Welcome to the Flame Furnace Blog

Dear Customer:
There’s a chill in the air, and it’s inside your home! Can’t believe you need a furnace! Buying a new furnace is something that you may do only once or twice in your lifetime, and, based on over sixty years of selling, servicing, and installation experience, Flame heating, cooling and electric has developed a 7-step checklist that makes purchase of your new furnace relatively stress free and easy.

1. Choose a qualified contractor. Ask your Chamber of Commerce, friends, or family, for a referral. Look for a contractor that has been in business, is licensed and insured and has trained NATE certified technicians to install different types and brands of equipment.
2. Call your City Hall and speak with your building inspector. Furnace installations require permits to be filed with the city for both heating and electric, (electric is because most furnaces today require a grounded current from your panel and sometimes increasing the current size to 20 amps) and inspections by the building inspector upon completion. Check to see if there have been any problems with the contractor.
3. Set up an appointment with the contractor. Make sure the contractor comes to your home at your convenience, and you have the name of the person visiting. Check their Certificates of Insurance and State and City licenses. Find out if they have a showroom and visit it. Ask for references. Ask to visit sites where they have made an installation similar to yours.
4. Get a type written estimate. Talk to the contractor about your home, any special comfort needs, and how long you plan to stay in the home. Make sure they perform a heat gain/loss using an accurate infiltration number. This information will help the contractor propose the best furnace and associated equipment solutions for you. Have the contractor list exactly what is covered by the estimate-new equipment installed, old equipment removed, warranties and time frame.
5. Explore payment options. Your contractor should offer options-cash, check, Visa and MasterCard, or 100% financing with terms. Often contractors ask for a down payment to schedule the job and secure the equipment.
6. Schedule installation. Make sure it is convenient for you, confirm the time frame, and ask for the names of the installation technicians. Check identification when the technicians arrive. When they are finished, good technicians should explain to you how the system works. They should also provide literature, maintenance instructions, and phone numbers on your furnace.
7. Consider a maintenance plan. Annual maintenance of your furnace saves energy and prolongs the life of your equipment. Good contractors offer these plans and the savings in your utility bill covers the cost of the plan.

Just follow this checklist and your new furnace purchase should be easy. Still have questions? Want more information? Feel free to call the Furnace Doctor at Flame Heating, Cooling and Electrical toll free at 1-888-234-2340, or visit our website at www.flamefurnace.com. Better yet, visit our showroom, join us for a cup of tea, and meet the people who will drive that chill from your home!

We are also Kopke Heating of Riverview, MF Downs Engineering of Birmingham, and TriMaster of Mt. Clemens.

Very Truly Yours,
Gary Marowske

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Sometimes looking up information on the internet can be overwhelming.  There is so much out there and you never know which sources are credible.  Especially when looking into purchasing a new heating and cooling unit or how to take care and repair a unit you already have.  There are so many different brands, types everything!  Plus you also you have your hot water heater to look out for and you want to save money. 

Flame Furnace can help you with all your questions.  First, you can feel free to check out its website and know that its information is reliable.  Also, the blogs have fun, friendly tips about saving money and different things about heating and cooling.  Feel free to leave a comment if you have a question, and somebody will try to answer your question. So check back to see if somebody has left a comment below you.  (It also possible that you will receive an e-mail response about your comment.) 

If you really need specific information, just call Flame!  A specialized person will be able to help you with whatever you need.  From wondering about prices or maintenance plans, to being able to schedule an appointment to find out what furnace works best for you.   So do not feel like you have to wade through the many sites that come up when you “google” furnace, just ask Flame Furnace right away.  If they cannot help you-they will help you find somebody who can. Do not wait to ask questions until the temperature gets too cold to live without a furnace or be spending a lot of money on your heating bill, ask your questions and find answers now!

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These days clean air is the way to go!  A century ago nobody had any type of air purifier or filter, but we fortunately do now.  There are devices to clean your air to help keep your furnace/air conditioner running properly, help keep your home cleaner and it can even benefit your health! 

