Only a few homeowners have the skills, tools, and patience it takes to fix their own appliances. Most people prefer to rely on professional services, especially when it comes to troubleshooting heating and cooling equipment. How much should you actually invest in heating cooling repair projects, and how could you find the best specialist for this relatively complex, time-consuming task? Keep reading to find out.

Identify the Nature of Your Problem

All family members have one thing in common: they want to feel comfortable in a warm, cozy environment, no matter how cold or hot it is outside. This means that furnaces, heat pumps, air handlers, boilers, thermostats, ductwork, and air conditioners should function properly 24/7.

Uneven and inadequate cooling are two of the most common problems reported by people who own air conditioners. Also, in some cases, the unit suddenly stops cooling or the condenser stops running. In all of these situations, you could try to fix the problem on your own, by cleaning the unit’s evaporator.

Moreover, there are quite a few common heat pump issues that are very inconvenient and should be handled in a timely manner. These include noisy ducts, leaky ducts, and reduced airflow. To prevent all of these problems, it is advisable to replace the filter on a monthly basis. Also, you may want to invest in a professional heat pump inspection every one or two years and remember to remove dust and debris accumulations from your coils and fans regularly.

If you own a boiler, you could be troubled by lack of hot water and/or lack of heat, thermostat issues, pressure loss, gurgling noises, and water leaks. Minor problems are usually solved by the owner, while persistent or complex ones could require the attention of a qualified heating engineer.

Finding the Right Expert

If you’re dealing with a troublesome heating cooling repair project that you can’t complete on your own, it is recommended to opt for professional services. A great specialist will always be able to repair all your heating and cooling equipment, provide quality emergency services around the clock, and offer you access to affordable maintenance programs.

Need to identify the best heating cooling repair specialist in your area? If so, just rely on TalkLocal, a free service designed to connect you with the right professional, right now.

Has your natural gas heater reached the end of its natural gas life? Is it winging its way to gas heater heaven? If so, here’s a quick step by step guide to carrying out your own natural gas heater replacement.

Remove the Old Water Heater

1. The first step is to remove your old natural gas heater. With a fire extinguisher nearby, shut off the valve and make sure that no gas is leaking.

2. Then, smell the area for any gas leak. Never use a flame to test for gas leaks.

Drain the heater

3. Drain the heater so that it’s lighter and therefore easier to remove. While it’s draining, use a large pipe wrench to cut the connection between the gas line and the heater.

4. Once you have disconnected this, double-check to make sure that no gas is escaping.

Connect the new segments of the flex pipe

5. This is the first step in connecting the new heater. You need to roll Teflon tape around the cold “in” and hot “out” connectors in the flex pipe. By doing this, you will ensure a good seal when you connect the flex pipe later on. This is the same as when you are replacing an oil furnace, but with a few added steps.

Connect a new flexible gas line

6. You need to connect a new flexible gas line to the pilot box. To do this, you need to use Teflon dope over the fitting.

7. After you thread the line, tighten it using a wrench.

Connect the water supply

8. Connect the old pipe to the new valves of the pilot box using a wrench. Before you do this, you need to burnish off the old fittings with an emery cloth to expose fresh copper. Connect both the cold water supply and the hot water supply.

If You Think You Need Help…

Contact TalkLocal today and we can get a professional to help you within minutes! Just tell us where you are, what you need, and when you’re available, and we’ll send the right professionals to you.

Are you eager to invest in a simple, energy-saving home improvement project enabling you to turn your home into a warm, welcoming space and reduce your utility bills at the same time? In this case, vinyl windows installation can be an excellent idea, allowing you to attain your goals in no time.

Why Should I install Vinyl Windows?

The range of benefits provided by modern, appealing vinyl windows is extensive. Any heating and cooling expert will tell you that these energy-efficient items can reduce heat loss and withstand temperature stresses, especially if their frames have heat-welded, resistant joints.

Moreover, they are made from premium polyvinyl chloride and do not require painting; not to mention that any dings and scratches present on the window surface would be almost impossible to detect. What’s not to love about maintenance-free windows that look like new for the longest period of time?

Reduce Thermal Transfer

Most windows are considered   “thermal holes” through which you waste up to 30% of the overall energy used to stay cool or warm in your rooms.

A vinyl windows installation will definitely reduce your heating and cooling costs, by decreasing thermal transfer. These windows display a remarkable energy-efficiency and superior heat flow resistance.

This means that heat does not escape through your window; so during the hot season, your rooms will stay cool, and during the winter months, when it’s usually freezing outside, the heat that you pay for will not leave your house. By installing new vinyl windows, you can maintain an ideal temperature inside your home and profit from energy savings.

