Dry air is a common winter problem that comes with colder temperatures. You know that high humidity levels can cause problems inside your Maryland home, but did you know that dry air is problematic, too? Grove Heating & Cooling shares some signs of dry air to be on the lookout for this season.
Unsure if your home’s air is too dry or not? Here are some dry air clues you can watch for:
Is touching your loved ones a shocking experience throughout the winter months? If the number of static shocks you suffer seems excessive, the excess static electricity is a sign your air is too dry. As we mentioned, cold air holds less moisture than warm air. With low humidity and moisture levels in the air, electrons aren’t able to travel as freely as they can when the air is warm and moist. Instead, electrons collect in one spot, which produces that big jolt you feel when you make contact with people and things in the home. If you’re bothered by static shocks in the winter, these jolts indicate that you might need to install a humidifier.
Chapped lips, dry skin, frequent nosebleeds, dry throat – these are all the results of dry air exposure to your body. Prolonged contact with dry air will dry out the body’s moisture, from skin and mucus membranes, which cause some bodily symptoms that can feel quite uncomfortable. Consider installing a whole house humidifier if these dry air issues are common amongst members of your household.
Some viruses are more easily spread when the air is dry. When air is humid, the virus particles are unable to stay in suspension for very long. In dry air, these pathogens can circulate much more freely. The more time they spend in the air, the more likely they are to travel from person to person and infect others. If viruses seem to spread like wildfire through your household when cold weather is present, increased illness can indicate that you need a humidifier.
How’s the woodwork around your house looking these days? Is it contracting, cracking, even warping? Are floorboards creaking and doors sticking? Dry air zaps the moisture held within wood materials, causing them to shrink and break. If wooden furniture, floors, doors, and cabinets are having problems this season, consider installing a humidifier.
When your home’s air is too dry, you need some extra help replenishing the moisture that’s naturally present during warmer times of the year. A whole home humidifier is a great tool that can increase relative indoor humidity levels across your home and alleviate the bothersome dry air symptoms you feel. Depending on the model, whole home humidifiers use a water panel to add moisture as air circulates through the heating system or create steam that is sent directly into your ducts to add moisture to heated air.
By raising the relative humidity levels of your indoor air, your body and your home are exposed to more moisture. Moisture in the air helps the body retain its own moisture – as well as helps it feel warmer! You can put away the lip balm and lotion and let your skin soak in the airborne moisture to alleviate symptoms. Plus, illnesses are less likely to spread so you’ll feel healthier, too. As the woodwork in your home is surrounded by properly humidified air, it can hold its shape and function properly, without squeaks, creaks, or cracks.
Now that you know the signs of dry air at home, it’s easy to figure out how to know if you need a humidifier. If you or your loved ones suffer any of the symptoms above, call Grove Heating & Cooling today and request a quote for whole home humidifier installation.
Furnaces are forced air heating systems, meaning they rely on a blower motor and fan to circulate heated air from the unit into the home through the duct system. Just like any other system component, it is possible for the blower motor to go bad and require a replacement blower motor. Grove Heating & Cooling shares bad furnace motor blower symptoms to watch for so you’ll know when to schedule repair service and have your blower replaced.
The furnace’s blower assembly is made up of a motor and fan that runs to circulate heated air from the furnace system, through the ductwork, and into your home’s various living areas. If your blower motor starts to wear out, you may notice some symptoms such as:
As mentioned, the blower’s job is to circulate air through the system. If the blower motor is going bad, it will struggle to operate the fan. The result will be weak airflow coming from the vents inside your living spaces. This airflow issue can be one of the main symptoms that indicate the component needs to be replaced.
Additionally, you may have a bad capacitor and require a replacement to power the motor, or the motor may simply be clogged and require a good cleaning from your HVAC technician. Duct leaks and disconnections may also be to blame for poor airflow and should also be checked out by a professional.
If the blower fails to operate, you won’t receive any heated air through the vents in your home. If the blower isn’t turning on at all, this is a symptom that can indicate a full replacement motor is necessary. Other problems that can cause this symptom are a faulty relay, bad thermostat, or problem with the unit’s fan control. Each of these issues should be diagnosed and repaired by an HVAC technician.
