Independent guides to home heating and coolingRaleigh, North Carolina · plain-English advice

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All posts — Page 2

All posts — Page 2

Heat Pumps

Heat pump blowing cold air in heating mode

The everyday reasons a heat pump feels cool at the vents, and the faults worth calling about.

Heat Pumps

Auxiliary heat explained: why the strips run and what they cost

Emergency and auxiliary heat, when they should appear, and how they affect an electric bill.

Heat Pumps

Heat pump vs furnace: how to compare running costs fairly

Efficiency ratings, outdoor temperature and the honest way to compare two very different heating machines.

Indoor Air Quality

MERV ratings: choosing a filter without choking your system

What the rating really measures, and why the thickest filter is not automatically the best one.

Indoor Air Quality

Whole-home humidifiers: comfort, woodwork and air quality

What a humidifier adds in a dry Raleigh winter, how it is controlled, and the maintenance it needs.

Indoor Air Quality

Duct cleaning: when it helps and when it does not

The cases where cleaning makes a measurable difference, and the marketing claims that do not hold up.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor humidity: the range that keeps mould away

Why damp air costs more to cool, how to measure it, and when to dehumidify instead.

Maintenance & Tune-Ups

A simple seasonal HVAC maintenance calendar

What to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter so nothing is left to the last cold night.

Maintenance & Tune-Ups

What a professional tune-up visit includes, step by step

From the thermostat to the outdoor unit: the sequence a thorough service call should follow.

Safety note. Gas smells, repeated furnace shutdowns, burning smells and suspected carbon monoxide are call-out situations, not do-it-yourself jobs. Leave the building and contact a licensed technician or your utility. Refrigerant handling and gas pipework are licensed trade work.