Tags: furnaces | heaters | Texas | Bradbury Brothers | The Woodlands | maintenance | HVAC | repairs | tune-ups | installation | heater | furnace | repair | tune-up

Read more...

AC Unit Won’t Come On
Sometimes mysteriously, an air conditioning unit won’t come on, but the fan inside the home seems to be working OK. There can be several reasons for this. The first thing to check is your thermostat to make sure it is working properly. A broken thermostat can easily disable an entire AC system.

If you are able to rule out the thermostat as the problem, check your home’s circuit breaker and the circuit breaker outside near the unit. If you suspect it may be the breaker, it doesn’t hurt to try to figure out what might have caused it to trip before you attempt to reset it. If you flip the breaker and it does trip again, don’t repeat the process. Call a professional to diagnose and repair the problem.

If you have excessive vegetation growing around your unit, it could also be a reason your air conditioning unit quit. Grass, leaves and debris can be easily sucked into the vents of your unit and cause damage to the capacitor. If you suspect this might have happened, you will need to call for service.

Air Conditioning Unit is Making Noise
Most air conditioners make some noise when they are running, and this is normal. If you are hearing vibration or loud rattling noises, something could be wrong. Your AC unit could have been installed incorrectly and should be checked by a professional.

Sometimes people report squealing sounds when their air conditioner is running. This may actually be coming from your air handler, the part of the ac system that regulates and directs air through the ductwork. Most air handlers have direct-drive motors, but older units may be belt-driven. The squealing noise sometimes occurs when the belt connecting the blower to the motor slips. If you suspect this is the case, shut your AC unit off and call a professional – proper diagnosis and repairs are likely needed.

AC Runs, But Doesn’t Cool Your Home
If air is flowing through your vents, but it is not coming out cold, you might have a stalled condenser coil – the part of the air conditioning unit that produces cold air. The condenser fan will run even if the condenser isn’t working properly. Condenser failure can be caused by a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. Sometimes, it isn’t the condenser at all and a lack of cool air can be due to low refrigerant. In either case it is best to contact a professional to help you diagnose the problem.

If the lack of cool air you are noticing has been gradual or appears to be fairly minimal, your air conditioner may not be to blame. You could have leaks in your ductwork that are allowing conditioned air to escape. If your ducts are older, or tightly constructed you might benefit from air duct sealing.

Feel free to contact Bradbury Brothers with any questions you have. We’ll be glad to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Bradbury Brothers services most of southern Montgomery County including The Woodlands, Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Oak Ridge North, Pinehurst, Shenandoah as well as northern Harris county including Cypress, Klein, Spring and Tomball.  Visit our website at www.BradburyBrothers.com and check out our special offers.

Tags: repairs | residential AC repair | air conditioning repair | AC repair | Texas | Bradbury Brothers | The Woodlands | air conditioner | cooling | air conditioning

Read more...

Has your furnace had its check-up?
Most of us are content to let things go. That is, until they break. For many, this is fine until it’s their furnace, and it quits working on one of the coldest nights of the year. When this happens, more often than not it’s a lack of upkeep and maintenance to blame.

Your furnace is just like your car when it comes to regular maintenance. Your car requires clean oil and filters, tire rotations and brake inspections to keep it reliable and safe for you and your family. Your furnace needs the same kind of care. If you want your furnace to be reliable, efficient and safe, it must be regularly maintained.

Why It’s Important:

Safety - Just as many people don’t realize their furnace needs maintenance, the safe operation of the heating unit is also often overlooked. Sadly each year on the news we will hear of at least one family who has been accidentally poisoned by carbon monoxide gas.

If you have a gas furnace, it’s very important to have it inspected at least once a year to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, is produced from the burning of fossil fuel. The most common sources for the gas are oil and gas-powered furnaces and wood burning stoves.

When someone suffers from carbon monoxide poisoning, physical symptoms could appear as fatigue, chest pain, impaired vision, headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea and can sometimes be fatal in higher concentrations.

A professional inspection will include a check of the carbon monoxide levels produced by your furnace. This is particularly important if you own an older unit with heat exchangers susceptible to cracking. It’s also a good preventive measure to have a carbon monoxide detector installed near the furnace.

In addition to carbon monoxide concerns, a professional tune-up will include an inspection of the furnace for loose wires or signs of corrosion, burning or exposed metal along insulated wires. If your furnace is gas powered, a thorough inspection of the gas line might also be a good safety measure. The line should be inspected for leaks and the current pressure should be evaluated. Gas pressure that is too high can lead to an increased risk for carbon monoxide poisoning and can also cause the unit to over fire and use more gas than is really needed.

Performance - If your furnace isn’t running efficiently, it’s costing you money - more money than you should be spending. It’s also costing you the comfort you deserve. Professional tune-ups can help improve the performance and efficiency of your furnace.

Regardless of the type of furnace you own, regular cleaning and upkeep is a must if your unit is to run efficiently and without fail. Professional technicians are experienced and trained to identify weaknesses and potential problems that can cause the unit to fail. They also have the knowledge to assess and clean the complex electrical components of your furnace.

Regular maintenance not only helps you avoid unexpected breakdowns, but it also can significantly improve the life of the unit. With annual tune-ups, your furnace can afford you more years of reliable comfort.

What You Can Do:

• While it’s certainly important to have your heating unit professionally maintained at least once a year, don’t forget there are things you can do on your own, too. The easiest, and one of the most important, is to change your system’s air filter regularly.
• The air filter is vital to helping keep particulates like dust and other debris out of the unit. It helps your furnace run more smoothly and efficiently. Your air filter should be changed ever 1-3 months depending on the type you use.
• You can also regulate how often you are running your unit. The less you need the unit to perform, the less wear and tear you are placing on it. Especially if you work during the day or are regularly away from home for longer durations of time, installing a programmable thermostat can help you reduce the strain on your unit.
• If your furnace seems to be running just fine, scheduling an annual tune-up might seem like an unnecessary expense. However, the peace of mind and improved comfort you get in return is well worth your time and money both now and in the long run.

If you’d like to schedule a furnace tune-up now, Bradbury Brothers is your leading HVAC specialist.  Give us a call at 281-651-5484 or on our website at www.BradburyBrothers.com .

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Bradbury Brothers services most of southern Montgomery County including The Woodlands, Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Oak Ridge North, Pinehurst, Shenandoah as well as northern Harris county including Cypress, Klein, Spring and Tomball.

Tags: heater | furnace | repairs | tune-ups | installation | The Woodlands | TX | Bradbury Brothers

Read more...