Are HVAC Maintenance Plans Worth It?

As a homeowner, you are not required to carry an HVAC maintenance plan. You are certainly allowed to just go along paying for your maintenance as it comes up, along with any repairs or equipment replacement needs that may come up. But is that the right way to go? For a lot of reasons, it’s usually not. With an HVAC maintenance plan, you’ll have a system in place that keeps your gear in good condition for an affordable price.

 

Berico is a leading HVAC company offering valuable maintenance plans among many other services. If you have struggled online to find HVAC in Greensboro NC, then turn to Berico and put those problems to the side.

 

Staying Ahead of the Game

Perhaps the best reason to invest in an HVAC maintenance plan is the opportunity it provides to stay ahead of the game when it comes to the care of your HVAC system. Basically, you have two options here – you can get ahead of things with the help of a maintenance plan, or you can always be playing catch-up. While the choice is up to you in the end, there is a lot to like about being proactive and building the cost of a maintenance plan into your budget.

 

For example, if you choose Berico to work with on a maintenance plan, you’ll know exactly how much that maintenance is going to cost for the year, so there will be no surprises along the way. And, since you are paying for the service already, you’ll be sure to schedule the service visit and have it completed. It’s far too easy to just write off maintenance and skip it altogether when you aren’t on a plan with a trusted Greensboro HVAC company.

 

Reduce the Chances of Other Expenses

Ongoing maintenance is good for your HVAC system because it keeps the equipment working as efficiently as possible year after year. Additionally, having the system cared for on a periodic basis will also make the need for other types of repairs less likely, cutting down on how much it will cost in the end to run your equipment. Preventive maintenance can’t completely eliminate the chances of a repair coming up, but it will improve your odds significantly. Between the added efficiency of the system and the longevity boost you should enjoy, there are only good things to say about what you’ll get from a maintenance plan.

 

Establish a Relationship

When you pick an HVAC contractor like Berico to team up with for a maintenance plan, you’ll be establishing a working relationship with that business which could come in handy later. Such a relationship will not only mean that you know who to call when something comes up, but it will also help you save some money. For example, with a plan from Berico, you’ll get a 20% discount on daytime repairs and some other services. So, beyond what it means for the performance of your HVAC system, this maintenance plan will pay off in a big way when other types of work are required down the line.

 

Click this link to learn more about the Berico HVAC Maintenance Plans.

Is Propane Still Cheaper than Electricity?

Series of propane tanks

For the average property – whether it is a residential or commercial property – energy bills are one of the largest monthly expenses. With that in mind, using the most affordable energy source is an important step toward keeping costs low. Traditionally, propane has been more affordable than using electricity, but is that still the case? Take a closer look below.

 

While propane prices will always fluctuate based on market conditions, you can always count on Berico to offer propane delivery for a fair rate. Get in touch with the Berico team today to set up a delivery schedule or to have any of your questions answered directly.

 

Propane is an Affordable Energy Source

When it comes to energy costs, it’s tricky to say that one form of energy is “always” cheaper than another, because prices are constantly changing based on supply and demand, regulations, global conditions, and more. Knowing what type of energy is cheaper at any given moment would require staying up to date on the energy market in your local area.

 

With all of that said, propane does remain an excellent form of affordable, clean energy. If you want to keep your monthly utility bills down as low as possible, using propane appliances is a great way to go. For example, by opting for propane as opposed to electricity for your water heater, you should find that you spend significantly less over the course of a year to heat your water.

 

Other Motivations to use Propane

Yes, propane comes with a modest price tag compared to some other types of energy, but that alone shouldn’t be your only motivation for using this fuel. Fortunately, there are plenty of other reasons to go in this direction, including the following –

  • Kind to the earth. As one of the cleanest-burning fuels available, propane is a great pick if you would like to do your part to protect the planet. After all, much of our electrical energy is provided by coal burning power plants; so when you use propane instead of electricity, you are making an important difference.
  • The electrical grid is known to go down from time to time, often due to weather events. That won’t have such an impact on your life if you are relying on propane more than electricity for key functions around your home.
  • Durable appliances. Using propane-powered appliances is a good choice because of the long-lasting nature of those pieces of equipment. As compared to electric appliances, you may get several more years out of a propane unit. Of course, those extra years translate directly into financial savings, as you will be able to wait that much longer before investing in a new appliance for your home.

