Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

How to Avoid Heating Repairs Before They Start

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Heating is largely a concern for the winter months here in Central California, which is when repairs are most likely necessary. No one worries about fixing a heater in the summer when temperatures top 100 degrees, and here in Fresno, heating installation services can easily perform repairs when they arise. But rather than waiting for a breakdown to occur, you can take steps to prevent the problem from ever coming up. Here’s how to avoid heating repairs in Fresno before they start.

In the first place, it pays to have a regular maintenance session schedule at least once a year. A trained technician can come to your home and go over your heater to check for any potential problems. If one arises, you can schedule a session quickly before the problem gets any worse. Furthermore, a maintenance session will clean off dust and dirt, tighten loose fittings and perform other “tune-up” services that reduce overall wear and tear. A cleaner furnace has fewer problems with its burners, won’t causes as much friction on moving parts, and won’t need to expend as much energy to do its job.

Another good step is to simply pay close attention to the functioning of your heater, and call in a technician the moment anything out of the ordinary arises. Your furnace doesn’t need to stop functioning to indicate that it could use a little TLC. For example, your monthly energy bills may go up even though you aren’t using you air conditioner any more than normal. Or you may notice a strange sound whenever you turn your heater on that wasn’t there before. It may not stop the heater from functioning right away, but the risk grows the more time that goes by.

Regardless of the circumstances, you need a reliable Fresno heating installation technician on call to help avoid heating repairs before they start. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning handles maintenance issues, we operate in Fresno, heating installation services are part of our services as well, and we can discuss all of your options with you before we start work. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad that you did!

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How Can I Find an Efficient Heating System?

Friday, January 10th, 2014

“How can I find an efficient heating system in Fresno?” The answer is easy; ask someone who knows. In Fresno, heating questions can be answered with knowledge and courtesy by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. The specifics depend on your circumstances. Someone living alone, for instance, has much different heating needs than a family of seven, and older homes require different things than newer ones. We can answer all of that for you with a thorough inspection of your home. In general, you should pay attention to the following general guidelines:

  • Home size. A heater needs to be sized correctly to match the size of your home. If it’s too powerful, it will cycle on and off rapidly, wasting energy in the process. If it’s not powerful enough, it won’t be able to do the job effectively. A careful measurement of your home’s space will help determine the right size heater.
  • Home heat retention. Similarly, the way your home retains heat will have an impact on the most efficient system to buy. If you have more insulation, double-paned windows and the like, your home will hold in the heat better and your heater needn’t be as powerful as it might others.
  • Home layout. Some heating systems work better in certain homes. For instance, if you have an older home that lacks a system of ducts, you may want to eschew gas furnaces for a ductless mini spit system (which means you won’t need to bother with installing ducts). Or if your home has a lot of rooms that don’t see much use, you may want to include a zone control system as part of your package, allowing you to heat the areas of the home you occupy without heating the other portions.

Regardless of the specifics, Purl’s is here to help. We can answer the question “How can I find an efficient heating system in Fresno?” then install the system that’s right for you. In Fresno, heating is no laughing matter. Let our Fresno heating specialists make sure you have the perfect system to compliment your home.

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Why Having the Proper Sized Heater Is So Important

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013

Here in Fresno, heating installation is a serious business. Our winter nights can get surprisingly cold in the Central Valley, and your heater needs to reliably combat them for many years to come. A heater that isn’t right for your property will cause you unnecessary headaches, as well as monthly heating bills that are higher than they need to be. In particular, the size of the heater plays a huge role in its efficiency: not its physical size (though that may be a factor depending on the space you need to fit it into) but its heating capacity as measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). Here’s why having the proper sized heater is so important.

Generally speaking you need about 50 BTUs of heating capacity to heat one square foot of space. This is a very rough estimate and can be changed by factors such as the amount of insulation in your home and its exposure to sunlight. A trained professional can make an accurate assessment and determine how many BTUs you need to adequately heat it.

