At Home: Know when to repair or replace

Knowing when to repair and then when to replace your heating and air conditioning systems are things all homeowners have to face sooner or later.

Greg DeBacker, owner of Debackers, Inc., 1520 S.E. 10th, of Topeka, said he prefers that his technicians always try to repair a problem whenever possible instead of replacing a whole system. He said thats because his staff can make more service calls and it keeps customers costs down.

DeBacker said a homeowner can do several things to keep their home safe and reduce the chances for mishaps requiring costly repairs.

DeBacker said changing your furnaces air filter on a regular basis is an easy and inexpensive way to maintain your unit.

Especially during extremely cold times, change the filter more frequently, he said, and dont run your furnace without the filter. That causes us a lot of headaches.

DeBacker said filters are inexpensive so its better to change out the used ones with new ones instead of trying to clean a used filter over and over again.

A lot of people try to save money that way, he said, but thats not a good way to save money.

Keeping the house safe with a gas furnace, DeBacker said, should always come first.

With a gas furnace, our number one concern is safety, DeBacker said, adding that about 95-percent of homes in the Topeka area use natural gas. We recommend every home have a carbon monoxide detector in it. If you have carbon monoxide, it (gas) might be burning improperly.

DeBacker said a homeowner can do several things to make sure the gas furnace stays in good working condition.

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At Home: Know when to repair or replace