Sometimes a new furnace or ductwork just isn’t in the budget in time for heating season. Many people then rely on supplemental heating from space heaters. These tiny, but mighty gadgets can be a convenient source of heat when you’re in a pinch. Unfortunately they can also increase the risk of electric shock or fire hazard if used incorrectly. So the team at Getzschman Heating & Air Conditioning put together these safety tips to keep in mind this winter when using your space heater.

Do’s for Using a Space Heater Correctly

DO read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels carefully before using a space heater.
DO make sure your space heater has the label verifying that it is listed by a recognized testing laboratory.
DO make sure your space heater is placed in the proper place. Heaters must be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including papers, clothing and rugs.
DO inspect heaters for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections before each use. If frayed, worn or damaged, do not use the heater.
DO unplug and safely store the heater when it is not in use.

Don’t Do This With Your Space Heater

DON’T use space heaters to warm bedding, cook food, dry clothing or thaw pipes. They’re only meant for supplemental heating.
DON’T leave a space heater unattended. Turn it off when you're leaving a room or going to sleep, and don't let pets or children play too close to a space heater.
DON’T ever place heaters on cabinets, tables, furniture, or carpet, which can overheat and start a fire. Always place on level, flat surfaces.
DON’T plug space heaters into a power strip or extension cord, which could overheat and result in a fire. Do not plug any other electrical devices into the same outlet as the heater, instead plug them into a different wall outlet.

If you find yourself needing a space heater this year, call the G-Force experts at (402) 235-6727. We can either help you fix the problem with your furnace , or help you find an affordable furnace solution for a more comfortable Omaha winter this year.

Furnace season in Omaha is finally here. When you flip on your heater for the first time in nearly a year, you might experience some odors and noises. Not all are something to be necessarily concerned about though. Getzschman Heating & Cooling covers some of the furnace basics, and which noises and odors you should look out for and give concern to.

Furnace Noises

Screech – This could be a problem with your motor or fan belt.
Chirp – Chirping sounds are fairly common. It’s usually the natural noise of the mechanisms.
Rattle – Rattling noises usually happen when the system is cooling down and it’s not generally cause for alarm.
Boom – These sounds are usually your ductwork expanding and contracting with the changes in temperatures throughout the seasons. But if this happens and your furnace smells like it’s burning, you might have a dirty burner in your furnace or a defective gas valve.
Ping – This sound can also be caused by contracting and expanding ducts.
Hum – This is usually a sound that happens when the furnace burner lights.
Whine – Whining or odd vibrating noise may indicate a problem with your system. Call in an expert.
Crackle – Crackling noises may be the metal parts cooling down after the furnace shuts off.
Clunk – Clunking or bumping sounds often means you have a cracked belt.

Related Read: 3 Heating Myths Busted

Furnace Odors

Musty - This may be mold and/or mildew buildup in your duct system. One way to get rid of this is to change your air filter and clean the drip pan in your heating and cooling system. Clean using bleach or white vinegar to make sure the area is no longer hospitable to mold growth.
Electrical burning - This could be an object in the duct work that starts to smell when it gets overheated. A spill on a register or in the duct work can also cause this type of smell. Go check out your registers for anything unusual and remove them to look for a spill in the duct work. It could also be the furnace motor overheating or a cracked heat exchanger. If you cannot locate a foreign object in the ductwork, call a technician to check it out for you.

If you experience any odd smells or noises that are of concern, call the furnace experts at Getzschman Heating & Cooling today at (402) 235-6727.

As the thermometer outside drops, the need to crank the heat indoors grows. Everyone wants the comfort of the heat, but without the high energy bills that accompany that luxury. Many homeowners rely on heating myths to try to cut the costs associated with turning up their furnace, but many of these are just that - myths. Getzschman Heating & Cooling busts a few heating myths that you should be aware of this season.

Myth: Crank the Thermostat Up to Heat Your Home More Quickly

This trick really isn’t a trick at all. Cranking the heat up to try and warm your home more quickly doesn’t actually work. Heating systems deliver air at the same constant rate no matter how high the heat is set. So, your home will still take just as long to heat up, but your furnace will have to work much harder to reach such a high temperature. In the end this method will actually end up costing you more on your monthly energy bills.

