The Importance of Heater Maintenance.

Some attic fires have been caused by a malfunctioning or poorly maintained heater. Here’s how you can prevent this happening to you.

Have Your Furnace Checked

Having a winter preventive maintenance on your heating system by a professional will give you peace-of-mind that your system is running efficiently. The heating repairman will also ensure that all connections are tight, and the system isn’t showing signs of wear.  Verifying that everything is in good working order before the cold, winter season will save you time and money and may be critical to your family’s safety.

Clear the Furnace and Vents

Be sure there are NO cardboard boxes, newspapers, rags, and other flammable materials near your heating system before you turn it on for the first time. This is also true for your vents. A blocked airway or poorly ventilated furnace can transform an otherwise meaningless spark into a large blaze.  You should keep anything that is flammable at least three feet away from heating equipment including fireplaces, furnaces, space heaters, and wood stoves.

Clean the Chimney

Having your chimney cleaned once a year is a good idea, if you have one.  It’s possible a small animal has built a nest in yours, especially if the top screen has become dislodged or has broken.  Creosote can also build up within an uncleaned chimney and cause fires. Have a professional check your chimney before using it for the first time this winter.

Beware of Other Heat Sources

Some of us remember when the heater wasn’t working properly grandma would open the oven to take the chill off and warm the house.  Just because something is a heat source does not mean you should use it to heat your home. Always remember, safety first, as this can be extremely dangerous.  If you have a heating emergency and need your furnace fixed, call the heating professionals for fast repair. Do not turn to makeshift heat sources.

Turn Portable Heaters Off

If you are leaving the room, going to bed or leaving for the day be sure to turn off portable space heaters. There is no reason to heat a room you’re not in and it’s impossible to notice a fire hazard while you’re sleeping. The same goes for candles. Never leave either of these items unattended.  Space heaters are responsible for some of the home heating fire deaths each year. Using them properly, and turning them off when they’re not being monitored, is critical to not becoming a statistic.

Change Batteries on Your Smoke Detector

Be sure to change those batteries when you turn on your furnace for the first time. You should test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly.  Heating equipment fires are a major cause of home fires. Maintaining a good alert system is crucial to getting out of the home safely.

Don’t forget to get your furnace preventative maintenance prior to turning it on for the winter season.

Be sure to call us today at Maximum Air at (559) 222-0733 to schedule your maintenance and service to your Fresno HVAC unit.

Ways to Warm Up Your Home for the Holidays

Try these tips to warm up your home and yourself for the holidays:

Electric Blanket – Sleep comfy and cozy.

The easiest way to get rid of the problem is by focusing on your own individual temperature. There’s no need to heat the whole house when you’ll be sleeping in your bedroom the entire night. Instead, go with an electric blanket to keep your body temperature warm and toasty. If you don’t want to invest in a heater for every guest and every room, a heated blanket may be a wise choice.

Space Heater – You Need the Extra Heat.

If you’re cold all the time, you may want to invest in a heating system. When you’re still browsing around for heating system installation, invest in space heaters for guest rooms to keep your home warm and cozy throughout the holidays.

Flannel Sheets & Warm Throw Blankets – A Soft Touch.

It’s time to change the sheets with those great flannels to keep you warm at night.  When the temperature drops suddenly, you’re often caught off guard. When you don’t want to use the heater, a cheaper fix to save money on heating your home is keeping flannel sheets or fuzzy throw blankets on hand for when you feel the chill.

Rugs & Curtains – Welcoming and Warm.

Both rugs and curtains will help keep the heat inside your home. Rugs will keep your feet comfortable and warm. Cold air can creep in through the windows, but curtains offer a source of insulation to keep the cozy warmth inside.

Fireplace & Candles – A Little Holiday Spirit.

A single tealight candle is surprisingly a huge source of heat, but a fireplace is sometimes all the warmth you need to heat an entire home. You’d be surprised how much heat is released from even a small open flame. There are plenty of reasons to light a fire in the winter or just in time for the holidays.  Who doesn’t like to get toasty by the fireplace?

Hot, Winter Beverages – A Winter Specialty.

The winter mornings and evenings can get quite chilly. Relaxing with your favorite hot tea, coffee, or a package of marshmallows for a delicious mug of hot chocolate will help warm you up.

Feast & Bake Cookies – Comfort Food.

The biggest source of heat in a home without a heating system is the oven! Do you remember the days when your parents or grandparents would leave the oven open to heat up the house after a day of baking or cooking?  If you need to warm up your home for the holidays, then this is the perfect opportunity for a day of cooking up a feast and baking cookies or desserts to heat the home. 

As always be sure keep warm this winter with the above tips or using your home heating system.

