On a cold morning in Greensboro, you want your home to heat up as fast as possible. Even a good HVAC system can feel like it takes a while for the home to reach a comfortable temperature, so anything you can do to speed up the process would be a welcome step in the right direction. Toward that end, does it help to close some of your vents? This article will explore that idea.

If you would like to work with an HVAC company in the Greensboro area that helps you get excellent results with great pricing, be sure to call Berico first. With decades of experience and a team of talented technicians, Berico is the easy choice for furnace installation and all other HVAC jobs and now including plumbing and electrical services.

A Reasonable Theory

The idea behind closing vents in order to heat your home up faster is reasonable enough on the surface. Basically, the thinking is that by closing vents in rooms that aren’t being used, more warm air will be directed toward the rooms with open vents, and those spaces will heat up faster. Makes sense, right?

Not so fast. The HVAC system that serves your home is designed to distribute air evenly throughout the house through a network of ducts. If you close off some of the vents, the balance of air pressure is thrown off, and things usually don’t work out too well from there. And to be fair, closing one or two vents in rarely used spaces isn’t typically harmful—but the problems begin when you close too many.

What Actually Happens

Closing one or two vents in rarely used rooms typically won’t cause problems for your HVAC system. However, when you close too many vents, issues start to arise. Your blower fan doesn’t know that you’ve closed multiple vents—it just keeps working as usual, pushing the same volume of air through the system. This creates excess pressure in the ductwork, which can force air out through small leaks or cracks that would otherwise go unnoticed.

The increased pressure also makes your blower motor work harder than it’s designed to, leading to premature wear on this critical component. Additionally, restricted airflow can cause your heat exchanger to overheat, potentially triggering safety shutoffs and reducing the lifespan of your furnace.

Ultimately, closing too many vents causes your system to work less efficiently, resulting in higher energy bills without any improvement in heating speed. In fact, the rooms with open vents may actually heat up more slowly as the system struggles against the artificial pressure you’ve created. The bottom line: your house won’t heat up any faster than if you had left all of the vents open, and you may be setting yourself up for costly repairs down the road.

Some Better Options

So, if closing a few vents isn’t going to help you heat up the house any faster, what can you do? Here are some ideas –

• Replace your air filters to provide the system with ample airflow
• Have the ducts sealed and insulated to make sure the warm air gets to where it is supposed to go
• Check your thermostat settings to dial in the timing of when your system runs and what temperature it tries to reach
• Schedule periodic furnace maintenance to make sure the system is running as efficiently as possible
• If certain rooms are consistently too warm or too cold, consider having a zoning system installed rather than simply closing vents

Reach Out Today

There are many possible ways to improve the heating performance you enjoy in your home, and most of them start with a phone call to the best provider of HVAC Greensboro has to offer. The Berico name has been trusted by generations, and you’ll soon see why!

Living in the Greensboro area, we don’t have to deal with brutally cold weather as much as our neighbors to the North. That doesn’t mean it never gets cold, however. There are plenty of chilly nights ahead during the winter months, and preparing your furnace for the work it will need to do is an important step for any homeowner. Specifically, you’ll want to watch for the signs listed below and call to schedule Greensboro HVAC work if they are noted in your system.

For furnace repair or maintenance that will exceed your expectations and deliver great value for your money, Berico is the right choice. Call today to schedule your first appointment.

Uneven Heating Throughout the Home

Did you notice toward the end of last winter that some of your rooms were getting warmer than others? A bit of variance in temperature throughout the house is to be expected, but if there are dramatic differences from one place to the next, that’s a sign of a furnace that needs service or repair. There could be a problem with the blower motor, for example, or it might be that the thermostat needs to be replaced.

Loud Noises Coming from the Furnace

Your furnace will make some noise as it runs, of course, but those noises should be relatively quiet and consistent. If there are loud, unpredictable sounds coming out of the furnace, you’ll want to have that problem looked at by the Berico team. It’s worth investigating the problem now, even if the furnace is still working, as those sounds could point to an upcoming breakdown. Many possible reasons for the noises exist, including loose parts, worn belts, and ignition problems.

Rising Energy Bills

This is a secondary sign that there is something going on with your furnace. Have you noticed that your utility bills keep climbing winter after winter? The underlying rates for energy might be going up a bit, but large jumps in your bill are likely related to a furnace that is getting less efficient as it ages. Proper servicing can turn back the clock and get the furnace to perform closer to its previous levels.

Furnace Age

Sometimes, the only thing you need to know is that your furnace is getting old. If the same unit has been serving this home for a decade or more, it’s likely time for either some detailed maintenance or a replacement unit. You can talk to the Berico team about whether it would make more sense to repair or replace the furnace at this time.

Get Started Today

You don’t want to be behind schedule in getting your furnace the help it needs. For one thing, you could end up with some pretty cold nights before it gets fixed. Also, heating and air contractors can get rather busy once winter sets in, so it’s good to stay ahead of the game. Berico is an industry leader in the Greensboro area for a reason, so get in touch now for the help you need.

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!