10 Signs You Should Replace Your Furnace

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

 

If you’re like most homeowners, you want to get the most out of your furnace and avoid the cost of replacement for as long as possible so you make sure it’s outlived its parts. When is it time to say goodbye to your furnace and buy a newer model? The excessive amount of money you put into utility bills and repairs for your old furnace may indicate it’s time for an upgrade. Though expensive, a newer model can increase your home comfort, efficiency, savings, and safety in the long run.

Signs you need a new furnace

The average furnace will last 15 to 20 years if it is installed properly and regularly serviced. But you’ll have to get a new one eventually, and a newer model can save up to 20 percent in energy. Here are 10 signs that you may need to replace your furnace:

  1. If you’re calling for repair services too often.
  2. If your furnace repair costs 50 percent or more than it would to replace.
  3. If it’s over 15 years old.
  4. If your furnace is making loud sounds (rattling, popping, humming, or screeching).
  5. If your furnace is short cycling.
  6. If your heating bill has increased even though you aren’t changing the thermostats.
  7. If you set the thermostat, but your home is not heated evenly.
  8. If you notice soot around the registers. Older furnaces spew dust, dirt, or rust particles.
  9. If there’s a crack in the heat exchanger. Carbon monoxide could be leaking and poisoning your home.
  10. If you notice rust, cracks, or corrosion on or around furnace components.

Why upgrade my furnace now?

With new technology, you can easily and conveniently regulate the temperatures in your home and be more comfortable, while saving energy. Buying a new furnace can be a planned home improvement or a panic replacement. Don’t wait until it breaks down in the freezing cold of winter. In your desperation for a warm house, you may not take the proper time to research and choose a furnace with the best deals.

But first, have an HVAC technician evaluate your entire heating system. Maybe it only needs a simple repair, like a new filter or thermostat.  The WestAIR service team is here to help you make a sound decision so you can prevent costly breakdowns and save money. When it comes time to replace your furnace, our HVAC technicians will help you choose the right make and model for your home. We recommend Rheem® furnaces for their energy savings, advanced features, and reliability. Contact WestAIR today for more information.

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Top Tips: How to Lower Your Summer Cooling Costs

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

How to Lower Summer Cooling Costs - WestAIR

Summer has arrived. And even though the temps are soaring, your energy costs don’t have to. We’ve put together our top tips to keep your cooling costs in check this summer.

Monitor Your Thermostat

Keep an eye on your thermostat settings. If your family is curled up under blankets on the couch, it’s a good sign that your thermostat is set too low. Aim for between 72 and 78 degrees in summer. Even bumping up the number 2 to 4 degrees will have an impact on your bill.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

For the ultimate in home comfort and energy efficiency, install a programmable thermostat. Today’s technology allows you to access and control your home’s temperature remotely, and some thermostats will even “learn” and adjust to your family’s schedule. If you’ve already got a programmable thermostat, make sure you’re using it correctly.

Change Your Air Filter

Change out your air filter on a regular basis to ensure maximum air flow, improve overall efficiency, and prevent coil ice-ups.

Close Your Blinds

Blocking out sunlight by closing your blinds can not only reduce your cooling costs, it also can keep out harmful UV rays.

Cook Outside

Things can really heat up in the kitchen during the summer. Fire up the grill instead.

Bonus Tip: Flip the Switch

Unplug unused electronics or appliances. Use surge protector power strips or switched outlets that can be easily turned on and off. Don’t leave lights on in unoccupied rooms. While this may not directly keep your cooling costs down, you’ll still save on your electric bill.

Call WestAIR for an Annual Service Maintenance Check

It’s not too late to have your system checked by our professional technicians. We’ll make sure your system is running at the highest level of efficiency, determine if any repairs are needed, and make recommendations for replacement if necessary. We carry top quality air conditioning brands for the highest in energy efficiency.

Contact the cooling experts at WestAIR today. Call us at 763-498-8071.