Save Money and Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home

Vinyl windows are resistant to burglary attempts, and they reduce exterior noise levels dramatically and beautify your home. If you’re constantly concerned about inflated energy bills and are always sweating or freezing in your house, despite well-functioning heating and cooling systems, think about installing energy-efficient vinyl windows. They can curb the heat transfer and put an end to this unpleasant situation.

Want to Benefit from Vinyl Windows?

Opt for professional vinyl windows installation to obtain the best results. If you need to find an expert in your area, start by consulting TalkLocal, your connection to the best professionals in your area.

HVAC equipment size finder calculators can be found all over the net. While many people view these calculations as accurate, recent studies have shown that they aren’t as accurate as they seem.

While HVAC system types do have some bearing as to the size that you should consider getting, it is worthwhile to consider that the classic rule of thumb that “x number of square feet per ton” no longer holds true. This is because homes have become more modern, and insulation systems have become better over the years.

1.     Put Those Thumbs Away

The classic rule of thumb does not hold true anymore. Modern homes with better insulation systems, more windows, and better duct systems need smaller HVAC loads. Their heating and cooling loads are also smaller.

2.     Get The Right Information Right Away

While it may seem virtually impossible to calculate the exact size of the HVAC system that you need for your home during the blueprinting process, a useful exercise may be to walk through a similar home and inspect it. Remember, though, small details make a huge difference in houses. HVAC systems are a great way to save energy with home improvements.

3.     When in Doubt, Test

If you are having doubts about the size of the HVAC system that you need, you can test the system at a similarly sized and similarly insulated house. Filtration tests can be done using blower tests. You can drill a hole through the wall and drop in a camera probe to test the insulation.

While there are many HVAC equipment size finders online that will tell you the type and size of HVAC system that you need for your home, they may be inaccurate because they do not take into account the specifics of your home. Call an expert for professional advice.

Ready for Help?

Contact TalkLocal today and let us help you find an HVAC expert near your area to help you find the right sized HVAC equipment for your home!

Keeping your home warm and cozy is a must, especially during the winter months. Portable gas heating is a flexible and economical way to do this. There are many things to take into consideration when choosing portable gas heating for your home. However, portable gas heaters are certainly cheaper than oil furnaces, for example, and can be bought directly from a store.

Portable Gas Heater Types

Radiant heaters are the typical gas heaters that most people know. These heaters use fuel to heat ceramic tiles, which spread heat in a room. Radiant gas heaters are readily available at hardware shops and are cheaper than most other portable gas heaters.

Convection heaters are more expensive than radiant heaters but they are safer to use around children and pets. These heaters use a mechanism to spread heat evenly all throughout a room. With this type of heater, there is no direct contact with a naked flame and they spread heat more evenly. They are cheaper than gas furnaces, which tend to supply heat to just one spot in the room.

Radiant/Convection heaters, as their name suggests, combine the benefits of both radiant and convection heaters. These gas heaters provide the maximum amount of heat in a limited area.

Choosing a Portable Gas Heater

If you only need to concentrate heat in a small area of a room, a radiant gas heater should do the trick at the most affordable price. If you need to heat a bigger area, though, you may want to consider convection or radiant/convection heaters. With convection and radiant/convection heaters, you have to take into account the size of your room as well as the ceiling height. The bigger the room and the higher the ceiling, the higher the megajoule rating your heater will require.

Still Need Help?

Contact TalkLocal today and we can connect you to a professional to help you find the perfect portable gas heating system for your home!

Whether you’re renovating your home or moving to a new one, heating is always a major concern. Having appropriate central heating is essential to maintaining a comfortable and warm living environment.

Traditional heating systems used oil and wood as fuel. Today, however, more environmentally-friendly options exist, such as radiant electric heating radiators, which use heating elements powered by electricity to radiate heat into your home.

What Are Electric Heating Radiators?

There are several types of radiators. When talking about radiant electric heating radiators, there are two kinds: storage heaters and radiant heaters.

The radiant-type heaters provide heat on demand, which means they can simply be turned on and off depending on the need for warmth. This type is further categorized into three: radiant heating panels, convectors, and water/oil-filled electric heaters.

These radiators typically have a thermostat that detects the temperature of the room and turns the heater on or off depending on its programmed settings. They also have a time clock that can be set to turn the radiator on or off as needed. Some systems have controls that let you control some or all of the radiators from a central point.

Convenient and Easy to Use

Electric heating radiators don’t need any pipework and require very little installation. These heaters can be connected to an electric circuit via a wall connection or, if you purchase a portable standalone unit, then you just plug it into a power outlet to use.

Electric heating radiators are great space savers and can be placed in any corner or small nook in a room. Other configurations are also ideal for small spaces such as wall panels or wall-mounted units and ceiling units. These radiators, unlike storage heaters, don’t retain heat, which allows them to heat and cool fairly quickly. This is ideal for use in places that require instantaneous heating.

How can electric radiators help reduce energy costs?

