Homes Plus
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OCTOBER 2013 HOMES PLUS 9 Home furnaces should be inspected annually Some may also want to consider cleaning duct work By Kevin Passon HOMES PLUS CORRESPONDENT NORTH PRAIRIE – Homeowners who put off getting their annual furnace inspection are like those who put off going to the doctor for their annual physical. Professionals at Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning compare the furnace and AC to your body's heart. The heart doesn't run smoothly when it's clogged, and the same goes for heating and cooling equipment. "Anytime we can increase how efficient a furnace operates, the lower will be the cost to run it," said Bill Brink, co-owner of the third-generation business in North Prairie. "One broken mechanical part can lead to a second broken part, but if we catch the first one in time, it saves on repair costs and the inconvenience of a breakdown." As the seasons change, homeowners say goodbye to their central air and begin to think about their furnace again. Brink Submitted photos Kettle Moraine Heating & Cooling technicians were called in to remove a 1940s boiler and air handler and replace it with a new furnace. This new furnace replaced a 1940s boiler and air handler. said now is the time to change the batteries in the thermostat and put a new in a new furnace filter. "When the leaves start to fall, it's time to put a cover on the air conditioning unit," he said. "We don't recommend wrapping it, just covering the top." The main reason not to wrap the unit is because it creates a nesting area for mice that eat at the wiring. Plus, it traps moisture inside the unit. "There are hundreds of units every year that we fix because of mice chewing the wires," Brink said. Residents with PVC pipes coming out of the house should be sure shrubs are clear from them; again, moisture can be trapped near the end, and when it freezes, it blocks the opening. "But the biggest thing I can recommend is to have a professional inspect the furnace every year, if not before the season begins, then during it, on the birthday of the furnace," Brink said. The new high-efficiency furnaces create a lot of water that turn through the rubber hoses. The acidic water is carried by rubber hoses, which can crack and leak. That leaky water can potentially run down the front of the circuit boards of the furnace, leading to a breakdown, which always seem to happen on weekends or holidays. Kettle Moraine Heating & Cooling, like many businesses in the same line of work, responds to emergency situations, but they can be costly, which is one reason the annual inspection is worth the cost. Offer Expires 12-14-13 234645011 See FURNACES/Page 10 Offer Expires 12-14-13