Must Have Heating and Cooling Advice

Although the cold weather is already here, it’s not too late for you to make sure your home is ready for the winter. You shouldn’t have to worry about the cold once you set foot inside of your home. Check out the following suggestions for improving your home’s heating and cooling.

Evaluate Your Thermostat

Check your thermostat turn it up a few digits to ensure that it comes on properly. If you’ve got a programmable one, make sure that it has the right settings stored. If there are problems with your thermostat not functioning properly, you should contact your localheating and cooling service for assistance. Don’t put off getting it repaired or replaced. A thermostat that malfunctions during the winter will be harder to control during the warmer months when you’re trying to cool down.

Purchase Extra Furnace Filters for Use

Invest in extra furnace filters. During the colder months, you should replace them a little more frequently than you normally would. On average, replacing your furnace filter every two months or more if you happen to have the heat on all the time is ideal. It is important for you to get in the habit of replacing your furnace filter often to improve airflow, efficiency and to prevent a bunch of dust and air pollutant from circulating throughout your home.

Remove Screen Doors and Windows

If you haven’t touched your windows and doors except to open and shut them since the fall, now is a good time for you to remove the screens out of them. If possible, you should install storm doors and screens to prevent drafts. You can always replace your screens in the spring or summer when it is more practical for them to be in use.

Take Care of the Chimney

If you’ve got a chimney in your home, now is as good of a time than ever for you to get it professionally cleaned. A dirty and clogged chimney is a huge fire risk that can literally send your home up in smoke. There should be no more than a 1/8-inch buildup of creosote or soot. If you see more, hire a professional chimney sweep right away.

You should also inspect the flue damper. They should be fully functional with no sticking parts. If it doesn’t close and seal properly, you should not use your fireplace and chimney until after it has been professionally serviced.

Inspect and Lubricate Your Furnace Blower

Check the blower on your furnace. You may need to follow the instructions in the manufacturer’s book. If the blower is not kept lubricated, it won’t be able to redistribute heated air throughout your home. This could lead to many problems and major repair issues. You should oil your furnace blower at least once a year and have it professionallyinspected several times a year to ensure proper operations.

Check Heating and Cooling Vents for Blockages

Throughout the year, you may move your furniture around your home to change its look. You may have also accidentally covered some of your home’s heating and cooling vents in the process. Blocked heating and cooling vents can make it hard for you to get your home to a comfortable temperature and keep it there. It can also put a strain on your heating and cooling appliance, making it harder for them to function normally.

In addition to making the above suggestions, you should hire your local heating and cooling company to come out and inspect your home’s ductwork. Ducts that are not properly sealed can create a myriad of issues that can drive your energy costs up and make it hard for you and your family to live comfortable inside of your home during any season.

No matter what your heating, cooling, and ventilation issues are, the experts at A&MMechanical Services are who you should call. Dial 615-649-8579 at your earliest convenience to discuss your needs.

Heat Pump: Springtime Maintenance

It’s time for spring maintenance. You may not be quite ready for all of the responsibilities it brings about for your home, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Along with making sure your heat pump and air conditioning units are functioning properly, you may need to clean them up a little too. To make the task of springtime maintenance easier to do, check out the following suggestions below.

Importance of Maintenance

A heat pump is a vital component of your HVAC system that helps to maintain your home’s comfort. It is more efficient than other types of heating apparatuses that people use in their homes because it uses renewable energy from the environment. It also emits fewer toxic gasses, thus making them a safer and more affordable alternative to traditional furnaces.

Visual Inspection

Take a look at all of your heating and cooling appliances. Inspect them for signs of old age and damage. Most people do not clean their heating and cooling devices. It is not uncommon for them to covered in dust, dirt and spider webs. A dirty heat pump and heating and cooling appliance is a less efficient one. Dust it often and keep it from becoming covered in grime so you’ll have fewer reasons to call the repair man in the future. During your inspection, you should also keep an eye out for broken parts and missing screws or pieces. Listen to the unit to make sure it doesn’t hiss or give off weird noises that may indicate a problem is brewing.

It’s a good idea for you to get in the habit of performing visual inspections of your heating and cooling units periodically throughout the year to ensure that you don’t miss important signs of trouble. Catching potential issues while they are in the beginning stages can help to preserve your heat pump and air conditioning units’ functions and lives.

Check Refrigerant Levels

Even though you properly haven’t touched your air conditioning unit since last summer, now is a great time for you to check it out. You don’t want to wait until the summer to check out this unit because if it needs repair work done, you’ll end up waiting without the use of your air conditioning unit for a short while. If you take care of it now, any issues that are present can be fixed so that your air conditioning system is up and running in time at the first sign of hot and stifling temperatures.