One way to keep your air clean is to install a UV Germicidal Light from Bryant.  These lights help to kill the germs, bacteria and mold that your filter cannot catch.  They are a perfect addition to your home, since newer homes are now very tightly sealed to make them more energy efficient.  Unfortunately, tightly sealed homes mean that none of the “icky” stuff like germs and bacteria are getting out.  The UV Light is incredibly helpful on top of a regular furnace filter.   

There are also many different filters you can get to help trap particles.  You can purchase them fairly cheap but if you are really nervous about your air quality, consider an electronic air cleaner which does a better job.  Air filters should be changed every couple of months to ensure that they are still working properly.  If they are not changed or clean, it is harder for your furnace or air conditioner to push air through which means that it is working harder.  Dirty filters are also bad for allergies and asthma.   

Cleaning and dusting your house regularly can also help to keep the air in your home clean, along with refraining from smoking.  

Since the idea of clean air is big on everyone’s mind these days, those were a few ideas to help keep your air clean whatever the reason.

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Sometimes a cold shower is just what you want.  However, most of the time, that is exactly what you do not want.  Here are some possibly reasons why your hot water heating isn’t hot enough or is not working.

• The first thing you want to check with a gas hot water heater is the pilot light.  If that is out, you will not be receiving any hot water in your home.  This is a fairly easy problem to fix, simply re-light it!  If you are unsure how to do this, find the manufacturer’s instructions.  They should be able to explain how to.
• Another problem for not having enough hot water in your home, is that your heater may not be the correct size for your home.  Your home should use about 75% of the water that the hot water heater holds.  Unfortunately this problem is not as easy to solve.  You could call a place like Flame Furnace and have a new hot water heater properly sized for your home.
•  Also, though a lower temperature on your hot water heater saves money and energy, it could be too low.  If the temperature is too low the hot water in your home will not heat up as much as you want.  Try turning up the temperature just a little bit.
• The dip tube is what brings the cold water to the bottom of the tank so it can be heated up.  If the dip tube is broken, hot and cold water can be mixing together which makes your already heated water not as cold.  You can try replacing the dip tube, or getting a new hot water heater to fix this problem.

The next time your shower is not as warm as you want it to be, you may want to look into these possible sources of the problem!

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My bedroom in my house sometimes feels like it is not even connected to the home’s heating and cooling system at all.  In the summer it gets very hot, and in the winter I freeze!  This can be inconvenient, especially if it is a room you are often in (like a bedroom).  Do you have any rooms like this in your house?  

This problem is often common in upstairs rooms.  This could be because you do not have enough insulation in your attic.  Insulation helps to keep warm air in and cold air out during the winter, and cool air in and hot air out during the summer.  This could cause your whole upstairs to never seem like it is heating or cooling properly.  Also, lack of insulation could cost your money in the long run, because your unit will have to make up for all the warm/cool air it is losing, which could result in an increase in your energy bills. 

 Another possible reason for this, is that your heating and cooling system may not be properly sized or planned out in your home.  Ducts and air vents could be in improper places, which can cause one room or area of the house to not get the heat or air conditioning it is supposed to.  Depending on what type of system you have (hot water, steam, or furnace) there are different options-including adding baseboards, possibly adding floor heating, or even installing another heating unit. 

If you have any questions as to why your home isn’t heating or cooling properly, feel free to call Flame.  They will help your figure out the problem and solution that is best fitted to your home and price range.

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Thanks to the recent hurricanes gas prices have shot way up.  If you are like me, this has probably caused a strain on your wallet.  Unfortunately, the weather is starting to get colder which means that your heating bills will also rise.  Even though you may have already read some of these, here are some tips to help keep your heating bill down (and they do not include turning off your heat and just wearing a hat and mittens all the time.)

