Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration Blog : Archive for September, 2017

Prepare Your Home for the Arlington, VA Heating Season

Saturday, September 30th, 2017

The winter months in Virginia offer a lot of great things, but if you find yourself in a home without a functioning heater, you won’t find much to feel  happy about. It’s important that you start preparing for the upcoming heating season before you need to depend on your heater to keep you comfortable. Unpleasant surprises and sudden emergencies are the last things you want to experience during the coldest days of the year.

OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. has a few tips for how to get your home ready for the Arlington, VA heating season. If you want quality professional assistance, you can always contact one of our trained technicians.

Winterize your home

If you haven’t installed storm windows, get that done as soon as you can: they can stop significant heat loss. Check to see that the insulation in the attic is in good shape, since heat rises and the attic is a perfect place for it to escape. Get weather stripping placed around outside doors. Do everything you can so that your home retains the heat that your system will put into it!

Test run your heating system

This is a good technique to avoid a shock when you first need your heater to keep you warm. During a warmer day, switch on your heater and see if anything seems amiss: unusual smells from vents, bizarre rattling or grinding noises, or weakened heating. If anything needs repair, you can get it done before the cold arrives. If the heater doesn’t turn on at all… won’t you be glad you didn’t wait until winter to find that out?

Schedule a maintenance check

The best defense against winter breakdowns is to have your heater receive an inspection and tune-up before it has to take on the heavy work. You should have maintenance done annually, usually in the fall, so your heater will perform at its best and with lower risk of malfunction. A technician will come to your house and check connections, wiring, piping, and the power source, and then make necessary adjustments. The technician will also discover anything that may require repair. After a maintenance visit, you’ll have peace of mind about your heater’s operation for the winter.

Complete your winter preparations in early fall: don’t procrastinate until the first unexpected cold snap. Take advantage of OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc.’s maintenance contract and find out what we can do for you.

 

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With Cool Weather Ahead, Is It Time to Replace Your Old Furnace?

Thursday, September 28th, 2017

It’s hard to imagine that September is almost over already! Weren’t we just in the middle of a balmy summer? But the calendar doesn’t lie, and it won’t be long until we will need our heating systems working to keep us cozy all the way until the spring arrives again.

While it’s still early fall and some summer heat lingers, you should give thought to the old furnace in your house. Now might be the best time to replace it so you’ll be prepared for anything the winter season might throw at you.

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Should You Get a New Furnace in Time for Winter?

Monday, September 25th, 2017

Here we are in the fall, and we can expect to enjoy some gorgeous weather in Virginia in the coming months before the winter cold really arrives. During this space between the temperature extremes of the year is when we recommend that you evaluate your home furnace to see if it needs to be replaced. If you have a furnace that’s only a few years old, it will probably be fine for the winter—as long as it receives its annual maintenance inspection and tune-up. (Get on the schedule for maintenance before it gets crowded!)

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What Noises Signify a Need for Heating Repair?

Saturday, September 23rd, 2017

Many people don’t schedule heating repair until the furnace conks out entirely. Most heaters are placed in an out-of-the-way location, and we don’t think about them as long as they turn on when we want them to. But problems in a heater rarely arrive unannounced. They build up quietly over time, but there are some warning signs. Alexandria, VA has cold winters, which means that homeowners may not be aware that there’s a problem until just before the first cold front arrives. In those circumstances, it pays to spot the warning signs – or warning sounds – early. What noises signify a need for heating repair? A few of the more common sounds are listed below.

  • Grating or screeching noise. A screeching or grating noise may suggest metal grinding against metal, which happens when the blower becomes bent or misaligned. It may also come from a faulty bearing in the motor or similar motorized malfunction.
  • Rattling sound. Sometimes, older furnaces will make a rattling sound when they start up or die down. If the rattling continues when the furnace is running, however, it may indicate a loose component, or problem with the heat exchanger. If you ever suspect a problem with the heat exchanger, call for repair right away.
  • A clanging or a creaking noise. Sometimes, in cold weather, your pipes or ducts will expand and contract when hot air is introduced to them after a while. As with the rattling, it may be all right if you start your heater in the cold after a lengthy time lying idle. If it continues for a significant length of time, however, it may indicate a bigger problem and you should call a professional before a leak or a rupture develops.
  • A bumping or a thumping noise. The likely culprit is a fan belt which has become cracked or broken. Loss of a fan belt will likely stop the furnace from functioning, so it needs to be replaced as quickly as possible.

If you hear noises that signify a need for heating repair, don’t hesitate to call a service that can help. Call OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc.  if you need heating repair in Alexandria, VA or the surrounding area.

