Furnaces Articles

You wouldn’t put a bus engine in a car.

It might sound like fun, but it does not suit your needs. The same goes for buying an oversized heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. You want heating and cooling equipment designed for your specific needs.

The average furnace lasts between 10 and 15 years. But did you know you can take steps to make it last longer? There is no shortcut or hack to increase your furnace’s longevity.

Your fuel-burning furnace has a number of mechanisms allowing it to run safely and effectively. These features prevent fires and protect your indoor air quality (IAQ).

A furnace is a major investment for any Manheim homeowner. Although it’s not something that will need to be done frequently, most people will face the decision of needing to purchase a new heating system sometime during home ownership.

As the leaves change color here in Pennsylvania, our team at Reliant Heating & Cooling is preparing for an important time of the year—furnace inspection season.

While an air-conditioner’s efficiency is measured by its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, an electric or gas- or oil-fired furnace’s efficiency is measured by its AFUE, or average fuel utilization efficiency. This standard measurement is given in percentages, letting you know how much of your fuel is actually used to heat your Pennsylvania home and how much fuel is wasted. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the unit is. Typically the ratings or percentages you’ll see on new furnaces range from 80 to 100 percent (contingent upon the fuel type of furnace being rated). If a furnace has an AFUE of 80 percent, this means the furnace converts 80 percent of the fuel to heat your house, while the remaining 20 percent is lost, usually out the chimney.

Short cycling is a term used in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) world to explain a situation where a furnace or air conditioner turns on and off too frequently. The “short cycle” is the period of time that your HVAC equipment is actually running, and the shorter this cycle, the harder your system needs to work. Our team at Reliant Heating & Cooling wants you to understand the concept of short cycling, why it can be harmful and costly, what causes the problem, and what you can do about it.

Is your energy bill too high in the winter? Are you looking for ways to cut costs? There are a number of simple things you can do at home to save money. Some of them are bigger projects, but most are simple things you can do in your day-to-day life to help reduce your heat cost this winter. At Reliant Heating & Cooling, we want to help you achieve the highest comfort in your Manheim home at an affordable price.

Maintaining your heating and cooling equipment ensures it’ll run smoothly the way it should when you need it. Investing your time and money in these seasonal maintenance tasks goes a long way to protect both your Pennsylvania home and your HVAC investment, including your wallet. Well-running systems are more energy efficient, so they end up costing you less to run all season long.

Prepping your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for winter in Pennsylvania not only enhances your safety and your furnace’s efficiency, it can help keep your repair budget in line during cold weather. Tackling this important chore is easier than raking leaves or cleaning gutters when you call the heating and cooling experts at Reliant Heating and Cooling.