As the cold season begins, many homeowners fire up their heating system for the first time in several months. Doing so can be nerve-wracking: we all hope that our gas furnace, boiler, or other heat sources still provides the comfort necessary for winter. But if your heating system is faulty, here on the cusp of the holiday season, it will need immediate repair. 

If your system fails to produce a consistent temperature, makes strange noises, or simply stops working, reach out to Argent Heating & Cooling. We are a local company, owned by seasoned HVAC experts, serving homeowners throughout the Washington, DC Metro area. For over 35 years, we have provided professional heating repairs, installations, and advice along with many other service options. We’ve helped our community grow and change by offering state of the art products and award-winning customer service. 

Below, we outline three common kinds of signs that indicate your heating system needs repairs or replacement: 

Mechanical Issues 

Let’s begin with a class of signs that surely call for a fix: mechanical issues. As a machine, your heating system should operate smoothly and provide the benefits that its manufacturers promise. If it does not, call for professional inspection or repair. 

Potential issues include strange sounds that seem “off” or that your system has never made before. Take note if your heater squeals, hums noisily, or rattles – all of which may signal problems with its motor. A functional heater should run easily, especially newer models. 

Also, unusual temperature shifts between each room in your house may indicate a mechanical issue. Heating systems should maintain a stable temperature across your home. If it varies from room to room, your system may be unable to meet the demands of warming your home. 

Indoor Climate Issues

Other signs of a defective heating system involve an unhealthy climate in your home. A defective system may force you to adjust your thermostat frequently and affect your comfort. While heating units might need slight adjustments, they should not require regular resets to create a proper setting. 

Your system might also add excess dust into your home’s air. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it is defective – dust can build up when heating systems sit unused for months. Nevertheless, you should have it cleaned thoroughly. 

Both shifting temperatures and airborne dust can create poor air quality in your home. This, in turn, may irritate occupants who suffer from allergies or asthma. But upgrading your heating system to a more recent model will provide cleaner, warmer air. 

Other Relevant Signs

A few other signs might indicate a need for heating system repairs. However, this group’s symptoms can stem from a variety of other problems. Take them with a grain of salt and seek a professional opinion. 

You may receive higher-than-average electricity and/or gas bills during the winter as your home’s energy usage increases. This may signal that your current system struggles to keep up with your busy household. However, it may also stem from a poorly-sealed house (for instance, inadequate insulation around doors/windows).

Also, some health issues – like constant headaches, dizziness, or nausea – may come from a carbon monoxide leak in your heater. Although these symptoms can derive from many causes, investigate them carefully. Carbon monoxide endangers your whole home and must be addressed ASAP. 

Winter-Proof Your Home: Call Argent for Heating Repairs in the Washington DC Metro Region

As the holiday season rolls in colder climates, your heating system becomes more and more important for comfort. You can’t afford to ignore any warning signs: turn to Argent Heating & Cooling for professional heating repair services, replacements, and further appliance maintenance. Households throughout the Washington, DC Metro region have relied on our heating services and expertise for over 35 years. Call us today at (703) 281-6300 or fill out our online form for more information. 

The arrival of fall signals a shift from summer to winter climate controls. Air conditioners shut down (and receive Argent inspection and maintenance) while furnaces and radiant heaters come to life. Against the chilly weather, this comes as a great relief.

But what if one system supplied heating and cooling? What if it reduced your energy bill, adapted to all seasons, and could be maintained with ease? Contact Argent Heating & Cooling today and enjoy these perks with our professional heat pump installation. Heat pumps, which we have set up for clients throughout the Washington, DC Metro area, help to make homes efficient and comfortable year-round. Plus, their annual upkeep and usage are simple. We offer the best-rated heat pump systems on the market, and our technicians provide outstanding installation and maintenance services. 

Let’s get into further detail about the benefits a heat pump can bring to your home: 

Efficient Usage and Savings

First, what does a heat pump do? According to the US Department of Energy, a heat pump moves the heat from cool air into space with warm air. Thus, the pump blows warm air in during the winter and out during the summer. 

On its own, a heat pump probably can’t fulfill your home’s heating and cooling needs. It simply moves heat rather than generates it. But it can enhance the climate within your home, which can save you around 50% on heating costs. 

What’s more, you can earn tax credits and rebates for your HVAC system’s efficiency. Although you must check with your utility company, Argent Heating & Cooling currently has rebate programs with PEPCO, Dominion Virginia Power, BG&E, and DCSEU. So, in addition to using less energy, your utility company may lower your bottom line cost. 

Flexibility for Seasons

Since heat pumps do not generate heat, you may hear them referred to as ductless or cold-climate pumps. Even in freezing temperatures, they can pull warm air from outside and circulate it into your home. However, they become less effective in sub-zero conditions. 

