Frequently Asked Questions
Duct Cleaning
How often should I have my ductwork cleaned?
You should have your ductwork cleaned if your ductwork contains debris or dirt from
construction or poor filtration that could find its way into the air stream. After
an initial cleaning, you should not have to repeat this cleaning if you have an
effective filtration system and sealed ductwork. This definitely does not need to
be a regular maintenance procedure.
Humidity
Where should I set my humidistat? (humidity percentage)
35% should be a good set point for winter humidification for most homes.
How often should I change my humidifier pad?
The humidifier pad should be changed when there is buildup on the pad, or during
the yearly maintenance.
Do I need to shut off my humidifier in the spring?
This will depend on the system controls that you currently are using. With the automatic
controls available from Thermal Services this is not necessary. Ask your maintenance
technician about your system controls.
I have condensation on my windows, why? What actions should I take to correct this
situation?
The surface temperature of the window is below the dewpoint temperature of the space,
and the moisture in the air condenses on the window or any other surface that is
below dewpoint temperature. To prevent condensation on the window you need to lower
the humidity level in the space. Ask a Thermal Services technician about specific
automatic temperature-compensating controls to prevent this problem.
Carbon Monoxide
Where should I have my CO detector installed?
You should place your CO detector(s) near any sleeping areas. This may be the most
advantageous placement, but all living areas should communicate with the CO detectors.
There will be instructions with all units to assist placement.
Air Conditioner
Should I cover my A/C condenser coil during the winter?
These units are designed to be in the elements. You can cover these units to help
keep them clean, but it is not necessary.
How and when should I clean my outside unit?
This should be a scheduled routine maintenance item. It is necessary to keep the
outside coil clean for proper and efficient operation. A Thermal Services maintenance
technician, due to the danger from high voltage electricity, may best perform this
task. If you choose to clean the unit yourself, ask our technicians to show you
how to safely perform this maintenance task.
What is the life expectancy of an air conditioner?
The most common answer today is 10 to 15 years. Professional installation practices
and proper maintenance are the key elements to assure long troublefree equipment
life.
How often should my air conditioner be serviced?
Under normal circumstances, proper maintenance should be performed once during each
cooling season.
Do I need my A/C checked before I turn it on for the cooling season?
If proper routine maintenance has been performed during each cooling season, there
is no reason that the system cannot be started and run without concern.
How often should I be adding refrigerant?
Adding refrigerant should not be a necessary service item. Your system contains
a sealed refrigeration unit and should not need refrigerant unless there is a leak
in the system.
Heat Pump
How and when should I clean my outside unit?
This should be a scheduled routine maintenance item. It is necessary to keep the
outside coil clean for proper and efficient operation. A Thermal Services maintenance
technician, due to the danger from high voltage electricity, may best perform this.
If you choose to clean the unit yourself, ask our technicians to show you how to
safely perform this maintenance task.
What is the life expectancy of a heat pump?
The most common answer today is 10 to 15 years. Professional installation practices
and proper maintenance are the key elements to assure long trouble free equipment
life.
Should the heat pump run at this outdoor temperature?
Normally we run the Heat Pump as the heating source down to 20° F. as required by
OPPD. Then the auxiliary heat source is called upon to provide heat below this 20°
F. balance point.
Do I need my heat pump checked before I turn it on for the cooling/heating season?
If proper routine maintenance has been performed during each season, there is no
reason that the system cannot be started and run without concern.
How long should my heat pump run each cycle? It seems like it never shuts off.
A heat pump is designed to run for extended run cycles. The heat pump generates
a less intense (95°- 105°) heat for longer run cycles (3 cycles per hour), while
something like gas heat will provide a high intensity (120°- 160°) heat for shorter
run cycles (5-6 cycles per hour).
What is that smoke coming out of my heat pump?
The white steam-like smoke coming off the outdoor unit during mild winter weather
is from the normal operation of the defrost cycle heating the outdoor coil and melting
the ice off so the airflow through the coil is not hampered. This generally lasts
for 5 to 10 minutes and then goes back to the normal heating cycle.
What is the balance point for my heat pump?
Generally, this is set at 20° F. as mandated by OPPD (Omaha Public Power District).
This, again, is the temperature that we run the heat pump down to before we switch
to the auxiliary heating sources. The heat pump uses the outside air temperature
as its heat source and may not be able to maintain the setpoint temperature below
the balance point.
