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July 15, 2026

AC servicing

The Hidden Cost of Neglect: Why Regular Air Conditioner Servicing is Essential

As summer temperatures climb, a reliable air conditioning system shifts from a luxury to an absolute necessity. For most homeowners, the AC is a “set it and forget it” appliance—until it stops working on the hottest day of the year.

Waiting for a system failure before calling a technician is a costly mistake. Regular, proactive maintenance is essential for your wallet, your health, and your comfort. Here is why routing servicing for your air conditioner is a non-negotiable investment.

Drastically Lower Energy Bills

Air conditioners lose efficiency every year they operate without maintenance. Dust, dirt, and debris accumulate on the filters and internal coils, forcing the system to work significantly harder to cool your home.

When your AC strains to do its job, it consumes much more electricity. Routine servicing involves cleaning these vital components, calibrating the system, and ensuring optimal airflow. This keeps your energy consumption low and your monthly utility bills manageable.

Prevention of Costly, Sudden Breakdowns

An air conditioner rarely breaks down without warning; it usually drops hints that only a professional can spot. During a routine service call, a technician checks for worn-out belts, electrical faults, refrigerant leaks, and failing motors.

Replacing a small, worn part during a scheduled visit costs a fraction of an emergency repair. By catching these minor issues early, you prevent the nightmare of a total system shutdown in the middle of a heatwave.

Extended Equipment Lifespan

An air conditioner is a major financial investment for any property owner. Standard units are designed to last between 10 and 15 years, but this lifespan is heavily dependent on how well the system is maintained.

Operating a dirty or malfunctioning AC puts constant stress on the compressor—the “heart” of the system. If the compressor fails due to overwork, replacing it is often so expensive that buying a brand-new AC unit becomes the only logical choice. Regular servicing ensures you get the maximum possible years out of your investment.

Protected Indoor Air Quality

Your air conditioner does not just cool the air; it also circulates and filters it. Over time, the internal moisture, combined with trapped dust and pollen, can turn your AC unit into a breeding ground for mold, bacteria, and allergens.

When the system runs, these particles are blown directly into your living spaces. Regular servicing includes deep cleaning the coils and clearing the condensate drain lines. This process prevents mold growth and ensures the air your family breathes is clean and safe.

Optimized Home Comfort

When an AC system is neglected, it struggles to distribute air evenly. You might notice that certain rooms feel like iceboxes while others remain stagnant and humid. Technicians balance the airflow and ensure the refrigerant levels are exact, allowing the system to maintain a consistent, comfortable temperature and ideal humidity levels throughout your entire home.

The Bottom Line

Skipping your annual AC service might seem like a quick way to save money, but it always costs more in the long run through high energy bills, premature replacements, and emergency repair fees. Booking a professional tune-up once a year—ideally in the spring before the peak cooling season—ensures your home stays cool, your air stays clean, and your hard-earned money stays in your pocket.

Give us a call to find out about our special furnace and air conditioner servicing and cleaning package

News
June 10, 2026

BBQ Maintenance

Many of us have been hibernating all winter, so with summer upon us it is time to wake up and get grilling! Before you can start grilling it is a good idea to clean the BBQ. We will be sharing a few tips below on how to get your grill summer ready!

You will require blue Dawn dish soap, a bucket, rag, grill brush, a Napoleon burner and jetfire maintenance kit (drill bit and very small bristle cleaner) and stainless steel cleaner.

Before you start cleaning the BBQ it is a good idea to remove any items that are not water friendly such as the thermometer, the igniter, rotisserie motor etc. Also remove the grills and seer plates as well.  After all these items have been removed, vacuum the inside of the BBQ (including the inside of the lid!) and then wash the inside and the outside the BBQ with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly with a garden hose (or buckets of water).  Inspect the burners, if they are clogged take the drill bit from the maintenance kit and go through each hole of the burner and then brush off.

Soak your stainless steel grills and seer plates in hot soapy water for a while and then scrub. Reinstall the grills and seer plates back into the BBQ. Don’t worry if the grills are not spotless…we have another solution….read on!

Clean the outside lid, doors and side shelves with stainless steel cleaner (only if they are stainless steel!). Reinstall the thermometer and other items that were removed prior to cleaning. 

If you notice your stainless grills are still not quite clean you can take tin foil and place it shiny side down on the grills. Light the main burners of the BBQ and turn to high. Close the lid and let the BBQ run for about 25 minutes on high. There will be smoke! This is normal. Once the time has passed take a grill brush and clean the grills. 

When the grills are clean and cooled take some oil or lard and rub it on the stainless steel grills. 

Now you are ready to start BBQ grilling season!

Happy Grilling!

News
February 28, 2024

Heat Pumps

Text: Carrier, with permission.

