Showing posts with label American Standard HVAC Blinson Service Company Trane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Standard HVAC Blinson Service Company Trane. Show all posts
Monday, February 15, 2010
Don't miss your chance for an HVAC tax credit!
Blinson Service Company, your source for Air Conditioning Raleigh, would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the Economic Stimulus Plan Tax Credit that’s still available until December 31, 2010 on the installation of higher efficiency HVAC systems. American Standard has many products that will qualify and depending on the type of system, homeowners can receive up to a $1,500 tax credit. Progress Energy and Duke Energy also have some rebate programs in addition to the tax rebate, along with ductwork rebates. There has never been a better period of time to maximize your savings on a new HVAC system than right now!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Free thermostat?
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter! We try to make it brief and informative with timely coupons. We are also beginning a monthly drawing for our customers. We’ll be giving away an energy-savings Digital, Programmable Thermostat to start. Suggestions are gladly accepted. Please sign up for the newsletter at www.bschvac.com and you’ll be automatically entered into the monthly drawing.
BSC to sell American Standard HVAC equipment!
Blinson Service Company, Inc. would like to take this time to let you know how much we appreciate your business. We know that this past year has been a difficult one for everyone and we feel that it is a privilege to be your service provider.
As you already know, we service all brands of heating and air conditioning equipment; however Trane has been our main product line. Trane was purchased by the American Standard Company many years ago and even though the equipment was American Standard, they wanted to keep the Trane name because of the brand recognition. Both brands are manufactured at the same assembly plant on the same assembly line. Since we had been a Trane dealer for over 20 years, we did not want to confuse our customers with a name change; we decided to keep the Trane name as our main product line instead of switching to the American Standard name even though it was the same equipment.
In 2008 American Standard/Trane was purchased by the Ingersoll Rand Corporation. This acquisition put American Standard and Trane under their umbrella. It has also allowed us to now offer American Standard equipment at a lower price than before.
In order to continue to provide top of the line equipment and first class service, Blinson Service Company, Inc has reached an agreement with a local distributor in Raleigh to sell the American Standard brand of heating and air conditioning equipment as our main product line. We have been a business partner with this distributor for over 20 years and they have proven time and time again to be a leader in customer service. We continue to believe in the Trane name and look forward to working with American Standard and you! Please feel free to review their website for further information
We are excited about this move for us because it will affect you, our valued customer, in a positive way. We will be able to offer the best equipment on the market, American Standard, at a better price than before. Not many businesses can offer that anymore…better service for less. We are your source for HVAC Raleigh!
As you already know, we service all brands of heating and air conditioning equipment; however Trane has been our main product line. Trane was purchased by the American Standard Company many years ago and even though the equipment was American Standard, they wanted to keep the Trane name because of the brand recognition. Both brands are manufactured at the same assembly plant on the same assembly line. Since we had been a Trane dealer for over 20 years, we did not want to confuse our customers with a name change; we decided to keep the Trane name as our main product line instead of switching to the American Standard name even though it was the same equipment.
In 2008 American Standard/Trane was purchased by the Ingersoll Rand Corporation. This acquisition put American Standard and Trane under their umbrella. It has also allowed us to now offer American Standard equipment at a lower price than before.
In order to continue to provide top of the line equipment and first class service, Blinson Service Company, Inc has reached an agreement with a local distributor in Raleigh to sell the American Standard brand of heating and air conditioning equipment as our main product line. We have been a business partner with this distributor for over 20 years and they have proven time and time again to be a leader in customer service. We continue to believe in the Trane name and look forward to working with American Standard and you! Please feel free to review their website for further information
We are excited about this move for us because it will affect you, our valued customer, in a positive way. We will be able to offer the best equipment on the market, American Standard, at a better price than before. Not many businesses can offer that anymore…better service for less. We are your source for HVAC Raleigh!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
December Newsletter
Greetings!
It has been a while since our last newsletter. We have been very busy with our new division, Clean Envisions. I wanted to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. This is such a joyous time of the year. A time to look back and be thankful for what God has done for each of us, especially family. I have been blessed in so many ways this past year. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, 3 beautiful children, 2 perfect grandchildren, and 2 wonderful son-in-laws. It just doesn't get any better than that. (Unless, of course, more grandchildren join the family!) I hope you and your family have a blessed holiday season.
