If you have a washable filter, it should be cleaned or replaced every three months. If your system only does heating or cooling, you’ll do this twice a year, but if your system does both heating and cooling, you should do this four times a year. If you have any further questions about AC repair and maintenance, don't hesitate to reach out.

You should get AC repair and maintenance services annually--ideally in the spring before the summer season starts. Refrigeration systems should be done twice a year because they run year-round. Oil burners and gas burners alike should be serviced once a year, normally at the beginning of fall before the winter season.

The range of 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit is a good temperature range for air conditioning and heating when you're in your home. Remember, the lower you drop the temperature in AC mode, the more electrical energy it'll use to reach that temperature. The higher you set the temperature in heating mode, the more energy it uses to reach that temperature. Stay comfortable, but keep in mind your energy bill. To learn more about your HVAC system, give our AC and heating company a call today.

As most air conditioning companies will tell you, it depends on what your normal operating temperature is. Keep in mind that your HVAC system is going to use more energy to raise or lower the temperature back to normal levels again when you return. If it’s summertime and you normally keep the house at 72 degrees, turn it up to 78 or 79 instead of turning the system off. If you turn the system off and the inside temperature is say 84 degrees when you return, turning the system back on and setting it to 72 will put a lot of stress on the system to try and pull the temperature back down. It may even take all night. Setting it at 78 degrees takes some of that stress off of the unit due to it already being mildly cool in the home. Your unit won’t have to run as hard or long to pull back down to the temperature you are comfortable at.

The same goes for heating. If you normally keep your home at 72 degrees, set it to 66 or even 68 when you go out. We don’t recommend turning it all the way down to 60 and making your system work that much harder to heat the house back up to 72 when it’s 30-40 degrees outside.

A programmable thermostat helps you conserve energy by setting a schedule for the temperature in your home. Keeping the temperature higher in AC mode when you’re at work during the day or at night when you're sleeping helps minimize the amount of energy your system is using. In the meantime, you don’t waste extra electricity while you’re not home and you aren’t coming home to a house that's a whopping 85 degrees. You're also saving the life of your system by not making it work so hard to adjust the temperature back to comfortable levels while also saving you money.

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It measures the energy efficiency of your air conditioner.

The SEER rating quantifies overall AC system efficiency on a seasonal basis. This helps consumers and air conditioning companies alike compare energy efficiency when choosing a new air conditioner.

Unlike regular AC units, heat pumps can work not just to provide cooling when it’s hot but also to provide heating when it’s cold out. It’s the same process but reversed. Heat pumps can pick up heat from outside even when it’s cold and pump it into your house through the lines and air handler to keep it warm. If you're interested in learning more, give our heating company a call today.

Yes, a heat pump can be installed if you have gas or oil. You can use the heat pump as your first stage of heating and use your gas or oil system as a backup or second stage of heating. Contact our heating company to get started with a free consultation!

Better HVAC equipment may have two-stage compressors or two-stage gas valves. Two-stage means when your equipment turns on, it'll try and cool or heat your house using less energy first, using maybe 60% of the normal amount of electricity to cool or 60% of the gas to heat. If it can’t satisfy the house in a single stage, then it'll kick into the second stage to use 100% of the energy or fuel needed. It'll always try and use less first in a two-stage system. If you're looking for an HVAC upgrade, our heating company can help.

Absolutely! You can lower your energy costs in some of the following ways:

• Programmable thermostats
• Installing a heat pump unit
• Using your gas or oil system as backup
• Upgrading to high-efficiency units
• Installing an indirect hot water heater
• Yearly maintenance (According to ConsumerReports, roughly 56% of AC manufacturers highly recommend having their system serviced annually.)

To get started, give us a call today! As one of the top air conditioning companies in the area, we'd be happy to help.