Your furnace should produce very little operating noise under normal conditions – a click or two upon startup and a steady hum as the furnace runs is typical. If you suddenly hear loud and strange sounds like squealing or grinding, these are symptoms of a bad furnace motor blower that can signal signs of motor bearing problems or a damaged belt in older belt-driven models.
Repairs may be possible or it may be time to replace the blower motor entirely. Rattling or knocking noises can indicate a part is damaged or broken in the blower that requires repair. All of these symptoms can be assessed and corrected by a professional.
If you notice a burning smell coming out of your air vents while the furnace runs, these smells are symptoms that tell you the furnace blower motor is overheating. Overheating of the blower motor can happen due to an accumulation of dirt and dust, which you may be able to clean yourself, if you feel comfortable doing so – or your technician can complete this task. There may be a part in the assembly that has failed and must be replaced, or the motor may just be wearing out and is due for replacement.
Energy bills that are suddenly higher than normal are a general sign that points to furnace issues, rather than bad blower motor symptoms specifically. A bad blower motor can cause the HVAC system to use more energy and drive up your heating bills, and is one possibility that should be investigated if you notice a spike in your winter utility expenses.
When you notice bad furnace motor blower issues over the winter, give Grove Heating & Cooling a call right away. Our skilled heating and air conditioning technicians can diagnose and correct your heating system issues, whether a part needs to be repaired or your entire blower motor needs to be replaced. Contact us to schedule HVAC unit services anytime.
Many homeowners across Maryland use heat pump systems for efficient cooling over the summer months. When winter comes, these versatile HVAC systems can also be used for home heating! Grove Heating & Cooling answers how does a heat pump work in winter so you can better understand the capabilities of this HVAC equipment option.
Let’s run through how a heat pump works in the summer, then it will be simple to understand how a heat pump works in winter! Warm air from the home circulates back to the indoor unit which contains a coil – as refrigerant cycles through the coil, it absorbs heat from the air to lower air temperature.
Cooled air then circulates back into the home via the blower while the refrigerant travels to the outdoor unit. The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant and increases its temperature before it moves to the outdoor coil. Within the condenser coil in the outdoor unit, the refrigerant releases heat into the air outdoors. This process repeats as needed to keep the home at a comfortable, cool temperature.
Before we explain how a heat pump works in the winter, let’s first discuss the basics of heat pump operation. A heat pump is an appliance that transfers heat from one source to another. Unlike fuel-burning furnaces and boilers, a heat pump doesn’t generate heat. Because it is merely transferring heat between two sources, this HVAC unit has the ability to both heat and cool a space.
Heat pump systems are split systems. For air-source heat pump systems that transfer heat between indoor air and outdoor air, the heat pump unit sits outdoors, which can be paired with an air handler or even a furnace indoors. The two units are connected by refrigerant lines that run through an exterior wall of the home. Geothermal systems exchange heat between the indoor air and the ground, using a ground loop buried in the ground and a heat pump that is typically installed indoors.
To act as heating systems during the winter months, a heat pump will work in reverse to provide a home with heat. A component called the reversing valve redirects the flow of refrigerant so that heat is absorbed from the outdoor air by the outdoor coil. Heated refrigerant cycles through the indoor coil, releasing heat energy into the air circulating through the unit to raise the air temperature. This process repeats as needed to provide enough warmth for comfortable indoor conditions.
If you’re just learning about how a heat pump works in winter, the process may seem hard to believe – is there really enough heat in the air to keep a whole house warm when it feels chilly outside? Believe it or not, yes! Though it may not feel warm to you, there is plenty of heat energy in the outdoor air for sufficient indoor warmth, depending on the outdoor temperature.
Conventional heat pumps offer very efficient heat up to a certain point, as far as outdoor temperatures go. Once outdoor temperatures fall around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, a heat pump will lose some energy efficiency. When temperatures hit about 25 degrees and below, a heat pump is no longer going to be the most efficient source of heat for a home. It may struggle to keep your home at your preferred temperature and it is best to use a backup heating system at this point, if you have one installed. There are newer cold weather heat pump units that are better equipped for operating in cold temperatures, which can be installed to avoid this winter problem.
A heat pump in the winter doesn’t differ much from summertime cooling operation – the HVAC system simply runs in reverse! Learn more about these versatile heating and air conditioning systems and receive an estimate for the installation of a new heat pump in your home – contact Grove Heating & Cooling today!