Myth: Ceiling Fans Are Only for Summer

Ceiling fans aren’t just for cooling. They can actually make your home more energy efficient by distributing the warm air in your home better. All you have to do to make this work is switch the fan to make it spin clockwise. This will force warm air that accumulates near the top of the room down towards the living quarters. Your home will feel warmer without increasing your furnace’s output.

Myth: Save Money by Turning off Your furnace Completely When You’re Gone all Day

While this strategy may seem like a sound tactic, it’s actually best to keep your furnace running all day, and for two reasons. First of all, if your furnace has been off all day and you kick it on when you come home, it will have to work really hard to raise the temperature in your home back to a normal setting, thereby eating up a lot of energy and increasing your energy bills. Instead, use a programmable thermostat to set different programs throughout the day to accommodate your schedule. Set your thermostat 10-12 degrees cooler than you normally have it when you are gone all day. Secondly, turning off your furnace all day when the temperatures start dropping really low can put your water pipes at risk of bursting.

Keep your furnace running efficiently all heating season with a little help from the Omaha area furnace experts. The G-Force team has you covered when it comes to furnace tune-ups, furnace replacement, etc. Call us today at (402) 235-6727.

Did you know sealing and insulating your ducts can improve efficiency by 20% or even more? Seriously. So why wouldn’t you start now?! Your air ducts that circulate the air in your home to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are some of the biggest energy wasters. Without proper insulation, or if there are any holes punctures or misalignments, you could be blowing a lot of money every month - both literally and metaphorically. Here’s how to figure out if your ducts are performing poorly, and how to get started sealing and insulating those ducts now so you’re more comfortable once the cooler weather sets into Omaha for good.

Do Your Ducts Perform Poorly?

Here are some telltale signs that your air ducts could use proper sealing or insulation:

you have high summer and winter utility bills
you have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool
you have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable
your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or the garage
you find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system

Seal Your Ducts

First of all, make sure you’re using the right sealing materials. Use mastic sealant or metal tape. Do not use duct tape. Start by insulating all of the ducts that you can access, such as those in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages. Also, check that the connections at the vents and registers are well sealed where they meet the floors, walls, and ceiling. These are common trouble spots for leaks and disconnections.

Insulate Your Ducts

Insulate ducts in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and garages where they are most likely to experience temperature differences. Be sure to use a foil-faced fiberglass insulation with an R-6 or higher insulation value. Use the same type of metallic foil duct tape to seal and hold the insulation in place. Make sure the foil surface of the insulation is free of dust before applying the tape.

Call the heating and cooling team you can trust at Getzschman Heating & Cooling at (402) 235-6727 to help you get your heating equipment ready for the long winter ahead.

At Getzschman Heating & Cooling, we understand that keeping your Omaha area home warm this holiday season is about more than making sure your furnace has had it’s annual tune-up. It’s about filling your home with love, laughter, and joy. This season fill your home with warmth by decorating your fireplace mantel with festive holiday cheer. Here are our tips to building the most cheerful holiday mantel.

Use Weighted Hooks

Start off by deciding where to hang your holiday stockings. You can evenly space them across your mantle, gather them toward the middle, or hang a few off to each side. When it comes to actually hanging them, we suggest you use weighted hooks rather than nails, for two reasons; first of all nails can damage your fireplace mantel, and secondly you can find really festive weighted hooks at your local Target or Hobby Lobby. These holiday themed hooks can help you add even more flair! And who doesn’t want that.

Choose a Garland Style

Next, choose a style of garland to lay across your mantel. If you have a retro style, choose metallic tinsel garland, or if you have a shabby-chic style choose a burlap garland. If you’re traditional just go with a simple pine or ribbon garland. You can weave your garland around your weighted hooks and stockings for a more ornate look. Make sure you choose materials that won’t easily catch fire if they get too warm. We want to make sure that your fireplace decorations are safe, too!

