One of the trickiest questions in HVAC is whether to repair or replace an aging air conditioning unit. Of course, it is typically more affordable to repair as compared to buying and installing a replacement, but those repair costs can add up if they keep happening time after time. In fact, replacing a system is often more affordable vs. paying higher efficiency bills. Often customers who replace their HVAC system get into a low monthly payment that almost equals the amount of energy and fuel savings they get with their new higher efficiency model. So, this article is aimed at providing you with some fundamental concepts to keep in mind as you make this decision.

 

Working with a High Point HVAC company like Berico is going to make it much easier to settle on a plan for your system. Whether you go with AC repair in High Point or you decide to replace the unit entirely, Berico will be happy to handle the project. Reach out now to learn more.

 

Start with the Age of the HVAC System

When an issue comes up with your air conditioner, the first thing to think about is the age of the system. If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, this repair is going to need to be very affordable in order to make it worthwhile. If the repair is more than just a few hundred dollars, you’ll almost certainly want to go with the replacement option. The problem with repairing an old unit is that more and more repairs are just going to keep coming up, so your costs are going to add up over time. Also, an old air conditioner isn’t going to be as efficient as a new one, so even when it is working, it won’t work as well as fresh equipment.

 

Consider Timing

Another factor in the middle of the summer is how long it’s going to take for each of these two options. In some cases, it might make sense to opt for the repair if that job can be completed quickly and you can get the cold air flowing once again. If ordering a new unit and having it installed is going to take quite a while, you might not want to wait that long for results.

 

In this situation, going ahead with an affordable repair could be a temporary solution while you think about replacing the air conditioner system completely in the off-season. Of course, if the repair is going to be costly, you won’t want to go ahead with it only to replace the system later, so you might just need to opt for replacement even if it means spending some time without AC.

 

Get Professional Guidance

You don’t want to make this choice on your own. Even after doing a bit of research, you still aren’t going to have the insight into this matter that comes with having years of experience in the field. With a trusted industry partner on your side, you can ask any questions you may have and get an expert opinion on whether repairing your current system or ordering a new one is the right choice. Berico is the right team to help with this and any other HVAC challenge, so make a phone call today to get started.

Having a properly functioning air conditioner serving your home is critical in the summer months in this part of the country. With plenty of hot, humid days on the horizon, making sure your AC is up to the challenge should be a top priority. This article is going to highlight seven reasons to make sure an air conditioner tune-up is finished before the warm weather moves in.

 

Berico is a leading name in air conditioner installation in Greensboro, and also offers an excellent maintenance plan to keep your system operating properly. Whether you need AC installation or just a tune-up, Berico is only a phone call away.

 

1 – Better Performance

First and foremost, you’ll get improved performance from your air conditioning system when it has been maintained properly. Without maintenance, various parts are going to get dirty, and they won’t perform as well as they should. That means the space won’t get as cool as you would like while the AC is running, or it will take more energy to get the results you desire.

 

2 – Improved Efficiency

Speaking of using more energy, a dirty air conditioning system is one that is going to run inefficiently, and it will cost you more to have it on as a result. With the length of the summers we experience in this area, you could wind up spending a lot more money on energy than was necessary simply because you skipped your preventive maintenance visit.

 

3 – Longer Lifespan

Another way in which a tune-up can benefit you is by getting a longer useful life out of the equipment you already own. If you fail to maintain it, your system is inevitably going to fail sooner, and as a result, you’ll find yourself back on the market shopping for an entirely new piece of equipment. Put that expense off for as long as possible by keeping up with annual maintenance.

 

4 – Catch Developing Air Conditioning Problems

Even if it seems like the system is working just fine at the moment, going through with a tune-up appointment will allow any small issues to be caught and corrected before they turn into bigger problems down the line.

 

5 – It’s a Great Value

We’ve talked quite a bit already about how you can save through maintenance by getting more life out of your system and by improving efficiency. On the other side of that coin, these tune-up visits are very affordable, so the return on your investment is impressive.

 

6 – Avoid Hot Spots

Most homeowners know the feeling of having some of the rooms in their home stay nice and comfortable in the summer – while other rooms just won’t cool down no matter what you do. Keeping up with maintenance will make your system work better and it should lead to a more even cooling throughout the whole house.

 

7 – Prevent Downtime

Aside from potential financial savings, yet another advantage here is being able to steer clear of repairs that might take a while to complete in the middle of a hot summer. It’s no fun to live through a heatwave for a week or two without a functioning air conditioner, so stay ahead of the game and make that outcome less likely.

Advanced technologies are becoming more and more prevalent in homes, and programmable thermostats certainly fit into that category. Often, programmable thermostats are promoted as a convenience, and while that’s one benefit they deliver, there is also the potential savings on your energy bill to consider. After all, if you can cut down on your energy bill, the cost of buying the thermostat will seem like a wise investment.

 

For reliable Greensboro AC repair services, turn to the team at Berico right away. While there are many HVAC companies in Greensboro to consider, few – if any – will deliver the combination of quality and value that is offered by Berico. Don’t wait any longer to get started.

