Category: Maintenance

Fall home and commercial property

A Comfortable Start to Fall, at Home and at Work

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By Brittany Kent, Owner of Experts Heating & Cooling

There is a familiar rhythm to this time of year. The kids are back in school, calendars are filling up with practices and activities, and those cooler mornings have us reaching for a sweatshirt before heading out the door. Weekends start to revolve around football, something warm cooking in the kitchen, and plans for gathering with friends and family. Before long, we will be figuring out where everyone is sitting for Thanksgiving dinner.

As we settle into those routines, our homes and businesses begin making a seasonal transition of their own. The cooling we counted on through summer gives way to the heat we appreciate on a chilly morning. It is an easy change to make at the thermostat, but a little attention behind the scenes can help us feel more prepared for the months ahead.

At Experts Heating & Cooling, fall is one of our favorite times to remind customers that taking care of their comfort does not have to wait until something stops working. Whether you are getting your home ready for holiday company or making sure your business stays comfortable for employees and customers, this is a good opportunity to give your heating and cooling equipment some care.

For Kyle and I, that care starts with earning your trust. Inviting someone into your home or putting them in charge of equipment at your business is a decision that matters. As a fully licensed residential and commercial HVAC contractor, we take pride in providing thoughtful service, clear communication, and work we stand behind. We want you to feel comfortable with the people caring for your system, not just the temperature on your thermostat.

A maintenance visit begins with more than looking at the equipment. We also want to hear how it has been working for you. Maybe the back bedroom never quite feels comfortable, the system has started making an unfamiliar sound, or the office takes longer to warm up in the morning. Those everyday observations help us understand your concerns and give us a better picture of what deserves attention.

From there, we tailor the visit to your equipment and the maintenance service being performed. Depending on the system and service scope, that may include inspecting filters and airflow components, checking electrical connections and controls, evaluating coils and drainage, and checking heating operation. A furnace, heat pump, ductless mini-split, and commercial rooftop unit each have different needs. Our approach is to give your equipment the attention appropriate to it rather than treat every system the same.

Just as important is making sure you understand what we find. We explain any concerns and discuss recommended repairs or additional work separately from the maintenance visit. There should be room for questions and a clear understanding of the next step. While maintenance cannot prevent every unexpected repair, it gives us an opportunity to identify concerns and help you plan rather than simply react.

At home, professional maintenance works alongside the care you already provide. Checking filters, keeping vents clear, and making sure leaves are not collecting around outdoor equipment are helpful habits between visits. Our role is to look beyond those everyday tasks and evaluate the components and operation that need professional attention. Together, those efforts help you care for the system you rely on through changing seasons.

For our commercial customers, we know there is already plenty to keep track of. Between staffing, customers, deliveries, and daily responsibilities, heating and cooling equipment can be easy to overlook—especially when it is out of sight on the roof.

That is why we build commercial maintenance plans around the individual property. The equipment, operating schedule, filter requirements, and needs of the business all help determine the right service plan. We offer annual, semiannual, and quarterly options, with filter changes included as outlined in the agreement. Monthly billing options are also available to help make the cost easier to work into your budget, while service visits follow the schedule established for your property.

Whether we are caring for a family’s home or a local business, our goal is the same: to make the process straightforward and help you feel confident about the care your equipment is receiving.

As the fall calendar fills up, setting aside time for maintenance is one small way to prepare for the season ahead. It does not need to wait until the first truly cold morning—or until everyone arrives for dinner and you realize the house is not warming up.

Experts Heating & Cooling is proud to serve homeowners and businesses throughout Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat counties. Call 360-335-1699 to schedule your fall maintenance or talk with us about a commercial maintenance plan tailored to your property.

Here’s to football weekends, welcoming spaces, and a comfortable place to come in from the cold.

Fall Maintenance
HVAC technician carrying a tool bag toward a suburban home on a breezy fall day, with autumn leaves and an American Standard outdoor HVAC unit beside the house.

Cool Mornings, Cozy Homes: Why Fall HVAC Maintenance Matters

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There is something about this time of year that I always enjoy. The days may still carry some of summer’s warmth, but the mornings are a little cooler, the evenings start to feel different, and you can tell that fall is beginning to make its way in.

As the owner of Experts, this is also the time of year when I start thinking ahead—not just about our schedule, but about the homes and families we take care of throughout the year.

The transition from summer into fall is one of the best times to schedule your annual heating and cooling maintenance. Your system has worked through the heat of summer, and before long, you’ll be asking it to keep your home comfortable through cooler mornings, colder nights, and eventually winter weather. Having a professional inspect and maintain your equipment before that seasonal change gives you an opportunity to make sure everything is operating as it should before you really need it.

