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6 Ways to Increase Furnace Efficiency

Furnace efficiency, helping your furnace last longer, and saving money all go hand in hand. Like any other machine or system, your furnace is subject to wear and tear, and the less you run it the longer it will last. If your furnace lasts longer, you won’t have to replace it as often.

Here are 6 simple tips to increase furnace efficiency. For tips on how to increase air conditioning efficiency, click here.

1. Make Sure the Filter is Clean

The purpose of the furnace filter is to prevent dust and debris from clogging your furnace. When the filter has been in place for a while, your furnace has to work harder to pull air through the densely packed filter. How often you clean, whether or not you have pets, and recent renovations can all make a difference in how often the filter needs to be cleaned, so a good rule of thumb is to check the filter monthly for debris. If you can see hair and dust on the surface, then replace the filter or wash it if it’s reusable.

2. Use a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats are one of the best ways of reducing your monthly bill, and they often pay for themselves in one year. They also reduce wear and tear on your furnace. A simple 5-day/2-day programmable thermostat is not expensive, and it will allow you to set up a schedule for weekdays and weekends that will lower the temperature when you’re away from home. You should also close the vents in unused spaces and turn the thermostat down when you plan on being away for more than one day.

3. Make Sure Vents are Open and Free of Debris

A furnace needs to be able to freely circulate air around your home to run efficiently. Make sure none of your vents are blocked by furniture or have trapped dust in the cover. Be careful when purchasing decorative vents; they might look great, but they can restrict as much as 50% of the air flow making your furnace work harder to heat your home.

4. Keep the Area Around the Furnace Clear

Most furnaces are kept in the basement, where we also love to store extra belongings. It’s important to keep a three to five-foot area around your furnace completely clear of stored items. This is not only a safety issue because there is burning gas in the furnace, but it helps the furnace run smoother as the air can circulate freely.

5. Utilize Curtains and Blinds

Strategically using your curtains can make a noticeable difference in your energy bill. Opening them in the day on south or west-facing windows allows warm sunlight to enter and heat the inside of your home, just like with a car left in a parking lot.

6. Get Regular Furnace Tune-Ups

Furnace manufacturers strongly recommend that you have your furnace inspected and tuned up every year to ensure it is running at peak efficiency. One faulty part can place strain on the rest of the system and can lead to sudden breakdowns. A professional HVAC expert may also tell you whether or not your furnace needs to be cleaned to run more efficiently. Click here to see what you can expect from a furnace tune-up.

If you are near us in Aurora or anywhere throughout the Denver Metro Area, we would be happy to help you make sure your furnace is running efficiently and give your furnace a tune-up. Contact Grand Home Services today.

8 Ways to Increase Air Conditioning Efficiency

According to the Department of Energy, over half of your energy expenses go towards your air conditioner and furnace. Improving your HVAC’s efficiency will not only save you money on your monthly bill, but you will save money in the long run by extending the life of your system.

Here are 8 ways you can increase your air conditioner’s efficiency. Make sure to contact a professional if you think your air conditioner is not running at peak performance. Click here for 6 ways to increase your furnace efficiency.

1. Change and Clean your Air Conditioner Filter

Check air filters to ensure they are clean as dirty filters slow air circulation. If dirty, first try cleaning filters, and make sure to replace your filter at least once per pear and clean the filter on a monthly basis.

2. Program your Thermostat

Programming your thermostat to different temperatures for different times of day is key to increasing your air conditioning efficiency. If your home is empty every weekday for a certain number of hours, program your thermostat to let your house be a bit warmer and cool off before you get home. Don’t forget to adjust your thermostat for vacations as well!

3. Don’t Cover your Vents

If there is a room like a guest room that is mostly unused, these vents should be covered to push the air to the rest of the home. Otherwise you should keep items like blinds and furniture away from blocking the vents to help maintain steady airflow from your system. Vents are often placed underneath windows, and if that window is covered by a curtain, the air gets blown near the hot window and doesn’t cool the room. Try using a deflector to help your AC unit cool your home.

