What are the Most Common Furnace Repairs?

Modern furnaces tend to be impressively reliable, rarely needing attention beyond annual maintenance and the swapping out of the air filter every few months or so. Of course, repairs are occasionally required. So, what kinds of repairs tend to be needed the most? This article will take a closer look at that important topic.

 

For Burlington furnace repair that will be completed properly and for a fair price, Berico is the right partner. As one of the leading options for furnace repair in Burlington, Greensboro, and Eden and one of the most experienced HVAC companies in North Carolina, you’ll be in good hands with Berico.

 

Starting with the Simple Stuff

There are certainly some complex, time-consuming repair jobs that occur with your HVAC system or furnace, but some of the issues you might face are rather simple and easy to address. Firstly, it’s the air filter that was mentioned in the introduction. This might not count as a “repair”, but it certainly is important. Changing the air filter regularly is one of the best ways to keep your furnace breathing freely throughout the cold months of the year.

 

Also, having the air ducts cleaned periodically is another task that is important in not just helping the furnace to operate at peak efficiency, but is also a good idea for your family’s health. While this is not a DIY job, it is still an easy task that will take an HVAC contractor only a short time to complete. Between having clean ducts and regularly changing out the filter, your furnace will have the clean air that helps it function at an optimal level.

 

Common Failures and Fixes

Beyond the basics, there are some mechanical issues that can arise with your furnace that will need to be repaired before it will be able to keep the warm air circulating. All of those can’t be covered in a single article, but here are some of the key issues you may encounter –

 

  • Blower belt issues. The blower is the component that pushes air through your ducts, and it is powered from the motor with a belt. When that belt runs into issues – either it gets out of the right spot, or it just breaks entirely – a repair will be needed to get back on track.

 

  • Cracked heat exchanger. As the name suggests, this is the component within the furnace that transfers heat to the air. When it’s cracked, this is a serious situation that requires immediate attention. Having it replaced by an experienced HVAC technician will ensure that your system is back on track and your family is kept safe.

 

  • Dirty flame sensor. This is a safety component that prevents too much gas from entering the space without an active flame to burn up that gas. It’s an important feature to keep everyone safe, but it can malfunction if it gets dirty. Having the flame sensor cleaned is usually enough to get the furnace working again, although it’s possible that you might need to have it replaced entirely.

 

The good news is all of this is that you don’t need to become an expert in furnace maintenance to enjoy a warm and comfortable home. For that, turn to the pros at Berico when you have any furnace problems, and one of their teams of technicians will be able to resolve the issue no matter what type of HVAC system you have.

Berico Acquires Fulp Oil Company

On August 1st, 2022, Berico merged the heating oil and kerosene customers from Fulp Oil Company.  The two companies have worked side by side over the years, taking care of the heating fuel needs of the community.  With Berico continuing to support heating oil and kerosene customers of the triad, it was a good business transition for both parties.  Berico plans to support the former Fulp Oil customers out of their Eden and Greensboro locations, meanwhile adding HVAC service opportunities to the new customers.

Berico has welcomed the new customers to their family of customers by sending out announcement letters that include first time purchase coupons for both fuel and HVAC services.  The deal was put together by Principles Tom & Will Berry, of Berico, and Greg Beshears, of Fulp Oil Company.

About Berico

Berico has provided residential heating and cooling fuels and service throughout Greensboro, Eden, and Burlington since 1924. The companies together offer propane, home heating oil, kerosene, diesel fuel, gasoline, and lubricant products.   Furthermore, Gateco Oil Co., Berico Heating and Air wholesale company, distributes heating oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel for all of our commercial customers throughout the triad.  In addition to fuels, Berico maintains a strong HVAC – heating and air conditioning service department, serving all four partnering companies for all types of equipment; from oil furnaces & boilers, to air conditioners and electric heat pumps, and more.  The heating and air conditioning department is also fully equipped to evaluate your home’s heating & cooling efficiencies, ultimately to recommend, proper repairs, service plans and/or new unit installs.