A home’s tap water can exhibit various odors and colors due to a number of different issues with the water supply or the plumbing system. Rust-colored water coming from your hot water heater can occur for several reasons, which need to be addressed to avoid health issues and plumbing problems. Grove Heating & Cooling explains the causes of rusty water coming from a water heater and what can be done to return your water color to normal.
If you have rust-colored water, the hue may be caused by bacteria growth somewhere in your plumbing system. While the problem may not originate from your water heater, it may appear that it does because you notice hot water takes on this color – however, both hot and cold water can be rusty when bacteria are present. Types of iron-reducing bacteria are known to create rust-colored water, which is very unappealing to homeowners and anyone who uses a tap in the house. This type of bacterial growth is most common in water supply pipes as well as the water heater tank.
If a plumber determines your water heater rust-colored water is caused by bacteria growing in your plumbing system, the way to get rid of it is by shocking the system. This can be done by adding chlorine to the system. Many homeowners with well water add chlorine bleach to the water well to chlorinate the water supply system. After a wait of 6 to 12 hours, the system should be flushed – open all taps throughout the house and allow water to run until the notable chlorine smell dissipates from your water.
Whenever rust-colored water is noticed in a tank water heater system, corrosion is an immediate suspect. Over time, the metal of the tank can break down due to water conditions if the inner glass lining cracks and allows the outer metal to be exposed to water or if the sacrificial anode rod designed to prevent corrosion isn’t replaced at proper intervals. Even combustion gases can cause the metal to corrode in an older tank water heater.
If rusty or discolored water is isolated to only your hot water, you’ll know that it stems from an issue with your water heater. Unfortunately, when corrosion is present, the only real solution is to replace the unit with a new water heater. Ignoring a corroded hot water tank could lead to a major leak and water damage in your home.
Water lines in some Maryland homes are made of cast iron, which can corrode. These rusty pipes may be present in your home if it was built before about the mid-1980s. In the best case scenario, cast iron water supply pipes will last 50 years, but that isn’t always the case.
A professional plumber will be able to determine the material your water pipes are made of as well as if you have water heater rust-colored hot water or if the hue is due to pipe corrosion rather than water heater tank corrosion. If your home has older cast iron pipes that are starting to break down and display rust in your water, the solution to fix this issue is to replace your home’s piping. This is an extensive job best trusted to a licensed Maryland plumber.
If you have rust-colored water because of your water heater or rusty hot water that stems from another plumbing source, don’t wait to address this issue. Call Grove Heating & Cooling today and schedule water heater repair or plumbing service with our trusted plumbing team.
It’s no secret that Maryland winters can get extremely cold at times! For this reason, it’s important that every home has a reliable heating system that can be trusted to provide the necessary warmth for a safe and comfortable environment. While system breakdowns do sometimes occur unexpectedly, there are steps you can take to help limit the likelihood of an HVAC emergency this season. Grove Heating & Cooling explains how to care for your heating system and best prepare it for winter.
To avoid emergency HVAC repairs during the winter months, maintaining your heating equipment is critical. Hopefully you know that maintenance tune ups are necessary for furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps each year, and the ideal time to have this service performed is in the fall before it gets cold outside.
HVAC maintenance for heating systems is designed to improve the performance and energy efficiency of any furnace, heat pump, or boiler. The steps involved are very helpful in preventing an HVAC emergency, as the work performed by a qualified HVAC technician greatly reduces the likelihood of a system breakdown over the heating season.
If you do experience an HVAC emergency at any point this winter, it’s important to know what to do. Not every situation that appears to be an HVAC emergency actually is, and if you know what troubleshooting steps to take, you’ll be able to restore heating right away rather than wait for professional repairs. If you ignore heating problems, temperatures could drop indoors, creating an unsafe environment.
If you are unable to get the heat back on through troubleshooting your system, you may have a true HVAC system emergency on your hands. In this situation, call Grove Heating & Cooling to request HVAC emergency service. Our heating and cooling system technicians will respond as quickly as possible and work to restore heating in your home through emergency HVAC repairs or temporary heating solutions that will keep you safe until a new heating unit can be installed.
