A-1 Mechanical Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Get Heating Maintenance for Your Safety

Monday, October 7th, 2024
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Your heating system has a long winter ahead of it, keeping you and your family cozy, along with other things like preventing your plumbing pipes from freezing. Don’t let it try to do all that without any basic care. Heating systems need maintenance in order to do all that work. Why? There are many reasons, but today, we’re going to focus on one extremely important one.

Whether your heating system is electric or uses the combustion of a fuel like natural gas, it can pose risks to your home and family if something goes wrong. The most critical reason to get annual heating system maintenance done is safety. What do we mean by that? What are the other benefits? In this blog post, we’ll go over the many reasons why you should make an appointment for heating maintenance in Lansing, MI today if you haven’t done so already.

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How Do I Know If I Need Emergency Furnace Repair?

Monday, February 12th, 2024
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Keeping your home cozy in the winter in Michigan is not just critical to your comfort; it can be a serious health and safety issue as well. So when something is wrong with your heating system, you need to take it very seriously. 

A furnace is a complex system, and there are a lot of ways that things could possibly go wrong. So when there is an issue, it can be hard to know how urgent it is. What furnace concerns require emergency repair, and which can wait for a regular appointment? We’ll help you weigh some factors and make that decision.

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4 Sounds Your Furnace Shouldn’t Make

Monday, January 15th, 2024
HVAC technician standing in front of service van, ready for a furnace repair job.

If you own a furnace, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the sound of its everyday operation. You know the noise it makes when it powers on, the sound of air whooshing through the vents, and the end of the heating cycle as it powers off. 

What Furnace Noises Mean You Need a Repair?

Unusual furnace sounds can signal serious issues that need professional repair:

  • Loud bangs after shutdown may come from expanding ductwork
  • Repeated clicking at startup often indicates ignition failure
  • Screeching or banging metal sounds suggest loose or dry parts
  • Booming on startup points to delayed ignition, which is dangerous

In fact, you’re so familiar with how it sounds that any out-of-the-ordinary noises come across as quite unusual and startling. Some common questions we get from homeowners about weird furnace noises include, “Why does my furnace make a loud noise when it turns off?” and “Why is my furnace clicking repeatedly?”

Let’s go over 4 unusual sounds furnaces make when they’re struggling to perform and inevitably need to be repaired. 

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How to Choose a New Furnace for Your Michigan Home

Monday, December 18th, 2023

When it comes to heating your Lansing home, the furnace is still the top choice among homeowners here in Michigan. Although heat pumps are surging in popularity, many people still prefer to stick with the good ol’ reliable furnace. 

That’s because furnaces are a tried-and-true method of heating a home. If you have your heart set on a furnace replacement, there are still some factors to consider before choosing your next system. These factors will affect not only the initial purchase price but how much you spend to operate your furnace over the course of its lifespan. Let’s explain.

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Why It’s So Important to Change a Furnace Filter

Monday, November 20th, 2023
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November is the month when the really cold weather takes hold of our region and you begin relying heavily on your furnace. Your heating system is the workhorse of your home, keeping your family warm and safe when temperatures plummet. 

Besides scheduling a maintenance appointment, one of the most important things you can do to make sure your furnace is running at peak efficiency is to change the air filter regularly during the heating season. But a common question we get from homeowners has to do with how often to change the air filter.

The filter should be changed every 1-3 months the furnace is in use. Let’s go over why it’s so essential to change the filter on a regular basis and how doing so helps keep your furnace from breaking down unexpectedly.

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Why a Cracked Heat Exchanger Is A Safety Hazard

Monday, November 6th, 2023
gas-burners-in-a-gas-furnace

Natural gas furnaces are a popular heating system in the United States. About 47% of US homeowners use a natural gas furnace to heat their homes–that’s almost half! Considering that gas furnaces are an efficient method of heating a home, it’s no surprise that they’re so popular for keeping homes comfortable and cozy. A malfunctioning furnace can leave your family feeling cold and uncomfortable during the winter months. A typical furnace repair might cost between $150 and $300, making it a manageable expense for many homeowners.

