Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Furnace’

3 Things You Need to Know When Buying a New Furnace

Monday, December 10th, 2018

If you’re buying a new furnace it’s either because you’re moving into a new home and providing a new furnace to heat this space, or because it’s time to upgrade from your old system. You’re preparing to make a huge decision in either scenario. Your furnace system is a heating system that’s built to last and it’s a unit that has a big job to do here throughout the winter. Choosing the best furnace available to you will keep your home comfortable all winter, last for years to come, and save you money in the process. We understand that choosing can be difficult at times, so we’ve put together a quick guide for you to reference during the process below. If you need further help in choosing a furnace in San Antonio, TX then contact our team. All our technicians are experienced, knowledgeable, and ready to help.

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How to Tell If Your Heat Exchanger is Cracked

Monday, November 12th, 2018

Inside a gas furnace. Focus = the top of the middle flange. 12MP camera.So, you’re having trouble with your furnace and you have a feeling that you might have an issue with a crack in your heat exchanger. But what is a heat exchanger exactly? How can you tell what the issue is for sure? And what should you do about it? We can help you through this process.

If you think you have a cracked heat exchanger, the best practice is to call a professional as soon as possible because a cracked heat exchanger is a serious safety issue. Even though your furnace may seem fine, dangerous gases leaking into your home is a serious detriment to your health and even a potentially life-threatening situation. If you have a problem with your furnace in San Antonio, TX, then contact our team today.

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3 Ways Your Furnace Can Perform More Efficiently

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

If you’ve had the same furnace working to keep you warm for a few years, it might start to work less efficiently, resulting in a climb in your heating bills. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have it replaced (unless it is over 20 years old). But it does means you should takes some steps to restore its operation. We’ll look at 3 ways that can help get your furnace returned to its efficient operation once more.

If you need repair work on your furnace in San Antonio, TX, then look no further than Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve helped people in this city for over 25 years keep their furnaces running and their homes warm. Call us any time of the day or night when you need service.

3 ways to Return Your Furnace’s Efficiency

  1. Change the air filter: No matter what kind of fuel your furnace uses, it requires an air filter to keep its interior protected from contamination. That air filter needs to be changed regularly, or else it will become too clogged; during heating season, changing it once a month is ideal. If you’ve forgotten to do this, the clogged filter will cut down on airflow and force the furnace to work harder. It may also be allowing dirt inside, harming in components.
  2. Schedule regular maintenance: The filter needs to changed once a month. The furnace needs to be checked once a year, usually before heating season begins. If you’ve neglected to do this, a drop in efficiency is almost guaranteed. Maintenance visits take care of all your furnace’s regular cleanings, adjustments, and tune-ups to make sure it’s working at its best and doesn’t have any impending repair needs.
  3. Take care of possible repairs now: Along with an increase in your bills, have you noticed any other peculiarities about your furnace’s performance? For example, strange noises like rattling or grinding; odd smells coming from the vents; cold spots you haven’t noticed before; and the furnace turning on and off more than usual. If you notice these signs, it means your furnace needs to have repairs done. Schedule them right away, before the problem grows worse and instead of an inefficient furnace, you have a broken furnace.

Take Care of Repairs and Maintenance With Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating

If you have not yet enrolled in a regular maintenance program for your home heating and air conditioning in San Antonio, TX, do that right now: call Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating and sign our Preventive Maintenance Agreement. You’ll receive 15% discount on parts and labor and priority scheduling along with a tune-up per year for your heater and you air conditioner. And we have 24-hour emergency service to deal with any of those repair problems.

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What Is the Life Expectancy of a Furnace?

Sunday, December 15th, 2013

Furnaces are superb options for home heating. Although they may not last as long on average as boilers, modern furnaces are competitive when it comes to their service life. The advances in technology during the last two decades have significantly added to the durability of gas, electric, and propane furnaces, making them attractive options for people who want to get many years of quality heating.

However, there is no single answer to how many years a furnace will last. Environmental factors affect it, as well as how frequently it’s used. The most important thing for getting the longest service out of your furnace is to have it maintained annually and repaired promptly. Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating can help you take good care of your furnace, no matter the type, so you won’t have to worry about scheduling a replacement in the near future.

The manufacturer of your furnace should give it an expected lifespan. The average expected lifespan for most contemporary furnaces is between 16 and 20 years (much higher than older furnaces, which were often fortunate to make it to 10 years). However, in our more than 25 years in the HVAC business, we’ve worked on furnaces that survived for longer than 20 years, thanks to solid construction from a trusted brand and homeowners who took good care of their unit. We’ve also seen furnaces fail after only a few years, usually because of neglect.

If you have a furnace that’s over 20 years old, you don’t necessarily need to think about replacing it immediately. You should, however, keep a close watch on it for malfunctions and signs of inefficient performance, such as an increase on your heating bills. At that age, it’s often more cost-effective to replace the furnace rather than repair it; you’ve already gotten a superb service life from it, so look into the next long-term investment in your heating.

Above all, make sure that your furnace receives regular preventive maintenance from skilled technficians. You should have maintenance done every year, no matter the age of your furnace, so that it gets the proper tune-up and cleaning to make sure it operates its best. Maintenance will also catch potential repair concerns before they turn into actual repairs.

If you sign the preventive maintenance agreement with Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating, we will give you two check-ups a year (one for your heater, one for your AC) along with priority scheduling, a 15% discount on parts and equipment, and one FREE emergency call. With our assistance, you can get your Boerne, TX homes furnace to that 20-year marker, and perhaps beyond – call us for your Boerne heating service needs!

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