If your air conditioning refrigerant levels are low, you should contact A & M Mechanical to schedule a service appointment. You should also inspect the ground around and under the unit to see if you can determine where the missing refrigerant went. Low refrigerant levels may indicate that there is a leak in the unit that needs to be repaired. The temptation may be there for you to skip this step and simply top off your AC’s refrigerant levels, but this will only lead to a much bigger repair issue sooner than you’d like. Repair issues often develop when you need your air conditioning system the most.

Getting your springtime maintenance HVAC tasks out of the way now can allow you to mark it off your checklist and focus on other responsibilities. You won’t have to take chances with your heating and cooling system’s health because it’s already been serviced for the season.

Don’t wait until there is a problem with your heating and cooling system before you contact the professionals at A&MMechanical Services. Dial 615-649-8579 whenever you have heat pump, heating and cooling, ventilation and air conditioner-related questions and concerns.

A&M Mechanical Commercial HVAC Maintenance

Comfort and indoor air quality are two major concerns for any organization. When either one is lacking, the consequences can prove to be expensive and time-consuming to deal with. Your workers’ health is at stake. When there are issues inside of your facility that can negatively impact their health, then employee morale can suffer, you’ll have a higher rate of call-offs, no shows, productivity issues, and even workers’ compensation cases. A&M Mechanical recommends for you to take the following recommendations into consideration.

Don’t Wait Until There Is a Problem

The HVAC needs more than a compulsory glance. It is often the one system that goes neglected until something doesn’t work. When your workers start complaining that it’s too hot or cold in the building and they resort to wearing sweaters, hats, and scarfs to stay comfortable, that’s when you decide to do something about. At this point, you could be looking at big repair bills or an intensive repair job. Either way, you’ve got it taken care of right away.

Many businesses resort to waiting until there is a problem with their heating, cooling and ventilation systems before they contact an HVAC contractor like A&M Mechanical. Little do they realize is that regular service and maintenance can keep things from escalating to this point. Understandably, keeping up with building problems and operations may be a challenge when you have so many other things to manage, but if you have a good facility manager and a service contract with A&M Mechanical, then these issues are virtually nonexistent.

Ignored Maintenance and Repairs Can Lead to More Issues

Believe it or not, each time there’s an issue with your commercial heating and cooling and ventilation systems, there are other building problems you should be concerned about. The heating, cooling and ventilation components in commercial buildings are not the same as residential ones. Although they may be capable of working longer in between service appointments, they tend to experience major repair issues that can prolong the length of time it takes to get them fully operational again.

The ductwork is something that is often neglected indefinitely for many business owners. Many people fail to realize just how big of a role they ventilation ducts play in their overall comfort. The ducts help to circulate cool and warm air throughout the building. That same air is breathed by everyone who works in the building and your customers. That same air can make people feel normal and well, or it can cause them to feel ill and uncomfortable. Dirty ductwork can collect mold, mildew, dust and other debris that can accumulate into the furnace and air conditioning systems, causing more health compromising issues to develop.

A&M Mechanical recommends for you and every other business owner in the area to be mindful of their employees’ comfort. Take measures to improve their comfort at work, and they’ll step up in their positions to do their jobs more efficiently. Invest in plants and air purifiers to help filter the air. The more pollutants and particles you can remove from the air, the easier it will be for your HVAC system to run. There will be fewer particles trapped by the furnace and air conditioning filters that could interfere with air flow.

Make your company’s HVAC system a top priority and have it professionally checked out at least twice a year. This can help to prevent major repair issues and employee health issues that are related to the heating, cooling and ventilation systems.

For assistance in restoring your company’s HVAC performance or for cleanings and installations, give the residential and commercial HVAC professionals at A&MMechanical Services a call at 615-649-8579.

Price HVAC Before it’s Time for Replacement

You shouldn’t have much to worry about if you’ve had your units serviced every year. Even though you are getting your HVAC system replaced, it is not necessarily because it is broken. You’re replacing it because you want to make your home more efficient and clean. Your old HVAC appliances are too outdated to be capable of giving you the level of efficiency and cleanliness you desire. There are plenty of new model units that can send your home’s efficiency through the roof and help you to maintain good indoor air quality.

Choosing a New HVAC Appliance

When it comes to choosing a new furnace, boiler or air conditioning unit, it helps if you have a set budget in mind. Don’t just choose some random price in your head and assume that you’re good to go, cause you’re not. Check out different units so you can have a good idea of how much money you should expect to spend. If you don’t come up with a reasonable budget, you may find that getting the right price HVAC is a lot more challenging than you think.

