Straight answers from our techs.

Five things to check before you call about no heat

About one in five no-heat calls we get in the first cold week of the season turns out to be something a homeowner could fix in under a minute. If your house is cold, run through this list first. If none of these do the trick, call us. That's what we're here for.

1. The thermostat

Make sure it's set to Heat, the setpoint is a few degrees above room temperature, and the screen is on. Blank screen? Replace the batteries.

2. The breaker and the furnace switch

Furnaces have a switch that looks just like a light switch, usually on the wall or ceiling near the unit. It gets bumped off more often than you'd think. Check your breaker panel too. If a breaker has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call us.

3. The filter

A badly clogged filter can make a furnace overheat and shut itself off as a safety measure. If yours is gray and caked, replace it.

4. The furnace door

Most furnaces have a safety switch that won't let them run if the front panel isn't seated properly. If someone recently changed the filter, make sure the door is snapped all the way in.

5. The condensate drain (high-efficiency furnaces)

High-efficiency furnaces drain water through a small plastic line. If it's clogged, a float switch can shut the furnace off. Water pooling around the unit is a clue.

No heat with an infant, an older adult, or anyone medically fragile in the home when it's below 40°F outside? Skip the checklist and call us right away at (609) 555-0142. We treat that as an emergency.

Is a heat pump right for a South Jersey home?

Short answer: for a lot of homes here, yes. But not every home, and not every time. Here's how we think about it.

Why heat pumps work well here

South Jersey winters are cold, but most hours of the heating season sit well above the temperatures where modern cold-climate heat pumps start to struggle. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, which is why it can be so efficient. It also replaces your central air, so one system does both jobs.

The best candidates

• Homes heating with oil or propane, especially when the air conditioner is also near the end of its life
• Homes with ductwork in reasonable shape
• Additions or rooms without ducts, where a ductless mini-split heat pump fits naturally

When we suggest waiting or a hybrid

If your gas furnace is only a few years old, ripping it out rarely makes sense. A dual-fuel setup pairs a heat pump with your existing furnace, letting each run when it's most efficient. And drafty older homes often get more value from air sealing first.

What about cost?

Every home is different, so we give written options after an in-home visit. New system installations over $4,000 qualify for 0% financing for 12 months through GreenLine Finance, subject to credit approval.

How often should you really change your filter?

The number printed on the package is a starting point, not a rule. Three things decide how often your filter really needs changing.

1. The filter's thickness

Standard 1-inch filters usually need changing every one to three months. Thicker 4- or 5-inch media filters can often last six months or more.

2. Who lives with you

Pets, allergies, smokers, or a lot of people under one roof all shorten the interval. With a dog or two, check monthly.

3. The season and the dust

Filters load up fastest when the system runs the most, in deep winter and high summer, and during renovations. Drywall dust can clog a fresh filter in days.

The easy test

Pull it out and hold it up to a light. If you can't see light through it, it's time. Write the date on the frame when you install a new one, so you never have to guess.

Comfort Club members get a filter check at every tune-up, and we'll tell you the right interval for your home.

What a tune-up actually includes (and why it matters)

"Tune-up" can mean anything from a thorough inspection to a technician glancing at your unit and handing you a coupon. Here's what ours includes, and why each part matters.

Cooling tune-up (spring)

• Clean the outdoor coil. A dirty coil makes the compressor work harder and run hotter.
• Clear the condensate drain. A clogged drain is the number one cause of summer water leaks.
• Test capacitors and electrical connections. Weak capacitors are a leading cause of no-cooling calls on the first hot day.
• Check refrigerant pressures and airflow across the indoor coil.

Heating tune-up (fall)

• Clean burners, igniter, and flame sensor. This prevents delayed ignition and nuisance shutdowns.
• Inspect the heat exchanger and venting. This is the safety part, and it matters.
• Test safety controls and the gas pressure.

Every tune-up ends with a written report. If we spot something, we'll tell you plainly and let you decide. There's never pressure to fix it the same day.