There are a number of warm days still to come, but there is no denying that the hottest time of the year has now come to a close. If you are serious about making it through the winter season comfortably, while being able to count on your heater for a great performance, then you must schedule routine heating maintenance before you really need to put it into regular rotation. That is why now is such a good time to do so.
Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating Maintenance’
Get Your Heating Maintenance Out of the Way
Monday, October 3rd, 2016Is Your Heater Ready for Winter 2016?
Monday, December 28th, 2015Despite the relatively balmy December that we’ve had thus far here in the greater Capitol Hill area, it’s imperative that you make certain your heating system is ready for winter. No matter what type of heater you have–heat pump, high efficiency ductless mini split, furnace, gas boiler–it needs to be thoroughly maintained on a routine basis. In this respect, it’s not much different than your car, and considering how much you spend on heating bills during the cold season, maintenance is definitely worth the small price tag. Here’s how to tell whether your winter-ready.
3 Terrific Benefits of Routine Heating Maintenance
Monday, December 7th, 2015When you heat your home, you should be able to do so without fear of your heater giving out on you, or of being shocked by the expense of heating your sufficiently. If you want to ensure that you are getting the very best performance that any heater has to offer, your primary concern should be to schedule professional heating maintenance in Alexandria, VA. There is no way in which to overstate just how vital it is that your heater is not only professionally installed, but that it is also routinely serviced by a qualified maintenance technician. When you work with our staff, you need have no worries about the quality of the technician that you’ll deal with. Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. is the company to call when you want exceptional HVAC services.
Why Schedule Annual Maintenance for Your Heating System?
Monday, September 15th, 2014We are in the last stretch before the cold weather arrives – is your heating system ready to go? One of the best ways to get your heating system in shape for the cold weather and get ahead of any potential problems is by scheduling a fall maintenance appointment for your heating system in Washington, DC. Maintenance offers several benefits that we’ll outline below, and as with any air conditioning services, it’s important to always hire trained professionals. Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., has been helping customers in the Washington, DC area with their cooling and heating equipment for over 15 years, and we can help you get ready for this winter.
What Happens During a Maintenance Appointment?
Your Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., technician will conduct the following during a routine maintenance appointment:
- Full inspection of equipment, including heat exchangers and burn assemblies.
- Check electrical components, including wiring and terminals.
- Lubricate all moving parts.
- Check refrigerant levels (for heat pumps).
- Check fan belts and adjust belt tension on covered equipment.
- Provide written recommendations for corrective actions, if any.
Benefits of Annual Fall Maintenance
There are several important benefits to scheduling annual fall maintenance for your heating system:
- Prevent repairs – no one wants to find out their heat isn’t working on a cold winter day. Scheduling annual maintenance helps you get ahead of possible repairs by spotting them early with the thorough inspection that occurs during a regular maintenance visit.
- Increase energy efficiency – a tuned-up heater runs better than one that is dirty and suffering from normal wear-and-tear. When your AC runs optimally, it uses less energy.
- Extend life of equipment – the average lifespan of a furnace is about 15 years. Keeping your heater in good working order can extend this lifespan.
One of the best ways to prepare your home for winter is by scheduling heating maintenance in Washington, DC.
Fall offers a great window of opportunity to schedule maintenance, so contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., and make an appointment with one of our experts today.
The Best Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance in Arlington
Monday, August 25th, 2014Winter is still a few months away, but the change from summer to fall will start you thinking about how to heat your home for the coming cold weather. It’s likely that the furnace or boiler in your home hasn’t come on for a few months, and during that time it may have developed dirt, dust, damage, or mechanical troubles. When you first turn the heater on to deal with the arrival of cold weather in the late fall, you don’t want to discover an unpleasant surprise when the system either works poorly—or doesn’t work at all!
To prepare your home’s heater, and yourself, for the approaching colder weather, you need to schedule heating maintenance in Arlington, VA from a professional HVAC company. When you call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. to arrange for regular maintenance, you’ll receive top-quality work from the most skilled technicians around… because those are the only kind of technicians we hire.
When is the best time for heating maintenance?
Right now.
There isn’t a simpler, or better, answer than that. In general, its never too late to schedule heating maintenance—you can’t afford to skip a year—but the ideal period to have the tune-up and inspection work done is during the start of fall.
One of the reasons that this is the best time to arrange for heating maintenance is that the work calendars for HVAC companies are more open during this time of year. Between the air conditioning emergencies and installations of summer, and the many winter repair calls, the fall is a period when technicians have an easier time scheduling work when it’s convenient for customers. Don’t wait until the top maintenance companies are literally snowed-under with emergency heating calls: take advantage of the slower season.
Scheduling maintenance in early fall gives you a good buffer before the cold weather to arrange for any repairs the heater needs to have done. You can probably deal with having the heat shut off in your home for short periods of time if it’s necessary for the repair work. If you should need new heating installation, you definitely want to have some extra time to schedule the work while the weather is still warm.
Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. offers a Preventive Maintenance Program that will take care of both your heating and cooling systems during the year. Our technicians will do a thorough inspection of your heater in the fall to find any potential malfunctions, and then tune-up, clean, and adjust the system so it will perform at high efficiency throughout the winter.
This fall, trust to our more than a decade of experience with heating maintenance in Arlington, VA. Call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. today.
Why You Can’t Afford to Avoid Scheduling Heating Maintenance in Washington DC
Monday, September 16th, 2013During the spring, Washington, DC is a city of cherry blossoms—but in the winter everything changes. We have our beautiful days and our stormy days, but the low temperature is a constant. You need to have a good heating system in your home to get you through to the next blossom season. If your boiler or furnace fails during the height of winter, you could be stuck shivering until emergency professional repairs can get done. If you live in Washington, DC, it’s vital that you make heating maintenance a priority.
One reason to schedule maintenance as soon as you can is that autumn is a much less busy time for HVAC companies. When winter sets in, emergencies can create a backlog of service calls, and it may take much longer for a technician to get to your home and put your heater back in working order. Experts like those at Polar Bear can give you fast service during the fall, so take advantage of the season.
Maintenance is essential to keeping your heating system working efficiency and effectively. When a technician goes over your system, they will clean all the components and replace any worn or broken parts. This ensures that your system will efficiently heat your home all winter long, saving you money on your utility bills and keeping your home comfortable.
If you skip maintenance, you might not learn if you need to completely replace your current system. This is especially true if you have an older boiler or heater—possibly one you inherited with your home. Do an inventory of all the repairs that you’ve needed to make over the past few years, and then check if your energy bill has risen. Multiple repairs plus high bills could mean it’s time to get a new heating system installed. Because this is more time consuming than most standard repairs, it’s important to have maintenance checks done as soon as possible. If installing a new heater is in your future, a technician can offer advice on which of the many systems is best for your needs.
At Polar Bear, we take pride in the trust we’ve built with our customers. Our specialists will prepare your heater to weather the harshness of a Washington, DC winter with our excellent heating maintenance agreement. Don’t let the winter overtake you before scheduling maintenance with us!
Why Commercial Heating Maintenance is Important
Monday, December 17th, 2012Whatever you use your commercial property in Washington DC for, you need to know that that property will be comfortable for all of your employees, tenants and customers, both existing and potential. Professional maintenance of your commercial heating system can help ensure that this is the case. If you have not had your commercial heating system professionally expected or scheduled routine maintenance in the past year, trust us: now is the time. Call Polar Bear today to get the professional commercial heating maintenance you need to succeed. We are always available to help.
While regular, professional maintenance is an important step that must be taken with any heating system, it is especially important with your commercial equipment. Commercial comfort systems are in operation pretty much around the clock. Scheduling regular maintenance is the best way to ensure that every component of that heating system is in good working condition. Do not pay more money for less heating performance due to a lack of maintenance service reducing efficiency.
Regular, professional heating maintenance service is also the best way to prevent damage to and the need for necessary repairs for your commercial heating system. By the time you recognize a problem with your commercial heating system, it has probably been developing for some time. In this interim damage may have been done to your commercial heating system that could have otherwise been avoided. During regular maintenance service your commercial heating technician will be able to discover and resolve any small or developing problems with your system before damage can be incurred. This is a great way to prevent disruption to your commercial heating service.
Keep your commercial property comfortable and productive. Contact Polar Bear today to schedule high-quality commercial heating maintenance service in Washington DC. We’ll make sure that your system is operating efficiently and dependably.
Washington DC Furnace Question: What Can I Do to Keep My Furnace Efficient?
Monday, December 3rd, 2012As we all approach the holiday season here in Washington, we’re starting to use our heating systems more often. If you’re like many people, you’re looking for ways to cut back on the energy that you use to heat your home. Furnaces are great heating systems that offer consistent and comfortable heat. But what are some good ways to increase the efficiency of your home? At Polar Bear, we thought it would be helpful for our customers in Washington DC if we put together a few ideas that can potentially reduce the amount of energy that your furnaces uses to keep your home warm.
Change Air Filter
Clogged air filters are one of the most common problems that we see with furnaces. Regularly replacing the air filter on your furnace can greatly improve the effectiveness of your heating system. Here are a few of the benefits to changing your furnace’s air filter.
- Increased efficiency – Over time, the air filter will clog and fill with dirt or dust. This can reduce the flow of air through your furnace. This makes your furnace have to work harder to push air through your home.
- Better air flow – With a clogged air filter, air travel to each of your rooms as well. By replacing your air filter, you can most likely ensure that air gets to each of your rooms.