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3 Reasons to Schedule Furnace Maintenance Today

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

Your furnace is usually located out of the way of your living space, so you may not think about it much until it needs repairs. But here in Fairfax, you’re bound to use your unit throughout the coming cold months, which means your furnace will see a lot of wear and tear this season. This is why it’s important to schedule regular furnace maintenance with a licensed contractor once a year. A heating expert will inspect your entire system and look for any problems that may need repair. Some parts may also be cleaned or adjusted as needed, an important step in owning a heating system. Still not convinced? Here are 3 reasons that the technicians at OASIS Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, Inc. recommend scheduling furnace maintenance today.

  • Performance: Your furnace may not be performing as well as it should, but this won’t always be immediately evident to homeowners. During a maintenance visit, a technician uses specialized tools to check a few important processes with your furnace, including testing the airflow and checking the power. If one of these factors is not quite right, your unit may take longer to heat your home. Maintenance ensures comfort for you and your family, and keeps parts from failing due to electrical issues, inadequate airflow, and other common problems.
  • Efficiency: A well-maintained furnace is also more efficient than one that does not receive regular maintenance. You can keep your unit more efficient by changing the filter regularly and calling for repairs at the first sign of trouble. But a maintenance technician can check for dirt and debris in the unit and even ductwork problems which may harm the efficiency of your unit. The low cost of furnace maintenance can actually save you money over the years.
  • Longer Lifespan: Regular maintenance may even increase the lifespan of your unit. If a part of your furnace is not working properly, it can wear down quickly, causing your unit to fail prematurely. Maintenance is simply the best way to ensure that no component needs urgent repair.

To schedule furnace maintenance in Fairfax with a reliable, friendly technician, talk to one of the experts at OASIS Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, Inc. today!

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Fall Is Here… Is It Time to Replace That Old Air Conditioner?

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

Now that we are moving into fall, we can expect to experience some relief from the very hot summer weather. The cold of winter still lies some distance away, and our air conditioners may need to do some more work until then, but it’s a good time to start thinking about whether your AC is in good enough shape to keep working for another few years… or if now is the ideal time to take advantage of the slower fall season and have it replaced.

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How a Furnace Tune-Up Keeps Your Furnace Safe

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017

A question that heating professionals often hear is whether natural gas furnaces are safe or not. It’s understandable that people might worry about the safety of a gas furnace, since CO poisoning is a major health concern. However, the modern gas furnace is manufactured with safety as the uppermost concern. Gas furnaces have multiple safety features that help to protect homes from dangers due to combustion and toxic gases.

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Arlington, VA Heating Tip: What to Look For in a New Heating System

Saturday, September 16th, 2017

When you are in the market for a new heating system in Arlington, VA, there are many factors to consider. Fuel costs in the area, efficiency ratings, and the size of your home are just to name a few. Whether you are considering a new furnace or heat pump, we’ve put together a few guidelines to get you started in this process.

Feel free to call the Arlington, VA heating experts at OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. if you have further questions or would like to go over the different types of heating systems that we offer.

Understanding Efficiency Ratings

As you compare all the different models, you’ll notice that each one has what’s called the AFUE rating. This stands for “Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency,” and it’s a percentage based on what amount of fuel is converted into usable heat. Furnaces and heat pumps with higher ratings are more efficient. You should look for ones with efficiency ratings above 90% if you want more savings.

Fuel Type

If you own an electric furnace and are thinking of switching to a gas model, it may be a more cost-effective choice depending on the local fuel costs. Call the electric company and ask to see your bill history from the past year if you don’t already have it.

You’ll want to consider the benefit of installing other gas appliances if you are looking at the cost of installing a gas hookup. But you’ll also want to compare natural gas costs to the cost of electricity in your area. Should you decide to go with gas rather than electric, call us. We can install a variety of high-efficiency gas furnaces to provide better energy savings.

Advanced Features and Thermostats

When you are comparing the different models, don’t forget to look for advanced features, such as multi-stage settings and automatic defrost on heat pumps. Also look at the difference in a regular heat pump and dual fuel systems that will automatically switch to the backup heat when the heat pump is not running as efficiently in colder temperatures. You can also find programmable thermostats to work with gas and electric furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless mini split systems.

Call the Arlington, VA heating professionals at OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. if you would like to know more about what to look for in a new heating system.

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3 Reasons to Take Care of Heating Maintenance Now

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

It’s still quite warm here in Arlington, so when we bring up the topic of heating your home, you might find it hard to even imagine. You’re probably focused on making sure that your air conditioning system will make it through the rest of the month without running up your bills (or breaking down). You absolutely should take good care your AC—but there are many excellent reasons why you should also turn your thoughts to the heating system during this time of the year. Now is an ideal point to arrange for an annual heating maintenance visit from our technicians. Here are just 3 of the many reasons:

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We Answer Some Questions about Heating Maintenance

Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

The official start of fall is September 22, and that’s why we’ve already started to recommend our customers schedule their seasonal heating maintenance. Right now is a great time to get on our work calendar for a tune-up and inspection of your furnace or other residential heater. This way you’ll head into the cooler weather with confidence that the heating system will work as it should, with low chance of malfunctions and high chance of saving you money on energy bills.

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