Monthly Archives: September 2012

Expert Advice about Furnace Installation in Baldwin County

As the winter season approaches, many people in Baldwin County AL are looking for a new furnace installation. When planning to get a furnace installation in Baldwin County, it’s important to remember several things. The following guide from Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. explores the many benefits and advantages of a new furnace system.

It’s important to understand how air conditioning, HVAC and furnace systems have evolved over the past few decades. In the past, home furnace systems were very inefficient. In some cases, older furnace systems can use 50 percent more energy to heat a home than a newer system.

All furnace systems installed in the United States come with an efficiency rating. This rating can be used to estimate one’s annual heating and cooling costs. In many cases, it’s possible to calculate how long it will take for a new furnace system to start saving money. For example, imagine that a new furnace installation costs $4500. However, this system is able to save an individual and his or her family $900 a year in energy bills. This system will pay for itself within five years.

Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. wants you to know that it’s important to understand how furnace safety systems have evolved over the past decade. While electric furnaces usually aren’t generally a safety hazard, natural gas or propane furnace systems can pose several significant risks.

For example, older gas furnaces in Baldwin County may not burn fuel all the way. If a fuel source doesn’t burn completely, a furnace may release carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is an extremely dangerous toxin to humans. When an individual breathes carbon monoxide, it binds with hemoglobin in the blood. Once this happens, an individual’s circulatory system won’t be able to provide oxygen to the different organs in the body. This can result in fatigue, depression, apathy, headaches, brain damage and death.

In addition, it can be difficult to detect the presence of carbon monoxide in a home. Since carbon monoxide gas is invisible, tasteless and odorless, there won’t be any visible sign of carbon monoxide in one’s home. In many cases, it can be difficult to correlate certain health problems with the presence of carbon monoxide in one’s home.

While a carbon monoxide detector can be an effective way to detect carbon monoxide in one’s home, the best preventative measure is to make sure that one’s furnace has all the right safety features. Since many older natural gas and propane heaters only have basic features, it’s often a good idea to upgrade to a new furnace installation.

In addition, newer furnaces often use smart thermostats to reduce energy usage in a home. With a smart thermostat, a home will only be heated while it is occupied. When a home is empty, it will be kept at a temperature above freezing. However, an occupied home will be automatically heated to a comfortable temperature. These systems are usually powered by a series of wireless motion detectors.

The Importance of Air Conditioner Repair in Mobile AL

Summers along the Gulf Coast can be extremely hot and humid. Attempting to get by with an air conditioning system that is not fully functional is not the best idea. When the time comes for air conditioner repair in Mobile, it pays to get the job done as quickly as possible. At Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. we can help you take quick and decisive action, making it possible for your Mobile AL home to be more of a sanctuary during the heat of the summer months.

The Long Term Cost of Delaying Air Conditioner Repair

Homeowners sometimes feel the temptation to delay making repairs when the air conditioning system seems to still be providing a steady flow of cool air. The rationale is that whatever the problem happens to be, it is not severe enough to affect the general operation. In fact, all you are accomplishing is setting the stage for more detailed and costly repairs.

Choosing to call in an expert at the first sign of a problem will actually save you money in the long run. This is because minor operational issues won’t necessarily require the replacement of any key part. In some cases, all the technician will have to do is tighten something that has managed to loosen due to vibrations or some other factor. When this is the case, the time and labor cost involved will be minimal.

If you choose to ignore the issue, that provides more time for the small malfunction to adversely affect other components. As more stress is placed on those parts, they will tend to wear out at an accelerated rate. The end result is that when you finally do call for help with an air conditioner repair, the technician finds the original problem and one or more components that have been damaged as the result of that issue. For you, this means having to shell out more cash for replacement parts and swelter in the heat until the repairs can be completed.

How Timely Repairs Save Money

By contrast, engaging in air conditioner repair early in the process produces a much more beneficial result. When the technician arrives, he or she will be able to identify the origin of the operational issue with relative ease. From there, you are informed of what steps must be taken to correct the problem. This may be nothing more than the need to secure a component that has worked loose or possibly tighten a belt. In some cases, it may involve replacing a small component that is not very expense. Repairs of this type can be completed in less than an hour, allowing you to restart the system and get the inside of the home back to an acceptable temperature.

At the same time, this quick action means that you prevent additional wear and tear on the system components. The long-term result of this prompt action is that all those parts will last for more years. You not only save on the cost of replacement parts but also get to save money by eliminating the need for more service calls and the labor required to manage the replacement of those parts. To maximize your savings, talk with our team at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. about a maintenance contract on your system. The contract will ensure that your system is inspected once or twice each year, making it much easier to detect little issues and correct them before they can do any major damage to the unit.