So, what is a heat pump? A heat pump is part of a home heating and cooling system and is installed outside your home. Like an air conditioner such as central air, it can cool your home, but it’s also capable of providing heat. In cooler months, a heat pump pulls heat from the cold outdoor air and transfers it indoors, and in warmer months, it pulls heat out of indoor air to cool your home. They are powered by electricity and transfer heat using refrigerant to provide comfort all year round. Because they handle both cooling and heating, homeowners may not need to install separate systems to heat their homes. In colder climates, an electric heat strip can be added to the indoor fan coil for additional capabilities. Heat pumps do not burn fossil fuel like furnaces do, making them more environmentally friendly.

WHAT TYPES OF HEAT PUMPS ARE THERE?

The two most common types of heat pumps are air-source and ground-source. Air-source heat pumps transfer heat between indoor air and outdoor air, and are more popular for residential heating and cooling.

Ground-source heat pumps, sometimes called geothermal heat pumps, transfer heat between the air inside your home and the ground outside. These are more expensive to install but are typically more efficient and have a lower operating cost due to the consistency of the ground temperature throughout the year.

HOW DOES A HEAT PUMP WORK?

How does a heat pump work? Heat pumps transfer heat from one place to another by different air or heat sources. Air source heat pumps move heat between the air inside a home and the air outside a home, while ground source heat pumps (known as geothermal heat pumps) transfer heat between the air inside a home and the ground outside a home. We will focus on air source heat pumps, but the basic operation is the same for both.

HEAT PUMP BASICS

Despite the name, heat pumps do not generate heat – they move heat from one place to another. A furnace creates heat that is distributed throughout a home, but a heat pump absorbs heat energy from the outside air (even in cold temperatures) and transfers it to the indoor air. When in cooling mode a heat pump and an air conditioner are functionally identical, absorbing heat from the indoor air and releasing it through the outdoor unit. Click here for more information about heat pumps vs air conditioners.

When considering which type of system is best for your home, several important factors should be considered, including the size of the home and the local climate. A local Carrier dealer has the expertise to properly evaluate your specific needs and help you make the right decision.

WHERE DO HEAT PUMPS WORK BEST?

Homeowners in need of a new heating or cooling system, may consider the type of climate they live in before purchasing a heat pump system. Heat pumps are more common in milder climates, where the temperature does not typically drop below freezing. In colder regions, they can also be combined with furnaces for energy-efficient heating on all but the coldest days. When the temperature outside drops too low for the heat pump to operate effectively, the system will instead use the furnace to generate heat. This kind of system is often called a dual fuel system – it is very energy efficient and cost effective.

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM

A typical air source heat pump system consists of two major components, an outdoor unit (which looks just like the outdoor unit of a split-system air conditioning system) and an indoor air handler unit. Both the indoor and outdoor unit contain various important sub-components.

OUTDOOR UNIT

The outdoor unit contains a coil and a fan. The coil operates as either a condenser (in cooling mode) or an evaporator (in heating mode). The fan blows outside air over the coil to facilitate the heat exchange.

INDOOR UNIT

Like the outdoor unit, the indoor unit, commonly referred to as the air handler unit, contains a coil and a fan. The coil acts as an evaporator (in cooling mode) or a condenser (in heating mode). The fan is responsible for moving air across the coil and throughout the ducts in the home.

REFRIGERANT

The refrigerant is the substance that absorbs and rejects heat as it circulates throughout the heat pump system.

COMPRESSOR

The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant and moves it throughout the system.

REVERSING VALVE

The part of the heat pump system that reverses the flow of refrigerant, allowing the system to operate in the opposite direction and switch between heating and cooling.

EXPANSION VALVE

The expansion valve acts as a metering device, regulating the flow of the refrigerant as it passes through the system, allowing for a reduction of pressure and temperature of the refrigerant.

HOW DOES A HEAT PUMP COOL AND HEAT?

Heat pumps do not create heat. They redistribute heat from the air or ground and use a refrigerant that circulates between the indoor fan coil (air handler) unit and the outdoor compressor to transfer the heat.

In cooling mode, a heat pump absorbs heat inside your home and releases it outdoors. In heating mode, the heat pump absorbs heat from the ground or outside air (even cold air) and releases it indoors.

HOW A HEAT PUMP WORKS – COOLING MODE

One of the most important things to understand about heat pump operation and the process of transferring heat is that heat energy naturally wants to move to areas with lower temperatures and less pressure. Heat pumps rely on this physical property, putting heat in contact with cooler, lower pressure environments so that the heat can naturally transfer. This is how a heat pump works.

