The warm season is right around the corner so now is the best time to start thinking about scheduling a check-up on your heating and cooling system. Don't get stuck without AC! It is important to have your HVAC system inspected to prepare for the upcoming season—which can include inclement weather, humidity, cool temperatures, and other forms of unpredictable New England weather. Summer might feel like it is still far away, but now is the ideal time to get a handle on your cooling system. There are a variety of reasons (besides simple weather) as to why it's important to have your HVAC looked at. The following are the top 5 reasons to schedule your springtime tune-up with us before the weather heats up.

1. Prevent Airborne Allergies

What you don’t see could hurt you. It may surprise you that mold, dust, and other airborne allergens are hiding in your HVAC equipment. If you or anyone in your home is affected by allergens, it's imperative that you schedule regular maintenance on your HVAC. You may think you are all set by just changing your air filter, however, your air filter only filter so much. Once inside the air handler, particles will settle on the coils, combine with moisture, and become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Year after year as you use your system, this grime builds up and infiltrates your home each time you turn it on. It's going to take more than a little bit of dusting to get rid of this dirt! This process continues throughout the ducts in your home. Have you ever had your ducts cleaned? If not, you might want to think about it. When your HVAC system is not in use, ducts also provide shelter to insects, dust mites, and rodents. This can cause even more contamination of your air supply with dander and droppings. Why take the risk of getting sick?

2. Improve Indoor Air Quality

Improving indoor air quality includes addressing issues such as air filtration, humidification, de-humidification, and proper ventilation. Poor indoor air quality is a known cause of many types of respiratory issues. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pollution levels indoors are generally two to five times higher than outdoors. Always have your indoor air quality tested. Make sure you carry out strategies to keep the air inside your home fresh and clean throughout the entire year. Here are 6 simple ways you can improve your indoor air quality:

Increase ventilation around the home
Change your air filters frequently
Dust your home often with a damp cloth
Remove air contaminants like cigarette smoke
Avoid air fresheners and cleaning products
Take advantage of our Air Filtration System Promotion - $100 off any new Air Filtration System between now and June 1, 2017

As you can see, air quality plays a vital role in your health and the performance of your HVAC system.

3. Lower Monthly Utility Bills

Who doesn't want to save money on their utility bills? A spring tune up will increase their HVAC system performance, which in turn helps you save on cooling costs. How can you tell if your system is performing poorly?

A layer dust on your indoor coils
A layer of dirt on your outside coils
A blockage or leak in your ducts
Refrigerant is low

Don't ignore the warning signs. We will check out all of this in our routine HVAC maintenance.

4. Avoid Breakdown Expenses

Be proactive. Before summer is in full swing and your air conditioner is running 24/7, make sure it is ready to handle the heat. By scheduling a preventative maintenance on your HVAC system this spring, you will be able to afford AC downtime if there is an issue with your system. You don’t want your AC to malfunction on one of the hottest days of the year, do you? Find issues early on before they become costly fixes mid-season. Our technicians can also help you plan ahead if we see that a system is performing poorly and should be updated. This will help you to plan ahead with the replacement system and costs.

5. Extend the Lifespan of Your System

Extending the lifespan of your HVAC system means taking a proactive approach with maintenance. When routinely checked and serviced, your HVAC system can last two-fold. It is proven that by routinely performing a HVAC service— including air conditioner and furnace maintenance, you will be prolonging the life of the system and saving on costly repairs. The regular maintenance of your HVAC system also helps to prevent airborne allergens from circulating throughout your home. Systems that protect the quality of indoor air will not only keep your home healthier, they will help keep it cleaner (which means less back-breaking spring cleaning for you). The more efficient your system, the less money you spend on energy costs. By keeping up with routine maintenance, you ensure that your HVAC system won't have minor issues that could develop into major problems. Wilson Brothers HVAC, Inc. is a full-service company that provides quality service and installations. We have been there for our customers 24 hours a day, for over 29 years.

You’ll want the Professionals from Wilson Brothers as your local HVAC Install and Service Company. Over the last 29 years the local community has trusted the Wilson Brothers to take care of all their HVAC and Plumbing needs. For preventative maintenance, general service, 24-hour emergency service, and of course, our quality installs, we are here for you, your family, and your home. If there was ever a time to make your home comfort equipment more efficient the time would be NOW! There have never been as many programs and incentives to take advantage of as there are today. With winter wrapping up, the nice weather ahead of us makes it a great time for home improvement projects. The government and utility companies have been preaching and pushing high efficiency, variable speed, air loss correction, air duct sealing, and early retirement of that old, energy guzzling equipment. If you are thinking it might be time to go more green, there could be some $$Green$$ in it for you. Not only will you be saving money on the new install, but you’ll also be saving money all year long.

