Once winter arrives in the Piedmont area, your furnace will become perhaps your most important home appliance. Getting good performance from the furnace all winter long will keep your home comfortable and allow you to enjoy time with family and friends. If you want to make sure the furnace is ready to get the job done, use the information below to prepare properly.

As a long-time leader in Eden furnace repair, Berico is the right choice when you have any type of furnace maintenance project on your agenda. Just call the Berico team at your convenience to get started.

Start with a Visual Inspection

One of the early steps you can take is to look at your furnace and the area around it. Does anything appear to be broken or out of place? You don’t need to be an expert to take this step, as any major problems would be pretty obvious to the average person. If anything has been stored near the furnace during the summer, clear those items away and make sure the system has plenty of room to breathe.

Change the Air Filter

It’s always important to make sure your HVAC system has a fresh air filter regularly. Before the winter weather settles in and your furnace starts working day after day, add a fresh filter to the system and throw out the old one. New air filters are very affordable, and changing them out takes just a matter of minutes. Pay attention to how this new filter accumulates dirt and replace it proactively to maintain quality performance.

Test the Thermostat

You always want to know that your thermostat is doing its job and sending the right messages to the furnace. So, click it over into “Heat” mode and turn the temperature up slightly higher than the current room temperature. Does the furnace kick on immediately? If so, you can feel good about how the thermostat is working. If not, you may need to connect with an HVAC company to take a closer look.

Start Using It Early

There is no reason that you have to wait until deep into the winter to turn your furnace on and start using it. As soon as there is a chill in the air in the evening, let your furnace work and take note of any problems that it encounters. This way, if there is something wrong, you’ll have time to get it fixed before winter arrives fully and the weather is downright cold at night.

It’s Never Too Early to Prepare

Sure, it might seem a little early to start working on your furnace while the temperatures outside are still on the warm side. But winter can come in quickly, and you want to be ready. As proven HVAC contractors in the region, Berico will never let you down on any furnace project. Reach out now to learn more or to have your furnace tuned up before the winter cold sets in.

Managing the thermostat properly is one of your main jobs as a homeowner. It’s always a balancing act – you want to keep the home comfortable without using too much energy, and racking up a big utility bill, along the way. So, is it best to just pick one temperature and leave the thermostat there throughout the season? This page will take a closer look.

Whether you need a furnace tune-up, HVAC repair, or any other kind of related work in the Greensboro area, Berico should be your chosen partner. Take a moment now to call for help and get started.

The Case for One Temperature

The main argument for using just one temperature setting on your thermostat is that the furnace or air conditioner will never have to work too hard to “catch up” after the temperature changes. For example, instead of having to get all the way back up to 70°F after being allowed to drop down to 60°F, it can just run in short bursts to stay right around that 70°F mark.

You’ll also benefit from additional comfort if the thermostat stays the same at all times. No matter when you are at home, you’ll have a comfortable temperature. This can be nice when you return home from a day out in the winter and open the door to immediately be greeted by warm air, rather than having to wait for the space to heat up.

The Case for Adjusting Your Thermostat

While that theory does have some good points, many experts argue that it is more efficient to use multiple settings. For instance, you can let the temperature change while you are at work or asleep, only to have it return to a comfortable range when you are going to be at home and awake. This means letting the house get a little hot in the summer or a little cold in the winter, then running the HVAC to get it back where you like it. Some people believe that you will save as much as 10% over the course of a year by using this approach.

Consider Your Insulation

Finally, there needs to be a quick word on this page about insulation. If you have quality insulation in your home, the temperature isn’t going to change as quickly, even when the HVAC is off. So, using the adjustable setting system may be better, since much of the warm air or cool air will be retained anyway, and the system won’t have a ton of work to do once it is asked to come back on and reach the ideal temperature.

Finding the Right Solution for Your Needs

There is plenty of room for personal preference when it comes to operating your thermostat and controlling the temperature in your house. Whether it’s a smart thermostat or just periodic manual adjustments, simply paying attention to the system and how it works is the best thing you can do. Connect with Berico today to get your HVAC system working better than ever before!

On a sweltering Greensboro summer day, nothing is more welcome than the cool flow of air from your home’s air conditioning system. The comfort it provides is a non-negotiable luxury. However, when the outdoor unit whirs and hums at a distracting volume, that serenity can be broken. This article will help you achieve true tranquility, offering practical solutions to reduce the noise from your AC unit so you can enjoy your perfectly cooled home without the unwanted soundtrack.

If you need any A/C repair work done at your home, or if you require any other type of HVAC work, Berico should be your first call. Reach out now to schedule an appointment.

Understand What Noises Are Normal

As a starting point, it’s good to know what your air conditioner is supposed to sound like when it’s running. That way, you don’t go trying to make improvements on something that really can’t be improved.

When your air conditioner is on, the outdoor unit will have a compressor and fan running. Naturally, some sound is going to come from the unit as a result of those functions. That sound shouldn’t be super loud, and it should mostly be a low humming. If you start to hear any unusual sounds, such as banging or rattling, that is a likely sign that something is wrong, and repair work is needed.

Check on the Grilles

One of the first places to start for noise reduction is checking on the grilles that are attached to the outdoor unit. These parts keep large pieces of debris from getting inside the unit, but they can get loose over time. If they are loose, they’ll rattle while the system is running and create an annoying sound. Eliminating these noises may be as easy as using a simple screwdriver to tighten the grilles up again.