And that last part is important.

Annual maintenance is not simply about having someone come out and “take a look.” A professional HVAC technician is trained to evaluate parts of your system that most homeowners simply cannot and should not be expected to inspect on their own. Depending on the type of equipment in your home, a maintenance visit can include checking electrical connections, system controls, airflow, drainage, motors, burners, combustion components, and other parts that contribute to safe, reliable operation.

It is a little like the other preventative care we do around our homes and vehicles. We don’t maintain something because we expect it to fail tomorrow. We maintain it because we want to give it the best opportunity to work properly when we need it.

Homeowner care still plays an incredibly important role. Replacing or cleaning your filter as recommended, keeping supply and return vents unobstructed, paying attention to unusual noises or changes in comfort, and keeping the area around your equipment clean are all simple habits that can make a difference. Professional maintenance is not a replacement for those things it is the perfect addition to them.

I think that distinction matters because good home maintenance really is a partnership.

You know your home better than anyone. You notice when one room suddenly feels different, when the system seems to be running longer than usual, or when something just doesn’t sound quite right. Our job as professionals is to bring the training, tools, measurements, and experience needed to look deeper into the equipment and help identify concerns that may not be visible from the outside.

Sometimes a maintenance visit is wonderfully uneventful. Everything looks good, the system is operating properly, and you gain some peace of mind heading into the next season. Other times, we may find a worn component, an airflow concern, a dirty area of the system, or another issue that is better addressed now than during the first cold night when your heating system is suddenly working its hardest.

That is one of the biggest reasons I encourage our customers not to wait until the weather changes completely before scheduling.

As soon as those colder days arrive and heating systems begin running regularly, service schedules naturally become busier. Homeowners who plan their maintenance during this late-summer and early-fall transition have a little more opportunity to be proactive rather than trying to find an appointment after a problem has already appeared.

There is no need to wait until something stops working to take care of it.

As we enjoy these cooler mornings and evenings and start settling into another fall season, take a moment to think about the equipment that quietly keeps your home comfortable throughout the year. Change that filter if it is due, take care of the little things you can do as a homeowner, and consider scheduling your professional annual maintenance before the fall calendar fills up.

For me, preventative maintenance has always been about more than equipment. It is about helping our customers feel prepared, informed, and comfortable in their homes.

And there is no better time to prepare for the next season than before it arrives.

— Brittany Kent
Vice President, Experts Heating & Cooling Inc.

🍁 It’s Fall — Time to Show Your Heating System Some Love
A central air conditioning unit sits beside a house on a bright summer day, with blue airflow lines illustrated moving from the unit across a green lawn and landscaped flower bed.

Warmer Weather Is on the Way: Is Your Cooling System Ready?

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As the seasons begin to change and warmer weather starts moving in, many of us are getting ready to spend more time outside, open the windows, and enjoy the sunshine. But before the heat really settles in, it is also a good time to think about something that works hard behind the scenes to keep your home comfortable: your cooling system.

We always recommend having a professional spring maintenance visit before your air conditioner or heat pump begins running regularly for the season. A maintenance appointment gives a trained technician the chance to inspect your system, clean important components, check for proper operation, and catch small concerns before they become larger, more expensive problems. It is one of the best ways to help your system run efficiently and reliably when you need it most.

That said, we also understand that life gets busy. If you have not had a technician out yet this spring, there are still a few simple steps you can take as a homeowner to help your system perform the best it can until you are able to schedule maintenance.

One of the most important things you can do is check your air filter. Your filter plays a big role in how well air moves through your system. When it becomes dirty or clogged, your equipment has to work harder to move air through your home. This can affect comfort, increase energy use, and put unnecessary strain on the system. If your filter looks dirty, replacing it is a simple step that can make a noticeable difference.

It is also helpful to take a walk through your home and make sure vents and return air grilles are open and clear. Furniture, rugs, curtains, and other household items can sometimes block airflow without us even realizing it. Good airflow helps your system cool your home more evenly and allows it to operate more efficiently.

Outside, your cooling system needs space to breathe. Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, branches, and other debris can collect around the outdoor unit, especially after winter and spring yard work. Gently clearing the area around the unit can help air move freely and allow the system to release heat properly. We do recommend leaving any internal cleaning or repairs to a qualified technician, but keeping the area around the unit clear is a great homeowner-friendly step.

