Press Releases Archive | Morrow Mechanical

Remember Heater Maintenance

It’s Not Too Late for Heating Maintenance

Heating maintenance is recommended every year. Because heaters are prone to wear and tear, manufacturers and heater repair contractors encourage customers to do it annually. Generally, heating maintenance is recommended in the fall before the heater is needed in earnest, but even if annual maintenance has been forgotten, there is no time like the present.

Reasons To Maintain the Heater

A heater uses a lot of energy, leading to high bills and expensive replacement when it fails. Given these facts, it is obviously in the homeowner’s best interest to maintain the system efficiency and ensure that it lasts as long as possible to prevent premature replacement.

Luckily, heater maintenance is key to both of these goals. When heaters are maintained annually, efficiency is protected by ensuring good airflow and effective heating. This keeps heating bills as low as possible and adds to the home's comfort.

Likewise, when heating maintenance is done each year, it protects the unit from systemic damage that can shorten the heater’s lifespan. A heater without maintenance is only expected to last about 15 years before it requires serious repairs, verging on replacement.

In comparison, a well-maintained heater will likely last for at least 20 years before small repairs and efficiency losses make it more expedient to replace it. Therefore, heater maintenance is key for homeowners looking to save money and get the most from their heating system.

What Do Professionals Do During Maintenance?

Heating professionals follow a series of steps during maintenance that allow homeowners to attain the benefits listed above. They start by cycling the heater on from the thermostat to check its accuracy and operation. While the system is running, they check the delivery temperatures to ensure hot air is being delivered with good airflow.

If the airflow seems restricted, the technicians may clean the blower and check the ductwork for obstructions or leaks. When the safety panels are removed, the technicians will check the electrical connections and ensure the motors pull safe amperages.

If the unit is a heat pump, they may clean the coils. Regardless of the type, they will ensure the air filter is regularly replaced. Finally, they will lubricate moving parts and inspect any belts for wear and tear.

How Often is Heater Maintenance Needed?

While some heater maintenance programs handle air filter replacement for the homeowner, most contractors rely on the homeowner for this task. In most cases, air filter replacement should happen every three months. If the technician advises more frequent changes, the owner should replace them more often.

Furthermore, routine heater maintenance should be done annually. Doing it earlier allows more time for unplanned repairs if necessary, but the most vital thing is that maintenance be done once per year. Even though the heating season is about halfway through, improving the heater's performance is never too late!

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical offers a Priority Care Club that handles two HVAC tune-ups per year. Owners see a significant drop in necessary repairs as well as a drop in monthly heating bills. Call today for a heating repair in Spring, TX.

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How To Know the Right Time for Thermostat Replacement

Signs That Thermostat Replacement is Needed

A functioning thermostat is crucial for maintaining comfort and energy efficiency in the home. However, like any device, thermostats don’t last forever. Over time, they may show signs of wear that could compromise heating and cooling systems, resulting in higher utility bills or an uncomfortable indoor climate.

Knowing the warning signs that a thermostat may need replacing can help prevent these issues and ensure the HVAC system works efficiently. Here are some common indicators that it might be time for a thermostat upgrade.

Higher Energy Bills

HVAC systems are large and integrated, so it can be difficult to pinpoint one single problem. However, the thermostat brings all of the systems together and controls them with simple button presses. Often, the thermostat is the first thing that technicians check when they are called to investigate problems.

One major indicator of thermostat failure is higher energy bills. Higher energy bills indicate the system is working too hard and running too long. Track utility bills using a spreadsheet or tracking app so it is easier to notice trends in monthly bill costs.

Incorrect Temperature Readings

A thermostat may seem complicated, but it’s only an on/off switch for the AC and heater. When the indoor temperature rises or drops below the setting, the system cycles until the thermostat senses the temperature has risen or dropped correspondingly to the range set.

A thermostat reading the temperature incorrectly can cause a problem in the heating or cooling process. If the thermostat’s thermometer is off by even a few degrees, the home will be uncomfortable, and the system could become damaged.

Digital thermostats, which are common in most homes, are prone to this problem. When the internal components lose calibration, they can cause the thermostat to read erratically.

To keep track of a thermostat's calibration, simply use another thermometer held near the thermostat. The readings should be the same; if they are not, the thermostat will have to be replaced since recalibrating or repairs are cost-prohibitive.

