"We were extremely happy with our entire experience. Grove responded quickly to our inquiry - provided a quote the next day and started the day after that. Our attic air handler was very difficult to access and Grove had a "can do" attitude about the entire installation. The price was comparable to other bids - but for a better system and with a much better explanation. They were on time, complete, and clean. We will absolutely use them again."
"JDL replaced a defective propane furnace and did an excellent job. The new one is installed better than the original. JDL scheduled an inspection by the county inspector also said they did an excellent job. They were efficient, timely and friendly."
Three qualities all of our people have that make us Northern Virginia, D.C. & Maryland’s #1 Home Service Provider. That’s the F.H. Furr Difference. F.H. Furr is D.C., Maryland & Northern Virginia’s premier plumber, HVAC contractor and electrician. F.H. Furr is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and has consistently been voted Best of Prince William County for HVAC, Plumbing and electrical.
"Everything went great. The old hot water heater was removed and then the new hot water heater was installed where I requested it to be with all of the plumbing done in a neat professional manner. It was a pleasure working with Bamford plumbing and I have been very happy with the work they have done. I would highly recommend them to anyone. "
"They did a great job! Don and Eric came over with a new pressure switch, which got my old boiler working again. I thought it was done for, but their persistence and a bit of wizardry paid off for me. I am so grateful to have them around and would not hesitate to recommend them."
"This is the second time that we have used B.A.R. In December our furnace was leaking, it was cold and Henry came out very soon after calling. He needed to do an "innovative" fix, which was awesome because we were leaving on vacation. There was no question then who I would call when we woke up recently and it was COLD. This time there was no hope for the furnace. Henry once again responded quickly to my call for help, and he has once again had to come up with a "crafty" fix with the install of a new furnace. They are the best, and I would highly recommend them for both repairs and new installs. They will work until your problems are solved. They are honest and I trust them which is a very important aspect of hiring any company."
"Continental's technicians were highly experienced, professional, considerate, respectful, hard working, and neat. They arrived on-time when scheduled. Allied's drilling and trenching crews were excellent also. This was a big messy job that took about a week and we are very happy with the work that they did. The owner of Continental, Frank Jackson, sold us the system. He provided an extensive reference list that went back at least 15 years. He was on-site for most of the job providing hands-on supervision of his technicians. His technicians are so experienced that he didn't have to be there to supervise them. Rather, I believe he was there to make sure that the job was finished on time because they are so busy. Allied had an on-site supervisor at the start of the drilling process to finalize the location of the loop bores, but their drilling crew was highly experienced and needed no supervision. Installing geothermal is a messy job. The vertical bores and horizontal trenching for the ground loop makes a muddy mess. The drillers from Allied were very respectful to the property, much more than I expected. I expected that the drilling process would make "a mess and a half" but it only made a mess! At the end of the job the ground was re-leveled and ready for seed, which has already popped and growing grass. As one of the drillers said "the mess only takes grass seed to fix". The HVAC technicians from Continental left the spaces where they worked in "broom-clean" condition. We had to do some "deep cleaning" afterwards, but this was completely reasonable. We expressed our concerns about the job to the technicians before they started work because we do not know much about HVAC or geothermal. They took the time to explain what they were going to do and how they were going to do it. They kept us fully informed about their progress and included us in the decision making process when they had more than one way of running a pipe or duct. They made us feel really comfortable and that we were getting a top-notch job. While the cost for the system from Continental was a little bit higher than their competitors I think we got value for money. In addition to the reference list we received during the sale process, we also know two families that used Continental in the recent past and they are very happy with the work that was performed. We would use Continental again and would recommend them to others. If you go with the option to integrate your hot water heater with the geothermal system (which is supposed to reduce the cost of the hot water that you use) I would reccommend that you bite the bullet and have a preheat tank installed at additional cost. We didn't do that and in retrospect we should have based on some further reading that we did about how to get the most bang for the buck from geothermal. It would be easy to install the preheat tank during a new construction project. It would be harder to install the preheat tank during a replacement project (like ours was). "
"It was great. I have a very old boiler and they send out knowledgeable mechanic to to the check up for it. And once the worker didn't know, another came in and fixed it. They deliver my oil and are very efficient."
"It was very easy to schedule an appointment. The owner of the company came to my house on 8/2/16. He said that I could get a new 3 ton Trane air conditioner for $3,700 or I could repair the existing unit for $900. It needed a new blade, motor and 2 lbs. of R-22. I had just spent $350 for a service call and a capacitor two days earlier. As the unit was 27 years old, I decided to get a new unit. Ambient was able to come to my house the next day, 8/3 to install a new unit. The technicians were very professional, polite, and neat."
Hydronic and standard electric baseboard heaters differ in how they operate, their cost, and their performance. Standard convection heaters use electric coils to heat the air directly, while hydronic heaters warm a contained liquid like water or oil, which then radiates heat into the room.
In terms of cost and efficiency, hydronic heaters usually have a higher upfront price but are more energy-efficient and cheaper to run over time. This is because the heated liquid retains warmth, allowing the heater to continue providing heat for a while after the thermostat turns it off. In contrast, electric heaters provide heat more quickly but are less efficient.
Ultimately, the better choice depends on your priorities. If you need a room to heat up fast and have a lower initial budget, an electric heater might be suitable. If long-term energy savings are more important and you don't mind a slower heat-up time, a hydronic heater is likely the better option.
Scale from hard water is hard to diagnose until it starts causing problems. If your area has particularly hard water, that’s most likely what your boiler is using. If scale build-up becomes a problem, it starts to cause decreased flow and heating, and eventually, valve failures as valves become blocked. Let boiler professionals know if you’re worried about scale and they can offer advice or implement a solution.
A home radiator works by using radiation and convection to transfer heat throughout your home. Electric radiators use metal to conduct heat and warm the air, which then rises to warm the room. Steam and hot water radiators work with a boiler and piping system to pump thermal energy throughout the home. Hot water radiators use a boiler to heat the water before circulating it to the radiator, while steam heating radiator systems convert the heated water to steam before circulating it out. When the water or steam cools, it travels back to the boiler to be heated again.
Many HVAC companies offer free quotes and free estimates for repairs and new HVAC systems. Others offer low-cost quotes or apply the cost of the estimates or diagnostics to your final bill if you hire them. Be aware that some companies advertise free HVAC quotes and recoup the costs by charging more for their services. Free HVAC quotes are never truly free—they cost the company time and effort—so be a good customer. Also understand that you may end up paying for free quotes in another way if you don’t hire a reputable company.
An HVAC system typically lasts between 10 and 30 years, with an average lifespan of 15 to 25 years. The longevity of the system is influenced by factors such as the quality of the unit, usage frequency, local climate, and how well it is maintained. Regular maintenance, including cleaning, filter replacements, and professional inspections, can help maximize its lifespan. Different components within the system have varying life expectancies. For example:
Furnaces: 15 to 30 years
Boilers: 20 to 35 years
Air Conditioners (AC units): 12 to 20 years
Heat Pumps: 10 to 20 years
Ductless Mini-Splits: 10 to 30 years
The Deale, MD homeowners’ guide to boiler installation services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
The average boiler installation cost depends on size, system type, and other factors. Keep reading to learn the cost of a new boiler in Washington, D.C.
Find out the average radiator and boiler repair cost in Washington, D.C. Learn what you can expect to pay for local heating services and keep your home warm.
