Have you noticed an unusual odor in your home when your furnace is running? Does it seem to be coming from your vents or from the furnace itself? Different smells can mean different things, some of which may indicate a problem. Some smells may mean you should contact the company that handles your propane delivery in Reidsville, and other smells may be harmless. This guide will help you decide what to do.

Smells That Mean Trouble:

1. Rotten egg or rotting smell. Propane and natural gas are naturally odorless, so an odor is added that smells like rotten eggs or rotting in general. This makes it easier to detect in case of a leak. If you smell this, you could have propane or gas leaking into your home. Turn off the furnace and get out of the house to a safe location and call your fuel supplier or gas company.
2. Smoke. Where there’s smoke there may be fire. You should definitely not smell smoke or see smoke coming from your vents or furnace. If you do, or if your smoke detector goes off, turn off your furnace and contact your HVAC company. If you see or suspect a fire, get out of the house and call the fire department.
3. Singed wires or metal. If you smell an electrical burning smell, like when wires or metal gets overheated, that may be exactly what’s going on. The electrical wiring inside your furnace could be getting too hot or shorting out. Turn off your furnace and call your HVAC service provider.
4. Formaldehyde or strong chemicals. This smell could indicate a crack in your heat exchanger, which could cause a chemical-like odor. In this case, carbon monoxide could be leaking into your home. Turn off your furnace, get out of the house, and call your HVAC repair company.

Normal Furnace Smells (if temporary):

1. Burnt dust. If you smell burnt dust the first time you turn on your furnace for the season, this is completely normal. However, if the smell persists for weeks you may have a problem. A thorough cleaning and tune-up for your furnace will likely correct this problem.
2. Musty or dampness. This is also normal at the beginning of the cold weather season. Your furnace has been sitting dormant in humid weather, so it may smell a little musty. If the odor continues beyond the first week of use, it’s possible you have a mold or mildew problem that needs to be corrected.
3. Oil. This can be the result of a dirty, clogged filter. Replace all of your filters with new clean ones and see if the smell dissipates. If not, call your HVAC company for a check-up.

Get Affordable Furnace Maintenance and Propane Delivery in Reidsville from Carolina Fuels

Unusual smells coming from your furnace could be caused by a problem with your heating fuel or the system itself. Whatever the cause, Carolina Fuels can help. An all-in-one home comfort service provider can handle every aspect of your heating system from furnace repair and replacement to propane delivery in Reidsville. Don’t ignore strange smells, call (336) 273-8663.

Owning a home comes with some responsibilities. Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every year. Clean out your dryer vent every few months. Replace your HVAC filters at least every 6 months. There’s more, but who can remember all of that? You may just brush it all off as unimportant and figure you’ll deal with it if a problem occurs. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking may put your home and appliances in danger. If it seems overwhelming, handle one thing at a time. Let’s tackle the filters first as part of regular HVAC Maintenance in Greensboro, NC.

Changing your Filters and other HVAC Maintenance in Greensboro, NC is Very Important

If you have a forced air heating and cooling system, there are filters in your intake vents. The intake vents are the larger vents that are used to pull air into the HVAC system. That air enters the system and is either heated or cooled, depending on the time of year and your thermostat settings. It is important that the air that goes in is clean, which is the reason for the filter. The filter removes the dust and other particles from the air, keeping them out of your indoor unit and ducts. Over time dust builds up on filters and they become clogged. Clogged filters can cause a variety of problems for your HVAC system such as:

• Reduced or blocked air flow. Clogged filters don’t allow enough air into your system for it to function properly. You’ll experience low air flow out of your vents as well.
• Overheated heat exchanger. When air flow is blocked the heat exchanger in your furnace will get too hot too quickly. The furnace will shut off without heating your home.
• Increase in energy usage (higher bill). Your HVAC system will strain to heat or cool your home with a lack of air, using more energy and driving your bill up.
• Lack of home comfort. Poor air flow leads to short cycling, when your system turns on and off repeatedly without achieving the desired indoor temperature. This makes it much harder to reach the level of comfort you desire.
• Frozen evaporator coil. The outdoor unit of your air conditioner can freeze over, even in the sweltering summer heat, because of clogged filters. Low air flow prevents the hot outdoor air from moving over the evaporator coil as it should, which causes it to freeze.
• Poor indoor air quality. The dust, allergens, and toxins in the air will not be stopped by a dirty filter. All of those things will get through your system, ducts, and vents to pollute the air inside your home.
• HVAC system failure. Clogged filters left unattended for too long can eventually lead to whole system failure, which may or may not be repairable. You could have to replace your entire HVAC system.