With rebates and 0% financing available through Mass Save, along with manufacturer incentives, now is the best time to upgrade your old inefficient heating and cooling systems.

What are 2017 Mass Save Rebates?

Mass Save is here to help Massachusetts’ residents manage their energy costs and consumption. The natural gas, electric, and energy efficiency service providers of Massachusetts sponsor the Mass Save initiative. The 2017 Mass Save Rebate and 0% Financing Program is out and ready, so take advantage of it.

2017 Mass Save Rebates

There are many Mass Save rebates that fall into different categories of energy savings for your home. You can check out all the rebates they offer and view current 2017 Mass Save Rebates & Incentives.

The rebates that the professionals at Wilson Brothers work with the most are:

If any of these projects are on your to-do list, or seem intriguing to you, give us a call today at 978-433-5373 or fill out our estimate form for a free quote.

0% Heat Loan Financing through Mass Save

Many energy-saving home improvement projects are big investments for any homeowner. Not to worry, Mass Save also offers 0% Interest Heat Loans for up to $25,000 with terms up to 7 years!

The services that are eligible for a Mass Save Heat Loan are:

Heating System Replacement
Domestic Hot Water & Solar Hot Water Heaters
Central Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps

View a list of Heat Loan lenders and to see if your local bank or credit union offers the Mass Save Heat Loan. If your financial institution is not on this list, let us know and we will get you in touch with a local bank that we have worked with for years.

Steps To Use Mass Save

Contact Mass Save to have a FREE, NO OBLIGATION Home Energy Assessment by calling (866) 527-7283, or go to masssave.com.

Have a Free, No Obligation estimate done by the professionals at Wilson Brothers. The Wilson Brothers team will guide you to an efficient heating and/or cooling system to maximize your Rebates and Energy Savings without over selling you on a system that doesn’t fit your needs.

Go to a Financial Institution that offers Mass Save financing. View a list of Heat Loan lenders and see if your local bank or credit union offers the Mass Save Heat Loan.

This may seem daunting to some. It is not! It is a professional and seamless process. The process does take some time and a little effort – so don’t delay. As the season goes on and more homeowners and business owners take advantage of the program, it only makes it more time consuming and delays the process.

Manufacturer Incentives

There are also many manufacturer incentives out there currently. Unlike the Mass Save Program, which stays consistent all year, the manufacturer incentives are always coming and going throughout the year. We stay up to date on the incentives that are being offered by the manufacturers that we trust and use. We will let you know of any manufacturer incentives for your particular home comfort equipment project when you are ready to get it done.

SO ACT NOW AND ENJOY YOUR NEW COMFORT SYSTEM AND ENJOY THE SAVINGS EVEN MORE!

There’s nothing wrong with giving money to a large national charity, after all we did it for many years. What made us switch to helping mostly local charities, was the concern that not enough of their dollars were being used for the cause. That’s why we focus on helping local grassroots organizations and causes. We still donate to some large charities like the Special Olympics and the veteran charity Toys for Tots, but we take the majority of our charity money and keep it local. It is the local community that supports our business, so it is the responsibility of local business to support the community. What better way to do that than by supporting the food pantries? We contribute to both the Devens Loaves and Fishes and the Pepperell Aid from Community to Home food pantries, as well as local youth sports teams. It takes hard work from kind, dedicated volunteers and staff members to keep these local food pantries running, and that’s something our founders Tom, Paul and John Wilson, all grew up respecting. “We never really had a lot,” said Tom Wilson, one of six children in the Wilson family. His family didn’t receive help from the community, but was always getting involved in volunteer work, through their church and other local programs. He said at this point, their values are so ingrained that they can’t imagine not making charitable contributions.

What Tomorrow Will Bring

Wilson Brothers knows that providing the basic needs to people who are in bad situations is the spirit of community involvement. We also know that we are investing in our local community and helping it prosper and grow and we’re honored to be recognized for the work we do. This coming year, 2017 will be our 30th year in business, and as long as we are in business, Wilson Brothers HVAC, Inc. will always support our local food pantries and other important local programs, including those that help the children of the community. They are the key to the future and we want that future to be as warm and comfortable as possible.

Frozen water expands, and as anyone who has suffered frozen pipes knows, ice is a powerful force that can break open most containers, including metal ones. Keeping your pipes from freezing in the winter is an essential task for New England homeowners, but fortunately there are some basic approaches to minimize the risk.

