• Heating system: Your furnace, heat pump or other heating system is the heart of your heat source in the winter. Without a properly functioning heating system, you will have uneven heating and cold temperatures throughout the winter. If your equipment is older than 10 years of age, consider replacing it with an Energy Star-certified unit. Have your equipment inspected once a year to find any problems and for routine maintenance, and make small adjustments that will improve unit efficiency. Replace any filters in your furnace at least every three months.
• Ductwork: Efficient heating can be enhanced with a properly sealed and designed duct system. Check your ducts for leaks or blocks that restrict airflow. Seal any leaks with mastic and foil tape. Replace broken segments with new ducts. Remove any blocks from the air vents to improve airflow. Consider adding insulation in the attic, crawlspaces, basement, or any other un-insulated area of the house.
• Thermostat: Your thermostat regulates when your furnace turns on and off. If your thermostat is not functioning properly, you are wasting energy and money. Replace your thermostat with a programmable thermostat or smart thermostat that will automatically control the temperature in your home according to your specifications. Lower the temperature at night and while away from home to maximize energy savings. Replace batteries once a year to ensure your unit functions properly.

These simple steps will give your Alabama home a more efficient heating system that will result in savings on your energy bills. For other ways to improve the energy efficiency of your house, contact us at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning.We provide Mobile and Auburn area residents with year-round expert HVAC service and care.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about efficient heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offersand get started today!

Heating system image via Shutterstock

If you simply can’t get the furnace running, first make sure that the unit’s thermostat is set to the “heat” position, and also that it’s set to a temperature that’s at least a few degrees higher than the current room temperature. If this doesn’t solve the problem, switch the fan to “on” to ensure that the furnace is actually receiving power. If this doesn’t solve the issue, take a look at your electrical panel to make sure that the circuit breakers are all set to “on” and that none of them has been tripped.

If the problem you’re experiencing with your appliance is more comfort-related, there are a couple of different furnace troubleshooting actions you can take. First, check the furnace filter and make sure it doesn’t need to be changed. If you turn on a light bulb on the other side of the filter and can’t see the light through the mesh, it needs to be changed. A clogged filter can be both detrimental to your home’s comfort level and reduce your heating system’s airflow. You can also take a look at all of your return air grilles to ensure that none of them is being blocked by furniture or other large objects. You should also check your ductwork for leaks, since this can greatly reduce the amount of conditioned air that actually arrives where you want it.

If you’ve exhausted all of these furnace troubleshooting techniques, and are still having problems with your system, contact a qualified local HVAC contractor. In the Mobile or Auburn areas, Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.is the place to go.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace troubleshooting and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

• Check for leaks in the duct work. Look for dry, worn duct tape or cracks and buckles in the ducts. Inspect attics and crawl spaces for leaks in duct work, which can go unnoticed and waste a lot of energy. Examine old insulation on ducts that may be covering leaks. Insulate ductwork in unheated or air-conditioned areas of your home to save on energy costs.

• Clean dirt and dust from the ductwork and return grills. One reason for excess dust in a home is dirt circulated through the ducts and distributed into your rooms.

• Fans become dirty from dust and pollutants flowing through the system. Clean the fans regularly to prevent allergens from circulating in your home and producing health problems for family members.

• Examine filters for excess dirt and dust that force your system to work harder to heat or cool the air in your home. Clean the filters frequently and replace any old or damaged filters.

• Inspect the dampers in the ductwork to ensure they are open and functioning properly for an even circulation of air in your rooms. Dampers that become loose can close or change the airflow to a room, making your system work harder to supply air to the room.