 

For complete information, please email inforequest@berico.com or call 336-273-8663.

Are Propane Tanks Dangerous?

It’s only natural to be a little curious about a large tank of propane sitting on your property. Is this actually a safe situation? Fortunately, as the article below will highlight, propane is impressively safe, and you have nothing to worry about when you treat your tank properly and work with a qualified propane supplier.

 

Speaking of qualified suppliers, Berico fits that bill nicely. Thanks to fair prices, responsive phone support, a friendly team, and unbeatable reliability, Berico should be your first choice when searching for “ propane delivery near me.” Give them a call today to get started.

 

A Misplaced Fear

As stated in the introduction, propane is quite safe, which is why it has become such a popular energy source for a range of purposes. But that doesn’t stop some people from developing a fear of the use of propane tanks, which can seem dangerous if you don’t know enough about how they operate. If all you know about a propane tank is that it contains compressed gas, you might think that an explosion of that tank is a distinct possibility. And to be fair, it would be if not for the many safety features designed into these systems.

 

Propane tanks are designed to be safe and to avoid the possibility of an explosion. Specifically, they include a pressure relief valve that can jump into action and relieve the pressure that might be building up in the tank before an explosion could occur. Most likely, you’ll never even find yourself in a position where the pressure relief valve will be forced into action – but it’s there if it is required, as a backup plan to make sure an explosion does not occur.

 

Doing Your Part

You can rest assured that opting for propane as an energy source is an effective, and safe, way to go. The propane industry has developed many safety regulations and systems over the years, and as a result, harmful incidents are exceedingly rare. With that said, there are some steps you can take to avoid creating a dangerous situation on your property.

 

  • Care for your tank. Keeping your propane tank in good condition is one of the best ways to stay far away from the possibility of an incident. Working with Berico to have the tank inspected regularly is a great starting point for this kind of safety.

 

  • Don’t do anything risky. You don’t want to have an open flame close to your propane tank, and you don’t want to discharge a firearm in proximity to the tank, either. Basically, be responsible when around a propane tank or any other stored fuel source.

 

  • Note any changes. If you see that something has changed about your tank, or that the performance of the tank seems off in some way, don’t wait around and put off dealing with the problem. This is a perfect situation to bring in Berico to have a look at the tank and determine if it is safe to use, or if a repair or replacement is required.

 

There is no reason for any safety concerns to dissuade you from using propane as an affordable, reliable fuel source on your property. Reach out to Berico today to learn more.

Why Is My Heater Blowing Cold Air?

The last thing you expect when your furnace comes on is for the system to blow cold air throughout your house. That air is supposed to warm up the space, but just the opposite will happen when something isn’t working correctly. There are various causes for this problem, and the following article will touch on some of those issues.

 

When furnace repair is needed in Greensboro, Eden, Burlington, and beyond, Berico should be your first choice. An honest and experienced HVAC contractor with a long history of quality service, Berico is the right partner for the job.

 

Start with These Solutions

Although you are sure to be frustrated when your furnace isn’t producing the warm air you expect, it’s possible that there will actually be a rather simple solution to the problem. Before you get ahead of yourself and start thinking that the whole system will need to be replaced, explore the potential that one of the issues below is to blame.

 

  • Out of fuel. In some cases, cold air coming from your heater could simply indicate that you are out of fuel and need to have your tank refilled. In this case, the heater will have nothing to burn, and no way to generate heat. Call to place an order to have your propane or heating oil tank refilled right away and you should be back in business shortly.

 

  • Tech trouble. Since your heating system is likely controlled by a simple computer circuit in the thermostat, it may be that you simply need to reset the system to get it back on track. Follow the instructions provided with your thermostat to turn it off and back on, and you could have solved the problem just that easily.

