How Often Should I Replace My Furnace?

January 10, 2021

The service life of your furnace is an important factor in budgeting for your home. After all, you can plan for the inevitable so you are not faced with a crisis. However, there is a big difference in planning for a replacement in 10 years versus 20 years. Learn how to determine the expected service life of your furnace, the variables affecting its life and how you can extend it. Manufacturer’s Goal Service Life All manufacturers have a goal in mind for how long their furnaces will last given good operating conditions and proper maintenance. These time frames are dependent on many variables and expressed as an average among all installed units. In addition to external variables, you have to consider the unit itself and the parts used within it. These parts make the saying true that you get what you pay for, even with furnaces. That does not mean that the most expensive units will last twice as long as the cheapest. However, it may be the difference between a system lasting 10 years versus 15 years. When properly maintained, forced air and high-efficiency condensing gas furnaces have an average service life of 15 to 20 years. Kerosene furnaces...

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HVAC Tips for the Holidays

December 10, 2020

The festive season is finally here. This means that soon you’ll be hosting guests in your house for fun activities such as football games and movie nights. It’s common for most homeowners to start decorating their homes with twinkle lights and other festive decorations. However, most people rarely think of their HVAC systems during such times. While you’re taking your time making your living space look festive, you should also keep in mind that your HVAC system is an essential home appliance that also deserves attention. Here are 14 HVAC tips that can help you and your guests stay safe and comfortable throughout the holiday season. 1. Check and Replace the Air Filter Improve your indoor air quality for your friends and family, especially those who are allergic or have asthma. A dirty air filter can’t effectively remove the pollutants from your home, so contaminants such as mold, mites, pet dander and viruses can linger in the air in your living space. What’s more, a dirty filter restricts the airflow into and out of your home and makes your entire system strain to maintain desired temperatures in your home. This makes it hard for you to benefit the most from...

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What is an Air Scrubber and Why Do I Need One?

December 1, 2020

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside our houses is up to five times as polluted as the outdoor air. Therefore, if you think your indoor air is clean, you may be very mistaken. It’s important to be concerned about your indoor air quality, particularly if anyone in your family has been suffering from asthma, allergies or respiratory issues. It is difficult to be comfortable, healthy and happy if your home contains allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold and other pollutants. Luckily, you can improve your indoor air quality easily with a device known as the air scrubber. This appliance will remove dust, odors, pet dander, VOCs, surface contaminants and other pollutants that have been afflicting your family and make life incredibly easier for you. Keep reading to find out exactly what this device is, what it does and why you need it. What an Air Scrubber Is An air scrubber is a specialized machine that is used to purify air without any ductwork. This device can also be used inside existing ductwork as a permanent fixture. Besides cleaning your indoor air, this machine can clean your home surfaces, including countertops, doorknobs and bathrooms. How the Air Scrubber...

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FAQ’s About Geothermal Heating

November 20, 2020

As a homeowner, you understand the importance of finding ways to save money while trying to keep your home in tip-top shape. One of the best ways to save a significant amount of money is to invest in efficient HVAC equipment to heat and cool your home. That’s because up to 40% of the average O’Fallon home’s utility bill is related to heating and cooling costs. Therefore, any changes you can make in this category can make a big impact overall. Although there are several good ways to keep your home comfortable, the most efficient method is to use a geothermal heating system from . Understanding how these systems work will help you determine if one is right for you. What Is a Geothermal Heating System? A geothermal heating system is a state-of-the-art way to heat your home. This system consists of pipes buried underground on your property, a pump, and a fan of some kind. Together, these components replace a typical HVAC system, providing both heating and cooling capabilities to keep your home comfortable year-round. How Does a Geothermal Heating System Work? The key to the geothermal system from is the closed loop – called a ground loop –...

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Best Heating Options for a Finished Basement

November 10, 2020

Nowadays, many homeowners are turning their basements into additional living spaces. Whether it is a place for the children to play, a TV room or a home office, your basement is a wonderful way to make your house feel bigger. However, the temperatures in the basement are lower than in the rest of your home. Your basement is always too cold because it’s usually below the ground and moister than other parts of the house. Lack of insulation and air leaks are also common in basements. Finally, there is the location of your thermostat. If you’re tired of chills when working in your basement office or cold feet when watching your TV programs, you need to find ways to keep that space warm. Explore the heating solutions below to find the best option to provide you with proper insulation and warmth for your basement. 1. Adding Fireplaces A basement fireplace can be a beautiful and comfortable addition to the look of your finished basement. Fireplaces are relatively easy to install, allowing you to heat the whole space using conventional methods. If possible, you can have a masonry fireplace, giving you enough space and enhancing comfort when using your basement. However,...

