Your Furnace Is Older Than 15: A Few Things to Know

September 30th, 2019
ancient-furnace

rustic old furnace

Keeping track of your furnace’s age is a good idea. This is because knowing how many years you’ve had your system provides guidance on if and when you need to consider repair or replacement.

If you are the owner of a furnace in Brighton, MI and you have had your forced-air heating system for over 15 years, it may be time to call a professional. The experienced technicians at First Choice Heating & Cooling will be able to help you make informed decisions regarding your unit.

There are some things you need to know about your heater when it reaches this age. If you are interested in the indicators that may show your furnace need replacing, read on.

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It’s Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance—Don’t Skip It!

September 16th, 2019

furnace-repair-technicianSeptember, when summer officially ends and autumn begins. We know it’s hard to say goodbye to summer weather, although fall has its joys. To get the most from the fall and ensure you enjoy a comfortable and worry-free winter, you need to ensure your heating system is ready to get back to work.

In other words, it’s time to schedule regular fall maintenance for your heating system.

Yes, this is another item on an already busy fall “to do” list. But it’s an important one. Please don’t decide you can sit out maintenance this year because the heater is “doing fine.” Skipping maintenance for even a single year has consequences, and if you skip it once, you’re more likely to skip it again in the future. (You know it’s true.)

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My AC’s Compressor Died! Do I Need to Replace the Whole AC?

September 2nd, 2019
Shocked woman covering her mouth, possibly reacting to an unexpected cooling replacement issue.

Okay, we know this is an urgent, even alarming problem. When an air conditioning system’s compressor burns out, its AC can’t provide any cooled air. The compressor is what allows the AC to circulate refrigerant and move heat from inside the house to cool down. (A few months ago we wrote a blog post detailing exactly what a compressor does.) Without a working compressor, the air conditioner will only circulate room temperature air around the ventilation system.

What are your options when an AC compressor dies?

  • Replace just the compressor: If it’s still under warranty, only replacing the compressor is a practical and cost-effective solution, especially if the rest of the system is in good shape.
  • Replace the outdoor condenser unit: This includes the compressor, condenser coil, and fan, suitable if you’re on a tight budget and the indoor components remain sound.
  • Replace both the condenser and indoor evaporator coil (full AC replacement): Ensures matched components, improved efficiency, and includes a fresh system warranty, usually the best choice if the compressor is no longer under warranty.
  • Replace the entire HVAC system: If your heating system is also aging, replacing everything, the AC, air handler, and heater, at once can save time and money, especially if you’re transitioning to a heat pump.

You may have heard that replacing a dead compressor is so expensive that you’re better off having a complete air conditioning replacement. This is true sometimes, but not always. Below we’ll look at the different replacement options and help you think about the right choice for your situation.

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What to Check When Your AC Stops Working

August 19th, 2019

man-and-fanWhenever an appliance stops working in your house, it’s not a highlight of the day. But there is a big difference in finding out the microwave won’t turn on and discovering the air conditioning system isn’t cooling the house—especially during a hot late summer day!

A failed AC is something you’ll want remedied as soon as possible. In many cases, this requires calling for air conditioning repair in Davison, MI from professionals like the technicians at First Choice. But an AC that won’t turn on or won’t provide cooling may not be an emergency repair problem. Before you call for a technician, make several basic checks to see if a simple explanation is behind the failure to cool.

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The Big Mistake People Make About AC Refrigerant

August 5th, 2019

copper-tubesWe don’t expect our customers to be experts at how their air conditioning systems run. After all, that’s why professionals like us exist! However, there are a few basic facts about air conditioning that we’d like more people to know, because they help with understanding when repairs are necessary and what certain warning signs mean.

One of the biggest mistaken ideas people have about air conditioning systems is that the refrigerant running through them needs periodic refills, same as putting gas in a car or getting new batteries for a remote control.

This is completely untrue! Except in cases of refrigerant leaks, air conditioning systems never need to have more refrigerant put in them.

Let’s get deeper into the specifics of this, because it can end up rescuing your AC.

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The AC Compressor: Why You Don’t Want It to Fail!

July 22nd, 2019

compressor-in-ac-unitA short quiz. What is the most important component in your air conditioning system?

  1. The blower fan
  2. The condenser coils
  3. The evaporator coils
  4. The compressor
  5. The thermostat
  6. All of the above

If you answered “6,” you’re right! There isn’t such a thing as “the most important component” out of options 1-6, because if any of these fail, you won’t have cooling from your AC. No fan means no air sent into the ventilation system. Losing either set of coils means the AC can’t carry out heat exchange. No thermostat means cooling can’t be turned on. And no compressor means the entire air conditioning system is dead and probably needs to be replaced.

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Ways We Can Improve Your Cooling This Summer

July 8th, 2019

temperature-guageWhen it comes to cooling your home during the summer season, “good enough” just isn’t good enough. Not if you ask a member of our team, anyway. We are the local HVAC  company in Brighton, MI, that you can count on to help you enjoy the level of comfort that you deserve, regardless of how hot it may be outside. Sometimes, that means upgrades to your system. In other instances, it may just mean a bit of rejuvenation.

Whatever the case, you need to know for certain that your AC is optimized and ready for action. You’ll have no doubt about it when you choose to work with us. From central ACs to heat pumps and ductless mini splits, we’ve got the experience and expertise necessary to help any air conditioning system excel. So read on, reach out with any concerns that you may have, and give us the pleasure of helping you to live in the most comfortable environment possible.

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Warning Signs Your Commercial AC Is in Trouble

June 24th, 2019

commercial-ventThe early summer, before the heavy heat of July and August start up, is a good time to pay close attention to the air conditioning system for your commercial space. It’s just started doing it’s regular work, and making sure that it isn’t developing malfunctions is helpful to head off serious system breakdowns during the summer—the kind of breakdowns that lead to work stoppage and other costly interruptions.

The best step you can take to get ahead of potential repairs is to schedule routine maintenance for your commercial air conditioning in Brighton, MI. This should always be done during spring, before the system goes to work for the year. If you’ve already had maintenance for your AC, it should be in good shape. But just in case, watch for these warning signs you need to call our repair technicians for help:

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AC Tune-Up Benefits That May Surprise You

June 10th, 2019

family-posing-in-kitchenA pre-summer air conditioning tune-up in Brighton, MI is one of the best things a local homeowner can do for their comfort during the middle of the year. We’ve written before about the numerous benefits of scheduling regular AC tune-ups. And they are numerous: lower operating costs, fewer repair needs, sudden breakdown prevention, an extended service life, and all-around peace of mind.

But there’s even more to talk about. Below we’ve listed a few benefits of having routine air conditioning tune-ups from professionals that you may not have known about.

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If You Haven’t Scheduled AC Maintenance Yet, Now’s the Time!

May 27th, 2019

calendar-scheduling-bookOne of the most important jobs of a professional HVAC company in Highland, MI is seeing that its customers have their cooling equipment inspected and tuned-up before the hot weather arrives. Although it’s better to have maintenance done later than never, it’s best to have the service done during the spring.

In other words, if you haven’t scheduled maintenance for your home’s air conditioning system yet, we urge you to call us now to arrange for it. We’ll get you on the schedule for the most convenient appointment time.

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