Most people whose homes lack ductwork choose window air conditioners to take off the edge during the hot months. But there is an alternative to those loud, inefficient, light-stealing units: a ductless air conditioner. Also known as mini-split systems, these compact, quiet systems consist of two components that connect through a small pipe in an […]
With all the time we’re spending at home this spring, it’s more important than ever to keep home comfort systems working efficiently and reliably. That includes your water heater. If you have a storage-type water heater (one with a tank), one important maintenance task to consider while you’re sheltering in place is to drain your […]
Think electrical power is the key to a low-carbon, eco-friendly future? Think again. A full 93 percent of the electricity generated in Rhode Island (and 67 percent of the electricity generated in Massachusetts) is produced by burning natural gas, which is 95% methane – a greenhouse gas with 84 times the global warming potential of carbon […]
With temperatures transitioning and the coronavirus potentially keeping us indoors more than usual in the coming weeks, having a reliable heating and cooling system becomes crucial to maintaining our comfort at home. If your HVAC equipment is having trouble and you fear you may need to repair or replace it, don’t worry: W.H. Riley & […]
Most people think of propane gas only as a fuel for their grill or RV. But the truth is that propane is one of the most versatile and powerful sources of home energy around. Propane can power just about any home comfort appliance that runs on electricity – including your water heater – and usually do […]
If you don’t receive automatic heating oil deliveries from W.H. Riley & Son, one of the most important tasks you have is to monitor how much heating oil in your storage tank. To do that, you’ll need to know how to read your tank gauge – plus a few other things, as you’ll see in a […]
We’re no stranger to flooding here in southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island – and as some of us know all too well, a flood can have serious impact on the structure of our home and everything within its walls. One piece of equipment that can suffer during a flood is your home furnace. In some […]
A properly installed and maintained heating furnace should last more than a decade – but nothing lasts forever, and eventually your equipment will start to show signs that it will need to be replaced. One of those signs is rust, which can be a serious problem in a furnace – especially if the rust occurs in the […]
The first days of spring 2020 are a little more than a month away, but as we New Englanders know better than most, winter can pay little mind to the calendar (remember that mid-March nor’easter a couple of years ago?). Even without the threat of severe weather, temperatures in our MA and RI service area […]