Be sure to call us today at Maximum Air to schedule your heating repair or normal maintenance and service to your Fresno HVAC unit. (559-222-0733)

Tips to Save Money with Your AC During the Winter

Who doesn’t love the idea of saving money in the winter? Particularly with our high Fresno electric bills in the summer, and with the holidays coming up, saving money is always a good thing.

In the Fresno area, we tend to go from one extreme to the other, quickly. We leave our air conditioners running most spring and summer days and then the moment the outside temps dip below 70, we are running to turn on the heat. But you don’t have to. We have a couple of ideas that can save you money and keep you from running for your heater.

TIPS TO SAVE MONEY

Open the Blinds or Curtains

Most of the year we suggest keeping the curtains closed to cut costs, in the winter you want to let all that beautiful sunshine in. It will naturally warm your house without increasing your electric bill. It may even get so toasty you might need to close the blinds again.

Turn Off the AC

As the humidity drops in the fall/winter season, the weather is more pleasant. If the temps are in the 70s, you can be very comfortable with the blinds and windows open. However, don’t keep turning the AC on and off. This will cause more problems as the unit must work harder to get your indoor temp just right.

Seal the Leaks

Do you feel cold air coming in from your doors and windows? If so, you may need to improve the insulation in those areas by sealing them or applying weather stripping. This will help you keep the warm air in and the cold air out.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Using a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save money on your heating and cooling. In the winter you can keep your home a little cooler when you are not home or when everyone is sleeping. There is no reason to heat a home when no one is home to enjoy it. The same can be said with your AC. If you’re running your AC often, make sure you’re not cooling your home when nobody is home.

Get Your Heater Serviced

Each year many homes catch fire due to space heater use.  Why do people use space heaters? They either don’t want to turn on their home’s heater or their home’s heater is not effective enough to make everyone in every room comfortable.  Before the cooling season begins, it’s a good idea to get your heater serviced. This will make sure your heater is running well and it will be less likely to catch you by surprise with a heater repair. It’s much easier to get a unit serviced in October or November than in December and January when everyone needs heating repair in the Fresno area.

Don’t forget that winter doesn’t have to mean expensive heating costs. The above tips will help you keep costs lower during the winter season. Another idea is replacing old unit with more energy efficient ones.

Be sure to call us today at Maximum Air to schedule your heater repair or normal maintenance service to your Fresno HVAC unit. (559-222-0733).

5 Common Signs You Need Heating Repair In Fresno

As the weather starts to cool down, it’s time to ensure that your heating system works properly. Otherwise, you might end up dealing with a problem at an inconvenient time of the season. In Fresno, many of us worry about keeping cool in the summers, and it’s easy to forget about the chilly nights.

Home heating systems need as much care and attention as air conditioners do, and durability is key. Primary causes of heating unit repair are faulty installation and bad maintenance. What about signs to look for?

Here are five of the most common signs you need heating repair.

1. Unusually High Electricity Bills

Does your PG&E bill seem higher than normal?  While it’s normal for your electricity bill to go higher as the weather gets chillier, the difference shouldn’t be astronomical. At the same time, if you also see that the heater seems to be working much more often than it did last year, this should raise a red flag.   Heating tune-up (service) is actually your key to long-term success with your heating system, including preventing most repairs.  Make it a point to arrange your turn-up so with Maximum Air so one of our professionals can make adjustments that will aid with the durability and performance of your system.

2. The Heating System Doesn’t Keep the House Warm

If the air still feels chilly in your home regardless of the temperature you’ve set on the thermostat, then you should immediately request the assistance of an HVAC professional. When the heating system runs continuously throughout the day, this will contribute to it wearing down. Address this problem as soon as you notice it. Maximum Air offers emergency after hours heating repair services throughout the Fresno area.

3. The Heating System Emits Unusual Noises

A heating system may be quite noisy as designed, but when it’s noisier than usual this could indicate a malfunction. Also, noises coming out from the vents could also indicate the system isn’t working properly. You might not be able to determine if the issue is minor or major, but either way, this is a sign it’s likely you need heating repair.

4. The Pilot Light Is Yellow

It’s a good idea to have a look at the pilot light of the furnace, and you should do this regularly. Maximum Air suggests that if the furnace works properly, the pilot light should be blue as opposed to yellow (or any other color). Depending on the light’s color, your heating system might have a problem. If you don’t consider heating repair, you could have an issue with the efficiency of the furnace, which could potentially affect the air quality inside your home.

5. Uneven Heating and Cold Spots

Are there areas of the house where there is little to no heat and in other spots great heat? This is a common problem in homes that have issues with HVAC duct work. Believe it or not, uneven heating is a common problem in older homes. Whether your home is old or not, it’s a good idea to call an expert to check the status of your heating system and see what can be done to enhance its efficiency. Your heater won’t deliver peak performance if you don’t take care of it.

As always be sure to tune-up (service) your heater before use.  This could help catch possible heating issues before you find yourself in the middle of winter with little to no heat.

