Heating

Avoid a Winter Furnace Breakdown videographic header image

Avoid a Winter Furnace Breakdown

Transcript: The thought of a  broken heating system in the middle of winter should send shivers down your spine — here’s what you can do to avoid it! Replace your air filters in the fall, to ensure your furnace is not working too hard and your indoor air is as clean as possible through the winter.  Check that your thermostat is operating properly, and that any old batteries are replaced.  And finally, but most importantly, schedule a maintenance tune-up for your heating system. A Calfo heating specialist can identify worn parts and other inefficiencies that can be repaired or replaced …

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Heat Pumps: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Your Home! infographic header image

Heat Pumps: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Your Home!

(Downloadable PDF version) Sometimes the best gift you can give your family is to make your home more comfortable, and when your home comfort upgrade can also reduce your heating and cooling costs, it’s the gift that keeps on giving! So, what makes a heat pump the perfect gift for your Pittsburgh home? Call Calfo for Your Holiday Heat Pump Needs Keep your house comfortable this holiday season and beyond when you replace or supplement your heating and cooling system with heat pump installation from the home comfort experts at Calfo. We’ll roll out the red carpet treatment and ensure …

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Calfo Technicians Performing Maintenance On Furnace

Why Bother With Heating Maintenance?

Feel that slight chill coming in the early mornings here in the Pittsburgh area? While it may not yet be time to fire up the furnace, adding a few heating-specific HVAC seasonal maintenance tasks to your to-do list this fall can really pay off this coming winter. Here are the reasons you should be bothering with annual maintenance for your heating system, and how you can benefit all year long.  How Maintenance Affects a Heating System Even if your heating system is operating exactly how you want it to—quietly providing the heat you need all winter long—it could very well …

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Will a Higher MERV Filter Make a Difference in Monthly Costs and Indoor Air Quality? blog header image

New Home? Get Your HVAC System Checked and Maintained

Even with the remarkable spikes, we all saw in home prices recently, and the predicted chaotic real estate market for the remainder of 2022, many have found themselves in a new (or new to you) home here in the Pittsburgh area. If you are looking to ensure your new home is comfortable and efficient throughout the upcoming seasons, you may want to make sure you know the answers to a few questions about your new heating and cooling system. HVAC Questions for New Homes It may have been a while since you took a look at the property disclosure or …

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common plumbing problems videographic calfo

Common Winter Plumbing Problems

Can the Pittsburgh winter chill threaten your plumbing? It sure can! Here are the most common winter plumbing problems, and how to avoid them.  1. Frozen outdoor pipes The first frost of winter can sneak up on you – so make sure your outside hoses and sprinklers are drained and blown out, and that any outdoor spigots are left OPEN.  2. Frozen indoor pipes Are you planning to go on vacation this winter? Even your indoor pipes can freeze! Leave your cupboards open in the kitchen and bathrooms, and leave your heating system on a low temperature setting to avoid a frozen …

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The Importance of Furnace Sizing

The size of your home and the size of your heating system are inextricably linked. Efficient, reliable home comfort won’t happen with a furnace that is too small, or too large—here is what you need to know about the importance of furnace sizing for your Pittsburgh-area home. Is Your Furnace Too Small? An undersized furnace will use extra energy, and still might not be doing the trick. Look for these signs: Your furnace is constantly on Rising heating costs Your furnace frequently requires repairs Is Your Furnace Too Big? It may sound like an oversized furnace will provide more than enough heat for your home, …

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How About New HVAC In the New Year?

We are now officially two years into the second decade of the 21st century — how much of the 21st century has your heating and cooling system been around for? If the current furnace, boiler, air conditioner, or heat pump in your Pittsburg area home was keeping your home comfortable in the 90’s, an HVAC upgrade this year may bring a surprising amount of comfort and energy savings! Here is what you need to know about replacing your home heating and cooling systems for maximum efficiency and year-round comfort.  HVAC Replacement: When Is the Right Time? When you find yourself in a situation where your furnace …

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Calfo Technician Getting Tools Out Of Vehicle

7 Heating System Noises & What They Mean

Many of the noises that occur in our homes fade into the static background of everyday life—but when you are feeling chilly in your Pittsburgh home and you hear a funny noise coming from your furnace, boiler, or heat pump, you’re going to want to get to the bottom of what that noise (and the ensuing heating problems) might be! The heating technicians here at Calfo have (literally) heard it all when it comes to strange noises coming from an HVAC system. Here are the 5 most common heating sounds, and what they might mean for your home comfort and energy costs. 1. …

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How to Prevent an Emergency HVAC Breakdown During the Holidays

The toast will fall jam side down, you’ll need that last dollar bill as soon as you spend it on something for yourself, and your home heating and cooling system will break down exactly when you need it the most. If you’re looking for the best way to avoid the nightmare of your furnace, boiler, or water heater breaking down when you have a house full of people over for the holidays, you’ve come to the right place! Here is what the home comfort and efficiency experts at Calfo recommend when it comes to preventing emergency HVAC breakdowns this year. Keep Your HVAC Running …

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