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Maintenance technician holding gauges.

HVAC Maintenance Will Save You Time and Money

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They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home. If that’s true, we would say your HVAC system is the pulse. Your HVAC system works tirelessly to ensure your optimal comfort. Without an adequate heating and cooling system, your entire house could become virtually unlivable at certain times of the year. That’s why proper, regular home HVAC maintenance is so important.

In short, it’s essential to make sure your heating and cooling system gets the proper care and maintenance it needs for high-quality performance and longevity. Taking a few basic steps for proper care can even eliminate future replacement or repair costs. Plus, it’s not hard!

Here are a few obvious steps to get you started on easy home HVAC maintenance:

Change Your Filters Regularly

The temptation to put off replacing filters has hit even the most dedicated of homeowners. We recommend changing your filters every 3 months for the best home HVAC maintenance results. This is the number one thing you can do to keep your home system functioning properly.

Clean filters reduce wear and tear on the blower components, increase the air quality in your home and help reduce airborne allergies such as dust and pet dander. If you find that replacing the filters every 3 months isn’t sufficient, don’t be afraid to swap them out more often.

Do your research and find the correct filters as using ones that aren’t a good fit for your unit can reduce the airflow to your system. This will create an unnecessary strain that will reduce its efficiency. If you have an air purification system or other aftermarket accessories, like a humidifier, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for changing those filters. Don’t forget, even ductless systems have filters that need to be changed.

Clean Your Ductwork

Ductwork is an often neglected part of home HVAC maintenance because it’s out of sight and often, out of mind! Ductwork needs to be cleaned every 4-6 years depending on the dust and allergen factor of your local area and your desired level of inside air quality. Dust bunnies seem to spontaneously reproduce in these hidden spaces and then get blown out with the heat or AC and can cover your home in dust and allergens.

It’s especially noticeable if you have hardwood floors as carpets easily hide the level of dust that is really adding up. A professional is usually the best for the job, as they have the proper equipment to easily and safely clean even the hardest to reach spots in the enclosed ducts.

Check Your Outside Condenser Unit For Debris

Keeping overgrown vegetation, such as bushes and piles of blown leaves, clear from your AC condenser unit is key to keeping the airflow intake free of any debris and working at top performance. Be aware that pollen or seeds from certain trees, like cottonwoods or the helicopter seeds from maple trees, are notorious for clogging outdoor AC condensing units.

Take off the exterior cover and clean seeds from the interior. An unexpected home HVAC maintenance issue can also arise if dryer vents are pointed towards your condenser. Dryer lint can be blown into the unit causing loads of problems that could result in an expensive replacement. Ensure that the vent is pointed away from the condenser.

Inspect Your Evaporator Coil’s Drain Pipe

Your AC condenser drain pipe can hold a myriad of issues, including blockages of algae and mold. Keeping it clean is a critical part of home HVAC maintenance. During the wet weather months of spring and summer, this can be a very common problem.

First, locate your drain line. It is usually a white, grey or black one-inch PVC pipe that typically drains outside near the condenser unit. Inspect it to see if there are blockages or build up inside the pipe. Then, using a wet-dry vacuum hose to suck up any plugged areas out of the line. If super duty help is needed, pouring a liberal amount of bleach through the drain pipe can help clear out any biological matter as well. Finally, don’t forget to remove the paper filter from the wet/dry vac so it doesn’t get ruined in this process.

Clean and Straighten The Fins On Your Outdoor Unit

Carefully remove the exterior outer cover of your condenser unit and brush it off or use a vacuum with a brush attachment to remove all outside dirt or vegetation that may be built up. Then, gently use a garden hose and spray from the inside out through the fins to clear any built-up dirt or debris that may be restricting the airflow. Make sure that the pressure you use is just enough to do the job, strong pressure can damage the fin.

Bent fins can happen from simple accidental bumps with the lawnmower or a yard toy. More serious incidents, such as a bad hail storm, can create significant damage. This can cause blocked airflow which will always add to more wear and tear on your unit, shorten it’s the life span and cause higher utility bills. Fins are easily bent back into place using a tool called a “fin comb,” which are sold online from HVAC retailers. Be sure and unplug the unit before working on any kind of home HVAC maintenance.