 

The Right Supplier

There is a lot to love about propane, to be sure, but that’s only if you have a trustworthy supplier on your side to keep your tank full. That supplier is Berico. With a history that stretches back generations and a reputation for excellent service and fair prices, Berico will make your experience using propane a good one. Reach out to their team today to schedule a delivery or to ask any questions you may have.

Is It Okay to Close Vents in Unused Rooms?

One of the common frustrations for homeowners when using their HVAC system is not getting even heating or cooling throughout the home. Or, more specifically, not getting the warm or cool air directed where they need it most – as in, the rooms in the home that are used most frequently. With that in mind, some homeowners resort to closing heating vents in unused rooms as a way to control airflow. But is closing HVAC registers a good idea? This article will take a closer look.

 

To get help with your HVAC system in and around, Greensboro, Eden and the Burlington area, be sure to reach out to Berico for assistance.

 

The Quick Answer is Don’t Over Do It

The reasoning for using this technique to control how your HVAC system operates is understandable, but upon closer inspection, it’s not a great idea to close the registers in more than a few rooms. At the core of the problem is the fact that your system was designed to heat or cool the entire house. When the equipment was selected to put in the home, it was picked because it was the right size for the square footage that needs to be managed. By shutting down too many of the vents, you are effectively changing the square footage that is being heated or cooled – but the size and capacity of the HVAC equipment didn’t change at all.

 

In the end, this mismatch is bad for your system. You’ll be cutting off some of the airflow that the system is designed to handle, and you will also put some pressure on the ducts by backing up air rather than letting it freely flow out into the rooms. In the best case, this will cause your system to work slightly less efficiently and effectively than it should – but you might wind up causing damage to the equipment. It’s best to leave all of your vents open and turn to other methods to manage how the space is heated and cooled throughout the year.

 

The Ideal Solution

Rather than picking and choosing what vents to open and close, the better way to go is to opt for a zone control system in the house. With zone control, your HVAC equipment will have the ability to manage different temperature levels in different areas, removing the problem that you were trying to solve by manipulating the vents.

 

The perfect example of how this solution can work is seen in two-story houses. It is often the case that the second story is significantly warmer than the first floor. This is a problem in the summer because cooling the downstairs to a comfortable temperature will mean that the upstairs is still too hot – and that’s usually where the bedrooms are located. Then, in the winter, warming the upstairs rooms to a comfortable range will leave the downstairs too cold.

 

By adding zone control that is divided by floor, all of these issues go away. Suddenly, you have the ability to dial in the right temperature on both floors at the same time with just the push of a button. Talk to Berico today about adding zone control to your HVAC system and get better performance than ever before.

Why Is My Heater Blowing Cold Air?

The last thing you expect when your furnace comes on is for the system to blow cold air throughout your house. That air is supposed to warm up the space, but just the opposite will happen when something isn’t working correctly. There are various causes for this problem, and the following article will touch on some of those issues.

 

When furnace repair is needed in Greensboro, Eden, Burlington, and beyond, Berico should be your first choice. An honest and experienced HVAC contractor with a long history of quality service, Berico is the right partner for the job.

 

Start with These Solutions

Although you are sure to be frustrated when your furnace isn’t producing the warm air you expect, it’s possible that there will actually be a rather simple solution to the problem. Before you get ahead of yourself and start thinking that the whole system will need to be replaced, explore the potential that one of the issues below is to blame.

