Heating & Air Conditioning Frequently Asked Questions
Heating and cooling systems are built to last—often running hours a day for 15 years or more. In Western New York, that means handling everything from brutal winters to humid summers. When something isn’t working right, you deserve clear answers and dependable service.
We’ve put together answers to the most common questions about heating, cooling, indoor air quality, electrical service, and maintenance. Our team serves West Seneca, Buffalo, and surrounding communities with expert mini split installation, heat pump service, boiler repair and replacement, and generator sales, installation, and repair. Don’t stress. Call TRS. We are fast, professional, and local.
The best way is with a professional in-home evaluation. We assess your home, comfort needs, and budget to recommend the right solution.
Yes – regular annual maintenance helps extend the life of your system and keeps it running efficiently year-round.
Yes—we offer flexible financing options to make upgrading your home comfort system more affordable.
To keep your HVAC system running in tip-top shape, we recommend a maintenance appointment twice a year (once for heat, once for air conditioning). This way, a TRS technician can check your filters, coils, wiring, housing, motor, and more to make sure you’re getting the most out of your system.
Don’t worry! Whether your problem happens at three in the morning or on the 4th of July, our HVAC service experts are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to address the situation get your system back up and running. Just give us a call at 716-825-9911, you will be prompted with evening and after hour’s instructions. We are here to help!
At TRS, most of our HVAC systems come with a 10-year manufacturer backed warranty, so you can enjoy your system for years to come. We also have great maintenance plans to help you lower your utility bills and extend the life of your equipment at the same time.
Following installation of your new equipment we strongly recommend you register your system on line within 60 days to make sure you are covered. You will be sent documentation of your registration from TRS after you register. Feel free to contact the manufacturer for more details. Any new equipment purchased from TRS Heating & Air Conditioning, INC includes an outstanding warranty program and TRS will walk you through it.
Depending on the outside surroundings and air quality of your house we recommend changing your filter 1-3 months. Once a month is a pretty good rule of thumb for most people. Depending on where you live and how much dirt, pet dander, and other contaminants are present, the answer could be more or less. Check your filter frequently to determine if it’s dirty. If it is, change it.
Heating and air conditioning units are a big investment, so it’s understandable that you’d want them to last as long as possible. Changing and installing properly sized air filters and cleaning your drain lines will prevent clogs. Annual maintenance check-ups can also help you ward off any potential trouble spots and save on repairs. TRS offers great maintenance plans that will help to lengthen the life of your equipment.
To answer that best, you’ll need an appointment with one of our HVAC service experts. We’ll come to your home and evaluate its size, heating and cooling needs, environment, and the work we’ll need to do. Then, we can recommend the best system for you and install it quickly.
If your HVAC system requires constant repairs, is 15 years or older, or can’t heat or cool your home properly, we recommend you replace it. When an HVAC system ages, it doesn’t operate as efficiently and could actually end up costing you more money than it should. Let TRS take a look and provide you a fair assessment and the best advice.
In most cases, the answer is yes. There are a variety of reasons why you should replace both the outdoor and indoor units simultaneously. For starters, air conditioner and heat pump outdoor units are manufactured to work with a matched indoor unit. When you mix and match units, it can result in reduced efficiency and performance.
Also, if you bought your indoor and outdoor units at the same time, your indoor unit will probably be approaching the end of its useful life at about the same time as the outdoor unit. By not replacing the indoor unit too, all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable and likely paying higher energy bills at the same time.
By purchasing indoor and outdoor units simultaneously, you’ll get a warranty covering the whole system, meaning that you won’t have to cover the full cost of any needed repairs to your unit during the warranty period.
While covering your unit can prevent unwanted debris from accumulating on the unit, it can also cause problems if you try to operate it with the covering in place. If you’re going on a long trip and plan to turn the unit off while you’re gone, feel free to cover it up. Just make sure you disconnect the power source before leaving. We recommend using a piece of plywood to cover the TOP of your unit in the winter months. This will prevent any ice/icicle damage and rodents getting inside your unit.
There are a lot of reasons why your air conditioning system might freeze up, and all of them require help from a professional technician to resolve, as only they have the training and correct tools to fix the problem.
Ironically, low refrigerant can cause your system to freeze up. Over time, wear and tear to your system can result in leaks that cause the system to lose refrigerant. When your unit loses refrigerant, it causes the system to freeze up because of low pressure inside the system.
When refrigerant levels are low, the refrigerant still is forced to expand to the same amount. The more that expansion occurs, the cooler the temperature is produced. The colder temperature will cause moisture in the air around your unit’s evaporator coil to freeze, eventually icing up the coil and impeding its function. A dirty filter and evaporator coils can cause units to lose airflow and, eventually, cause the system to freeze up. Defective blower motors can also cause freezing.
A boiler heats water and distributes it through radiators, baseboards, or radiant floor systems to heat your home.
There’s no set lifespan for boilers today. Longevity depends on installation quality, maintenance, water conditions, and usage. Instead of age, we evaluate performance, safety, and repair history to help you decide when replacement makes sense.
Modern high-efficiency boilers can be very energy-efficient, especially compared to older models.
Common signs include uneven heating, strange noises, rising energy bills, or frequent breakdowns.
If your boiler is older, inefficient, or requires frequent repairs, replacement may be more cost-effective long-term.
Some systems do—either through a tankless coil or an indirect water heater connected to the boiler.
Occasional flickering is normal, especially in older homes, however constant flickering should be investigated due to the possibility of loose wires in the light or possibly the service panel.
Yes it’s normal for switch to feel warm to the touch while in use, but it shouldn’t feel extremely hot. If it does have it checked out.
There are a few possibilities, such as a faulty appliance plugged into the outlet or an outlet down circuit. The outlet could be improperly installed or you could have loose or corroded wires or connections.