Get Regular Professional Maintenance

Hiring a professional to help keep things running smoothly is essential to keep your HVAC system healthy and running efficiently. Most problems and home HVAC maintenance can easily be completed DIY, but a competent professional has the knowledge and experience to run more complex fixes. The technician will have the tools and equipment to handle the hazardous coolant and diagnose any air leakages or electrical problems. A professional inspection will find signs of trouble well before they happen, saving you thousands in repair or replacement costs. They should inspect the blower motor, refrigerant levels and observe the thermostat to ensure the proper operation and can make recommendations as needed.

Staying on top of your HVAC maintenance will save you time, money and hassle as well as create a true home that is comfortable and welcoming. Spend some time at the beginning of each season to go through the recommended maintenance and the “heart” of your family’s home, as well as your pocketbook, will thank you.

The Difference Between Regular and Emergency Furnace Repair

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Furnaces typically work without any issues, especially if they are less than 3 years old.  Regular maintenance decreases the likeliness of running into a trouble with your furnace as well.  However, there may be times where a furnace just isn’t working right, so it is important to understand the difference between a regular furnace repair need and an emergency repair need.

If you live in the Tri-state, you understand what kind of emergencies can occur in the dead of winter.  There are instances in which you may be in need of emergency furnace repair or system replacement.  With some general investigation, you should be able to determine whether your furnace only needs some minor attention, or if it will take a licensed expert to solve the problem.

How To Know If You Should Call In A Professional

1. The Problem Seems to be With the Electrical Components

Electrical components play a vital role in how your entire home functions.  You are reliant on the electrical system in your home to provide power you need to continuously run your heating or cooling systems.

If your lights flicker when your system is running, it may be a good indicator that it is time to call a professional to come diagnose your unit.  A solid understanding of even the basics of your electrical system can provide you with the knowledge you need to spot potential hazards, but you should still consult a professional.

View the video below if you’d like to see some basic information about every home’s electrical system and also basic electrical system safety.

ESFI.org – Electrical Safety Foundation International, Home Electrical Safety, via Youtube

If you are uncertain about exactly what is the problem with the electrical system, do not try and repair the system yourself.  Electrical systems can be dangerous to tamper without the proper knowledge and training.

2. The Furnace System is Making Loud or/and Unusual Noises

Even when a furnace appears to be running without any issues, they can start making loud or unusual noises, seemingly out of the blue.  If you are certain the noise is coming through the ductwork, you may need to insulate your ductwork in order to bring down the noise.  If the furnace itself is to blame for the noise, it could be one of several things:

  • Pilot light is improperly adjusted
  • The blower motor lubrication ports need oiling

Sometimes, the nature of the noise can hint at what the underlying problem is.

a. Popping/Pinging Noise: This could perhaps be due to thermal expansion.  That is, the ductwork is expanding or contracting due to the change in temperature.

b. Squealing Noise: Perhaps a belt that connects the fan to the motor is slipping or may need replacement.

c. Rattling Noise: There may be loose panels that should be tightened.

d. Grinding Noise: Possibly motor bearings in need of repair.  Definitely call a service professional if this is happening to you.

3. The HVAC System is Repeatedly Turning Itself Off and On

If your issue with your furnace seems to be that it continuously turns itself off and then on, you may have a worn out air filter.  Try remember when the last time you had your air filters replaced, as that could hint at whether it actually is an air filter or not.

If the filter is new and the problem is still occurring, it may mean that your system has a more serious underlying issue.  It is recommended to call a service professional at this point, as continued use without addressing the issue could stress the compressor and lead to a mechanical failure.

 

3 Reasons to Upgrade Your HVAC Unit

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When you’re a homeowner, you depend on having a well-functioning HVAC unit. It’s the kind of thing that you don’t pay much attention to until it malfunctions, leaving your home sweltering and your wallet hurting.

While we specialize in keeping our customers’ systems running properly—through our same-day visits and stellar maintenance plans—there are times when it becomes obvious that a customer needs to consider upgrading their unit. Here are three of those biggest tell-tale signs:

Constant Mechanical Issues

Does your system seem to break down every year? You may have the best mechanics in the world, but the cost of constantly repairing your unit will eventually add up to what you would have spent on a brand new unit if you’d made the upgrade years ago.

Increased Energy Efficiency

If you can hear your rusty old unit starting up from inside the house, then you’re probably spending way too much money on your energy bills. When you invest in a new, energy-efficient HVAC unit, you’ll be amazed to see how your energy bills get lower each month! While there may be some initial sticker shock—and there my not be! See our next point—we almost always find that our customers are pleased to see how much money they save once they make an upgrade.

