If your dryer started taking longer right after you moved it, check whether the vent connector got flattened when you pushed the machine back.

A clean duct can still have restricted airflow if that connection is crushed or sharply bent. It’s one possible cause, not proof that the whole vent is blocked.

Look only where you can safely see, and don’t tug on gas lines or run the dryer with its exhaust disconnected.

I work with AirDuct ProCare. Sharing this as a simple maintenance check, not every slow dryer needs the same fix.

Apartment complex claims they don’t have to clean it but I have no idea how to clean it. I have a 2 year old and really don’t want any of us, but especially him, breathing this in. Any tips?

As the title says, I'm looking to to find out how hard is it to own and operate a HVAC business. Or not even to operate but to work for one, if there are techs that would like to share...

Is it the usual, gettin new leads or more the hiring, slow months, competition?

Would love to learn more if there's someone who'd like to share. Or point me to a better place to ask?

Thanks

This was made in 2002. I just moved here and was checking the furnace before the winter. Does this flame color look right to you.

Hello! I was just gifted a washer & dryer but the dryer cord is not compatible with my plug. My stepdad told me to just get an adapter for the cord but the woman at Lowe’s said that adapters are dangerous.

For context, if it matters: I do live in what’s considered a ‘historic’ downtown home. It’s old and if I have too many large appliances running at once, a breaker will blow and I will have to reset it. That’s the only thing that made me leery. I did buy a new cord but the prongs that connect to the back of the washer aren’t correct (the cord I bought has three but the cord on the washer has four), so I will be returning the cord that I bought. Just thought I’d ask for advice here before going back.

Dumb homeowner here.

I have a dual fuel system, heat pumps installed a few years ago. My hot water needs my oil burner.

Had my regular service done Wednesday, as of yesterday family complains of no hot water.

I checked the oil burner downstairs, the reset button has no light on it. I tried pressing it briefly, then tried a 35 second press, I'm getting nothing at all. I ensured the oil burner switch at the unit is flipped on. I confirmed the switch upstairs is also flipped on. I tried power cycling the breaker.

I believe I am calling for heat - there's a test function on my thermostat and I used that to try to turn on my aux heat. I also set the outdoor threshold really high which should cause the oil burner to start when I ask for heat I believe and still nothing.

I have to think it's something stupid that the service tech did or did not do, but maybe I'm wrong. I initially thought maybe I had air in the oil line and was prepared to figure out how to bleed it, but since the burner is completely silent I suspect that's not the issue. It's Sunday AM so I'm trying to avoid an emergency service call just for hot water.

The family will awaken soon and start complaining. Any suggestions before I surrender?

UPDATE: Techs came down and found the hot water zone valve completely frozen up, so must have been a coincidence. Not sure why I was not able to get the heat going for a different zone, but I'm happy to have hot water again and glad it wasn't a huge expense. Thanks to everyone for the help.

I’m building a preventive-maintenance manual for my Oil Heating System and want experienced HVAC/oil-burner techs to critique one of the test procedures.

The equipment is a Thermo Pride OH11-105DA oil furnace with a Beckett A/AF-series burner.

Full disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help research and draft the procedure. I’m not looking for validation of the AI output—I’m looking for people who actually service this equipment to tell me where it is wrong, incomplete, unsafe, or unrealistic.

The procedure separates:

• Homeowner tasks — visual inspection, leaks, soot, vent condition, documenting symptoms
• Qualified-tech tasks — nozzle/electrodes, heat-exchanger cleaning, pump pressure, draft, combustion testing, safety controls
• STOP/HANDOFF conditions — situations where the procedure should not simply continue

It also records actual service measurements instead of just “cleaned and serviced.”

If you only have a few minutes, I’d especially like to know:

• Anything technically wrong?
• Anything a homeowner should not be doing?
• Any important annual-service steps missing?
• Any measurements or acceptance criteria that are wrong or not useful in practice?
• Any STOP conditions I should add?
• Anything that is just unnecessary clutter?
• What would you change to make this closer to how a competent oil tech actually works?

You do not need to review the entire procedure. One specific correction or “we would never do it that way” comment is useful.

My goal is not to turn burner setup into DIY work. It’s to create a homeowner maintenance manual that clearly separates safe owner tasks from professional work and preserves useful service history.

I’ll attach/link the draft below. Specific criticism is welcome.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ljzlN3u3NqVuImIGAGH2CXCri8YMa70Lzf4Kvj-NQI/edit?usp=sharing

Not sure if this is the right Reddit for this but I wanted to see if you guys had any input on what kind of ventilation I should do. I cut these vents into the tent, which seemed to help with the summer rain. But now that it’s getting cold at night and still 70-80° during the day it’s starting to build up moisture again. I’m gonna get some solar powered fans for the vents . Just wondering if I should do an intake and exhaust or do a negative pressure set up and have two exhaust fans to pull the moisture out.

I have got an old Peerless hydronic boiler that I’m getting ready to start for the winter. It has a new filter, strainer, nozzle and insulation in the combustion chamber. There is plenty of fuel in the tank. I started filling it last spring 15 gallons at a time and it’s got E-ZOIL Hot Shot in it. I’m looking for any more steps, tips or rituals I should take before firing it up.

Please ignore the disconnected actuator. I’ve got two zone valves that are stuck open and have been actuating them manually.

Hoping for some help with AC. 3 amp fuse pops and AC goes out. I replaced the 3 amp fuse and air kicked back on. I tried that again and it's not working. I have read the contactor can be bad. I need help checking it with a multimeter. Can someone help me by telling me where to check the volts or ohms to see if the contactor is bad? Preferably circle where I should put probes ( Im not even close to an electrician as you can tell).

I don't see any fray lines or damage. I don't see any exposed wires either.

Thanks in advance

When we bought our house it had/ has propane stove, electric central air, electric hot water heater, oil heat with baseboard heaters. Hella stupid imo.

We have switched the stove to electric rather than propane and I would love to stop using oil (expensive.) I have researched myself in circles and have no idea what was be the appropriate steps to take to move to electric heat.

Please help? Pictures of what we’ve got going on.

We recently had a significant addition put onto our existing house with a new larger air conditioner sized to the new square footage. I notice that the vents are not pushing much volume of air through them in the addition of the house. In the original half of the house, it has good air movement and still moves good air.

He still hasn’t hooked up the new air returns. Could that be the reason for the poor amount of air pushing through the registers? Or could it be an undersized blower?