Heating System Repair, Service and Installation

Sometimes heating appliances fail while you’re using them during the wintertime because they’re constantly running in the cold months. Regular maintenance throughout the year can keep your furnace working longer and help it to provide reliable heat when you need it the most.

Before the hot weather arrives, schedule your heating repair to make sure you keep your family warm. Remember, A-1 American services all of Hampton Roads. Looking for heating and air conditioning in Virginia Beach? We’re right down the road. Need a company that does Furnace or Boiler Repair in Chesapeake? We’re your guys.

Below is just one example of a new gas pack installation performed by Jake, one of the professional HVAC techs here at A-1 American:

If your heating system is aging and you have to make frequent repairs, it’s probably time you upgraded to a newer heating unit. A-1 American provides Hampton Roads with quality heating repair and can offer you selection and installation of a furnace or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that is right for you and your home.

Whether you have problems with HVAC in general or your heater specifically, we’ve got you covered throughout the entire Hampton Roads area, and upwards into Williamsburg, VA.

Call A-1 American for fast and long-lasting repairs!

24-Hour Emergency Service

(757) 425-2400

 

Committed To Your Comfort When The Temperature Rises

A-1 American Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning in Virginia Beach is committed to our customers’ comfort when the temperatures change or become extreme. Some may feel stressed out at the mercy of nature and machines. You can feel at ease knowing that A-1 American Services is only a phone call away. If your heating system fails:

• You can count on us to answer your call 24/7
• When an A-1 American technician arrives at your door to fix your broken heater, you have a trained professional who is skilled in the repair of all makes and models of heaters, from older units to the latest designs.
• After a professional diagnostic of your heating system, you’ll be provided with all of your options for repairs or replacements.
• Our professional technicians will address all of your questions about the repairs and any budget concerns.

For the Do-it-Yourselfers

For information on maintenance you can perform yourself to reduce problems with your heating system, check out Our Blog on HVAC Maintenance

Every Penny Counts - Energy Saving Tips

Abraham Lincoln famously said that a penny saved is a penny earned. By implementing these tips you and your family can start saving money each month on fuel costs. Besides your bottom line, saving fossil fuels also benefits the Earth.

Installations and Upgrades

Outdoor Gas Pack Unit
There are many types of heating units made for the home and office. There are:

• Wall units
• Furnaces
• HVAC systems
• Heat Pumps

When you’re in the market for upgrading or installing an entirely new heating system, you can consult with A-1 American to see which heating and air conditioning unit is right for your home. There are many factors to take into consideration when selecting a new unit, including:

• Number of rooms
• Size of your home
• Your usage demands

The size of the heating unit used for your home or business is a very important decision. If the heating unit is too big, it may short cycle and cause energy inefficiency at best, and could cause permanent damage to the unit at worst. If the heating unit is too small, it won’t be able to work hard enough to heat the desired space. If pushed to their limits too often, smaller heating appliances may break down before the factory has expected them to, causing warranty issues.

Once our certified technicians have helped you to select the best system for your home or place of business, A-1 American can proceed with the installation and you will soon be enjoying the luxury of a warm living space. All of our certified technicians are factory trained, and every installation we do is inspected to ensure it will perform efficiently for a very long time.

Lost?

Certain heating systems, such as furnaces, are relatively simple to understand. As heating technology increases, so does its complexity. Heat pumps take advantage of some of these new advanced technologies, but they’re fairly confusing. To understand them better, be sure to check out our blog on Heat Pump Basics for Dummies

A Quick, Tidy Process

Some contractors manage to drag out their projects for days and days after they should have been completed. Not at A-1 American Services. Partially due to our technicians’ in-depth knowledge of the mechanics of your heating system, partially due to our technicians’ experience in the field, and partially due to their ethic of hard work, new installations and repairs by A-1 American Services are completed quickly, to the satisfaction of our customers.

Besides making sure all of our work is completed quickly and efficiently, A-1 American Services also prides itself on making sure the work space is clean when we leave it. This includes removing the equipment and materials used, the replaced material and any debris created while working. Our technicians also maintain a smoke-free work space.

Environmental Threats to Your Heating - Falling Leaves

While most of the issues you’ll encounter with your heating system are mechanical, there are environmental concerns to consider, too. One good example of nature damaging your home comfort systems is fallen leaves. Leaves can gather and pile around heat pumps and the outside piping of furnaces, restricting airflow. Read more about this problem and its solution in this quick guide.

The Top 5 Causes of Your Heating Problems

5. Thermostat Malfunctions - The thermostat serves a critical role in the regulation of heat released by nearly any heating system. Once the temperature of the air in a system, such as your house, reaches a certain point, the thermostat is responsible for engaging the heating system, or turning it on. If you own a heat pump, the thermostat will engage the cooling system when it’s triggered by enough heat. This happens in the summertime and when autumn leaves trap air and raise the temperature around the heat pump. Symptoms of thermostat malfunction include fans not working, and little or no heat blowing out of the vents.