Long or Short Cycling

When an HVAC system is designed for installation, one of the contractors' goals is to size the system appropriately. A system that is too small will run for too long, and one that is too small will run many short cycles throughout the day.

The goal is to engineer a system that runs for 15-20 minutes at a time. This maximizes the system's efficiency while reducing unnecessary wear and tear caused by repeated startup.

While this sign may be hard to notice, owners should pay attention to it. If they start to notice that their heating or cooling system deviates from its normal schedule, it could be a sign of a faulty thermostat since thermostats dictate when the system cycles.

Calling a professional to look into the problem can help reduce damage to the system, lower bills, and improve comfort. Often, this is as simple as thermostat replacement.

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical offers upfront pricing on services like thermostat installation. Its professionals have more than 20 years of experience repairing and installing HVAC systems. Call today for experienced thermostat service in Spring, TX.

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How to Prevent an Overheating Furnace

Avoid the Scare of an Overheating Heater

Having a heater in the home helps take the edge off of the cold winter temperatures. However, heaters and furnaces must generate tremendous amounts of heat to warm a home. In doing so, problems can occur that allow the heat to build up in the unit, causing it to overheat. When they do, they can fail to provide heating power to the home or cause serious damage. Homeowners should take the time to learn to spot the signs of an overheating furnace, as well as prevention tips to avoid the dangers.

Dangers Posed When Furnaces Overheat

Heaters and furnaces have one basic difference. A heater will use electrical power to heat a home, either with a heat pump or resistance heating. A furnace will burn some fossil fuel to generate heat. One of the major concerns with furnaces is a compound called carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an invisible and odorless gas that is generated when burners don’t completely combust the fuel. It can leak into the home, posing serious threats to humans and pets. Installing carbon monoxide detectors near furnaces is recommended to give the family warning in the case of a leak so they can avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Both heaters and furnaces share the threat of fire as they heat the home. Both types of units generate high heat levels that are distributed throughout the home. If the internal insulation is damaged or some control or safety component has failed, the heat may build up so much that metal melts and fire escapes its containment. The damage it can cause after it is uncontrolled could be devastating.

Signs of an Overheating Furnace

The signs of an overheating furnace are often invisible. In many cases, serious damage occurs once the visible signs are present. Learning to spot damage with the other senses is the best way to spot the signs of overheating furnaces. Some of these signs can include:

Burning smells
Loss of heating power due to a tripped safety device
Humming noises
A noticeable warm spot near the furnace
High gas bills
Long or short cycles

It is important to note that burning smells are common upon startup in the fall. These odors indicate a dirty burner and ductwork and do not indicate potential fires.
If any of these signs are evident, a professional should be called immediately to make repairs and keep the home safe from potential damage.

How to Prevent Overheating Furnaces

The best way to handle an overheating furnace is to prevent it altogether. Preventing an overheating furnace is simple, with one DIY task and one professional service. First, homeowners should change their air filters every three months. This ensures proper airflow, allowing the heat exchanger to easily pull heat into the home. Second, professional heater maintenance service allows technicians to look for potential problems and test safety devices for operation. This service and air filter replacement can ideally prevent the chance of an overheating heater.

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical has been serving the local community for over twenty years. Their teams offer fast repairs with upfront pricing and a maintenance program to keep the heater and air conditioner running all year long. Call today for heater repair services in Spring, TX.

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Why You Want to Install a Heat Pump in Your House

Everything You Need to Know about Heat Pumps in Homes

A heat pump works like a furnace and central air conditioner, warming and cooling your home. Compared to other home climate-control systems, a heat pump system is very energy-efficient and environment-friendly because it moves and takes heat from the air instead of burning fuel or using energy-hungry electric resistance to make it. They run on energy and are easy to put in many homes. Depending on where you live and other factors, like the price of electricity, they may save you money over other systems.

The Basics of Heat Pumps Explained

Heat pumps do it all when it comes to home comfort—keeping things cozy, cool, fresh, and just the right amount of dry! Swap out your old HVAC systems for a heat pump and let it work its magic by redistributing the heat already hanging out in the air to keep your home comfy!

A heat pump pulls heat from the outside air and moves it inside your home during the winter. This process is turned around in the summer and cools your home. What does this mean for you? Your home will be cozy all year, and you'll slash your energy use by 50% or more!

