It is part of the popular conception of sump pumps that the main purpose they serve is to pump water that floods down into the basement. So if you live in a home that doesn’t contain a basement (and more and more modern homes don’t) you may think that it’s unnecessary to have a sump pump installed.
Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration Blog : Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Are Sump Pumps Good For Basements?
Thursday, October 19th, 2017Is a Maintenance Contract Worth the Money?
Thursday, October 5th, 2017Most quality professional HVAC companies offer maintenance programs to take care of a home’s heating and cooling system. You pay an annual fee, and in return receive two regular check-ups and tune-ups per year, one in spring for the air conditioning system and the second in fall for the heating system.
Is it worth the money to sign a maintenance contract for your HVAC system? The answer is an emphatic yes, as we’ll explain why below.
Is It Time to Retire Your Old Heat Pump?
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017Fall is when homeowners should evaluate their heating systems and see if they’ll make it through another winter. Last week we wrote about this topic, asking if it’s time to replace an old furnace. But not every home uses a furnace for comfort; many opt for a heat pump instead, which not only takes care of winter comfort, but also summer comfort. We’ll take a look at deciding if the heat pump in your house is ready to retire and be replaced with a new unit.
Should You Get a New Furnace in Time for Winter?
Monday, September 25th, 2017Here 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!)
How a Furnace Tune-Up Keeps Your Furnace Safe
Tuesday, September 19th, 2017A 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.
We Answer Some Questions about Heating Maintenance
Tuesday, September 12th, 2017The 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.
Are Maintenance Contracts Worth the Money?
Thursday, August 24th, 2017One of the questions we hear frequently from customers is if a maintenance contract for their HVAC system is actually worth the expenditure. The simple answer is, “absolutely!” But of course, there’s more to explain. We’ll tell you exactly how a maintenance contract will end up saving your money.
Common Heat Pump Repair Needs
Monday, August 21st, 2017One of the great advantages of having a heat pump for your house—indeed, what many people would call the greatest advantage of a heat pump—is that it can work all year long keeping you comfortable, no matter the season. So as we come to the end of the summer and begin to move into the fall, you won’t have to worry about changing over from an air conditioner and prepping a heater that hasn’t operated in months. If you’ve kept your heat pump current with a regular maintenance plan, it should be ready for any weather.
Heat pumps can still experience the need for repairs, no matter how well-maintained they are. Here are some of the more common problems they can encounter that will require making a call to professionals. OASIS Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, Inc. is available 24 hours a day for heat pump repair in Arlington, VA. With our more than 15 years of experience, we are one of your best choices for heating and cooling services.
Heat pump repair needs you may encounter
- Broken reversing valve: This is an issue that is specific to heat pumps; air conditioners do not contain a reversing valve. The valve controls the direction of flow of refrigerant through the system and toggles the heat pump between heating and cooling mode. Should the reversing valve fail, the heat pump will remain stuck in one mode. Repair technicians will need to remove and replace the broken valve.
- Cleaning the condensate drain: Heat pumps have two sets of condensate drains, one for the indoor unit and one for the outdoor unit. Water condensation along the coils drips down into a pan and the drain removes the excess water into the plumbing system. Should the drain become clogged (algal growths are the usual culprit), water will start to overflow from the pan. Technicians will remove the pan from the drain and either clean out or replace the drain.
- Thermostat recalibration: Even a small calibration problem with a thermostat can lead to the heat pump behaving strangely and failing to keep a house warm or cool. Homeowners often mistake this for repair needs within the heat pump, but trained repair technicians will track down the source to thermostat if it is the actual problem. Recalibrating the thermostat will often fix the problem, although sometimes more serious wiring repairs are necessary.
Heat pumps are complex appliances, and you should never try to troubleshoot malfunctions on your own. Only trust these repairs to trained experts in heating and air conditioning.
At OASIS Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, Inc., we’re proud to have NATE-certified technicians on staff to help you receive the best possible heat pump repair in Arlington, VA.
My Water Heater Is Rusty: Should I Replace It?
Tuesday, August 1st, 2017Rust is never a good sign—on anything. Although you might expect to notice rust on your water heater at some point because it has water in contact with metal, rust and other types of corrosion are generally rare for a water heater until it’s near the end of its service life. The inside of the tank is glass-lined to keep water out of contact with the tank walls, and there are other precautions in place to defend against rust.
Why Should I Replace My Thermostat?
Tuesday, July 18th, 2017It’s easy to put your home’s thermostat out of your mind. It sits unobtrusively on the wall, and you only need to manipulate it to adjust your comfort. The air conditioner and the heater seem to be working, so the thermostat must be just fine. Why would you want to replace it?
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