Max Sr & Paul Schoenwalder Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, A Corp. Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Our #1 Safety Tip if you Have a Gas Furnace

Monday, December 13th, 2021

woman-hands-holding-paper-houseWe know, we know. The title of this blog post makes it seems like gas furnaces are inherently dangerous. This is simply not true. What is true, however, is that if you don’t properly care for your gas furnace, it can become dangerous. Why is this? Well because gas lines can leak, and when a furnace isn’t well-maintained or if the damage isn’t repaired, it’s more likely for this to occur.

The biggest risk is a carbon monoxide (CO) leak. CO exposure is one of the leading causes of household illnesses and injury, and even leads to many fatalities each year. We say this not to scare you, but for you to be aware. The component that you need to be most worried about is the heat exchanger. Read on as we uncover more about the heat exchanger, as well as our #1 safety tip if you have a gas furnace–scheduling annual furnace maintenance.

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Heed These Signs You Need Boiler Repairs

Monday, November 15th, 2021

boiler-systemBoilers are one of the most efficient and effective heating systems on the market, and when you live somewhere like the Chatham area, efficient and effective is exactly what you need to stay comfortable! But just like any other heating system, your boiler won’t last forever. If you keep it professionally maintained–you should be scheduling maintenance once a year for this system–and keep up with repair needs, you can count on your boiler lasting about 20 years.

But what if you don’t know how to detect whether or not your boiler system actually needs repair? Well, you’re in luck if you’ve found this blog post, because we’re about to tell you what signs to watch for. Read on!

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Our Start of the Season Furnace Guide

Monday, October 18th, 2021

Many homeowners in our community are beginning the heating season by turning on their powerful furnace systems. Furnaces produce heat by either burning gas or creating electrical resistance that heats up the air. The first time your furnace heats up the air for the season, you might encounter some strange events. From noises to odd smells, a furnace can go through some growing pains every season, and we want to be the team to walk you through them.

First of all, don’t hesitate to call us for furnace repair in Warren. If you think something is wrong with your furnace, even before you turn the system on for the season, then our team can help with targeted repairs. We have the training, expertise, and necessary equipment to provide fast and reliable repairs on furnace systems in our area.

For everyone else, keep reading!

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How Long Does a Boiler Really Last?

Monday, October 4th, 2021

analog-clock-on-wallImagine waking up on a frigid January morning. Your radiator is cold. There is no hot water for the shower. Your old boiler has finally quit. This could be avoided if you keep an eye on its age and replace it before it breaks down. 

At Max Sr. and Paul Schoenwalder Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, we have 109 years of home heating experience. This includes providing boiler service in Kenilworth, New Jersey. We believe it is better to prevent a problem than to fix an emergency problem. Here are a few tips to help you identify the age of your boiler and determine when it might be time to replace it.

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How to Shut Down Your Furnace for the Season

Monday, April 5th, 2021

furnace-jetsOne of the goals most homeowners have is to save money on their heating and cooling costs. And we get it! After all, using your furnace can get expensive, especially considering how much you actually need it in our climate. The good news is, there are a lot of ways you can use your furnace efficiently and spend less. One of these ways is to completely shut down the system during the late spring and summer season, when you don’t need it.

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Is Your Boiler Struggling to Keep Up?

Monday, March 8th, 2021

boiler-pressure-gaugeNo matter what type of heating system you have, it can only operate as efficiently and effectively as it is supposed to if it is properly cared for. Boiler systems are no exception! They should be installed, repaired, and maintained by highly trained and experienced heating professionals so they can function as they’re meant to.

It’s important to remember, too, that even with high-quality installation and services, there’s still a chance that something will go amiss that will require boiler repair, or even boiler replacement when it wears down enough. But do you know how to spot the signs that your boiler system is struggling to keep up?

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Don’t Ignore These End-Of-Season Furnace Repair Needs

Monday, February 22nd, 2021

technician-working-on-furnaceIt may seem really odd to call this the “end of the season” with the chillier temperatures we have had lately. But you know as well as we do that spring is right around the corner, and heat and humidity can come down on us much quicker than we expect. But before you call us for AC maintenance (which you can do any time!) it’s time to address your heating system needs.

Now, if you had your heater maintained this past fall and no problems were caught, you’re probably in good shape. This is especially true if your furnace is only a year or two old. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore this blog post. It’s always a good idea to know the signs of potential furnace repair needs.

Not sure what those indicators might be? Read on as we uncover just a few signs that should have you giving our number a dial.

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4 Ways to Get the Most from Your Heater

Monday, February 8th, 2021

jets-of-a-furnaceWe heard it from Punxsutawney Phil himself—we have six more weeks of winter ahead! Okay, whether or not you believe in Groundhog Day predictions, the fact of the matter is that temperatures are probably going to stay chilly for a while, and you’re definitely going to need a fully functional heater to continue to keep you warm.

When we say fully functional, we mean just as powerful as it should be, in addition to as efficient as it should be. How efficiently your heater operates informs how much you spend on your heating from month to month, and who wants to pay more than necessary? The bad and the good news is, you might not be using your heater as efficiently as possible. Read on to learn 4 ways to potentially change that!

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Tips for Staying Warm When Your Furnace Breaks Down

Monday, December 28th, 2020

woman-huddled-with-blanket-drinking-from-mugWhen your furnace breaks down, the last thing you want to do is think of fun or creative ways to stay warm, right? You just want your furnace fixed, and fast.

We get it! In an ideal world, you’d call up a heating professional and have your heater back up and running within 10 or 15 minutes. But even with our emergency services, this just isn’t the case.

Now, you can prevent an unpleasant surprise like this. It’s possible with professional services like preventive maintenance. Whether you have a gas or electric furnace system, you should be scheduling this maintenance service once a year. It allows our professionals to comprehensively clean, inspect, and adjust the components of your heater to make sure it operates as best it can. Maintenance tune-ups also extend the lifespan of the equipment and make it less likely that you’ll have a surprise breakdown to begin with.

But, we’re going to assume that if you came across this blog post, you weren’t able to prevent your breakdown. We’re definitely the team to call! However, in the meantime, we do want to offer some creative and potentially even fun ways to stay warm until we show up.

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Give Yourself the Gift of Safety with This One Winter Tip

Monday, December 14th, 2020

furnace-jetsSafety is on everyone’s minds this year. More specifically, the health and safety of our families is a top priority, as it should be. Because of this, you may be looking for ways to ensure good health hygiene in your home. You probably have everyone washing their hands, you likely are keeping surfaces as clean as possible, and then hopefully you have the right indoor air quality products in place to boost immunity and make your home more comfortable in general.

But there is one thing that often escapes homeowners’ minds this time of year, and it can be a pretty important one—get your furnace maintained!

This is a service we typically recommend in the fall, before you need the system the most. It’s important for all heating systems, but especially gas-powered furnaces, and especially gas-powered furnaces that are 10-15 years of age. Read on to learn why!

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