Dirty Ducts Can Cause Serious Problems

March 4th, 2024
Woman at desk blowing her nose, possibly affected by poor indoor air quality needing air duct cleaning.

The ductwork in your home might be out of sight—and the interior of it even more so—but you shouldn’t ignore it or forget about it entirely! Just because you can’t see into your ducts doesn’t mean nothing can get into them. In fact, a lot of things get into your ductwork, and those things can cause serious issues for your health and for your home. Here’s what you need to know.

What problems can dirty air ducts cause in your home?

Dirty air ducts can lead to serious indoor air quality issues by circulating dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and bacteria. This buildup can trigger allergies, respiratory problems, and unpleasant odors. It also strains your HVAC system, reducing efficiency, increasing energy costs, and shortening equipment lifespan.

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A Humidifier Can Improve Your Home Heating

February 19th, 2024
a-cozy-winter-scene-with-teacup-and-book-and-wintry-view-out-the-window

February in Minnesota… it can be hard to remember what summertime felt like. And it can be hard for your heating system to keep up with your home’s heating needs! Running the heat all the time is incredibly expensive. Is there anything you can do to feel warmer without going through quite so much energy and driving your heating bill so high?

Actually, yes. Try to think back to summertime. (We know, it’s such a distant memory.) You’ve surely heard people who are complaining about summer weather say something like, “I don’t mind the heat so much, but the humidity really gets to me.” That’s the trick: humid air feels much warmer than dry air. So the way to use your heating system less while feeling even cozier is a humidifier.

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A Rattling Heater Is a Problem

February 5th, 2024
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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.

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Is a Heat Pump Your Next Best Choice?

January 22nd, 2024
Modern outdoor AC units isolated on white background, ideal for air conditioning installation.

In the middle of winter, when you’re paying the most per month for home climate control that you will all year, you might be thinking about heating efficiency and what your options might be. Is there a way to save money on heating while staying just as cozy, or even more so? Perhaps a heat pump could help you with this, especially if you’re weighing whether it’s time to replace or repair your current system.

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Mold: How It Survives and Spreads

January 8th, 2024
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Some things in your home are easy to clean up and keep clean. But some things are sneaky and stubborn, hard to find in order to clean up, and quick to come back despite your best efforts! One of the worst offenders is mold. How is it that mold is so good at surviving? How does it spread from one place to another? And how can you stop it once and for all? We’ve got the answers.

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How an Air Purifier Cleans Your Air

December 25th, 2023
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Ahh, winter in Minnesota. It’s scenic, it’s lovely, it’s… a great time to hunker down indoors. On average, Americans spend well over 90% of their time indoors, and that percentage is probably even higher during cold weather in northern places. And when the weather is cold, you keep the house buttoned up, so you’re not getting much in the way of fresh air.

The air in your home keeps being cycled around, and whatever contaminants are in the air keep cycling around as well. When you’re cooped up in there all winter, you have a very high likelihood of breathing in some unpleasant things. An air purifier is the best solution to winter air full of unwanted particles. We’ll tell you all about them and how they clean the air.

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Don’t Try to Fix Your Furnace by Yourself

December 11th, 2023
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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. 

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Your New Home Additions Need Heat Too

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.

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No Heat? Stay Warm With These Emergency Tips

November 13th, 2023
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While we pride ourselves on getting to our customers promptly when their heat has failed, the fact of the matter is that a house can get very cold quite quickly in the dead of a Minnesota winter. If your furnace has broken down and you’re waiting for heating repair, here are some tips for keeping warm until your technician arrives. 

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How Long Can a Maintained Boiler Last?

October 16th, 2023
a-modern-home-heating-boiler

The home heating boiler is a classic for a reason, and still popular enough for millions of Americans to use this type of heating system. The heat they provide is very even, avoiding the hot and cold spots that plague some forced-air systems, and they’re quite efficient. But the biggest selling point of a boiler is just how long they last.

While a boiler can last a long time, the biggest factor in whether they actually keep running is maintenance. So how long can they last if well-maintained?

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