Sincerely,
Tony Blinson
Be On The Lookout! Smart Car on the Loose!
When putting together our plans for our new division, Clean Envisions, I wanted a new vehicle that would turn heads showing our new logo and Super Hero, Enviroman. Boy did it work. Since purchasing our new Smart Car, I can't tell you how many people have stared, blown their car horns, and commented on how cool it looks. So don't be surprised if you see me in your neighborhood cleaning up the environment, one crawlspace at a time.
Clean Envisions Trademark Gets Approval by the State of North Carolina.
We are proud of our new logo for Clean Envisions, our closed crawl space and Indoor Air Quality division of Blinson Service Company, Inc.
Did You Know
That 60% of the air in your crawl space enters your home. That means either good or bad air! So many of our customers have terrible allergies and don't realize that it could be coming from below. If you are wondering what condition your crawl space is in, please just open the crawl space door and pop your head inside. Do you get a mildew smell? Do you see any dark stains on the wood floor system or ductwork anywhere? If you answer yes to either one of these questions you probably have a problem and it is most likely drifting into the living area. In many of the crawl spaces that we enter to repair HVAC equipment, we find a substantial amount of mold and mildew. An encapsulated crawlspace can take care of these problems. Let me help improve your indoor air quality today! Give us a call at 919-881-0915
Whether you are in need of service or a new HVAC system, improving indoor air quality, radon testing, or encapsulating your crawl space, we can take care of your needs. Just give us a call!
Sincerely,
Anthony Blinson, President
Blinson Service Company, Inc
It has been a while since our last newsletter. We have been very busy with our new division, Clean Envisions. I wanted to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. This is such a joyous time of the year. A time to look back and be thankful for what God has done for each of us, especially family. I have been blessed in so many ways this past year. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, 3 beautiful children, 2 perfect grandchildren, and 2 wonderful son-in-laws. It just doesn't get any better than that. (Unless, of course, more grandchildren join the family!) I hope you and your family have a blessed holiday season.
Sincerely,
Tony Blinson
Be On The Lookout! Smart Car on the Loose!
When putting together our plans for our new division, Clean Envisions, I wanted a new vehicle that would turn heads showing our new logo and Super Hero, Enviroman. Boy did it work. Since purchasing our new Smart Car, I can't tell you how many people have stared, blown their car horns, and commented on how cool it looks. So don't be surprised if you see me in your neighborhood cleaning up the environment, one crawlspace at a time.
Clean Envisions Trademark Gets Approval by the State of North Carolina.
We are proud of our new logo for Clean Envisions, our closed crawl space and Indoor Air Quality division of Blinson Service Company, Inc.
Did You Know
That 60% of the air in your crawl space enters your home. That means either good or bad air! So many of our customers have terrible allergies and don't realize that it could be coming from below. If you are wondering what condition your crawl space is in, please just open the crawl space door and pop your head inside. Do you get a mildew smell? Do you see any dark stains on the wood floor system or ductwork anywhere? If you answer yes to either one of these questions you probably have a problem and it is most likely drifting into the living area. In many of the crawl spaces that we enter to repair HVAC equipment, we find a substantial amount of mold and mildew. An encapsulated crawlspace can take care of these problems. Let me help improve your indoor air quality today! Give us a call at 919-881-0915
Whether you are in need of service or a new HVAC system, improving indoor air quality, radon testing, or encapsulating your crawl space, we can take care of your needs. Just give us a call!
Sincerely,
Anthony Blinson, President
Blinson Service Company, Inc
Monday, December 28, 2009
How to Choose the Right Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor
I hope you are enjoying this holiday season. As I write this article I look out my office window and I am just in awe over the beautiful colors of fall. I can’t think of a more wonderful place to live than right here in good ole North Carolina. So here we are with another year ahead of us. I can’t believe how time flies. This is the time of year when many of us make our New Year’s resolutions. We all have the best intentions, but here comes reality and well; you know the rest of that story. That’s what makes life interesting I guess. As a homeowner myself, my resolution is to finish last year’s resolutions. Anyone else out there feel the pain besides me? We just need more hours in the day.