Create a Focal Point

Lastly, make sure you create a focal point on your mantle to attract more attention to all your hard work. Use big glittery letters to spell out “joy” or “noel”. Another great idea is to use a mirror, and hang a wreath on top of it. This adds some festive flair and some reflective power that amplifies any twinkling lights you might add, as well as makes the room look larger.

You can make your house look great, but if for some reason it doesn’t feel great, make sure to call the technicians you can trust with your house keys at Getzshcman Heating & Cooling at (402) 235-6727. We’ll make it feel cozy again.

Furnace season is almost in full force now in Omaha, but it comes at a price. When your furnace runs all day and all night, the humidity levels in your home can easily become unbalanced. If you can’t immediately tell that the air in your home is parched, here are five telltale signs to look for.

Itchy, Dry Skin

Is your skin, or your family members’ skin itchy and dryer than usual? Skin, your body’s largest organ, requires plenty of moisture to maintain its health. If you’re using moisturizer regularly, but still find you are itchy and dry, your home’s air could be too arid.

Bloody Noses

Has anyone in your family had a bloody nose lately? If they haven’t sustained a nose injury recently, or aren’t suffering from an illness, it can signal there isn’t enough moisture in the air. Skin inside your nose is thinner than most skin, and is more susceptible to imbalances of moisture.

Lingering Cough & Sore Throat

If you aren’t sick but can’t seem to kick that sore throat and cough, it could be a sign you need a whole home humidifier.

Static Electricity

Do you seem to get shocked every time you touch the metal door handles in your home? If you didn’t just shuffle through your house with socks on, it could very well be caused by low humidity in your home. Static electricity increases when the humidity levels drop. Think of how dry hair behaves in the winter when you rub it wrong on your coat. That’s the same thing.

Wood Furniture Cracks

If you’ve been noticing changes in your furniture, it could also be due to humidity levels in your home dropping. Look for cracks and flaking in your wood furniture or floors. Wood furniture and floors also rely heavily on steady humidity levels to maintain their shape.

A whole home humidifier from Getzschman Heating & Cooling can reverse all of these problems. Our technicians can attach it directly to your furnace and your plumbing so it has a constant supply of water. This means you never have to forget about refilling it, which often happens with portable humidifiers. A whole home humidifier will deliver the optimal amount of moisture to every room in your home that has air ducts.

Call the technicians you can trust with your house keys at G-Force to talk about financing your new whole home humidifier before furnace season sucks all the moisture out of your home.

Before turning on your furnace for the season, it is important to understand fire prevention tips that every Omaha homeowner should know. Heating systems that have gone unused for months can develop issues such as dust buildup, worn components, or blocked airflow, all of which increase fire risk. Taking a few proactive steps before your furnace starts running can help reduce hazards, protect your home, and ensure a safer heating season.

Be Warm and Safe This Winter

Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
Have chimneys and heating equipment inspected and cleaned every year by a qualified professional.
Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
Test smoke alarms monthly.

Do you want to ensure that your heating equipment is operating safely this year? Give the G-Force team a call at (402) 235-6727, and schedule a furnace tune-up today.

The brothers behind the name have quite a history in Omaha and in the heating and cooling industry. You may know about their quality work, but do you know how they built this business? Here’s the Getzschman story and why it helps them better serve your heating and cooling needs.

Getzschman Company Timeline

Scott, Ron, and David’s father first opened the original business in 1960. Back then it was called Getzschman Heating & Sheet Metal. The company focused on air conditioning and heating, but still employed many of the same fundamental operations as it still does today. All three sons started out working in the family business at a young age, and still remain involved today. In 1998 Lennox bought the company and the Getzschman patriarch was able to retire. The brothers still managed the business for several years, until 2004 when they decided to buy the business back and have full ownership once again.

How The Brothers Found Their Way

While each brother took his own path, each led them back to their family business, Getzschman Heating & Cooling. All three brothers started working at the company by the time they were 12 years old, doing almost every job they employ. From service requests to system installation, the brothers have done it all. It’s taught hem a lot over the years, and the brother literally know the heating and cooling business from top to bottom.

