January 25, 2019

Tips to Combat the Cold Weather in Granite City, IL

When the weather outside is frightful, you don’t need to choose between freezing inside or having a gigantic heating bill. Taking a couple of small steps around your home can improve both your comfort and your heating efficiency. Check for Drafts You wouldn’t leave your windows or doors open while your heat is running, but a draft is almost the same thing. The small cracks around your windows and doors can lead to cold air pouring in. To combat this, make sure your weatherstripping provides an airtight fit or replace it. Reapply caulk around your windows anywhere you can feel cold air. Replace Your Air Filters on Time Don’t forget to follow the replacement or cleaning schedule for your air filters. Dirty air filters slow the flow of air through your furnace. This makes it take longer to heat your home, and the slower air flow could also mean that the heat won’t reach all areas of your home evenly. Use a Programmable Thermostat No one likes waking up or coming home to a freezing house, but there’s no reason to keep your home toasty while you’re asleep or at work. When you’re away from home, you only need to...

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October 10, 2018

Does Weather Damage My Heating System Over Time?

While normal rainfall does not damage an HVAC system over time, heavy amounts of continuous rain, as well as other forms of water, will deteriorate the interior and exterior of a heating system with proper maintenance by professional HVAC technicians. Flooding Flooding can severely impair the ability of a heating system to function properly. If your neighborhood has received over 10 inches in a short time, contact McFarland Indoor Comfort Systems today to schedule a thorough inspection of your unit. Excessively wet HVAC systems that cannot dry out for extended periods may suffer clogs, deteriorating wiring, insect infestations, and other problems potentially leading to operational failures. Hail and Ice While very short bursts of smaller than pea-sized hail won’t damage a heating system, longer bouts of bigger hail and icy rain will batter and possibly breach an unprotected HVAC system. However, what many people don’t know is that placing a heavy plastic tarp over an HVAC unit prevents air from flowing around the unit. Overheating or freezing up of the system could occur when HVAC units are too tightly covered. Snow Allowing snow to cover an heating unit for more than a couple of days allows moisture to constantly melt...

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