Heating & Cooling, Clearly Explained.

Small jobs are just as welcome. A furnace that will not heat, an air conditioner that is not cooling, a noisy blower, a question about filters or the thermostat, or a seasonal tune-up all get the same careful visit as a new system. Many requests start with an everyday problem, and that is exactly what Paramount is here for.

Age, the nature of the fault, how often it has failed and how comfortable the home is all matter. A single failed component on a sound system is often worth repairing; repeated failures on an older system usually point the other way. Both options are explained with their costs so you can decide.

Modern heat pumps can provide efficient heating and cooling, and many homes pair one with a furnace for the coldest days. Whether it suits your home depends on the house, the existing ductwork and your priorities — that is assessed before anything is recommended.

Sizing starts from the house: its rooms, windows, insulation and existing ductwork. Equipment that is too large or too small for the home is less comfortable, so the assessment comes before any model is proposed.

A spring visit focuses on cooling and a fall visit on heating: cleaning, inspection of key components, checks of safety controls and a review of anything that needs attention. The exact checklist is confirmed when maintenance is booked.

Indoor air quality can be addressed with better filtration, humidity control and ventilation. The right combination depends on the home and on what you are noticing — dust, dryness, odors or stuffiness — so it begins with a conversation.

Yes. Compatibility with your system is checked first, then the thermostat is installed and programmed around how your household actually uses the home.

Paramount serves homes of every size and age across Metro Detroit, including communities such as Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, Franklin, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake Village and the Grosse Pointes. If yours is not listed, ask — the service area is confirmed when you request a visit.

This is one of the most common heating complaints, and it often traces to the flame sensor. If the sensor cannot confirm a flame — usually because of a thin layer of residue — the control closes the gas valve as a safety measure and retries. Other causes include a weak igniter, a dirty burner or a venting restriction, which is why the full sequence is checked rather than assuming the answer.

Most modern furnaces have an LED on the control board that flashes a diagnostic pattern, with a legend printed inside the access panel. The code narrows the search — a pressure switch fault, a flame failure, an open limit switch — but it describes a symptom rather than the root cause. A code pointing to the pressure switch, for example, may actually mean a blocked vent or a failing inducer motor.

Not necessarily. Many older furnaces were oversized from the outset, and homes change — replacement windows, added insulation and air sealing all reduce heating load. Matching the old nameplate can carry an old mistake forward. A load calculation provides a better starting point, and the ductwork review confirms whether the system can deliver the airflow the new furnace requires.

Both are a step up from single-stage equipment. A two-stage furnace has a low and a high setting; a modulating furnace adjusts its output in smaller increments to track the home’s demand more closely. The difference is most noticeable in larger homes, in open-plan spaces and where even temperatures between floors matter. Cost, ductwork and the home’s load all factor into whether the extra refinement makes sense.

Ice usually means the evaporator coil is running colder than it should. The most common causes are restricted airflow — a clogged filter, a dirty coil, closed registers or a failing blower — and low refrigerant charge. Turn the cooling off and let the ice melt rather than running the system, as continued operation can stress the compressor. The diagnosis then identifies which cause is responsible.

That combination frequently points to a failed run capacitor, which provides the electrical boost the fan motor and compressor need to start. A worn contactor or a seized fan motor can produce similar symptoms. These parts are tested with a meter rather than assumed, because the cause determines the repair, and running a unit in that state for long periods is not advisable.

In most cases it is not recommended. The indoor coil and outdoor condenser are designed and rated as a matched pair, and newer refrigerants operate at different pressures than older systems. A mismatched pairing may not reach its rated efficiency and can shorten equipment life. Replacing both together, with the line set evaluated and flushed or replaced as needed, gives the new system a proper foundation.

Usually not. Upstairs heat is often a matter of airflow distribution — undersized ducts, too few returns or long runs through hot attics — rather than total capacity. An oversized system cools the main floor quickly and shuts off, leaving the upper floor behind. Addressing ductwork, adding zoning or using a variable-speed system typically does more for an uneven home than adding tonnage.

It depends on the heat pump and the house. Cold-climate models are designed to keep producing heat at low outdoor temperatures, though their capacity declines as it gets colder. A heat load calculation shows where that capacity falls short and how much backup heat is required. In practice, most Michigan installations include either electric auxiliary heat or a gas furnace for the coldest days.

The balance point is the outdoor temperature at which the heat pump can no longer comfortably meet the home’s heating demand on its own, or at which the furnace becomes the more economical source. Below that temperature the control switches to the furnace. The setting can be adjusted based on comfort preference and the relative cost of electricity and natural gas.

There is no single answer. Many residential systems handle filters in the MERV 8 to 13 range, but the right rating depends on the blower, filter cabinet size and ductwork. A thick, deep-pleated media filter can offer higher filtration with less airflow resistance than a dense one-inch filter. Static pressure measurements help confirm what a particular system can accommodate without reducing airflow.

Comfortable winter humidity commonly falls somewhere around 30 to 40 percent, but the practical limit depends on outdoor temperature and the home’s windows. When it is very cold outside, higher humidity condenses on glass and in wall cavities. Humidifier controls that adjust for outdoor temperature help balance comfort against condensation, which is why setup matters as much as the equipment itself.

The C, or common, wire provides continuous low-voltage power to the thermostat. Many smart thermostats need it to run their display and wireless connection reliably. Older systems sometimes lack one at the wall, though an unused conductor in the existing cable can often be connected. Where none is available, other wiring options exist, and these are reviewed during the compatibility check.

This is a common configuration issue. If the thermostat is not set up correctly for a heat pump, it may bring on auxiliary heat too readily — during recovery from a setback, for example, or above a sensible outdoor temperature. Proper configuration of staging, lockout temperatures and recovery behavior allows the heat pump to do more of the work, with backup heat reserved for when it is needed.

A common approach in Michigan is twice a year: the furnace or heat pump in fall before the heating season, and the air conditioner in spring before the first warm spell. Homes with a heat pump use the same equipment year-round, which makes both visits especially worthwhile. Filters should be checked more frequently between visits, depending on the type of filter installed.

Yes. Even new equipment collects dust on coils and burners, condensate drains still clog and electrical components still wear. The first few seasons also establish a baseline of measurements — temperatures, pressures and static pressure — that make later changes easier to spot. Many manufacturers also expect regular maintenance, so it is worth reviewing your equipment’s documentation.