I recently attended a business seminar and the speaker said something that really hit home with me. He said “Never start a new project or task until you finish the one you are working on.” I highlighted that phrase and I have committed to it. Since returning from that seminar I have finished several projects and it feels GREAT! How about you? Have you got those “Honey Do” lists that keep growing and growing? Don’t feel bad, we all have them. Remember, it’s a new year so Let’s Get To It!
Are you concerned as much as I am about the high energy cost to heat and cool your home? It seems like every time we open our utility bills there is a big surprise waiting for us inside. I want to help you save as much as possible on your next bill.
As you may already know from my previous articles with The Heritage Magazine, I am a licensed mechanical contractor located right here in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many times when we visit a customer for the first time, there are problems with their heating and cooling equipment and the customer didn’t even realize it. “It came on when it was supposed to, it seemed to heat OK, but my gas bills seem very high.” We hear that all the time. When our technicians open up the unit and show the rust, dirt, and grime inside their equipment, all of the sudden the light comes on. A furnace or air conditioner that has not been properly serviced and cleaned can cost you up to 50% of energy savings. If you haven’t had your system serviced yet, don’t wait any longer. Save those operating dollars! If your equipment is 8-10 years or older you may want to consider a more energy efficient system. Here is the big question… Who do I Call? Can I trust them? Are they looking out for my best interests or theirs? Believe me, I understand your line of questioning. Just the thought of dealing with the sales process can be a turn off. Let’s face it, how many of us have come home from buying a new car and made the statement “What a wonderful experience, I can’t wait to do it again.” Not Me! I told my wife after our last experience with buying our car that if we ever buy another car; she would have to do it solo. The sales person would just not listen to us. That’s not the way the sales process should work.
OK, back to the original question. Who do I call? After 35 years in the heating and air conditioning business I have listened to the many concerns from homeowners. Let me share a few tips on selecting the RIGHT company for you.
You definitely want a company that has experience in the HVAC industry. This is a skilled trade that requires knowledge in electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and refrigeration. Don’t be afraid to ask how many years they have been in the business. Check their credentials. Call or go on-line to the Better Business Bureau. See how many, if any, complaints have been filed against them and if the complaint was addressed and satisfied the plaintiff. Ask if they are NATE certified. (North American Technician Excellence) This is the leading certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration industry and is the only test that is supported by the entire industry. I call it “Top Gun.” You want to make sure that the contractor is licensed by the state in which they operate. Believe it or not, there are individuals out there that will sell you a system at an unbelievably low price. There is normally a reason for that low price, Such as no general liability insurance and no license. You know what I say… RUN! Your must protect your investment as well as your life. A non-licensed contractor cannot get a permit which means no inspection which means Accident Waiting To Happen! A licensed contractor knows that a permit is required on every job. This will also give you peace of mind that everything has been properly installed and is safe to operate. If a contractor says a permit is not necessary, there is your “red flag.” Don’t go any further because he or she is wasting your valuable time at this point.
Ask for references. A customer’s testimony is worth its weight in gold, good or bad. Find out if their employees have had a proper criminal background check, been drug tested, and driving records reviewed before hiring them. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as necessary for you to feel comfortable with whom you choose to work for you. Remember, they will be working for you.
The internet is a great resource to research a heating and air conditioning company. Take some time and visit their website. They may have links to their products and equipment for you to view. Many of our new customers have found us through our website. Our website is www.bschvac.com. Check us out!