  • Out of fuel. In some cases, cold air coming from your heater could simply indicate that you are out of fuel and need to have your tank refilled. In this case, the heater will have nothing to burn, and no way to generate heat. Call to place an order to have your propane or heating oil tank refilled right away and you should be back in business shortly.
  • Tech trouble. Since your heating system is likely controlled by a simple computer circuit in the thermostat, it may be that you simply need to reset the system to get it back on track. Follow the instructions provided with your thermostat to turn it off and back on, and you could have solved the problem just that easily.
  • Pilot light went out. Without a pilot light, your furnace won’t be able to ignite, and no warm air will be produced. If you know how to check the pilot light for your system, do so to make sure this isn’t the underlying cause of the cold air.

 

Other Possibilities to Consider

In a best-case scenario, one of the points listed above will solve your problem, and you can move on. If not, you may need to call for heater service to have a professional review the situation and figure out what is going wrong. While you likely won’t be able to fix any of these troubles on your own, it can be helpful to understand some of the possibilities, such as those below –

  • Duct problems. It could be that the warm air is actually being created by the furnace, but it is being lost before it reaches the vents. This would indicate a problem somewhere in the ductwork, and your home will only be warm again once those ducts are fixed.
  • Overheating issues. Your heater will shut itself down if it overheats, and that can happen when not enough air is moving through the system. You could potentially solve this with a new air filter, but it might take a professional to get to the heart of the problem.
  • Dirty equipment. Over the years, your heater’s components are going to collect dirt, and various parts might start to fail as a result. A professional cleaning, and perhaps the replacement of some parts, may be in order.

To figure out what is wrong and how to fix it, reach out to Berico today for help from one of their friendly and trained professionals.

Are Propane Tanks Dangerous?

It’s only natural to be a little curious about a large tank of propane sitting on your property. Is this actually a safe situation? Fortunately, as the article below will highlight, propane is impressively safe, and you have nothing to worry about when you treat your tank properly and work with a qualified propane supplier.

 

Speaking of qualified suppliers, Berico fits that bill nicely. Thanks to fair prices, responsive phone support, a friendly team, and unbeatable reliability, Berico should be your first choice when searching for “ propane delivery near me.” Give them a call today to get started.

 

A Misplaced Fear

As stated in the introduction, propane is quite safe, which is why it has become such a popular energy source for a range of purposes. But that doesn’t stop some people from developing a fear of the use of propane tanks, which can seem dangerous if you don’t know enough about how they operate. If all you know about a propane tank is that it contains compressed gas, you might think that an explosion of that tank is a distinct possibility. And to be fair, it would be if not for the many safety features designed into these systems.

 

Propane tanks are designed to be safe and to avoid the possibility of an explosion. Specifically, they include a pressure relief valve that can jump into action and relieve the pressure that might be building up in the tank before an explosion could occur. Most likely, you’ll never even find yourself in a position where the pressure relief valve will be forced into action – but it’s there if it is required, as a backup plan to make sure an explosion does not occur.

 

Doing Your Part

You can rest assured that opting for propane as an energy source is an effective, and safe, way to go. The propane industry has developed many safety regulations and systems over the years, and as a result, harmful incidents are exceedingly rare. With that said, there are some steps you can take to avoid creating a dangerous situation on your property.

  • Care for your tank. Keeping your propane tank in good condition is one of the best ways to stay far away from the possibility of an incident. Working with Berico to have the tank inspected regularly is a great starting point for this kind of safety.
  • Don’t do anything risky. You don’t want to have an open flame close to your propane tank, and you don’t want to discharge a firearm in proximity to the tank, either. Basically, be responsible when around a propane tank or any other stored fuel source.
  • Note any changes. If you see that something has changed about your tank, or that the performance of the tank seems off in some way, don’t wait around and put off dealing with the problem. This is a perfect situation to bring in Berico to have a look at the tank and determine if it is safe to use, or if a repair or replacement is required.

There is no reason for any safety concerns to dissuade you from using propane as an affordable, reliable fuel source on your property. Reach out to Berico today to learn more.