Before the storm

Foam insulation sheaths can be wrapped around water pipes to protect them from the cold air. The most vulnerable pipes are ones located inside exterior walls, run through an unheated portion of the house like a garage, and those that connect to an outdoor opening like a spigot. Another option is to wrap heat tape around the vulnerable pipes. Heat tape is a flat ribbon that is coiled around the pipe like a corkscrew and uses electricity to keep the pipe warm, like an electric blanket. Special heat lamps can also be aimed at pipes in cold sections of the house. Typically, these lamps will have a light that shines on the pipe. This makes it easy to check up on. If the light isn’t on, the lamp isn’t working. Of course, adding heat tape or a heat lamp to your home means there will be an ongoing cost in the form of higher electric bills. Prices depend on the local power costs, but expect to pay between $40 to $60 each month for every 100 feet of heat tape. If you’re going to leave your home for an extended time during the winter, such as a week-long vacation, then keep your heat on and set it to no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also consider shutting off the main water supply and draining all the water out by running the faucets dry and flushing the toilets. Plumbing pipes aren’t the only ones that can freeze. The pipes in a hot tub, a hot water heating system or any other type of pipe can freeze if the unit or its pipes are exposed in a cold space. Many hot water heating systems allow you to use antifreeze to protect the system from freezing. Check your heating system’s manual and specifications to find out how,. If you do decide to add antifreeze, it needs to be checked each year to make sure it’s still working. Remember that the best way to solve a plumbing emergency is to prevent it from ever happening.

During the big freeze

When a cold night comes, you want to keep the air around your pipes as warm as possible. For the pipes in your garage, keep the garage doors closed to keep out the chilled air. If the pipes in your kitchen are at risk, however, you need to use the opposite approach. Keep your kitchen cabinets open to allow heated air to flow over your plumbing. You can consider letting your water run at a slow stream just above a drip if the inside of the house is extremely cold, such as if you lose electricity but your plumbing still runs. This movement will stop water from staying in prolonged contact with the pipes. While there will be a cost in the form of a higher water bill, it’s much lower than the cost of burst pipes.

Dealing with the aftermath

If things warm up and you notice any new plumbing problems, such as a decrease in water pressure, have a look at all of your pipes. Look for icy build ups around a section of pipe or visible cracks. If you do discover the worst and you’re in our coverage area, call us as soon as you can so we can contain and fix the problem. We can be reached at (978) 433-5373. If you want to try to thaw out a frozen section of pipe yourself, don’t use open flames like blowtorches or lighters. Instead, try a hair dryer or wrap an electric warming blanket around the frozen section.

Look, we get it. No one wants to call a plumber until their bathtub won’t drain or they’re wrapping their dishtowels around a spraying pipe. You’d rather spend your money on a beachside vacation, a nice restaurant or Christmas gifts for your kids. Plumbers are there to fix problems, right? So why call one when everything looks fine? That’s a huge misconception, and one that costs a lot of people more money than it saves. You might avoid being forced to wade through your basement or take your grimey plunger to the kitchen sink if you check up on your plumbing system now.. The best person to do that is a plumber. Fortunately, a lot of plumbing problems can be avoided with skilled maintenance and upkeep. We have four licensed plumbers on staff that can help thwart issues before you even know they’re there. If we catch it early, you won't have water damage to deal with and fewer parts to replace. It can also save you from having to endure some awful experiences like backed-up pipes or showers with low water pressure. Calling a plumber to perform routine maintenance is a normal part of being a homeowner. The cost of having a certified expert plumber check your home is tiny compared to the destruction that can follow an unchecked problem. That’ll leave you more money for plane tickets, steak tartare and plastic figures. Call Wilson Brothers today at 978-433-5373 to learn more about our plumbing and maintenance services.

Winter is over and while you may not be ready to shut off your heating system for the year - May snowstorms do happen in Massachusetts - you should start making plans for the warm summer months by cleaning your HVAC system before you need to run it. Regular maintenance will extend the lifespan of an HVAC system and save money. Over time, filters collect debris and the system will have to work harder to move air through the clogged filter. This wastes energy - energy that the homeowner will have to pay for - and may harm efficiency by as much as 25%. It also makes the system work harder, which can harm the system in the long run. Unless a homeowner knows exactly what they are doing, they should consider having one of our technicians come in and perform an annual maintenance checkup. This can include some services that require special equipment, such as testing the system for air leaks that allow cool air to escape and drive down the system’s efficiency. Annual checkups are include in our VIP program, along with discounts and priority positioning for our 24 hour repair service. Indoor air quality filters and the filters in dehumidifiers will also need to be checked as part of a spring cleaning course. This will maximize comfort within the home and help any residents or visitors with allergies. It can also help the system run as quietly as possible by keeping the system well lubricated and running with as little effort as needed. By focusing on the annual clean up in the spring, homeowners can ensure their HVAC system will be ready to keep their home cool and comfortable by the time June rolls around. It will also keep the HVAC system running for as many years as possible while cutting down on energy costs.

