My house in Fort Worth, Texas, is outfitted with centralized air conditioning and a furnace.
- The air conditioner runs for the majority of the year.
We often experience temperatures in the mid to high nineties and excess humidity is a constant concern. The air conditioner carries a heavy workload. While the winters aren’t quite as long, we do experience conditions below freezing and traces of snow. In order to keep monthly utility bills as low as possible, I invested into top-of-the-line heating and cooling equipment. The furnace achieves a 98% AFUE rating and the air conditioner offers a 26 SEER. Both units feature adaptable-speed technology that allows automatic variation of speed to match the needs of the home. The systems are able to adjust in one percent increments anywhere between forty and one hundred percent capacity. By running for longer cycles at lower speeds, the operation uses less energy and makes less noise. I would like the air conditioner and furnace to last as long as possible. I am diligent about replacing air filters every four to six weeks. I have enrolled into a maintenance plan with a local Fort Worth HVAC contractor. They send a NATE-certified and licensed technician to the house in the spring to service the cooling unit and in the fall to tune-up the heating unit. The technician provides a thorough testing, cleaning and adjustment. He checks everything from the accuracy of the thermostat to the efficiency of the ductwork. If he finds any minor issues, he takes care of these repairs. I can be sure that the furnace and air conditioner are operating at their best when the season starts. Plus, this proactive maintenance is necessary to validate the manufacturer’s warranty coverage.