Is furnace installation on your autumn to-do list? Upgrading your furnace or HVAC system is a great way to save on monthly utility bills, conserve energy and enjoy a more comfortable home. Utah winters can be brutal, and having a well-functioning, state-of-the-art furnace can make those chilly months much better. You wouldn’t dream of installing a furnace yourself (it’s dangerous!), but you can help make the process easier by preparing the space ahead of time.

Many HVAC professionals charge by the hour, and their time costs the same whether they’re setting up your furnace or doing cleanup work you could easily have done yourself before they arrived. Your most important job is making the space as clear and well-lit as possible. This is prime time to deep-clean an area that probably won’t get this kind of pampering again for a long time. If you’ve been wanting to paint or otherwise upgrade this area, do so well before installation day. Nobody, including your HVAC tech, wants to breathe paint fumes while they work.

While technicians are able to work under virtually any conditions, it’s best to provide the safest environment possible. The more comfortable they are, the more efficient their work will be.

Your Homework

Many homeowners choose to swap out entire HVAC systems instead of just the furnace. If you’re also installing a new air conditioner in preparation for next summer, make sure the area where the compressor is going to go is free of shrubs and plants. These can block condensers and cause trouble. Also, find out if new thermostats are going to be installed. Thermostats come in all shapes and sizes, so you’ll likely want to touch up the paint in this area beforehand. Otherwise, all you’ll be able to notice is spotty paint post-installation.

Before any work begins, make sure you have a copy of the HVAC tech’s certification and workers’ comp insurance. Their company should supply this to you in advance if you ask — you never want uninsured workers on your property. If they get hurt, and there’s no workers’ comp, the liability rests on you. Clearing out the space can help prevent accidents, but you can never know when Murphy’s Law will come into play.

The Big Day

Even though an HVAC tech has completed furnace installations many times before, it still takes time. Depending on how big the job is, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. However, homeowners should expect a technician who’s professional and polite — and treats your property with respect. A bid and an estimate of how long the project will take before it begins allows you to plan accordingly.

For all your furnace installation, repair and maintenance needs, contact Sandy Heating & Air Conditioning, your local professional team.

It’s unfortunate, but you’re probably heating and cooling your home in an inefficient way. Bad advice has been given for years, and advice that was once good no longer applies in a smart home world. In fact, most homeowners — especially those who live in a region with four distinct seasons, like Utah — are probably paying more than they should for heating and cooling. That’s money down the vent. Don’t let your furnace or boiler get the best of you this year during the transition to cooler weather.

Here are some of the biggest myths about heating and cooling that need to go (and what you should do instead!):

• Every degree matters:
  • Technically that’s true, but one degree isn’t going to make a huge dent in your utility bill. It’s more important to choose a temperature that’s right for you. The National Sleep Foundation suggests a thermostat setting of 65 degrees for optimal sleep for most people.
• Cross breezes are better:
  • If you live in a home with windows or doors that offer a cross breeze, that’s great — but only if that’s your preferred method. You can’t switch back and forth between A/C and cross breezes without losing everything you just paid for. Let’s say you used an air conditioner to maintain 67 degrees when it’s 100 degrees outside. That breeze might feel good for a moment, but randomly opening windows and doors is going to make the A/C work overtime when it needs to re-cool the space all over again.
• Wearing a shawl in summer is normal, right?
  • Americans have a problem with over-air conditioning in the summer. If you find yourself bundling up, you’re wasting your air conditioning. As long as you’re abiding by any dress codes (such as in an office), summer is the time to dress a little lighter, cooler and looser.
• Appliances don’t really need annual inspections:
  • Wrong. They might not need annual repairs, but you won’t know without an inspection. Plus, an annual maintenance check can ensure that upkeep is maintained, that your HVAC system is in perfect working order and issues will be caught early. Something as simple as a blocked vent can lead to a fire, drastically bigger utility bills and allergens being passed around the home. Isn’t that worth a yearly checkup?
• It’s not that hot/cold inside:
  • Unfortunately, sometimes it is, especially for vulnerable populations like infants, the elderly or those who are ill. People die of heatstroke and hypothermia every year in the United States — sometimes in their own homes.

Are you guilty of any of these faux pas? If so, you might be risking your health. You are definitely risking the health of your bank account with those high bills.

Call Sandy Heating & Air Conditioning for all your heating and cooling needs, starting with an inspection to make sure you are prepared to head into winter.

Your A/C made it through summer, so is air conditioning repair really important right now? The weather is cooling off, you’ve already planned your maintenance check for your furnace or boiler (right?) and surely you can procrastinate about your A/C maintenance until next spring.

Unfortunately, that kind of thinking can get you (and your bank account) into trouble. After an unseasonably hot summer, maybe you think your air conditioner did the best it could. So what if it couldn’t manage anything below 72 degrees by the end of August? That strange noise or smell surely isn’t a big deal.

Your air conditioner is a lot like you: It’s a system and a machine. It will often let you know via small complaints when something’s wrong. It’s kind of like when you ignore recurring pain or mask it with Tylenol, only to find out later that your appendix needs attention. Likewise, your air conditioner needs regular checkups in order to spot trouble early (even if you have no symptoms).

The A/C can’t wait until next spring. Here’s why now is a good time for a maintenance check:

1. The poor thing just ran a marathon:

If you’re like many of your Utah neighbors, you depended — heavily — on your air conditioner this summer. It may have been working around the clock for months. With older or cheaper systems, this can really take its toll. A quick inspection is a cost-effective way of making sure it’s holding up well.

2. There’s no line for A/C inspections and repairs:

This is the sweet spot between summer and autumn when your neighbors are focusing more on going back to school and attending harvest festivals than seeing to household tasks. This means HVAC contractors aren’t overwhelmed with requests (yet), so you can easily get an appointment.

3. You gave your utility bills a pass:

Of course your utility bills were extra high, and it’s easy to think it’s worth it when you know you’d be roasting like a deli chicken without your beloved cold air. But make sure you’re not overpaying on energy thanks to a faulty air conditioner. Keeping your appliances maintained is the best way to reduce utility bills.

4. You want to get ahead of the summer game:

You might see store displays for Halloween and even Thanksgiving decorations already, but next summer will be here before you know it. Take care of any A/C concerns now, and you’ll have one less item on your spring cleaning checklist. Plus, if it’s best to replace your air conditioner entirely, right now is a great time to score a deal on a new system, since stores need to clear out space for all those heaters.

Keeping cool requires a little effort. Call Sandy Heating & Air Conditioning for a full air conditioning repair or maintenance call.