Tim Hosea's Heating Service

01/21/2025

Keep that heat circulating!

01/18/2025

It's that time of year for my annual warning regarding the upcoming subzero forecast early next week. With many more of you using heating sources other than your central oil-fired boilers and furnaces, such as heat pumps, wood and pellet stoves, propane heaters, etc., remember that these don't heat the perimeter walls and also piping in your basement or crawlspace. So even though you may be warm and cozy in that room where your heater or stove is, the reality is those pipes up against outside walls and under the floors can rapidly end up being in temperatures below freezing. So when the temperature drops to zero or below, especially with windy conditions, turn up the thermostat(s) that send heat to those areas of the home not in the immediate area of the heater. It does not take long, sometimes less than a few hours, for those pipes to freeze and eventually burst. Most costly freeze ups and repairs are very avoidable. Turn those thermostats up, or your alternate heat source down, or off, so that your central heat cycles at least hourly.

01/29/2023

Just a heads up. Make sure you are all ready for intense cold later this week. Friday into overnight Saturday we won't even get up to 0°, and that -19 isn't a windchill #. Make sure there is oil in the tanks and if you are using any other source of heat and you have a hot water heating system, such as radiators or baseboard, make sure those thermostats are running heat through those pipes at least hourly. I don't want to have to repair broken pipes because the heat pumps and wood stoves were keeping the house warm enough so that the hot water wasn't circulating through those pipes on exterior walls and in cold places.

01/14/2022

It's that time of the year for my annual reminder to all of my customers, and spread the word to your friends. It's going to be very cold this weekend, with windchills closing in on -30 from what I'm reading.
Be sure to let those oil-fired heating systems run! If you supplement with wood, pellets, gas, heat pumps, or what have you, make sure to let the heat run through all of the baseboard or radiators in EVERY room!
If you have your supplemental heat source going in the main part of the house, and doors are closed to rooms where there is no thermostat, the likelihood of pipes freezing in those rooms, or in the basement or crawlspace is extremely high.
Don't turn your thermostats back more than 5 degrees at night. The chance of freezing pipes goes way up. Plus, in subzero weather, it takes a LONG TIME to recover when you turn the heat back up.
If you have an outside tank, you should be running kerosene ( #1) right now.
So, stay warm and be smart...and safe.
Finally, if you've called me for a cleaning, and I haven't been there yet, I have not forgotten you. I am WAY BEHIND due to Covid and just chasing service calls. If you call for a cleaning now and you're not already on the list, I'll see you in the spring.
That is all...

12/09/2021

Pictures from a job I finished up today. In-floor radiant heat, very small mechanical room. Cold-start Biasi boiler with a Heat Flo indirect-fired water heater.

12/15/2020

As the temperatures plummet please remember to run your central heating system to avoid frozen and broken pipes. Many now have heat pumps, pellet or wood stoves or other types of space heaters. If you don't turn up thermostats enough so EVERY heat zone cycles throughout these very cold days, pipes are likely to freeze! It can be 80 degrees in that room with the stove or heat pump, but if that bedroom down the hall, the upstairs bedrooms or that bonus room over the garage aren't getting hot water through the baseboard or the radiant heat often enough you are asking for trouble. Just a friendly reminder. God bless and have a Merry Christmas!

12/09/2020

I am starting back to work on a light/limited basis this week. I am not able to do much lifting or straining for a few more weeks but I should be able to resume some maintenance and repair, but probably not everything yet. I will be in touch if you have already called me for service work. I am a few weeks behind but I will do my best to take care of your needs. Thank you for your patience. Merry Christmas

11/24/2020

Just a heads up to my loyal customers. I am laid up for several weeks recuperating from surgery. I hope to be back to at least light work by the middle of December. If you are looking for a cleaning I probably wouldn't be available until February at this point between recovery and what I already have lined up for work. If you have already called me for a cleaning, you need not call me again, you are still on my list and will probably be hearing from in either December or January, depending on when you called.
If you are an established customer of mine and you have an issue that needs to be addressed while I am laid up, I have several great local guys who I have asked to cover for me. They are Mark Tracy at 465-9191, Jay Salisbury at 692-4230, or Jeremy Lee at 441-8144. Be sure to let them know that you are a customer of mine when you call.
I am sorry for any inconvenience and I hope to be back working as soon as possible.
Thank you very much for your understanding, and I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.

12/04/2019

I do recommend a good quality CO detector, especially if you heat with a warm air furnace that's not new. The better ones actually have a digital readout in PPM and they can be plugged into an outlet so batteries aren't necessary. Remember to check batteries in those that require them. Also remember to check expiration dates as they don't last forever. Keep chimneys and vents clear, check often during heavy snow and high winds where snow is drifting. Have a great winter and Merry Christmas everyone!

11/27/2019

Wishing all of my customers the happiest of Thanksgivings! I am truly blessed and thankful for the best customers I could ask for. Especially thankful this time of year for your patience in waiting for me to get to you all. Don't worry, if you called me, you're on my list and I'll get there....eventually....just a really busy time of the year. Thank you all for your understanding! God bless, have a wonderful time with family and friends!

06/16/2019

05/13/2019

Just to let you all know, I will be working out of a white Dodge van for the next few weeks, so don't be surprised to see an unfamiliar vehicle if I show up at your place for service. My regular white truck is in the shop for repairs. On that note, spring and summer are great times to call for service if you haven't had your heating system serviced in the last 12 months. This time of the year I can usually be there within a week or so compared to much longer waits in the fall and winter. I hope you all have a great spring and summer!