Heater and Furnace Questions Answered

Yes, we provide a variety of heater maintenance and repair services. Our services include annual maintenance inspections, routine cleanings and repairs for any concerns that may develop.

Regular maintenance ensures that your heating system operates efficiently and safely. Our highly educated professionals have the knowledge and experience to diagnose and repair any problems that may arise. Please visit our HVAC Services page for additional information on our maintenance and repair services.

We advise servicing your heater once a year to ensure it’s operating efficiently and safely. Regular maintenance can help your heating system last longer, perform better and reduce the risk of costly repairs.

Having your heater serviced before the heating season is especially important because it allows a professional to discover and repair any flaws before they become significant problems.

Our HVAC specialists will inspect the heater, clean and adjust the components, and look for signs of wear and tear during a maintenance session.

If you use an older heating system regularly, you may need to get it serviced more frequently. Our HVAC professional can assist you in determining the best schedule for your needs.

Absolutely! When a Richmond’s Air specialist is dispatched to your home, they can perform a full-service tune-up on your heating and cooling system—checking efficiency, performing delta-t drop, humidity removal, and much more. We spend more time than the average HVAC company who just comes in and looks at a unit, then leaves. Also, unlike other companies, we’ll clean your system, including the heating coils.

We proudly serve homes in the greater Houston area, helping you stay comfortable all year long with preventative maintenance, repairs, and system installation services. Our service area extends to Bellaire, Katy, Spring (including The Woodlands), Sugar Land, W. University Place, Bunker Hill Village, Hedwig Village, Hilshire Village, Jersey Village, Piney Point, Spring Valley Village, and many other nearby neighborhoods.

When a heating system malfunctions, it’s usually caused by 1 of 3 components: the heat/cold source, the distribution system or the thermostat. Our certified technicians can quickly detect the issue and fix it before you need to replace the entire unit or spend an arm and a leg on parts and labor.

Check out our related article on heater troubleshooting tips to identify the source of the problem.

Whether from old age or extensive use, sooner or later, a heating system or furnace will break down. The average lifespan of a furnace is 15 years. Watching and listening for indications that your heater might need a repair or tune-up will help you spot red flags before any major breakdown occurs.

Here are some signs that it’s time to call a Houston repair technician immediately:

• Water or gas is pooling around your furnace
• The smell of leaking gas
• Strange noises (such as a thump, bang, or scrape sound)
• Weak airflow
• Broken thermostat
• Unexplainable rise in heating bill
• Furnace blows cold air
• Frequent or constant cycling
• It has been over a year since your last maintenance inspection

We do it all! Whether you have a standard central heating/AC or a gas, oil or electric furnace, our experts can repair your broken or malfunctioning system quickly and affordably. From simple tune-ups to troubleshooting to parts replacement, we’ll get your heating system back up and running in no time. While American Standard is our preferred manufacturer for installations, we happily service all major brands. Richmond’s Air is your one-stop shop for furnace repairs.

It depends on the problem. Some repairs might be quick fixes that require just a little labor, while other malfunctions may demand extensive parts replacement or updates. With Richmond’s Air, you can rest assured that we’ll find the most affordable and cost-effective solution to your heating problem.

The cost of installing a new furnace will depend on several factors, such as the type of furnace you’ll need, the size of your home and the cost of labor when you have the unit installed.

The average cost per unit for a new furnace can range from $2,600 and $6,600, while the national average for a full furnace installation is between $4,800 and $9,300. Natural gas furnaces are typically more expensive, with an average total cost of around $7,300, while electric furnaces are the least expensive, with an average cost of $3,800.

A full furnace installation should take between 4 and 8 hours, depending on the complexity of the job. The process will take longer if you need new ductwork installed or if you need to renovate your home to accommodate a newer heating system.

To ensure that the process goes smoothly, make sure that you buy the right furnace for your home, and take some time to clear the area where your furnace will be installed.

A new furnace should last between 15 and 20 years, especially if it receives regular maintenance. This means replacing your HVAC filter regularly, scheduling maintenance visits at least once a year and not turning up your thermostat higher than it needs to be most of the time.

As a rule, you should consider replacing your furnace after 15 years if you notice higher than usual energy bills, strange sounds or if it needs frequent repairs.

All of our work comes with a 1-year parts and labor warranty on repairs and a 10-year parts and labor warranty on system replacements.

The limited base warranty for an American Standard heater also covers you in case the heater fails due to a manufacturer defect. This warranty typically lasts 5 years. American Standard also offers a Registered Limited Warranty that can extend your warranty to 10 years, as well as an optional extended warranty that covers the cost of parts and labor.

All new furnaces have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. This rating represents how much of the fuel used by your furnace is converted into energy and how much of it is lost.

For example, a furnace with an AFUE rating of 85% converts 85% of its fuel into energy and loses 15% of its fuel. The standard AFUE rating for new furnaces is around 83%, but a furnace needs to have a rating of 90% or higher to earn the Energy Star rating.

The cost of operating a new furnace will depend on the type of furnace you have, how well it’s maintained, and how it is used.

Overall, you can save up to 50% on your utility bills by running a new furnace instead of an older unit. As expensive as a new furnace installation can be, most responsible homeowners can recover the cost of installation in 3 to 5 years.

