Quick Questions & Answers

We’re revisiting this question because it’s one of those questions that comes up periodically. In this world of Amazon, it’s tempting for customers to want to acquire a part cheaper. But there can be a real cost with that including: might not be the right part; further diagnosis may reveal further problem; part might be defective; part might take several days to arrive. We have a relationship with a local HVAC supply house, and to keep your furnace or AC running, both KJ Thomas Mechanical and our local supply house need to keep our lights on! If you are without heat on a frigid day, we can usually fix it the same day thanks to our trained techs and local suppliers (through whom are parts are guaranteed!). Can Amazon provide that personalized and guaranteed timely furnace repair or AC repair service?

A knowledgeable HVAC contractor will size your new furnace (and air conditioner too) to match the size of your home and existing ducts. “Bigger” is not better, and “right size” is best! Furnace size is based on the number of BTUs it outputs. If the furnace too large for a home, it short-cycles. This means it turns on and runs very briefly to heat your home rapidly before shutting down. Running frequently for very short periods of time is hard on a furnace and can cause it to fail prematurely or require repairs. It also means higher energy bills. A properly sized furnace will turn on and stay on for a while to bring your home to the desired temperature, then shut down.

It’s important to have a clean furnace air filter all year long! In the summer, a dirty filter may reduce the flow of cooled air into your rooms. It can also increase your electric bills as the unit works harder, or cause the unit to wear out prematurely, or require a service call if the coil ices up. If your air conditioning is not cooling, it’s a good idea to check (and change, if necessary) the filter. You just might save yourself a service call.