Conversely, during the summer, the pump pulls warm air out of your home. In this way, it functions similarly to a refrigerator compressor. And since heat pumps operate consistently, they create a stable indoor climate. 

Also, heat pumps use electricity, so they are more efficient than traditional fuel-based heaters. They make homes more comfortable and efficient during every season.

Operation and Upkeep

Perhaps its greatest benefit, heat pumps are simple to use and maintain. Heat pumps are composed of two primary parts: a compressor on the outside of your home and a register inside. After installation, we suggest that you set your thermostat to a steady level and let your pump adjust to it. 

Heat pumps have a few filters that should be cleaned, but you can do so simply with a rag or brush. Its outdoor compressor should also be regularly brushed off. And should you notice any damage, contact Argent for inspection and/or repair. 

We’ve discussed previously the negative effects caused by faulty HVAC systems, which arise from daily usage. But installing a heat pump reduces the stress on your HVAC system, prolonging its life. Thus, a heat pump helps you to avoid costly HVAC repairs or replacements. 

Professional Heat Pump Installation for Homes in the Washington, DC Metro Area

Reach out to Argent Heating & Cooling and ask about our professional heat pump installation. Homeowners throughout the Washington, DC Metro area have taken this opportunity and enjoyed all the benefits that heat pumps bring. Call us today at (703) 281-6300 or fill out our online form to adapt your home to various conditions year-round.

Having a healthy home matters more than ever before. Through testing at the University of Colorado Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Carrier’s Infinity® Air Purifier has been recognized to capture & inactivate 99% of the human novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) trapped in your air filters.

This information is supported by other third-party testing, which confirmed that this system also inactivates other viruses and diseases: the common cold virus surrogate, Streptococcus pyogenes, and human influenza.

How Does It Work?

The Infinity® Air Purifier is your whole-home air cleaner solution. The system works quietly together with your home’s heating and cooling system. It may also be installed with any Carrier® or Bryant® gas furnace or fan coil. In addition to that, most homeowners find that their filters last up to six to nine months.

The Infinity® uses three steps to clean your HVAC system’s air:

1. Charge – creates an electrical cloud that attaches itself to the airborne dust, pollen, viruses, germs and any other additional particles.
2. Capture – These particles break apart toward an opposite charged, pleated filter and captures airborne microbes at an extremely high rate.
3. Inactivate – The captured airborne microbes stay on the filter rather than recirculating into your home.

While the Carrier’s Infinity® Air Purifier is just one of the many Carrier Healthy Homes’ products, Argent Heating & Cooling offers a range of systems that can help improve your overall health at home. Contact us at (703) 281-6300 for more information or fill out our form and we will reach out to you as soon as possible.

The harsh, frigid weather of fall and winter is on its way. With the weather they bring, homeowners across the country must check their furnace systems for potential issues. If you find one and call a pro in for repairs, you can ensure that your home remains comfortable and warm throughout the cold seasons. Plus, in the long run, this can save you money by increasing your system’s lifespan. 

At Argent Heating & Cooling, we pride ourselves in knowing the ins and outs of heating and cooling systems as well as other appliances that support your home’s utilities. We have over 35 years of experience providing a variety of services including excellent furnace repair, installation, and maintenance. We provide friendly, dedicated services to thousands of customers throughout the D.C. Metro area, supplying them with warmth and coolness throughout the year. 

Below, we describe three common furnace issues that require professional servicing: 

Malfunctioning Thermostat

The first issue that may require expert help is a malfunctioning thermostat. An example of this would be setting it to a particular temperature but noticing that the heater produces more or less heat than needed.

This scenario usually indicates  a wiring issue between the thermostat and furnace. A loose wire can cause a short that damages the sensors or other components within the furnace. The two appliances then cannot communicate properly. 

Miscommunication may produce unexpected temperature changes from your heater or cause the system to cycle on and off irregularly. This, in turn, makes your house less comfortable. If you notice these thermostat issues, call an expert to fix the problem. 

Worn Limit Switch

The fan limit switch is a component within a furnace system that determines when the blower assembly (which distributes hot air coming from the system) turns on and off. Limit switches often wear out, which then cause the blowers to run continuously. 

Your furnace may end up blowing cold instead of warm air throughout your home. And since the limit switch is such a small component, it can be difficult to locate and replace. Thus, the knowledgeable hands of a professional are called for. 

Odd Sounds

Hearing unusual sounds coming from your furnace or ventilation system, particularly whenever you turn one on, is a bad sign and requires a professional inspection or repair.

Pay close attention for grinding or scraping noises. These usually indicate worn out ball bearings in your blower, which require expert replacement. 

Also, if your furnace makes a shrieking sound when it activates, there’s likely a slipped or worn blower belt that needs replacement. 

