How to Relight and Troubleshoot Your Gas Furnace

September 6, 2021

A pilot light system is an essential component of a gas heating system. There are many different types of ignition systems today. Here are some tips on how to relight your furnace and troubleshoot the pilot light. Standing vs. Automatic Ignition Furnace Before relighting, it is essential to understand the type of ignition system in your furnace. The two main categories are electronic and the standing pilot light. The standing pilot light is often found in equipment made before the 1990s. The pilot will burn for as long as it detects heat from the pilot light. When the flame goes out, a safety mechanism shuts off the gas supply. Since the pilot light has to burn round the clock, it requires a continuous gas supply to keep the flame lit. Estimates suggest it can consume up to 800 BTU/hour, which amounts to hundreds of dollars in utility bills. A standing pilot light is more practical for places with colder climates. St. Louis experiences freezing weather for three months every year. Therefore, it is more convenient to keep the flame lit. But in warmer weather, the pilot light will be on when no heating is required. That means it will waste...

View Article

Read More

What Size Furnace Do I Need?

February 18, 2021

When it’s time to replace the furnace in your O’Fallon, MO, home, it’s important to choose one that’s the right size. A furnace with insufficient capacity will run all the time and quickly wear itself out. On the other hand, a furnace with too much capacity will waste energy and could lead to parts of your home that are too warm or too cold. At , we’re the trusted installation team for new furnaces, and our skilled heating technicians will ensure that you get a new furnace that’s the right size for your home. Here are some of the factors that we use when determining the size or capacity of a furnace you need. Determine Your Home’s Heating Factor Your home’s heating factor is a measure of how much heat energy is required to maintain a consistent indoor temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Climate is the primary consideration in a home’s heating factor, but there are a few other aspects of this measure that are important to keep in mind. If your home was built in 1950 with 2-by-4 lumber and still has the original single-pane window with aluminum storm windows, your home will need a furnace with a higher...

View Article

Read More

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,...

View Article

Read More

How To Light a Pilot Light on a Furnace

February 20, 2020

When your furnace’s pilot light goes out, the bad news is that you won’t have any heat. The good news, in most cases, is that you’ll be able to re-light it on your own. Follow These Steps Each furnace should come with an instruction label that will tell you what to do to light it. If you can’t find or read this label, these general instructions should work. First, look for an On/Off switch for your pilot light, which should be at the bottom of your furnace. Turn the switch to the Off position, and wait for five minutes or longer so that any gas can dissipate. This is an important safety step that will ensure that the gas in the air won’t ignite when you’re holding an open flame. While you’re waiting, find the button that says “Reset,” since you’ll be using this later. After at least five minutes, turn the switch to “Pilot.” Hold down the reset button while bringing the flame from a long lighter or match to the pilot light opening. It should catch immediately, but once the flame does catch, let go of the reset button. Still Won’t Work? If you’re not able to light...

View Article

Read More

How Long Should a Furnace Last?

February 10, 2020

In today’s consumer culture, where many items you purchase in O’Fallon are made to be replaced within a short time, you may be concerned about the lifespan of your furnace. After all, a furnace is a significant investment as well as an important part of your family’s comfort, so you don’t want it to simply break down after a few years. Fortunately, a furnace is one consumer item that is built for the long haul. Just how much time, though, can you expect to get out of a furnace? Read on to find out more. Buy Once, Buy Quality Though you’ll be able to get several years out of any furnace you buy, there are different levels of quality depending on how much you spend upfront. That’s not to say that you should purchase the most expensive furnace available, just that’s it’s good to buy a quality furnace once if you can afford to rather than buying a mediocre furnace two or three times. Make sure to do your research before making a purchase and be sure to buy through a reputable O’Fallon, Missouri, dealer such as . Maintenance Is Everything If you want to get every last year out...

View Article

Read More

Are Annual Furnace Inspections Necessary?