With radiant electric heating radiators, you can heat a room based on your need. This is ideal when you spend most of your time in one particular room and therefore do not require centralized heating where the entire house is heated.

By just using an electric heater to provide local heating, you can lower your energy use and bills. It’s also possible to put radiators in every room and regulate them with a wireless thermostat so you can control the temperature throughout the home.

Need help to install these radiators?

TalkLocal can quickly connect you with up to three professional heating and cooling professionals who specialize in installing electric heating radiators. Try our free service now and enjoy a hassle-free way of finding a service pro.

Many homeowners use central heating gas to keep their homes warm during the winter months. These heating systems are effective and economical.

If your house is not connected to the central gas network, you can opt to use liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or heating oil, which must be supplied to you every time you run out.

Sometimes, you may need to install heating vents in your home for central gas heating, but most of the time, central gas heating works well on its own.

Pros of Central Heating Gas

Since gas is a very efficient source of energy, you get a good return on your money for every unit of gas that you purchase. Most modern boilers that condense can give you as much as 90% return of energy as opposed to standard boilers. In most cases, gas is supplied directly into your home, so you don’t need to store any gas in your house, which is a positive safety factor.

Gas is also the most widely used heating fuel, so if your heating system fails, it’s fairly easy to find a professional to rectify the problem. Thus, central heating gas systems are economical and easy to maintain.

Cons of Central Heating Gas

The downside of using gas to heat your home is that gas prices are rising, and they are likely to remain high. Countries must compete with each other for gas prices and this drives up the cost of fuel.

Additionally, installing a central heating gas system on your own can be expensive and disruptive. Also, if you are not connected to the gas network, connecting your home can be quite costly.

Need a Gas Expert?

Here at TalkLocal, we make sure that you can get the help that you deserve. Give us a call today and see how we can assist you with all your heating and cooling needs!

It’s very important that the correct residential HVAC sizing is installed in a house. An HVAC unit that is too small will constantly be running and will not provide enough heating or cooling to suit the house’s needs. On the other hand, an HVAC system that is too large will always short cycle and will drive up energy costs.

This is why the size of an AC unit is important in order to save energy and to keep costs down. Before, many builders calculated what they hoped to be the correct residential HVAC sizing based on rule of thumb. However, this is now known as inefficient, and many better rules now apply. Here’s how to get the correct HVAC sizing for your home. You will need a ruler and a tape measure.

Calculating British Thermal Units

1. Measure the room’s length and width, and then multiply these to get the room’s square footage. You will want to measure each room of the house and add the square footage together.

2. Find the CFM (cubic feet per minute) of each of the rooms and add these up.

3. Convert the CFM into tons by dividing the number by 400. For example, if you have 2,000 CFM and you divide it by 400, then you need an air conditioning unit that is 5 tons.

4. Calculate the size needed for your furnace by dividing your CFM by 150 and multiplying that number by 10,000. This number will be the British Thermal Units (BTUs).

5. Find a furnace that is close to your calculated British Thermal Units and an air conditioning unit that is also close to the total tonnage.

Purchase these from a manufacturer and install them according to instructions. You should now have a properly sized HVAC unit for your home!

Need an HVAC Expert?

Contact TalkLocal today, and let us help you locate an HVAC expert near you! If you are having trouble calculating the right size of HVAC system for your home, let us help you out! We’ll connect you with up to three professionals in your area in just minutes.

Oil furnaces are complicated heating systems. Nowadays, they are known under the name of pressure burners because they have a combustion chamber where oil is sprayed. Unless you choose to make their maintenance one of your priorities, you can’t enjoy them up to 20 years without any problems. Sometimes repair work may be necessary.

There are several repairs that you can perform yourself, and others that require at least the advice of a professional.

4 Oil Furnace Repair Works You Can Perform Yourself:

> Adjusting or replacing the motor belts

> Cleaning or replacing the filters

> Checking the blower

> Leveling and checking the thermostat

1. First, turn the furnace off.

2. Take the fuse out and check it using a multimeter. If need be, change it.

3. A belt may break during the service, so you will have to replace it. But it may happen that the belt is not broken or worn out, but just needs realigning.

4. Take out the motor and open the access door to the blower, take the filter out and use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the dust. If necessary, replace the filter with a new one, observing the manufacturer’s recommendations.

5. The blower is also very important, due to the fact that it causes the heat to circulate in the house. If the blower works incessantly, the limit switch needs to be adjusted.

6. Level your thermostat. It controls the activity of the blower.

7. A heating monitor that has been broken may cause problems. All you have to do is put a jumper across the thermostat and then turn the furnace on.

 4 Oil Furnace Repair Works You Need Professionals For:

> Air tubes

> Air nozzles

> Pumps

> Transformers

Additional Help

If you want an expert to deal with these problems or you just need a piece of advice, TalkLocal can help you address these issues by connecting you with the right professional in just minutes!