As you may suspect, a heater that produces too few BTUs won’t be able to do its job. It will work too hard – increasing wear and tear on its components – and you may never feel warm enough in certain parts of the house.

At the same time, a heater that produces too many BTUs may cause an equal number of problems. That may seem counter intuitive, but in fact it makes perfect sense. Heaters use the most amount of energy (and create the most strain on their components) when they’re starting up or turning off. Accordingly, you want your heater to run at a steady pace for at least 15 minutes at a time, possibly more. A heater that produces too many BTUs for your space will cycle on and off too rapidly, which also increases energy consumption.

In order to work with maximum efficiency, a heater thus needs to follow the Goldilocks Rule: neither too small nor too large but just right. That’s why having the proper sized heater is so important. In Fresno, heating installation service is provided by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We can ensure that your heater is properly sized for your living conditions, so give us a call today!

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Yes, Even Your Ductless Heating System May Need Repair

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Ductless heating systems are designed to eliminate the cumbersome system of hidden passages that deliver heated air from a central furnace to all of the rooms of your house. They usually consist of a number of smaller units that individually heat different sections of your home. Ductless systems offer a lot of advantages, such as increase efficiency and the ability to tailor the temperature in different parts of your home. And here in Fresno, heating repair services see a lot of them, since they work very well in mild climates like ours. Sadly, no system is foolproof and those repair experts are sometimes necessary to handle problems. Yes, even your ductless heating system may need repair.

Many ductless heating systems also serve a dual function as air conditioners: heat pumps pull double duty by making innovative use of the same refrigerant cycle that helps AC units do what they do. When leaks spring up in the system, the lower levels of refrigerant can create big problems, reducing efficiency and increasing wear and tear on the systems. You need a repairman to hunt down the leaks and recharge the refrigerant before the system will function again.

Ductless heaters often use fan blowers and similar methods to distribute warm air. The motors running those blowers can become worn or damaged, creating problems with distributing the heat. Problems with electrical connections can interfere with the ductless heater’s ability to function as well, and usually requires professional expertise in order to treat properly.

Other problems of this sort can crop up, ranging from an excessive build-up of dust to clogs in the drain line. The good news is that ductless systems are compartmentalized, so repairing it doesn’t necessarily mean surrendering heat in your entire house. And Fresno heating repair services are ready to help regardless. Here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, we have the experiences and know-how to handle repairs for your ductless heating system. Yes, even your dustless heating system may need repair. But if you give our Fresno heating repair service technicians a call today, we’ll show you just how reliable a repair service can be.

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Noises Every Heater Should Not Make

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Here in Fresno, heating concerns raise their head every winter, as our hot Central Valley summers fade to the rainy, chilly season. Good heaters are a key part of keeping your home warm and cozy, and when they malfunction, you need to have the problem addressed as quickly as possible. Most heaters make some kind of noise when they operate, either with a blowing fan motor, a soft hum of electricity, or the like. When strange noises occur, it’s usually not a good sign. What qualifies as strange noises – noises every heater should not make? A quick overview can be found below.

In the simplest possible terms, a strange noise is any noise that you don’t recall hearing before, and that doesn’t seem connected with the heater’s normal functions. You’ll usually know it when you hear it. It can be something obvious, such as a buzzing or a grinding noise which occurs when the fan is bent or something is caught in it. You might also hear a loud knocking noise when a motor overloads, or a dripping noise if there’s a problem with the drain line.

In other cases, the noise might be more subtle. For example, if there’s a breach in the duct system, you might here a soft humming or a whistling. Or a loose bolt somewhere in the heater itself might cause a quiet rattling when the heater turns on. These usually aren’t quite as dire as louder noises, but they can still cause tremendous damage to your heating system if left untreated.

Either way, if you detect any noises that every heater should not make – which is to say, any noises you haven’t heard before and/or which sound problematic – then your best bet is to shut off the heater and call in a qualified service technician immediately. In Fresno, heating repairs are covered by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We’ll track down the source of the noise and make repairs with all of the courtesy and professionalism you’ve come to expect. Pick up the phone and give our Fresno heating repair service technicians a call today!