Affordability

Between Bryant Rebate Season and our flexible financing options, we always have a cost-lowering solution for our customers. We really believe in the Bryant products that we sell, and if it seems like the best option for your home, we may recommend that you make an upgrade. But we won’t stop there. We’ll make every effort to make sure that you’re getting the best bang for your buck! We’ll direct you towards the unit that should carry you through the next few decades.

If your unit is pointing you to any one of these reasons to upgrade, go ahead and give us a call. We’re ready to send one of our technicians to inspect your unit today!

Can Dirty Air Filters Cause A House Fire?

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The simple answer? Yes.

It’s one of the main reasons that we constantly remind our customers to change their air filters. Dirty air filters not only negatively impact your home’s air quality, but they also inhibit your system’s ability to perform. If you’ve allowed your air filters to get severely clogged, you could be blocking air flow completely. This will result in your furnace working too hard—yes, even in the spring and summer months, your furnace works hard to keep your air cool—and can eventually cause system failure.

Even worse than system failure—which could cost you thousands in either repair or replacement costs—is an overheated motor. An overheated motor can start a domino effect of bad reactions. Does your furnace have faulty wiring? If so, the overheated motor (or a rise in voltage) could spark a fire. Are there flammable objects around your furnace? Those could also catch fire. Trust us—there are lots of opportunities for things to go terribly wrong, but that’s what our experts look out for on our regular maintenance visits.

Another way a fire could start? When your furnace is working hard to pull air through, the dirty air filter could eventually get sucked back into the system. When this happens, air flow is compromised and you’re at serious risk of a fire starting at the furnace level. And, bad news, the smoke from the fire will travel through your ventilation system quite easily.

We don’t mean to scare you. We only mean to remind you that your home is running on a sophisticated system, and that system needs to be maintained regularly. The cheapest and easiest way you can do that is to keep those air filters clean!

If you’d like a thorough inspection of your home’s unit, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re ready to send one of our technicians to your house today!

Resolve to SAVE Next Year

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It’s time to make some new year’s resolutions! We’re here to tell you that making your savings account a priority is easier than you think—most people are spending WAY too much money on their home comfort! Here are our tips for lowering those monthly energy bills and avoiding expensive repairs and replacements:

Get on a Maintenance Schedule

Preventative maintenance visits are crucial! Not only do we make sure that your unit is clean and running at peak efficiency, but we can also spot breakdowns before they happen. We talked about our maintenance visits, including  in a blog post earlier this month, which you can find here!

Invest in Energy Efficiency

While sometimes investing in energy efficiency means that it’s time to ditch that old and rackety HVAC machine that breaks down every year, it can also mean investing in frequent air filter changes! Sometimes, you don’t even need to make a financial investment to make sure things are running smoothly. You’d be amazed at how many people forget to clear debris away from their outdoor unit! Invest a little bit of time each week to clearing away that surface-level yard debris, and you’ll save yourself both money and the heartache of having to evict a rodent family from your unit once winter is over.

Become a Smart Home

The upfront cost of a smart thermometer sometimes scares homeowners away from making the investment, but the more people make the switch, the more it’s being discovered that these smart thermostats save homeowners money almost instantly! What’s more is that you can integrate your new smart thermostat with the other smart equipment in your home, taking both your home security up a notch and your home’s energy consumption down a notch.

Take Advantage of Financing Options

Thinking it’s time to make a few of these upgrades in order to save money in the long-haul? Lucky for you, we offer multiple “buy now, pay later” options for the equipment we offer our customers. You’d be hard-pressed to find financing opportunities as easy as ours!

We hope these tips will be helpful to you! There’s nothing we hate more than to find that our customers have been spending way too much money on their energy bills or on expensive repairs that could easily be prevented.Take these tips to heart, so that 2019 can be your best financial year yet!

Tips for Weathering Storm Season in the MidWest

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Whether you’re new to the Tri-State Area or you’ve been here your whole life, storm season always seems to catch our customers off guard.

Remember the ice storm during the winter of 2008/2009?

The storms will be rolling in before we know it, so we thought we’d share our best tips to help you out:

Be prepared for an outage.

Let’s get this out of the way first—it’s the most important point. Whether we’re dealing with tornadoes or a really serious thunderstorm, power outages are just a fact of life in this part of the country.

Check out this blog post for our best tips on making it through a power outage. Spoiler: you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a generator!

Get the best generator for YOU.

Generators are NOT one-size-fits-all. Depending on what you want to use it for, you could spend from $100 – a few thousand on this piece of equipment! That’s why we offer a wide range of options when it comes to purchasing a generator. We believe that generators can be your best friend if you invest in the right kind.

