Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | R&R Heating & Air Conditioning

FAQs: Have a question? We have the answer.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions we’ve been asked.

How often should I change the filters on my furnace and humidifier?

We recommend visually inspecting each filter monthly. Some filters may need to be replaced monthly others can last two or three months. And you should replace the pad once a year. Remember, you should only use your humidifier during the heating season. You can purchase filters on our website and we will deliver them to you for free if you’re within our service area.

How often should I have maintenance performed on my heating & cooling equipment?
Annually. We recommend each piece of equipment have a safety inspection and thorough cleaning every year. Most manufacturers require annual maintenance to keep the equipment warranty in tact. Check out our Comfort Club Annual Maintenance Plans and see which one is right for you.

What’s the most efficient way to heat my home?
The simple answer is Geothermal (ground source heat pump) Systems – they are up to 500% efficient, but it is important to understand that this may not be an option for every home. The second best option is a high-efficiency air source heat pump system.

What is a heat pump?
A heat pump is a highly efficient heating & cooling system that provides cool air in the summer, and heat in the fall, winter and spring. During the colder months, it extracts heat from the air (or ground) and distributes it through your home. In the summer that process is reversed and it acts as an air conditioner, replacing the stuffy heat with cool, comfortable air.

How many degrees should I set my thermostat back at night?
For natural gas or propane furnaces we recommend a 3-5 degree set back. If you are using a heat pump, we don’t recommend using the set back mode.

Why shouldn’t I set my thermostat below 72 degrees while using AC?
Residential air conditioners aren’t designed to run below 72 degrees because the temperature at the indoor and outdoor coils may dip below freezing which can cause them to ice over and risk damaging the compressor.

How much can I expect to save on my heating bill with a new gas furnace?
Many homeowners notice an average savings between 15% and 30%. There are a number of factors to consider though, such as the type of system you currently use and if you will be installing a new programmable thermostat at the same time.

What would cause my furnace to blow cool air when it is running in the heating mode?
There are actually a number of reasons this could happen, the most common is caused by a safety limit that has failed due to a plugged filter or by having too many air vent registers blocked or closed off. If you are still having trouble, feel free to schedule a service call with us and we’ll be happy to fix it for you.

If you have a question that you do not see answered in our FAQs, just pop on over to our Ask The Expert section and submit your inquiry. Answers will be posted in our blog section under “Ask The Expert.”

Additional Questions & Answers

Here are some additional questions we’ve had asked by customers, but they’re not as common as our FAQs.

Cant get furnace to fire up. Engine turns on here gas come through but no ignition. Please help, hoping its simple.

If it is furnace installed after 1980 it probably is the igniter has failed and just needs to be replaced.

Heat & Glo gas fireplace insert. Pilot light is on. Wall switch is engaged and it takes several seconds or a minute for flame to ignite. We feel this is dangerous and not normal. What are your thoughts?
It sounds like you are getting a delayed ignition and the thermopile is dirty and needs to be cleaned or the contacts in the wall switch are starting to fail. We recommend that a gas fireplace be serviced just like a furnace every 1-2 years.

How much do you charge for routine cleaning / maintenance of a furnace? Do you do maintenance of gas fireplaces? If so, what is the rate?

Gas or Electric furnace maintenance is $129.50 plus tax. We do maintain gas fireplaces for $108.50 or $72.00 at the time of any other service, plus tax.

How often do you need to have your air ducts cleaned and how much does it cost?

This will depend on whether you have ever had them cleaned before, how they were cleaned and the conditions of your home (do you have pets, do you live on a dirt road, how often do you change your filters) Usually a frequency of 3-6 years. Price ranges from $289 to $609 depending on the amount of vents in your home.

I have a lighter fluid like smell coming from my furnace. What should I do?

That smell will most likely come from from the oil in the bearings of the blower motor. The motor should be cleaned and oiled if it does not have sealed bearings once a year. If they are sealed type this may be a sign they are getting warm and may need to be replaced. The best thing to do is get the furnace serviced and check the bearings for wear.

I think I need my air conditioning unit to be cleaned/ serviced. What is a rough estimate to how much it would cost?

Manufacturers recommend maintenance annually. Our maintenance on air conditioners is $139.50 plus tax.

My dog urinated on my heater vent. We tried cleaning the duct, but whenever the furnace kicks on, there is a very strong cent of urine in the room. Is there a product we can use to get rid of the urine smell?

Clean the area as good as you can with 50% white vinegar and water then most of the pet stores sell a neutralizer you can spray on the affected area.

Trane air conditioning unit runs okay, but shuts on and off for 1 to 5 seconds.

Something is definitely wrong. Is the compressor or condenser fan in the outdoor unit doing this. If it is the fan it could be the head pressure control if it is the compressor then it could be a couple of things but it sounds like a service tech needs to look at it.

We had a heat pump installed by R&R a year and a half ago. With all of the snow, is there something we should do to protect it (i.e. a cover for over the top of the unit, etc.)?

If it did not run while it was snowing then all you need to do is clean it off. Your heat pump should run down to about 15-20 deg. You should not cover it unless you turn it off but make sure you uncover before turning on.

We have a Chronotherm 111 do I need to switch back and forth from EM HT to regular setting since day time warms up then evening in teens?

It all depends if your system was is installed with an outdoor thermostat. With an outdoor thermostat you can adjust it so it will automatically switch from heat pump to emergency heat based on the balance point of your system and the outside temperature. The balance point is the point at which your heat pump does not create enough BTU’s vs the amount of energy it is using.

Have a question still not answered by our FAQs? Send your questions via Ask The Expert.