Picture Rocks Cooling Heating & Plumbing Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Strange Smells: Do You Need Furnace Repair?

Monday, December 16th, 2024
child-holding-their-nose

When something goes wrong with a heating system, it helps enormously to have the repairs done as soon as possible. That can take a small problem—say, an issue with the blower fan motor—and get it sorted out before it gets any bigger. You want to repair that motor, not wait until it needs to be replaced! So prompt repairs are critical.

That means you must be aware of when your heating system is working properly and when something starts to go wrong. How can you tell there’s a problem with your heating system? Odd noises, higher bills, and cold spots in your home are all clues. Another sign of a heating system problem is strange smells. Do odors always mean you need furnace repair? No, but sometimes it’s urgent! Here are the details.

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The #1 Reason for Heating Maintenance Is Your Safety

Monday, November 18th, 2024
smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detector-surrounded-by-smoke

Your heating system needs maintenance. It will boost the efficiency of the system, keeping your energy bills from rising. It will increase the effectiveness of the system, so your whole home will be perfectly cozy and comfortable. It will reduce friction and overheating, catch tiny problems early, and ensure that electrical components are properly calibrated, dramatically cutting your chances of needing repairs this year.

There are many reasons to have heating maintenance performed like clockwork, each and every year. But there’s no reason that’s quite as important as the well-being of yourself and your family, and that’s why we feel so strongly about it. Heating maintenance includes many steps that are specifically for your safety, to keep your heating system from causing any hazards. Here are the details.

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Why Aren’t the Burners in My Furnace Lighting?

Monday, February 26th, 2024
gas-furnace-burners-alight-with-blue-flame

It’s getting pretty late in the winter, but it isn’t spring yet. It’s not quite time to be done with our heating systems. We’ll still need them a bit longer! So if your furnace’s burners aren’t lighting, you’ll need to get that fixed right away. What can cause this? Here are some of the possibilities.

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4 Signs Your Furnace Needs Repair Immediately

Monday, January 15th, 2024
HVAC-technician-repairing-a-furnace

We always strongly urge folks to address all furnace problems as promptly as possible. Too often, when people ignore an issue that starts out small, it develops into something major that requires extensive repair. But in some cases, a furnace problem is already serious and needs immediate repair. Here are the most urgent situations that could occur with your furnace.

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Never Run a Gas Furnace With a Cracked Heat Exchanger: Here’s Why

Monday, January 1st, 2024
person-installing-a-carbon-monoxide-detector

We’re accustomed to having appliances in our home that run on natural gas. Stoves, water heaters, clothes dryers, and of course furnaces all commonly use natural gas. And in general, with basic precautions, this is all perfectly safe. But if your furnace’s heat exchanger cracks, it will seriously compromise your safety.

We’d like to give you a quick crash course in how to avoid a major heating hazard. We’ll explain what a heat exchanger is, why you must never run your furnace if you suspect your heat exchanger is cracked, and what to do about it.

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We Need Regular Furnace Maintenance, Even in Arizona

Monday, December 4th, 2023
technician-performing-heating-maintenance

You’re probably aware of the widely-given advice that furnace maintenance should be done every year. And you’re probably convinced that it’s absolutely necessary in places like snowy New England or windswept Minnesota.

But this is Arizona! Do our furnaces need to be maintained every single year, even when they see much less use than in some parts of the country? Yes. Here’s why.

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How to Know If Your Flame Sensor Isn’t Working

Monday, January 30th, 2023
blue-gas-flames-in-a-furnace

Your furnace has a lot of components. If something is wrong, how could you possibly guess which component is causing the problem? First, for safety’s sake, let us be clear that any furnace problem should be diagnosed and repaired by a qualified technician. But it is always helpful to better understand the heating system in your own home. 

One of the components that can prevent your furnace from working properly is the flame sensor. As the name implies, it senses the flame. What can go wrong with your flame sensor, and what are the signs that this is the root of your furnace problem? Here’s a rundown of what the flame sensor is there to do, what can prevent it from doing its job properly, and what that does to your furnace.

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These Are the Most Common Furnace Repairs

Monday, January 16th, 2023
tools-for-repair

It would be lovely if everything always worked perfectly. Unfortunately, problems always crop up sooner or later. And with something like a furnace, which has many components and moving parts, there are more points of possible failure. If you’re not an experienced furnace owner and are wondering what sorts of things could possibly go wrong, we’ve got you covered.

We’ll list some of the most common issues you can encounter with a furnace, what might cause them, and when you should get a technician in to take a look. We’ll also give you helpful tips for keeping your furnace in good shape so you can decrease the odds of things going wrong in the future.

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The Leading Way to Prevent Furnace Repair

Monday, December 5th, 2022
technician-inspecting-a-heater

Furnace repairs can be quite a hassle, especially when the need for repair comes up unexpectedly. You have to rearrange your schedule to be available for the technician, and then you worry about what the cost will be and how you will pay it. But you don’t have many options, because you need your heat up and running. It’s even worse if your furnace fails completely during a cold winter night, and you wake up to a frigid house.

It’s worth doing anything that’s necessary to decrease the likelihood of repairs, so that you can avoid the stress, expense, and inconvenience. And we’ve got some great news for you. The best way to prevent furnace repair is very simple and straightforward: it’s regular maintenance.

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Close Out Heating Season Strong With a New System

Monday, April 11th, 2022
Inside a gas furnace. Focus = the top of the middle flange. 12MP camera.

Spring is finally here but that doesn’t mean you should forget about your heater. If you want to close out this season strong, then we suggest considering the status of your home’s heater. If you can look back on the past few months and realize that you had a trying heating season, then it’s time for you to schedule an appointment for heating service in Oro Valley, AZ.

We understand that heating replacement isn’t necessarily a fun task you’re looking forward to, but our professionals can make it as easy as possible for you. We’re able to do this because we know our stuff, we’re experienced, and we pride ourselves on quality work. We’re going to make sure that you have the perfect new heater so that you can have a stress-free spring, summer, as well as fall when heating season rolls back around. 

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