If a sales person visits with you, there are several things that you should expect. He or she should listen to your comfort concerns. They should evaluate your existing HVAC system and ductwork. You should expect them to measure your home in order to run a proper load calculation in order to size the equipment. Sizing of equipment is not guess work. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has told me, “Oh by the way the company that was here earlier looked at my existing unit and he said it was a 3 ton unit, so that is what he would be pricing up for me.” You know what I say… RUN! As I mentioned before, this is not guess work here. A lot of work will go into the preparation of an estimate. In my business, I can tell you that I will average 4 hours of office time putting a typical proposal together, which brings me to my next point. Get it in writing! I learned this lesson the hard way. It goes way back to when I bought my first house. It was my pride and joy, even if it was a “fixer upper.” One of the first things it needed was a new roof. Well, I didn’t know anyone in the roofing business so I looked in the yellow pages. I called three roofing companies and scheduled an appointment with each one. Out of those three, only one actually came by to meet with me. He was only 2 hours late. Well he said he could replace the roof, however he would need $600 to buy the shingles and he could start the very next day. Remember now this was in 1977, I was young, and I trusted everyone. I wrote him a check. Guess what! I never saw him again. Lesson learned! Make sure you get a detailed description of the proposed equipment, scope of the work to be performed, any warrantees, and the method of payment for you to review.
Make sure that the company you choose has a service division. Believe it or not, there are companies that are “installation only” and will sub-contract out the service side of their business. That is definitely trouble waiting to happen. You know what I say… RUN!
I hope that I haven’t overwhelmed you with information and suggestions. Hopefully I have armed you with what you need when the time comes for you to replace or repair your heating and air conditioning system. The cold weather is upon us. Don’t get caught with a break down in the middle of the night, especially if it could have been avoided by a simple maintenance.
Winter weather… I Love It! Bring it on!
Tony Blinson is the president of Blinson Service Company, Inc. located at 7228 Becky Circle in Raleigh. For more information or for any HVAC needs, please call 919-881-0915 or visit www.bschvac.com.
I recently attended a business seminar and the speaker said something that really hit home with me. He said “Never start a new project or task until you finish the one you are working on.” I highlighted that phrase and I have committed to it. Since returning from that seminar I have finished several projects and it feels GREAT! How about you? Have you got those “Honey Do” lists that keep growing and growing? Don’t feel bad, we all have them. Remember, it’s a new year so Let’s Get To It!
Are you concerned as much as I am about the high energy cost to heat and cool your home? It seems like every time we open our utility bills there is a big surprise waiting for us inside. I want to help you save as much as possible on your next bill.
As you may already know from my previous articles with The Heritage Magazine, I am a licensed mechanical contractor located right here in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many times when we visit a customer for the first time, there are problems with their heating and cooling equipment and the customer didn’t even realize it. “It came on when it was supposed to, it seemed to heat OK, but my gas bills seem very high.” We hear that all the time. When our technicians open up the unit and show the rust, dirt, and grime inside their equipment, all of the sudden the light comes on. A furnace or air conditioner that has not been properly serviced and cleaned can cost you up to 50% of energy savings. If you haven’t had your system serviced yet, don’t wait any longer. Save those operating dollars! If your equipment is 8-10 years or older you may want to consider a more energy efficient system. Here is the big question… Who do I Call? Can I trust them? Are they looking out for my best interests or theirs? Believe me, I understand your line of questioning. Just the thought of dealing with the sales process can be a turn off. Let’s face it, how many of us have come home from buying a new car and made the statement “What a wonderful experience, I can’t wait to do it again.” Not Me! I told my wife after our last experience with buying our car that if we ever buy another car; she would have to do it solo. The sales person would just not listen to us. That’s not the way the sales process should work.
OK, back to the original question. Who do I call? After 35 years in the heating and air conditioning business I have listened to the many concerns from homeowners. Let me share a few tips on selecting the RIGHT company for you.
You definitely want a company that has experience in the HVAC industry. This is a skilled trade that requires knowledge in electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and refrigeration. Don’t be afraid to ask how many years they have been in the business. Check their credentials. Call or go on-line to the Better Business Bureau. See how many, if any, complaints have been filed against them and if the complaint was addressed and satisfied the plaintiff. Ask if they are NATE certified. (North American Technician Excellence) This is the leading certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration industry and is the only test that is supported by the entire industry. I call it “Top Gun.” You want to make sure that the contractor is licensed by the state in which they operate. Believe it or not, there are individuals out there that will sell you a system at an unbelievably low price. There is normally a reason for that low price, Such as no general liability insurance and no license. You know what I say… RUN! Your must protect your investment as well as your life. A non-licensed contractor cannot get a permit which means no inspection which means Accident Waiting To Happen! A licensed contractor knows that a permit is required on every job. This will also give you peace of mind that everything has been properly installed and is safe to operate. If a contractor says a permit is not necessary, there is your “red flag.” Don’t go any further because he or she is wasting your valuable time at this point.
