Author: Kevin

Just as it starts getting cold out for the holiday season, people begin to make their homes cozy and inviting for guests. While the temperature you usually set your thermostat at is comfortable, a house full of guests can quickly become too warm. Here are some tips to consider when heating your home during the holidays.

Schedule a Visit From an HVAC Professional

You should have an HVAC specialist inspect your heating system before the holidays begin. They will ensure your system is operating efficiently and effectively. A tune-up of your system can result in lower energy bills and less likelihood of needing an expensive repair or having your furnace breakdown. They can also inspect your ductwork for leaks and clean it.

Replace Your Furnace Filter

You should inspect your filter monthly and replace it every few months as needed. This will result in clean air for your guests.

Use Your Ceiling Fans

Many ceiling fans have a reverse setting for colder months. This setting pushes warm air down to where your guests are and will reduce your heating costs.

Lower the Temperature

People give off body heat, warming a home. If you are expecting a lot of guests over you should reduce the temperature by one to two degrees. This will make your home more comfortable and prevent a situation where you need to turn down the thermostat.

Cook What You Can Before Guests Arrive

Cooking also heats a home. To prevent your home from getting too hot, cook what you can before people arrive at your home.

HVAC Specialist to Call

Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating provides HVAC services to people throughout the greater Hanover region. We have been providing excellent services to homeowners and businesses for many years. As a locally owned and operated company, we offer a full range of HVAC services including AC and furnace repairs, tune-ups, custom ductwork, and installations. For more information, please call us today.

Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating understands how frustrating it can be to have rooms in your home at different temperatures. Uneven heating can be caused by a variety of issues and create drastic temperature differences between the various rooms in your home. Fixing these problems can lead to a more enjoyable and comfortable home environment.

Use a Zoned Heating System

Ductless mini-split heating systems are a great way to combat uneven heating in your home. These units are installed high on the walls of your home and don’t require a central heating system. You’ll be able to set different temperature zones for various areas of your home.

Add Insulation and Energy-Efficient Windows

Heat loss in certain rooms of your home can cause the temperature to drop. Single-pane windows can cause a lot of heat to escape. Replacing them with an energy-efficient alternative can keep your home cool. Adding insulation in critical places, especially your attic, will also reduce heat loss and minimize uneven heating.

Clear Air Vent Areas

Having objects in front of the vents in rooms can reduce the amount of warm air that can heat that particular space. Remove all furniture and anything else that can obstruct airflow to ensure maximum airflow in each room of your home.

Keep the Fan Running

Switching the fan on your heater from “auto” to “on” can keep it running even if you aren’t actively heating. This will encourage the mixing of air throughout your home and help prevent cold spots.

Your Skilled Heating Technicians

Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating in Hanover can assist with furnace and AC installation, replacement, and maintenance. We can also work with heat pumps, boilers, ductwork, and indoor air quality solutions. Our team works hard to maintain an A+ rating with the BBB by putting customer needs first. We’re fully licensed, bonded, and insured for our work.

Give Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating a call today to learn more about our services.

Your home’s energy efficiency impacts everything from how easy it is to stay cool during the summer to how much you pay in monthly energy bills. You may already have a general idea of how efficient your home is if you’ve felt hot or cold spots in certain rooms. However, you probably don’t know your home’s exact energy efficiency rating. That’s where we come in! Here at Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating, our expert technicians can perform three tests to measure the efficiency of your Hanover home.

Blower Door Test

A blower door test is designed to measure your home’s air-tightness. The more airtight your home is, the more energy-efficient it is because heat loss is minimized. The test is performed by attaching a large fan to a door in your home. When we turn the fan on, the test is able to measure the airflow that passes through the fan in or out of the house.

Low-Emissivity Window Checkers

Low-emissivity coatings are used on modern windows to reduce home heat loss. Not only do these coatings increase your home’s energy-efficiency, but they also help keep your home comfortable. Many modern windows are treated for low-emissivity, but some older windows or specialty windows do not. We use a device called a low-emissivity window checker to find out if any of your windows should be replaced.

