Straight answers
Questions people actually ask.
Answers first. The phone is at the bottom if you already know you need a truck.
Heat
How often should I replace furnace and AC filters?
A typical 1-inch filter lasts about 90 days in a closed house with no pets. Change it every 30–45 days if you have dogs, cats, or anyone with allergies. A clogged filter is the most common reason a system ices, short-cycles, or spikes the gas bill. Write the date on the frame when you swap it.
What size HVAC unit does my house need?
Size is a load calculation — square footage, insulation, window area, and how leaky the house is — not a rule of thumb from a flyer. An undersized unit never catches up in a July heat wave. An oversized unit short-cycles, never dehumidifies, and dies early. Stack measures before they quote a replacement.
How often should I schedule HVAC maintenance?
Cooling before the first hot week. Heat before the first freeze. Ohio’s swing seasons punish skipped tune-ups. Maintenance members get that on a calendar plus priority when it fails at night. There are no overtime fees on emergency calls.
When should I replace the system instead of repairing it?
Most furnaces and AC condensers last 15–20 years if they are actually serviced. Replace when repairs start stacking, rooms will not even out, or the bill climbs with the same thermostat. A 24-year boiler swapped in May is cheaper than a no-heat Saturday in January.
Why is the system making bang, clank, or hiss noises?
Banging or clanking is often a loose blower, cracked heat exchanger, or delayed ignition. Hiss can be a refrigerant leak. None of those get better overnight. Shut it down if you smell gas or see soot, then call (440) 937-9134.
My house still has a steam or hot-water boiler. Can you work on that?
Yes. Andy Stack was the person other heating contractors called when steam or hot water went sideways, and the company still does that work. A lot of west-side and inner-ring houses still run that way. Do not let a forced-air-only tech tell you to rip it out on a first visit.
Water
Why does the drain keep clogging?
Hair, cooking grease, soap scum, and food. Store-bought chemical cleaners can soften old pipe and do not clear a main line. If it comes back in a week, the blockage is farther down than a plunger reaches.
Why am I running out of hot water?
Sediment in a tank, a failed element, a tank that is too small for the house, or a tankless unit that needs descaling. A leak at the tank is not a “wait until Monday” item — shut power and water, then call.
Should I use chemical drain cleaner?
No. It is hard on cast iron and on the person who has to open the pipe later. Mechanical cleaning is safer and actually removes the clog.
How do I keep pipes from freezing?
Keep the house above 55°F, open cabinet doors on outside walls, and let a faucet drip on the coldest nights. Insulate the lines you can see. If a pipe already froze, do not thaw it with a torch.
Power
Why do breakers keep tripping?
The breaker is doing its job — overload or a short. Replacing it with a larger one from a forum is how houses burn. Repeated trips need an electrician, especially in knob-and-tube or 60-year panels common in older Cleveland housing.
An outlet is warm or sparking. What now?
Unplug what is in it. Do not use that receptacle. Warm or sparking usually means a loose connection or an overloaded circuit. That is a fire condition, not a wait-and-see.
How often should the electrical system be inspected?
Every 3–5 years in a modern house. Sooner after a surge, a panel that is warm to the touch, or if the house still has original 1920s–1950s wiring. GFCI belongs in kitchens, baths, and garages.
Do you install generators and EV chargers?
Yes. Whole-home generators so the furnace and the rest of the house still have power in a Lake Erie storm, Level 2 EV chargers that are actually on a legal circuit, and whole-home surge protection for the HVAC and everything else on the panel.