Cooling: central air conditioning
Why is my AC leaking water?
Water near your indoor AC unit? How to tell normal condensate from a leak, the usual causes, what you can safely check and when to call a technician.
Author
Jay Bartz
CEO of Greystone Heating & Air
Jay Bartz has spent more than 25 years helping homeowners stay comfortable in their homes. He began his career in the heating and cooling industry in 2000 as a service technician, learning the business from the ground up and developing a genuine passion for helping people.
Articles
Articles by Jay Bartz
Cooling: central air conditioning
Adding central air to a home without ductwork: options and costs
Adding central air to a boiler-heated New Jersey home with no ducts: new ductwork, high-velocity, mini splits or a heat pump, with dated cost ranges.
Costs and planning
What does a new boiler cost in New Jersey?
What a new boiler costs in New Jersey and why: steam or hot water, condensing or combi, venting, piping and fuel, with dated third-party price ranges.
Indoor air quality
Carbon monoxide at home: where it comes from and what to do if the alarm goes off
Where carbon monoxide in a house comes from, why an air conditioner cannot make it, what to do when the alarm sounds and how to keep it out of your home.
Indoor air quality
Where to put carbon monoxide detectors (and what New Jersey requires)
Where carbon monoxide alarms go in a New Jersey home, how long they last, what the chirps mean and what the state requires when you sell.
Costs and planning
What does a ductless mini split cost to install in New Jersey?
What drives the installed cost of a ductless mini split in New Jersey: zones, line sets, electrical work and head type, with dated third-party ranges.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Furnace blowing cold air? Common causes and what to check
Heat is on but the vents blow cold? The common causes, what a homeowner can safely check first, and when it is time to call a technician.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Why is my furnace leaking water?
Water pooling around your furnace? Learn why high-efficiency furnaces make water, the usual leak sources, what you can check safely and when to call a pro.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Furnace won't turn on: what to check first
Furnace not turning on? Check the thermostat, power switch, filter and condensate drain in order, learn what the reset button does, and know when to stop.
Costs and planning
What does a heat pump cost in New Jersey?
What a heat pump costs to install in New Jersey by type, with dated third-party price ranges and the things that move a quote up or down.
Heat pumps and efficiency
Heat pump pros and cons for New Jersey homes
The real advantages and disadvantages of a heat pump in a New Jersey home: cost, cold weather, backup heat, wiring, noise and how long one lasts.
Heat pumps and efficiency
How to tell if you have a heat pump or central AC
The outdoor units look almost the same. How to tell a heat pump from central air using the data plate, the thermostat and the equipment indoors.
Maintenance and seasonal care
A seasonal HVAC maintenance checklist for New Jersey homes
What a New Jersey homeowner can check each season to keep heating and cooling running well, when to cover the AC, and what a yearly tune-up covers.
Cooling: central air conditioning
HVAC zoning: how a zoned system evens out a hot upstairs
How an HVAC zoning system works, what a dual-zone setup can and can't fix in a hot upstairs, and what to check before you zone a New Jersey home.
Heat pumps and efficiency
Mini split vs central air: which fits your home?
Ductless mini split or central air? Compare cost, efficiency, comfort and upkeep, and see which fits a New Jersey home without ducts.
Cooling: central air conditioning
R-22, R-410A and R-454B: what the refrigerant change means for your AC
What the move from R-22 and R-410A to R-454B means for a New Jersey AC or heat pump: the official timeline, what you can keep, and what to ask on a quote.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Converting from oil to gas heat in New Jersey: what's involved
Thinking of switching your New Jersey home from oil heat to gas? The steps: gas service at the street, the equipment and venting, the old oil tank and the cost.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
What temperature to set your thermostat in winter
What to set your thermostat to in winter for comfort and a lower heating bill, when to turn it down, and the lowest safe setting while you are away.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
What is forced air heating? How it compares with hot water and steam
Forced air heating explained: how a furnace or heat pump, a blower and ducts heat your home, and how it compares with hot water and steam heat.
Heat pumps and efficiency
What size mini split do you need?
How to size a ductless mini split correctly, why square-foot charts fall short, and what New Jersey winters change about the number.
Costs and planning
What does central AC replacement cost in New Jersey?
What drives central AC replacement cost in New Jersey: size, SEER2 tier, ductwork, electrical and refrigerant, with dated third-party price ranges.
Heat pumps and efficiency
Do heat pumps work in New Jersey winters?
Do heat pumps work in cold weather like a New Jersey January? How cold-climate models hold up, when backup heat helps, and what older homes should check.
Heat pumps and efficiency
Furnace vs heat pump: which costs less in New Jersey?
What a heat pump costs against a gas furnace plus AC in New Jersey: upfront price, running costs, and where incentives stand today.
Cooling: central air conditioning
How long does central air conditioning last?
Most central air conditioners last about 15 years, often 15 to 20 with upkeep. What shortens AC life in New Jersey, and how to weigh repair or replace.
Costs and planning
What does a new furnace cost in New Jersey?
New Jersey furnace replacement costs by efficiency, with dated third-party price ranges, what changes a quote, and the NJ rebate rules to check first.
Maintenance and seasonal care
How often should you change your HVAC filter?
A simple schedule for changing your HVAC or furnace filter, what speeds it up, and how to tell when it's due. Written for New Jersey homes.
Costs and planning
How to compare HVAC quotes
Two HVAC quotes that don't line up are often pricing different jobs. How to compare the equipment, the installation, sizing, permits and warranty.
Maintenance and seasonal care
How to find your HVAC filter size
Find the size printed on your furnace filter, learn nominal vs actual size, and measure a filter with no label. A plain guide for New Jersey homes.
Maintenance and seasonal care
Is an HVAC maintenance plan worth it?
What a yearly HVAC maintenance plan usually covers, what a tune-up checks, and the questions to ask before you decide whether one is worth paying for.
Indoor air quality
Humidity in New Jersey homes: what level to aim for
What indoor humidity to aim for in a New Jersey home, why summer and winter push it in opposite directions, and how to measure and adjust it.
Indoor air quality
MERV ratings explained: which filter rating does your home need?
What the MERV number on an HVAC filter measures, what MERV 8 vs MERV 13 means in practice, and how to pick a rating your system can handle.
Heat pumps and efficiency
New Jersey heat pump rebates and incentives: how to check what applies
Which heat pump rebate and incentive programs New Jersey homeowners can check today, how they differ by utility, and how to confirm yours before you sign.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Signs your furnace needs replacing (and when repair still makes sense)
The furnace signs that point to replacing, the two safety signs to act on first, and the age and repair-cost math for New Jersey homes.
Heating: furnaces and boilers
Steam vs hot water boilers: which one heats your older New Jersey home?
Steam or hot water? Learn how to tell which boiler heats your older New Jersey home, what wears on each and what converting steam to hot water involves.
Cooling: central air conditioning
What size air conditioner does your home need?
How to work out the right central air size: why bigger isn't better, what a Manual J load calculation checks, and what to ask each quote to show.
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