The temperature at the registers is cooler than my old system without a heat pump.
Is that correct?
The temperature at the registers from the heat pump is from 90° to 105° F. and therefore
must have longer run cycles. With a conventional gas heating system, the temperatures
may be from 120° to 160° F. with shorter run cycles.
I have a heat pump, why is my furnace running?
Your furnace is using the blower to move the heat from the heat pump into the house,
and is also the auxiliary heating source below 20° F.
My thermostat says Em Heat, what does that mean?
Emergency Heat means that the heat pump is locked out and the only source of heat
is the auxiliary heat. This is a feature of most heat pump thermostats. It will
be used if for some reason the heat pump heating source fails.
Should I be setting my setback thermostat back with a heat pump?
With a low intensity heating source, heat pumps are not a good candidate for setting
back the temperature. They are designed to maintain the temperature but there are
not enough BTU’s allow us to make up 5 to 8 degrees from the setback temperature.
Electronic Air Cleaner
How often should I clean my EAC?
Most EACs should have the pre-filters,cells and ionizing wires cleaned about once
per month in order to maintain their efficiency. As always, this is just a rule
of thumb, and may not apply in all cases.
How should I clean my EAC?
All EACs should be cleaned according to the manufacturers instructions for the individual
make and model. Generally, most EAC cells can be either chemically cleaned with
EAC cleaner or hosed off with water and left to dry.
General Maintenance
How often should my equipment be serviced?
Generally speaking, the equipment will find one maintenance service for cooling
and one for heating each year to be sufficient. Air filters need to be checked and
serviced on an as needed basis.
I have an extended warranty, so why have a service agreement?
A regularly scheduled service program will extend the life of the equipment and
maintain its efficiency through the extended warranty period.
Do you have service agreements? How much does a service agreement cost / year? I
did not know that my service agreement was set up for automatic renewal.
Thermal Services does have service agreements for all residential and commercial
customers. Any of our service or maintenance technicians will be glad to cover the
various programs with you. You can also call our customer service department and
they will also give you the information you need for your equipment. All service
agreements can be set up for automatic withdrawal and renewal.
Thermostats
I have a programmable thermostat, how far should I set it back when I am gone or
asleep?
If you have an air conditioner and gas furnace, you are best to set up or back the
temperature whether in heating or cooling approximately 5-8 degrees, and you should
leave it there for a minimum of 8 hours for maximum benefit. If you have a heat
pump, you can do the same in cooling mode, but are best served not to change the
temperature in the heating mode with the heat pump. Again, the heat pump in the
heating mode is designed to maintain the temperature only.
My thermostat display went blank. Does my thermostat have batteries?
This is a question that you would be better served to call customer service and
ask for help. Through the records here we can determine the answer to your question.
There are many different models of thermostats and many different answers to that
same question depending on the thermostat.
My thermostat says Emergency heat, what does that mean?
Emergency Heat means that the heat pump is locked out and the only source of heat
is the auxiliary heat. This is a feature of most heat pump thermostats. It will
be used if for some reason the heat pump heating source fails.
Gas Furnace
What is the life expectancy of a gas furnace?
Generally this will be in the 10-15 year range.
How often should I change my media filter?
Media filters should be changed when they appear dirty or plugged. There are some
methods to measure the amount of life remaining for a filter, but just a visual
inspection will work in most cases.
When should I change the MERV 10 media filter?
These pleated filters should last from 3 months to a year depending on the condition
of the home and the traffic throughout the home. Visual inspection is still the
most useful method of inspection to use.
Is running the fan continuously a good idea?
This question can have several answers. Running the fan continuously will provide
more even temperatures and prevent stratification of the air. Running the fan continuously
can adversely affect humidity when the cooling is not calling and only the blower
is running. The blowers with PSC motors use considerable energy. Variable speed
blowers on the other hand use very little energy to move the same amount of air.
Running the blower on continuous is a decision that you need to weigh the positives
against the negatives and make a decision based upon your needs.
Miscellaneous
Do you sell filters and other maintenance items?
Thermal Services carries a vast array of repair parts and maintenance items for
Lennox and several other makes. We also carry a large number of filters in many
sizes and shapes. We sell many parts and pieces to walk-in customers at our 8516
Maple Street location.
Do you service boilers?
Our Commercial Service department can service many types of boilers, both residentially
and commercially.