January 1, 2020

Ideally, you will have your home’s furnace inspected at least once a year to ensure that it is in proper working condition. An inspection may make it possible to detect minor issues before they wreak havoc on both the furnace and your finances. Inspect Every Aspect of the Furnace It is unlikely that you have the tools or experience to conduct a thorough and comprehensive furnace inspection. A NATE-certified technician from in O’Fallon will ensure that there are no gas leaks, that the motors are clean, and that there are no physical defects that need to be fixed. Service plans may be available that make it easier to ensure that your furnace gets the attention it needs. Ensure Your Furnace Is Efficient Throughout the Year An annual furnace inspection will enable this component to work more efficiently during the colder winter months. Ultimately, your home will be warmer without necessarily increasing your heating bill. This is because you may be able to keep the thermostat at its current temperature or even lower it a few degrees. Furthermore, you will see even heating throughout your house, which means that you may not need space heaters or other products that use extra...

View Article

Read More

What Causes Heating Repairs?

December 20, 2019

As the winter holiday season kicks in full swing, you’re probably going to start spending more time indoors. To get that conducive holiday experience that you so much desire, you may have to resort to heating and warming your house using various solutions, the most common of which is your HVAC equipment. What frustration level can exceed that of turning on your heating equipment only to find out that it is broken? Here are various causes of such problems that may prompt heating repairs. Strange Noises Your heating equipment’s functioning parts can produce some strange noises that you have never heard of before. These noises are normally associated with a developing problem, which, when left unattended, could lead to a major breakdown. Most strange noises come from the equipment’s moving parts, such as the blower or even the drive belts. Insufficient Heating When you turn on the thermostat to adjust the temperature setting, it may fail to capture the accurate heat levels that you desire. This is another common problem in most of our homes today. It is caused by thermostat-related problems, which can be corrected by replacing the thermostat. It can also be caused by a malfunctioning furnace, where...

View Article

Read More

What To Do If My Furnace Keeps Turning Off

November 22, 2019

Various problems can cause your furnace to constantly be turning off and on. This revolving sequence of turning off and on is called short cycling. Do not despair! Fixing this problem can be simple and relatively inexpensive. What You Can Check There are three simple things you can check to see if they are causing your furnace to keep turning off: Filter: Check to see if your air filter is clean. If your air filter is dirty, it will restrict the air flowing into your furnace, causing the heat exchanger to overheat. When the heat exchanger gets too hot, your furnace will turn off. Open the filter door and remove the filter. If it is covered in dust and dirt, go ahead and replace it. Replace your filter every two or three months during heating season. Thermostat: Make sure the thermostat is working properly. If your thermostat is functioning improperly, it will send wrong information to your heating system controls. Observe it while your furnace is operating. Look for anything that is odd. Make sure the batteries are fresh. Vents: Make sure all of your heat vents are open. Open all of the heat vents in your house or business....

View Article

Read More

Furnace vs Fireplace: Which One is More Efficient?

November 15, 2019

People in Missouri have all sorts of options when it comes to heating their homes, but the most common debate is probably furnace versus fireplace. Both options offer advantages, and the choice of whether you should go with a gas furnace or a gas fireplace may come down to personal preference and the design and size of your house. Among the factors you should consider are BTU ratings, efficiency and reliability. What Is a British Thermal Unit? Heating power is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs. One unit is equivalent to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. BTU ratings give you as the homeowner an idea of how powerful a furnace or fireplace is. It should be noted, however, that the BTU rating of a particular furnace may not be directly comparable to that of a fireplace because of differences in their operation. Judging the Efficiency of a Furnace Versus a Fireplace For furnaces, the manufacturer will usually list the unit’s extraction efficiency in the manual. Extraction efficiency is about how much of the fuel is turned into heat. The problem with a furnace is that some...

View Article

Read More

3 Signs Your Heating System is Overworked

October 22, 2019

As winter settles into St. Louis, your furnace will kick in to keep you and your home warm. While the equipment is designed to function throughout the cold season, it shouldn’t be overworked. An overtaxed heater is prone to many issues from reduced energy efficiency to more frequent repairs. How do you know if your heating system is overworked? Keep an eye out for these red flags: 1. High Utility Bills It’s natural for your utility bills to rise during winter, but unusually high spikes could indicate your system is exerting itself more than usual. If there’s a problem causing your system to work harder to reach your desired temperature, it will consume more energy. This rise in energy consumption leads to higher utility bills, and that should alert you to a problem. 2. The House Is Always Cold If your house feels cold no matter how high you crank the thermostat, then you may have a furnace problem. Pay attention to your furnace to see how it’s running. If you can hear it operating constantly, then it’s overworked and unable to keep up with your heating needs. This can be caused by something as simple as a dirty air...

View Article

Read More