For six months each year, the Hampton, Virginia, area experiences nighttime temperatures averaging between 30 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. As you probably know too well, they occasionally dip even lower. While our hot, humid summers provide a ready reminder to keep air conditioning systems in great working order, many homeowners in the Peninsula and Hampton Roads area don’t feel the same urgency about keeping their heating systems in the best condition possible.
It’s true that we have milder winters than other parts of the state, but those nighttime averages tell a story nonetheless of cold, damp and even snowy winters at times. A broken heating system in these circumstances will threaten the comfort and safety of your loved ones, so let’s look at how to prevent that from happening in your home.
The First Step in Caring for Your Home Heating System
You may think that the only people who can ensure your system doesn’t break down are the professionals you hire to repair and maintain it. We’ll get to that, but not before discussing your role in keeping your home warm and comfortable all winter. We can’t help you if you don’t invite us in, so before the cold weather arrives, be sure to schedule a preventive maintenance visit.
You may think it’s an extra and unnecessary expense, especially if you have a newer system, but you’ll save on heating costs in the long run. Not only will your system run more efficiently and keep your monthly bills lower, but it will also experience fewer major repairs over its operating life because your service professional will catch problems early on when they can often be fixed for less.
Don’t Wait Until Winter’s in Full Swing
Before the cold weather arrives, fire up your heating system and listen. Does it sound normal, or are there unusual noises? If you hear or feel something out of the ordinary, contact your service professional. Is the unit covered in dust or surrounded by too much stuff? You should keep the area surrounding your heater clear of tools, storage items and general clutter, and you should vacuum or wipe off visible dust and dirt from exterior surfaces.
Follow all manufacturer and dealer instructions for home care and troubleshooting, too. We often see that homeowners file away the owner’s manual and other printed materials concerning home HVAC maintenance and forget to reference them. For example, do you change your heating system’s filters the recommended number of times each year? Do you use the type and brand of filter specified? While getting ready for winter, don’t forget also to check that your thermostats are working and programmed for comfort and efficiency.
Regular HVAC Maintenance and Repairs
By scheduling a home heating maintenance visit with Kearney & Sons, you’ll ensure that your system undergoes an extensive, multi-point service protocol performed by a trained and certified technician experienced in working with your type of system. Whether you own a furnace, boiler, heat pump or other heating system, our service professionals put their love of the business into action with every maintenance visit. They consider it a point of pride to ensure that your heating system gets you through the winter with no breakdowns and with the lowest monthly heating costs possible.
We Will Clean, Inspect and Test As Needed
Just as we want you to follow all manufacturer’s recommendations for homeowners, we also undergo extensive training to adhere to repair and maintenance protocols as specified by the manufacturers. To that we add our years of on-the-ground experience in what to look for and anticipate in terms of potential issues. Here’s a sample of what Kearney& Sons will during a maintenance visit:
- clean and inspect all components and ducting
- check all electrical parts and wiring
- clean and inspect all combustion components
- test and calibrate thermostats
- lubricate, tighten and repair as needed
- check for gas leaks and other safety issues
The detailed version of our protocol is much more extensive, but this gives you an idea of how much we cover in our effort to ensure that your heating doesn’t break down when you need it the most.
Choose Kearney & Sons, Inc. for Reliable Home Heating
We’ve already mentioned our experience, dedication and reliability. Why not call or email today and discover as well our friendly attitude and inexpensive prices? You’ll be greeted with a smile, helpful responses to your questions and a commitment to offering the best value possible. Check out our specials page, too, and discover great deals on services, products, referrals and financing. We want to give you as many reasons as possible to give us your business, and we look forward to hearing from your soon!
