With energy prices skyrocketing, what can you do to significantly cut the cost of heating your home?

Here are some options for helping reduce your monthly heating bills:

• If your furnace is over 15-20 years old, a new, high-efficiency furnace can dramatically reduce the cost of heating your home by 20% – 40%.
• If your family can’t agree on a comfortable temperature, or if you’d just as soon close off rooms you’re not using to save on heating, a zoned system can help you save both energy and money.
• Did you know you can extract heat from chilly outside air to heat your house? This is the magical power of a heat pump that uses refrigeration technology rather than fuel combustion. Some homeowners have lowered their heating and cooling costs by as much as 50% by installing a heat pump.

According to the EPA and other indoor environmental experts, the relative humidity inside your home should fall somewhere between 30 and 50 percent, depending on the temperature outside. More specifically, when the outside temperature is 20°F or above, the recommended relative humidity for inside is 35 to 40 percent.

Why are proper levels of humidity so important to your skin (the body’s largest organ) and general good health?

Low humidity causes dry skin, dry hair, itching and chapping. When skin becomes dry and irritated, eczema can flare. Mucous membranes in your nose and throat dry out, increasing discomfort and susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness. With low humidity levels, body moisture evaporates so quickly that you feel chilled even at higher thermostat settings. Dry skin can look tight, dull and flaky.

Adding a humidifier to your home can remedy these problems and help skin look younger and healthier.

What’s up with the cold draft in my home?

When it comes to repairing and providing maintenance for furnaces, you can rest assured that your investment will be protected when you use One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®.

A home furnace is a major appliance that is permanently installed to provide heat to an interior space through intermediary fluid movement, which may be air, steam, or hot water. The most common fuel source for modern combustion furnaces in the United States is natural gas; other common fuel sources include propane (LP), fuel oil, coal or wood. In some cases electric resistance heating is used as the source of heat, especially where the cost of electricity is low. Combustion furnaces always need to be vented to the outside. Traditionally, this is through a flue, which expels heat along with the exhaust.

Central Warm-Air Furnace: A central warm-air furnace is a type of space-heating equipment in which a central combustor or resistance unit–generally using gas, fuel oil, or electricity–provides warm air that circulates through ducts leading to the various rooms.

• A forced-air furnace is one in which a fan is used to force the air through the ducts.
• In a gravity furnace, air is circulated by gravity, relying on the natural flow of warm air up and cold air down; the warm air rises through ducts and the cold air falls through ducts that return it to the furnace to be reheated, thus completing the circulation cycle.

The furnace typically is divided into three primary components:

• The burner (includes the heat exchanger, draft inducer and venting) – The flame originates at the burners and is drawn into the heat exchanger by the negative pressure produced by the draft inducer. The hot gasses produced by the combustion of the flame pass through the chambers of the heat exchanger and heat the metal walls of the heat exchanger. The gasses cool as they transfer the heat to the heat exchanger and are at about 120 degrees as they exit on a high efficiency furnace. The cooled gasses then enter the draft inducer blower and are pushed into the venting pipes. The exhaust gasses then are directed out of the house through the vent pipes.
• The blower and air movement - The blower creates a negative pressure on the intake side which draws air into the ductwork return air system and blows the air out through the heat exchanger and then into supply air ductwork to distribute throughout the home.
• Controls and Safety Devices - The controls include a gas valve, ignition control, ignitor, flame sensor, transformer, limit control, blower control board, and flame roll out switch. A limit control is a safety device that will open the electrical circuit to the ignition control and stop the gas flow if the furnace over heats. The flame roll out switch does the same thing if the flame was rolling out of the heat exchanger instead of being completely induced into it by the draft inducer.

Morvents One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® can help you make the best decision on which furnace maintenance service or plan is best for you.

A central air conditioner that runs but doesn’t cool may just need to be cleaned. Plan to do this on a relatively warm day. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual.

1. Before you begin, turn off the power to the unit. There is normally a shut-off or disconnect panel on the house wall next to the outdoor compressor. Otherwise, shut off the air conditioner’s 240-volt circuit at the main electrical panel.
2. Rake leaves and debris away from the outdoor condenser.
3. Remove any protective grille or cover from the condenser’s fins.
4. Use a soft brush to clean dirt and debris from the fins, and then vacuum them with a brush attachment (be careful not to damage the fins).
5. Unscrew and lift the top grille off the unit, if possible. If the fan is attached to the grille, be careful not to pull any wires loose.
6. From inside the unit, hose down the fins (protect the wiring and motor with plastic sheeting). If your owner’s manual calls for lubricating the motor, do that now—but don’t overlubricate.
7. Reassemble the unit.
8. To test it, turn the power on and set the thermostat to turn the unit on. Let it run for a few minutes, and then feel the two pipes that connect to the condenser unit (slide any insulation back). One should feel warm, the other cool. Otherwise, call an air-conditioning technician—the refrigerant may need to be recharged.

Important note: Avoid straining an air conditioner’s compressor by waiting at least five minutes between turning it off at the thermostat and turning it back on.

In most cases, the belt is improperly aligned or worn and needs replacement. Refer to your owner’s manual.

This job involves removing the access panel, loosening a couple of bolts that hold the blower motor at the proper tension, and realigning or adjusting the belt. In many cases, it’s a good idea to remove it and buy a replacement.

When reinstalling the belt, be careful not to over tighten it as this can wear out the motor bearings.

 ”Very painless; everyone was nice and very thorough.  A great experience from the very start.”
 
“The crew did an excellent job installing our new unit and getting us back on so we could have heat that night.”
 
“Extremely pleased with the professionalism and the courtesy of the men that installed the unit.”
 
“My technician, Kelly, was so respectful and I didn’t even have to ask questions. He proactively showed me what was wrong and what he needed to do to fix it for me. I am in my 70’s and it was nice to be treated with such kindness and understanding from him. I couldn’t be more pleased with the work they do for me and they always clean up after themselves, I never have to go behind them trying to pick up a mess when they are gone like I have other companies.”

“It’s a great feeling to have someone come out twice a year and maintain my furnace and a/c especially since I would have no idea where to start. These guys are so professional and courteous and do a great job. They are always on time and I know I can count on them to do the job right!’

It’s easy for us to say our One Hour Service Technicians are on-time, efficient, reliable, trustworthy, and clean. But that’s “company speak.”  But if you’d prefer the real-life stories of actual paying customers, read what customers have told us in their own words.

“I was completely satisfied with the service and the staff.  They went beyond my expectations and searched out a very irritating vibration in the return vent (which pre-existed the installation of the new system) – they stopped the noise.”

“Chris and his crew were wonderful.  They were able to answer all of my questions.  Very professional.  Would highly recommend this group to friends  and family.  Thanks for a great job!”

“Thanks for the hard work every one did for me during my system concern.  Thanks Donna for your patience with me.  I’ll always refer you to my friends.  Thanks again to every one.”

“We are very happy with your company from your sales representative to your installers.  They were all very professional and we were comfortable throughout the process.  I would recommend your company.”