 

  • Pilot light went out. Without a pilot light, your furnace won’t be able to ignite, and no warm air will be produced. If you know how to check the pilot light for your system, do so to make sure this isn’t the underlying cause of the cold air.

 

Other Possibilities to Consider

In a best-case scenario, one of the points listed above will solve your problem, and you can move on. If not, you may need to call for heater service to have a professional review the situation and figure out what is going wrong. While you likely won’t be able to fix any of these troubles on your own, it can be helpful to understand some of the possibilities, such as those below –

 

  • Duct problems. It could be that the warm air is actually being created by the furnace, but it is being lost before it reaches the vents. This would indicate a problem somewhere in the ductwork, and your home will only be warm again once those ducts are fixed.

 

  • Overheating issues. Your heater will shut itself down if it overheats, and that can happen when not enough air is moving through the system. You could potentially solve this with a new air filter, but it might take a professional to get to the heart of the problem.

 

  • Dirty equipment. Over the years, your heater’s components are going to collect dirt, and various parts might start to fail as a result. A professional cleaning, and perhaps the replacement of some parts, may be in order.

 

To figure out what is wrong and how to fix it, reach out to Berico today for help from one of their friendly and trained professionals.

Is It Okay to Close Vents in Unused Rooms?

One of the common frustrations for homeowners when using their HVAC system is not getting even heating or cooling throughout the home. Or, more specifically, not getting the warm or cool air directed where they need it most – as in, the rooms in the home that are used most frequently. With that in mind, some homeowners resort to closing heating vents in unused rooms as a way to control airflow. But is closing HVAC registers a good idea? This article will take a closer look.

 

To get help with your HVAC system in and around, Greensboro, Eden and the Burlington area, be sure to reach out to Berico for assistance.

 

The Quick Answer is Don’t Over Do It

The reasoning for using this technique to control how your HVAC system operates is understandable, but upon closer inspection, it’s not a great idea to close the registers in more than a few rooms. At the core of the problem is the fact that your system was designed to heat or cool the entire house. When the equipment was selected to put in the home, it was picked because it was the right size for the square footage that needs to be managed. By shutting down too many of the vents, you are effectively changing the square footage that is being heated or cooled – but the size and capacity of the HVAC equipment didn’t change at all.

 

In the end, this mismatch is bad for your system. You’ll be cutting off some of the airflow that the system is designed to handle, and you will also put some pressure on the ducts by backing up air rather than letting it freely flow out into the rooms. In the best case, this will cause your system to work slightly less efficiently and effectively than it should – but you might wind up causing damage to the equipment. It’s best to leave all of your vents open and turn to other methods to manage how the space is heated and cooled throughout the year.

 

The Ideal Solution

Rather than picking and choosing what vents to open and close, the better way to go is to opt for a zone control system in the house. With zone control, your HVAC equipment will have the ability to manage different temperature levels in different areas, removing the problem that you were trying to solve by manipulating the vents.

 

The perfect example of how this solution can work is seen in two-story houses. It is often the case that the second story is significantly warmer than the first floor. This is a problem in the summer because cooling the downstairs to a comfortable temperature will mean that the upstairs is still too hot – and that’s usually where the bedrooms are located. Then, in the winter, warming the upstairs rooms to a comfortable range will leave the downstairs too cold.

 

By adding zone control that is divided by floor, all of these issues go away. Suddenly, you have the ability to dial in the right temperature on both floors at the same time with just the push of a button. Talk to Berico today about adding zone control to your HVAC system and get better performance than ever before.

Furnace Maintenance Tips

For most people, the furnace is something in their home that just runs in the background. They don’t think about it very often, and it just comes on when it needs to. That’s fine, but no equipment can keep working forever without getting some professional attention. Keeping up with furnace maintenance is essential to get optimal performance from your system, and the tips in this article should help.

 

To schedule furnace repair in Burlington that you can trust, give Berico a call today.  With a little help from Berico, you can easily keep up with this important task and get outstanding performance from your system.