Before the first truly hot day arrives, turn your cooling system on and let it run for a little while. This gives you a chance to make sure cool air is coming from the vents and that the system sounds and smells normal. If you notice warm air, weak airflow, unusual noises, strange odors, or the system starting and stopping more often than usual, it may be time to have a professional take a look.

Your thermostat is another small but important part of the comfort equation. Make sure it is set to cooling mode and that your temperature settings still match your household’s needs. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, this is a good time to review your schedule. A few small adjustments can help keep your home comfortable while also helping manage energy use during the warmer months.

Even if everything seems to be running normally, spring maintenance is still worth scheduling. A system can appear to be working fine while still having hidden issues that affect efficiency, reliability, or long-term performance. Routine maintenance helps protect your comfort, supports the life of your equipment, and can reduce the chance of an unexpected breakdown during the hottest part of the season.

At the end of the day, your comfort matters to us. We know how important it is to have a home that feels cool, safe, and comfortable when warmer weather arrives. If you have not scheduled your spring maintenance yet, or if you are unsure whether your system is ready for the heat, our team is here to help.

Give us a call today to schedule your spring maintenance or to have one of our technicians check your system before the heat really sets in. We would be happy to help make sure your home is ready for the season ahead.

How often should I schedule a maintenance?

illuminated cottage house in winter countryside

Weatherization: Essential Tips for a Cozy Home this Winter

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Happy National Weatherization Day! At Experts Heating and Cooling, we believe that keeping your home comfortable and energy-efficient is essential, especially as the colder months approach. Weatherization is the process of making your home more energy-efficient by sealing leaks and improving insulation, and it can lead to significant savings on your heating bills. Here are some practical tips to help you weatherize your home this winter.

Seal Windows and Doors

One of the easiest ways to prevent drafts is by checking the seals around your windows and doors. Use caulk to fill in any cracks or gaps, and consider applying weather-stripping to doors and windows that feel drafty. This simple step can make a noticeable difference in your home’s temperature and comfort.

Insulate Your Attic

Heat rises, so having proper insulation in your attic is crucial. Check your current insulation levels and add more if necessary. Ideally, you should have at least 12-15 inches of insulation to keep your home warm and reduce heating costs. If you have pull-down stairs, consider insulating them as well to prevent heat loss.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

If you haven’t already, consider upgrading to a smart thermostat. These devices allow you to program your heating schedule, ensuring that your home is warm when you need it and saving energy when you don’t. Many smart thermostats also provide insights into your energy usage, helping you make informed decisions.

Inspect Your Heating System

Before the cold weather sets in, it’s wise to have your heating system inspected by a professional. Regular maintenance ensures that your furnace or heat pump operates efficiently. Change your air filters regularly to maintain optimal airflow and improve air quality.

Insulate Pipes and Ducts

Exposed pipes in unheated areas can freeze and burst during extreme cold. Insulate them with foam sleeves or tape. Additionally, ensure your ductwork is properly insulated to prevent heat loss as air travels through your home.

Use Window Treatments

Heavy curtains or thermal blinds can provide an extra layer of insulation against cold windows. During the day, open them to let in natural sunlight and warmth, and close them at night to keep the heat in.

Check Your Roof

A well-maintained roof is vital for weatherization. Inspect for missing or damaged shingles that could lead to leaks and insulation issues. Consider adding roof vents if your attic lacks proper ventilation to prevent heat buildup and moisture problems.

Conclusion

Weatherizing your home not only enhances comfort but also saves money on energy bills. This National Weatherization Day, take the time to implement these tips and make your home a cozy haven for the winter months ahead. If you need assistance or have questions about your heating system, don’t hesitate to contact Experts Heating and Cooling. We’re here to help you stay warm and efficient all winter long!

Stay warm,
The Experts Heating and Cooling Team

Is maintenance important?

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Before & After Maintenance

The answer is yes! Many people make an investment into their heating and cooling system, but fail to maintain proper upkeep. A heating and cooling system is similar to a car- it needs care and maintenance to work properly. A properly working system will keep your home cozy and cool for years to come, which is why annual maintenance is so important.

Some benefits from proper maintenance would be:

  • Lower Utility Bills- Properly running system can mean less money spent on electricity.
  • Healthy Air- Clean filters and coils mean better breathing for the whole family.
  • Efficiency- Research shows that dirty or unmaintained units need to work 20% harder to produce the same amount of cooling or heating as a well-maintained system.
  • Life of the System- The better a person maintains their heating and cooling system, the longer the system can function.

Is it time to schedule your annual maintenance?

Schedule online or call Experts at 360-335-1699