‘Tis the Season for a Chill

No doubt about it, there is a certain chill in the air that is destined to stay. In many ways, I truly love this time of year. It’s the time for hearty soups, thick coats and crackling fires. It’s a nice change (for a while, anyway) from the long hot days of summer.

Each season we move through reminds me to appreciate all the ones we have. I think I would get bored if I were cold all the time or even hot all the time. So, it’s nice to experience the changes. Changing things up a bit does require more work for us though. There are leaves to pick up, chimneys to sweep and furnaces to tune up before we can truly enjoy winter for what it is.

If you need help getting your home comfort system ready for the winter chill, give Kent Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. a call at Porter County: (219) 464-9181 / Lake County: (219) 736-0300 or contact us here. We are always ready to help our customers enjoy their time indoors during this particularly brisk season.

The To-Do List

At my house, the to-do list seems never-ending. No sooner do I complete one task than another one appears.

I know this is just life and it will always be this way, but there are days when I sure wish there was someone else to handle all the things that need to be taken care of, maybe something like a “House Manager.” I am sure there are people in this world that have them, but I am not one of them.

Fortunately, we do live in a country where just one phone call will generally have someone on their way to fix whatever problems you are having. Thank goodness for that. I cannot imagine having to be an expert in all fields and manage my to-do list on a daily basis. It would just be too much.

If your home comfort system is giving you trouble, let us help you mark one thing off your to-do list. Just call or email and let us hear from you.

When Your Plans Change...

You’ve probably got a sense of what you plan to do today – even if it’s a lot like what you did yesterday. Some of us are detailed to the hour about what we’re going to do and when. Others know generally what they’ve got to accomplish or where they’re supposed to be.

So we plan specifically, or we plan generally. Either way, sometimes the unexpected interrupts, and plans change.

At Kent Heating and Air Conditioning Inc, we hear from folks like you quite often who are experiencing a change in plans. It’s often related to a change in temperature in their home – too cold, too hot, but never “just right.” So they need a repair. No problem. We’ll make plans to get there right away.

Sometimes, we’ll hear, “I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, and now I’m ready.” And they call for help with a home improvement. Or they’ll say, “I really have been concerned about how our indoor air is affecting the kids’ allergies.” So, we’ll make a plan to test the environment.

The point is whatever your plans are, or however they may change, we’re here to help. Just call or email and let us hear from you.

The Answers Are in the Questions

Sometimes, when facing decisions, the answers we seek are in the questions we ask. Well, not always directly. If you ask, “What’s for lunch?” hamburger and fries show up nowhere in those words. But it does start the thinking process about the “problem” of lunch that eventually leads to a solution (hamburger and fries).

In homeownership, you see this happening with questions that begin with, “Are these energy bills ever going to stop going up?” Or maybe you’re asking, “Does it feel too cold in here to you? Can you do something with that thermostat? How old is this thing anyway? Didn’t we have a breakdown last year too?”

When questions like these keep popping up, you know you’re heading into a decision-making mode in your home comfort. Are you there yet? Getting closer? Take a look at this info, which asks important questions about your home heating.

Why Your Heater Could Give You the Cold Shoulder

Does your home heating really have to be so sensitive? You ignore it – intentionally neglect it, even – for six months. Then when you have a real need, you ask, “How about a little heating help?” Then your system practically coughs in your face. If that.

Sounds like the two of you could use a little professional help. I’m actually not kidding about that part. Before you ask your heater or furnace to keep you toasty warm for winter, you should give it the resources it needs to do the job right. That means getting your system professionally serviced so you won’t have to worry about it breaking down during freezing temps – and you can rest easy knowing it’s operating safely for your family.

To learn more about a terrific offer on system service, take a look at this info, Prevent Costly Winter Heating System Repairs.

Filtering Out the Clutter

Our homes really know how to collect stuff, don’t they? The amount of stuff may be in proportion to the size of the family. But most of us, in one way or another, keep bringing more stuff into a home that can only hold so much.