As winter approaches, homeowners across Maryland are gearing up to heat their homes through the cold season. Hopefully, your heating system runs flawlessly this year, but it’s always possible a heating issue will arise at some point before warmer weather arrives. To help you understand heating malfunctions and solve them where possible. Grove Heating & Cooling discusses the most common heating problems as well as how to fix them.
Many times when furnaces and heat pumps won’t turn off, it’s not really a heating system issue at all – this is one of the most common heating problems, yet it’s just a mistake with fan settings. If the system fan is switched over to ON instead of AUTO, it will run all the time, which to many homeowners seems like the heating unit is running non-stop.
If you suspect your heating system isn’t shutting down when it should, the first thing you should take a look at is the thermostat. The thermostat controls the blower fan settings and you need to verify the fan is set to AUTO instead of ON. This will cause the fan to shut down when the furnace shuts down, and you won’t hear any equipment running when you think it should be quiet.
If adjusting the settings isn’t the solution you need, a thermostat issue could be disrupting communication to the heater. Pull off the thermostat faceplate, and make sure all of the wiring is securely connected. If tightening or relinking these connections doesn’t solve the issue, you may need a new thermostat.
If your vents are blowing cold air, this is one of the most common heating problems that could also be caused by mistaken fan settings. If the fan is running in between heat cycles, there will only be cold air in the ducts for the blower to force into living areas. Check your fan settings first and adjust them if needed.
Another reason for cold air could be an ignition system malfunction. If the furnace’s ignition fails to light the burners, the system won’t combust any fuel to produce heat. Yet, the blower will run and only be able to send cold air into your home. If your system has a pilot light and it has gone out, follow the instructions in the owner’s manual to relight the pilot light. If your furnace uses an electronic ignition, the hot surface ignitor could be dirty or damaged and should be looked at by a pro.
If you only feel cold air from vents in one room or area of the house, a duct issue may be the cause. If the supply duct feeding that area has become disconnected from the main trunk, warm air from the furnace or heat pump won’t be able to travel to this area. If you can access the ducts, look to see if any ductwork has fallen out of place. You may be able to repair this yourself, or call your HVAC tech to make the fix.
Sometimes, a power source issue is behind most common heating problems where the furnace won’t turn on. Once you fix the power issue, it’ll start right up if there is a problem.
If your conventional furnace still won’t start, there may be a stuck limit switch or faulty flame sensor. Call your heating and air conditioning system technician to inspect these components and make repairs or replace them if needed.
Most common heating and furnace problems can result from a number of different issues throughout the system – some are easily fixed at home while others require professional assistance. Having regular maintenance performed on your HVAC system and replacing dirty air filters on a regular basis can help prevent breakdowns from occurring. If you are unable to correct your heating issues, call Grove Heating & Cooling for fast, reliable heating repairs.
Humidity is something many people consider a summertime issue, even though it should be a concern year-round. While we hate it when there’s too much moisture in the air and the summer months feel muggy, too often we forget there are times when we could use a bit more than we have. This winter, look out for the signs that you need a humidifier – Grove Heating & Cooling explains what to watch for!
In the winter, cold air becomes dry and can wreak havoc on our bodies as well as our comfort levels indoors – and so much more. Homes should be kept between 30 and 50 percent relative humidity, which can be hard to do without help when it’s cold outside and raise low humidity levels. A humidifier may be the tool you need to improve your cold weather experience. Watch for these signs that you need a humidifier, and contact the heating, air conditioning and indoor air quality experts at Grove Heating & Cooling to have a whole house humidifier installed to your HVAC system right away.
When exposed to very dry air on a consistent basis, the body loses important moisture needed to keep you comfortable. Your experience cracked or dry skin, which can bleed or become painful. Your lips become chapped and cracked, which lip balm just doesn’t seem to combat well. Your mucus membranes lose moisture, causing your eyes, nose, and throat to feel scratchy. You may also experience more nosebleeds due to dry nasal passages.
Any of the physical symptoms above can be caused by dry air and are signs that you need a humidifier. When homeowners run whole house humidifiers, they add moisture to indoor environments to offer quick relief of these symptoms. Unlike portable humidifiers, which add moisture to a single room or area of the home, a whole house system provides coverage to the entire home.