Although gas furnaces are built with safety features to prevent gas leaks, no system is 100% safe. If you make up the 47% of homeowners using a natural gas furnace, it’s important to be aware of things that could go wrong. 

A rare issue but a potentially hazardous and lethal one is a cracked heat exchanger. If you own a gas furnace, you need to be aware of the signs of a cracked heat exchanger in your home. Schedule an appointment today for furnace repair.  Protect your family and ensure comfort by addressing furnace issues promptly.

That way, you’ll know to call us immediately for furnace repair. As a trusted part of the local community, we are dedicated to keeping families safe and warm.

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Signs of Common Furnace Issues and What’s Causing Them

Monday, October 23rd, 2023

Your furnace is essential to keeping your home warm and cozy during our uncomfortable, cold winters. We are dedicated to providing expert residential HVAC services, with a focus on meeting the unique needs of homeowners. When a furnace is working as it should, you’ll hardly even notice how well it’s doing its job. But when issues arise, your furnace will let you know almost immediately. Common furnace red flags include strange noises, uneven heat, frequent cycling, weird smells, weak airflow, and higher bills. From weak airflow to strange noises, furnace issues can be common this time of year. A-1 Mechanical also provides AC services to ensure cooling comfort during the summer.

Homeowners in Lansing, MI, often need urgent furnace repair due to extreme winter temperatures. That’s why we offer emergency furnace repair services 24/7 during cold winters in Michigan.

As for what’s causing them, a lot of these issues will happen if you’ve neglected routine furnace maintenance. This essential service is an opportunity for our technicians to catch those issues that are brewing before they bubble over and become a major inconvenience. Homeowners should consider hiring professionals for heating system installations to ensure safety and compliance with building codes. We are committed to our customers, always serving with honesty, professionalism, and a focus on customer satisfaction. Our team also offers safe and professional electrical repairs and upgrades for your home. We stand behind our work with a guarantee of quality service and customer satisfaction. In addition to furnaces, we provide installation, repair, and maintenance for heat pumps as part of our comprehensive heating services. We also offer heater installation, repair, and replacement services to keep your home comfortable. Our expertise extends to water heater installation, repair, and maintenance for a variety of models, including gas, electric, tankless, and solar units. Proper install of your HVAC equipment is crucial for optimal system performance and a longer lifespan.

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How to Prepare Your Furnace for Heating Season

Monday, September 25th, 2023

It’s officially fall and that means you’ll soon be making the change from using your air conditioner to using your furnace. Before you switch the heating system on for the first time, there are a few things you should do.

A few DIY maintenance tips along with scheduling a furnace check-up with one of our NATE-certified technicians will go a long way in making sure your furnace operates at peak performance this heating season. Let’s go over 5 essential things you should do before turning on your furnace for the first time.

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Why Fall Furnace Tune-Ups Are So Important

Monday, September 11th, 2023

Fall is right around the corner and with it comes many things. The kids go back to school, the days get shorter, the weather gets colder, and you transition from using your air conditioner to using your furnace. This period of transition is the one where every HVAC company strongly recommends getting furnace maintenance, us included.

A well-functioning furnace is essential for getting your family through the entire winter. And the absolute best way to ensure its proper functioning is to have it tuned up. That’s because during maintenance, our technicians will check for any issues that could become problematic if left unchecked. We’ll clean the furnace and perform a series of essential checks not only to ensure its functionality, but its safety as well. Let’s go over some of the benefits of scheduling furnace maintenance this fall. 

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Why Does My Furnace Make Loud Noises When It Turns Off?

Monday, August 28th, 2023

A common question we get from homeowners has to do with unusual furnace noises that occur both at startup and once a heating cycle is completed. Although some of these noises are normal and nothing to worry about, some can be quite serious and require immediate attention. 

Whether your furnace makes loud noises when turning off or makes a booming noise when it turns on, let’s go over the most common causes of these sounds. That way, you’ll know which ones are normal and which ones warrant a call for immediate repairs.

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