Your helpful neighbor suggested the issue you’re having with your gas furnace sounds like it could be due to a cracked heat exchanger. What’s a heat exchanger? How can you tell if that’s what the issue is? What should you do about it? Don’t ignore the possibility. A cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace…
Continue ReadingGas furnaces create heat by burning natural gas. This gas is usually methane combined with other carbon based gasses. The Ignitor The process starts with the ignitor. The ignition source for older furnaces is a pilot light, newer furnaces use an electronic starter. With a pilot light, the regulator supplies a very small bit of…
Continue ReadingBefore starting any kind of routine maintenance or cleaning make sure you have taken the proper safety precautions, such as turning your appliance off. If at any point you question what you are doing or think you might damage your furnace or hurt yourself, do not proceed. Call us and we will be happy to…
Continue ReadingWhen it comes to your air conditioner (A/C), a common term used in the HVAC business that you’re likely to see everywhere is your air conditioner’s SEER. But what exactly is SEER? SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a rating system of the air conditioner’s cooling capacity to power input, i.e., it’s the…
Continue ReadingAside from the professionals, like ours at Chaves Heating & Air Conditioning, who really thinks about air conditioners and their components? Air conditioners keep your Hudson, MA, home or business cool and comfy when the outside temperatures are high, and that’s all you really need to know, right? Well, air conditioners do so much more…
Continue ReadingGeothermal Heat Pumps are a significant investment for any homeowner, and you never know if you might move before you reach your payback period. What most people want to know is how much value will a geothermal system add to the value of their home. Contributory Value Geothermal is an amenity that appraisers will refer…
Continue ReadingWhen you’re faced with replacing your air conditioner, it can be daunting. It seems there’s so much to know. And even when you have your standard three quotes from contractors, how do you know which one to pick? You may be tempted to simply choose the lowest bid, but don’t do it––at least until you’ve…
Continue ReadingWhen an air conditioner (AC) turns on and off in rather quick successions, without running for longer periods, this is called short cycling. It’s fairly common, but when it happens it means there’s something wrong with the AC. Do not leave these occurrences alone. They will increase your energy costs, usually indicate a larger problem,…
Continue ReadingAir conditioning problems aren’t always predictable, but there are a few common problems that we see over and over again here in Hudson, MA. Recognizing what they are might help you to fix the problem, or might simply help you understand what your HVAC technician is referring to when they provide solutions. Open Windows One…
Continue ReadingOne way to save money this summer is by learning how to battle heat build-up, or heat gain, in your Hudson, MA, home. By taking a few steps you can minimize the amount of heat that gets trapped inside. This trapped heat can cause your AC to work harder and less efficiently. Here are a…
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