Ask for references. A customer’s testimony is worth its weight in gold, good or bad. Find out if their employees have had a proper criminal background check, been drug tested, and driving records reviewed before hiring them. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as necessary for you to feel comfortable with whom you choose to work for you. Remember, they will be working for you.
The internet is a great resource to research a heating and air conditioning company. Take some time and visit their website. They may have links to their products and equipment for you to view. Many of our new customers have found us through our website. Our website is www.bschvac.com. Check us out!
If a sales person visits with you, there are several things that you should expect. He or she should listen to your comfort concerns. They should evaluate your existing HVAC system and ductwork. You should expect them to measure your home in order to run a proper load calculation in order to size the equipment. Sizing of equipment is not guess work. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has told me, “Oh by the way the company that was here earlier looked at my existing unit and he said it was a 3 ton unit, so that is what he would be pricing up for me.” You know what I say… RUN! As I mentioned before, this is not guess work here. A lot of work will go into the preparation of an estimate. In my business, I can tell you that I will average 4 hours of office time putting a typical proposal together, which brings me to my next point. Get it in writing! I learned this lesson the hard way. It goes way back to when I bought my first house. It was my pride and joy, even if it was a “fixer upper.” One of the first things it needed was a new roof. Well, I didn’t know anyone in the roofing business so I looked in the yellow pages. I called three roofing companies and scheduled an appointment with each one. Out of those three, only one actually came by to meet with me. He was only 2 hours late. Well he said he could replace the roof, however he would need $600 to buy the shingles and he could start the very next day. Remember now this was in 1977, I was young, and I trusted everyone. I wrote him a check. Guess what! I never saw him again. Lesson learned! Make sure you get a detailed description of the proposed equipment, scope of the work to be performed, any warrantees, and the method of payment for you to review.
Make sure that the company you choose has a service division. Believe it or not, there are companies that are “installation only” and will sub-contract out the service side of their business. That is definitely trouble waiting to happen. You know what I say… RUN!
I hope that I haven’t overwhelmed you with information and suggestions. Hopefully I have armed you with what you need when the time comes for you to replace or repair your heating and air conditioning system. The cold weather is upon us. Don’t get caught with a break down in the middle of the night, especially if it could have been avoided by a simple maintenance.
Winter weather… I Love It! Bring it on!
Tony Blinson is the president of Blinson Service Company, Inc. located at 7228 Becky Circle in Raleigh. For more information or for any HVAC needs, please call 919-881-0915 or visit www.bschvac.com.
Holidays are just around the corner. Is your heating system ready to keep you cozy?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I can’t believe that just a few months ago I was writing about “Cooling your home.” But this is why I call North Carolina my home. Our seasons last just long enough for us to appreciate them, and then we are blessed with another one to enjoy. Isn’t that great! What more could you ask for. I hope you all are as excited as I am about the fast approaching holiday season. What a wonderful time to spend with family and friends, sharing and making memories, and taking the time to give thanks for all that we have been blessed with, which brings me to the topic for this Holiday Issue of Heritage Magazine.
If you have read any of my previous articles you may remember that I am a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. I have been in the business for 35 years. Believe it or not I am a Raleigh native and could not even think about living somewhere else. Well, I take that back, I probably could be persuaded to live at the beach if you twisted my arm (slightly).
As I mentioned previously about making memories, I must admit that there was one holiday season that I can remember that wasn’t so perfect. It goes way back to my early childhood. OK now wait a minute, it wasn’t that long ago. As a child I had a fascination with anything that was mechanical, used electricity, motors, or made noise. My dad was very mechanically inclined and I feel very fortunate to have had a dad like him. He had so much patience. He never got mad at me with all the “What’s that or how does that work “questions. I wanted to know how it all worked so what better way to learn than to take it apart and put it back together. I found out very early that electricity moves faster than my hand could. And I have to admit that sometimes I had some extra parts left over after putting things back together. I just figured that if it worked without those parts they shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Right?