Argent Heating & Cooling: Quality Furnace Repair in the DC Metro Area

The coming fall and winter call for a top shape furnace. Look out for the warning signs mentioned above, and call a trusted HVAC service like Argent Heating & Cooling to address them. Our expert technicians perform heating and cooling appliance services including efficient furnace repair, air conditioning installation and maintenance, indoor air quality evaluations, and more. We have provided these services to residents and businesses throughout the DC Metro area for over thirty years. Our customers call us again and again and always receive friendly and knowledgeable service. 

Contact us at (703) 982-0110 to learn about our furnace repair and heating services to ensure your home stays warm through the winter.

Summer heat often hits particularly hard just before autumn. Yet if you and your family now seek comfort in the air conditioning, your energy bill can become a punishing reminder of the price of comfort. This leaves you in a tight predicament: sweat out the dog days of August or pay a heavy fee for relief. 

At Argent Heating & Cooling, we believe that folks should feel comfortable in their homes without paying ridiculous fees. Our team provides award-winning heating & cooling system installation and maintenance for homes around the Washington, D.C. Metro region. We are locally owned and operated by proud veterans, and our technicians provide both excellent service and useful knowledge to all our customers. If you are interested in reliable thermostat repair in the D.C. metro area, look no further: Argent Heating & Cooling is here for you. 

Below, we consider the ideal temperature for your home’s thermostat in order to keep you comfortable and avoid pricey bills:

The Baseline Setting

First, since every home contains a different set of residents, each calls for a distinct setting. The ideal temperature for adults differs from that of pets and infants/children. You should account for the needs of everyone in your household.  

The Department of Energy advises homeowners to set thermostats to 78°F (26°C) when they are home and need cooling. While this temperature strikes some folks as rather high, it represents a happy medium between comfort and saving money. Moreover, it slows the flow of indoor heat, which helps to reduce your energy bill and acclimate residents to a reasonable temperature. 

However, you should consider this temperature as a starting point or baseline that is suitable for young  and grown adults. Consider exceptions in order to determine the temperature that works best for your home. 

Adjusting the Baseline

Does your household include an infant or elderly resident? If so, that baseline temperature will need adjustment. While healthy adult and young adult bodies can readily adapt to various conditions, more vulnerable folks don’t enjoy the same abilities. 

According to Healthline, the safest sleeping environment for a baby is a cool but comfortable 68°F to  72°F (20°C to 22.2°C). During the daytime, that temperature can rise to 74°F but no further. Infants cannot regulate body temperature nearly as well as adults, making them vulnerable to significant rises in heat.

Seniors also struggle to moderate body temperature. In fact, research indicates that even a minor rise in temperature can be deadly for elderly folks with chronic health conditions. Thus, indoor temperatures between 65°F and 74°F (18.3°C to 23.3°C) suit them best. 

Acclimating Your House and Other Settings

If your home’s indoor temperature is currently several degrees below 78°F, the shift upwards can be uncomfortable and may lose steam quickly. But remember: you are aiming  to save money, and that can be achieved gradually over a period of time. 

Rather than setting your thermostat to 78°F from the outset, work your way up. Give yourself and your family time to acclimate to this new setting. We suggest changing the setting by a degree or two every few days, allowing time for acclimation. Be sure to consume plenty of fluids as this shift occurs so that you aren’t also fighting dehydration. 

Other small shifts can help make your home more comfortable. When showering or washing hands, be mindful of the water temperature; more heat will necessarily warm your body. Also, try using a toaster or microwave instead of an oven to heat up food, since the latter will create more latent heat.

Argent Heating & Cooling: Reliable Services for the D.C. Metro Area

As we power through the end of the summer, remember: you can stay cool and maintain a reasonable energy bill by controlling your home’s interior temperature. Doing so requires a sensitive, up-to-date thermostat. If your house lacks such a system, turn to Argent Heating & Cooling for reliable thermostat repair. Throughout the Washington D.C. Metro region, our residential customers rave about our service. We are confident that you’ll be satisfied as well. 

Contact us at (703) 281-6300 or fill out our online form to get your home serviced now.

There is always a limit to how long and how well our HVAC systems work. Eventually, their efficiency will end up degrading and will require a response from homeowners, whether it is to make repairs, replace certain components to improve your appliance, or completely replace your HVAC system with a newer model. Argent Heating & Cooling offers affordable services and products for those that deal with issues of inefficient heating and cooling.

Our expert technicians are highly trained in inspecting, installing, and providing quality HVAC repair for residents throughout Northern VA. Our team has over 40 years of industry experience, which means they are easily able to help you resolve any problems with your HVAC unit according to your needs and preferences.

Below, we talk about the long term effects a defective HVAC system has on you and your home and compare their potential solutions:

Poor Air Quality

Low-quality air coming from your HVAC system often occurs due to a defect within it. It could be a clogged air filter, a leak in your ventilation system, or an excess accumulation of dust within your HVAC system.

