MAINTAINING Your FURNACE or BOILER

Now is the perfect time to inspect your furnace or boiler to be sure it is ready for the cold months ahead. Young or old your heating system needs regular maintenance. Many homeowners don't have a clue about how to care for their home's heating system. The following maintenance steps can be provided by the trained team at Ohio Heating & Air Conditioning.

All systems:

• Check the condition of your vent connection pipe and chimney. Parts of the venting system may have deteriorated over time. Chimney problems can be expensive to repair, and may help justify installing new heating equipment that won’t use the existing chimney.
• Check the physical integrity of the heat exchanger. Leaky boiler heat exchangers leak water and are easy to spot. Furnace heat exchangers mix combustion gases with house air when they leak, an important safety reason to have them inspected.
• Adjust the controls on the boiler or furnace to provide optimum water and air temperature settings for both efficiency and comfort.
• If you’re considering replacing or retrofitting your existing heating system, have the technician perform a combustion-efficiency test.

Forced Air Systems:

• Check the combustion chamber for cracks
• Test for carbon monoxide (CO) and remedy if found
• Adjust blower control and supply-air temperature
• Clean and oil the blower
• Remove dirt, soot, or corrosion from the furnace or boiler
• Check fuel input and flame characteristics, and adjust if necessary
• Seal connections between the furnace and main ducts.

Hot Water Systems:

• Test pressure-relief valve
• Test high-limit control
• Inspect pressure tank, which should be filled with air, to verify that it’s not filled with water
• Clean the heat exchanger.

Steam Systems:

• Drain some water from the boiler to remove sediments and improve the heat exchange efficiency
• Test low-water cutoff safety control and high-limit safety control
• Drain the float chamber to remove sediments, which will prevent the low-water cutoff control from sediment clogs
• Analyze boiler water and add chemicals as needed to control deposits and corrosion
• Clean the heat exchanger

Performing a furnace inspection or boiler inspection annually is essential to insure your equipment is running at its peak performance level. At Ohio Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer a comprehensive furnace inspection to help you keep your family safe and warm this winter. 

Furnace maintenance is not our only service. From repair to replacement, we have a heating solution for your home that won't break your budget.

We offer a full line of traditional gas furnaces, oil furnaces, variable speed furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps.  Buying a new heating system for your home can be confusing.  Selecting just the right options and features can be difficult.  Our highly trained team at Ohio Heating & Air Conditioning can help you make the right decision.

Our sales, service and installation teams are specially-trained in the design and installation of heating systems. They can help you determine the right system for your home and your budget.  We have the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification. Our NATE certified technicians must undergo extensive training and pass vigorous industry exams in all facets of HVAC in order to attain this industry-recognized certification.  

When an Ohio Heating & Air Conditioning technician steps into your home, you know you are getting a technician who has demonstrated exceptional levels of knowledge in HVAC.

We repair and service all makes & models • Easy Financing Available • Low Monthly Payments

Before the cold winter weather hits Columbus and Central OH, experts agree that having a professional heating contractor perform an annual furnace inspection to detect any problems, is essential to keep your heating system in good running order and prevent it from leaving you and your family shivering when you need it the most.

An annual furnace inspection of your heating system will prolong the life of your equipment, reduce energy costs and decrease health risks for you and your loved ones.

Manufacturers  such as Bryant, agree your equipment should be serviced annually for both your heating system and your cooling system. Like any piece of equipment, tuning it and checking for any problems is highly recommended. 

Why You Need Your Heating System Checked

Most causes of breakdowns in the dead of winter are due to the lack of maintenance. Your furnace, boiler or heat pump can stop working when you need it the most.

An equipment inspection can also be a health precaution. It may reveal carbon monoxide leaks, which are hard to detect because it is odorless. This dangerous gas can lead to headaches, dizziness, nausea and even death if undetected. In the US, many people are taken to emergency rooms due to exposure and it can sometimes result in death.

Regular heating system maintenance will result in greater fuel efficiency and maximum output. You can see savings on your energy bills from a well maintained system.

Your heating and cooling system is complex. Be sure you hire the right professional. You want to hire a company that is licensed and bonded to be sure you are dealing with a company that is qualified and intent on providing you expert service. 

As a homeowner, you can help keep your system running at maximum efficiency by changing the air filter on a regular basis.  According to Energy Star,  a clogged air filter will restrict air flow, which can also negatively affect your health through exposure to environmental contaminates.

Good preventive service keeps your equipment running at peak performance and minimizes breakdowns. Schedule your furnace check-up now with Ohio Heating & Air Conditioning to insure your family's comfort and safety. We're the leader in furnace maintenance in Columbus OH.

Many people wait until the dust gathers and takes over their filter, but you shouldn't wait until that happens. It is important to keep a clean filter at all times for health reasons and energy efficiency.

When your filter is dirty, your system has to work harder. This can increase your fuel costs and reduce the life of your equipment.  