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Ducts or No Ducts: Your Heating Installation Options

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

Heating installation in Madera can entail a number of different systems, from traditional gas furnaces to heat pumps and ductless mini-split systems. Your heating installation options can vary quite a bit, but generally revolve around one basic question: ducts or no ducts. Both offer advantages, and the question of which one works best for you depends on the specifics of your home.

Most people are familiar with ducted systems and many homes come equipped with them as well. They branch out from a centralized HVAC system, through the crawlspace in the walls and other unobtrusive areas like the attic. That allows them to carry air from the HVAC system to any part of the house. They do their jobs well and if your house already comes equipped with them, then it makes sense to use them. On the other hand they’re not the most efficient means of conveying heat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you could lose up to 20% of you heating capacity through your ducts, and if you need to install them as part of adding a new heating system, you lose the inexpensive start-up cost that serves as one of the great advantages of such a system.

Ductless systems usually rely on multiple units placed throughout your home, allowing you to tailor the heat in individual rooms to match your tastes. They also allow you to only heat those parts of the house that you’re using, cutting down on energy costs in the process. Indeed, ductless heating tends to be more efficient than ducted system in general, saving you money on heating every month. The only real down side is that installation tend to cost more, and then only if your house already has an existing system of ducts.

Based on that, you need to evaluate the state of your current furnace system, then make a decision after going over your heating installation options with a trained professional. Heating installation service in Madera, CA is covered by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We’ve served the Central Valley for over 60 years, and can help you decide between ducts or no ducts. Pick up the phone and call us today!

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What You Need to Know about Ductless Heating

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

Most of us are accustomed to heating systems that follow the traditional forced-air model. That is, hot air blown from a centralized system throughout the house via a series of ducts. That’s the standard model covered by various companies handling heating installation and replacement in Fresno. Our mild California weather makes forced-air furnaces the norm, and the technology is comfortable and reliable, so there’s little reason to think that another option may be available. You may be surprised to learn how many options there are, however; options that offer a number of advantages over older forms of heating, including some that get rid of those pesky ducts. Here’s what you need to know about ductless heating.

As the name implies, ductless heating doesn’t realty on a single distribution system. Instead, it places multiple individual units throughout your house, each with its own controls and settings. In some cases, they can serve dual functions of heating and air conditioning: simplifying your system and permitting maximum flexibility.

Ductless heating provides a number of other advantages as well, including increased efficiency and improved control. For instance, one family member reading in the bedroom can set the heat at a specific temperature, while someone else cooking in the kitchen can set an entirely different temperature. Besides the added comfort of that equation, it allows you to only heat those areas of the house that you’re using: further cutting down on expenses. Ductless systems also make an elegant solution for homes that don’t have the space or the features to support a traditional duct system. You can place the units almost anywhere, and the technology has been proven over decades of regular use.

If ductless heating sounds like a good fit for you, or you have other issues regarding heating installation and replacement in Fresno, contact Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for help. We can explain what you need to know about ductless heating, then set up an installation plan that works for your home. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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Why Refrigerant is Important to Your Heat Pump Efficiency and Performance

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Heating maintenance in Fresno often means tending to heat pumps as well as centralized air furnaces. A heat pump works extremely well in places with winters like here in the Central Valley, and the Fresno area features many heat pumps working to keep homes comfortable. Refrigerant plays a huge part in a heat pump’s ability to perform. When it leaks, you need to contact a qualified technician to address the problem immediately. Why? Here’s an overview of why refrigerant is important to your heat pump efficiency and performance.

Heat pumps use refrigerant in a closed loop to alternately warm and cool your home. In the summer, the refrigerant gas enters a compressor (on the outside of the building), which subjects it to a great deal of pressure and heat. The compressor coils then bleed off the heat into the surrounding air, and the refrigerant – now a liquid, though still under a great deal of pressure – moves inside the building to a waiting expansion valve. That releases a set amount of the liquid into evaporator coils, which turn the refrigerant back into a gas and pull heat from the surrounding air in the process. A blower then moves the air into your home to cool it. In the winter, that process is reversed. The inside coils act as compressors to release heat into your home, while the outside coils act as evaporators to cool the air.