Look into a Compressor Sound Blanket

There are sound blanket products on the market intended specifically to address the issue of noise coming from your outdoor AC unit. If you purchase one of these blankets, just install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and you will enjoy some immediate noise reduction. This step won’t make the unit silent, of course, but it should make a noticeable difference for only a modest financial investment.

Clean the Unit Thoroughly

It’s also a good habit to periodically clean the unit to get any dirt and debris out. This should be a pretty quick and easy job with a hose and a brush. It is critical that you make sure to turn off the power to the unit first, just to make sure there is no chance that it will kick on while you are doing the work. Keeping the unit clean will help it run quieter and should also help you avoid future problems.

Get Help from a Proven Partner

Berico is the leading HVAC contractor serving homeowners throughout the Greensboro area. For AC installation, repair, maintenance, and more, simply reach out to the Berico team and you’ll receive outstanding value for your money. Don’t wait any longer to get started!

A warm shower is one of the true luxuries of living in the modern world. Few things are quite as peaceful or relaxing – until the temperature changes suddenly and you are shocked by freezing cold or scorching hot water. Why does that happen, and what can you do to avoid such an unpleasant surprise?

But before we tackle that issue; when you need to work with a Greensboro plumber to deal with any issues that arise in your home or business, Berico should be your first choice. Bathroom plumbing is just one of the many services that Berico can provide for a fair price. Call now to get started.

Common Reasons for Shower Water Temperature Swings

There are a few reasons that your water temperature might suddenly change while you are in the shower. One of the most common is someone else in the house flushing a toilet. When a toilet is flushed, it takes away some of the available cold water in the system, meaning that cold water can’t mix with the hot before it comes out of the showerhead. In the end, you are left with a blast of hot water that can be quite shocking.

A faulty mixing valve is another common issue. If the mixing valve gets worn or clogged over time, it may no longer be able to do its job properly. Again, the result will be a surprising change in water temperature, although that change could go in either the hot or cold direction.

Finally, you might simply be dealing with an old water heater that can no longer keep up with the demands you are placing on it. If the heater has a hard time keeping enough water warm to supply your shower, you’ll notice the temperature inconsistencies time after time.

Fixes and Preventative Measures to Explore

Some of the ways you can fix these problems might already be obvious. If you have an old water heater that is struggling to keep up, the clear fix is to have a new water heater installed. You might need to upgrade to a larger model, or it may be sufficient to simply replace the old one with a new version of the same size.

Likewise, if it is the mixing valve that isn’t working, having that replaced by a qualified plumber will get you back on track quickly. This tends to be a rather affordable repair that will make a big difference in the performance of your system.

One other thing that you should keep in mind is simply having routine maintenance performed on your plumbing system as a whole. As time passes, wear and tear can take a toll on various components and leave you with problems that continue to get worse. Stay ahead of the game with maintenance and know that you can count on your plumbing to always perform well.

Shower with Confidence Once Again

When you put Berico in charge of your shower repair project, you won’t have to worry about the results. The finished product will be exactly what you expected, and your showers will be comfortable and relaxing once again. For any type of Greensboro plumbing repair, make sure Berico is always your first choice.

Having the right size AC unit for your home is a key component of staying comfortable in Greensboro throughout the hot summer months. It might seem like the only problem here would be having an AC unit that is too small, but having a system that is too large for your home can be problematic, as well.

If you are getting ready for an air conditioning installation project, reach out to Berico today to get help from experienced professionals. You’ll be in good hands with the Berico team, and you can be sure that the finished product will be a system that serves your family well for years.

The Importance of AC Sizing

Bigger is not always better in the world of air conditioning. If you just purchase a large AC unit and assume it will be more than enough to cool your home, you’ll have problems with it cycling on and off too often – leading to high energy bills and increased wear and tear.

Of course, if your AC unit is undersized, it won’t be able to keep up with the demands of keeping a house in Greensboro cool in the middle of the summer. Accurately assessing your home’s needs and getting as close as possible to the perfect size is important if you are going to get efficient performance year after year.

Understanding How to Read Air Conditioner Sizes

When you look at various air conditioners on the market, you’ll see that they are labeled with a “ton” capacity. That’s how much heat the system can take out of a house in an hour, with a ton equating to 12,000 British Thermal Units. So, for example, a small air conditioner might be rated for just 2 tons, while a bigger unit could be rated for 4 or more.

Estimates and a Warning

You can roughly estimate the size that your air conditioner should be based on the size of your home. If you have a smaller home around 1,000 square feet, a unit in the 1.5 – 2-ton range will often work well. On the other hand, a house at 2,000 square feet or more is usually going to need at least a 3.5 – 4-ton system.

The warning that applies here is that there are other factors to weigh that need to be evaluated by a professional. To get the right size system for your home, and to be sure the system is going to serve you well for years to come, work with an experienced contractor right from the start.

Berico Does More Than AC Installations

Installing a new, properly-sized air conditioner is one of the many tasks Berico can complete on your Greensboro property. A/C repair is also available to get your system back up and running in no time. If the need for Greensboro AC repair has popped up during a particularly hot stretch of weather, simply call Berico right away and look forward to the cold air flowing again shortly.