare to the efficiency of more modern devices.

The best way for you to be sure that you are replacing your boiler for the right reasons is to speak with a professional heating company in Cincinnati. Contact Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning today to discuss your boiler replacement options. We’ll help you decide if a boiler replacement is your best bet for complete, affordable comfort.

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Heating

Keep Your Commercial Heating System Efficient in Cincinnati

If you own a business in Cincinnati, you know how important it is to make sure that the heating and air conditioning system there works every single day. If you’ve ever gone into a business that was hot and muggy or too cold, it can leave a bad impression. That’s why making sure that your HVAC system is working well is so critical to your success. At Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer complete commercial HVAC repair and maintenance services in Cincinnati. We thought it would be a good idea if we put together some of the best ways to keep your commercial heating system working well.

The Importance of Regular Commercial Heating Maintenance in Cincinnati

When you have a trained heating technician cleaning and thoroughly inspecting your business’s heating system on a regular basis, there are huge benefits to you. Here are some of them.

  • Increased efficiency – Over time, your commercial heating system will start to deteriorate, get dirty and general work less efficiently. Without regular commercial heating maintenance in Cincinnati, that process will just continue. But with regular maintenance, your heating technician will replace worn out parts, clean out your system and lubricate any moving parts that need it. This is a great way to restore some of that efficiency to your system.
  • Reduced repairs – One of the best benefits to regular commercial heating maintenance in Cincinnati is the potential to reduce the need for heating repairs. Small problems are often the cause of larger, more costly commercial HVAC repairs. During regular maintenance visits, you technician will be able to detect those issues and fix them before they cause you any larger problems.
  • Extended life – At Great Comfort, we often get calls for commercial HVAC replacement in Cincinnati. Sometimes, the systems we replaced were destroyed by a small issue that could have been fixed during a regular maintenance visit. When you catch the small issues early, you can keep them from causing huge damage to your HVAC system.

If you need any kind of commercial heating and air conditioning service in Cincinnati, call Greater Comfort. We would love talk with you about the possibility of setting up a regular commercial heating maintenance plan in Cincinnati.

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Heating

The Top 5 Furnace Repairs in Florence, KY

Furnaces are one of the most popular heating systems in the United States and in Florence, KY. They offer reliable and relatively cheap heat for your home. They’re also fairly simple pieces of equipment. But like all things, they eventually break down and need repairs. At Greater Comfort, we’ve repaired and installed countless furnaces in the Florence, KY area. We thought it would be good for us to put together some of the most common repairs that we see.

Air Filter

This is by far the most common cause of furnace problems in Florence, KY. The air filter in your furnace is there to make sure that dirt and debris to collect inside the unit. If this isn’t changed it can result in a whole bunch of problems including overheating, low air flow and even heat exchanger cracks.

Air Flow

Another common problem is low or no air flow. This happens when you turn on your furnace but no air comes out of the registers in your rooms. The culprit for this problem is often a dirty air filter restricting air flow through the unit. This can also be from a problem with the fan, fan bearings or fan belt. Sometimes, there can be blockages or pinches in the ductwork as well.

Thermostat

The thermostat in your home is responsible for detecting the temperature in your home and telling the furnace to turn on when it gets too cold. Eventually, your thermostat can break and cause a lot of problems. Sometimes we can just reset the thermostat while other times we end up replacing the unit. Some of the symptoms of a broken thermostat is insufficient heat or too much heat.

Furnace Ignition

If you have a gas-fired furnace, the ignition system is a pilot light that is constantly lit. If you have an electric furnace it can be an igniter. If you have no heat or if you only have heat sometimes, it can be the result of a faulty ignition system. Sometimes all they need is to be cleaned while other times you may need to replace the pilot light or igniter assembly.

Furnace Sounds

We often get calls for service to determine what a particular sound means about the furnace. Many times this is rumbling sound or a squealing sound. In the case of squealing, this is most likely a worn out fan belt that is rubbing against another part. In the case of rumbling, this normally means that the burner is dirty.

If you have any issues with the furnace in your Florence, KY home, call Greater Comfort immediately. We can diagnose your problem quickly and offer our competitively priced furnace repair services. Contact us today!

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Heat Pumps

How Do Hybrid Heat Pumps Work? A Heat Pump Question from Ft. Thomas

Who says you have to choose just one home heating option? With a dual fuel hybrid heating system you can experience the eco-friendly, highly efficient heating power of a heat pump in your Ft. Thomas home without sacrificing the dependability of gas-powered furnace. How? By combining both an electric heat pump and a gas furnace into one versatile system. If you have been considering the purchase and installation of a heat pump in your home but are concerned about how it will perform in extremely cold temperatures, a dual fuel hybrid system may be right for. Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning has some information about the benefits and operation of hybrid heat pump systems that may help you make your decision. Remember, if you have any unanswered questions please call Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning for the answers you need.

Hybrid heating systems offer you a very efficient, affordable heating option with the heat pump component. Heat pumps do not consume fuel to create energy. Rather, they transfer existing heat into your home using just a small amount of electricity. This mode of operation makes them very cheap to operate and environmentally friendly, but because they depend to some extent on ambient heat they do not work as effectively in extremely cold conditions. This is where the gas furnace option comes in handy.

While gas furnaces may not be as efficient as heat pumps they are one of the most reliable, effective home heating methods you can choose. As long as there is a supply of natural gas your gas furnace will operate, no matter what the temperature is like outside. That means that when the cold overwhelms your electric heat pump the gas furnace can take over and save the day (or at least make it warmer).

When the temperature outside is cold enough to want some extra warmth in your home, the heat pump delivers consistent, mellow heat as it transfers energy inside. This is different than a furnace that kicks on when temperatures drop below the desired temperature, pumping out hot air until your home is back at the target temperature. This type of heating is much more efficient in really cold weather, and the great thing about a hybrid heating system is that it will automatically make the switch to the gas furnace when the heat pump is overwhelmed. That means you can just relax while your heating system makes the decision to switch its method of heating all on its own.

If you are interested in learning more about hybrid heat pump systems call the Ft. Thomas heating experts at Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning. We have the answers to all your questions. Make sure that your Ft. Thomas home is ready for the coldest temperatures winter has in store for you.

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