Having to choose your new HVAC equipment is better than moving into a home and not knowing what you have. You may be like other people who do not really do any investigative work into learning about their HVAC systems until something goes wrong. You don’t want to continue to be like that. Taking a blind eye to your heating and cooling system, especially when you are new to the property can lead to unexpected issues later on. The last thing you want to do is move into the property and not be able to turn the heat or air conditioning to get comfortable.

Choosing a Good HVAC Company

Start your search for a good HVAC company now. Don’t wait until you need them to start looking. When you have to hire professionals at the last minute, you may not be as diligent in your screening. You are more likely to overlook important pieces of information that may indicate that you should consider other candidates. You don’t want to mistakenly hire the wrong professional, or you could end up having a bad experience that makes it harder for the right professional to wow you with their service and experience.

A good HVAC professional can help you to get the best price HVAC. They can inform you of the requirements you need any units you are interested in to meet. They can provide you with professional recommendations on which products you should get. And they can instruct you on how to maintain them, so you don’t have to call them out as often and incur unnecessary repair and service bills.

Taking care of your home’s HVAC needs now can save you from having to stressing out. There are fewer chances of something going wrong. If something does go wrong, then you already know who you can call to straighten things out.

If you got HVAC-related questions or concerns, feel free to contact A&M Mechanical Services at 615-649-8579.

Price HVAC Services and Equipment Before You Need Them

As you get ready to enjoy the best of what Spring has to offer, you may find yourself doing a little spring cleaning around your home. After spending the last few months cooped up inside, you may be ready to open up your windows and doors to let the fresh smell of spring inside. As you start thinking about the changes you want to make around your home to freshen it up and make it more enjoyable, don’t forget to have a heating and cooling tech price the HVAC. You need to know what you need to have in your budget.

Heating and Cooling: Cleaning and Organizing to Improve Efficiency

Even though it’s still quite early in the year, it’s not too soon for you to start thinking about ways you to organize your home and improve its comfort for the warmer months. With so many options to consider, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the situation. Before you start procrastinating and putting things off for another year, here are some things that we at A&M Mechanical want you to take into consideration about your home and it’s heatingand cooling system.

Take it Slow

Rome wasn’t built in a day and anything you plan to do to your home to overhaul is not going to happen in that short amount of time either. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t really enjoy housework, relax, you’re not alone. There are plenty of people who feel the same way. Unless you plan on hiring a professional maid, handyman or heating and cooling company to do everything for you, you may want to just take some baby steps with things.

Start with the smallest room in your home and work your way out to the rest of the place. The smallest is often the easiest to get together. Once you’ve gone through things, gotten rid of items that don’t belong, cleaned and sanitized the area and taken the time to wipe down any vents in the room, you can stand back and take a few moments to admire your work. Congratulations! You’ve accomplished small victory. You should capitalize on that success and start with another room in your home.

Make Things Easy on Yourself

Don’t try to do too much at one time or in the same day or you risk feeling overwhelmed. This can make you feel discouraged and distract you from staying committed to the task at hand. As you go through your home, don’t forget to vacuum. Even if you have wooden floors, vacuuming them can help to remove much of the dust and particles that circulate throughout the ducts in your home.

Depending on your previous cleaning habits, you may realize that there is a lot of dust floating around. Items that you’ve never even noticed dust on before seem to have something on them. This is a sign that you should wipe things down once or twice a week and consider getting your ducts inspected. It may also be time for you to have your heating and cooling system inspected and serviced by your local HVAC company. If you have wooden furniture and floors, you may want to add polish to them so they can repel dust. They can enable you to go longer between dustings if necessary because of a busy schedule.

Keep it Realistic

Even though you may be accustomed to seeing those neat and organized homes on television, there’s nothing wrong with having a small junk drawer or two or container. Just work on trying to minimize the number of excess items you have in your home that you don’t use, don’t plan to use in the next three to six months and are just holding on to for no reason at all other than sentiments.

Getting used to doing organizing your home and keeping it that way is not always an easy process. However, if you keep working at it, it gets easier. Also, the fewer items you have taking up space, the easier it’ll be for you to enhance your home’s comfort. Your HVAC appliances can work more efficiently, air can circulate more freely and you’ll enjoy lower heating and cooling expenses.

A&MMechanical Services can help you to get the most out of your furnace, heat pump, air conditioning system and ventilation ducts. We clean and do all sorts of repairs to enhance your property’s comfort while enabling you to save more money on your utility expenses. Give us a call at 615-649-8579 today to discuss your heating, cooling and ventilation needs.