If you are considering a heat pump installation, you first need to understand that there are two main categories of heat pumps: ducted and ductless. The ducted system is tied into your home's current duct system. Ductless heat pumps, including the mini split heat pump, don't use ductwork to circulate air throughout the home.

Why Your Home Needs a Heat Pump

One great thing about heat pumps is that they heat and cool the air evenly. Standard HVAC units can create uneven temperatures if improperly sized or maintained. After a while, this problem can become a pain, especially if the equipment gets old and less reliable.

Heat pumps work by moving outside air around and mixing it with air inside, improving the air quality in your house. The constant flow of air through these effective systems can make the air in your home feel cleaner and better for you. Improving the quality of the air inside can avoid many bad health effects.

How comfortable your home is depends on the temperature, but excess noise also affects your comfort. Heat pumps are usually quieter than other types of HVAC systems because the system's blower is outside.

How to Know if Your Heat Pump Needs Repairs

Problems with heat pumps can appear in various ways. Clogged air filters commonly cause heat pump failure. They may cause the system to work harder, impede airflow, lose efficiency, or overheat, resulting in more significant issues like frozen evaporator coils or overheating the system, which requires emergency heat pump repair.

A heat pump should be able to keep the interior temperature constant regardless of the outside weather. If you observe that different parts of your house are at different temperatures or if your heat pump isn't producing hot or cold air, it's time to assess your system.

Heat pumps shouldn't produce odd or loud noises, even when they aren't silent. Noises such as grinding, screeching, or rattling may indicate mechanical problems such as loose parts, motor issues, or compressor problems.

About Morrow Mechanical

Mark Morrow started Morrow Mechanical in 2000 to bring quality heating and air conditioning services to Spring, TX, and its surrounding areas. By hiring the best people in the industry and providing ongoing training for their technicians, Morrow Mechanical is one of the go-to companies for all your heating and air conditioning needs. Call them today for heat pump service needs in Spring, TX.

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The Basics of Residential Air Conditioners

Air Conditioning 101 for Homeowners

The back-to-school season has always been synonymous with fall. After a brutal summer, the better weather that fall brings is very much anticipated. However, despite school coming back into session, there are still several more months that homeowners will be fighting the heat with their air conditioners, which means there is plenty of time for inconvenient AC problems.

The first step in any air conditioning repair is knowing a little about the system in the home. When homeowners don’t understand the type of AC in the home or the signs that repairs are needed, they are completely in the dark regarding repairs. Here is a quick guide in honor of kids heading back to school to help homeowners continue their education regarding their air conditioners.

Common Options for Home Cooling

While it is true that people spend more time in some rooms than others, most people don’t want their climate control limited to one place. That’s why central air conditioning is the most popular style of cooling system installed nationally. Central AC systems use ductwork and a single blower to move chilled air around the home, keeping the entire home cooled evenly with one simple thermostat. If ductwork is present in the attic or under the slab and vents are found in every room, a home has a central air conditioning system.

In an age where people are trying to lower their energy bills and their carbon footprint, the priorities of cooling the home change. Instead of cooling the entire home uniformly, a different style of air conditioner can control only the occupied portions. This allows homeowners to lower their bills drastically and more accurately control their home's comfort while being more eco-friendly. Homeowners can also benefit if a ductless mini-split air conditioner is used to cool their homes. If a home has no ductwork and several blower units around it, it is cooled by a ductless mini-split system.

Common Signs You Need AC Repairs

Now that the homeowner knows what type of system is present in their home, they need to understand the signs it shows when it needs maintenance. In some cases, the signs are subtle, while in others, they are obvious. Some of the more common signs that air conditioning repairs are needed are:

Lack of cooling in the home
High utility bills
Noisy operation
High humidity
Long cycles
Loss of power to the unit or thermostat

How Can AC Maintenance Help?

Regardless of the type of AC system in the home, professionals and manufacturers recommend AC maintenance. Air conditioning maintenance is a professional service that helps to spot potential problems so they can be prevented. This prevents unexpected repair costs and ensures the unit is ready to make it through the cooling season.

When air conditioning maintenance is done yearly, the wear and tear in the system go down, and homeowners notice improvements in longevity and efficiency, saving on bills every month and delaying the inevitable costs of a replacement down the road.

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical can help every homeowner navigate the process of AC repairs. Their BBB-accredited and A+ rated teams offer highly-rated service, and the Priority Care Club helps prioritize AC maintenance. Call today for HVAC service in Spring, TX.