4. Keep the Space Around the Outdoor Condenser Unit Clean

Make sure your outdoor air conditioner condenser is free of debris and dirt. These can get lodged in the unit and prevent it from running properly. Also, ensure all plants are trimmed back for your unit to operate properly.

5. Keep Heat Away from your Thermostat

It’s very important to keep things away from your thermostat that create heat. Having a lamp near your thermostat will make it kick your air conditioner on far more than necessary.

6. Check the Temperature Outside

Before you set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature, make sure you check the weather outside to see if it’s cooler. Especially here in Colorado, it is very sunny making your home hot and making you think it’s even hotter outside, but sometimes it’s actually cooler. Check the weather before you go to bed as well!

7. Close Blinds and Curtains

The windows that are in the late afternoon sun bring in the most heat. Covering those windows with blinds and curtains will help keep your home cool and give your air conditioner a break.

8. Contact a Professional

If you have not had an air conditioning tune-up in a while or you think your unit could be more efficient, make sure to contact a professional. From a leak in the ductwork to a simple system cleaning, a professional will make sure your unit is running efficiently and save you money on your monthly electric bill. Air conditioner manufacturers recommend having the system serviced yearly before the first use in Spring.

If you are near us in Aurora or live throughout the Denver Metro Area, Grand Home Services would be happy to help you with your air conditioner efficiency. Contact us today.

4 Most Expensive AC Repairs and How to Avoid Them

4 Most Expensive Furnace Repairs and How to Avoid Them

8 Warning Signs Your Air Conditioner Needs Repair

As the days get longer and hotter, your AC unit works hard to keep your home comfortable. From old age to having a dirty filter, a number of things can keep your unit from running efficiently. It’s important to keep an eye out for signs that your unit needs repair before one problem causes another, or worse, you need to replace the AC unit. Here are 8 common warning signs you may want to look for:

1. AC unit is old

   If your air conditioner is older than the average life expectancy of AC units in homes today—between 15 and 20 years—it likely needs attention. It’s not a bad idea to start shopping for a replacement just in case of an emergency, but it’s important you get an older AC unit inspected and cleaned to prolong its life. If you are in the Denver Metro Area, we can help you with this.

2. Your electric bill has gone up

   It’s normal for utility bills to fluctuate, but a significantly higher than normal energy bill means your air conditioner is running inefficiently. This could be due to a clogged air filter, a broken motor, or something more serious. It’s best to get your AC unit inspected before the problem worsens and you continue to run up your energy bill.

3. Unit is releasing a bad odor

   It is not a good sign when your AC unit gives off a bad smell. An unpleasant odor can mean there is an issue with the filter, a buildup of dirt, or even mildew. No matter the culprit, the smell means something is wrong and could be bad for your health. It’s best to contact an HVAC contractor for a quick diagnostic and a full cleaning of the system.

4. Warm air

   If your unit is running but the air is coming out warm or your home isn’t cooling down, there is likely an issue with your refrigerant. Your homes AC system should keep your home comfortable and is designed to cool your home to the temperature you set via the thermostat. However, a loss of refrigerant can cause your system to stop cooling effectively, making your home uncomfortable.
   There is also a chance the lack of cold air is due to the AC compressor. When the AC compressor stops working, your air conditioning system essentially becomes a large central fan with no ability to cool the air that flows through it. This can be a very technical and challenging fix–requiring the assistance of an HVAC professional.

5. Insufficient airflow

   If your air conditioning unit is not pushing out as much air as usual, this is usually a sign the air compressor is failing. It can also mean the AC air ducts are clogged. Even if the air that is coming out of the unit is cold, your air conditioner will only work overtime to compensate which can quickly lead to an AC burnout.

6. Frozen AC coil

   One of the most common causes of air conditioner coils needing repair or replacement is frozen pipes as a result of a dirty or blocked air filter. When your filter becomes too dirty, your air conditioner’s air flow is decreased, causing it to work harder, and occasionally, for the refrigerant coils to freeze. We can repair or replace your fan coil unit to get your air conditioning system back up and running.