Unfortunately, many of the signs that you need a humidifier mimic symptoms that can also be linked to a winter cold. Congestion is one of those symptoms that can be tricky to decode. While congestion is common when you have a cold, it eventually goes away. If you feel congested constantly at home, experience difficulty breathing due to congestion as you sleep, or especially notice congestion as you wake, these are signs that you need a humidifier.
Using a humidifier will replenish your indoor environment with moisture and should alleviate these troubling physical symptoms of dry air exposure.
The condition of wood floors and wood furnishings in the home can display signs that you need a humidifier. The wood naturally holds some moisture, but dry air exposure sucks the moisture right out. Wood floorboards, cabinets, and other pieces can warp and even crack. If your floorboards squeak in the winter and you notice doors don’t shut properly, these are signs that you need a humidifier. Failing to use a humidifier indoors if you have certain types or brands of wood flooring could cause you to accidently void your product warranty, as some manufacturers require humidifier use to protect these materials.
Your body won’t stay as warm in dry air as it will when air has ample moisture. Moisture helps trap heat against your skin so your body feels warmer while dry air robs you of this warmth, forcing you to crank up the heat to make up for the loss. If you and your loved ones need to turn thermostats up higher to stay warm, these are signs that you need a humidifier.
If you observe any of the signs that you need a humidifier, don’t wait to take action. Call Grove Heating & Cooling and have a new, whole house humidifier placed into service as soon as possible so you can enjoy the relief that added humidity will provide inside your home. For all of your indoor air quality and cooling and heating system needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to Grove.
There are several different types of heating systems that can be installed in homes – furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, even ductless heating systems. Among the various options, what are the best choices for homeowners in Maryland? Grove Heating & Cooling shares reliable heating system options for your home in Crofton and the surrounding areas.
Determining the best types of heating systems is really a subjective choice that depends on the criteria you need a heating system to meet. For all types of heating and air conditioning equipment, the climate of the installation location should always be a primary concern. Certain heating choices perform better when used in some climates versus others.
Maryland winters are known to be snowy and cold, and occasionally can feel quite brutal. During January, the coldest month of the year in our state, areas in the central and eastern parts of the state see average high temperatures around 35 degrees and lows between 16 to 30 degrees – overnight, it’s not out of the ordinary for temperatures to fall below 0 degrees in some spots! With such frigid winter conditions, Maryland homeowners need heating systems that are designed to perform reliably in temperatures below freezing.
Natural gas heating systems are the top choice among Maryland homeowners, with more households using natural gas heat than systems that run off other fuel sources. Natural gas forced air systems heat air to a higher temperature than electric options, which is why they are typically preferred in cold climates.
Natural gas utility prices are also lower than electricity, making natural gas heating a more affordable option. Actual heating costs depend on several factors including usage and the energy efficiency of different types of heating systems.
Natural gas furnaces are types of heating systems that are forced air central systems. This means they produce heated air through combustion of natural gas from a central unit in the home. The system’s blower forces the heated air through ductwork into rooms throughout the dwelling.
Natural gas boilers include two types of heating systems: steam boilers and hot water boilers. Both units use combustion of natural gas to heat water that moves through a piping system to connected radiators in rooms throughout the home. This radiant heating system transfers heat from the radiators into the air.
Many Maryland homeowners have chosen to use electric types of heating systems – most commonly, a heat pump. Heat pumps don’t burn fuel like natural gas to create heat. Instead, they use electric energy to transfer heat between sources to increase air temperature before warmed air is circulated through the ducts to rooms.
Air-source heat pumps transfer heat between indoor and outdoor air. Newer heat pump models offer efficient heating throughout much of the Maryland winter, though their efficiency can decline when outdoor temperatures are extremely low. Backup electrical resistance heat strips can be installed for use during these periods or a gas furnace is a common choice for backup heat.
To heat, geothermal heat pump systems extract heat from below ground. A ground loop component made of fluid-filled piping buried on the property absorbs heat, which is circulated to the heat pump in the home. The heat pump transfers heat from the loop to the air for warmth, then air circulates throughout the house.
Grove Heating & Cooling helps Maryland homeowners explore the best types of heating systems for use during the winter months in New England. For more information or to schedule an estimate, contact us today.
Modern geothermal HVAC systems have been around for decades, though their popularity in Maryland and throughout the U.S. has increased significantly in recent years. As sustainability awareness grows and utility rates increase, homeowners seek high energy efficiency options to lower heating and cooling costs while reducing the environmental impact of their residences.