Check Insulation
The insulation in your home is you last line of defense to keep the heat inside your home. Making sure that your insulation is in good working order is critical to the overall efficiency of your home.
- Attic insulation – Perhaps the most crucial insulation is in your attic. The attic insulation actually insulates the ceiling of your home. If you notice that the insulation there is thin or if it doesn’t completely fill the spaces between the attic joists it might be time to have your insulation replaced.
If you’re interested in learning more about home efficiency and your furnace, contact the experts at Polar Bear. We offer comprehensive heating and furnace services throughout the Washington DC area. Call us today!
Washington DC Heating Tip: How to Get My Furnace Ready for Winter
Monday, October 8th, 2012If your Washington DC home is too cold, the first place to look to is your furnace, which may not be working correctly. Furnaces are like any other piece of mechanical equipment. They need to be maintained and serviced on a regular basis to ensure they are working at peak efficiency and warming your entire home at your desired comfort level.
First of all, check and see when you last had your furnace serviced. If it has been over one year ago, you should schedule a maintenance inspection from your local Washington DC heating and cooling professional. And when you make that appointment, ask about service agreements and getting on a regular maintenance schedule. Most heating and cooling contractors offer service agreement plans which include furnace and air conditioning check-ups on an annual basis.
Okay, so you know who to call for maintenance but what can you do yourself? First of all, give your furnace a little “help” by checking the vents and returns throughout the house. Ensure that there are no obstructions or blockages such as rugs, clothing, furniture, etc. You need to have unobstructed paths for your heated and return air to flow. The more congested the path, the harder your furnace will have to work. And while you’re at it, make sure your vents are open or closed, depending on how much you use your rooms. For example, if you have an extra bedroom that doesn’t need to be heated, closed off the vent or close the damper in the ductwork. The heated air will be diverted to other parts of your home where it is needed.
You can also help the airflow by vacuuming the vent cover or removing it and vacuuming any of the ductwork that you can easily get to.
Another maintenance function that you can perform is cleaning or replacing the furnace filter. Depending on the size of your home and its air quality (occupants, pets, etc.), you may want to clean or replace your air filter every one to three months. A dirty filter can restrict airflow and can put contaminants like dirt and dust right back into your air system. If you don’t know how to replace your air filter, consult the furnace owner’s manual or go online to learn more. If your furnace uses an electrostatic air filter, it will need to be removed and cleaned, either by using a hose or with soapy water and a hose. Make sure you let it dry before re-installing it.
Once you have done what you can, let Polar Bear Air Conditioning and Heating take over from there. We are licensed and trained to inspect your furnace and ensure that it is in peak operating condition.
Washington DC Heating Tip: Dangers of Not Changing Your Furnace Filter on Time
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012Of the many ways to heat a home in Washington D.C., forced air systems are the simplest in function and the easiest to maintain. They are so simple, in fact, it is easy to forget they need attention at all, but there are dangers to not changing your furnace filter on time that have a real and painful cost in efficiency and dollars. Even health risks arise when filters have been neglected too long.
Contracting with a company like Polar Bear Air Conditioning ensures consistent maintenance and oversight to allow Washington D.C. homeowners the comfort and relaxation you deserve in your own home.
Back to Basics
Usually in the basement or a central location, a furnace heats air to a temperature set by the thermostat. Over the years, technological improvements have enabled furnaces to be much smaller and fit into closets instead of the large and gangly monsters of old that could fill an entire basement.
By a fan in the furnace, the warm air is circulated through filters into a system of ducts to be distributed to grates in the wall or registers on the floor. A second grate and duct system returns cooler air back to the furnace to be reheated.
Water can be added at the furnace to humidify the air and filters are able to remove some of the dust that typically floats invisibly throughout a home.
The Dangers of Not Changing the Filter
When the system is properly maintained, it is clean, efficient and produces comforting heat on demand at the touch of the thermostat or consistently throughout the day and night.
The furnace filter is designed to remove dust from air as it passes through your furnace. The longer your furnace filter is in place the dirtier it becomes. The increase of particles caught in the filter creates resistance to air flow through the filter and reduces efficiency.
To make up for the loss of flow through a dirty filter, the heat exchanger, usually a gas or oil fired flame, must work harder to produce the same amount of heat to the space. This becomes costly financially and causes undo wear and stress on the equipment, requiring a partial or full replacement much sooner.
Additionally, operating above ideal designed conditions, cracks in the chamber may appear from the over load which can allow carbon monoxide, a toxic gas, to be released into the duct work. This gas in large quantities in the home can cause headaches, nausea, and in extreme circumstances, even death.
Regular Maintenance
To avoid problems and excessive strain, remember to change the filters at the beginning of each new heating season. An annual maintenance, check-up and thorough cleaning by a qualified company like Polar Bear Air Conditioning ensures a safe and comfortable season of warmth with no need to worry about the dangers of not changing filters in your furnace.