Furnace

Energy Efficiency

What temperature is too cold for a house?

Many people in the Quad Cities have had minor (and major) freak-outs upon looking at our heating bills this winter, particularly those who use natural gas, which is most people in this area. As KWQC warned in October, later verified by the Quad City Times, and the final proof in those heating bills that triggered a lot of freak-outs, natural gas prices have nearly doubled since the previous winter. So many of you may be wondering, what temperature is too …
Furnace

Meet Francisco Troche

How time flies! It has been almost nine years since Francisco joined the team at Doug’s Heating and Air Conditioning. Francisco started working for us as an installer in 2014, right out of trade school. After he graduated from Moline High School, Francisco went to the Midwest Technical Institute. When he finished there, he joined Doug’s and has been with us ever since. It was clear from the start, Francisco was going to be a valuable addition to the team. …
Air Quality

What are the most common indoor air pollutants?

One of the most wonderful things about the Quad Cities is the variety of homes in our neighborhoods. There are a lot of areas of the country where every house in every neighborhood looks the same, as if they’ve been stamped onto lots with cookie cutters. We have a lot of beautiful new homes in the area, and we have a lot of wonderful old homes. Whether your home is a hundred years old or you just built your house …
Furnace

Can an old furnace explode, and how can I tell if my furnace is dying?

Fireworks are fun outside, not so much indoors! Do you have to worry about your furnace causing indoor fireworks? The short answer is, not likely. Heating fires are more often caused by space heaters than furnaces. Modern furnaces have too many safeguards in place, so explosions are not something most people should worry about. Even if your furnace is unlikely to explode, that does not mean it is necessarily healthy. Hopefully, everything is fine, but it is worth looking for …
Air Conditioning

Key Terms and General Information for HVAC

  We all have to start somewhere when gaining knowledge on a complex subject; we have all been there before. There is no need to stress about sounding like you know what you are talking about in the heating and air conditioning world, use this blog as your guide. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)  has the goal of creating a comfortable and acceptable indoor air quality.    ACH  Air Changes Per Hour is a measure of the air volume …
Air Conditioning

Programmable Thermostats (Opportunities and Limitations)

Programmable thermostats are known to help create a comfortable in-door environment while saving money. The trick is to come up with an efficient pre-set schedule during the day. Depending on your daily routines (and thermostat model), you may choose six or even more temperature settings per day. There are digital, electromechanical and mixed system available. We recommend the digital one for tech-savvy individuals who appreciate a variety of setting. The electromechanical thermostat offers fewer features, but it is easier to …
Energy Efficiency

It’s cold! Time to shut off unused heating vents?

Here’s something we all agree on:  Closing or blocking heating vents in unused rooms saves energy, because you’re not wasting it on a room that you’re not occupying, and the air gets redirected to the rest of the house, which makes it easier to heat your house and lowers your bill.  Except for one thing:  It isn’t true. A 2003 study by a long-time government scientist who studies ventilation issues is often cited to bust this myth.  Its conclusions?  “The …
Furnace

Propane Tanks *oink oink*

Propane tanks are often called “pigs” because of the shape of the tank and its short legs.  Some people make this point abundantly clear as you can see from these photos… Now, a lot of people think of pigs as cute and if you think so (or if you think Miss Piggy is cute), you can paint your “pig” that way… We all know family comes first and that counts for pigs, too… And finally, to paraphrase the great football …
Furnace

Clean Furnace – Safe Family

With cold weather and snow storms coming our way this winter, being trapped inside doesn’t sound all that bad. But before you fire up the furnace, make sure your furnace is in the right condition to keep your house warm and your family safe. Any parent knows when you’re snowed-in, your kids are bound to get curious and adventure around your home. Here are a few tips to make sure the whole family is safe this winter: Keep Your Furnace …
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