Furnace Maintenance Tips

For most people, the furnace is something in their home that just runs in the background. They don’t think about it very often, and it just comes on when it needs to. That’s fine, but no equipment can keep working forever without getting some professional attention. Keeping up with furnace maintenance is essential to get optimal performance from your system, and the tips in this article should help.

 

To schedule furnace repair in Burlington that you can trust, give Berico a call today.  With a little help from Berico, you can easily keep up with this important task and get outstanding performance from your system.

 

Tasks Homeowners Can Handle

Despite what you might think, there are some aspects of furnace maintenance that you can handle all on your own without the help of a professional technician. By doing your part, you can keep costs down and help keep your system running as smoothly as possible throughout the winter.

 

First and foremost, be sure you are keeping up with the important job of changing your air filter regularly. This is easily the most impactful thing you can do on your own for the system, and it’s both easy and affordable. Replacement air filters often cost around $20 or less and switching the old one out for a new one is a simple job. Consider keeping an extra air filter or two on hand in your home so you can always make a change when you notice the old one is getting a bit dirty.

 

Outside of changing the air filter, the role you play in furnace maintenance should be mostly observational. In other words, you should be paying close attention to the way your system is performing, so you can bring in help if anything seems out of order. Specifically, take note if the furnace starts making any unusual noises, or if it starts to take longer than normal to warm up the home sufficiently.

 

Jobs for the Professionals

Most of the maintenance that should be performed on your furnace needs to be handled by a licensed, experienced professional. This can include cleaning and inspecting various components, testing the system, performing any repairs that are determined to be required, and more. There are plenty of reasons to avoid trying DIY maintenance (other than changing the air filter) on your furnace –

  • It’s dangerous. If you don’t have the right training, you can put yourself and your family in a dangerous situation if you try to maintain or fix a furnace on your own.
  • Complicated system. You will likely have a lot of difficulty figuring out what to do or where to do it if you want to work on your own furnace.
  • Better value. It might seem like working on your own furnace would be a good way to save money, but that’s not going to be the case in the end. Hiring a professional to get it right the first time is the more cost-effective approach.

 

As a leader in HVAC in Burlington, NC, Berico is the easy choice for all furnace maintenance, repair, and installation needs. Berico is your go to expert for all types of furnaces: oil, gas, or propane furnaces, as well as gas packs and heat pumps. Make an appointment today to get started!

Your Residential HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Keeping up with HVAC maintenance is an important part of owning a home. If you allow your maintenance tasks to fall behind, you might find that your system no longer works as efficiently as it once did – and there may be more repairs that pop up along the way, as well. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to keep up with maintenance, especially when you work with a professional partner like Berico.

 

For all Greensboro heating repair and HVAC maintenance needs, turn to the team at Berico for assistance. With years of experience and a solid reputation in this industry, your system will be in good hands from start to finish.

 

What is Preventive HVAC Maintenance?

The idea of preventive HVAC maintenance is to stay ahead of any problems that may be likely to come up within your system in the months and years ahead. By cleaning and inspecting various components, it’s possible for a professional technician to keep the system healthy and steer clear of common issues. This means you can avoid surprise downtime when the system needs a repair, and you’ll likely save money in the long run, as well.

 

HVAC maintenance is one of those areas where you need to spend a little bit of time and money upfront in order to save even more time and money later. Sure, it might be hard to convince yourself to spend money on HVAC maintenance while the system is working nicely, but stick with a consistent maintenance schedule and the results you get will speak for themselves.

 

Key Fall Maintenance Points

It’s likely that your HVAC system has to work hard to keep your home comfortable throughout the year, both during the hot summer season and during the chilly winter months. The first type of maintenance we’d like to discuss is the fall maintenance visit, which obviously takes place before the harshest winter weather moves in. Some of the key points that should be managed during that visit include –

  • One important fall maintenance point is to make sure your air conditioner is in good shape after working hard all summer. This can include having the coils cleaned, draining pans, and checking various other components.
  • To get ready for cold weather, the furnace (or heat pump) should be carefully inspected to make sure all parts are working as they should. This inspection will help you get efficient, reliable performance all season long.
  • This is a good time to check the status of all vents to make sure they are set in the right positions for warming the house during winter. Some of them may have been closed long ago so it’s easy to forget that they need to be moved back. If you have some rooms that feel colder than you would expect, make sure the vents in those areas are fully open.