Their Business Foundation

From beginning to present, the company is built on honesty and integrity. Their policy has always been to put the homeowner first. They’ve always employed a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, and still stand by that today. The brothers credit the fact that they each head a different department to the great success of the business in recent years. It has allowed them to be more efficient when it comes to their work, and has allowed them to have an even more personal relationship with their customers, which helps them focus on their customers’ needs. Every single customer is important to the brothers, big or small, and that’s never going to change.

Call the technicians you can trust with your house keys at (402) 235-6727 for the best heating and cooling service in Nebraska.

The summer is starting to heat up, which means your Omaha area home’s air conditioner is going to be working full throttle now. The harder it has to work, the more energy it’s using to cool your home, and the more likely it is to need repair. Now is the perfect time to consider installing a high efficiency air conditioning and furnace system. Getzschman Heating & Cooling explains how it could benefit your home.

It Will Cost You Less In The Long Run

Installing a brand new system isn’t always cheap, but it will cost you less in the long run. Older, less efficient systems require often air conditioning repair and maintenance, which can add up over time. New high efficiency systems are more efficient and durable, though. This means they require less energy to keep your home comfortable, saving you money when it comes to your energy bills, especially since air conditioners consume more energy than any other piece of equipment in your home.

High efficiency systems with high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings, or SEERs, sometimes come with incentives and rebates, as well. Many name brand manufacturers offer rebates, and sometimes the government offers incentives, like tax breaks. These offers can drastically reduce the cost of a new system if you take advantage of them.

You’ll Be More Comfortable in Your Home

Like we mentioned above, high efficiency systems are usually much more efficient than old models. They can provide your home with a more consistent temperature throughout your home thanks to a more even airflow. This means you’ll be more comfortable wherever you are in your home.

High efficiency systems can also remove moisture from the air more effectively. These systems are more controlled, running longer cycles at lower temperatures. This helps cool the air more comfortably, and can deter mold and other airborne problems.

Your Home Will Be Greener

Since high efficiency systems consume less energy, they are also better for the environment. These systems emit fewer greenhouse gases and use less fossil fuel because they take less energy to operate. Not only will you be helping your wallet, but your community as well.

For more air conditioning tips or services, call the technicians you can trust at Getzschman Heating & Cooling at (402) 235-6727.

Fall weather has arrived in Omaha! Some of us may have made the big switch on our thermostat and turned on the heat, while others are waiting for the weather to drop a bit further. Regardless of whether or not you are waiting , it is important to have your furnace tuned-up. Why? Getzschman Heating put together a couple of reasons for you.

Furnace Tune-ups Help Save Money on Energy Bills

When you receive a furnace tune-up for your Omaha area home, you are receiving an inspection on your unit that will help to ensure everything is running as efficiently as possible. When your unit is operating at its peak efficiency, that means that it is running at its best and using the least amount of energy possible. Throughout the course of the winter months, the amount of money saved adds up. Below is a list of everything that the G-Force team checks to help ensure the efficiency of your furnace.

Check evaporator coil
Monitor expansion valve
Clean evaporator drain
Adjust bypass dampers
Clean or replace filter
Tighten electrical connections
Evaluate safety controls
Measure temperature difference
Clean condenser coil
Adjust thermostat calibration
Check fan blades for tightness
Lubricate fan motor
Check start and run capacitors
Check start and run delays
Monitor refrigerant level
Adjust operating pressures
Measure voltage differences
Measure amperage draw
Clean and adjust burners
Evaluate vent system
Set burner adjustment
Measure gas input
Set manifold pressure
Test fan limit switch
Clean blower wheel
Inspect valves
Check flue
Check flame baffle
Clean combustion chamber
Clean heat exchanger
Test thermocouple
Check combustion air

Keep Your Home Safer with a Furnace Tune-up

There is a lot that goes on when it comes to operating a furnace. So how do you ensure that everything is up to code and operating safely? As part of your Getzschman tune-up, we also perform various tests within your system to do just that. Included in this is a check that monitors the level of carbon monoxide in your furnace.

So this year, give yourself some peace of mind knowing that your home’s furnace is operating safely and that you are saving some money when it comes to your energy bill. Give Getzschman Heating a call today to schedule a furnace tune-up!