 

Tasks Homeowners Can Handle

Despite what you might think, there are some aspects of furnace maintenance that you can handle all on your own without the help of a professional technician. By doing your part, you can keep costs down and help keep your system running as smoothly as possible throughout the winter.

 

First and foremost, be sure you are keeping up with the important job of changing your air filter regularly. This is easily the most impactful thing you can do on your own for the system, and it’s both easy and affordable. Replacement air filters often cost around $20 or less and switching the old one out for a new one is a simple job. Consider keeping an extra air filter or two on hand in your home so you can always make a change when you notice the old one is getting a bit dirty.

 

Outside of changing the air filter, the role you play in furnace maintenance should be mostly observational. In other words, you should be paying close attention to the way your system is performing, so you can bring in help if anything seems out of order. Specifically, take note if the furnace starts making any unusual noises, or if it starts to take longer than normal to warm up the home sufficiently.

 

Jobs for the Professionals

Most of the maintenance that should be performed on your furnace needs to be handled by a licensed, experienced professional. This can include cleaning and inspecting various components, testing the system, performing any repairs that are determined to be required, and more. There are plenty of reasons to avoid trying DIY maintenance (other than changing the air filter) on your furnace –

 

  • It’s dangerous. If you don’t have the right training, you can put yourself and your family in a dangerous situation if you try to maintain or fix a furnace on your own.

 

  • Complicated system. You will likely have a lot of difficulty figuring out what to do or where to do it if you want to work on your own furnace.

 

  • Better value. It might seem like working on your own furnace would be a good way to save money, but that’s not going to be the case in the end. Hiring a professional to get it right the first time is the more cost-effective approach.

 

As a leader in HVAC in Burlington, NC, Berico is the easy choice for all furnace maintenance, repair, and installation needs. Berico is your go to expert for all types of furnaces: oil, gas, or propane furnaces, as well as gas packs and heat pumps. Make an appointment today to get started!

Why Is My Heater Blowing Cold Air?

The last thing you expect when your furnace comes on is for the system to blow cold air throughout your house. That air is supposed to warm up the space, but just the opposite will happen when something isn’t working correctly. There are various causes for this problem, and the following article will touch on some of those issues.

 

When furnace repair is needed in Greensboro, Eden, Burlington, and beyond, Berico should be your first choice. An honest and experienced HVAC contractor with a long history of quality service, Berico is the right partner for the job.

 

Start with These Solutions

Although you are sure to be frustrated when your furnace isn’t producing the warm air you expect, it’s possible that there will actually be a rather simple solution to the problem. Before you get ahead of yourself and start thinking that the whole system will need to be replaced, explore the potential that one of the issues below is to blame.

 

  • Out of fuel. In some cases, cold air coming from your heater could simply indicate that you are out of fuel and need to have your tank refilled. In this case, the heater will have nothing to burn, and no way to generate heat. Call to place an order to have your propane or heating oil tank refilled right away and you should be back in business shortly.

 

  • Tech trouble. Since your heating system is likely controlled by a simple computer circuit in the thermostat, it may be that you simply need to reset the system to get it back on track. Follow the instructions provided with your thermostat to turn it off and back on, and you could have solved the problem just that easily.

 

  • Pilot light went out. Without a pilot light, your furnace won’t be able to ignite, and no warm air will be produced. If you know how to check the pilot light for your system, do so to make sure this isn’t the underlying cause of the cold air.

 

Other Possibilities to Consider

In a best-case scenario, one of the points listed above will solve your problem, and you can move on. If not, you may need to call for heater service to have a professional review the situation and figure out what is going wrong. While you likely won’t be able to fix any of these troubles on your own, it can be helpful to understand some of the possibilities, such as those below –

 

  • Duct problems. It could be that the warm air is actually being created by the furnace, but it is being lost before it reaches the vents. This would indicate a problem somewhere in the ductwork, and your home will only be warm again once those ducts are fixed.