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How a Whole-Home Humidifier Makes Your Heater More Efficient

October 20, 2020

Updated March 24, 2026 A humidifier can be a great way of fine-tuning your humidity levels and keeping your indoor air comfortable. Though they are helpful all year round, humidifiers are especially useful when the heat is running. There are a few key reasons that a good humidifier is more important during the colder months. Air Is Normally Drier in Winter A big part of the reason humidifiers are used alongside heaters so much is simply because of the time of year. Usually, heaters are run during the chillier months. In most climates, winter weather is automatically drier. Snow adds a little moisture to the air, but it cannot compare to the humidity caused by heavy summer rainfalls. The lower precipitation levels of winter lead to air that is fairly crisp and dry. On average, humidity is about 8% lower during winter months. Without a humidifier, you might encounter all the unpleasant side effects of low humidity, such as: Chapped lips Itchy eyes Wood flooring cracking Nosebleeds Dry, cracking skin Static electricity shocks Increased cold, flu, and allergy symptoms All of these symptoms tend to appear most often in winter, even when your heater is not running. Winter has such...

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How Does a Heat Pump Work?

October 10, 2020

Adaptable to almost every application, heat pumps are rapidly becoming popular in homes and businesses. A heat pump has a mechanism that allows it to extract heat from one point and transfer it to another. For most homeowners, it’s the energy-saving ability that makes it so attractive. These devices use less energy in transferring heat from one location to another. You can use a heat pump to pull heat out of the ground to heat your office building or home. Additionally, you can use them to cool a building as well. Read on to learn more about how heat pumps work. The Refrigeration Cycle When it comes to cooling, refrigerators and heat pumps work in a similar way. The heat from the inside is extracted and moved outside the space. Through a three-step process, heat pumps convert liquid refrigerant into a gas. It then converts it back into a liquid. This is the conversion phase, or in layman’s language, the refrigeration cycle. A heat pump has three main components: the compressor, condenser and evaporator. Each plays a crucial role in the conversion phase. Step one: The compressor is located in the outdoor unit of the heat pump. It uses pressure...

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FAQs About Air Filter Ratings

September 20, 2020

No matter what type of heating and cooling system your St. Louis, MO, area home has, it’s important to check its air filter once a month. The air filter captures particles from your home’s air, which keeps your home cleaner, reduces excess wear and tear on the heating and cooling equipment, extends the heating and cooling system’s lifespan and helps you breathe easier. Choosing an air filter can be tough, which is why our technicians at offer these 10 FAQs and answers for homeowners in and around St. Louis. 1. What Rating System Is Used for Heating and Cooling Air Filters? The rating system used for heating and air conditioning air filters is called the minimum efficiency reported value, or MERV, system. This rating system was designed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. This is a group of professionals who each have decades of hands-on experience with building, designing, installing, maintaining and repairing heating, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning systems. 2. What Is the Range of Ratings for Air Filters? MERV ratings range from 1 to 20. The higher the MERV rating, the more particles 0.3 microns in size the filter is able to capture. It’s...

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A Beginner’s Guide to Indoor Air Quality

September 10, 2020

It used to be that our technicians worked mostly with heating and air conditioning systems. After all, is the company O’Fallon residents can trust to keep their homes at the right temperature. However, our expertise has expanded beyond the reading on your thermostat. Our experienced technicians also work with equipment that will improve the quality of your air. Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality People often take the air they breathe for granted. They assume that if there is no visible pollution, it must be clean. Think about what you see when a sunbeam shines through a window. Particles of dust float lazily in the light. If it is in your air, you and your family members are inhaling it with each breath. Your body does a decent job of filtering out some impurities. But smaller impurities make it through your natural defenses. When your home has poor air quality, you will see a variety of symptoms. People who are prone to allergies may develop a runny nose and cough. Irritants in the air can trigger asthma attacks in people with this condition. Chemicals floating in your air supply can cause headaches, poor sleep and an overall sense of feeling...

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Want To Save Energy and Money? Consider a Zoning System

August 15, 2020

If you are looking to save money and energy in your home, you should consider installing a zoned heating and air conditioning system. With this type of system, you can reduce your total energy usage as you control the temperature in each room. Here are a few things that you should know about this system. What Is a Zoned System? In some cases, a home will use two separate systems to heat or cool down the rooms. With a zoned HVAC system, the single unit will serve two or more zones. A zoned HVAC system usually includes a furnace combined with an air conditioner unit. An air handler or heat pump might also be a part of the setup. For each zone, several motor-driven dampers control the airflow to every room. Depending on the ductwork, the HVAC system might have a damper for each major component. These dampers can be left open or closed in the house. A modulating controller is also used to open the dampers halfway to meet each zone’s air conditioning or heating needs. Controlling the Temperature With a zoned system, there are several ways to control and monitor the zone temperatures. One of the simplest ways...

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