Boston, MA is as cold a city as they come in the winter, and breakdowns in your heating system need to be addressed quickly. The advent of YouTube has allowed for the spread of do-it-yourself videos, which may convince enterprising handymen to attempt repairs on their heating or air conditioning systems themselves. In almost every case, this is a terrible mistake. Your HVAC system is a complicated piece of equipment requiring a trained and licensed professional to properly address. Here are 3 specific reasons to always trust a professional.
Cooling Unlimited, Inc. Blog
3 Reasons to Go With a Professional HVAC Service
October 24th, 2016How to Stop Frozen Pipes This Winter
October 23rd, 2016We live in a part of the country that gets very cold in the winter. So if you own a home in Wakefield, MA or some nearby town, it is in your best interest to prepare for any problems the cold may cause. Among the biggest concerns for most homes in the area is the issue of frozen pipes, in which water in the pipes freezes solid.
Water expands as it cools and can be surprisingly powerful when it freezes: creating bursts in your pipes that can take a great deal of effort to repair. Burst pipes are especially troubling during the holiday season, when you and your family may be gone for weeks before the trouble is located. You can take steps now to prevent frozen pipes this winter, both with concrete steps and the inclusion of timely upgrades to your system.
How Does Dry Air Affect You?
October 17th, 2016We’re pretty good at keeping temperatures warm in our Andover, MA homes when the cold winds of winter blow. But good temperature control is only part of a happy and healthy household. You also need to beware of dry air, which is very common in the colder months and can create a host of problems for your home. The good news is that a whole-house humidifier is ideal for shutting those problems down at the source.
The Benefits of Changing Your Filters
October 10th, 2016Every heating and air conditioning system comes with a set of filters, designed to strain out dust and dirt in your system. Professional technicians in the Wakefield, MA area can change your filters as part of a regular servicing session, but the fact remains that you should actually change them much more often: every 1-3 months on average, depending upon how often you run your system.
Tips for Reducing Wear on Your Pipes
October 3rd, 2016Last week, we discussed the benefit of automatic shut-off valves and the ways they can protect your Boston, MA home from leaks and burst pipes. Today we’d like to talk a little about other ways to prevent leaks in your plumbing. Wear and tear tends to come from one of three different sources: outside damage, excess water pressure, and harsh components in the water. Damage can be tough to stop, though your plumbing is often protected by its hidden placement in the walls or under the floor. The other two factors, however, can be addressed with a few little tricks.
Does Your Home Have an Automatic Shut-Off Valve?
September 26th, 2016Every household in the Concord, MA area should have a main shut-off valve for the water line, which turns the water off to the whole household and allows you to act swiftly in the event of a leak or burst pipes. With winter on its way and the chances of burst pipes becoming much higher in the next few months, it’s important for every member of the household to know where that valve is and how to use it in the event of trouble.
Do You Need a New Heater?
September 19th, 2016Whether you use a boiler, a furnace, or an alternative form of heating in your Andover, MA home, the arrival of fall means that you should carefully consider whether your system can handle another brutal New England winter, or whether you need to invest in a new system. Now is the time to make such an assessment, since we still have a few weeks before the cool weather sets in in earnest. Only you can decide if you need to pull the trigger on a new heater, but there are a couple of key factors that you should consider while doing so. Keep them in mind when you make your deliberations.
Time to Get Your Heating System Serviced
September 12th, 2016Whether you warm your Boston, MA home with a furnace, a boiler or an alternative system such as radiant heating beneath your floor, now is the time to give it a close look. Temperatures are beginning to drop here in New England, and before long you’ll need your heating system to perform every day. Now is the ideal time to get your heating system serviced, and indeed we recommend doing so if you haven’t had your system looked at yet this year.
Look into Duct Insulation Today!
September 5th, 2016We’re on the tail end of summer here in Andover, MA and with Labor Day upon us, it’s time to look towards the coming winter and ways to maximize your home’s energy efficiency. If you have a centralized HVAC systems that uses a series of ducts, we have a suggestion that could make a big difference on that front: duct insulation. How does it work and what’s it all about? We’ve provided a quick primer below.
Capacitor Issues with Your Air Conditioner
August 30th, 2016Late summer here in Boston, MA can wreak havoc on air conditioning systems, as months of heavy use combine with the inevitable pre-Labor Day heat wave to create problems in many units (especially older ones). Among the issues you need to watch for this time of year is trouble with your capacitors, which can become worn through regular use and result in big trouble for your system.
A capacitor requires professional licensing and training to fix, and can be dangerous for the uninitiated to tamper with. But by understanding how it works and watching for capacitor issues with our air conditioner, you can get a jump on any emerging problems as quickly as possible.
