Tag: Furnace

Top 3 Reasons To Choose a Furnace for Your Home Heating System

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

French Bulldog with a couple on a couch, cozy home setting highlighting Acosta Heating’s furnace benefits in Charlotte, NC.Most homeowners realize the importance of having a furnace. Even though the temperatures don’t dip below freezing too often in Charlotte during the winter, having a furnace is still essential. Besides keeping your home warm and toasty during the colder months of the year, furnaces provide other benefits as well. Here are three major advantages that furnaces provide for you and your home.

1. Furnaces Improve Indoor Air Quality

Many furnaces on the market today come equipped with humidification, which allows you to remove indoor air contaminants that reduce your indoor air quality. Besides removing these contaminants, furnaces with humidification can also reduce the number of problems in your home associated with humidity. Along with reducing the risk of indoor damage to your home and improving your health, improved air quality and lower levels of humidity help your furnace work more efficiently.

2. Furnaces Are Affordable

On average, a brand-new furnace costs between $2,000 and $3,500, including installation. Compare this to buying and installing a boiler, which on average costs about $2,500 to $4,000. Add this to the fact that a furnace can easily last for up to 15 years, which means you won’t have to replace it in the near future. If the furnace is well-maintained, it can last even longer. If your furnace uses either natural gas or electricity instead of heating oil or propane, this will also help to lower your heating costs.

3. Furnaces Are Safe

While there can be some hazards associated with furnaces, if it is well-maintained, it can be one of the safest ways to heat your home. Consider the fact that when it comes to house fires caused by heating systems, furnaces cause the least amount of fires compared to chimneys, heating stoves, and space heaters. Many furnaces also come with safety switches that prevent fires from erupting or toxic fumes, like carbon monoxide, from entering your home.

Furnace Benefits in Charlotte, NC

Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical logo showcasing services in HVAC and electrical solutions, established in 1972, with a teal background and modern design elements.Whether you need a new furnace or your heating system needs repairs, contact the residential heating and cooling professionals at Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical in Charlotte. Besides providing furnace installation and repair services to a wide area, our company has a variety of special offers to help you save money on HVAC purchases.

Can Furnaces Run Without Filters?

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

Furnace filter being cleaned with a vacuum, highlighting its importance in maintaining air quality and furnace efficiency for home heating systems.

Updated: October 2023

A furnace filter may seem like an insignificant, not-all-that-necessary thing, but the filter is actually a critical part of keeping your furnace operating. Furthermore, keeping a furnace filter in your system is going to keep your air quality at a healthy level.

In need of furnace services in the Charlotte metro area? Call Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical today at [phone] or contact us online!

Here’s what you need to know about operating your furnace without a filter in place:

A Look at the Purpose of a Furnace Filter

A furnace filter is a simple thing, but it serves several different purposes. Air is funneled through the filter before it is sent through the furnace and out into your home. Filters are created of tightly woven materials that grab hold of any contaminant and particle as it passes through the system, which means those contaminants are saved from entering the inside of your furnace as well as the inside of your home. If the filter is clogged, it can cause problems with:

  • Higher-than-usual heating bills
  • Lowered air quality
  • Your furnace operating internally at a higher temperature
  • More instances of repairs

Your furnace filter should be replaced when it’s visibly soiled or when you’re getting an alert on the thermostat that the filter should be changed. Locate the filter on your unit and replace it with the proper size to fit your furnace.

Think you might need a new furnace filter? Acosta offers annual maintenance plans that include furnace checkups and a new filter every year. Call us for more information.

What You Should Know About Running Your Furnace Without a Filter

If something happens and you have to pull your filter out for the day or even a day or two, it’s probably not going to cause major problems right away. However, it’s never a good idea to leave the filter out of your furnace for any longer than that. Doing so will quickly cause the indoor air quality in the house to deteriorate. Plus, your furnace could collect enough dust and contaminants that it leads to repair and maintenance.

Noticing worse than usual air quality in your home? Call the experts at Acosta to check and replace your furnace filter for you.