 

Optimize Your HVAC Thermostat Settings

The first thing you’ll want to do with your new programmable thermostat – such as the Honeywell Pro 8000 – is to optimize the settings that control how the system runs and when it heats and cools your house. Some of this is common sense, but the basics are highlighted in the points below –

• Only when you are home. If you are gone at work all day, it doesn’t make much sense to keep the home at a comfortable temperature while no one is inside. So, you might set your thermostat to either turn the system off during the day Monday – Friday, or you could set it for a more moderate temperature. As an example, you might cool the house to 72* in the summer when you are home, but that could be bumped up to 76* during the day so the system doesn’t have to work so hard.
• Think about sleep. In the summer, you’ll likely want to use your thermostat to keep the house cool enough to sleep comfortably all night long. But what about the winter? Even if it’s cold outside, you can probably add an extra blanket to your bed and not need to keep the heat up so high. This is another easy way to save energy by using your thermostat correctly.
• Changes for vacation. While you can get into a pattern of settings for normal day-to-day life, remember to make changes to those settings when you are gone for a while. The touchscreen on the Honeywell Pro 8000 makes those changes quick and easy.

 

It’s All About Efficiency

If you want to bring your energy bill down, the number one goal is to make your system more efficient. That starts by managing your thermostat settings correctly to minimize waste and make sure the system is serving your needs to the greatest possible extent. From there, you can take other measures to save on energy usage, including changing your air filter regularly and having Berico come out for routine periodic maintenance to keep everything running the way it should. Building good habits all the way around, including in how you manage your thermostat, will help you write a smaller check to the utility company each month.

Despite being used regularly by millions of people, there remains a lot of confusion about propane and natural gas. Are they the same thing? If not, how are they different? You don’t need to be an expert on this topic as an average consumer, but it does help to understand the basics and know what you are ordering.

 

When you are ready to schedule a Burlington propane delivery, the easy choice for such service is Berico. As the top propane supplier Burlington has to offer, Berico brings together a friendly and experienced staff with great pricing for a combination that is hard to beat.

 

Getting Your Fuels Straight

The answer to the title question in this article of whether or not propane is a natural gas is somewhat a matter of semantics. Is propane a natural gas? Yes – it is a natural source of fuel that is harvested from the earth. Is it what people are referring to when they talk about “natural gas”? No – well, not exactly.

 

Natural gas, as the term is usually used, refers to a fuel that is naturally occurring and is pulled out of the earth via drilling. When it is harvested, it includes a makeup of four different types of gases – methane, ethane, butane, and propane. It is methane that is the primary component, but all four are present. So, when you are using natural gas as a heating source, for instance, what you are using is a blend of those four gases (along with the added crude oil).

 

Using Propane Alone

Obviously, when you are using propane, you are using just one of those four gases that are found in the natural gas compound. While both can work for a variety of purposes, Berico is proud to deliver propane to many customers due to the many performance advantages it delivers. For one thing, propane is able to deliver higher temperatures than natural gas, which can be beneficial in some uses. Also, many different types of appliances can be run on propane, making it a versatile and practical choice.

 

Pricing Can Be Complicated

Don’t fall into the trap of comparing natural gas directly to propane in terms of cost without factoring in some other considerations. If you just look at the per-unit pricing, you are almost certainly going to find that propane is more expensive than natural gas. But that’s not the end of the story. Propane has a significantly higher BTU rating than natural gas, so you’ll need to use less of it to get more done. In other words, the value that you get for your money might wind up being better with propane than natural gas, and even if not, it’s going to be very close.

 

Don’t make any choices about the fuel you’ll be using at your home without talking to the experts at Berico first. With a knowledgeable team of friendly professionals available, Berico is able to help customers make the right choices for their specific situation. Get in touch today to learn more.

When driving your vehicle, you probably have a pretty good idea of how long your available fuel will last. Based on how much you drive, the size of your tank, the efficiency of your vehicle, etc., you’ll get familiar with how often you need to stop at the gas station to refill. The story is different with the propane tank that serves your home, however. If it gets filled up with 500 gallons, how long is that going to last? This article will take a closer look.

 

Tired of searching for “propane delivery near me” without getting any good results? Any search for the best propane companies near me is sure to reveal Berico as a top option for those in and around Greensboro, Eden, and Burlington. Get in touch today to get started.

 

A Disappointing Answer

It would be nice to be able to tell you that 500 gallons of propane is going to last your home for exactly six months, or some such number. Life just isn’t that simple, however, and there is no way to be so definite. First of all, it’s important to clarify exactly how much propane you are working with when your tank is full.

 

Yes, you might have a 500-gallon tank on your property. That doesn’t mean it holds 500 gallons when it is filled up. Because it’s necessary to leave some open space in the tank for gas expansion as a safety measure, your tank is only going to be filled up to 80%. Those with a 500-gallon tank will then be left with 400 gallons, and the math works the same way for other tank sizes.

 

With that much gas available, you should get a few months of service in an “average” home, but the range is so wide that it’s hard to nail that down with any degree of confidence. Factors that will directly impact propane consumption include how many appliances use this fuel, the size of your home, the weather conditions, and on and on.

 

Learning Your Patterns

The only useful bit of information on propane usage is going to come from your history. Rather than looking to others for a guess, just monitor the rate at which you use your propane during various times of the year. Pretty soon, an obvious pattern will emerge, and you’ll have a strong understanding of how fast those 500 (or 400) gallons are going to disappear.

 

It’s also important to work with a trustworthy supplier like Berico to make sure your tank never runs out. Berico will deliver more propane promptly and can set up a schedule of timely deliveries to make sure your tank doesn’t get anywhere near empty. This is one of those points where you’d rather be safe than sorry – having your tank topped off regularly rather than pushing your luck on how far down it can go is the smart move. Reach out to Berico right away to learn more about propane delivery.