How’s your indoor air quality? Is everyone breathing easy? Or do you and your family suffer from allergy symptoms, asthma, dry nose and throat, chronic cough, or other respiratory illnesses? Your furnace may be the source of poor air quality in your home. You may think it’s working properly, but there may be some underlying issues with your HVAC in Burlington, NC that you’re not aware of. Here are some ways a malfunctioning furnace could create indoor air pollution.

Dirty, Dusty Furnace and Ducts

One of the biggest sources of problems with forced-air heating systems is dirt and dust that gets in past the filter. This can happen when the filter hasn’t been changed often enough and gets clogged. Air can’t get through when it needs to and the furnace works harder to compensate, pulling particles through or around the filter that would normally be stopped. Dust and allergens that get into the ductwork will end up blowing out through the vents into your home. It can also get into the furnace which can cause problems and impede efficiency. 

Poor Ventilation of Carbon Monoxide

If you have a furnace that runs on natural gas, propane, or heating oil, it creates carbon monoxide (CO) when it burns those fuels to create heat. A properly working furnace has a ventilation system that vents the carbon monoxide outside of your home. However, if there is a problem with the furnace or the ventilation, CO can be released into your home instead of outside. CO poisoning is a serious issue that can cause symptoms such as dizziness and headaches and can be fatal if not recognized and treated. CO monitors are needed in any home with a fuel furnace. 

Lack of Proper Humidity 

Is the air in your home extremely dry during the winter when your furnace runs a lot? A little dryness is normal, but severely dry air is a sign that your furnace may not be operating properly. If you experience a higher than normal amount of static electricity in your home and you suffer from dry nose and throat, your furnace may not be operating properly. Your furnace should be able to control the humidity in your home and keep it at a normal range. It won’t be as humid in the winter as it is in the summer, but it shouldn’t feel like a desert indoors. If you see a tumbleweed blow through your living room, it might be time to service your HVAC in Burlington, NC. 

Clear the Air with Furnace Maintenance 

An inspection and tune-up can usually correct these issues with your HVAC in Burlington, NC. In many cases just changing your filters can eliminate a lot of pollutants from the air. A thorough cleaning of your furnace should help to remove dust and dirt from the system as well. And repairing any holes or leaks in your ventilation system should prevent excess carbon monoxide from entering your home. 

Call Alamance Oil today at (336) 226-9371 to schedule an appointment for an HVAC tune-up in Burlington, NC to eliminate indoor air pollution.

Is your home winter-ready? When the weather turns cold there are certain maintenance steps you should take to protect your home from the effects of winter weather. From refilling your heating oil to protecting your pipes, here are 7 winter tips for your home. 

Refill your Heating Oil or Propane Tank

If your home runs on heating oil or propane, your tank will need to be refilled from time to time. Do you know if you have enough fuel in your tank to get through the winter? Don’t wait until you run out to call for a refill. Call your supplier of heating oil in Burlington for a delivery sooner than later. 

Check Your Heating System

Whatever type of heating system you have, whether it’s a furnace, heat pump, radiator, or any other type, it needs to be inspected and tuned up yearly. Schedule maintenance with your HVAC company or heating oil supplier in Burlington to ensure your heating system is operating properly and efficiently. A well-maintained heating system saves you energy and money. 

Inspect/Add Insulation

Check the insulation in your home, especially in the attic and unheated spaces in your home. Those are the places where cold air may leak in and warm air may leak out when insulation is insufficient. Add insulation where needed and consider upgrading to better quality insulation if you feel certain areas of your home are drafty. 

Seal Cracks

Another problem that can be indicated by draftiness is cracks in the walls or around windows and door frames. If you notice that your home is colder near windows and doors, they may need to be sealed. Add or replace weather stripping if what’s there is worn or insufficient. 

Get a Generator/Inspect your Generator

Winter weather can often cause power outages. Consider getting a propane or gas generator to power certain electrical appliances such as your refrigerator when the power goes out. If you already have a generator, test it to make sure it works or have it inspected to ensure it will operate properly when you need it to. 

Clean/Inspect your Fireplace and Chimney

If you use your fireplace, whether, with wood or gas logs, it’s important to maintain both the fireplace and chimney. Wood burning fireplaces need to be cleaned out and the chimney needs to be swept yearly. Gas log fireplaces need to have the logs themselves and the ventilation inspected. </span

Prep your Plumbing

In extremely cold weather water can freeze in your pipes and cause them to burst. One way to avoid this is to allow your faucets to drip when the weather is extremely cold. A better solution is to insulate your pipes to prevent freezing, which conserves water. Newer homes are usually designed so that the plumbing is in the internal walls rather than external walls so to keep pipes warm. 

Alamance Oil Can Help You Get Prepared for Winter

Many of the tips above can be handled by the experts at Alamance Oil. When you need a heating system tune-up, fireplace maintenance, generator inspection, or other home comfort services, Alamance Oil is ready to help. Call (336) 226-9371 today to make a service appointment today or request service here. 

Is your propane furnace ready for winter? When the weather turns cold you want to be sure you can count on your furnace to keep you warm. Getting stuck without heat on a cold winter day is an experience you won’t soon forget. Want to avoid such unpleasantness? Here are 6 winter readiness tips from your propane supplier in Reidsville. 

Have your tank refilled

Don’t wait for your tank to run low or run out on a cold winter day. The coldest days will have your propane supplier in Reidsville as busy as possible, so you may have to wait for a while in the cold. And running out of propane completely can cause problems with your tank and gas lines that will require extra procedures to be done. Be prepared by getting your tank refilled early. 

Have your tank inspected

Propane tanks can rust and deteriorate over time, which can cause problems with your home heat and pose a safety hazard. Whenever you have your tank refilled, your supplier should inspect your tank for any signs of damage. 

Have your furnace inspected, cleaned, and tuned up

Yearly maintenance for your furnace ensures that it is in good working order and that it is operating at peak efficiency. The best time for a furnace tuneup is late summer or early fall, but even into the winter is still fine, and better than not at all. You can avoid heating problems and save some money by making furnace maintenance a priority. 

Change your filters

At the very least you should change your filters twice a year when you switch from AC to heat and vice versa. Changing them quarterly is even better for your system and can keep more dust and dirt out of your ducts. Most HVAC companies will replace your filters as part of your regular maintenance appointments. 

Upgrade to a programmable thermostat

Now is a good time to switch to programmable thermostats. Save energy and money by setting your thermostat to automatically adjust your indoor temperature based on the time of day. When no one is home or at night while everyone is under the covers it isn’t necessary to have the heat set as high as you do during other times of the day. 

Check your insulation

Is your home’s insulation sufficient? It’s important to inspect insulation occasionally for deterioration and for cracks or gaps that may be letting in outside air. You may want to add insulation to your home and weather stripping around door frames. Seal up any cracks or gaps you find where cold air could be seeping in and lowering the efficiency of your furnace. 

Carolina Fuels Can Help Make Sure Your Furnace is Ready for Winter

Are you looking for a propane supplier in Reidsville that can not only fill up your tank but tune-up your furnace as well? Call Carolina Fuels at (336) 623-9741 to schedule a winter readiness check-up for your propane furnace and tank. The sooner you do so the better to avoid paying too much for home heat this winter.