 

Don’t Forget About Spring Preparations

Just as in the fall, maintenance in the spring season can help get your system ready for the challenges of the changing weather – the arrival of summer, in this case. Making sure your air conditioning system is fully prepared for the hot, humid weather that is sure to arrive will help you stay comfortable all the way through the summer and into the early fall.

Also, this article wouldn’t be complete without talking about the importance of changing the air filter in your system regularly. Not only will this be done during maintenance visits, but you should also change it out on your own a couple of other times during the year to keep the system running properly on fresh air. Reach out to Berico to learn more about maintenance options and what is best for you and your busy schedule.

Proehlific Park

The Proehlific Park at 4517 Jessup Grove RD, Greensboro, NC 27410 is a full-service gym and sports training facility popular among the residents of Guilford County and surrounding areas. Proehlific Park is home to many programs including an After School Program for kids, family and adult memberships, summer care, sports training, recreation leagues, and Christian Ministry.   The Proehlific Park mission is “to inspire, cultivate and ignite the P.O.W.E.R. within each of us no matter our age using sport, exercise, play and spirituality as tools for life and to help others.” Learn More

 

Fitness Options

Proehlific Park includes fitness options that can work for you, no matter your age or situation. Members can choose to join a variety of group exercise classes or work with a personal trainer to develop a custom personal fitness regime. All memberships to the facility will include a free one-hour fitness consultant that can help you learn where you currently stand and which programs would work the best for you.

 

Some of the fitness programs available include, cardio and strength, and mind and body exercises that help improve overall fitness.

 

Youth

Proehlific Park is offers some of the best activities to keep kids moving and enjoying active play as opposed to video games.  Whether they join the facility for a few hours after school or spend the whole summer, Proehlific Park provides many great programs and camps to keep kids busy while their parents are at work. Parents can choose from After School Care, Summer Camps, and Drop-in Days based on their unique needs. Proehlific Park strives to provide parents peace of mind while keeping their kids happy and active.

 

Sports

Many people choose to join Proehlific Park because of the many sports programs. The goal here is to help kids and adults grow and learn through the POWER of Play. A membership can include both adult and youth leagues, sports camps, and even drop-in games to keep everyone moving and having fun, no matter the weather.

 

Whether you haven’t played a sport in a long time, want to learn something new, or are looking to keep active, the sports programs at Proehlific Park can help keep you moving.

 

Proehlific Sports Performance or PSP Services

As an athlete who is ready to take things to the next level, the PSP services at Proehlific Park are some of the best. PSP sports performance is a specialized training for athletes of any age who would like to work on enhancing their athletic development and skills. When you or your child are looking to learn new techniques to get better at the sport and to reach the next level in competition, the PSP services at Proehlific Park provide the help you need.

 

Check out the many amenities and membership options at 4517 Jessup Grove RD, Greensboro, NC 27410.

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Lake Reidsville Recreation Park

The Lake Reidsville Recreation park is located at 630 Water Works Road, Reidsville, NC 27320. Lake Reidsville can provide a full day of fun for individuals and families with plenty of opportunities for activities; swimming, camping, and hiking, just to name a few.

 

About Lake Reidsville Recreation Area

 

When you want to spend some time outside, then Lake Reidsville is great place to go. With more than 750 acres and a pristine lake, it’s a beautiful and expansive park. Additional amenities include, picnic shelters, soccer fields, basketball courts, and a playground, making it an inviting place for people of all ages. Another great place to visit

 

While many people come for the day, there are options for those who would like to stay for the whole weekend or more. Lake Reidsville is open all year long and offers options for camping and enjoying the park for the entire week.

