Category: Heating

Common Furnace Fire Hazards You Should Be Aware Of

When it comes to keeping your family and home safe from fire disaster, it is important to keep your furnace in mind. One of the best things that you can do to ensure your furnace is secure is to have it regularly maintained. Regular maintenance of a furnace will allow a professional to look over the furnace and determine if there are any potential hazards. One such hazard might be the build up of grease, residue and debris in the system. Learn more about these common furnace fire hazards and what you can do to avoid them.

Common Furnace Fire Hazards

Furnace maintenance can also reveal dangerous leaks in the system that can release gas and oil into your home or place of business. The potential for a fire when these leaks occur can increase dramatically. An HVAC professional can provide you with the security of knowing that your furnace is solid and safe. This is an excellent way for you to get the heads up on any potential problems that you might be facing regarding the safety of your furnace. Faulty equipment – such as a bad igniter or poor wiring – can also be very dangerous.

One of the many mistakes that home and business owners make is congesting the area where the furnace is located. Putting too many items in the space may result in a serous fire hazard. The type of items you place near the furnace will also make an impact. Leaving flammable materials close to the furnace could cause a problem and start a fire if the furnace throws sparks or emits fumes. Keeping all items away from the furnace and checking if the walls around the furnace feel warm at any time is important. Having a professional do a regular inspection of the furnace and cleaning can help you stay aware of any potential hazards that you may not have considered.

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter

There are several ways to keep your home warm during winter. Many of these ways are home remedies that do not require you to make any changes to your furnace or heating system. By paying attention to your windows and the temperature of your home, you will be able to minimize the amount of heat that is leaving your home. Let’s take a look at several ways to keep your home warm during winter and enjoy less extreme energy bills throughout the season.

5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter

Let the Sunshine In.

Opening your curtains during the daytime allows the heat from the sun to be trapped inside your home. This will help your home stay at the desired temperature throughout the day. On that same note, keep your curtains closed at night to keep the heat inside your home.

Use a Programmable Thermostat.

By using a programmable thermostat you will have better control over the temperatures in your home. If you are out of the house for the whole day you can turn the temperature down, thus saving you energy, during the times you are not there. Then, in your prime activity hours in your home, you will be able to increase the temperature so that you are comfortable.

Take Advantage of the Fan.

It may seem strange to use your fan in the winter but most ceiling fan have a reverse switch on the top of the fan. By putting your fan in reverse it can help keep the warm air off of the ceiling and down to where you are living.

Free Up the Vents.

Another little tip is to be sure that none of your furniture is blocking any of your vents. If your furniture is covering up a vent then the warm air from your heater is being trapped underneath the furniture making your furnace run harder in order to heat up the entire room.

Plastic Wrap Your Windows.

Using special window insulation film will give you an extra seal of protection against leaks or cracks in your windows that allow the heat to escape. This will also help keep the draft from your windows out of your home.

In the winter months there is nothing you want more than to stay out of the cold. By taking strategic steps throughout your home, such as, annual furnace checkups and the list of smaller practical things listed above, you can maximize the efficiency of your furnace. If you add these things to your seasonal checklist you will be sure to utilize your homes heating system in the best possible way before each season.

Why Furnace Repair Is So Important in Minnesota

A non-functioning furnace in the winter is simply not an option during the sub-zero temps that we experience here in Minneapolis. Getting your furnace checked each year is vital to surviving the freezing weather. If you own a storefront business, being prepared for the inevitable will give you the advantage over others that may have furnace malfunctioning issues during the winter months. It’s much better to go into the winter season knowing that your furnace is good to go before it is required to work with full effort. Read on to learn why furnace repair is so important in Minnesota and prepare yourself for the upcoming season.

Why Furnace Repair Is So Important in Minnesota

Being prepared means performing a yearly inspection of your furnace. Many things can cause your furnace to malfunction. Taking advantage of this annual service for your heating unit may uncover small issues before they become big problems. If your unit needs minor repairs, it is much less expensive to fix the issue right away instead of waiting until it turns into a serious situation. This will cost you much more money and will likely leave your home cold in the middle of our harsh Minnesota winter. Having this inspection done in the offseason months will allow your service professional time to order parts if needed. This will give you time to get everything in order before you need to use your furnace in full force. The last thing you want in the middle of winter is to have a broken furnace leaving you stuck in the cold.

A regular inspection of your furnace will give you the opportunity to check on the efficiency of it. If properly maintained, furnaces can last up to 20 years. Hire a professional to clean, check connections and keep all of the moving parts properly lubricated. During the inspection, your heating professional will check the system’s controls to ensure that your furnace is operating at its maximum efficiency.

Contacting a home improvement professional who will visit your home to perform an annual furnace inspection is not only a good idea; it’s essential for the safety and efficiency of your home heating. Understanding why furnace repair is so important in Minnesota will set you up for a healthy and long life with a warm home or place of business. This will ultimately save you money and the stress of having furnace failure in the dead of winter.

To have a professional handle your Minnesota furnace repair, please give Altemp Mechanical Inc. a call. We offer emergency services to make sure that your heating system will be fixed right when you need it. Contact us at 651-275-9111.

The True Value of Efficient Residential and Commercial Heating in Minnesota

For those of us living in Minnesota, frigid cold weather during the winter months is nothing anyone is new to dealign with. In Minnesota, we appreciate all too well the true value of efficient residential and commercial heating during the winter. It keeps our homes and businesses comfortable, and your employees and shoppers happy while they work and shop. But there is a reason the gas and energy companies here in Minnesota offer payment plans to residents during the winter…

The True Value of Efficient Residential and Commercial Heating in Minnesota

Safety

Safety is a major issue when it comes to maintaining your home heating system. In addition to its warmth function, properly maintaining your heating system will remove the risk of it sending carbon monoxide (CO) into your home or office.

Energy

Properly maintained heating systems require less energy to run throughout the winter. Inspect the system for cracks in the ducts and ventilation system to ensure there are no leaks. Cracks force the system to use more energy, which means you pay more for energy each month, and your system wears down much faster than it should.

Temperatures

When temperatures are well below freezing for consecutive months, we need systems that not only can stand up to the strain of the winter cold; we need a system that will keep us warm without emptying our pockets. A heating system that is not functioning properly and is not cleaned properly will certainly break down due to overheating and end up costing you for the preventable repair and replacement.

The Solution – Altemp Mechanical

If you are having heating problems, look no further. Contact Altemp Mechanical if you require professional heating system maintenance or you simply have heating and furnace-related questions. Our experts are the highest qualified furnace and heating system experts in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region.