Regardless of how it occurs, it’s important to understand the effects poor air quality has within your home.

Poor air quality can irritate your breathing. This is because there is an increased concentration of contaminants such as dust, dander, pollen, and more in the air, thus creating poor air quality.

These contaminants can then easily agitate allergies and other respiratory issues.

Additionally, poor air quality also increases the frequency and likelihood of bacterial and viral illnesses.

Mold & Mildew Growth

Some faulty HVAC systems will inevitably have issues within certain components, particularly within the condenser coil, where the airflow within your system will be cooled.

There, moisture will accumulate, allowing for the growth of mold and mildew within your system. This can eventually affect air quality within your home, causing harmful respiratory problems for you and other inhabitants, including illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis.

Higher Energy Bills

Finally, among the biggest problems that a defective HVAC system has is that it is more likely to increase your home’s energy bills.

This is because systems with several issues are usually more inefficient at providing heating and cooling to your home’s internal air.

The older or less-maintained an HVAC system is, the more energy it has to use to heat or cool the air within your home, and even then it may not raise or lower the temperature to the desired degree.

Repair vs. Replacement

After learning about all of these ill-effects a problematic HVAC system can have on you and your home, the question remains: how do you solve it?

Solutions can be boiled down to two main choices, either repairing the dysfunctional components within your system or replacing it altogether. While both will likely solve the problem for you and return your HVAC system to a decent state of efficiency, the difference is in how long it will serve you afterwards.

Depending on the components, repairing your system can be a simpler and cheaper option, and can even ensure your system has a much longer lifespan. However, repairs are only likely to fix every single problem within your HVAC system in the short-term.

On the other hand, replacing your HVAC  system or certain central components of it can result in a long-term increase in efficiency as well as improved air quality within your home. And because of its newer components and a newer model, your system will have a much longer lifespan and you’ll have less to worry about in the long-term.

Argent Heating & Cooling: Expert HVAC Repair in Northern VA

Stay attentive with your home’s HVAC system and you’ll likely avoid dealing with many of the bothersome and even harmful effects it could have on you and your family. Moreover, if your system is in need of repair or replacement, consider going to a reputable HVAC repair service and appliance provider, like Argent Heating & Cooling. For over 40 years, we’ve provided excellent and affordable heating and cooling products, as well as repairs, maintenance, and installations.

Not only do we help provide heating and cooling systems for your home, but also indoor air quality inspections, radiant floor heating, home generators, and more. Our team of experts can help you ensure your home’s most important systems and appliances are in their best shape.

Contact us at 1-877-282-6300 and get a free estimate on one of our many quality services and appliances.

Summer is the perfect time of the year to replace your outdated thermostat for a new thermostat installation in your home. Smart thermostats are trending for their incredible benefits such as energy savings and easy-to-use system. It only requires a Wi-Fi enabled device that will allow you to directly adjust the heating and cooling. As the summer heat begins to set in, control your thermostat easily, and maintain your home comfort with a smart thermostat installation provided by trained professionals.

Argent Heating & Cooling offers a list of heating and cooling services including maintenance and repairs. Some of the systems we can tend to are furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, air cleaners, and much more. Our team is dedicated to ensuring you experience optimal comfort in your home and are happy to provide you with professional and friendly services that match your needs.

Here’s the advantages of having a smart thermostat:

Quick Installation

Smart thermostat installations are simple with the assistance of a trained professional, as going the do-it-yourself route may be more dangerous due to the electrical wiring aspect. You have to make sure the wiring is installed correctly or else your system may not work properly. Once your system is installed, you’ll be able to use it right away and experience ultimate comfort. 

More Savings

A major benefit of common smart thermostats are the energy cost savings. Smart thermostats with the ENERGY STAR label are independently certified, which means that it delivers incredible energy savings.

You can also set your smart thermostat to learn what your temperature preferences are throughout the day. This way, it will automatically adjust the temperatures while saving you more energy.

Easy Accessibility

Since smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled, they will provide you with the ability to control the temperature with your smart device. If you aren’t home, you can adjust the thermostat so that you aren’t overworking your heating and cooling system. 

Smart thermostats also have the ability to switch on their low-power standby mode when it is inactive, which will allow you to save even more on energy costs.

Get a New Thermostat Installation in the Washington D.C. Metro Area

Keep your home up-to-date and comfortable during the warmer months with a new smart thermostat installation. Our team at Argent Heating & Cooling is committed to ensuring you and your family are comfortable in your home by providing you with high-quality heating and cooling services. We guarantee professional and friendly customer service every time. 

Allow us to assist you! Call our thermostat installation experts at (703) 982-0110 to schedule your appointment today.