 

  • Overheating issues. Your heater will shut itself down if it overheats, and that can happen when not enough air is moving through the system. You could potentially solve this with a new air filter, but it might take a professional to get to the heart of the problem.

 

  • Dirty equipment. Over the years, your heater’s components are going to collect dirt, and various parts might start to fail as a result. A professional cleaning, and perhaps the replacement of some parts, may be in order.

 

To figure out what is wrong and how to fix it, reach out to Berico today for help from one of their friendly and trained professionals.

 

 

Choosing the Right Gas Logs for Your Fireplace

When you think of putting a log on the fire, you probably think first about a piece of wood that you burn up with a natural flame. That’s one option, but more and more homeowners are preferring propane or natural gas over burning wood. If you are going to go with a gas fireplace, or if you already have one that you’d like to update, finding the right gas logs is an essential step.

 

To order gas logs in Greensboro, look no further than Berico. As a trusted HVAC contractor with a long history of great service throughout the area, Berico will always exceed your expectations.

 

What Do Gas Logs Do?

In this application, the word “log” is a bit of a misnomer – these aren’t actually logs in the traditional sense. Instead, they are products that have been designed to look like logs and allow gas to flow through them and out of designed openings. When the gas fire is lit, the flames will come out of those openings and closely replicate the look of an actual wood fire. Quality gas logs will allow you to enjoy a beautiful fire day after day with impressive durability and minimal loss in performance over the years.

 

Some Key Considerations

So, when picking out gas logs for a fireplace, what should you be looking for? The final choice is up to you, but here are some important considerations to keep in mind.

 

  • Some people like to have a rather full fireplace, with plenty of flames and plenty of logs for aesthetic effect. But that’s not the only option – you could also choose to have a limited number of logs in the fireplace, favoring a clean, minimalist look. It’s up to you but think about what will fit your style best before deciding what set of logs to purchase.

 

  • While all of the logs you can pick from are going to imitate the look of natural wood in some way, there are varied shades available. You might opt for a lighter wood tone, or you may favor something darker, with plenty of faux bark showing on the front. Again here, there is no right answer, so just think about what will look best with your décor and what will match your tastes.

 

  • How much flame you want to show. The layout of some log sets will obscure quite a bit of the flame, while other log arrangements are more open and allow for easy viewing of the flame. Yet again, it’s a matter of personal preference for how you want it to be set up.

 

Getting the Right Help

Once you have picked out the appropriate gas logs for your fireplace, the last step will be having them installed so you can get the fireplace up and running right away. For that, you’ll want to turn to the professional help of a team like the one at Berico. This is a job that isn’t well-suited to the average homeowner, as mistakes made in the installation could lead to a safety hazard. Trust the Berico team and know you’ll have many cozy nights in front of the gas fireplace ahead of you.

Your Residential HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Keeping up with HVAC maintenance is an important part of owning a home. If you allow your maintenance tasks to fall behind, you might find that your system no longer works as efficiently as it once did – and there may be more repairs that pop up along the way, as well. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to keep up with maintenance, especially when you work with a professional partner like Berico.

 

For all Greensboro heating repair and HVAC maintenance needs, turn to the team at Berico for assistance. With years of experience and a solid reputation in this industry, your system will be in good hands from start to finish.

 

What is Preventive HVAC Maintenance?

The idea of preventive HVAC maintenance is to stay ahead of any problems that may be likely to come up within your system in the months and years ahead. By cleaning and inspecting various components, it’s possible for a professional technician to keep the system healthy and steer clear of common issues. This means you can avoid surprise downtime when the system needs a repair, and you’ll likely save money in the long run, as well.

 

HVAC maintenance is one of those areas where you need to spend a little bit of time and money upfront in order to save even more time and money later. Sure, it might be hard to convince yourself to spend money on HVAC maintenance while the system is working nicely, but stick with a consistent maintenance schedule and the results you get will speak for themselves.

