Barlows Aire Force One

March 20, 2017 by Aireforce1

Annual A/C Inspections

Saving yourself time and money with A/C costs starts with routine inspections and maintenance of your A/C unit by a licensed HVAC professional. Scheduling an annual inspection and maintenance check can drastically reduce your cooling costs every month and keep your A/C unit healthy for a longer period of time. It’s always a good idea to have your unit cleaned, inspected, and serviced annually. What better time than spring? Include in your spring cleaning schedule a check-up on your unit.

Every time your unit is turned on, it gathers dust and other particles that can adversely affect the efficiency of your air conditioning system. It can be easy to overlook minor issues with an air conditioning unit if you don’t know what you are looking for. A professional HVAC expert, like the ones at Barlow Air Force One Heating, are highly trained and licensed to know what to look and listen for so that your unit stays safe through the duration of the season.

Annual A/C inspections include assessment of your unit’s motor, coils, temperatures/pressures, connections, coolant levels, and more.

Do-It-Yourself Annually to Help Your Annual Maintenance Costs

Throughout the year, there are a number of things you can do to help with your annual inspection. This should not replace professional services, but it can definitely help ensure a longer life-span of your unit.

Preventative Maintenance: Perform a Visual Inspection

Warning signs! Leaks, dirty or frozen coils, strange odors, poor air flow….all of these are signs that a professional’s help is needed. Having small problems inspected and checked throughout the year can really save on things that can turn into major and costly problems later on.

Changing air filters regularly will help your A/C system’s performance. Dirty filters are clogged and can make it hard for air to move through the system. This makes your system work extra hard to do what it is made to do. When your system works harder, wear happens and your unit ends up with more problems.

Bi-Annual Tuning

Aside from your DIY maintenance, there is one more step that can keep your system operating at top capacity. Bi-annual tune ups are your system’s best friend. Just like a car needs tune-ups, liquid top-off’s, and oil lubrication, so does your A/C unit. Have a licensed HVAC professional tune up your system twice a year and save thousands of dollars by not having to replace your entire system very often.

Hiring an HVAC Professional

HVAC professionals are licensed to perform annual inspections and routine maintenance of your A/C unit. Shop around for a good HVAC company like Barlows Aire Force One. Ask for recommendations and pay attention to the reputation of a company. Always double check to make sure the contractor that you hire has his/her license and use your gut instinct. If your unit has been working fine, blowing cool air, and isn’t making strange noises, but your contractor suggests many and/or expensive repairs, get a second opinion.

In reality, air conditioners can have a life-span of approximately 15 years. If you keep yours maintained and cleaned properly and consistently, yours should last a long time.

November 15, 2016 by Aireforce1

4 Tips for an Efficient Heater

Southeast Idaho isn’t a stranger to cold winter weather and there is nothing more frustrating than a malfunctioning heater during the winter season. Because our daily activities are primarily focused inside, we need our heater to work efficiently and effectively. Failure to properly maintain your heating equipment can cause tremendous stress and inconveniences. The National Fire Protection Association reported, “Heating equipment fires accounted for 16% of all reported home fires in 2009-2013.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency also reported, “During the winter, heating fires jump to 27% of structure fires.” And the leading contributing factor related to home heating fires was due to lack of cleaning.

You can save yourself from the hassle and threat of a house fire by following these 4 tips to prepare your home for the winter.

Pre-winter Test Run

As the weather continues to cool, it’s recommended to test your furnace by turning it on to make sure that it’s running prior to the winter season. You don’t want to wait till you need the furnace to realize that it isn’t working properly. During this test, you will want to adjust the thermostat from air conditioning to heat. If you have a high-efficiency thermostat, you should be able to set the time(s) of day you want the heater to run to maintain your desired temperature.

Annual Furnace Inspection

After months of your furnace sitting unused, dust and debris build up can cause your furnace to clog and work improperly. If left unattended the threat of a fire grows ever more likely. During an annual inspection and cleaning, an inspector will go through a series of processes to verify your furnace pressure is accurate and discover if there are any leaks, rust or misalignments that need to be repaired. Scheduling a cleaning and inspection early can save you time, money and hassle down the road.

Replace Air Filters

Depending on the use and the amount of dust, pet dander and allergens in your home will depend on how often you should change your air filters. It’s recommended to replace your filters every one to three months to reduce debris build up. Additionally, make sure all heating vents and return registers are unobstructed. Blocked vents don’t allow air flow, and can also cause your heater to work overtime and over heat. An overworked heating system can cause inefficiency, resulting in needed repairs and a shortened lifespan of your heating system.

Seal Windows and Doorways

If you have leaky windows and doors, hot air will escape through these cracks. Preparing your home by sealing window panes and door frames with silicone caulking or rubber weather stripping can save you from an expensive energy bill.

By planning ahead and scheduling our licensed technicians to inspect your heating system early, we can save you time and money. The contractors at Barlows Aire Force One have the knowledge and tools to clean, inspect and repair your heating systems to make sure it runs effectively and efficiently, just when you need it to.