It’s smart to perform minor annual HVAC maintenance, but for a complete professional inspection of your HVAC system, contact a specially trained technician to guarantee the most energy-efficient home. If you live in the Mobile or Auburn areas, contact our experts at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning for an appointment.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about annual HVAC maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Scheduled Maintenance image via Shutterstock

Here’s an overview of the factors you need to consider when it comes to emergency furnace replacement:

• Furnace size. One of the key mistakes many people make with emergency furnace replacement is purchasing a furnace that’s too large for their needs. It’s important that you take the time to correctly size your new furnace so you don’t overpay to heat your house to a greater degree than necessary.
• Heating efficiency. You should purchase the most efficient furnace you can afford. Efficiency is measured by the AFUE, or “annual fuel utilization efficiency” rating. The higher this rating, the more efficiently the unit converts energy input into heat output.
• Cost. With cost, there’s more to consider than just the up-front price tag. You also need to look closely at operational costs, and crunch the numbers to see if you’d be better over the long run to invest a little more in a furnace with superior efficiency. You could save thousands of dollars over the life of the furnace.
• Installation. Choosing a reputable contractor is extremely important. Be sure to confirm licensing credentials and check to see if there are any complaints on file at the Better Business Bureau before committing to a given installation professional.

At Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning, we understand that emergency furnace replacement can be stressful, and we make the process easy and risk-free. If you need advice or service, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be happy to walk you through the furnace replacement process and answer any questions you may have along the way.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace replacement and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• If your home is properly insulated, the warmth inside lasts longer, even overnight. When your insulation is inadequate, consider adding more, which not only keeps you warmer during a winter power outage, but moderates temperatures all year in your home.
• Have plenty of fresh batteries for your flashlights and portable radios. Staying in touch with the local news can provide you with good information on how long the outage is likely to last. Make sure your cell phones are fully charged, or that you have a charger in your car.
• Use candles to provide light at night and add a little heat to the room. If you have pets or children around the house, place the candles where they can’t reach them.
• Keep shelf-ready food in the pantry and try to avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer doors as much as you can. Even though it’s winter, letting warmed air inside hastens food spoilage if temperatures exceed 40 degrees inside these appliances.
• Turn off your furnace and other appliances including computers and televisions. When the power comes back, it may create a surge that can hurt these appliances. Leave a light on, even during the day, so you can easily tell when the power outage is over.
• Layer your clothing to stay warmer rather than wearing just one heavy garment.
• Do not attempt to heat your home with a barbecue. Charcoal, gas and propane grills emit carbon monoxide, a toxic gas.

Contact Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning if you would like more information about preparing your home to make it through power outages more safely and comfortably.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about power outages and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Maintenance Checklist image via Shutterstock

• Improve ventilation: Venting your garage is the best way to prevent unwanted air from getting inside your home. Use exhaust fans to pull polluted air outside. Exhaust fans will also lower the air pressure inside the garage which stops dirty air from being sucked into the house. Keep your garage door open to allow dirty air to flow out of the garage naturally. Never run your car or use chemicals inside your garage with the garage door closed. (Actually, you should never idle the car in the garage whether the overhead door is open or closed.)
• Seal leaks: You can prevent some of the air from your garage getting inside your home by sealing the walls and doors between the garage and house. If your walls are unfinished, you can finish them with insulation and drywall to add sealing. Use caulk or sealing tape to close small cracks and holes. If necessary, replace your current garage door with one that has an airtight seal. Keep the door to the garage closed as much as possible to prevent air from flowing into the house.
• Remove or tightly seal contaminants: Using your garage as a storage area for gas-powered tools, lawn fertilizer and pesticides, paint, cleaning chemicals, and other products is convenient, but can be dangerous. It is best to keep these harmful contaminants away from the house in external storage, or at the very least make sure they’re tightly sealed.

For more information about improving the air quality of your attached garage, or other ways to improve your home comfort, contact us at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning. We provide expert HVAC service and care to the Mobile and Auburn areas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Replace air filters frequently. Air filters in your duct system are designed to catch dust and other unwanted particulates. By replacing them regularly, you help the system perform its job better. For most homes, changing the filters every three months is enough. Use high-efficiency filters for maximum particle removal, though be careful that whatever filter you choose doesn’t reduce air flow in your home.
• Remove clutter. The more clutter inside your home, the more dust will collect. Lots of clutter also makes it harder to remove dust from surfaces. Remove as many unnecessary objects as possible to make dusting easier. Store collections inside closed cases to showcase items without making more dust.
• Wash bedding and curtains frequently. Bedding and curtains can harbor dust for extended periods. The more often you clean these items, the less dust will collect.
• Vacuum and sweep at least once a week, including in bedrooms. Vacuuming will help collect more dust from the ground, which prevents it from getting into the air. Run the exhaust fan while vacuuming to draw up more dust into the air filtration system in your ducts.
• Dust using collection cloths rather than dusters that spread the dust. Use microfiber cloths or statically charged dusting cloths to pick up dust rather than spreading it around with a traditional cloth or duster.
• Clean upholstery once every few months to eliminate dust from chairs, sofas, cushions and pillows. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to collect unwanted dust.