OK, back to my youth. I remember one Christmas with all of my family over at our house and we were having a wonderful time together. Everything was perfect until our trusty old oil furnace decided it was time to quit working and take a break. It just so happened that my brother in law was a service technician for a heating and air conditioning company and had his truck with all his tools with him. (A good technician always has his tools close by!) Well of course he was more than willing to go down under our small crawlspace and see what the problem was. I could not wait to go explore under there with him and help. Well, it was good and it was bad. The good news is that he got it going. The bad news is I came out covered in black soot. I think at that moment I realized the importance of keeping a furnace clean. It failed because we took it for granted and thought it would run forever. It had been so reliable up until then, however it failed at the worst possible time. You’ve probably heard “If it isn’t broken don’t mess with it, or Out of sight-Out of mind”. The furnace was definitely out of sight, however at that moment it was on everyone’s mind.
Many years have passed since then and I have learned through experience that maintenance is a must on any HVAC system for proper operation and reliability. Gas furnaces and oil furnaces especially need regular maintenance because they burn fuel. In order for you to get the most efficiency out of your furnace, it needs to be cleaned and tuned up properly. Gas furnaces require a certain gas pressure at the regulator on the furnace to allow the correct amount of gas to enter the burner. If the pressure is set too low the BTU output of the furnace will be affected and differ than what the furnace specifications are. This could affect the run time of the furnace and result in higher than normal operating costs. If the pressure is set too high the furnace can experience temperatures greater than what the unit was designed for and can cause premature failure of some of the components such as the heat exchanger. One of the most common problems with heat exchangers over time is cracking or rusting. If a crack occurs the issue becomes more serious because there is the potential for carbon monoxide (CO) to leak into the airstream and into the house. I always advise my customers to purchase a good CO detector if they have any gas appliances in their house. A thorough visual inspection of the heat exchanger will normally expose any deterioration or cracks. The venting system is another important component that needs to be inspected for proper discharge of flue gases.
The design of furnaces has changed dramatically since 1973 when I started in the business. The furnaces were in the 60% efficient range. Wow! Have things improved over the years. Now we have furnaces up to 97% efficient with 2 stage heat and variable speed blower operation. Along with this new high efficiency, high tech equipment, the industry now requires a higher level of technical ability from service technicians. In the old days all you needed was around five hundred dollars to stock a service truck with tools. Now, I spend between six and eight thousand dollars for diagnostic tools for every service van. Our technicians (including myself) spend many hours in training each year to keep up with this ever changing industry. I have the highest respect for a true, certified service technician because I know what they have gone through to earn the title. They are worth their weight in gold.
My advice to you when you decide to have your system serviced is to learn a little about the company you are about to call. Visit their website, make sure they have performed criminal background checks and drug testing on their employees. Visit the Better Business Bureau to see how many, if any, complaints have been filed against them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that concern you. Make sure you have peace of mind. My mom and dad always told to me to listen to my gut. If it did not feel right, don’t do it! What wonderful words of wisdom.
I hope that you guys have already had your furnace or heating system checked out for the season. If you haven’t you may want to call and schedule it because no one wants to be left in the cold, especially during the holiday season.
May you all enjoy the holidays! Who knows, maybe we’ll get some snow and you can have that long awaited snow ball fight or some homemade snow cream. Take a little time to reflect on the old memories and make new ones today. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Bring it on!
Tony Blinson is the president of Blinson Service Company, Inc located at 7228 Becky Circle in Raleigh. For more information or for any HVAC needs, please call 919-881-0915 or visit www.bschvac.com
If you have read any of my previous articles you may remember that I am a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. I have been in the business for 35 years. Believe it or not I am a Raleigh native and could not even think about living somewhere else. Well, I take that back, I probably could be persuaded to live at the beach if you twisted my arm (slightly).
