Proactive maintenance is key to ensuring homeowners can extend the lifespan of their HVAC system. Therefore, homeowners must book a maintenance appointment with a professional HVAC company at least once a year. If your home is only equipped with heating, then you will want to have your unit serviced in the fall. That way, you are able to ensure that your heating system is prepared to work optimally during the months when the temperatures drop significantly. It will also provide you with ample time to have any repairs done that may be discovered during your inspection.

On the other hand, if your home has central air conditioning installed, then you will want to service your HVAC unit twice a year –once in the fall and once in the spring. By booking an appointment for maintenance in the spring, you can have your air conditioning unit ready to work optimally for you before the summer heat sets in. Again, it will also ensure that you have time to conduct any necessary repairs that may be needed.

When booking your HVAC service with Francis Home Environment, homeowners can expect the following:

•   Cleaning or replacing all filters.
•   Replacement of belts and pulleys that may be frayed. 
•   Cleaning of evaporator coils and condensers.
•   Inspection of refrigerant levels.
•   Individual assessment of all mechanisms and moving parts. 
•   Review of blower motor to ensure property airflow.
•   Clearing of clogged drain lines.
•   Inspection of thermostat accuracy.
•   Check of the electrical system of the unit.
•   Emptying of drain pans.
•   Review for any mould or mildew growth.
•   Cleaning your inner and outer HVAC to remove any built-up debris.
•   Check all heating elements.
•   Check gas pressure if necessary.
•   Inspection of carbon monoxide levels, if required.

Being proactive in your HVAC maintenance is key to ensuring that you can catch potential problems with your unit before they become more severe and costly. In addition, regular maintenance can also ensure that the indoor air quality of your home is clean and free of debris that can cause sickness and allergies. On the other hand, if you want to extend the lifespan of your HVAC unit, then a regular maintenance routine is key to ensuring you’ve covered all your bases.

Are you overdue for maintenance on your HVAC system? If the answer is yes, then the team at Francis Home Environment is prepared to help. We are pleased to offer 24/7 emergency services, efficient appointments, and quality services that will have you back to enjoying your home in no time. Call us directly or book your free home consultation with the professional technicians at Francis Home Environment today!

With over 85 years of business in the heating and cooling industry, Francis Home Environment has proudly served thousands of homeowners in the Gloucester community. Our professional technicians understand that every homeowner and home is different. With unique needs and expectations, Francis Home Environment is aware that HVAC installations are not a one size fits all solution.

Because of this, before we are able to provide homeowners with an accurate estimate of installation costs for their homes, they will first need to book a free consultation with a professional technician. During your at-home consultation, a technician from Francis Home Environment will inspect your current HVAC unit and perform a thorough walk-through of your home to collect information on several factors that will ultimately contribute to the new type of unit you want to install, along with the final installation cost. They will also be able to provide you with recommendations on how to optimize your home’s energy efficiency so you can save money on your monthly heating and cooling bills while reducing your home’s carbon emissions.

Therefore, because there are several factors that your professional HVAC technician will require, we cannot provide you with an estimate for any HVAC installations. On the other hand, we are able to provide you with a list of factors that we will consider that determine the type of HVAC unit you may wish to install and the final cost for your installation. Here is a closer look at some of these factors:

• The type and size of the HVAC system you are considering installing into your home
• The current HVAC unit you have installed in your home and whether you want to keep the same type of unit for your installation
• The scope of the entire installation project at hand.
• The cost of labor relative to the project size.
• The installation techniques required to install, connect, and test your new HVAC system once it has been appropriately installed, including the size and layout of your home.

Furthermore, another highly important factor that will determine the type and size of your HVAC unit is the number of British Thermal Units (BTUs) needed to properly heat and cool your home while remaining as energy-efficient as possible. Essentially, this energy unit measures how much power is required in order to heat one pound of water. This unit will correspond with the size of your HVAC unit. Each unit has a different BTU rating. There are several factors that go into calculating the number of BTUs required for your home. Here is a closer look at these factors:

• The age of your home.
• The total square footage of your home.
• The height of your home’s ceilings.
• The quality of your home’s insulation in addition to your home’s heat gain and loss.
• The number of windows you have installed throughout your home and where they are located.
• The style, size, and quality of your home’s ductwork.
• The layout of your rooms throughout your home and how many floors you have.