Routine HVAC Maintenance Takes the Responsibility off Your Hands

If you’re worried that you won’t remember to change your filters, there is a way to have it automatically taken care of. Reliable HVAC companies like Berico offer maintenance agreements that include replacing your filters twice a year along with other very important system care steps. HVAC maintenance in Greensboro, NC typically involves automatic service calls in the spring and fall that include inspecting, cleaning, and tuning up your system to prevent problems and keep it running efficiently. Take the burden of remembering to change your filters off your shoulders with a Comfort and Protection Service Agreement from Berico. Call (336)273-8663 to sign up today.

Most homes today have a HVAC System (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) of some type. Whether you have a forced air furnace and air conditioner combination, a heat pump, or separate heating and cooling systems, regular maintenance is necessary to keep your home’s comfort system running smoothly. Your HVAC system is made up of moving parts and an electrical system. These parts need periodical care and sometimes replacement. At least twice a year, when the weather changes, it’s important to schedule professional air conditioning and heating repair in Greensboro.

HVAC Maintenance Tips:

1. Replace your filters. This is something you can most likely do on your own. For best results, change your filters every one to two months, especially if you are in a newly constructed home. At the very least, replace your filters quarterly, being sure to change filters right before you switch from air conditioning to heat and back. Your HVAC company will replace your filters for you during your routine maintenance appointment.
2. Clear out around your outdoor unit. This is especially important in the spring before you turn on your air conditioning for the first time. Remove weeds, leaves, and other debris that tend to collect around your outdoor unit. As the weather is often still warm enough for AC into the fall, you should clear out around the unit during this season as well, especially because it could collect leaves. The outdoor unit needs to be able to move air unencumbered.
3. Get your propane or oil tank refilled. The frequency of heating fuel tank refills depends on a few different factors such as the size of your tank, the weather, the size of your home, the temperature you prefer to heat your home to, and more. If you’re not currently on a refill schedule with your supplier, it’s wise to start automatic fuel delivery. Your supplier makes sure you never run out by refilling your tank on a predetermined schedule. A completely empty tank can cause problems with your furnace as well as the tank itself and other equipment.
4. Schedule a tune-up from your HVAC company. Twice a year, during seasonal changes in the spring and fall, you should have professional maintenance performed on your system, sometimes referred to as a tune-up. A trained technician will clean, inspect, and repair your furnace and air conditioner so that it runs efficiently.

Ensure Top Performance from your HVAC System with Maintenance from Berico

If you’re not already a Comfort and Protection Service Plan Member, you should get started now. Berico offers a complete, affordable package including HVAC maintenance and fuel refills. And it’s all automatic so you don’t have to remember to schedule it. Caring for your system through seasonal changes is easy when you leave it to Berico. Save money by avoiding emergency heating repair in Greensboro and using less energy with an efficient, tuned-up HVAC system. You also get a discount on your propane or heating oil by bundling your services. Sign up for a Comfort and Protection Service Plan today and experience the benefits. Call (336) 273-8663.

It’s a never-ending battle: the thermostat. Whatever the family dynamic in your home, it can be difficult to agree on the optimal indoor temperature during each season. The key to achieving the best compromise is to strive for efficient heating. Efficient heating means using less energy while still maintaining an even level of comfort throughout your home. She’ll be warm enough, he’ll be cool enough, and both will be happy with the energy savings. If you don’t already have a propane or oil furnace in Eden, you may want to consider this type of system. A lot of older homes have these furnaces, leading consumers to wrongly assume they are outdated heating sources. But heating oil and propane are still relevant in the HVAC industry for its many benefits.