 

Things to Do

 

The lake is an excellent place to spend a day with family and friends, no matter the time of year or the weather. Some of the many things that you can do when visiting Lake Reidsville include:

  • Disc golf: Get some friends together and have a friendly competition of disc golf. You can get out in the sun and enjoy a wonderful round of disc golf with family, friends or even make new friends on the popular disc golf course.
  • Water Activities: You can bring your own boat, canoe or kayak or rent one from the park. Skiing is allowed in specific areas of the lake. Swimming and jet skis, however are not allowed. Fishing is a popular activity, particular in many of the little coves in and around the lake.
  • Camping: Lake Reidsville provides 46 wooded sites. All of these have electricity and water and 28 have “full-hookup.”
  • Picnics and amphitheater: Many special events, including concerts, are held at Lake Reidsville throughout the year. Guests can also rent this space out for parties and big events as they need. There are also grills and picnic tables available to use on a first come, first served basis.
  • Additional activities: There is plenty to do when you are at the lake. Horseshoes, soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, and a playground for the younger kids. Special events and fishing tournaments are held throughout the year as well.

 

Lake Hunt is just a Hope Skip and a Jump away

 

As long as you are looking for fun in the area, Lake Hunt is located just a few miles away, and close to the city of Reidsville. If you want to extend your stay or get more time in the great outdoors, Lake Hunt is a another good place to explore. The city of Reidsville requires passes to visit both of these lakes.

 

Spending time at the lake is never time wasted and Lake Reidsville provides a lot of fun  things for families to enjoy all year long. Get away from the city and enjoy some rest and relaxation at Lake Reidsville Recreation Park at 630 Water Works Road. Reidsville, NC 27320.

More about Eden

Eden Historical Museum

The Eden Historical Museum at 656 Washington St. Eden, NC 27288 is a must-see place to visit when you are in this area of North Carolina. This museum tells us the history of Eden starting from the Prehistoric Era to the consolidation of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper into one city in 1967.

 

Visiting the Museum

 

The museum is open every Saturday between 10 AM and 4 PM. At certain times of the year, the Eden Historical Museum will open their doors for additional hours.

 

Admission prices for adults are $1 per visit. Children under the age of 12 are free with an adult, excluding those who visit in a group. Parking is found close to the museum to help make it easier for everyone.. More Places to Visit

 

Groups are encouraged to call ahead for special tours of the museum.

 

Written Historical Recollections

 

The Eden Historical Museum contains scans, copies, and retyped documents that tell the  historical account of the area around Eden, NC. Visitors to the museum may read these documents to learn more about the people, businesses, and special occasions that occurred in the area through out the last two-hundred years.

 

Visitors are encouraged to remember the time in which the documents were written. Even if the museum staff and volunteers retyped all the documents to help make them more readable, the nonstandard punctuations and spelling would remain.

 

Some of the written historical recollections available at the Eden Historical Museum and their website include:

  • Land of Eden Pageant 1947: The community put together a pageant called “The Land of Eden” in October of 1947. The Eden Historical Museum has several documents for this pageant including several pictures, the script, and the program for visitors to look through.
  • Luther Hartwell Hodges Biographical Sketch: Luther Hodges is often considered one of the most influential individuals in North Carolina in the 20th He spent most of his time in Leaksville and Spray and information about his life and work is available in the museum.
  • Miss Tri City and Miss Eden: Beginning during 1948, the JC’s sponsored a talent and beauty pageant that then led the winner to the Miss North Carolina Pageant. Information on these pageants is displayed at the museum.

 

The museum is expanding its exhibits and encourages guests to check back often to see new displays about the history of Eden, NC.

 

Visiting the Eden Historical Museum is a wonderful way to learn about this unique area of North Carolina and explore the events and people important to its history.  Visit the museum at 656 Washington St. Eden, NC 27288. Learn More