•  Turn down your thermostat-Not a significant amount, a degree or two can even make a price difference.  Also, consider investing in a Programmable Thermostat.  This thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature up or down.  For example, if everyone is gone during the day at school or walk, you can program the thermostat to lower the temperature a bit since no one will be home to need the heat.
• Restrict your use of bathroom and kitchen air ventilators- Though these are handy, they tend to push out warm air which means your furnace has to work more to replace that heat.
• Utilize other heating devices in your home-For example, when showering-keep the door open so that warm steam can travel to other areas of your home.
• Turn your blinds “up”-By having your blinds face up they can trap the cool air coming from the window so it does not escape into your warm home.
• Change your filters- You should change your filters once a month.  If they become too clogged, your furnace has to work harder to push the warm air through to the rest of your home
• Schedule a furnace inspection- If there is something wrong with your furnace, it will either not be working properly or efficiently, which can lose you money in the long run.
• Pull down shades or window blinds at night-When it is dark out you often do not care about seeing outside that much.  By covering your windows, it helps to keep the cool air from the window out of your home
• Be careful with your fireplace-Though a fire may feel warm and cozy, remember that your open chimney is letting out your heat!  Also, a fires can dry out your air which does not feel as warm as humid air.

Hopefully these tips can help you to heat your home without paying exorbitant fees.  Unfortunately, I do not know how to make the gas prices go down.

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When companies offer plans they sometimes just seem like rip offs.  However, getting a maintenance plan for your furnace and air conditioner may be a good idea. You should get your furnace and air conditioner inspected at least once a year to ensure that it is running properly.  Flame Furnace’s Gold Plan will give you a complimentary inspection for whichever unit you purchase the Gold Plan for.  Also, with the Gold Plan you will be reminded of your free inspection. When your heat or cool air stops you often want it fixed right away.  However, if it is the middle of summer or winter most likely others will be wanting the same thing. Being a Gold Plan member means that you will be given priority over non-Gold Plan members. As you can see, unlike some plans, the Gold Plan offers peace of mind because you do not have to worry about scheduling your inspection, and when your air conditioner or heat goes out-you will be given priority.  Feel free to call Flame Furnace and find out about the Gold Plan for yourself!

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The beginnings of Fall mean that you no longer have to crank up your air conditioner and you do not have to worry about your furnace yet.  Therefore, furnaces and air conditioners are the last things on your mind.  However, this is one of the best times to invest in a new air conditioner or furnace. 

Why?  Because since it is not the middle of July or below freezing in December many people do not think about a heating or cooling unit since it is not necessary.  This means that seasons such as the beginnings of Fall are slow for many heating and cooling companies. Prices may be lower since the businesses will not be as busy.  

Also, it is possible you will be able to pick a more convenient time for an installation since the days will not be as booked.  Finally, a peace of mind can come from having your new furnace installed and ready to go before the chill of winter swoops in.  

When thinking of buying a new unit you should think about when to buy it and remember slower seasons such as the end of  Summer/beginning of Fall, it could save you some money.  Even if you are not immediately thinking that it is time to buy a new furnace or air conditioner since it is still working for now, this time of year is a good time to consider whether or not you will need one soon.

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Majority of us like to take a hot shower, especially as the outside temperature starts dropping.  That is why it is such a pain when your hot water heater breaks.  However, if you live in the Tri-County area, Flame Furnace promises to give you hot water by 5 p.m. if you call by noon.  

Even though Flame offers this great deal, it is best to just keep your hot water heater working.  Here are some tips for maintaining your heater: 

• Have your hot water heater inspected every couple of years (around 2).  This will make sure that any little problem that develops can be fixed before it becomes a big problem!
• Drain a gallon of water from the tank every three months or so, to prevent sediment collecting on the burners.  This also saves energy, because built up sediment makes the water harder to heat. 
• Also, having a technician replace the anode rod every 5 years or so is a good idea.  This rod is one of the defensives that hot water heaters have against the corrosion that comes from hot water.  The rod gets beat up so that the tank will stay good.  The rod by itself helps to maintain your heater, but it having it checked or replaced will ensure an even longer life for your water heater. 

 Other energy saving ideas include: lowering the temperature setting down to 110 or 120 degrees and adding your own insulation to the tank to make sure minimal heat is lost by using a fiberglass blanket or even a kit from a hardware store.  However, many tanks, especially Bradford-White already come with a good insulation system.

These were just some tips to make sure that your showers stay warm, and that you are not spending all of your money to keep it that way.

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