Tag Archives: gas furnace repair

Gas Furnace Vs. Electric Furnace

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Many new homeowners don’t know whether to install gas or electric furnaces. If you are one of the confused home owners, here is how the two compare:

Cost

Gas furnaces are more expensive than their electric counterparts. While the initial investment in gas furnaces is higher, they are usually cheap to operate as the cost of natural gas has gone down over the years. This is contrary to the cost of electricity which seems to be increasing every day.

Installation

After making the purchase, you need to install the furnace. Electric furnaces are small in size thus easy to install. In fact you can install it on your own. This isn’t the case with a gas furnace which is usually large in size and requires technical skills and specialized tools to properly install it. Due to this, it’s difficult to undertake gas furnace installation on your own—you have to hire the services of a gas furnace expert to help you out.

Maintenance

For your furnace to continue working effectively you need to maintain it. Electric furnaces don’t have many issues thus they are easy to maintain. In fact, you can troubleshoot the problems on your own. If you don’t have time you should ask a HVAC professional to come and take a look at it.

A gas furnace on the other hand requires a lot of regular maintenance as it emits low levels of carbon monoxide which can be lethal if not properly monitored. To ensure that your home is safe, you should seek the services of a HVAC expert to regularly maintain your gas furnace.

Lifespan

Research studies have shown that electric units last up to twice the life of a gas furnace (which is usually 10-20 years). This means that if you are after a furnace that will last for a long time, you should go for an electric unit.

Effectiveness

Gas furnaces have been shown to be more effective than electric furnaces in very cold temperatures. The reason for this is because gas heats up to higher temperatures than electricity. In addition to being more effective, it’s also more energy efficient than an electric unit.

Conclusion

This is how a gas furnace compares to an electric furnace. Regardless of the furnace that you choose to go with, you should ensure that you buy it from a reputable store. You should also ensure that the furnace is regularly maintained by a certified HVAC contractor.

Guide On How To Maintain A Gas Furnace

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There are many benefits that come with having a gas furnace. One of the benefits is that the furnace is energy efficient. Another benefit is that you can use it in almost every location. For example, you can use it in your rural home.

For you to get ideal results, you should ensure that the furnace is large enough for your home. If the furnace is too small, your house won’t be heated well thus your energy bills may go up. To know the right size of furnace that you should use, you should ensure that you consult a gas furnace expert.

How to maintain the gas furnace

For the furnace to last for a long time you should maintain it. This calls for you to properly maintain the main parts of the furnace. The parts that you need to maintain include:

Fan motor: the fan motor is located behind the filter. You should note that you may have to remove the metal grille in order to access it. To access it you should remove the two screws at the top and bottom of the grille.

You should clean all the surfaces using a vacuum cleaner brush. Once clean, you should inspect the rubber drive belt for signs of wear or deep cracks. If there are deep cracks, you should contact a gas furnace service technician for replacement.

You should also take a look at the lubrication tube which is usually 1/8 inch in diameter and is at the center of the motor. You should note that not all furnaces have lubrication tubes as many of them are permanently sealed. You should place 10-20 drops of machine oil inside the tube.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the one that controls the unit. It sits on the interior wall away from the furnace. To maintain it you should vacuum around it to remove any dust that might be there. To avoid damaging it, you shouldn’t remove the thermostat’s cover.

Filter

The filter is the one that collects all the dust; therefore, you should clean it as often as you can. To access it you only need to open the filter’s enclosure. You should clean it using a soft brush to vacuum both the filter and the interior housing. You should also clean the filter door.

Conclusion

These are tips on how to maintain a gas furnace. Although, you can do the maintenance on your own, it’s highly recommended that you hire a gas furnace repair professional who will not only maintain it, but also repair it in the event of any problem.