So how do you know which one is right for you? HVAC filters are categorized into three different types based on their material and purpose: standard mechanical filters, electronic filters, and pleated filters.

Mechanical air filters are the most common type of filters used in homes. The purpose of this filter is to trap dust particles and other debris using synthetic fibers in order for the debris to stop circulating in the air. The disposable fiberglass filters come in two sizes: one and two inch thick filters. You may need to change these filters often because of the adhesive coating and mesh that filters the air coming in usually gets damaged when cleaning.

The next type of air filter is the pleated filter. These filters remove around 35 to 40% of the dust particles in the air. Although they are not as good as the electronic filters, they are better than the mechanical ones because they have more fiber per square inch compared to the disposable fiberglass filters. This is because if there is more fiber in the filter, it is more effective in trapping dirty air particles.

An electronic air filter is the most expensive and best quality filter you can install. This filter is the best for trapping debris and dust in the air; it even goes as far as trapping smaller molecules such as smoke, mold, and pet odors. There are also two sizes that this filter comes in, just like the fiberglass filter. This one also lasts longer than other filters. Electronic filters are good for up to six months and are usually packaged with a pre-filter that traps larger air particles.

The electronic air filter works by charging the air with static energy that attracts dust particles and other debris. In order to be marketed as “allergy free”, they need to be changed every three months. 

If someone in yur home suffers from respiratory issues, going beyond a basic pleated filter and managing your home's indoor air can be very beneficial to their comfort and health. A whole house ventilation system installed as part of your home's heating and cooling system, can expel stale, stagnant air and replaces it with fresh, clean air. 

The air you breathe inside your home could be the most polluted air you breathe all day. In fact, the EPA has named indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. With the amount of time spent indoors, it's no wonder so many people suffer from allergies, asthma and other illnesses.

HVAC filters are put into these categories because of their MERV ratings. If you are planning to buy a filter, check for the MERV rating first. 

When it comes to conditioning your home, Ohio Heating & Cooling has the knowledge and resources to deliver comfort and safety in a home heating or air conditioning system. From small homes to large ones, we have become a trusted name in Columbus and Central Ohio. If you aren't sure what type of filter is right for your home and your budget, give us a call.  We'll be happy to help you!

Ref: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-types-of-home-air-conditioner-filters-explained#b

MAINTAINING FURNACES AND BOILERS

Young or old your heating system needs regular maintenance. Many homeowners don't have a clue about how to care for their home's boiler or furnace. The following maintenance steps can be provided by the trained team at Ohio Heating & Cooling. 

All systems:

• Check the condition of your vent connection pipe and chimney. Parts of the venting system may have deteriorated over time. Chimney problems can be expensive to repair, and may help justify installing new heating equipment that won’t use the existing chimney.
• Check the physical integrity of the heat exchanger. Leaky boiler heat exchangers leak water and are easy to spot. Furnace heat exchangers mix combustion gases with house air when they leak—an important safety reason to have them inspected.
• Adjust the controls on the boiler or furnace to provide optimum water and air temperature settings for both efficiency and comfort.
• If you’re considering replacing or retrofitting your existing heating system, have the technician perform a combustion-efficiency test.

Forced Air Systems:

• Check the combustion chamber for cracks
• Test for carbon monoxide (CO) and remedy if found
• Adjust blower control and supply-air temperature
• Clean and oil the blower
• Remove dirt, soot, or corrosion from the furnace or boiler
• Check fuel input and flame characteristics, and adjust if necessary
• Seal connections between the furnace and main ducts.

Hot Water Systems:

• Test pressure-relief valve
• Test high-limit control
• Inspect pressure tank, which should be filled with air, to verify that it’s not filled with water
• Clean the heat exchanger.

Steam Systems:

• Drain some water from the boiler to remove sediments and improve the heat exchange efficiency
• Test low-water cutoff safety control and high-limit safety control
• Drain the float chamber to remove sediments, which will prevent the low-water cutoff control from sediment clogs
• Analyze boiler water and add chemicals as needed to control deposits and corrosion
• Clean the heat exchanger

At Ohio Heating & Cooling, we have a heating solution for your  home that won't break your budget.  We offer a full line of traditional gas furnaces, oil furnaces, variable speed furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps.  

Buying a new heating system for your home can be confusing.  Selecting just the right options and features can be difficult.  Our highly trained team at Ohio Heating & Cooling can help you make the right decision.

Our sales, service and installation teams are specially-trained in the design and installation of heating systems. They can help you determine the right system for your home and your budget.  

We have the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification. Service technicians must undergo extensive training and pass vigorous industry exams in all facets of HVAC in order to attain this industry-recognized certification.  

When an Ohio Heating & Cooling technician steps into your home, you know you are getting a technician who has demonstrated exceptional levels of knowledge in HVAC.

We repair and service all makes and models.

Transitioning Between Cooling and Heating