 

Key Fall Maintenance Points

It’s likely that your HVAC system has to work hard to keep your home comfortable throughout the year, both during the hot summer season and during the chilly winter months. The first type of maintenance we’d like to discuss is the fall maintenance visit, which obviously takes place before the harshest winter weather moves in. Some of the key points that should be managed during that visit include –

 

  • One important fall maintenance point is to make sure your air conditioner is in good shape after working hard all summer. This can include having the coils cleaned, draining pans, and checking various other components.

 

  • To get ready for cold weather, the furnace (or heat pump) should be carefully inspected to make sure all parts are working as they should. This inspection will help you get efficient, reliable performance all season long.

 

  • This is a good time to check the status of all vents to make sure they are set in the right positions for warming the house during winter. Some of them may have been closed long ago so it’s easy to forget that they need to be moved back. If you have some rooms that feel colder than you would expect, make sure the vents in those areas are fully open.

 

Don’t Forget About Spring Preparations

Just as in the fall, maintenance in the spring season can help get your system ready for the challenges of the changing weather – the arrival of summer, in this case. Making sure your air conditioning system is fully prepared for the hot, humid weather that is sure to arrive will help you stay comfortable all the way through the summer and into the early fall.

 

Also, this article wouldn’t be complete without talking about the importance of changing the air filter in your system regularly. Not only will this be done during maintenance visits, but you should also change it out on your own a couple of other times during the year to keep the system running properly on fresh air. Reach out to Berico to learn more about maintenance options and what is best for you and your busy schedule.

 

How Much Training Does an HVAC Technician Need?

When you hire a contractor to work on your HVAC system, you just assume that the technician sent to your home will be properly trained. But what does that mean? How much training is required to work properly on these complicated pieces of equipment? This article will take a closer look at this topic.

To hire Greensboro HVAC technicians that you can be sure are trained to meet all accepted standards, turn to Berico. A leader in HVAC in Greensboro, NC and the surrounding area, Berico is always up to the challenge and will make sure every technician who works on your property is fully qualified to get the job done.

The Importance of Sufficient Training
It is crucial to make sure any technician that works on your system is fully trained and ready for the challenges that they will face. This is important for a variety of reasons, but first and foremost is safety. HVAC equipment can be dangerous when not handled correctly, so proper training is needed to make sure repair and maintenance work is done safely and no one is put in jeopardy.

Also, good training means your equipment will be treated with care, and the work will be a success in the end. You don’t want to have low-quality work take away from the performance of your system, and you certainly don’t want to reduce the lifespan of the equipment by not hiring the right technicians. Go with a trusted name in the industry so you don’t run into any unexpected problems.

Various Licensing Levels
There are three general levels of HVAC licensing offered in the state of North Carolina. Those are referred to as H1, H2, and H3. The basic licensing level, and the one you will want to be sure is in place for a technician working on your home, is H1. This permits the license holder to do work on single-family homes, and other buildings like commercial and industrial facilities (if the technician has a Class 1 license within the H1 category).

Going up to the H2 and H3 levels of licensing is relevant for technicians who plan to work on larger systems. For example, someone working on a forced air system over 15 tons will need to have an H2 license to do that work legally.

Passing the Exam
There is also a licensing exam to consider for those who work in this industry. With that said, technicians need to start working in the field to accumulate the necessary experience to take the exam and secure their licenses. The specific requirements vary depending on the type of license in question, but for a contractor exam, it’s necessary to have two years of work experience to sit for the exam, while the threshold is 18 months for a technician exam.

As a customer, you don’t need to get too caught up in the details of HVAC licensing in North Carolina, as long as you know that your chosen contractor is fully qualified to do the job on your property. For that, simply call Berico and you’ll be assured of working with a talented and experienced technician each and every time.