As you can see, there are numerous components that will ultimately determine the type and size of your HVAC unit as well as the cost of your installation. As a result, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to feel overwhelmed, especially when they do not have the professional help of a reliable HVAC company. However, with the help and guidance of a Francis Home Environment, homeowners in Gloucester can rest assured knowing that their home is in good hands. We’ll help guide you through the entire process of choosing an HVAC unit that will help you optimize your home’s energy efficiency to save money on your monthly bills.

Are you ready to improve your indoor air quality while keeping your family comfortable all year round with a new HVAC installation in your home? At Francis Home Environment, we’re happy to offer all Gloucester homeowners 0% interest rates and no payments when purchasing a new HVAC system!

Call or book a free home consultation online with Francis Home Environment today!

This is a common question we often get asked by homeowners who are considering installing a new HVAC unit into their home, as the question itself can cause some confusion to begin with. Therefore, to ensure the ins and outs of HVAC systems and furnaces, we’re here to provide you with some clarity on why this question can be miscommunicated.

Simply put, an HVAC system is any unit installed in your home that provides you with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. It allows you to control the temperature throughout your home regardless of what time of year it is and what the weather is like outside with the use of a thermostat. As easy as clicking a button, homeowners can keep their family comfortable while monitoring their temperature through their thermostat and schedule heating and cooling schedules.

On the other hand, your home’s HVAC system is also responsible for ventilating the air in your home. This helps ensure that you and your family are not breathing in air that is stagnant and filled with dust, dirt, hair, and other airborne allergens that can cause sickness to you and your families, such as sore throats and itchy, dry skin, and itchy eyes. Therefore, by circulating the air throughout your home throughout the day, it not only keeps your indoor air quality high, but it also keeps your home free of extensive dust and other debris. With that said, standard HVAC units that you may have installed throughout your home include:

• Air conditioners
• Heat pumps
• Boilers
• UV air purifiers
• Humidifiers
• Water heaters
• furnace

As you can see, a furnace is a type of system that is a component of your home’s overall HVAC system. For those who do not know, a furnace is a type of unit installation that is responsible for heating your home. Your furnace can either be powered by natural gas or electricity. If you already have natural gas features in your home, then chances are your furnace is also powered by natural gas compared to electricity. With that being said, all homes are different.

Moreover, regardless of the source of power used to make your furnace function, the energy source will create heat on a burner located within your unit. The heat that is produced by the energy source is then moved across a heat exchanger to heat up air before it is pushed out to the rest of your home through your air ducts. To enter each room, you will have vents that allow the heated air to diffuse into each space. At the same time, while your furnace produces heat, it also makes a combustion gas. This gas is pushed out of your furnace unit through a flue pipe before it is deposited on the outside of your home. This is an essential feature as the combustion gas is dangerous and contains carbon monoxide. Therefore, by depositing it outside, it ensures that you and your family do not breathe in any unhealthy air that can be harmful to your health.

The major components of your home’s furnace system include:

• The control system, also known as the thermostat
• Gas valves 
• Burners 
• Heat exchangers 
• A motor blower 
• Ducts 
• Ventilation system 
• Flue pipe 

Together, these components function to heat your home through controls located on your thermostat to ensure you and your family live in a comfortable living environment all year round.

Whether you’re looking for a new furnace or another type of HVAC system for your home, require repairs on a current unit, or fulfilling your yearly maintenance responsibilities, the team at Francis Home Environment is here to help. With 24/7 emergency services, high-quality customer experiences, and long-lasting results, homeowners can confidently partner with our HVAC technicians, knowing their home is in good hands.

Call us directly or book a free consultation online with Francis Home Environment today!