Helpful Tips & Info

For Fall and Winter Maintenance:

  • Have a qualified HVAC professional inspect and clean your heating system
  • Set your thermostat to 68* F for energy savings
  • Clean or replace furnace filters every month
  • Seal all air leaks in your home; including attic, basement, around doors, and windows
  • Check your attic for proper insulation
  • Wrap and insulate water lines to prevent freezing
  • Change the batteries in your clocks, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and digital thermostats

You may also want to have your ducts cleaned during the summer to avoid spreading dust, pollen, and other pollutants that are in your duct work when you turn your heating system on for the fall and winter.


What do the Letters and Numbers of My Furnace Model Mean?

  • AFUE -  Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.  Like your car’s miles-per-gallon rating.

A furnace’s AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the fuel is used to heat you home, while the other 10% is wasted gasses vented outside.  The higher the AFUE the more energy you save.

  • BTU    -  British Thermal Unit.  This is the unit of heat energy that is necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
  • EER    -  Energy Efficiency Ratio.  This is for your cooling system and measures how efficiently the system will operate when the outdoor temperature is at a specific level.
  • SEER -  Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.  This is a measure of the air conditioning system’s efficiency over an entire cooling season and opposed to a single outdoor temperature.
  • HSPF -  Heating System Performance Factor.  This is the measure of a heat pump’s estimated seasonal heating output during spring and fall.


Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death.  

CO is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by vehicles, small gas engines, stoves, and heating systems.  To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, have your heating system, water heater, and other gas appliances serviced by one of our qualified technicians every year.

To learn more about carbon monoxide, symptoms of CO poisoning, and how to prevent it from happening in your home, please goes to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. www.cdc.gov