Possibly. A service upgrade may be needed if your current panel is outdated, overloaded, or you are adding high-demand equipment such as EV chargers, hot tubs, central air, electric heat, generators, additions, or major appliances. Common upgrades are from 100 amp to 150 or 200 amp service to safely handle increased electrical demand.
There are a few reasons, such as overheating caused by replacing with wrong size. It could be a faulty light or connection, or vibrations from closing or slamming doors can cause filament in bulb to break.
There are some minor things that can be done but the majority of electrical tasks should be done by an experienced electrician.
To answer that best, you’ll need an appointment with one of our HVAC service experts. We’ll come to your home and evaluate its size, heating and cooling needs, environment, and the work we’ll need to do. Then, we can recommend the best system for you and install it quickly.
If your HVAC system requires constant repairs, is 15 years or older, or can’t heat or cool your home properly, we recommend you replace it. When an HVAC system ages, it doesn’t operate as efficiently and could actually end up costing you more money than it should. Let TRS take a look and provide you a fair assessment and the best advice.
Furnace size depends on your home’s square footage, insulation, windows, ceiling height, direction the house faces and a number of other factors—not just the size of the house alone. An oversized furnace can short cycle and waste energy, while an undersized unit may struggle to keep up during cold Buffalo winters. At TRS we do a Manual J, an industry calculation to determine the exact heating and cooling requirements for a home. It measures a building’s specific heat loss and heat gain to accurately size HVAC equipment design method to size your equipment properly. The proper load calculation is the best way to determine the correct furnace size for your home.
Popping or banging ductwork is usually caused by metal ducts expanding and contracting as heated or cooled air moves through the system. It can also happen from changes in air pressure due to restricted airflow, dirty filters, and ducts that were not properly secured during installation. TRS can help!
A zoning system divides your home into separate temperature-controlled areas using dampers installed inside the ductwork and multiple thermostats throughout the house. This allows different areas or floors of the home to heat or cool independently instead of maintaining one temperature everywhere. Zoning systems are especially beneficial for multi-story homes, rooms that are consistently too hot or too cold, large open spaces, or homes with varying sun exposure throughout the day.
A standby generator is a permanently installed system that automatically powers your home during an outage.
Most standby generators restore power within seconds of detecting an outage.
That depends on whether you want to power your whole home or just essential systems. A professional load calculation will determine the right size.
Standby generators typically run on natural gas or propane.
Yes. Whole home standby generators should be professionally serviced at least once per year to ensure they operate properly during a power outage. Maintenance typically includes checking the battery, oil, filters, spark plugs, fuel system, electrical connections, and running diagnostic tests. TRS completes a 15 Pt check on your Generac Generator. Remember regular maintenance helps prevent unexpected failures, extends equipment life, and keeps the generator ready for severe weather and winter outages in Buffalo.
Given winter storms and anytime power outages in the region, many homeowners find generators to be a valuable investment for safety and comfort.
A heat pump is an energy-efficient system that provides both heating and air conditioning using electricity. Instead of creating heat like a furnace, it transfers heat between the inside and outside of your home depending on the season. In the summer, it removes heat from the home to cool it, and in the winter, it pulls heat from the outdoor air to warm the home—even during cold Buffalo temperatures.
Yes—today’s cold-climate heat pumps are specifically designed to operate efficiently even in very low temperatures.
It depends on your home and goals. Heat pumps are more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, while furnaces may provide stronger heat in extreme cold. Many homeowners use a hybrid system for the best of both.
Yes—heat pumps provide both cooling and heating, so they can replace your AC and supplement or replace your heating system.
Heat pumps provide efficient heating and cooling, but actual costs depend on your current system, usage, and changing energy rates.
There are plenty of things you can do to lower your heating and air conditioning bills, such as:
- Install a programmable thermostat so you don’t waste air conditioning or heat when you’re not at home or asleep.
- Switch your incandescent light bulbs to more energy efficient light bulbs, such as compact fluorescents (CFLs) or LEDs.
- Install ceiling fans and, when weather climate allows, use them instead of your air conditioning to cool you down.
- Unplug any appliance that you’re not using. While it may not be turned on, it will still use power from your electrical outlet.
- Make sure windows and doors are sealed properly so that they don’t let air in and make your HVAC system work harder.
- Purchase energy efficient appliances and heating and cooling equipment that are right-sized for your home.
Indoor air quality is a major concern, as many studies show that air pollution is much worse indoors than outdoors. You can improve your indoor air quality with frequent dusting and vacuuming. TRS can also install devices such as an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator), HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator), air cleaners, or UV light units, to improve indoor air quality. These systems exhaust stale indoor air while drawing in fresh outdoor air, continually removing indoor pollutants. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to many illnesses, so improving your home’s air quality is an investment worth making.
A mini split system is a ductless heating and cooling system made up of an outdoor unit connected to one or more indoor units mounted inside the home. Mini splits provide individual temperature control for specific rooms or areas without requiring ductwork. They are commonly used for additions, older homes, finished basements, garages, offices, or rooms that are difficult to keep comfortable with a traditional HVAC system. If you have a room that is too hot or a room that is always cold- TRS can come out and give you a solution.
Yes—mini splits are ideal for older homes without ductwork. They provide efficient heating and cooling without the need for major renovations.
Yes. Modern cold-climate mini splits are designed to perform efficiently even in freezing temperatures, making them a great option for year-round comfort.
Mini splits are typically more energy-efficient because they avoid duct losses and allow zoned heating and cooling, which reduces energy waste.
That depends on the system size. A single outdoor unit can often support multiple indoor units for different rooms or zones.
Mini splits offer efficient, targeted heating and cooling. Overall costs depend on how the system is used and current energy rates.