As I mentioned previously about making memories, I must admit that there was one holiday season that I can remember that wasn’t so perfect. It goes way back to my early childhood. OK now wait a minute, it wasn’t that long ago. As a child I had a fascination with anything that was mechanical, used electricity, motors, or made noise. My dad was very mechanically inclined and I feel very fortunate to have had a dad like him. He had so much patience. He never got mad at me with all the “What’s that or how does that work “questions. I wanted to know how it all worked so what better way to learn than to take it apart and put it back together. I found out very early that electricity moves faster than my hand could. And I have to admit that sometimes I had some extra parts left over after putting things back together. I just figured that if it worked without those parts they shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Right?
OK, back to my youth. I remember one Christmas with all of my family over at our house and we were having a wonderful time together. Everything was perfect until our trusty old oil furnace decided it was time to quit working and take a break. It just so happened that my brother in law was a service technician for a heating and air conditioning company and had his truck with all his tools with him. (A good technician always has his tools close by!) Well of course he was more than willing to go down under our small crawlspace and see what the problem was. I could not wait to go explore under there with him and help. Well, it was good and it was bad. The good news is that he got it going. The bad news is I came out covered in black soot. I think at that moment I realized the importance of keeping a furnace clean. It failed because we took it for granted and thought it would run forever. It had been so reliable up until then, however it failed at the worst possible time. You’ve probably heard “If it isn’t broken don’t mess with it, or Out of sight-Out of mind”. The furnace was definitely out of sight, however at that moment it was on everyone’s mind.
Many years have passed since then and I have learned through experience that maintenance is a must on any HVAC system for proper operation and reliability. Gas furnaces and oil furnaces especially need regular maintenance because they burn fuel. In order for you to get the most efficiency out of your furnace, it needs to be cleaned and tuned up properly. Gas furnaces require a certain gas pressure at the regulator on the furnace to allow the correct amount of gas to enter the burner. If the pressure is set too low the BTU output of the furnace will be affected and differ than what the furnace specifications are. This could affect the run time of the furnace and result in higher than normal operating costs. If the pressure is set too high the furnace can experience temperatures greater than what the unit was designed for and can cause premature failure of some of the components such as the heat exchanger. One of the most common problems with heat exchangers over time is cracking or rusting. If a crack occurs the issue becomes more serious because there is the potential for carbon monoxide (CO) to leak into the airstream and into the house. I always advise my customers to purchase a good CO detector if they have any gas appliances in their house. A thorough visual inspection of the heat exchanger will normally expose any deterioration or cracks. The venting system is another important component that needs to be inspected for proper discharge of flue gases.
The design of furnaces has changed dramatically since 1973 when I started in the business. The furnaces were in the 60% efficient range. Wow! Have things improved over the years. Now we have furnaces up to 97% efficient with 2 stage heat and variable speed blower operation. Along with this new high efficiency, high tech equipment, the industry now requires a higher level of technical ability from service technicians. In the old days all you needed was around five hundred dollars to stock a service truck with tools. Now, I spend between six and eight thousand dollars for diagnostic tools for every service van. Our technicians (including myself) spend many hours in training each year to keep up with this ever changing industry. I have the highest respect for a true, certified service technician because I know what they have gone through to earn the title. They are worth their weight in gold.
My advice to you when you decide to have your system serviced is to learn a little about the company you are about to call. Visit their website, make sure they have performed criminal background checks and drug testing on their employees. Visit the Better Business Bureau to see how many, if any, complaints have been filed against them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that concern you. Make sure you have peace of mind. My mom and dad always told to me to listen to my gut. If it did not feel right, don’t do it! What wonderful words of wisdom.
I hope that you guys have already had your furnace or heating system checked out for the season. If you haven’t you may want to call and schedule it because no one wants to be left in the cold, especially during the holiday season.
May you all enjoy the holidays! Who knows, maybe we’ll get some snow and you can have that long awaited snow ball fight or some homemade snow cream. Take a little time to reflect on the old memories and make new ones today. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Bring it on!
Tony Blinson is the president of Blinson Service Company, Inc located at 7228 Becky Circle in Raleigh. For more information or for any HVAC needs, please call 919-881-0915 or visit www.bschvac.com
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