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5 Tips for Finding a Heating & Cooling Professional

If you’re looking for a heating and cooling contractor in West Virginia, it can be difficult to know where to start. Many people turn to the internet. And while this is a great place to start your search, you’ll want to also speak to friends and family, as well as check referrals and chat directly to the HVAC company before making any decisions. Here is our advice for finding an HVAC professional in the Kearneysville, WV area:

1. Start by Searching via Google or Bing:
   1. At the very beginning of your search, it helps to start as broad as possible. Then you can slowly start to whittle down your choices. We recommend using Google or another Search Engine to find a professional who provides the services you’re looking Check out a few different people and then you can move on to the next step.
2. Examine the Website Carefully:
   1. Now that you found a few different possible west Virginia HVAC candidates, start by examining their websites. Any good, respectable company these days will have an informative, well-designed website. The amount of care they put into their site is a good indicator of the type of company they are.
3. Ask Your Friends and Family:
   1. Perhaps people you know and trust have 5 Tips for Finding a Heating | Cooling Professional – Shenandoah Air Conditioningworked with an HVAC professional recently. They may have some tips on who you should work with (or who you should avoid). It’s always good to get the opinion of people you trust when making a decision like this.
4. Ask the Company for Referrals:
   1. A good company will always have a number of referrals they can provide to you. So don’t be afraid to ask!
5. Get a Quote in Writing:
   1. If you think you’d like to work with an HVAC contractor, get a quote from them in writing. An HVAC contractor will likely have no issue with providing you a dollar amount for your issue.

Have more questions about finding an HVAC contractor? Contact Shenandoah now!

Getting Your Home Ready for a Chilly Winter

The chilly wind, freezing rain, and slick roads will be here before you know it. Temperatures have already started to drop, and unfortunately it’s just going to get worse before it gets better. So what can you do to make sure that your home is adequately prepared for the winter? Check out our tips to learn about how you can make sure your heat is working as best as possible and as efficiently as possible.

1. Have Your Chimney Checked Out: If you have a chimney, you’re going to want to make sure that it is clean and in working order before you start using it this winter. Also be sure that your vents are clean too.
2. Turn off Outdoor Faucets and Detach Hoses: When water is not drained from pipes, it can freeze, causing the pipes to burst. Be sure that all hoses are disconnected from outside of your home.
3. Check for air leaks around your home: A properly sealed home can mean a warmer home and a lower energy bill. Check for any kind of air leaks around the outside of your home (or hire an HVAC professional to come out and take a look).
4. Add Some Attic Insulation: Properly insulating your attic can help in keeping your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. And often times it is not that expensive. Look around online to find someone who can help with insulating your attic.

Interested in finding more tips regarding getting your home ready for winter? Or have questions about HVAC in general? Contact Shenandoah Air Conditioning & Heating now to speak with an HVAC expert.

How to Winterize Your Home & HVAC Unit

Winter is coming and the temperatures are dropping. What can you do to make sure that your HVAC system is running efficiently, and your home is as energy efficient as possible? Making sure your system is running properly can help keep your energy bill low this season. Here’s a few tips from our HVAC experts:

1. Clean up Around Your Outdoor AC Unit: With the leaves falling all around your home, they may be building up around your air conditioning unit as well. These leaves can result in decreased airflow, affecting efficiency. Keep your AC unit clear of debris.
2. Change Your HVAC Filter: When was the last time you changed your filter? It can be easy to forget to do it. But you want to make sure you’re changing your filter every 1 or 3 months (depending on what type of filter you buy).
3. Get a Winter Tuneup: It always helps to get an HVAC expert to take a look at your system. They can diagnosis issues that you may not be able to see on your own, and recommend necessary updates.

Want to schedule a tuneup now? Contact us today!

Common Furnace Problems and What to Do About Them

Winter will be here sooner than you realize. This means it’s time to make sure that your furnace is up and running properly. The last thing you need for you and your family is to have your heater stop working in the middle of February. Here’s a few of the most common furnace issues and what to do about them. And remember – if you have any issues with your furnace, and want to speak with an HVAC professional, contact Shenandoah at 304-930-5417.

Dirty Filters: Perhaps the most common furnace issue. A clogged or dirty filter can result in your furnace needing to work harder. Make sure you change your furnace regularly.

Normal Wear and Tear: As your furnace ages, it will become less efficient and need to work harder to heat your home. In these cases, we recommend speaking to an HVAC pro and get their advice.

Faulty Thermostat: Sometimes it isn’t your furnace at all, but instead your thermostat that is malfunctioning. Perhaps your thermostat is not signaling correctly to your furnace.  We recommend checking out your thermostat and reviewing your owner’s manual

Noisy Furnace: You may be hearing rambling, rattling, and squeaking coming from your furnace. This unfortunately could indicate that your furnace has a mechanical issue. We recommend speaking with an HVAC specialist.

Things You Should Consider When Buying a Furnace

It may still be summer, but fall and winter are closer than you think. And the last thing you want is to be stuck in the cold without a properly-operating heating system. So if you find yourself in need of a furnace, there are certain heating options available to you that you should consider before you buy.

There are a number of different factors that can affect the performance of your heater. Plus, there are other factors, such as your home and your budget, that you should also consider before  buying. So let’s get started:

Furnace Efficiency:

You should try to buy the most efficient furnace you can afford. Minimum-efficiency furnaces reach 80% AFUE.  But high-end furnaces are able to reach 97% efficiency (obviously this model is much more expensive).  A high efficiency furnace can result in a lower monthly utility bill for you, but again, only buy the furnace you can afford.

Fuel Source:

You can either choose a gas, electric, or oil heating furnace. Each type of fuel source has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, oil or propane furnaces require more storage. An electric furnace on the other hand can lead to a much higher electricity bill each month. Ultimately, the choice of what type of furnace will depend on your home.

Indoor Air Quality:

When was the last time you cleaned your air ducts? If you don’t know the answer, your indoor air quality may be significantly lower than you realize. When you have your new furnace installed, you should ask the technician to take a look at your ducts and see how clean they are. Additionally, your furnace filter should be changed twice a year.

Furnace Installation:

The quality of the installation can greatly affect the performance of your furnace.  If the furnace is installed improperly, it can cause performance issues in the long run. When you find an HVAC technician, make sure to do your research and vet the technician and the company thoroughly.

For more information, learn about our HVAC Services in the Martinsburg, West Virginia and the surrounding area.

This post originally appeared on Angie’s List.

How to Get Your HVAC System Ready for Autumn

When the leaves start changing and the humidity of Summer finally breaks, you want to make sure that your HVAC system is ready for the Fall and Winter. But what steps can you take to make sure that your system is ready as cooler weather moves in? Shenandoah has got tips to help you get ready!

Set Your Smart Thermostat

Assuming you have a smart thermostat that allows you to program temperatures depending on what day or time of day, you may need to update your program for the new season. In addition to the temperature, you may also need to make adjustments based on your families schedule. For instance, are the kids back in school and the house will be empty for the mornings/afternoons? Adjust your thermostat accordingly.

Time to Change Your Filter

When was the last time you changed your filter? If you hesitated to answer the question, it’s been too long! Depending on the filter you purchased, you should change your filter every 30 days. Or in some cases, every 90 days.

Check Insulations in Your Attic

Your home could potentially benefit from additional insulation in your attic. You may want to consider adding more insulation, depending on the cost of doing so.

Schedule an HVAC Maintenance Appointment

It’s never a bad thing to have an HVAC professional come out and take a look at your system. While everything may seem to be running efficiently, a professional HVAC technician is able to diagnosis any potential problems and provide routine maintenance on your system.