Mesaba Heating & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Is Something Wrong with My Boiler?

Monday, January 20th, 2025
magnifying-glass

A boiler is a spectacular piece of engineering that can keep your home toasty and warm for decades. Even better, during the entire time it will run, repairs will only be needed on very rare occasions. This makes them a perfect choice for heating in cold climates like ours, where we really don’t want to have a heating system breakdown in the middle of a cold winter night!

The sad truth, however, is that nothing can work perfectly forever. Once in a while, your boiler may need repair. And if you’re so accustomed to it running just fine all the time, you might not know how to tell there’s a problem! We’ve got you covered. Here are the clues you should watch (and listen) for. If any of these things happen, it’s time to get boiler repairs.

Continue Reading

Keep an Eye on Your Heat Exchanger

Monday, January 6th, 2025
blue-furnace-burner-flames

Your gas furnace has a lot of different components. Of course, the average homeowner is not an HVAC expert, and there’s no need for you to know everything about your furnace. But it is important to be aware of safety concerns! There’s a component called the heat exchanger which needs to be kept in good condition for furnace safety. What do you need to know about it? We’ll tell you.

Continue Reading

Your Furnace Air Filter FAQ

Monday, December 23rd, 2024
person-pulling-an-air-filter-out-of-a-furnace

Furnaces are big investments! It’s important to keep them in good condition for as long as possible. You certainly don’t want to require a replacement anytime soon. And the energy cost of heating is a big investment, too. Paying extra just because of a furnace running inefficiently would be miserable. So what can you do to make sure your furnace stays happy and healthy?

Annual maintenance must be done by qualified professional HVAC technicians. But that’s just once a year. There’s definitely something you can do more often! Your furnace has an air filter, and that air filter needs to be changed. Why? When? How? We’ve got the answers to your questions.

Continue Reading

Choose a Top-Notch Heating Contractor

Monday, November 25th, 2024
small-child-with-stuffed-animal-looking-out-the-window-at-the-snow

Here in Minnesota, there are very few things that matter quite as much as having reliable heat during the winter! You need to know for sure that your heating system is ready for the pressures of yet another long, cold season of working very hard. And you need to know who to call if something does go wrong.

When you’re looking for someone to service your heating system, it may be challenging to figure out exactly what you need. After all, you’re not an HVAC expert. That’s why you’re trying to find one! What are the things to look for in a heating contractor? What indicates that you’ll get really top-notch service? Here are some pointers.

Continue Reading

Yikes! Is That Smell Coming from Your Heating System?

Monday, November 11th, 2024
an-HVAC-vent-on-a-wall

Your heating system might be the most important thing you own in Minnesota. You need it to work extremely hard, and if it were to conk out in the middle of a cold January night, there’d be more than your comfort at stake. It’s a serious safety issue! So when something is not quite right about your furnace or boiler, you need to deal with it straightaway.

If you’re noticing a smell, and you think you’ve got funky furnace fumes, you can’t afford to ignore it. Do all heating system odors require repair? Here’s a quick rundown for you of the smells your heat might make and which ones mean furnace repair is necessary.

Continue Reading

The Difference Heating Maintenance Makes

Monday, October 14th, 2024
snow-covered-house-in-winter

Here in Minnesota, it’s absolutely critical to have our heating systems working properly. Any kind of interruption or heating system breakdown can be dangerous! The best way to make sure you won’t have any disruptions to your ability to keep your home cozy is to get heating maintenance done in the fall.

What kind of maintenance is done to heating systems? Why is it necessary? When does it need to be done? What are the benefits of having heating maintenance done regularly? We can explain it all.

Continue Reading

It’s the Perfect Time of Year for Furnace Replacement

Monday, April 15th, 2024
daffodils-blooming-in-the-springtime

Ahhh, springtime in Minnesota. We’re finally thawing out, the flowers are blooming, and we’re thinking about summer and air conditioning. We might not think about our heating systems for months. But here’s the thing: if you do need to replace your furnace, it would be much better to do it now than wait until fall, or worse, until it fails completely next January.

There are many considerations when it comes to getting a new heating system. Do you really need to do it yet? Should you get the same kind you’ve had before? How can you make sure it’s efficient? How much will it cost? The easiest furnace replacement question to answer is what time of year is the best time to have your new heating system installed. It’s now! Here’s why.

Continue Reading

A Rattling Heater Is a Problem

Monday, February 5th, 2024
person-with-hand-to-ear-listening-to-a-sound-and-making-a-worried-face

Your heater can’t call out to you and say, “Excuse me, I think there’s a problem. I don’t feel so well.” But it can give you some signals, and you should listen well when you hear them. Ignoring an odd heater sound probably means ignoring a need for repair, and the longer you postpone a repair, the greater the chance that the problem will get worse and the repair will be more expensive.

Any sound your heating system makes is cause for concern. Listen when your heater is working well, familiarize yourself with the hum and whoosh of proper heater operation, and you’ll be able to tell when something is different. One common heater noise that definitely indicates a problem is rattling. What could be causing that? We’ll help you figure it out.

Continue Reading

Don’t Try to Fix Your Furnace by Yourself

Monday, December 11th, 2023
smoke-around-a-smoke-detector

In Minnesota, it’s more critical than almost anywhere else in the country to have your heating system work well and be reliable. When you’re concerned about your furnace, you know it needs to be fixed right away. You might be tempted to try some DIY furnace repair, but that would be a dangerous plan. Here are the risks you’d face trying to fix your furnace yourself. 

Continue Reading

Your New Home Additions Need Heat Too

Monday, November 27th, 2023
construction-worker-building-an-addition-to-a-home

Sometimes, a home just isn’t large enough for a family’s needs. Maybe you’re having more children. Maybe your parents or in-laws are moving in. Or maybe you’ve just had an amazing idea for a game room or other specialized space. It’s very common to build an addition or convert space like a garage, attic, or basement so it can be lived in. 

The tricky bit is that this new space doesn’t just need to be planned, built, insulated, and finished. It also needs to be heated, especially in our climate. What are the options for expanding your heating system to provide enough warmth for the new addition to your home? We’re so glad you asked.

Continue Reading