One of the best and easiest ways to ensure consistently low heating and cooling bills — as well as adding many faithful and functional years of service from your HVAC system — is to simply make and keep bi-annual service and maintenance appointments with a reputable local HVAC technician.

As spring and fall tend to be the seasons in which your HVAC system is least likely to be working overtime, these seasons tend to be the best times to schedule service.  The truth of the matter is that as long as you have your air conditioning system serviced once a year and your heating system serviced once a year, it doesn’t matter when.  Preferably you would have them done about six months apart.

Be sure to schedule your HVAC maintenance appointments well in advance, and see if any local HVAC technicians in your area offer discounts for customers that are on a regular schedule for bi-annual service of their HVAC systems.

It is difficult to stress enough how important it is to keep these bi-annual maintenance schedules faithfully, as there can be many ugly consequences to forgetting to do so.  Besides the obvious consequences of higher heating and cooling bills due to a system that has to work far harder than it needs to, many HVAC system warranties come with clauses that demand regular maintenance as a condition of continued warranty coverage.  As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Bradbury Brothers offers full service for heating and cooling systems. Contact us any time, and we’ll have an expert answer any questions you have and provide any services you need.

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: air conditioning maintenance | air conditioning repair | AC repair | air conditioning | cooling | air conditioner | furnaces | heaters | repair | tune-up | Bradbury Brothers | The Woodlands | HVAC | maintenance | heating | heater | HVAC maintenance | TX

Read more...

When your furnace quits working, (which always seems to be during a cold snap) it can be worrisome to deal with. More often than not, when your furnace gives out, it’s usually not the furnace that’s actually to blame, but something else that’s causing things to go awry.

Here’s a collection of some of the most common culprits of furnace failure and an explanation of what might be happening to cause the issue.

Problem: Furnace Isn’t Heating
Possible Causes:
• Thermostat – You might be surprised how many times the furnace isn’t working because of a thermostat setting. Sometimes homeowners will call for service on their furnace only to have a technician check the thermostat and see that it isn’t set correctly. If your furnace isn’t functioning properly, check that your thermostat is switched to “heat,” the desired temperature is higher than the existing room temperature, and the fan is set to “auto.” If you have a programmable thermostat, you may need to override the settings to verify whether the thermostat is the issue or not.
• Circuit Breaker – Check your circuit breaker. It could be tripped or blown and keeping your furnace from turning on. If your circuit breaker is tripped, try resetting the breaker to see if this fixes the problem.
• Faulty Pilot Light – This is a common problem that can become quite frustrating when you don’t know why it’s happening. A pilot light can go out for a number of reasons. It could be caused by a faulty thermocouple or dirty gas tube and even a draft. If you suspect a problem with your pilot light, it’s best and safest to contact a professional to help diagnose and repair the problem.
• The gas flow is inhibited. This can sometimes happen when the gas pressure regulator malfunctions and closes off the propane or natural gas feed or the valve has simply been closed off. If you suspect either of these scenarios, don’t try to troubleshoot it yourself. It’s safest to leave this to a trained professional.

Problem: Not Enough Heat
Possible Causes:
• Dirty Air Filter – A clean air filter is very necessary for your filter to function effectively and efficiently. Dirty furnace filters clogged with dust, pet hair and other debris will inhibit the flow of air over the heat exchanger and make warming your home more difficult. Make sure you change your air filter every one to three months, depending on the variety.
• Imbalanced Airflow – If it doesn’t matter how often and at what temperature you run your furnace, some rooms never seem to be warm enough.  It could be the airflow. In this case, it isn’t the furnace at all. To determine if this is the problem, you should have a full airflow analysis.
• Leaky Ducts – Cracks, broken seals, and even poor insulation in your ductwork can permit warm air to escape, which makes it very difficult to keep your home warm. If you suspect this is a problem consider having your ducts professionally inspected, sealed and insulated.

Problem: High Energy Bills
Possible Causes:
• Lack of Maintenance – Of all the furnace problems, a lack of furnace maintenance is the biggest culprit. When it comes to efficiency, a well-maintained furnace will always outperform its dirty, out of tune counterpart. You should plan on having your furnace professionally cleaned and maintained at least once a year to maximize on efficiency and performance. Units that run efficiently use less energy. When you are using less energy, you’re spending less money.
• Unit is Past Its Prime – Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency. This is one situation where the problem might just be the furnace.

Today’s newer furnaces operate much more efficiently than the older units of yesterday. If your unit is older than 15 years, you should consider purchasing a new furnace. The savings over the long run will outweigh the cost of the upgrade.

If you are having problems with your furnace and you suspect one of these possible causes listed above, it’s always best to contact a trained professional HVAC technician to help you verify your suspicions and make the best suggestions for improvement.

If your furnace still isn’t working the way it should, 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 | repair | furnace | tune-up | installation | The Woodlands | Bradbury Brothers | TX

Read more...

