HVAC & Plumbing Blog by DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

Don’t Ignore These 3 Sounds from Your AC System

April 6th, 2020

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While homeowners in some parts of the country are still using their heaters for the foreseeable future, here in the Woodstock area we’re just about ready to turn them off for the season and turn our attention to our air conditioners. Since this is the case, we hope you’ve already had maintenance done on your cooling system. Professional maintenance allows our technicians to thoroughly inspect your air conditioner. We’ll adjust and clean components that need it, then make recommendations for repairs as needed.

Maintenance helps slow the accumulation of wear and tear and ultimately helps your air conditioner last longer. You also can rest assured knowing you’ll rarely be surprised by unexpected repair needs.

All that said, it’s always a good idea to know the signs that your AC is in disrepair, even if you have had maintenance done already. There are various symptoms a malfunctioning cooling system can display, but there are 3 ominous sounds in particular you should be particularly aware of:

Why Is Professional HVAC Installation So Important?

March 23rd, 2020

If you’ve come upon this blog post, it’s likely that you’re starting to look into an air conditioner replacement—or perhaps as we progress into spring you’ve realized that your heater is ready to call it quits and it’s time for an upgrade. No matter the situation, we really can’t stress enough how important it is that you not rush this purchase, and also, leave the installation job to the pros.

There are a number of reasons we advise this. For starters, there’s a lot of work that goes into each and every HVAC installation job we do, and this task contributes to your comfort and the efficiency of the system, not to mention the safety of your home and family. This is especially true if we’re talking about gas-powered heaters! Attempting to do such work yourself could lead to problems, similar to the dangers of trying to fix a furnace on your own, making professional help essential.

Read on as we uncover the steps that our technicians go through during an HVAC installation, so you can better understand why it’s so important to trust a pro.

It’s Time! Schedule Your Cooling System Tune-Up Today

March 9th, 2020

It can be easy for our customers to dismiss the need for air conditioning maintenance. Unless something is terribly wrong with your cooling system after all—like, say, you noticed a sudden loss of cooling power—you can be very tempted to put off a tune-up, particularly if your AC has been working “just fine.”

The thing is, “just fine” isn’t always good enough! Just like maintenance for your vehicle, routine cooling system maintenance is essential to the system’s performance, longevity, and overall efficiency. It’s also the best way to prevent the worst of repair needs. What does maintenance do, though? Read on as we uncover some of the truths of maintenance, and please give us a call when you’re ready to schedule your next tune-up!

These Noises Signal a Problem with Your Furnace

February 24th, 2020

If you’ve had your furnace even just a couple of years, you’re likely well acquainted with what it sounds like when it is operating. So, if it starts to make loud or unusual sounds during its operation, it’s a good indication that something is amiss. You should call on a pro to examine your furnace and ensure that everything is working effectively and efficiently.

What kind of noises are we referring to? Read on as we uncover some of the most common sounds that warrant a call to our team.

Do You Know What Size Heater You Need?

February 10th, 2020

We’re going to make an assumption here and say that if you’re reading this blog at the time of its publishing, you’re scrambling to find a new heater and don’t have any time to waste. The coldest of our weather is upon us, and all you want to do is rush out and get the most affordable heater you can find, and have just anyone install it so you can get your home comfort back, right?

Choosing to skip professional installation, however, can be a big mistake. Trusting an amateur or trying to do the installation on your own can lead to comfort issues, efficiency problems, and even safety hazards. One other problem that most people don’t think about because they don’t even realize it’s a problem is getting the wrong size furnace or heat pump. Read on to learn more!

Watch for These Signs of Heater Problems

January 27th, 2020

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a heating system that never experienced problems? Unfortunately, this will never be the case. Let’s face it, natural wear and tear is always going to be a factor, and eventually, you will need heater repairs.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t take steps to mitigate how severe these repair needs will be! Scheduling maintenance, for instance, is the #1 way to avoid heater emergencies. It also increases the lifespan of your heating equipment and helps the system work more efficiently. Our techs are able to fully inspect your system during maintenance, so we can alert you to small repair needs before they grow bigger.

What if you need repairs between maintenance sessions, though? Is there any way for you to know? Yes! Watch and listen for the following signs, and if you notice them, give our team a call.

How to Best Prevent Clogged Drains

January 13th, 2020

Do you have your drains routinely cleaned? If not, you should be! Our plumbers will come to your home and use the best in currently technology, such as hydro-jetting technology, to comprehensively clean out the drainpipes throughout your home. This removes the buildup that leads to frequent slow drains and clogs, and also helps prevent pipes from suffering other damage as well.

“But wait,” you might be wondering, “can’t I just use liquid drain cleaner I bought at the store to treat clogs?”

You can, but this would only provide a temporary solution to the problem, and these drain cleaning chemicals are so caustic that they could be harmful to you and are definitely—perhaps even ironically—harmful to your pipes. The corrosive chemicals cause corrosion, leading to premature pipe replacement. The best thing to do is invest in routine drain cleaning, and also to know how to prevent clogs from forming to begin with, which we’ve delved into below.

Furnace Repair Needs: The Danger of a Cracked Heat Exchanger

December 30th, 2019

If your home is like most throughout the Roswell area and beyond, then you use a furnace for your heating needs. Given that gas is so widely available, it’s very likely this heating system is gas-powered. A gas furnace produces a large amount of heat, and it does so at less expense than using an electric furnace, since natural gas costs less than electricity per unit.

However, there’s a potential hazard with using a gas furnace. We aren’t saying that to scare you—gas furnaces are not inherently dangerous, after all—especially with all the safety features built into today’s models. But older furnaces or furnaces that haven’t been well cared for over the years have one specific danger that needs to be watched for—a cracked heat exchanger.

Is Your Furnace Well Maintained?

December 16th, 2019

Surely, with the official start of winter just a week away, you’ve scheduled furnace maintenance, right?

If not, don’t worry, it’s not too late! In fact, it’s much better to schedule your furnace maintenance now, or even in the middle of winter, than to skip it altogether this year. This is particularly true if you have a gas furnace—skipping a tune-up in this case might not only leave your furnace at risk of operational problems, but expose you to safety issues as well.

Sure, it’s typically best to have this job done before temperatures drop to their coldest, and sometimes we can get cold snaps far before wintertime comes around, but if you’re reading this and haven’t scheduled your tune-up yet, please give us a call! In the meantime, read on to learn more about the importance of this service.

“Is My HVAC Air Filter Enough to Clean My Air?”

December 2nd, 2019

The very short answer to this is, “no.” But don’t worry, we’ll elaborate!

The air filter that comes standard with your HVAC installation is there for an important reason. Its function is to protect the HVAC system itself from dust, dirt, and other debris that can settle on its internal components and negatively impact the system’s efficiency and performance—costing you more money in the long run. This air filter certainly helps pull a little bit of dust and other contaminants from your indoor air, but this isn’t its intended purpose.

For more powerful air cleaning, you’ll want to consider the installation of a whole-house air purifier.