The Benefits of Preventative Maintenance

Every day you hear how important it is to keep your HVAC system maintained to prevent future problems. But many people feel that preventative maintenance is some type of gimmick to fleece them out of their hard-earned money. Little do they realize, there is a lot of truth to that piece of advice that can save them much more money than they can imagine. If you are not someone who usually gets their appliances and household equipment serviced regularly, you are missing out on many benefits.

Dispelling the Myths

Most people don’t tend to worry about their home’s heating and cooling systems until there’s a problem. Whether it takes a few weeks, months or even years for problems to arise, when they do, it’s always a big deal and expense. What you need to keep in mind is that most heating and cooling appliances don’t need to be serviced every month. This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions that keep homeowners from getting them. Regular service calls are usually recommended every six or so months. Depending on the type, brand and age of HVACsystem maintenance may be required sooner or less often. HVAC units that are older in age and have not had much maintenance in the past, may seem to require more repair calls. If that is the case, replacement may be a more economical approach.

Peace of Mind

In this day and age, there are far too few things that can give you peace of mind. That makes it even more beneficial for you to take advantage of them. When it comes to your home’s heating and cooling system, you need deserve more assurance because it deals with your home’s comfort. The wrong temperatures can affect your moods, health and overall well-being. They can also make it harder for you to enjoy your home like you should. If you want peace of mind in your HVAC system, you need to make preventative maintenance a priority.

Household Economics

Whether or not you scrutinize your energy and utility bills each month or not, you can’t deny the fact that malfunctioning appliances are very taxing on your wallet and soul. With all of the recent changes in the economy and the ones that have yet to occur, it’s very safe to assume that you’re going to be looking for more ways to keep your utility and household costs economical. Eliminate the element of surprise and take a proactive approach to your HVAC equipment. Doing so makes it possible for you to avoid dipping into your savings unexpectedly because of a related issue.

Enhance Comfort

In the dead of winter, you don’t want to wake up to a bone cold house in the middle of the night, nor do you want to come home out of the cold only to be greeted by a house that’s colder than the outside. It may seem like most HVAC failures occur when they are least expected, but that’s only when they haven’t been inspected or serviced too often. Heating and cooling systems that are serviced regularly are more predictable. Inspections and maintenance checks lead to the diagnosis of damaged components, worn-out parts and other issues that can cause complete failure in the future to correct them before they can occur.

Even if you’re not a firm believer in preventative maintenance, one day you will be. Just try it out and see how much of a difference it all makes.

Put your HVAC concerns in the hands of the most trusted pros in the area. At A&MMechanical Services, your preventative maintenance and repair issues become our top priorities. Call us today and we’ll be more than happy to resolve your situation.

How to Cope With a Broken Furnace

It’s cold outside. Luckily you can escape into your warm and comfortable home, right? Wrong! You’re dealing with broken furnace, and even though you haven’t had too many issues with it in the past, it may be time for you to contact your local heating repair in Hermitage, TN company for service.

Don’t Procrastinate

As frustrating as the situation can be to deal with, there’s no reason why it can’t be a quick and easy fix. The longer you attempt to troubleshoot and fix your furnace yourself, the longer it’ll take to get the heat back on the inside of your home. Keep in mind that most homeowners don’t replace their furnaces too often. So, if it’s been several years or a couple of decades since you purchased and installed a new gas heating appliance, chances are your old furnace has gone on to the appliance graveyard.

There’s Always a Positive Side

Think of the good in the situation. If it is determined that your furnace tanked because it was too old, the now you get the opportunity to get a brand new one. Who doesn’t like brand new things? A new furnace is definitely going to be more efficient than your broken furnace. It’ll require less energy and work to get your home back to its normal or an even better comfort level.

Perhaps the better benefit will be evident on your heating bills. During the winter, the average homeowner’s heating expenses increase significantly. This is due to the higher cost of gas, poor ventilation and excessive drafts in the home. A broken furnace can contribute to these problems. However, once you replace it, you’ll still need to tackle these concerns individually.

DIY Home Comfort and Draft Assessment

While you wait for your local heating repair in Hermitage, TN company to show up, you might want to spend a few minutes walking around your home. Pay attention to the difference in temperature all throughout. Even though the furnace is off right now, you should still be able to discern the areas in your home that are significantly much cooler than others.