As the busy holiday season approaches, make sure your home is ready. Whether you’re expecting guests or planning to spend the holidays quietly at home, there are things you can do to stay warm and comfortable while saving money and keeping energy costs low. Here’s a list of reminders and tips to help you get ready to enjoy what is sure to be another wonderful holiday season.

Tags: The Woodlands | installation | tune-up | repair | furnace | heater | TX | Bradbury Brothers

Read more...

The kids are back to school, the neighborhood pool is closed for the season and there is a hint of fall in the air. It’s hard to believe, but the transition from summer into fall is happening and cooler days will be here before you know it.  With the change of each new season there are things you can be doing around the house to make the transition easier and more comfortable for you and your family. Here are a few:

Turn on your ceiling fan. As you use your air conditioner less, consider making use of the ceiling fans if you have them. They can help to supplement cooling on milder days and can help you save a significant amount of money over running your air conditioner.

Replace your air filter. Filters in your furnace should be changed monthly to help the unit run at peak efficiency. The filter in your furnace helps to remove airborne particulates and debris that could potentially damage the fan or the heating coil.
Clear the area around your furnace. Before you begin to use your furnace, make sure that the surrounding area is clear of stored chemicals, boxes, clothing, newspapers, etc. Furnaces require fresh air to run properly and efficiently. The same rules apply if your home is heated with a heat pump. Be sure weeds, bushes, leaves, and other debris are cleared away from the unit...

Get a tune-up on your furnace. Before you know it you will be relying on your furnace to keep you comfortable again. Like your car, your furnace needs seasonal tune-ups to help you avoid sometimes expensive and unexpected repairs, as well as help ensure the unit is operating safely. Tune-ups help your furnace run more efficiently, too and that helps you save energy and cut down on costs.

Install a carbon monoxide detector. Especially if you have an oil or gas furnace in your home, having carbon monoxide detectors can be life saving. It is best to install them in the hallway near sleeping areas so that they are not obstructed by furniture or curtains. If you already have detectors installed in your home and they are battery operated, make sure you replace the batteries at least once a year.

Check the weather stripping on your doors and windows. Chances are good that you’ve opened and closed your windows and doors a lot this summer. It’s likely the seals have become dirty and worn which can make it difficult for a tight seal from forming. When this happens, it’s easy for heat to escape. Go around to each of your windows and doors to inspect and clean the seal. If it appears the weather stripping is worn, you should replace it.

Have your air ducts sealed. If you haven’t had your ductwork inspected and sealed, you should. A good portion of the energy lost in the average home escapes through leaks in the ductwork. Not only can properly sealing your air ducts help cut down on energy loss, but it also helps to prevent dust and other matter from entering.

Switch to a programmable thermostat. When the cost of heating your home can sometimes seem unreasonably high, installing a programmable thermostat can help. These thermostats help you regulate the temperature inside your home by automatically adjusting to fit the required comfort levels throughout the day as well as on different days of the week. This means you’re only running your unit when you need to.

Are you looking towards fall and need a little help preparing your home? 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: TX | The Woodlands | installation | tune-up | repair | furnace | heater | Bradbury Brothers

Read more...

If you are looking to replace your air conditioning system, you will soon find that not all A/C units are created equal. Some new models are much more efficient and environmentally friendly than other models. However, these high efficiency air conditioners are also generally more expensive up front. Sure, the more efficient unit will save money on your electric bills, but is it worth the initial cost?  Thankfully, there are free tools you can use to see if a high efficiency air conditioner makes sense for you.

You can compare A/C units by looking at the SEER rating, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. All you really need to know about SEER is that the higher the number, the more efficient the air conditioner is. All new air conditioners are required to have a SEER rating of at least 13. However, some high efficiency air conditioners have SEER ratings of 20 or more.

To see how the SEER rating translates into dollars and cents, you can download a free Energy Star cost calculator worksheet in Excel format. Simply plug in the details for your own home, and the worksheet will automatically calculate the energy savings, and how long it would take for those savings to cover the higher initial cost.
For more details on high efficiency air conditioners and what options are available contact us at Bradbury Brothers today. We will be happy to help you determine what air conditioning solution would work best for your home.

High Efficiency Air Conditioners simply use less energy than standard models. All of the new air conditioners are more efficient than those from years past, but some have a higher rating than others.

The efficiency rating system for central air conditioners is based on its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). It is determined by comparing the amount of heating/cooling it provides within a season with the unit of energy it consumes. The less energy that your system consumes, the higher the rating will be. Similar to a MPG rating for cars, the higher the number, the more efficient the air conditioner is.
The common SEER rating for models prior to 1990 was 6. That means it produced 6 BTU/hr of cooling or heating per watt of electricity. Today, the minimum SEER rating is 13, over double the amount of cooling/heating produced per watt, and many
manufacturers offer high efficiency air conditioners capable of up to 21 SEER.

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: installation | residential AC | air conditioning units | high efficiency air conditioner | cooling | air conditioner | energy savings | Bradbury Brothers | The Woodlands | air conditioning | TX

Read more...