When cared for properly, an HVAC system can last a very long time. It won’t, however, last forever. HVAC systems are made up of a variety of mechanical parts, and those parts are inevitably going to wear out at some point, even when proper heating and air conditioning service is provided. If you think the system that currently serves your home is nearing the end of its useful life, the five signs below could help you make that determination.

Berico is a leader in HVAC in High Point, so feel free to give them a call at any time with questions about your system or the services they provide. With the right team on your side, dealing with this major project will suddenly feel like a simple process.

1 – It Can’t Reach the Right Temperature

This is perhaps the first sign you’ll notice that something might need to be done about your HVAC system. If you set the thermostat to a specific temperature, and the system simply can’t get to that temperature even if it runs all day, it might be time for new equipment. At some point, even a quality system won’t be able to get the job done any longer, and the cost of repairs might not make sense compared to the cost of just starting over. Pay attention to how long the system has to run to reach your target temperature, if it is able to reach it at all.

2 – Costs are Rising

Watch your utility bills for signs that your HVAC system is consuming more energy than it used to. If those bills are steadily rising and the cost of fuel isn’t, you may be facing a system that isn’t as efficient as it once was, so it needs to consume quite a bit more energy to accomplish the same job. Of course, to make sure this comparison is accurate, be sure to consider any changes to the per-unit cost of energy along the way.

3 – It’s Been a Long Time

Even if your current system is working reasonably well, you still might want to have replacement on your radar if it has been a long time since your home had a new system (or if it is still on the original equipment). There is no specific lifespan for HVAC equipment, but you can use 10 – 15 years as a general range for how long a system may last. Yours could go well past that mark, of course, but it’s worth thinking about upgrading if your gear has been working hard for well over a decade and counting.

4 – The HVAC System is Loud or is Making Strange Noises

Sometimes, changes in the sounds that your HVAC system is making will indicate that it’s about time to bring in some new equipment. Of course, it could be that a simple repair is the better option, so get expert help when you notice new noises so you can make the right choice based on the situation at hand.

5 – Inconsistent Performance

You should know what you are going to get each time your cooling or heating kicks on. If the equipment currently in your house doesn’t seem to produce the same results time after time, consider upgrading to new gear that will run more efficiently, will be quieter, and will make your home a more comfortable place to live.

Berico has been helping folks stay comfortable in their homes for nearly a century and is a leader in HVAC in High Point, so feel free to give them a call at any time with any concerns or issues that you have with your HVAC system.

One of the trickiest questions in HVAC is whether to repair or replace an aging air conditioning unit. Of course, it is typically more affordable to repair as compared to buying and installing a replacement, but those repair costs can add up if they keep happening time after time. In fact, replacing a system is often more affordable vs. paying higher efficiency bills. Often customers who replace their HVAC system get into a low monthly payment that almost equals the amount of energy and fuel savings they get with their new higher efficiency model. So, this article is aimed at providing you with some fundamental concepts to keep in mind as you make this decision.

Working with a High Point HVAC company like Berico is going to make it much easier to settle on a plan for your system. Whether you go with AC repair in High Point or you decide to replace the unit entirely, Berico will be happy to handle the project. Reach out now to learn more.

Start with the Age of the HVAC System

When an issue comes up with your air conditioner, the first thing to think about is the age of the system. If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, this repair is going to need to be very affordable in order to make it worthwhile. If the repair is more than just a few hundred dollars, you’ll almost certainly want to go with the replacement option. The problem with repairing an old unit is that more and more repairs are just going to keep coming up, so your costs are going to add up over time. Also, an old air conditioner isn’t going to be as efficient as a new one, so even when it is working, it won’t work as well as fresh equipment.

Consider Timing

Another factor in the middle of the summer is how long it’s going to take for each of these two options. In some cases, it might make sense to opt for the repair if that job can be completed quickly and you can get the cold air flowing once again. If ordering a new unit and having it installed is going to take quite a while, you might not want to wait that long for results.

In this situation, going ahead with an affordable repair could be a temporary solution while you think about replacing the air conditioner system completely in the off-season. Of course, if the repair is going to be costly, you won’t want to go ahead with it only to replace the system later, so you might just need to opt for replacement even if it means spending some time without AC.

Get Professional Guidance

You don’t want to make this choice on your own. Even after doing a bit of research, you still aren’t going to have the insight into this matter that comes with having years of experience in the field. With a trusted industry partner on your side, you can ask any questions you may have and get an expert opinion on whether repairing your current system or ordering a new one is the right choice. Berico is the right team to help with this and any other HVAC challenge, so make a phone call today to get started.

Advanced technologies are becoming more and more prevalent in homes, and programmable thermostats certainly fit into that category. Often, programmable thermostats are promoted as a convenience, and while that’s one benefit they deliver, there is also the potential savings on your energy bill to consider. After all, if you can cut down on your energy bill, the cost of buying the thermostat will seem like a wise investment.

For reliable Greensboro AC repair services, turn to the team at Berico right away. While there are many HVAC companies in Greensboro to consider, few – if any – will deliver the combination of quality and value that is offered by Berico. Don’t wait any longer to get started.

Optimize Your HVAC Thermostat Settings

The first thing you’ll want to do with your new programmable thermostat – such as the Honeywell Pro 8000 – is to optimize the settings that control how the system runs and when it heats and cools your house. Some of this is common sense, but the basics are highlighted in the points below –

• Only when you are home. If you are gone at work all day, it doesn’t make much sense to keep the home at a comfortable temperature while no one is inside. So, you might set your thermostat to either turn the system off during the day Monday – Friday, or you could set it for a more moderate temperature. As an example, you might cool the house to 72* in the summer when you are home, but that could be bumped up to 76* during the day so the system doesn’t have to work so hard.

