It’s the Perfect Time of Year for Furnace Replacement

April 15th, 2024
daffodils-blooming-in-the-springtime

Ahhh, springtime in Minnesota. We’re finally thawing out, the flowers are blooming, and we’re thinking about summer and air conditioning. We might not think about our heating systems for months. But here’s the thing: if you do need to replace your furnace, it would be much better to do it now than wait until fall, or worse, until it fails completely next January.

There are many considerations when it comes to getting a new heating system. Do you really need to do it yet? Should you get the same kind you’ve had before? How can you make sure it’s efficient? How much will it cost? The easiest furnace replacement question to answer is what time of year is the best time to have your new heating system installed. It’s now! Here’s why.

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When Heat Pump Installation Gets Tricky

April 1st, 2024
HVAC-technicians-working-on-a-heat-pump-outdoor-unit

Congratulations on choosing a new heat pump and making an installation appointment! That was a great decision. Heat pumps are the ideal solution for providing cooling all summer and cutting down on your energy bills with super-efficient heating for the spring and fall. But perhaps you’ve still got some questions.

What should you expect on installation day? What will the technicians do when they arrive with your new heat pump? How long will heat pump installation take? What complications could make the process tricky? What can you do to make it go as smoothly as possible?

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How Dust Impacts Your Efficiency

March 18th, 2024
hand-wiping-dust-from-a-very-dusty-surface

Ductwork was an amazing innovation that started to be routinely included in new construction around fifty years ago. This was because of the new central air conditioners which were becoming so popular. Whether it’s cooled air or heated air flowing through your ducts, they’re a great way to keep your home at an even, comfortable temperature. 

But because they are enclosed, it’s impossible for you to see exactly what’s going on inside them… or what’s accumulating inside them. That makes it easy to ignore them, which can allow big problems to develop. Having your ducts cleaned can have major benefits for you, your home, and your HVAC system. Why? For starters, dust can really decrease HVAC efficiency.

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Dirty Ducts Can Cause Serious Problems

March 4th, 2024
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The ductwork in your home might be out of sight—and the interior of it even more so—but you shouldn’t ignore it or forget about it entirely! Just because you can’t see into your ducts doesn’t mean nothing can get into them. In fact, a lot of things get into your ductwork, and those things can cause serious issues for your health and for your home. Here’s what you need to know.

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A Humidifier Can Improve Your Home Heating

February 19th, 2024
a-cozy-winter-scene-with-teacup-and-book-and-wintry-view-out-the-window

February in Minnesota… it can be hard to remember what summertime felt like. And it can be hard for your heating system to keep up with your home’s heating needs! Running the heat all the time is incredibly expensive. Is there anything you can do to feel warmer without going through quite so much energy and driving your heating bill so high?

Actually, yes. Try to think back to summertime. (We know, it’s such a distant memory.) You’ve surely heard people who are complaining about summer weather say something like, “I don’t mind the heat so much, but the humidity really gets to me.” That’s the trick: humid air feels much warmer than dry air. So the way to use your heating system less while feeling even cozier is a humidifier.

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A Rattling Heater Is a Problem

February 5th, 2024
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Your heater can’t call out to you and say, “Excuse me, I think there’s a problem. I don’t feel so well.” But it can give you some signals, and you should listen well when you hear them. Ignoring an odd heater sound probably means ignoring a need for repair, and the longer you postpone a repair, the greater the chance that the problem will get worse and the repair will be more expensive.

Any sound your heating system makes is cause for concern. Listen when your heater is working well, familiarize yourself with the hum and whoosh of proper heater operation, and you’ll be able to tell when something is different. One common heater noise that definitely indicates a problem is rattling. What could be causing that? We’ll help you figure it out.

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Is a Heat Pump Your Next Best Choice?

January 22nd, 2024
brand-new-heat-pump-units

In the middle of winter, when you’re paying the most per month for home climate control that you will all year, you might be thinking about heating efficiency and what your options might be. Is there a way to save money on heating while staying just as cozy, or even more so? Perhaps a heat pump could help you with this.

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Mold: How It Survives and Spreads

January 8th, 2024
large-colony-of-green-splotches-of-mold-growing-on-a-wall

Some things in your home are easy to clean up and keep clean. But some things are sneaky and stubborn, hard to find in order to clean up, and quick to come back despite your best efforts! One of the worst offenders is mold. How is it that mold is so good at surviving? How does it spread from one place to another? And how can you stop it once and for all? We’ve got the answers.

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How an Air Purifier Cleans Your Air

December 25th, 2023
microscope-image-of-microbes-on-a-black-background

Ahh, winter in Minnesota. It’s scenic, it’s lovely, it’s… a great time to hunker down indoors. On average, Americans spend well over 90% of their time indoors, and that percentage is probably even higher during cold weather in northern places. And when the weather is cold, you keep the house buttoned up, so you’re not getting much in the way of fresh air.

The air in your home keeps being cycled around, and whatever contaminants are in the air keep cycling around as well. When you’re cooped up in there all winter, you have a very high likelihood of breathing in some unpleasant things. An air purifier is the best solution to winter air full of unwanted particles. We’ll tell you all about them and how they clean the air.

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Don’t Try to Fix Your Furnace by Yourself

December 11th, 2023
smoke-around-a-smoke-detector

In Minnesota, it’s more critical than almost anywhere else in the country to have your heating system work well and be reliable. When you’re concerned about your furnace, you know it needs to be fixed right away. You might be tempted to try some DIY furnace repair, but that would be a dangerous plan. Here are the risks you’d face trying to fix your furnace yourself. 

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