Not only will they keep your electricity on, but they’ll also keep your HVAC unit going so that it doesn’t have to work overtime to catch up once the power comes back.

Check out this blog for an overview of our home generator advice.

Be the most prepared business in town.

When your business chooses to work with BNG Heating & Cooling, we go out of our way to make sure that you’re able to keep your doors open during even the most extreme conditions. Power outages are no exception!

When you’re the only building on the strip with your lights on, you’ll be thankful you chose to work with BNG for all your commercial needs.

Work with a team you trust.

Not only is the equipment we sell best-in-class, but our team of technicians and maintenance experts are the best in the area! If you consistently work with BNG, you’ve got the privilege of getting regular maintenance checkups, of being advised by local Bryant Authorized Dealers, and of trusting that we’ve found the generator that best suits your home and family’s needs.

Oh, and did we mention that we offer a flexible variety of financing options?

That means you can buy the generator that you need and pay for it over time.

Want our team to help prepare you for storm season?

Call us to schedule your consultation today!

The Cost of a Broken AC for Businesses

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For business owners, scheduling an HVAC checkup is probably the LAST thing on your mind. But we’re here to tell you to raise it to the top of the list, because an unexpected breakdown could seriously cost your business.

Follow along to learn how.

Customer Happiness

Are you a retail space? Then you know how important customer satisfaction is. Even if a customer comes in and doesn’t buy anything, a pleasant shopping experience will encourage them to keep coming back until they find something they want to buy.

Say your system breaks down and you decide to keep the store open. Each and every customer that walks through your doors that day will be itching to get out as soon as they step in.

You don’t want that to be their memory of your store!

These retailers are innovators in the realm of creating a customer experience. Do you think they’d risk a day of providing a miserable shopping experience to their customers?

Employee Performance

If your customers are dying to leave the store, you can imagine how miserable your employees are, sitting there all day sweating it out. Do you think they’ll be perky enough to sell your product if they’re unhappy at work?

Even if you’re not in retail.

Office workers NEED to be happy in their workplace. It increases their satisfaction and actually drives your bottom line. Don’t sacrifice your employees’ comfort, even if you think the HVAC outage is only for a short period of time. The message will be clear: The boss doesn’t care about their comfort or their happiness at work.

Office Closure

If you’re being kind to both your employees and your customers and closing your doors during the HVAC breakdown, you’ll likely be facing days of unproductively and revenue loss. As a small business ourselves, we know the kind of impact that has on a business.

That’s why we’re here to remind you that scheduling regular HVAC maintenance checkups for your business is incredibly important!

And partnering with BNG to get that done will take it off your list, so that you don’t even have to worry about it.

Call us to schedule your commercial HVAC consultation today!

Portable Humidifiers vs. Whole House Humidifiers

Whole House Humidifier vs. Portable Humidifiers

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We’re nearing the month of November, and the air around us is getting drier and drier.

This is the time of year that customers start asking us what we recommend when it comes to air humidifiers, so we thought we’d break down the pros and cons of the most popular options on today’s blog!

PORTABLE HUMIDIFIERS

Pros

  • Low Cost
    • People usually start with this option, to see the difference they feel when the air in their home has been humidified.
  • Portable
    • Most customers learn that they love breathing in the moist air that humidifiers offer. When they’ve purchased one of these small units, they can put it in the space that’s most optimal for them.
  • Versatile
    • These units come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and even functionalities. Since it will likely be on display, people like to choose one that fits their personal style.

Cons

  • Portable
    • It can be frustrating to have to carry the humidifier into different rooms, and if you decide to purchase a separate unit for another room, it becomes just as expensive as a whole house humidifier.
  • Range of Humidifying
    • Since it’s a smaller unit, it is only able to truly humidify one area of your home at a time.
  • Maintenance
    • Portable humidifiers require daily water changes, and if not done correctly collected water can contribute to the spread of bacteria in your home.

WHOLE HOUSE HUMIDIFIERS

Pros

  • Scale of Performance
    • This is a bona-fide home heating MACHINE. It can control the humidity levels for every room and every floor of the house—not just one area at a time.
  • Maintenance
    • Unlike the portable option, there is no daily maintenance required for a whole house humidifier. They’re connected to your home’s water supply, so all you have to do is change its pads like you’d change an air filter.
  • Very Quiet
    • Though portable humidifiers aren’t extremely loud, they’re certainly louder than the whole house option.
  • Low Cost
    • While installation costs are higher than the portable option, which requires no installation fee, the cost over time is significantly lower for whole house humidifiers, as they have a longer lifespan and reach more areas than portable options can.