7. Loud and persistent noises

   Loud and persistent noises can indicate a serious problem. Pay attention to the sounds you hear and, if possible, describe them to your HVAC contractor. Squealing and whistling noises may come from belt or fan issues while banging noises can mean broken and loose internal components that can cause more problems. All these noises are signs that your furnace needs to be repaired.

8. Refrigerant is leaking

   When your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant or freon, this can cause your system to stop cooling your home or even freeze up. These leaks can occur throughout the unit including the valve cores, weld joints, filter canisters or system’s tubing. Finding a leak in the unit can be a complicated process, so it is best to have an expert detect and perform air conditioner refrigerant leak repair on the system.

Contact us for AC repair in Denver, Colorado

Located in Aurora, we provide air conditioner repair services throughout the Denver Metro Area. If you need AC repair, inspection, cleaning, replacement, or emergency service, contact our team today.

8 Warning Signs Your Furnace Needs Repair

When the weather gets cold, you rely on your furnace to keep your home comfortable and to prevent seasonal issues like bursting pipes. It is very common for your furnace to need repair when it is working hard for half the year, and even more common if your furnace is old or hasn’t been properly maintained.

To prevent more issues and extend the life of your furnace, it’s important to know what warning signs to look for. Here are 8 common warning signs your furnace needs repair and what they mean.

1. Your furnace is old

If your furnace is older than the average life expectancy of furnaces in homes today—between 16 and 20 years—your furnace likely needs attention. It’s not a bad idea to start shopping for a replacement just in case of an emergency, but it’s important you get an older furnace inspected and cleaned to prolong its life. If you are in the Denver Metro Area, we can help you with this.

2. Water is pooling around the furnace

If water is pooling around your furnace, it’s important to figure out why rather quickly to keep your house warm. Pooling water is usually caused by a clogged condensate drain line. This drain line removes water that is released when the evaporator in the unit converts refrigerant from a liquid to a gas. Fixing the problem is not as simple as just unclogging the drain line, so it’s best to work with a professional who has HVAC and plumbing expertise.

3. You smell gas

If you smell gas, turn off your furnace immediately. Then, look for a gas supply valve on the gas pipe near the furnace and close the valve. Make sure to call a local HVAC contractor as soon as possible to get the gas leak fixed.

4. It’s making persistent and strange noises

No furnace is silent, but loud and persistent noises can indicate a serious problem. Pay attention to the sounds you hear and, if possible, describe them to your HVAC contractor. Squealing and whistling noises may come from belt or fan issues while banging or groaning can result from broken and loose internal components. All these noises are signs that your furnace needs to be repaired.

5. Air blows weakly

From a minor problem with fans to a major problem with belts and motors, weak air flow can be caused by several things and can cause other problems if not fixed. Because the cause can be difficult to identify, it’s important to call a professional.

6. The thermostat is not working

If you have to turn your thermostat higher and higher to get heat, it’s definitely a sign your furnace needs repair. This malfunction is likely caused by an electrical issue like blown fuses, loose wiring, or tripped circuit breakers. Because it is likely an electrical issue, it can be dangerous to fix if you haven’t had any formal training. Call a trained HVAC professional you trust.

7. Your bill rises

As furnaces age, it is very common for them to lose their efficiency, especially if they have not been consistently maintained. As a result, your furnace will have to work harder and longer to provide the same amount of heat causing your gas & electric bills to go up. If you get your furnace repaired or replaced, you will likely save a lot of money in the long run.

8. The pilot light is discolored

A healthy pilot light usually appears blue. A pilot light of a different color, especially yellow, can indicate a ventilation problem like the carbon monoxide isn’t dissipating as it should. This is not only a health hazard for you and your family, but it can make your unit more combustible if not addressed.