• Think about sleep. In the summer, you’ll likely want to use your thermostat to keep the house cool enough to sleep comfortably all night long. But what about the winter? Even if it’s cold outside, you can probably add an extra blanket to your bed and not need to keep the heat up so high. This is another easy way to save energy by using your thermostat correctly.

• Changes for vacation. While you can get into a pattern of settings for normal day-to-day life, remember to make changes to those settings when you are gone for a while. The touchscreen on the Honeywell Pro 8000 makes those changes quick and easy.

It’s All About Efficiency

If you want to bring your energy bill down, the number one goal is to make your system more efficient. That starts by managing your thermostat settings correctly to minimize waste and make sure the system is serving your needs to the greatest possible extent. From there, you can take other measures to save on energy usage, including changing your air filter regularly and having Berico come out for routine periodic maintenance to keep everything running the way it should. Building good habits all the way around, including in how you manage your thermostat, will help you write a smaller check to the utility company each month.

Operating a fleet of commercial vehicles is an expensive endeavor, to say the least. It seems that the costs just keep coming, from ongoing fuel purchases to routine maintenance, one-off repairs, and more. For many businesses, the difference between finishing the year in the black or the red comes down to controlling fleet costs effectively.

This article will offer some basic tips to help you move in that direction. To work with a fleet fueling service that will always respect your bottom line, contact Berico today. As a leader in the often searched phrase, “diesel fuel delivery near me,” Berico has a proven track record of offering reliable deliveries for excellent prices.

Scheduled Maintenance is Key

This is one of those “spend money to save money” points that you simply can’t afford to skip. Ongoing, scheduled maintenance is critical to the health of a fleet, and to the management of your budget. If you skip maintenance steps in the hopes of saving a bit of money along the way, those choices are sure to come back to bite you later on. Create a detailed maintenance schedule and stick with it so you can minimize the more expensive, urgent repair projects that come up down the line.

Maintain Tire Pressure

If you have a fleet that racks up a lot of miles during the average month, even small things can make a big difference to your costs. One such “small thing” is tire pressure, as having your tires underinflated leads to increased drag and reduced fuel economy. Checking tire pressure can be added as an ongoing maintenance point to help your vehicles get the best possible fuel efficiency.

Get a Fair Price

Don’t assume that fuel prices are going to be the same from one supplier to the next. Yes, the greater market is going to have the most powerful impact on prices, but picking the right supplier can help to control your costs and make sure you are getting a fair deal. Using a proven name in this industry like Berico will put you in a good position to always get the right price on things like diesel, lubricants, and other necessities.

Monitor Driver Performance

The performance of your fleet is only going to take you as far as the drivers who are sitting behind the wheel of each vehicle. With so much modern GPS technology available, you can use one of a number of different programs to monitor driver performance and make improvements, as necessary. Again, it’s about tightening up the little things that will make a big difference. If you can even tweak a few driver habits that were wasting fuel and adding miles, making those changes will have a direct impact on your profitability.

Gradually Upgrade Vehicles

With very few exceptions, newer vehicles are going to be more efficient than their older counterparts. So, if you can gradually turn your fleet over and invest in new vehicles to replace the oldest members of your fleet, fuel and maintenance costs are going to go down as a result. You probably can’t go out and buy all new vehicles immediately, but making this a priority over time is going to put you in a better position moving forward.

With such a sharp focus on the environment in recent years, more and more people are thinking about how their daily actions impact the earth as a whole. If you count yourself among those who want to make sure you are making sound decisions, you might be reviewing the types of energy you use to warm your home or power your vehicles. With that in mind, this article is going to turn the focus toward propane to see how it stacks up.

To work with a trusted propane supplier in Eden, North Carolina, look no further than Berico. There are a few different Rockingham propane companies to choose from, but Berico stands at the top of the list thanks to outstanding customer service and excellent pricing. Get started today.

A Great Fuel Choice

To get right to the point – propane is a great pick for people who are concerned about the impact they are going to have on the environment. One of the primary factors you need to consider here is how much carbon dioxide a fuel emits as it is burned. Some fuel sources that are commonly used emit a high level of carbon dioxide, and as a result, may have a significantly negative impact on the environment.

That is not the case with propane. Yes, there is some carbon dioxide emitted, but it is not a significant volume as compared to many alternative fuels. So, if you are heating your house with propane, for example, you can feel good about that choice and know that you aren’t harming the climate unnecessarily while keeping your home comfortable.

Another Important Factor

Beyond the carbon dioxide emissions of burning a given fuel, there is also the risk of fuel spills to take into account. A major oil spill in an ocean, for example, can do extensive and long-lasting damage to animals and plant life. This is another area where propane rates well. Not only is it safer overall to move propane from one place to another, but any spill that does occur will be less harmful to the environment.

If propane is spilled, it will quickly turn to vapor and dissipate into the air. You’ll always want to be careful and practice good safety measures when dealing with any kind of gas, but the environmental outcomes associated with a propane spill are unlikely to be significant.

So Much More to Love

It’s been established that propane is a gas you can feel good about using for your energy needs. That covers things from an environmental perspective, but there are other factors to weigh such as cost, performance, and convenience. Propane continues to check out nicely in those areas, as well, which is why it has been such a popular and trusted option for many years. If you would like to consider setting up an ongoing propane delivery arrangement with Berico, get in touch today to learn more.