Take a look at your doors and windows. Do you feel cold air just seeping in from the outside? If so, there’s a strong possibility that your panes and door threshold and weatherstrip are not doing their jobs properly. It may be time to have them upgraded or replaced completely.

Does your home have an attic? If so, make it your next stop. Does your attic feel cold and drafty or hot and stuffy? Even though this area may not get as much use as other areas in the home, it can still affect your overall comfort. It may be time for to have some insulation added or replaced to bring the space back to a normal temperature. Check out your basement too. Does your basement feel the same way? It’s not uncommon for a basement to feel cooler to the rest of the house. However, if its colder by seven degrees or more, you may need to have it looked at as well.

Broken Furnace Replacement

Back to replacing your broken furnace. Do some research. Trust your localheating repair company. They can ensure that you get the right size heater for your home. They work with many brands and are more than willing to work with your budget needs and concerns. After installation is complete, it is up to you to make sure that it is serviced regularly. You should protect your home’s new appliance so that it lasts and runs more efficiently than your last heater for a much longer time.

If you’ve got concerns about the temperatures inside of your home or your furnace is on the fritz, call A&MMechanical at 615-649-8579 to the rescue. We’ll restore your home’s comfort in no time.

Common Wintertime HVAC Problems

When it comes to your home’s comfort during the winter, the most important question that should be on your mind is “How comfortable do I want to be?” You shouldn’t wait until there is an issue with your Heating and cooling system before you start to think about your comfort. The sooner you have your home’s HVAC system professionally checked out, the more you’ll be able to enjoy home’s warmth when the temperatures are bone cold outside.

It’s not always easy to know when your furnace or heat pump are going to malfunction. It’s also not very easy for you to know the cause of any problems that occur. To give you a better idea of what could happen to your heating and cooling system, we’ve listed some of the most common wintertime HVAC problems below.

Poor Heat/Air Flow

If you keep cranking up the heat because it never seems to get warm enough inside of your home, you could be dealing with a couple of HVAC issues. The problem could be the result of dirty air filters or coils, a bad blower motor or dirty and leaking ducts. While it may be easy for you to correct the problem yourself if dirty air filters are the culprit, you’ll need a professional TN HVAC company to come out and fix the problem if it’s caused by something else.

Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Some furnaces seem to last forever. While that is desirable, old heating and cooling appliances like furnaces are not always so safe. Once a furnace reaches the 10-year mark, it starts to loss its efficiency.  It may also start to leak carbon monoxide as well. If you’re not sure if your furnace is past its prime or you notice that you start to feel sleepy and sluggish when your home gets to a certain temperature or right after the furnace comes on, a professional inspection is in order. It may be time for you to have your furnace replaced.

For more information on common wintertime HVAC problems or to schedule an inspection to make sure everything is working like it’s supposed to, contact the professionals at A&MMechanical Services today.

Restaurant Refrigeration Equipment Checklist

It’s one of the busiest times of the year for your food dining establishment. You’ve got so many customers coming to eat that there’s an automatic wait by the time the dinner crowd arrives. In order for you to continue to provide them with the best foods and service, you need to make sure your refrigeration equipment in great shape. Performing regular commercial refrigeration/cooler maintenance can help to prevent unexpected breakdowns, malfunctions and extend the life of your appliances considerably. Check out the following suggestions.

Keep Everything Clean

Keeping your coolers clean is very important. Dirt, food buildup and dust can lead to food contamination and a malfunctioning unit. A malfunctioning unit is not able to maintain the right temperatures for optimal food storage. Even being a few degrees off can lead to bacteria development and sick customers. When cleaning your units, do not use any harsh chemicals or materials. If you are not sure of which products you can use to clean your coolers and refrigeration units, take a look in the manufacturer’s manual.

Check the Settings

You should check the settings and controls on your refrigeration and cooling units daily. Make sure the temperature is set just right so your unit doesn’t have to work so hard to keep your food properly stored.

Defrost Often

Check your owner’s manual to determine how often you should be defrosting your units. Defrosting helps to keep ice from building up and can also help to preserve proper operations and a longer lifespan for your appliances.

Keep the Lights Off

You need them to see, but you don’t need them to be on all of the time. Leaving the lights on unnecessarily can raise the temperature inside of your units causing them to work harder than they need to. Leaving the lights on when they’re not needed can also raise your utility expenses. Encourage your employees to turn the lights off after each use and to keep an eye out for anyone who forgets to do so.

If during your routine maintenance checks you notice that your cooling units are not functioning right or you feel you need some assistance with a refrigeration issues for any of your restaurant equipment, feel free to give the HVAC and Refrigeration experts at A&M Mechanical Services a call at today.