Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning Blog : Archive for October, 2014

Why It’s Good to Change Filters Regularly

Monday, October 27th, 2014

If you have a furnace in your home to provide winter warmth—and chances are high that you do; furnaces are the most common form of home heating system—one of its essential components is the air filter. The air filter is there to protect the inside components of the furnace cabinet from debris that can come in through the return vents. If your furnace shares the same cabinet with the air conditioning system, the same filter will work to protect both.

It’s important that you change the air filter on a regular basis (or clean it regularly if your furnace uses a permanent filter). During the winter, when the furnace will run frequently, you should change out the filter once a month. At other times of the year when the comfort system isn’t working as often, you should change it every two or three months. Doing this is an important part of keeping a furnace running efficiently and effectively, and it will help you avoid unnecessary repairs in the future.

You will still need to schedule annual maintenance for your furnace from professionals, however. Call Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, where we have more than 40 years servicing furnaces in Colorado Springs, CO.

The benefits of changing the furnace filter regularly

It only takes about a month of regular operation for a furnace filter to trap enough debris inside it that it will start reducing the airflow into the cabinet. This will become a serious problem for the furnace, because it will force it to work harder to circulate air. The strain will cause an increase in your heating bills, and it will also mean a reduction in the airflow from the vents. You will start to notice a drop in comfort as this happens, so you will end up paying more money to receive less comfort.

Worse, a clogged air filter can start allowing debris inside the furnace cabinet. Dust and dirt in a furnace will damage components such as the blower motor and spread grime over the burner or the pilot light, causing them to fail. If dust develops inside the furnace, the stress on the motors will eventually cause them to burn out and require replacement. In some extreme cases, a furnace filter can become so clogged that it actually collapses and falls into the furnace, causing a large amount of damage. We hope you never allow your furnace to reach this level of congestion!

Changing the furnace filter is one of the few maintenance tasks for your heater that you can do on your own. For the rest, you must contact technicians.

Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning offers a Residential Energy Savings Agreement for furnaces in Colorado Springs, CO that will give your heating system the tune-up and cleaning it needs.

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Why it’s good to Have Annual Maintenance on Your Heating System

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

Most people tend to neglect the maintenance of their heating system until it begins to show signs of a problem. This is pretty easy to understand. When you only use something part of the year, you probably don’t think too much about it as long as it works properly. This kind of attitude can actually lead to a great many problems, however. Let’s take a look at how annual maintenance can actually save you lots of money and frustration.

Preventative Maintenance

Problems that arise in your heating system can almost always be prevented or at least mitigated by regular maintenance. An extremely serious problem, like a cracked heat exchanger, can be caused by something as simple as a dirty air filter. Regular maintenance checks can catch things like bad air filters before they have the chance to cause any serious damage, saving you a great deal of money in the process. It is far easier and cheaper to replace a disposable part than it is to replace something central to the operation of the heater.

Timing

Regular maintenance can ensure that your heating system is in the best condition it can be when you need it most. The best time to have your heating system checked is during the fall season, right before the winter season when the demand for heat is highest. By scheduling your annual maintenance to take place every fall, you are making sure that your heating system is up to the challenge of increased operation for the next several months. After all, the very last thing you want is for your heating system to break down in the middle of winter. Demand for HVAC repair tends to spike during this season, so you may even find yourself without heat for several days before your local technician can get to you.

If you haven’t scheduled your annual heating maintenance yet, contact Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning. We conduct heating maintenance throughout Colorado Springs.

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Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Wednesday, October 8th, 2014

When it comes to living comfortably in your home, your mind may automatically go towards the temperature. However, this is only a part of the overall picture in terms of comfort. In order to live truly comfortably, you must not only maintain comfortable temperatures but great indoor air quality as well. To ensure that this is the case, you may need to work with a trained indoor air quality specialist, such as the ones on the Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning team. Of course, before doing so, you must first realize that there is a problem with your indoor air quality in Colorado Springs, CO to begin with. Here are a few warning signs to keep an eye out for which may suggest the need for our quality indoor air quality products and services.

First of all, any increase in or aggravation of allergy and asthma symptoms among residents in your home are is a major red flag that your indoor air quality may be subpar. There are a lot of different factors at play here, and homes with pets or those in proximity to major roadways will likely have higher concentrations of airborne pollutants. Regardless of your situation, a good air filtration system or electronic air purifier may be necessary in order to boost your air quality to appropriate levels.

If you find that your skin is very dry and itchy, or if you have frequent sore throats and bloody noses, you may be up against issues with low humidity levels. You must have the right amount of humidity in your home if you hope to live comfortably, or else your body will feel the effects of drying out. Additionally, low humidity levels can lead to splitting wooden fixtures, chipping paint, and other problems. A whole-house humidifier is a great way to add the right amount of humidity back to the air.

No matter if your air is too dry or if biological pollutants have infiltrated your home, you need to improve the quality of the air that you breathe.

We spend a lot of time indoors, so your comfort and your health depend upon great indoor air quality in Colorado Springs, CO. Call Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more. 

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Is a Heat Pump Right for You?

Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

Keeping your home comfortable throughout the year is a priority that you share with homeowners everywhere. The trouble that some homeowners encounter when it comes time to invest in new heating and air conditioning equipment is the simple fact that there are so many different options out there to choose from. If you want to ensure that your system is a perfect fit for your home and comfort preferences, call the pros at Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll ensure that you find the right HVAC system for your needs. You may just find that a heat pump in Colorado Springs, CO is just what you’ve been looking for.

There are a lot of great heating and cooling systems on the market, but a heat pump can offer certain benefits that others do not. For starters, heat pumps are able to both heat and cool your home, allowing for year round comfort in one convenient package. This is possible thanks to the unique design of the heat pump, which features a reversing valve. This allows the system to reverse its refrigerant cycle, providing cooling in the summer and heating during the winter season.

Another great benefit of the heat pump is the incredible energy efficiency with which these systems operate. During the cooling cycle, a heat pump acts just like a traditional split central air conditioner. This means that it will pull in air from throughout the house, remove the heat, and recirculate that cool air to the farthest reaches of your home. During the winter, though, the heat pump actually makes use of ambient heat in the air outside. By utilizing this existing heat, even when the temperature outside is cold, your heat pump can heat your home with exceptional efficiency levels. In some cases, extreme cold may inhibit the heating operation of a heat pump, though, so make sure that you discuss the pros and cons with a trained professional.

If you think that installing a heat pump in Colorado Springs, CO is the right move for you, give Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning a call today.

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