Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label fall home maintenance

How to Avoid Furnace Repairs

       As one of the most important appliances in your home, the furnace plays a vital role in helping you stay comfortable. Replacing a furnace can unexpectedly cost you up to thousands of dollars that you aren't prepared to pay for at the moment. It's worth it to stay on top of your furnace's condition so you can do the necessary preparation for when you need to replace the unit. In order to save you money in the long-term, here are a few ways to ensure that your furnace doesn't break  down at an inopportune time.      Seasonal Check Ups      It may have never crossed your mind to have a scheduled maintenance visit if your furnace works every time you turn your heat on. Getting a regular tune-up can help you avoid costly repairs, avoid emergency breakdowns, and allow your heating system to last a lot longer. If the furnace experiences a break down in the middle of the night or on a cold day of the year, you will be left scram...

Seasonal Plumbing Tips For Winter

      Most people underestimate the value of having good, solid piping and structure in their homes. Ultimately, having a good understanding of plumbing and the problems that come along with it can help you greatly in the future. Winter is here to stay and frozen pipes are bound to become an issue in many homes across the country. Stay ahead of the curve with these tips on how to prevent or at least minimize the damage that can be done to the plumbing.      Holiday visitors can add extra strain to a home's plumbing system. Cooking a slew of meals in the kitchen likely results in lots of grease and food being thrown into the disposal or sink drain. Holiday guests also equate to more showers and baths as well as extra toilet flushes. This all adds up to a potential plumbing disaster. Pipes clog because of gradual build up of grease, hair, soap and food particles. It doesn't take much to cause an emergency.      1. Try to avoid pouring fats...

Your Furnace & You: A Heating Story

 Winter is steadily creeping up on Ohio residents and it's that time of year to be thinking about your furnace. How long have I had it? Do I need to get it replaced? Why is it so cold one day and boiling hot the next? If you're asking these questions to your self, or you have an imaginary friend on your should speaking it to you, either way you should look no further than Shakley Mechanical to put your mind at ease.  Discover which type of furnace you nee today!     Before purchasing a new  furnace, you need to decide what type of furnace you need. There are three types of furnaces: single-stage, two-stage or a modulating furnace.  A single - stage furnace is either always on or off. This means that it's always pumping at the hottest air at the highest velocity possible. It is quite noisy though and it is known to be very inconsistent with it's temperatures  So if you have a finished basement or thin walls, this may be a deterrent for you. On the flip ...

Fall Care of Your Central Air

Summer is in its waning days, and the air is turning cooler. You might have actually turned off the air conditioner and just let it stay at the ambient temperature in your home. But before you say "see you later" to your central air unit, it needs a little TLC in the fall. Here are some tips to care for your unit so that when warm weather arrives again next year, it'll be in tip-top condition to work efficiently. 1. Clean out the area around the unit.  During the year, bushes can start to grow towards your unit, leaves can blow in, or small twigs can get lodged in places, causing its efficiency to be affected. Clear debris from around the unit and keep vegetation at least 2 feet away. 2. Call in the pros. Once a year, have a licensed professional perform a full inspection on your air conditioning units. This will involve cleaning and flushing the condenser coils, draining the pan and drainage system, vacuuming the blower compartments, and checking the refrigerant and mec...

Winter Home Readiness

Winter Home Readiness and Preperation While we're enjoying the final warm days of summer, it's important to think about the looming cool temperatures. We like to remind homeowners to switch their  home furnace  on before it's time to need it, even just for a few hours. This lets you know everything is in working order, and time to fix anything that isn't quite right. Sure, you'll be able to tell if it's putting out warm air but there's much more to check before winter sets in. There are a few things that should ideally be done before switching your furnace on for a trial run. 1. Change your filters - You'll want to be sure your furnace has new filters for its sake, and your own. A clean filter ensures that excess dust and dirt particles don't make their way into your furnace causing build-up. They also help keep dirt, dust, and other airborne allergens out and keep your  air quality  high. Filters should be changed continually ever 2-...

Fall Furnace and HVAC Maintenance

The transition to fall is one of our favorites. Cooler days mean a lot of homes open their windows to enjoy the fresh air giving the perfect opportunity to do some maintenance on your homes air conditioner after the harsh summer months, and furnace before the temperatures drop. Some things should be handled by the pros of Shakley, but here’s a few of our best do it yourself tips. Clean Around Your Outdoor Units – Making sure there is a clear space of 2-3 feet around them is key for their use. Be sure to clear off any debris like leaves and ensure there is drain ability for snow and ice. Air Filters – Replace your air filters with high efficiency pleated filters that are far more effective when it comes to filtering out dust, pollen, mold, dander, and any other nasty particles. Humidifier Filters – While changing air filters, it is a good habit to change out your humidifier filter to be sure it is putting clean moisture into your home. Turn On the Furnace – It is...