Everyone in New England can remember beating a cold night by cranking up the heat, blissfully falling asleep in a toasty-warm room, only to wake up with a face so dry they fear it will crack. Winter dryness can lead to nose bleeds, skin problems, sore throats, itchiness and other health issues in inhabitants. Your flesh isn’t the only thing at risk from dryness either, the low humidity can warp wood and cause paint to peel or discolor. The dryness can also crisp houseplants and damage antiques and old photographs. The HVAC isn’t the only source of winter dryness; the outdoor air is noticeably drier when most moisture if frozen solid, but your HVAC system can help you solve the winter dryness by incorporating a humidifier system. We recommend, and install, both the Automatic Humidifier from Aprilaire and the TrueSTEAM Humidification System from Honeywell. (1) Both of these systems are far superior to old fashioned humidifiers, where homeowners had to lug water to the machine and guess where to set the manual controls to meet their moisture needs. The new systems can detect your home’s humidity, fill up with water automatically and release it through the entire house. You can give up the guesswork needed for old fashioned freestanding humidifiers, which could result in over humidifying ones home, with a modern automatic system. The best part is you won’t wake up reaching for the moisturizer again.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans with sleep problems, you might be able to get a better night’s sleep by adjusting your HVAC system. Sleep experts generally agree that a bedroom temperature of 65 degrees allows most people to get a good night’s sleep, but every individual has their own variations and neds. Try moving your gauges around a few degrees at a time and see if you sleep any better. If you have a programmable thermostat installed, your HVAC system can raise and lower the temperature as you need it. Picture this: The house stays cool during the night to help people sleep better, but warms up in the morning while adults get ready for work and kids get ready for school. Then, the temperature falls while the house is empty, only to warm back up again by the time everyone returns for the evening. Your HVAC system can do all of that, trimming down on your energy bill and helping you get a more complete, refreshing night of sleep.

People who have lived in older houses have all experienced the mid-winter chill that comes from stepping barefoot on the cold floor of a bathroom during the middle of the night. Hot air rises and the hard tile floors can be the hardest spot to warm up during a January night. That’s where radiant floor heating packs the biggest wallop. We install water pipes under the floorboards or tile floor that is connected to a boiler. The water carries the heat through the pipes and it heats up the floor itself. We recommend using it with hardwoods or ceramic tiles, as those materials will retain the heat. The beauty of the system is that the heat stays low where people need it the most, as opposed to other heating systems that mostly heat the air. Unlike other heating systems, there’s no hot stove or radiator that could burn a person, and people with allergies don’t have to worry about pollen or other allergens being distributed into the air. Radiant floor heating can be installed in any room, but it’s much more economical to place it in new homes and expansions, as opposes to tearing up floors to retrofit existing rooms. Any covering that insulates the floor, such as a thick carpet, would lower the efficiency of the heating system, so floor options are limited. But if you’ve taken one too many steps on cold tiles, or found yourself huddling close to the stove, consider the heating system that tackles your heating needs from the bottom up.

Christmas parties and holiday gathers are annual features of December, but so are snow, ice and cold air. Make sure the next December party you throw is warm enough for people to take their jackets off and get in the holiday spirit. Before you even start planning the party you should check the insulation of your home to minimize any heat loss. Do you have weatherstripping in your doors and windows? Did you insulate your power outlets and light switches to cut down on drafts? Also, try to minimize how long the front door is open when guests arrive, otherwise making it harder for your heating system to work. The larger the gathering, the more the door will open. Use a smart thermostat to control your heating system. With all the distractions and responsibilities demanded of a party host it’s easy to forget to adjust the heat in time for the party, or you may want to make it a little warmer indoors to account for people coming and going, then level it off as the party winds down. If you have a heating system that doesn’t use a thermostat you can dub a volunteer to be in charge of maintaining the temperature. Encourage your guests to dress warmly. While you can simply tell them that they should dress for December, it’s a lot more fun to ask people to wear obnoxious Christmas sweaters. You can also put the food and any activities in the same room as the heating source. Lastly, try serving hot chocolate, mulled cider or peppermint tea or any other food or drink that will warm people up on the inside. Use a slow cooker or electric kettle to keep things warm all evening.

5 Reasons To Schedule Your HVAC Spring Tune-Up