Cons

  • Commitment
    • When it comes down to it, the only major con that our customers find with whole house humidifiers is that they aren’t ready to make a commitment to a complete humidifying system. Often, this con goes away when they’ve tried out a portable option and see the difference in air quality that they enjoy throughout the winter!

The team at BNG Heating and Cooling is comprised of home comfort experts. We can help you install your home humidifying system today! Give us a call or visit one of our many locations to get started.

Home Maintenance Mistakes You Make Every Fall

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The first official day of fall is just days away!

This change of seasons comes with a long to-do list for homeowners, and, unfortunately, most homeowners get that to-do list all wrong.

You’re covering your outdoor AC unit.

While a unit cover may seem appealing for blocking out leaves, sticks, and other debris that collects in the fall and winter months, AC covers actually present a much greater risk of sealing in moisture and allowing it to freeze inside your unit.

Maybe your unit even came with a custom-shaped cover?

Trust us—don’t use it.

You’re not scheduling maintenance when everything is running well.

You just survived another hot, hot summer and your AC never broke down—phew! It’s easy to claim that “win” then move on to the fall thinking that everything will be fine until next summer, but would you leave your car parked for 6 months and expect it to run perfectly when you crank it back up? Nope!

Just like any other heavy machinery, your AC unit needs to be checked and tuned up throughout the year, even if you haven’t noticed any problems. This saves you so much money in expensive repairs and unit replacements down the road.

You’re not doing anything at all.  

If you’re in this boat, here’s a small list of things that you need to be doing in order to keep your unit running efficiently for as long as it can:

  • Wash Your AC Unit

Using just a water hose, you can wash off the outdoor debris that has collected on your unit all summer. You should work to clear out leaves, dirt, small twigs and branches, weeds, and any other trash collecting in your unit.

Some online instructions will tell you to disassemble your unit in order to more thoroughly clean it. We recommend leaving this more rigorous cleaning to your AC maintenance experts, so that you do not damage any of the fragile internal parts of your unit.  

  • Install Foam Pipe Covers

Adding these around the exposed pipes on the exterior of your house adds a little extra insulation and protection against the freezing temperatures that are to come. All you need are rolls of pipe insulation, heavy-duty scissors to cut it with, and some duct tape to hold it all together. Here’s a great step-by-step instructional video.

Want experts to help you prepare your unit for fall?

Having regular maintenance is, hands down, the most sure-fire way to ensure a long life for your HVAC unit.

Give us a call or go online to schedule your consultation today.

Why You Should Choose a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer

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When it comes to quality products, Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems has been an industry leader for over 100 years. As a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer, BNG Heating and Cooling has a deep knowledge of the products and systems that have made Bryant such a recognizable force in the heating and cooling industry

When you are searching for an HVAC service provider, you want a company that is knowledgeable, professional, and trustworthy. That’s why you should always choose a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer.

bryant technician fixing an ac unit

Knowledgeable Technicians

The Factory Authorized Dealer (FAD) distinction is given to heating and cooling professionals who demonstrate superior knowledge in Bryant products and systems. BNG earned the Bryant FAD authorization after meeting their highest standards of quality and product knowledge.

When you choose a FAD, you are choosing the most knowledgeable possible option to install, maintain, or repair your heating and cooling system.

woman speaking with a bryant dealer

Professional Service

A Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer is your own personal specialist, ready to work quickly and professionally to serve your needs. The service you receive is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

This means you are in the hands of a trusted professional, no matter which Bryant product you own:

  • Air conditioning unit
  • Furnace
  • Heat pump
  • Air purifier
  • Humidifier
  • Any other Bryant product

Trustworthy Results

When it comes to your home’s HVAC unit, the fewer breakdowns the better. Working with a FAD means you are receiving the most reliable service possible. What does reliable service mean? It means fewer repairs and more peace of mind that your home will always be comfortable.

Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer Evansville IN

BNG Heating and Cooling is a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer bringing unequaled service to Evansville and the surrounding areas since 1946. When the time comes to choose your next heating and cooling service partner, remember that Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers uphold Bryant’s strictest quality and service standards.

Contact us through our website or give us a call to request an appointment today.

  • Boonville: 812-897-3000
  • Evansville: 812-858-4000
  • Newburgh: 812-858-9576
  • Richland: 812-359-5044