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Cunningham Associates
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How to Incorporate Heating Into Your Room Addition

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Changing up your floorplan is an increasingly common project. You might want an extra room. Or, maybe that garage would work better as a study. Even expanding an existing room needs a lot of planning and groundwork. Don’t let air conditioning get lost along the way. Keep these three heating considerations in mind when starting to build:

Will the new space have adequate ventilation?

Houses have a lot of invisible ventilation. Brick walls aren’t solid: they have minute gaps in the grout to allow for air flow during contraction and expansion. Every roof is ringed with a series of vents that let air escape from your attic, and that’s not even considering the (at least two) attic fans your house should have closer to the peak of your roof. Make sure your contractor has accounted for air flow in your new space, especially if you have gas appliances or use a furnace.

Can your HVAC handle the new load?

Heating systems are designed around the square footage they have to keep warm. Even knocking down a wall or changing the floor plan without incorporating new area can make your existing HVAC less effective. Have an expert check that your heater can fully heat the new space without impacting its effectiveness throughout the rest of the house.

Who is making the HVAC changes?

General contractors generally aren’t licensed to install, repair, or modify heating and HVAC systems. Double check that your contractor is bringing in expert professionals who are certified to make the changes you need. It might be more expensive upfront, but it will save you a lot in time, money, and stress over the years.

Contact Cunningham Associates to learn more about installing the proper heating system for your space.

3 Reasons to Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up Before Winter Hits

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November weather means turning on your furnace for a long winter. If the first cold snap hasn’t hit your local area yet, then now is the best time to get your furnace serviced. Here’s why:

  • The beginning of winter is a busy season for heating contractors and furnace repair companies, which could delay your repair. You don’t want to wait until after the first big storm to get your furnace serviced. Not only can that leave your home without heat during the following low temperatures, a long delay can damage your heating system more or even be dangerous if you have a gas-powered furnace.
  • Servicing your system can help solve problems before they start. Small malfunctions and inefficiencies build up over time, and getting your HVAC checked before you use it regularly can help you catch those problems before your system breaks. Having your furnace serviced means a trained professional checks your ventilation, gas and power connections, and the internal cooling system, which saves you money on larger, preventable repairs.
  • Tune-ups help your home’s air quality. Any air conditioning system in your home collects dust and debris as it circulates air. While changing the filter is one of the best steps you can take to ensuring that allergens are removed from the air and your system isn’t overworking due to poor ventilation, sometimes it’s not enough. Dust can build up in the internal workings of your furnace and mildew that may have built up during the furnace’s dormant season needs to be removed.

Scheduling a tune-up for your furnace before the busy winter season not only helps ensure the system will run once the weather turns, it helps keep your furnace running efficiently. So, contact Cunningham Associates to set up a time to schedule a tune-up.

Making Indoor Heating Systems More Effective

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Many people are making their heating systems less effective during the colder months without even realizing it. People who try to find ways to save energy around the house will certainly spend less money on heating in general. However, heating systems in these households will tend to last longer as well.

1. Install energy-efficient windows.

There are lots of energy-efficient windows on the market today. Certain types of windows are much better at providing adequate insulation. As such, people won’t lose as much of the heat that they’re paying for in the first place.

2. Leave as many interior doors open as possible.

Many people are told to close their interior doors in order to make the heating systems work more effectively. However, keeping all of the interior doors closed will just interfere with the airflow between rooms.

In fact, people might end up spending more money on energy during the winter if they constantly keep all of the interior doors closed, regardless of what they’ve been told. The air quality of all rooms will also improve in the process of leaving the doors open.

3. Make sure the floor stays insulated.

Lots of people forget to make sure that their floors are insulated. In fact, a household can lose as much as ten percent of its heat through the floor. People who have carpeted floors might not have to worry about this as much. Placing blankets and rugs on hardwood floors can make a big difference for the people who are trying to conserve as much heat as possible indoors.

Indoor heating systems will be more effective and efficient if people counteract some of the heat loss that can occur throughout a household. Give Cunningham Associates a call with any questions or HVAC service needs you may have – we are happy to help!