If you notice any of the above warning signs or your furnace is not working as it should, give us a call. We offer 24/7 emergency service throughout the Denver Metro Area and have a lot of experience inspecting, repairing and installing furnaces.

Are Ductless Heat Pumps a Good Option in Colorado?

If you are considering the best way to heat your Colorado home, you may have come across some information about ductless heat pumps. These heat pumps can be incredibly efficient and make heating your home easy, however, do they really work well when the weather gets below freezing?

About Ductless Heat Pumps

Ductless heat pumps do not require air ducts. They are a system that consists of indoor air handling units that push the heated air into your home and an outdoor compressor unit. This means the heated or cooled air does not have to move through a serious of pipes and ducts, making it a lot more efficient and effective.

They produce heat by extracting heat from the air outside, the air passes through coils and refrigerant helps to heat it up to the desired temperature. This is a very efficient way to move heated air in and around your home.

You are probably wondering, doesn’t it have to work harder when the air is colder outside?

What Happens When It’s Freezing Outside?

Many years ago any type of heat pump was not the best choice for colder climates as they would have trouble heating air that was 40 degrees or below. Thanks to technology this has changed. The new systems work extremely well to extract and produce heat from even the coldest of air. Refrigerant, coils and compressors have all been upgraded and manufactured to make the process of heating and cooling the air easier and this gives you a great heating system that can save you a whole lot on energy costs.

Another bonus to these systems is that they are much easier on the environment. This is great for Colorado and especially the Denver area where we have seen a huge increase in people moving to the state, meaning more houses and more pollution.

Creating A Dual System

We all know here in Colorado that we can see that Arctic air settle in during the winter months. If you are concerned that the heat pump won’t keep your home comfortable you can always have a backup system. You most likely have this already in place but you are looking for something more efficient, or you are looking for zoned heating. If you do already have a furnace in place you can keep the furnace as a backup system. This way if you really feel the ductless heat pump is not cutting it, you can switch on the furnace for those short periods of time.

Want More Information on Ductless Heat Pumps?

If you have questions about how well a heat pump could work for your Denver or Aurora area home, contact the experts at Grand Home Services. We are here to help keep your home comfortable year round.

Tips To Choosing A Reliable HVAC Company In Denver

This summer, your AC unit will be an integral part of your home. Without it, those hot summer days will seem much hotter and you may find yourself sweating through the warm months. If you’re in need of a repair or replacement, a professional HVAC company can help. Finding the right company for the job is just as important as the job itself.

When first beginning your search for an HVAC contractor, consider speaking with those closest to you. Your friends and family members have probably worked with companies in the past. Based on their recommendations and warnings, it’s much easier to find a trustworthy service. You can also check the reputation of a specific company by using a third party review site or the Better Business Bureau.

Once you have a list of a few prospective HVAC companies, it’s time to start calling them and setting up consultations. Most HVAC companies will offer a free on-site assessment. If any company attempts to give you an over-the-phone bid instead of visiting your home, beware. Without properly examining your system, there’s no way to provide an accurate estimate.

In the event that your system needs to be replaced, your chosen contractor should present a few different options for your consideration. While they could replace your old unit with the same make as before, they should be willing to explore other options to ensure that you are installing the most energy-efficient model for your budget.

Speaking of your budget, don’t base your decision strictly on money. It’s important to choose a contractor who is experienced but still up-to-date with the latest technology. Rock-bottom prices don’t always equate quality service. Instead, look for a contractor who is licensed, insured, and qualified.

Requesting bids and comparing prices is a great way to find the right contractor. It allows you to meet each worker face to face and learn more about how they do business. Once you have a written bid, it’s easier to compare prices with other companies and find quality craftsmanship that fits within your budget.

At Grand Home Services, LLC, it’s our job to keep your home at the right temperature. Whether you have a heating issue or damaged AC unit, our technicians are trained and qualified to help. Our affordable services have made us the popular choice of homeowners in the Denver, Highland Ranch, Centennial, and Littleton areas.

Contact us today to get started with the right HVAC company!