Infrared Cameras

Infrared cameras have the technology to capture hot and cold spots. We use the camera to take images around your house, of both the interior and exterior of the building. We’re able to use the resulting images to identify spots where your home is experiencing air leaks or insulation problems.

Hanover’s Expert Heating & Cooling Technicians
Here at Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating, we’re Hanover’s experts in home energy efficiency. Our technicians are skilled at performing all the tests needed to measure your home’s energy efficiency, in addition to providing expert heating, cooling, and indoor air quality solutions. Whether you need a tune-up, replacement, or repairs, we’re the right team for the job. Give us a call today to learn more.

It can be quite unsettling to suddenly feel hot spots in your home. If you have a cooling system that’s otherwise working fine, you may be especially frustrated. Luckily, there are a few ways to alleviating those hot spots.

Reroute or Unblock Ducts

Older houses that were built before the era of central air may need to have the duct system checked. If you have ducts that are properly installed, you may need to have them unclogged. Check to see that cool air is coming into the place in your home where the hot spot exists. If not, you may need to contact a technician about getting your ducts cleaned.

Zoned Thermostats

A zoned thermostat allows you to control the temperature in specific areas of your home. With a zoned thermostat, you can adjust for greater cooling in the room with the hot spot. This way, you will not be causing your central air to cool your entire home excessively to counteract the hot spot.

Ductless AC Systems

Ductless air conditioners provide a great solution for hot spots, especially for places like attics, porches, and garages. These areas of a home are well-known for producing hot spots and can be locally dealt with using a ductless AC.

Contact Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating in Hanover, MD if you want to implement an energy-efficient solution to your hot spot problem. We offer a range of residential and commercial heating and cooling services.

Choosing the proper AC system for your home will play an essential factor in your comfort and finances. To make the right choice, you will have to know the aspects that determine an ideal system.

Cost Efficiency

If keeping your electricity bill low is a priority for you, then you will want to invest in an AC unit that is of a higher SEER rating. This means that the air conditioner produces a higher cooling output per unit of energy it consumes. The more efficient the air conditioner you choose, the higher its price tag. However, the premium paid upon installation is well worth the outlay. Higher SEER air conditioners can provide anywhere from 10 to 60 percent savings on energy consumption; a difference that makes for a great return on investment.

Size

Choosing the right size air conditioner goes hand-in-hand with efficiency. You will need to purchase an AC that is powerful enough to cool your home while not being too large, thus wasting energy turning on and off so as to optimally do its job. An experienced professional will be able to determine the exact size of AC that is ideal for your living space.

Maintenance and Repairs

Air conditioners require maintenance from time to time. Replacing the filter or making sure there is enough refrigerant are the most common issues that may need to be addressed. Installing the most recent AC the market has to offer will guarantee that maintenance costs less and is not needed as often. Newer models use a refrigerant that puts less strain on the unit’s compressor, thus resulting in fewer breakdowns. Contact Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating for a reliable AC system that will require minimal maintenance and repair.

Your Residential or Business HVAC Needs

At Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating, we cover more than AC installation and repair in the Hanover, MD, area. Ask us about checking your indoor air quality or providing the optimal heating system for your home or business.

Whether you are a young person looking for a calling in life or someone a little older who wants a career change, the HVAC industry is a superb option. The sector has grown significantly in recent years, and it has not shown any signs of slowing down. In addition to that, HVAC careers pay well, and they generally don’t require a four-year degree.

There are several career paths you can pursue in the HVAC industry, and you may wish to consider the possibilities. Let’s take a look at some of them.

HVAC Technician

Like all equipment, HVAC systems will eventually need professional repair. If you want to be the one to carry out that work, becoming an HVAC technician could be a good fit for you. You’d also be handling the installation and maintenance of HVAC systems.

In order to succeed in this career, you will need to be mechanically inclined and have an in-depth understanding of the equipment. You could choose to work as a general technician or opt to specialize in one specific area, such as refrigeration.

HVAC Engineer

If you would prefer to spend your days planning and coordinating the details of an HVAC installation, you may wish to pursue a career as an engineer. Engineers don’t just work on brand-new installations. They also analyze and evaluate existing systems with the aim of increasing their efficiency. This occupation would require additional education.