A boiler will use fuel (usually natural gas) to heat water and send it through pipes to radiators that heat your home.

A furnace uses fuel to heat a set of coils. It then blows air across those coils and sends this warmed air through your ducts to heat your home.

A heat pump uses electricity to transfer heat from a cool area to a warmer one. This makes warm spaces cooler and cool spaces warmer. Since heat pumps move heat instead of generating it, they are often the most energy-efficient way of heating a home.

Heater sizing depends on various factors, such as the size of your home, the number of windows, the local climate, and the quality of your insulation.

A heater that is too tiny will not adequately heat your home, but a heater that is too large will result in greater energy expenditures and worse efficiency.

If you want to know what size heater is best for your home, it’s recommended that you have a professional HVAC technician conduct a load assessment. When you schedule an appointment with us, one of our technicians will give you a comprehensive, property-specific suggestion that considers all important factors.

The type of heater you’ll need will depend on the size of your home and where it’s located.

Furnace capacities are measured in BTUs (or British Thermal Units). The average American home requires 30 to 60 BTUs per square foot, depending on where it is located.

A home in Florida or Texas will need 30 BTUs per square foot, while a home in a colder region might need 60 BTUs. A home in a warmer region might be able to get by with a smaller heat pump, while a home in a colder region will need a furnace.

A suitable HVAC system design begins with a load calculation performed by a professional contractor. The size of your home, the number of windows it has, the weather where you reside, and its current level of insulation are all factors to be considered.

Once the load calculation is complete, you’ll have an accurate estimate of the heat and airflow required to heat your home adequately. Our contractors will use this data to suggest a unit size that will work best in your home.

Depending on your area and the sort of heating system you pick, there may be rebates and incentives available for acquiring a new heater. Checking with your local government and utility company is a great place to start to see if any programs exist to assist you in covering the cost of a new heating system.

Tax credits are also available from the federal government for certain energy-efficient heating systems, such as furnaces, boilers and heat pumps. The Energy Star website has more details on these rebates and credits.

Furthermore, many heating manufacturers provide rebates and incentives for their products, so check out those too. The availability of rebates and incentives vary regularly, so it’s best to conduct research and check back often.

When building a new heating system, most regions have zoning and permit requirements that must be satisfied. The specific criteria vary depending on the area. Still, they often include getting a building permit, according to local building laws, and ensuring that the heating system fulfills safety and energy efficiency standards.

Before beginning the installation, it’s critical to consult with your local government and an HVAC professional to determine the exact needs and to ensure that all relevant permissions are secured. Failure to secure the necessary licenses and comply with zoning rules can result in fines and delays, so it is important to plan.

Our expert heating technicians can help determine what permits may be needed for your installation.

Yes. At Richmond’s Air, we offer maintenance services for all air conditioning brands and models, and we take pride in being an authorized American Standard Platinum Customer Care Dealer.

This designation is a testament to our dedication to delivering exceptional service, expertise in American Standard products, and outstanding customer support. If you’re looking for an energy-efficient heating or cooling system, reach out to us to discuss the different American Standard products we have to offer.

Yes, we offer a number of financing options to fit your needs. Give us a call, and we can discuss the available options with you.

Yes, at Richmond’s Air, all of our service technicians are professionally licensed and insured, so you can rest assured you’re in good hands.

At Richmond’s Air, we handle all maintenance and installation ourselves. In fact, all of our field technicians have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the industry.

Depending on the size of your home, heat can get expensive. And when a major breakdown occurs, the costs rise even more. Fortunately, scheduling professional maintenance once or twice a year is a simple way to help prevent costly system failures and ensure your unit maintain maximum efficiency. We recommend scheduling a maintenance appointment before and after winter.

Visit our Knowledge Center for more energy-saving tips.

Improving your heating system’s energy efficiency can result in cheaper energy bills and a more pleasant house. Here are some things you can do to increase your heating system’s energy efficiency:

• Ensure adequate insulation. Ensure that your home is well insulated to decrease heat loss.
• Repair any air leaks. To decrease air penetration, caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows.
• Switch to a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can assist you in more effectively controlling your heating system.
• Regular maintenance. Annual inspections and frequent cleanings can help your heating system run at top efficiency.

There are various types of thermostats available, each with unique characteristics and capabilities. The following are some examples of common thermostats:

• Mechanical thermostats. A basic manual thermostat controls the temperature with a bimetal strip.
• Digital programmable thermostats. A digital thermostat allows you to program and control your home’s temperature.
• Smart thermostats. A smart thermostat can be operated via a smartphone or tablet app.

Our headquarters are conveniently located near downtown Houston, just blocks from the intersection of the North and Katy Freeways (I-45 and I-10 respectively). Regardless of where you are in the greater Houston area, we can travel to your location quickly. Give us a call or fill out a contact form to schedule a repair as soon as possible.

Our business hours are 7am-7pm Monday through Friday and 7am-5pm Saturday . We can deliver prompt, professional repairs.

At Richmond’s Air, we pride ourselves on customer service, which is why we’re recommended so often by our many satisfied customers. Here’s what one of our happy clients had to say:

“Your techs were kind and thoughtful! They were quick and were willing to work with our situation! You better believe you guys are our go to company and we WILL be recommending you to friends!!”

Check out all of our customer reviews here.