Category Archives: Home Solutions

Furnace Buying Guide

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Shivering dog.

Brrr. It’s cold in here. There must be a furnace that needs to be replaced. While in a perfect world, you want to get your furnace replaced before it breaks, there are plenty of factors that are out of your control. To help you out, here is a furnace buying guide to help you find the best fit for your home. One thing is for sure. Warners’ Stellian carries high-quality heating systems at an affordable price. Let’s dive in.

Heating Modes

When understanding the heating modes, known as stages, here is what you need to know.

Single Stage Furnace

Single Stage means one heat mode. This means that if you set your house to 70 degrees, your furnace will run at full blast until it reaches that temperature.

Two Stage Furnace

Two Stage: Two levels of operation, high and medium, which saves energy use during non-peak heating demands. The furnace adjusts automatically to what you have your thermostat set to.

Modulating Furnace

Modulating: Modulating furnaces have varying levels of operation, which results in lower operating costs and more comfortable temperatures throughout your home. They are generally even more energy efficient as well.

Furnace Features

What features do furnaces have that you want to be aware of?

High-efficiency blower motors: Furnaces with variable speed blower motors are quieter in operation as they slowly ramp up to speed rather than give that high speed blast of air upon startup. These motors automatically adjust the flow of warm or cool air in your home for energy savings and better comfort throughout the home.

High efficiency units: A high efficiency furnace will have a higher up front cost but use less natural gas to heat your home, resulting in energy savings and money back in your pocket from utility bill savings.

If energy efficiency is a top priority rest assured, all the units we carry are energy efficient. However, the efficiency rating varies from 80-98%.

Photo: Rheem

Rheem was awarded the Energy Star Award in 2022 for Partner of the Year.

How Old is Your Furnace?

Wondering how long on average a furnace lasts? If it’s 10 years or older and you need repair, but it is over $600 it should be replaced. The typical life expectancy is 16 to 20 years. The good news is when the time comes, you don’t need to do as much work prepping your space as you do for example a new refrigerator. You do not need to measure your space to ensure that it will fit properly.

Our knowledgeable specialists come and do a comprehensive home visit to ensure maximum comfort throughout your home. If you are looking for both a furnace and air conditioning unit, considering reading our A/C buying guide, or contact our heating and cooling department with any questions.

Request a furnace quote here, and ask our specialists about our Ironclad Product Protection plans for your heating and cooling systems. For more furnace resources explore our blog, or read our ‘Furnace Checklist’ post.

Air Conditioner Buying Guide

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You find yourself in the market for a new air conditioner unit. Now what? Our specialists have put together a guide that will help you find the right AC unit for your house.

A New Degree of Comfort

Let’s start with things you might consider when buying an A/C unit.

Next, you will look at the efficiency. This refers to the energy usage of a given unit. For MN customers, we generally either install high efficiency which has a certain (SEER – seasonal energy efficiency rating) or a standard efficiency. A high efficiency unit will use less electricity and thus you will be able to save both energy and money on your utility bill.

Photo: Rheem

Rheem was awarded the Energy Star Award in 2022 for Partner of the Year.

First, you can look to see if it has proper sizing for dehumidification. Dehumidification is, part of the process that a central air conditioner does when it is running in a home. It is pulling or removing moisture from the air while also bringing down the temperature to what a person has their thermostat set to.

Rebates, rebates, rebates! Warners’ Stellian offers honest pricing, and you can always look online to see what current offers we have, to help you save on high quality products. This goes along with warranty as well. What coverage best fits your needs? Ask our specialists about our Ironclad Product Protection plans for your heating and cooling systems.

AC Features

Let’s talk about the different types of air conditioning units out there. Similarly, to our furnace buying guide, we touch on single stage, two stages, and modulating.

Single Stage means one mode. Meaning whatever temperature, you have your house set at, your unit will run at full blast until it reaches that temperature.

You have two cooling speeds for the two stage AC unit which means that there is a high and a medium capacity providing more precise temperatures and lower humidity while also reducing energy use

We commonly preach that you need to change your basic furnace filter every 30 days. However, we offer the Aprilaire air cleaner and filter system which has an exact fit filter system which keeps your equipment much cleaner and can last up to 1 year before changing. You will absolutely want to consider adding a Wi-Fi thermostat, they are inexpensive yet a huge upgrade in usability.

Example of an Aprilaire air filter.

Lastly, it is worth considering an air source heat pump condenser when replacing your HVAC equipment. Technology has improved in these systems to accommodate the northern US climate. Heat from the outside air is absorbed into a fluid and transferred inside to heat the home, as well the same system provides cooling by transferring warm indoor air to the outside. These units are energy saving and in northern climates still require a back up heating source when temperatures fall below 20 degrees.