That’s probably a reason “spring cleaning” never goes out of style. Everyone needs a time to clear away the clutter and give our home some breathing space. So we start tending to the areas that need attention in order to get our homes back in good working order.

If you’ll allow me to switch to a home comfort analogy here, I would say that what is true for your home is true for your air conditioning system. It collects clutter in the form of dust, dirt and airborne particles.

Fortunately, your AC has a filter that captures a lot of this kind of airborne clutter. But, please be aware, your filter can only hold so much. Changing it regularly is important for the efficiency of your system and for the quality of your indoor air.

To learn more, take a look at this report, The Easiest Maintenance Step You Can Take.

Connecting the Dots to Your Call

When we get a call or email from someone in Valparaiso asking for service or repair on an air conditioning system, that means we’ve done something right. And we’ve got an opportunity to do something even better.

Here’s what I mean. When we get a call from someone who invites us into their home, there are several reasons why we just got that opportunity. One, we advertised in a way that increased your trust in us. Two, we performed a past service for you that made your home more comfortable. Or three, someone you know told you to give us a call.

Now, when we get that call, we get to come to your home – an honor indeed. Whether we provide service on your air conditioning and heating, or install a new system, this is our chance to exceed your expectations so that you’ll want to call us the next time you need us.

Frankly, we don’t know a better business strategy than developing strong relationships with our customers. So we’re sticking with that one.

Of course, others choose a different strategy. And you’ll hear from them too. This is why we hope you’ll take a look at this free report, Who Should You Trust to Check Your Home Systems?

When Waiting Doesn’t Make Sense

Here’s one of my all-time favorite phrases: “I’ll deal with that later.” Actually, I misplaced my sarcasm font or I would have used it just then. But a lot of people I know really do like that phrase.

Sort of like “deferred maintenance.” This is a concept known by businesses and institutions with property, buildings and equipment that basically means, “We don’t have the budget to repair what’s declining as it is declining, so we’ll deal with it later.” It’s easy to sympathize with the approach of waiting until something is broken until calling for a repair. But it can also be a costly approach.

Homeownership isn’t really any different. We have to keep an eye on the systems and infrastructure that keep our home running. Your air conditioning system, obviously, is in this equation.

By investing each year in routine maintenance, you can save long term on the cost of repairs, extend the life of your equipment and avoid inconvenient breakdowns. It’s simple logic, and only takes a little bit of planning, which means – dare I say? – dealing with it now. But that doesn’t have to be scary. Read "Make Plans for Air Conditioning Maintenance" for quick tips for maintaining your system.

Is Your Home Trying to Tell You Something?

Sometimes you can hear little noises that tell you your home has a concern to address. You know, something like the drip, drip, drip of a faucet that says "fix me." Or the sound of wind that's coming through a crack that should be patched.

Spring is a good time to walk through your home just to "look and listen" to the maintenance issues that cropped up over the winter months. That way you’ll know what needs tending to.

Along those same lines, be sure to add your home comfort system to your maintenance list. Routine maintenance is one of the most practical ways you can preserve the life of your system and preserve your pocketbook at the same time. Maintained systems run more efficiently, which saves you money.

What else should your maintenance tour include? For ideas, take a look at our free report, "Give Your Home a Spring Checkup," available on our Facebook Page for a limited time!

To Replace or Not to Replace

With temperatures in low digits like they are now, our heaters and furnaces begin to seem like one of the best inventions ever. Truly, the development of home comfort systems was more than just a good idea. They’re actually life-savers during the harshest weather days.

We always tell friends that maintaining your system year after year does two important things: it helps lengthen the life of the system itself, and it helps improve its energy-efficiency. After all, the quality of your system is directly related to the quantity of energy dollars you spend. And, for wintertime especially, system maintenance alerts you to lurking dangers, such as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty equipment.

Even so, no matter how well you maintain your equipment, at some point, replacement time comes. If you think that’s true for your home, we’ve got some important things we want you to know.

We’ve compiled a free report with good guidance on how and when to make a sound decision about your home comfort system: “To Replace or Not to Replace.”

In the meantime, stay warm. And call us if you need us!