STEP 1

Liquid refrigerant is pumped through an expansion device at the indoor coil, which is functioning as the evaporator. Air from inside the house is blown across the coils, where heat energy is absorbed by the refrigerant. The resulting cool air is blown throughout the home’s ducts. The process of absorbing the heat energy has caused the liquid refrigerant to heat up and evaporate into gas form.

STEP 2

The gaseous refrigerant now passes through a compressor, which pressurizes the gas. The process of pressurizing the gas causes it to heat up (a physical property of compressed gases). The hot, pressurized refrigerant moves through the system to the coil in the outdoor unit.

STEP 3

A fan in the outdoor unit moves outside air across the coils, which are serving as condenser coils in cooling mode. Because the air outside the home is cooler than the hot compressed gas refrigerant in the coil, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the outside air. During this process, the refrigerant condenses back to a liquid state as it cools. The warm liquid refrigerant is pumped through the system to the expansion valve at the indoor units.

STEP 4

The expansion valve reduces the pressure of the warm liquid refrigerant, which cools it significantly. At this point, the refrigerant is in a cool, liquid state and ready to be pumped back to the evaporator coil in the indoor unit to begin the cycle again.

HOW A HEAT PUMP WORKS – HEATING MODE

A Heat pump in heating mode operates just like cooling mode, except that the flow of refrigerant is reversed by the aptly named reversing valve. The flow reversal means that the heating source becomes the outside air (even when outdoor temperatures are low) and the heat energy is released inside the home. The outside coil now has the function of an evaporator, and the indoor coil now has the role of the condenser.

The physics of the process are the same. Heat energy is absorbed in the outdoor unit by cool liquid refrigerant, turning it into cold gas. Pressure is then applied to the cold gas, turning it to hot gas. The hot gas is cooled in the indoor unit by passing air, heating the air and condensing the the gas to warm liquid. The warm liquid is relieved of pressure as it enters the outdoor unit, turning it to cool liquid and renewing the cycle.

HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION

Installing a heat pump can be a complex task, requiring a thorough understanding of HVAC systems and electrical connections. The intricate nature of the installation process emphasizes the importance of having an expert handle the job. Your local Carrier expert possess the knowledge, experience, and expertise necessary to ensure a seamless and efficient installation. From assessing the specific heating and cooling requirements of a space to correctly sizing and positioning the heat pump, they meticulously plan and execute the installation, considering factors such as ductwork, electrical compatibility, and optimal placement. Entrusting the installation to a Carrier expert ensures not only a properly functioning heat pump but also peace of mind, knowing that the system has been installed with precision and adherence to safety standards.

HOW A HEAT PUMP WORKS – REVIEW

Heat pumps are versatile, efficient cooling and heating systems. Thanks to a reversing valve, a heat pump can change the flow of refrigerant and either heat or cool a home. Air is blown over an evaporator coil, transferring heat energy from the air to the refrigerant. That heat energy is circulated in the refrigerant to a condenser coil, where it is released as a fan blows air across the coil. Through this process, heat is pumped from one place to another.

Click here to learn more on ductless mini split and our ductless heat pump solutions

A local Carrier HVAC expert such as Prestige Home Comfort can help evaluate your heating and cooling requirements and recommend the proper heat pump system.

News
February 11, 2019

Wood Stove vs Pellet Stove

What is the better option?

It is a question we often get, as people are considering what type of stove to pick for a basement, a garage or any other space for that matter. We will discuss below the benefits of both and why a certain choice might be better for you

Pellet stoves have been on the market for quite a while now, however, there are still plenty of people who associate burning logs with their childhood, or the task of splitting wood as a great way of working out. Simply looking at some burning logs or hearing the sound of crackling of the wood may bring back some warm memories. For those people, choosing a wood stove may be the best decision, as burning pellets simply doesn’t give you the same experience as burning wood. Wood stoves will still run if there is a power outage and therefore do not require a back-up generator (unless you would like to run the fan that may be on the stove). Pellet stoves do require electricity for the fans that supply air to the combustion chamber and move the hot air around and for the hopper (if it is not gravity-fed). 

If you have easy access to scrap wood or cheap fire wood, a regular wood stove would be more desirable, as pellets will have to be bought from a supplier and can’t simply be sourced from your own back yard.

It sounds like the simple tested-and-true wood stove is not a bad choice at all; however, there are quite a few reasons that a pellet stove might be the choice for you. Pellets are a clean burning fuel and mess is minimal, so no dust or wood debris on the floor! The pellets are kept in bags that only need to be emptied in the hopper as required. A pellet stove is more efficient than a wood stove and can be controlled thermostatically. Also, there is less venting required for a pellet stove. The venting is typically installed directly out behind the stove and no chimney is required.

If you are still not sure what the best option would be for your situation, feel free to talk to one of the sales staff at Prestige Home Comfort for more advice. In the mean time, stay warm!

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