Modern homes are heated by a central heating system. Air is heated in a furnace, often with natural gas, and then the air is blown through ductwork throughout the home. This type of system is efficient and more inexpensive to maintain than older systems like boiler systems were. As long as the furnace and overall system are well maintained a central heating system can last for 30 years or more.
Natural gas has become the fuel source of choice for many in both North America and Europe. It’s a relatively inexpensive form of energy, is widely available, and burns pretty cleanly. It doesn’t leave residue behind like ash and doesn’t require too much maintenance. Where natural gas isn’t available, like rural areas, petroleum products are often used instead. The home will have a tank that is filled when needed by a truck that carries petroleum.
As this Wikipedia entry shares some areas use electricity when the cost of it is low enough to make that practical. One area of the country electricity makes sense is Eastern Washington. Most of the electricity comes from hydropower and so is very inexpensive. Homes in that part of the world also often use heat pumps to make things even more inexpensive.
An HVAC contractor should be used to service a home’s HVAC system. There are steps to making sure you hire a good one which are detailed in this article. Whether a homeowner needs heating repair Gaithersburg MD or other parts of the country there are HVAC contractors that are properly licensed, insured, trained, and certified to handle all of the heating needs of a homeowner. The first step should be getting referrals from family, friends, and neighbors who needed to hire an HVAC specialist. Reviews can also be read at online business directories.
Before deciding on who to hire you should make sure they are properly licensed and insured. This includes making sure they have worker’s compensation coverage so that if they are hurt on your property you are not on the hook for paying for it. They should also have a general liability insurance policy in case they do damage to your home while fixing or repairing your furnace and/or duct system.
Another source to check out an HVAC contractor is the Better Business Bureau’s website. You can see if they are with the BBB and if so what they’re rating is. You can also see if they have unresolved complaints or other issues. Another resource is to ask for referrals from the specialist’s prior customers including their phone numbers so you can speak to them yourself.
When making your final selection of which HVAC contractor to use it should be one who will inspect your central heating system and will then provide an estimate. Someone just giving an estimate over the phone is not going to know what is really going on with your system. You should have three HVAC contractors inspect your system and then choose one not just based on price but the overall package of what they will deliver.