For more information about how to clean your indoor air, or for any other HVAC issue, contact us at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning. We offer expert HVAC services in the Mobile and Auburn areas and will be happy to help you any way we can.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Allergens image via Shutterstock 

There are several steps you should follow to ensure your attic is well-protected:

• Ensure your roof is in good repair.
• Close off any leaks or gaps leading into the attic from your home’s exterior.
• Insulate your attic. Here in Alabama, we have relatively light insulation needs, but you should not leave your attic uninsulated.
• Create ventilation points in your attic at strategic intervals.
• Install ridge vents and ridge baffles. These increase the benefits of attic ventilation by allowing trapped air and water to escape from your soffit vent.

At Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning, we’re happy to offer you further advice on the benefits of attic ventilation, as well as guidance on a comprehensive range of energy conservation and home heating and cooling topics. If you’re ever in need of service or advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Radiant heating works by embedding a heat source into the ceiling, walls, or most commonly, the floor in your home. There are different types of radiant floor heating depending on the heat source (air, water or electricity) and the type of installation (wet or dry). A wet installation involves pouring concrete over the heat source, while a dry installation embeds the heat source between layers of wood in the floor.

Regardless of the type of installation you select, radiant heating has a number of benefits over other types of heating systems:

• Efficiency – Radiant heating is more efficient than both baseboard heating and forced-air heating systems.
• Indoor air quality – Air forced through ductwork circulates dust, bacteria, viruses, pet dander and other unwanted particles that can impact the air quality in your home.
• Flexibility – Radiant heating systems that circulate water through tubing in the floor can use several different types of heat sources including electric, oil, natural gas, solar and even wood.

Like most heating systems, professional installation is critical. Although radiant floor heating is relatively easy to maintain, proper installation is essential to achieve the longest lifetime. Water-based systems must be periodically checked for leaks because they cannot often be seen or otherwise detected when the tubing is embedded in the floor.

If you are interested in upgrading your heating system to improve efficiency and home comfort in your Alabama home, call the professionals at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning. We know that every house is different; this is why we will work closely with you to select the home comfort systems that make the most sense for you and your family. Schedule a consultationtoday to learn more.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about radiant heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today! 

Radiant heating image via Shutterstock      

Geothermal heat pumps work much like air source heat pumps, but the heat is transferred to and from the earth, not the air. Because the temperature of the earth is relatively constant and will not fluctuate over time, the costs are much more predictable than today’s ever-changing fuel prices. Heat from the earth is also a completely renewable resource, with a very small carbon footprint.

Geothermal heat pumps are also quite versatile. With one system, you can get the following benefits:

• Energy-efficient heat that stays inexpensive, no matter how cold the air temperature is outside
• Cooling that costs less than a conventional air conditioner
• Reliable source of hot water for your home
• Even more efficient operation with the use of variable-speed blower motors

The most common geothermal heating set-up uses a group loop that is installed several feet below the surface of the earth, combined with a condenser, compressor and indoor air handling units. The ground loops generally last for about 50 years, while the other components have a life of about 25 years. Because you can generally recoup your initial investment in less than 10 years, a geothermal heat pump can be a very smart investment, even though the initial expense may be higher.

If you’re interested in learning more about geothermal heating or other energy-efficient solutions for your home in Mobile or Auburn, contact the experts at Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ll help you select a heating and cooling system that meets your home comfort needs and your budget. With special offersand government tax credits, you can install a new system that is friendly to both your wallet and the environment.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about geothermal heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Farnell Heating and Air Conditioning services Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!