October 11, 2016 by Aireforce1

Utility Bills: Saving Money this Winter

October is here and for many of us in Pocatello that means colder temperatures, snow covered yards, frosty windows, and riskier driving conditions. The colder temperatures of winter also have an effect on our utility bills. Paying attention to certain aspects of our home systems, like our household plumbing, can help us save money during these chilly months. More specifically, you can find a good amount of savings when you pay attention to your water heater. The expert plumbers at Barlows Aire Force One have compiled a list of tips and tricks on how you can cut back on your utility bill this winter by paying more attention to your hot water consumption.

Savings You Can Find in Your Household Plumbing

According to energy.gov, our hot water heaters typically count for the second largest expenditure of the average American’s utility or energy bill, following closely behind heat and air conditioning. Keep your utility or energy bill under control this winter by following these suggestions:

Lower Temperatures

This tip applies to all year long. The Federal Department of Energy recommends that we keep our thermostats on our water heaters set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures not only keep your utility bills under control, they can prevent scalding. When your water is heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit it can cause scalding in just five seconds. Fact: Did you know that scalds are the number one burn injury in children under four years of age?

Take Shorter Showers

When the temperatures outside our homes drop to below freezing, it can be tempting to spend more time soaking up the extra hot water from our showers. The water coming out of the faucet can travel through your household plumbing at an average of two gallons a minute. Spending more time in the shower equals more money spent on heating that extra water. Keep your shower short and bundle up in warm clothing and soft blankets for comfort instead. If you want to take comfort in hot water drink hot chocolate or hot tea to warm you up.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Consider insulating the tank of your water heater to help it preserve its warmth. Insulating the tank will help prevent the water from cooling down. When your water heater starts to cool down it is forced to do twice the work, spending twice the money. Keeping your water heater insulated can be particularly important if it is located in the basement or another area of your home that doesn’t get a lot of heat. Make sure that you follow manufacturer instructions when insulating your hot water heater. You don’t want to accidentally cover up the burner or the thermostat.

Get a Replacement

If your hot water heater is acting up or having issues running, you might want to invest in a new hot water heater. It can be more cost-effective to purchase a new one than spend twice, or three times that amount over the winter months because of insufficient heating. You can even invest in a hot water heater that is energy sufficient, costing you less to run over time due to the increased efficiency.

If your hot water heater is acting up contact the plumbers at Barlows Aire Force One in Pocatello. Our Pocatello plumbers can help you save time and money by inspecting your hot water heater. We can also help you with any plumbing issues such as broken pipes, overflowing toilet, and heating system issues this winter.

January 31, 2016 by Aireforce1

Cutting Your Power Bill in Half

Owner of Barlows Aire Force One, Wayne Barlow, speaks with a KIFI news local reporter about what you can do to cut your power bill in half.

January 3, 2016 by Aireforce1

Air Conditioning Frozen Up

Now that the temperatures have dropped in Pocatello, here are some useful tips to help prepare your AC unit for the winter weather. When the temperature starts dropping, check your AC unit frequently to make sure ice has not built up on your system. If you leave ice built up on your AC unit, you could end up with permanent damage and might have to replace your AC unit. With years of experience, our heating and cooling service at Barlow’s Aire Force One, can help your Pocatello home with your frozen air conditioner and let you know what you should do if this happens to your AC unit.

Frozen AC Unit – What to look for

The most common time to see ice or frost on your AC unit is usually when the air conditioner is running. The most common places to see ice or frost are on the lines going to and from your AC unit. When the gas expands and the pressure goes down, it will cool anything around it. Having ice appear on your air conditioner is not uncommon, and it does not mean that your AC unit is permanently damaged or broken. However, if this does happen, you should contact an HVAC contractor. If your AC system isn’t moving as much air as it should or needs to, this may lead to having your system be chilled. If the airflow is restricted, the cold air will stay in the unit causing the temperature to drop in your AC unit. If this happens, you could risk having frozen parts in your AC system.

AC Frozen Up?

If you realize your AC unit has frozen up, you should first turn off the air conditioning. This will help prevent any more damage from happening. Always check to see if your filters are dirty or clogged up and check to make sure all your vents in your home are open. These simple steps might end up solving your problem. However, if you notice your AC system freezing frequently, you should have your ducts cleaned out by a professional.

If you leave your system iced over a lot and never go out to check on it, you could risk having permanent damage to your unit. Getting a recharge or a tune-up is a lot cheaper than having a new air conditioner replaced in your Pocatello home.

Get Help with HVAC Issues

You should always give your HVAC contractor a call if you happen to notice frost or ice on your AC unit. An HVAC pro can notice if your unit has dirty filters, vents in your home closed, a dirty evaporator coil, blocked return grills, or if mechanical parts need to be replaced. A good sign should be that if your air conditioner is working properly, then you should not have it freeze up or have ice build up on it. Barlow’s Aire Force One can diagnose the issue and let you know what is exactly wrong with your AC unit and help get your AC going again properly.