Top Benefits of Heating with Oil and Propane

1. Efficiency. Heating oil burns hotter than natural gas, meaning your furnace makes significantly more heat with the same amount of fuel.
2. Comfort. Since oil burns hotter than other fuels, it provides an even, long-lasting heat that gives you a higher level of comfort throughout your home. Everyone will feel consistent warmth wherever they are in the home, meaning the thermostat war can finally end.
3. Availability. Not every home has access to natural gas lines. Heating oil is a readily available alternative where gas isn’t feasible. In recent years, natural gas shortages have caused prices to skyrocket and customers to worry. Heating oil has not been in scarce supply, keeping prices reasonable and oil customers happy.
4. Safety. Oil exists in a liquid, non-flammable state in a tank on your property. To become flammable, it must be heated to at least 140 degrees to convert it to a gas, meaning it is an extremely safe heat source.
5. Cleanliness. Heating oil and propane have come a long way in terms of its clean burning properties. With proper furnace maintenance, they release less pollutants.
6. Furnace longevity. Propane and Oil furnaces simply last longer than many other heating systems, averaging 30 years or more with regular maintenance.

Propane or Heating Oil Can Put the Thermostat Battle to Rest

The key benefits of propane or heating oil that help end the battle of the thermostat are the first two listed: efficiency and comfort. Heating oil burns really hot, which means your oil furnace in Eden requires less fuel to create the same amount of heat as other fuels. If your system is well maintained for optimal efficiency, then it should eliminate cold spots and maintain a consistent temperature throughout your house.

Thinking of switching to propane or heating oil for their many benefits? Contact Carolina Fuels for a recommendation on a new propane or oil furnace and save on fuel delivery and furnace maintenance. Call (336) 273-8663.

When family members or close friends move into their first home, it can be difficult to find a meaningful housewarming gift. Often the best gifts are those that are practical, things that a new homeowner may not even know they will need. But when the time comes to use it, they will be extremely grateful. These gifts may not be flashy, and they don’t even have to be expensive, but they will be appreciated.

Gifts for the Kitchen

One of the most popular categories of housewarming gifts is kitchen items. For first time homeowners or newlyweds, it seems kitchen gadgets or food and drink seem to be popular. Thinking of getting a bottle of your favorite wine? Include an electric wine opener to make uncorking the bottle and future bottles much easier. Give a complete meal kit with all of the necessary ingredients for a dinner that is ready to make. Include a gift card for Blue Apron or another meal kit delivery service.

Interior Décor and Accessories

Depending on how well you know someone, it can be difficult to choose decorative items that will suit their tastes. A gift card to a home décor store is usually a safe bet. This will allow the recipient to choose items that they like and will match their style.

Home Maintenance Gifts

New homeowners may not know all of the responsibilities that come with homeownership. Give a basic toolkit or a gift card to a home improvement store. If this is your neighbor or a friend who has moved in near you, give a gift certificate from your preferred HVAC company toward maintenance, repairs, or heating fuel in Burlington. A gift certificate from any local service you can recommend is a valuable gift, whether it’s a landscaping service, appliance repair, or housecleaning service.

5 Things New Homeowners Should Check in their Home

One of the best gifts you can give new homeowners is advice. A home inspection should have been conducted as part of the buying and selling process, which would have detected any major problems with the home such as foundation, roof, or plumbing. However, after moving in, new homeowners should check these 5 things.

1. Heating and Air Conditioning System. One commonly overlooked area is the HVAC system. The heating and air conditioning unit in a new home may need maintenance. After moving into a new home, it’s a good idea to have your system inspected and tuned up.
2. Propane or Oil Tank. If there is a propane or heating oil furnace, the tank may need a refill. You can contact the company who supplied the tank, or you can contact Alamance Oil for heating fuel in Burlington, including a free tank swap out and other advantages for new customers.
3. Electrical System. Check your circuit breaker panel for any tripped circuit breakers or anything that seems amiss. If so, contact an electrician.
4. Cable/internet connection. Make sure your cable, internet, and Wi-Fi are all working properly and that all services are transferred to your own account.
5. Security System/Locks. If your new home has a security system, be sure you contact the company to transfer service, establish passcodes and security information, and replace door locks.

Call Alamance Oil at (336) 273-8663 for maintenance, fuel refills, gift certificates, and any other services related to your HVAC system.