HVAC Sales

Some people are inherently outgoing, and they love personal interaction. If you’re one of these, you may wish to eventually go into HVAC sales. Of course, you’ll need to learn the trade first, but once you do, you can make the switch. Your time would be spent dealing directly with clients and furnishing them with estimates or explaining sales contracts and warranties.

Contact the HVAC Experts

The team here at Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating in Hanover knows just about everything there is to know about the HVAC field. We handle all aspects of heating and cooling installation, repair, and maintenance. To learn more about life in our industry or to enlist our services, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help.

For most of us, a house represents the largest financial investment we’ll ever make. That means finding a company to handle your AC needs is of utmost importance, as well. The company you pick will be your partner in choosing and maintaining your home’s HVAC unit, which has consequences you might not have thought about. Since cooling and heating can account for almost half of a typical homeowner’s energy costs, making the right decision can have an impact on your financial well-being, in addition to the comfort of you and your family. For years, people in [fullstate] have trusted Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating for their HVAC needs. We’ve assembled a list of things to consider when you’re looking for a company to trust with your air conditioning needs.

It pays to seek out a firm with that gets consistently good reviews. Do you homework and see what the Better Business Bureau has to say, and check for consumer reviews on Yelp and other sites that post real-life feedback on local companies.

An HVAC company should hire technicians who are certified by North American Technician Excellence. A NATE certification signifies a firm believes in hiring employees who are knowledgeable and know their stuff.

Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers for their recommendations. An honest referral can point you toward an HVAC contractor you might not have considered. Ask potential contractors for references, and ask those references specific questions about the firm’s previous performance.

You should pay attention to price, but don’t make it your only consideration when choosing an HVAC contractor. You may save a few bucks initially, but often the firm with the lowest price is a fly-by-night operation that may not even be properly licensed and insured. Your best bet is to find a legitimate contractor that offers fair prices and superior service. A reputable HVAC contractor will check your system before giving you a cost estimate. A firm that quotes a price over the phone before an in-person visit may be up to something.

When you’re looking for an HVAC contractor, do your due diligence, and make sure Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating is on your short list of companies you’re considering. We’re not afraid to answer your tough questions, and to earn your trust. If you need an AC repair in [city] or surrounding areas, don’t hesitate to call us!

For most of us, a house represents the largest financial investment we’ll ever make. That means finding a company to handle your AC needs is of utmost importance, as well. The company you pick will be your partner in choosing and maintaining your home’s HVAC unit, which has consequences you might not have thought about. Since cooling and heating can account for almost half of a typical homeowner’s energy costs, making the right decision can have an impact on your financial well-being, in addition to the comfort of you and your family. For years, people in [fullstate] have trusted Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating for their HVAC needs. We’ve assembled a list of things to consider when you’re looking for a company to trust with your air conditioning needs.

It pays to seek out a firm with that gets consistently good reviews. Do you homework and see what the Better Business Bureau has to say, and check for consumer reviews on Yelp and other sites that post real-life feedback on local companies.

An HVAC company should hire technicians who are certified by North American Technician Excellence. A NATE certification signifies a firm believes in hiring employees who are knowledgeable and know their stuff.

Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers for their recommendations. An honest referral can point you toward an HVAC contractor you might not have considered. Ask potential contractors for references, and ask those references specific questions about the firm’s previous performance.

You should pay attention to price, but don’t make it your only consideration when choosing an HVAC contractor. You may save a few bucks initially, but often the firm with the lowest price is a fly-by-night operation that may not even be properly licensed and insured. Your best bet is to find a legitimate contractor that offers fair prices and superior service. A reputable HVAC contractor will check your system before giving you a cost estimate. A firm that quotes a price over the phone before an in-person visit may be up to something.

When you’re looking for an HVAC contractor, do your due diligence, and make sure Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating is on your short list of companies you’re considering. We’re not afraid to answer your tough questions, and to earn your trust. If you need an AC repair in [city] or surrounding areas, don’t hesitate to call us!