Our knowledgeable specialists come and do a comprehensive home visit to ensure maximum comfort throughout your home. If you are looking for both a furnace and air conditioning unit, considering reading our furnace buying guide, or contact out heating and cooling department with any questions.

Request an AC quote here.

For more AC resources explore our blog.

Knowledgeable specialists helping repair or replace.

The Dog Days of Summer: Preparing your home for the heat.

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It’s heating up and your air conditioner is probably running constantly this time of the year. We put together tips to help keep your home cool during the hottest days of the summer.

Start by closing the blinds during the day. If you are looking for a way to keep your house cooler during those hot summer days, before you leave for work close the blinds. 

Keep doors and vents open. Our friends over at Rheem suggest you keep your doors and vents open to keep good airflow. When they are shut, your cooling system is working harder, and using more energy.

Maintain a healthy heating and cooling system. If you haven’t check out our maintenance articles, it acts as a checklist for you to make sure you heating and cooling systems are ready for our Midwest weather. You know, when spring is in the air, but we get 6″ of heavy snow on April 1st? Yes, that Midwest weather we all know and love. In short, remember to change your furnace filters, and schedule tune-ups in the spring to prepare for these hot summer days. 

Adjust your ceiling fans! A good rule of thumb is to set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise during the summer to push the cool air down. 

When you need support, we can help. Warners’ Stellian has experienced Heating & Cooling specialists ready to provide the home solutions you need to live comfortably. There is never a good time for your A/C to go out, but we make it stress-free for you. Learn more about our air conditioner repair.

Read more about heating and cooling resources on our blog. 

Air Conditioning Maintenance Checklist

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The last thing you need on a hot day is for your AC to go out. Spring is the perfect time to make sure it’s in tip top shape. Similar to our furnace checklist blog post, our specialists have created this air conditioning maintenance guide to get you ready for the dog days of summer.

1. Clean the Debris from your Air Conditioner

Just like your outdoor furniture, you will want to clean the leaves and other debris from the air conditioning unit before using it after it’s been through the winter months. Clearing the leaves, sticks, dirt off the air conditioner is the first thing you want to do before moving on to the next step.

Leaves surrounding AC unit.

2. Clean and Replace Furnace Air Filter

This is crucial to have a working heating and cooling system. You can follow these easy steps we put together in a former post that show you how to replace it.

Filter in furnace.

3. Clean Evaporator and Condenser Coils

The reason is because dust and debris can clog it up making it hard for there to be adequate air flow. Simply take a your hose and spray the water on the AC unit.

Cleaning inside of AC unit.

4. Test it out before you really need it.

The last thing you need if for your AC to go out on one of the hottest days of the summer. Test run your air conditioning unit before you need it running constantly. Make sure to wait until it reaches at least 60 degrees outside before doing this step.

Testing your thermostat.

5. Schedule a tune up.

Regular inspection of your equipment can prevent breakdowns, lower utility bills and lengthen the life of your equipment. Instead of a cut-rate tune-up, we perform a comprehensive inspection of heating or air conditioning systems. Appointment includes:

  • Numerous safety and operational tests on the system
  • Light cleaning of all moving parts
  • Proper adjustments to enhance efficiency
  • Provide answers and advice regarding the system
Warners' Stellian employee working on AC unit.

Your air conditioner will thank you!

Use these tips to have the coolest air conditioner on the block. If your AC is 16 years or older, it might be time to start a conversation on replacing it. Contact our heating and cooling team to see how we can help you.

How To: Replacing Furnace Filter

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If you’re reading this and can’t remember when you last changed your furnace filter, it might be time. This is a helpful tip to ensure the efficiency and longevity of your furnace. Did you know that even if it’s not time to turn on the heat, you should still make sure you replace your filter. You need a working furnace to have a working AC! It’s recommended to replace your furnace filter monthly to improve the air quality in your home and prevent potential damage to your furnace. Here is an easy step-by-step guide to replacing your furnace filter.

Ready, Set, Replace!

Step 1: Turn off your heating system.

Picture of thermostat.

Step 2: Take off the filter cover to find the filter.

Furnace showing where to find your filter when you have to replace it.

Step 3: Take out old filter and discard.

Hand placed on filter.

Step 4: Place the new filter in, facing arrows the correct way.

Filter showing arrows for correct placement.

Step 5: Put cover back and turn heating system on.

Furnace in a home after replacing furnace filter.

We hope you found these steps easy to follow for replacing your furnace filter, and for more home solutions dive into our blog. For heating and cooling services visit our website.