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Take Care of your Home Before You Travel

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

With the kids off from school and long holiday weekends, summer makes the perfect time for a family vacation. AAA reports more than 40 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from home this summer. Ensure your home remains safe with these easy tips:

  • Switch off / unplug all electrical appliances (except the refrigerator / freezer!)
  • Turn your air conditioner off, or even better – set your programmable setback or Wi-Fi thermostat to “away” status to keep a manageable temperature
  • Ensure valuable personal items are away from windows (televisions, computers and other electronics)
  • Store other valuables in a safe place
  • Pause all deliveries such as newspapers and mail
  • Use a timer device to automatically turn on lights at a pre-scheduled time of day
  • Avoid any mention of travel on social networking sites

Contact WestAIR Heating & Cooling at 763.498.8071 if you have any questions about seasonal settings for your Air Conditioner, Furnace, Thermostat, Humidifier or Air Exchanger!

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Save Money with a Programmable Thermostat

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Upgrading your home’s thermostat to a programmable set-back unit is one of the simplest things you can do for your home, and the most practical. Today, home owners expect these units to do more than just regulate temperature — they demand units that enhance energy efficiency, indoor air quality, maintain consistency and more.

WestAIR offers set-back thermostats with four settings (wake, day, evening, sleep) that allows you to set and monitor your home’s climate to your liking:

Wake: Program your thermostat to reach your favorite comfortable temperature about 10 minutes prior to your alarm going off in the morning. It’ll be the perfect start to your day.

Day: Daytime is the perfect opportunity for energy savings. Set your thermostat 10-15 degrees up or down from your preferred comfort temperature, then program it to resume 10 minutes before you arrive home.

Evening: Set your thermostat to your preferred “at home” temperature in the evenings. Energy Star recommends setting your thermostat to 68 during the winter months and 78 during the summer.

Sleep: Overnights are a great opportunity to save energy as well. Program your thermostat a few degrees higher/lower than your preferred comfort temperature.

Learn more about programmable thermostats by contacting WestAIR Heating & Cooling today at 763.498.8071 or browse our website for more info.

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HVAC Humor

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

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The first hot days of summer are upon us. Are you worried your air conditioner might not be up to the job of keeping your home cool? Call WestAIR Heating and Cooling at 763.498.8071 to schedule a tune-up.

Scheduling a regular check-up for your air-conditioner can greatly reduce your energy costs, extend its lifetime and improve the system’s performance. Contact WestAIR before June 30, 2016 to save with one of our current specials of $95 for a tune-up of your air-conditioning system.

This entry was posted in AC,Air Conditioning,Cooling,Energy Savings,Spring,Tips,Uncategorized and tagged , , , , ,

Money Saving Tips for Heating Your Home

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Winter has arrived in Minnesota and with it, increasing costs to heat our homes. Here’s a few ways you can save money on your heating bill this winter:

Turn Down The Thermostat
You can save 5%-15% a year on your heating bill by simply turning down your thermostat to 68°F while you’re awake, or lower while you’re sleeping or away from the home. An easy way to do this is to purchase a programmable thermostat so you can set it and forget it.

Winterize Your Windows
Purchase plastic film to help seal leaky windows from cold air drafts.

Use The Fan
Toggle the fan on your thermostat to ‘on’ to force warm air into rooms throughout your house.

Keep Vents Open and Unblocked
Be sure vents are open and furniture isn’t blocking them so air can properly circulate the room.

Let The Sun Shine
Open drapes and shades over windows facing sun to naturally warm up your home.

Layer Up
Wear a sweatshirt, socks or cover up with a blanket before reaching for the thermostat dial.

Service Your Furnace
It’s important to have annual service performed on your furnace to ensure it’s running safely and efficiently. If your unit isn’t working properly, it can end up costing you more to heat your home.

The team at WestAIR Heating & Cooling would be happy to come to your home and personally assess your heating system. Give us a call today at 763-498-8071.

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Tips to Keep your Furnace Working Properly

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Remember that improper care of your furnace may be lessening its efficiency.

