HVAC Blog | Carolina Climate Control

What Is “Flame Roll-Out” in a Furnace?

March 6th, 2023

One of our biggest concerns as an HVAC company offering heating services to local homeowners is ensuring that natural gas furnaces operate safely throughout the year. If a gas furnace receives regular professional maintenance annually (and right now is a great time to schedule it!) it has the highest likelihood of presenting no safety concerns during its service life.

Nothing is able to stop all safety worries with a gas furnace and you might also have a furnace that is aging or which hasn’t received the routine maintenance it needs. In this post we want to caution you about a furnace safety issue that might occur, one which people aren’t often aware of: flame roll-out.

How Long You Can Expect Different HVAC Systems to Last

February 20th, 2023

There’s no such thing as finding “the last heating or air conditioning system you’ll ever need to buy.” All systems have a limited service life and will eventually wear down to the point they won’t run anymore or cost too much to keep in service.

Nobody wants to go through the process of replacing an HVAC system. It doesn’t come with the same excitement as getting a new car or finding a new home. But it’s necessary for the health and comfort of your family and we’re going to help you today with a look at the estimated service lives of the most common HVAC systems. Age isn’t an absolute determining factor for when to replace an HVAC system, but it’s definitely one of the best and easiest to calculate.

Strange Noises That Warn You Your Heater Needs Repairs

February 6th, 2023

Moose, our mascot, has sharp ears and can hear the smallest strange noises inside a heating system that tell him something is wrong. You don’t have ears as finely tuned to tiny noises, but you can still use your heating to detect when your heater isn’t working properly.

Outwardly, nothing else may seem wrong: the heater is still turning on and sending out hot air. But these noises can warn of bigger problems on the horizon. The sooner you act on getting heating repair in Greenville, SC, the less likely you’ll end up with a heating disaster later on. Catching repair issues early makes them easier for us to fix as well!

So let’s get into the real detective work and go over some of these warning sounds to listen for. You already know what your heating system sounds like when it’s running normally, so pay attention to anything that sounds out of the ordinary and compare it to this list.

Can I Do Any HVAC Repairs on My Own?

January 23rd, 2023

The simple answer to this question is “no.” If you are having troubles with your home’s heating system this winter, or with your air conditioning later in the year, there’s not much you can do to repair it unless you are a trained HVAC technician with the right equipment. Modern HVAC systems are complex and even attempting to diagnose what’s causing problems is difficult unless you’re specially trained. Attempting to make any type of repairs yourself risks the following:

Making the problem worse
Causing possibly irreversible damage to the HVAC system
Voiding the system’s warranty
Causing harm to yourself or others

We want to draw special attention to the last point: when it comes to gas-powered heaters like furnaces, it’s actually illegal for anyone without the proper certification to work on them. The potential for gas leaks and combustion hazards is simply too high. Don’t risk it!

My Heat Pump Isn’t Heating—What Gives?

January 9th, 2023

Our mascot, Moose, loves heat pumps. We agree with his reasons! You see, heat pumps not only offer a home both heating and cooling from a single unit, they also work at high efficiency in heating mode. Compared to using an electric furnace to heat a home, a heat pump uses far less energy and can save hundreds of dollars over a year. Plus, heat pumps are ideal for our climate because our milder winters make it easier for heat pumps to draw heat from outdoors to transport indoors.

But heat pumps aren’t perfect, and that’s why sometimes we have to set the Moose loose in your neighborhood to have them repaired. We handle services for heat pumps in Greenville, SC and we can get to the bottom of a problem such as a heat pump that won’t heat.

We’re always glad to share information with our clients, so let’s look at why your heat pump isn’t doing the “heating” half of its job.

Why Isn’t My Furnace Warming All of the House?

December 26th, 2022

When you have a central furnace in your house, you expect it to deliver warmth to all the rooms (except the basement, garage, and a few other spots that aren’t part of the living space). So when you run your furnace this winter and start to hear from family members that their rooms are too cold, or you notice chilly spots where you expect cozy warmth, something is wrong. Something that may require heating repair in Greenville, SC.

Before we go into some of the reasons that your furnace isn’t delivering even heating, we need to ask a big question…

Can My Gas Furnace Become Dangerous?

December 12th, 2022

Fears about carbon monoxide poisoning and fires can make people feel jittery about having a natural gas furnace in their home—or using natural gas in any capacity. Are these legitimate concerns? Should you worry that your gas furnace can turn into a threat to your family at any moment?

This simple answer is “no.” A gas furnace isn’t a ticking time bomb in your house that’s waiting to go off. The modern gas furnace is built to stringent safety requirements and contains numerous safety features to prevent combustion or toxic gas dangers.

However, this doesn’t mean a gas furnace will always run 100% safely. It’s possible for one to become dangerous, but you can prevent the majority of problems with the right precautions and the assistance of HVAC professionals like us.

Let’s look at how a gas furnace can become hazardous and the ways you can stay safe.

Important Notification of SEER2 Changes

December 8th, 2022

There are major changes coming to HVAC equipment requirements and pricing starting on January 1, 2023, and we want to notify all our customers about these changes so they can plan accordingly for their future heating and cooling needs.

This change is called SEER2, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating 2, which is part of a US Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to improve the energy efficiency performance of air conditioning and heating systems. Starting in 2023, all HVAC manufacturers must meet a new testing requirement for energy efficiency by redesigning their equipment. The testing requires improved efficiency and will change the way the SEER rating works. In the Southeast region of the US, which includes South Carolina, the new minimum SEER requirement will rise from 14.0 SEER to 15 SEER. Under the new testing, the older 15 SEER will be referred to as 14.3 SEER2. The requirements for heat pumps will rise to 15.0 SEER/8.8 HSPF (14.3 SEER2/7.5 HSPF).

After SEER2 goes into effect at the first of the year, we won’t be able to legally sell existing SEER equipment. We can also expect to see a 20%–30% increase in equipment costs rather than the 8%–10% increase that usually comes when the DOE raises minimum SEER requirements. If you have plans in the near future to purchase a new HVAC system, we recommend calling us as soon as possible to find out more about the impact of SEER2 and to arrange for new equipment installation before the price increases go into effect.

Rely on Carolina Climate Control and we’ll say “The Moose Is Loose in Your Neighborhood!”

Here Are Ways to Tell You May Need to Replace Your Heating System Before Winter

November 28th, 2022

We may not have winters as cold as more northern states, but we still get our share of cold days here in Greenville. You don’t want to try to manage the season without a heating system you can trust!

So, can you trust your heating system?

Our mascot Moose thinks it’s a good idea to ask yourself this question before the winter weather settles in. Heating systems can last for many years, but nobody has invented one that will last forever. If you think you may have a heater that’s close to the end, right now is the best time to do something about it. Below, we’ll go through the best ways to tell that you may need a heating replacement in Greenville, SC to prepare for winter.

Moose’s Early Heater Problem Detection Tips!

November 14th, 2022

It’s November and we’re enjoying crisp and cool weather here in Greenville. We’re starting to turn on our heating systems for the first time since early spring, and when winter arrives next month, we can expect to use them more and more.

If you run into problems with your home’s heating system, you only need to call us and set the Moose Loose to get that heater fixed. We’re here 24/7 for all your needs for heating repair in Greenville, SC!

But our mascot Moose knows that you’d prefer to catch heating problems as early as possible so you don’t get stuck with a fully failed heater. So he’s put together a guide for how to detect early that your heater is headed for trouble. That way you can get our team out in time and see that you enjoy uninterrupted comfort this winter.