January Articles

January 2006 Articles

These are condensed versions of the Radio Program

01/04/06

Welcome to a brand new year! 2006 is a promising year for Quality Service and “Ask Mike”! We want to re-introduce ourselves to our regular readers and listeners and explain what we do here for those that may be new to “Ask Mike”. We are Quality Service, Inc., the area’s leading Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) sales and repair contractor. We’ve been in business as Quality Service since the early 80’s in an industry where the average start-up lasts 3-5 years.

Mike Currie is the principal here and has more than 30 years experience exclusively in HVAC. He is NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified in several categories, and we have the only area servicemen that carry NATE certification.

We are in the TVA Quality Contractor’s Network and perform more TVA heat pump program installations than any other contractor in our area.

Quality Service sells Trane-It’s hard to stop a Trane- and other high quality equipment, and we service any brand of home comfort system. Our prices are extremely competitive and we are able to do that WITHOUT cutting corners like many contractors do.

Each week, we offer this “Ask Mike” article and our Saturday morning radio show on WTRB as a public service to our customers and to the general public. “Ask Mike” is here so that you can get information about YOUR particular home comfort issues.

All you have to do is call us at 635-3452, fax us at 635-8009, or visit our website at www.qualityserviceinc.com to get your question to us. Even if you don’t have a question of your own, you may find answers to issues you are having too. Happy New Year and change your filters!

01/11/06

We are ready for another great year at Quality Service, Inc., and that means we get to kick off another great year of “Ask Mike” here and on our radio show on WTRB on Saturday mornings. We get to share a little good news as we get started in 2006. The trend toward higher natural gas prices continues, but for some, the mild winter so far has decreased demand and actually kept prices from being as high as they were headed. Of course, it’s very early in the winter, but every mild day helps. As of Wednesday, January 04, 2006, the price at Ripley Gas and Water was down. According to a spokesperson for Gas and Water the price was about $1.29 per unit. In December, it cost $1.65 per unit.

$1.29 is still way higher than last year’s cost, but it’s not as bad as $1.65. In Halls, we found that in the city limits,

after the first 500, the cost was $1.76, Halls gas customers outside the city limits pay about $1.79.

We were unable last Wednesday to contact officials in Henning. Regardless of the recently mild weather, it is still important to save heating dollars everywhere you can. Here are a few tips. Turn the thermostat down!

That is the easiest and most effective way. For every degree the thermostat is lowered, you can save up to 5% in heating costs. Wear a sweatshirt and pajama bottoms and reduce the temperature in the house. Lower the temperature even more when the house is unoccupied. If everybody is at school or work, there’s no need to keep the house warm. Also, overnight, when the family is snug under the covers, you can lower the thermostat. A programmable thermostat is a great way to do that. And check for leaks in the ductwork and house. Change your filters! See you next week.

01/18/06

Since it’s the start of a new year, we want to use this space today to re-introduce ourselves to anyone who might be thinking, “What’s this all about?” We are here to answer your questions about your home comfort system and indoor air quality. By providing the answers to these questions we hope to educate people about their system, and ultimately how to use them more efficiently and make them last longer. Every home is different and every system should be customized to that particular home. There are no silly questions except the ones not asked. If, for some unknown reason, we don’t know the answer to your question right away, we have vast research tools on hand, and we will find the answer. So whether your question is about equipment, ductwork, humidity, thermostats, or just that weird little noise you keep hearing, please “Ask Mike”, and we’ll answer it for you. Who knows, we may be able to save you a lot of money on service calls.

There are several ways you can get your question to us. After your question gets to us, you can look for your answer here or listen for it on our Saturday morning radio show, “Ask Mike” on WTRB.

Call in at 635-3452 and tell them you have a question for “Ask Mike”. You can also go to our website at

www.qualityserviceinc.com and ask your question there.

We get questions at the grocery store and church too, so any way you can get them to us, we’ll be glad to provide the answer. You might want to ask about the financing programs we have available. Some of those are really attractive, like 6 or 12 months same as cash for qualified buyers. Change your filters every month, and we’ll answer more of your questions next week!

01/25/06

We’re here again to answer your questions about your home comfort system!

What is the most common issue with home comfort systems in the winter?

Other than the small things that can come up when maintenance isn’t performed regularly, I’d say one of the most common problems in gas heating systems would be cracks in the heat exchanger.

What is a heat exchanger and what does it do?

The heat exchanger is the part of the furnace where the heat from the gas flame is transferred to the air of the heated space. The transfer is made without gas or flame getting to the air.

How can I tell if there are cracks in mine?

Generally, you can’t. These cracks show up in areas hidden from view. Even if you could see the area of the cracks, they are very difficult to detect for even those with a trained, experienced eye. What are the symptoms? Look for erratic operation, eye irritation, and unusual odors. If you suspect a cracked heat exchanger, contact a professional.

What causes the cracks? The heat exchanger heats up and cools down repeatedly. That means the metal expands and contracts. Metal fatigue and corrosion play a part. If there is improper venting condensation can occur. That condensation can contain acid that can eat metal. Does a cracked heat exchanger have to be replaced? Yes. Imagine how difficult it’d be to weld together an old rusty tin can. Get your question to “Ask Mike” by calling 635-3452. Please visit our website at

www.qualityserviceinc.com. Back next week.