Be sure to call us today at Maximum Air to schedule your appointment for normal maintenance and service to your Fresno HVAC unit. (559-222-0733)

Fresno HVAC Blog: Sponsored Energy Curtailment Programs

HVAC Furnace and Boiler Maintenance

Confirm that the furnace/boiler turns on and off via your thermostat by setting the temperature higher than the current indoor temperature and setting the system to heat mode. Check the temperature of air supply grates or radiant system to ensure you’re able to feel warmth. If you have an older thermostat that could have mercury switches, clean and level it to ensure it works properly. Check all visible wiring and electrical connections for signs of damage like burns, unraveling wires and loose nuts. Check vent connection pipe and chimney for rust or gaps. (Venting systems can deteriorate over time.) If you have a gas or oil furnace, make sure you have a clean air filter in the proper size. When you restart your system each fall, you might consider an inspection of the burners, combustion area, venting and even flame appearance. HVAC Furnace and boiler maintenance...The time is now!

 Visit us Today for Additional Details


Maximum Air
3634 W Swift Ave,
Fresno, CA 93722
Fresno HVAC
http://www.maximumairfresno.com/

Fresno HVAC Blog: Sponsored Energy Curtailment Programs

Carrier and Whisker Labs Allow Homeowners to Participate in Utility-Sponsored Energy Curtailment Programs

Carrier and Whisker Labs have teamed up to help homeowners save on heating and cooling costs while allowing participating utilities to better maintain grid reliability during peak demand. Whisker Labs is managing this new program, in which participating utilities can now include connected Carrier® Côr™ thermostats in demand response and energy curtailment programs that use a “Bring Your Own Thermostat” (BYOT) model for customer enrollment. Carrier, a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.
Available now, Whisker Labs will leverage the Côr® thermostat’s proprietary technology to control participating homeowners’ thermostats to reduce demand during peak times. “We are excited to add a premier HVAC manufacturer to our utility offering,” said Dave Oberholzer, GM energy management, Whisker Labs.
The benefits of participation in demand response programs are two-fold. Homeowners with Côr thermostats will benefit by potentially reducing their heating and cooling bills, while also receiving BYOT program participation incentives and rebates from participating utilities, where offered. On a wider scale, the program aims to decrease demand on the electrical grid during high demand periods or when it becomes stressed from extreme weather or power generation shortfalls.
BYOT programs often provide utility-sponsored rebates that can lower the cost to purchase a Côr thermostat while also providing customers with recurring participation incentives. According to Navigant Research*, approximately 50,000 U.S. customers are presently engaged in BYOT programs. According to the Navigant report, the potential customer base for BYOT demand response is estimated at 20 million customers, translating to a $3 billion customer segment.
“Carrier recognizes the unique role we can play as a leader in our industry to further develop and deploy demand response technology,” said Todd Nolte, director, product marketing, Carrier Residential HVAC. “We’re thrilled to be working with innovators like Whisker Labs to deliver greater energy savings for our customers and to help utilities better manage the electrical grid during peak demand.”
This collaboration with Whisker Labs’ energy management platform allows utilities to expand their load management programs and increase customer satisfaction by includingCôr thermostats from Carrier, a leader in the HVAC industry.
For more information visit https://www.whiskerlabs.com/services/#connected-savings.
* https://www.navigant.com/insights/energy/2018/2018-utility-demand-response-market-snapshot
About Carrier
Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier is a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy-efficient products, building controls and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and food service customers. Carrier’s HVAC business is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.carrier.com or follow @Carrier on Twitter.
About Whisker Labs
Whisker Labs is leveraging data analytics from energy IoT devices to deliver home intelligence via energy savings and greater peace of mind. The company’s sensing and software technology mines the electrical network of the home, detecting electrical fire hazards. Energy management services intelligently manage and optimize thermostats for greater savings and comfort. Visit www.whiskerlabs.com for more information.

Via: Sponsored Energy Curtailment Programs

Maximum Air
3634 W Swift Ave,
Fresno, CA 93722
Fresno HVAC
http://www.maximumairfresno.com/

Fresno HVAC Contractor-Maximum Air-559-222-0733

Maximum Air is Your Fresno HVAC Contactor of Choice

Maximum Air is a family-owned HVAC service company serving homes in the Fresno/Clovis and surrounding areas. We have over 25 years of industry experience and over the years we've established a reputation as a company that provides honest services for a great price. We care about creating comfortable living environments for Fresno & Clovis families, and we'll do everything that we can to help get your system running as efficiently as possible. We provide services for your HVAC system such as repairs, maintenance or replacement of your heating and cooling systems.

Maximum Air
3634 W Swift Ave.
Fresno, Ca. 93722
559-222-0733
http://www.maximumairfresno.com/