  • Regular/Monthly filter changes.  A dirty filter forces your furnace to work harder, which leads to a decrease in energy efficiency and can wear down the working components of the furnace.
  • Regular system Check and Cleans. Your furnace requires regular maintenance just like your car. An annual check and clean of your furnace will help it to run at its peak ability. Smaller problems may be detected early before they develop into big problems requiring unexpected service.
  • Clear the space around your furnace. Keep the area around your furnace free and clear of clutter. This reduces a fire hazard and helps the furnace to get all the air it needs for proper combustion.
  • Use a Set-back Programmable Thermostat. Lowering your temperature settings when there is no one home and/or sleeping at night will reduce the load on your furnace and help you save money.

Follow these tips to extend the life of your HVAC equipment and help prevent breakdowns.

As your furnace continues to battle the Cold Days of Winter, remember to call your local professional at WestAIR Heating & Cooling if your furnace is giving you any trouble. We’d be happy to come out to your home and personally assess your heating system. We want you to be comfortable in your home, all year long.  Contact us today at 763.498.8071

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It’s getting hot, Hot HOT!

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Hey Twin Cities! The first HOT day of the year is in the forecast! Time to get your home air conditioner fired up and running.  Worried that maybe it had a hard winter and might be slow to get going? Call WestAIR to schedule your tune up.

Yearly maintenance on your home’s air conditioner can greatly reduce your energy costs, extend it’s lifetime AND improve system performance. The best way to get the most out of your AC is have a qualified air conditioning specialist come out to your home to perform an inspection. They can give you recommendations such as:

  • Keep outside unit clear of leaves, sticks and other debris
  • Clean or change your air conditioning filters according to the manufacturer’s specifications
  • Check hoses and fan belt for leaks or cracks
  • Use a programmable thermostat to control the temperature of your home while you are away

And if that isn’t enough, right now, WestAIR is running a coupon special on AC Tune Ups  AC Tune Up Special

Contact WestAIR for a Free Estimate to evaluate your home HVAC system.

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It’s Time to Change Your Air Filter!

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Following up from last week’s post on benefits of a Whole House Air Purifier to help with alleviating stubborn allergies, we want to give a friendly reminder to change your furnace air filters! A simple and yet extremely effective way to help keep the air in your home clean and keep your system running smoothly. Here’s a few reasons why changing your HVAC or furnace filter is so important:

  • A dirty filter slows down the air flow and in turn makes your system run harder to keep your home cool (or warm in the winter months). This not only wastes energy, but it also drives up your energy bill.
  • Changing your filter can also increase the life of your HVAC system for similar reasons. If the system doesn’t have to work so hard to push air through, it can run for a lot longer. A clean filter can also prevent dust and buildup from clogging your system, which can lead to expensive repairs.
  • But most importantly, a clean filter helps to keep you and your family healthy. By changing your HVAC or furnace filter on a regular basis you help improve your home’s indoor air quality by eliminating dust, mold, pollen, spores, and other pesky contaminants that can worsen allergies and asthma or potentially cause sickness.

Many filters these days are washable or replaceable.  Not sure what your system takes? Call WestAIR Heating & Cooling to learn more about changing out your HVAC air filters. We always have air filters in stock and are happy to help you with any questions you may have. Call us today at 763.498.8071

This entry was posted in Energy Savings,Spring,Tips and tagged , , , , , , ,

Fighting the Common Cold

Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

The winter to spring transition is wonderful in terms of cutting down on energy bills and warming up. However, it may bring the common cold to your home. At WestAIR we offer three products that can help keep your family healthy during this time and throughout the entire year.

  1. Air Cleaners: These are best in homes where family members have allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions.  Air cleaners filter the air and remove the tiniest microfibers and particles. This includes small dust particles, bacteria, and viruses.
  2. UV Lights: By installing a UV light this can help to eliminate mold, dust mites and bacteria. In fact, the majority of hospitals and health clinics are now installing UV lights to make the environment cleaner and healthier.
  3. Humidifiers: In the Midwest and especially in Minnesota, it gets very dry during the fall and winter months. Installing a humidifier is a great way to control the humidity in your home and benefit from reduced cases of the flu, the common cold, and other sicknesses.

Proudly delivering the “Quality Service you expect” for 25+ years. Contact WestAIR Heating and Cooling today for a free estimate (763)498-8071. Location: 11184 River Road NE Hanover, MN 55341

 

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