Compared to other home heating and cooling systems, geothermal can be quite expensive – leading homeowners to ask, “Is geothermal heating and cooling worth it?”
Geothermal HVAC systems provide space heating and cooling to a home by moving heat between the ground or water and the home’s air. The system uses three key components: the ground loop, geothermal heat pump, and distribution system.
Geothermal HVAC systems can be 400 to 500 percent energy efficient. Is geothermal heating and cooling worth it based on that? Most people would say yes, considering the most efficient furnaces and boilers are only up to 97% efficient.
How are these HVAC systems able to offer such highly efficient performance compared to traditional heating and air conditioning systems?
Superior energy efficiency isn’t the only bonus you get when you install a geothermal cooling and heating system. Here are more of the great perks they offer:
Is geothermal heating and cooling worth it to install in Maryland homes? We think the energy savings and other benefits speak for themselves! Contact us today to request a geothermal HVAC system installation estimate and learn more about these highly efficient solutions.
Mold can cause serious damage to a home and wreak havoc on the health of occupants. Mold problems in a home should never be ignored – as a homeowner, it’s important to recognize how mold grows indoors and take action to eliminate it as well as prevent its regrowth. Grove Heating & Cooling explains how to get rid of mold in your home using helpful HVAC equipment.
Before you can understand how to eliminate dangerous mold, you first need to learn why it can grow inside. Mold spores are always present in the air, no matter what you do. When these spores come into contact with the conditions they need to grow and thrive, they become a problem.
As mold spores naturally circulate through the air in a home, spores can settle on wet surfaces and grow. As mold grows, new spores are released into the air and they circulate to other areas of the house, where they can continue to grow and reproduce if they come into contact with the moisture they need to thrive.
Mold always needs water or moisture to survive. In a home, it’s fairly normal to spot some minor surface mold or mildew growth in areas that are frequently wet, such as in showers or around bathtubs. Eliminating mold growth in these spots is fairly simple by cleaning with a bleach solution and keeping the areas dry.
Indoor mold can get out of hand in homes with moisture problems. Unresolved plumbing or roof leaks can cause an abundance of moisture in the home, leading to mold growth problems. Excessive humidity in the indoor air is another issue that causes high moisture levels throughout the home that are conducive to mold growth. If humidity levels are left unchecked, a serious mold problem is likely to develop over time.
If you find mold growing in your home, cleanup is necessary for mold removal. Eliminating mold in your home that is minor and doesn’t cover large areas can typically be done yourself using a bleach and water solution. Larger mold issues should be treated by a mold remediation specialist to ensure all harmful mold is eliminated from the home.
In addition to cleaning, getting rid of mold in your house involves fixing the source of excess moisture. Depending on the cause of the moisture issue, this may involve repairing a leaky roof, fixing plumbing leaks, or treating airborne humidity.
Anytime you find mold in your home, you need to move fast in removing mold. Allowing mold to linger can provide further time for it to spread and reproduce, causing considerably more damage to your home.
Humidity issues are common contributors to mold growth. A home’s air can hold more moisture depending on several factors such as the outdoor environment, construction materials, insulation, design of the home, and the air tightness of the structure. Eliminating mold in your home and preventing its reoccurrence involves addressing your humidity issue directly.
The best way to combat indoor humidity problems is by using a whole home dehumidifier. A whole home dehumidifier is a type of indoor air quality product that is installed to work with the main heating and cooling system. Installed on the return side of the system, air circulating through ducts back to the HVAC system will first pass through the dehumidifier. Here, air is cooled to lower its temperature, forcing extra airborne moisture to condense and fall out of circulation before air passes into the heating or cooling system for temperature treatment. Additional indoor air quality products like media air cleaners can remove mold spores from circulation or UV light air purifiers can neutralize spores in circulation, limiting your risk of future issues.
If you have an indoor humidity problem, eliminating mold in your home and stopping future mold growth involve the installation of a whole home dehumidifier. Turn to Grove Heating & Cooling for installation of dehumidifiers and other indoor air quality equipment that can help you combat indoor mold. Call us today to learn more.
2142 Priest Bridge Ct. Suite 6, Crofton, MD 21114