Furnaces Without Filters in Charlotte, NC

In general, even though the furnace will still function without the filter, it’s not operating in the proper way that the manufacturer intended. If you need help replacing a filter or tending to problems because of not using a filter, reach out to us at Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical in North Carolina for expert advice.

Heat Pumps vs. Furnaces — Which Is Right for You?

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

Should You Opt for a Heat Pump or Furnace in NC?

Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical has been in the HVAC business for five decades. We are happy to answer any questions you have about the differences between heat pumps and furnaces, and we can help you select a system that works for you. We serve the Greater Charlotte area and surrounding parts of South Carolina. Acosta can help service your heater or furnace. Working with your current heat options or totally upgrading can help you and your family be comfortable when the temperature is cooler.

Heat pump mounted on a brick wall, surrounded by greenery, showcasing energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions for homes in Charlotte, NC.

Benefits of Installing a Heat Pump System

  • A heat pump runs on electricity. This is the most common type of heating for homes in moderate climates.
  • The installation service is also less time intensive and will cost less than a furnace. Heat pumps are quieter than traditional furnaces.
  • Another benefit of heat pumps is that there’s no danger of carbon monoxide poisoning! There is no chance of a gas leak, which makes it safer.
  • Heat pumps are known to be one of the most energy-efficient HVAC options available to homeowners. The heat pump can replace your air conditioner as well, making this a good choice if you need to replace your air conditioner soon.
  • There are ductless versions of heat pumps that you can use in your home if you cannot count on having functional and clean air ducts and vents.
  • A heat pump should reduce your fuel costs by 50% if you’re currently running on gas.
  • They tend to be one of the most dependable HVAC options on the market.
  • The overall working of the heat pump is cleaner, so the air in your home will be cleaner than if you were to use a furnace or central air.

Disadvantages of Heat Pumps

  • Heat pump systems can be more expensive to install compared to traditional heating and cooling systems.
  • Heat pumps work best in moderate climates. In extremely cold climates, the efficiency of the heat pump decreases, and it may struggle to provide sufficient heating. In such cases, additional heating sources might be required.
  • Heat pumps can generate some noise, especially the outdoor unit. While modern models are designed to minimize noise, it can still be a concern for homeowners, particularly if the outdoor unit is located near living areas or neighbors.

Does a heat pump sound like the right system for your home? Give Acosta a call at 704.665.5998 for a free estimate on installation in the Charlotte, NC, area today!

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Benefits of Installing a Furnace Heating System

  • Furnaces require less space because there’s no outdoor component, only an indoor one.
  • Furnaces are also better for heating homes in extreme cold.
  • It’s mechanically made out of fewer parts, so there’s less risk of it breaking and it might be easier to maintain.
  • Gas furnaces have a longer life span than electric furnaces. If you have access to natural gas, this might be the choice for you.
  • Furnaces rely on ducts to spread the heat throughout your home, so make sure you have functional and clean air ducts and vents with a furnace.
  • Furnaces last for around 10 to 15 years before needing to be replaced. With proper maintenance, they can last even longer than that.
  • Furnaces can help your pipes from freezing.
  • Furnaces are the most common heating source across the U.S.

Thinking a furnace might be right for your Charlotte-area home? Contact Acosta for a free estimate on furnace installation!

Disadvantages of Furnaces

  • Furnaces are known for their relatively lower energy efficiency compared to heat pumps.
  • Furnaces that use fossil fuels contribute to carbon emissions and are less environmentally friendly compared to heat pumps, which utilize electricity for heating.
  • Furnaces tend to dry out the air in a home, leading to lower humidity levels.
  • Furnaces that rely on fossil fuels are subject to fluctuations in fuel prices and availability. If the cost of the chosen fuel rises significantly or becomes scarce, it can impact the affordability of operating a furnace heating system.

Your Local Charlotte Heating System Experts

Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical is here to answer any questions you have about heat pumps or furnaces. We’ve been the go-to HVAC company in the Charlotte area since 1972

Contact us today and make an appointment and get a free estimate on heat pump and furnace installation.