4. Air Flow Problems - Sometimes airflow problems are as simple as dirty or clogged air vents, which can be replaced by the homeowner. Other airflow problems require trained technicians. These include faulty indoor blower motors, frozen indoor coils, improperly installed or maintained ductwork, and loose or worn fan belts.

3. Dirty or Clogged Filters - If your filters contain blockage, either from debris or from ice, it can spell disaster for your monthly heating bill and your home’s ability to properly warm itself. Professionals use high-pressure machines in addition to other strategies to clear your filters out until they look and function like new. Clogged filters more often than not result in intermittent heat, rather than a total absence of heat.

2. Furnace or Heating System Pilot or Ignition Control Problems - A rather technical problem, this deals with your heating system’s ability to turn itself on. On newer heating systems, this might mean a bad electrical connection to the ignition control. With older models and furnaces, we are talking about something preventing open flame from reaching the pilot, which begins the heating process.

1. Lack of Maintenance - A properly maintained heating system is a happy system. Manufacturer’s warranties last only for a short while, and after that point it’s your job to check your system. Although a check-up on your heating system isn’t as complicated as completely rebuilding it, it’s beyond the capacities of most homeowners. A-1 American Services can help you with this kind of routine maintenance, as well as when the heating system actually breaks down or begins to merely sputter out heat.

Find out why Virginia Beach gets so cold during the winter, while staying so nice and warm during the rest of the year in this quick guide: Why does it get so cold in Virginia Beach?

The Dangers of Overexposure to Cold Weather

Cold weather is annoying. Having to put on layers of heavy clothes, scrape the ice from your car and do other tedious tasks might be the least of your troubles, though. Serious wintertime health hazards may be looming for you and your family if your heating system breaks or is operating at minimum efficiency. Hypothermia may be a very real threat. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees. It can lead to a fatal slowing of the heartbeat. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, sleepiness and slurring of the speech. Avoid this threat with healthy indoor temperatures. Remember, A-1 American Services and proper heating and air conditioning is just a phone call away.

Another danger of overexposure to cold weather is that colds and flus are more stable in cold weather. They stay in the air for longer periods of time. In extreme cases, frostbite may be a danger. Frostbite causes loss of color and feeling in the affected areas. When left untreated, amputation may be required. Having a very cold home or office can even lead to an increase in heart attacks, as the cold weather can increase the blood pressure, a dangerous factor for those already at risk for heart attacks.

Thank you Hampton Roads for your many votes of confidence. A-1 American Services was awarded Best of the Best Gold two years in a row; 2012-2013.

A Quick History of Central Heating

Since the discovery of fire, mankind has been able to stay warm in uncomfortably cold, even dangerously cold conditions. The campfire was so essential to early man’s survival that traditions and social customs grew from it, such as storytelling and communal bonding. The campfire had some limitations, though. The warmth received from the fire was directly related to the proximity of the person to the fire. Simply put, a fire’s warmth dissipates quickly after the first or second row of people surrounding it. As a result, the fire only brings light, not heat, to the outer limits of the campfire circle.

The Romans are credited with first developing a heating system that could heat several rooms at once. It used a furnace room to conduct warm air that could then be distributed through a system of pipes inside of the walls. Franz San Galli invented the radiator in 1855, which was a major step in progressing to our modern-day central heating systems. William Strutt collaborated with Charles Sylvester in designing and building the Derby Royal Infirmary, a marvel of modern heating technology that was adopted and improved upon by countless other scientists and architects over the years. A-1 American Services has experts to assist with any heating problem you may encounter or to help with your new heating unit installation. Give us a call 24/7 at 757-425 2400.

We’re committed to your heating comfort during the cooler months, which is why we provide:

• Repair service on all makes and models
• Replacement and new equipment installation
• Semi-annual tune-ups on heating and cooling systems
• 24-hour emergency service
• Guarantees on equipment and on our service

We service, install and maintain most brands and models from the following manufacturers:

When it comes to the unit’s brand, A-1 American Services’ experienced service technicians can help you choose the right system based on your home and your specific needs. This can include split systems, heat pumps, furnaces and boilers. Each manufacturer offers its ratings for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). You can also look at customer ratings. No matter the brand, all heating systems should provide comfort and even temperatures throughout your home.

Here are some great resources from some of the brands we repair and install:

• Bryant: Heating and Cooling 101
• Carrier: Keeping Homes Warm
• Trane: Energy Savings; Energy Star

A-1 American provides Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing Services, like heat pumps and new heating system installation for homes and businesses in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton, and north into Williamsburg. A-1 American provides emergency service and repair, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays. A-1 American charges by the job, not by the hour. We pride ourselves on immediate response, punctuality, courtesy and customer satisfaction. Call us today at 757-324-5277.