When a leak springs up in that system, it throws the entire process out of balance. The air can’t be cooled as efficiently – no matter what season it is – and the heat pump must work harder to do its job. Frost forms on the evaporator coils, further restricting the process and increasing strain on the system as a whole. Not only will it cost you more to operate the heat pump, but it could lead to a more significant breakdown later on down the line.

For any problems with heating maintenance in Fresno, Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is on the case. We know why refrigerant is important to your heat pump efficiency and performance, and can seal the leak before returning your refrigerant to its prescribed levels. Pick up the phone and schedule an appointment today.

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3 Common Indications That Your Heater Needs Repair

Monday, October 14th, 2013

The Central Valley can experience difficult conditions during the winter that people outside of California wouldn’t expect. We get an average of 14 nights per winter when the temperature drops below freezing. You definitely need to be prepared for that. More importantly, your heater needs to be prepared for that, whether it’s a furnace, heat pump, or another type of system.

Don’t put off necessary repairs—one of those freezing nights will come along and you’ll find yourself shivering in the cold with a busted system. We have three signs you should pay attention to which often indicate a need for repairs. For top-quality repair service, look to the Fresno, CA heating repair professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

3 common indications you should call for heating repair:

1. Odd smells coming from the vents: Most Fresno homes use a forced-air distribution system to provide warmth, such as a furnace or a heat pump. Under normal operation, you shouldn’t detect any strong odors in the air coming from the vents. But if you notice something strange, like a musty or dusty smell, then you likely have problems with your heater’s ducts. They may have developed breaks, and this will reduce the heater’s ability to reach its target temperature, forcing it to work harder.

2. Loud, jarring noises: If you notice grinding and humming sounds from the heater’s cabinet that you normally don’t hear, you may need repairs done. A few sounds, such as clicking at start-up when the heater hasn’t been used for a while, aren’t much to worry about. But other sounds, like shrieking (possibly worn down motor bearings) or clacking (loose parts or a dented fan belt), should be inspected professionally.

3. Spikes in heating bills: Often, your heater may run fine, but internally has faults in its mechanisms force it to work harder than necessary. You can see this in your power bills: if you notice a sudden surge in costs that you can’t explain, it’s time to get the heater looked at for possible malfunctions.

Although skilled heating technicians can fix most problems with your heater, you can prevent many repair needs if you sign up for a preventive maintenance program. An annual visit from a maintenance specialist will reduce your heater’s repair needs and give the system a longer lifespan.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has served Fresno, CA heating repair needs since 1952. We will send out NATE-certified technicians to your home to fix the troubles with your heater, so you know you will be in skilled hands.

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Are you Ready for Heating System Replacement?

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

In Fresno, CA, heating systems don’t see nearly as much use as they do in colder climates, and accordingly don’t tend to wear out as quickly. With proper care and maintenance, a heater can last a long time here in our warm and pleasant Central Valley, providing reliable comfort when the temperatures start to drop. Sooner or later, however, the time comes when you need to replace you old unit with a new one. The question becomes when. Are you ready for heating system replacement? A few key factors can help you decide.

The first and most important is basic cost vs. benefits. A new heater can carry a larger up-front cost, which means that the benefits need to outweigh the investment you will make. If your old heater is turning into a giant cash drain, that becomes a lot easier to determine. Look at your monthly heating bill. Is it going up even though you’re not using your heater any more than normal? If it is, it means your heater is losing efficiency and those costs will continue to rise until you replace the unit. Multiple repairs, too, can signal a heater whose time has come. If your unit isn’t warming your house the way it should and it seems like you’re calling a repair service every few weeks, a replacement unit may be just what you need.

Another sign that you’re ready for heating system replacement is if your heater’s AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is lower that you’d like. The rating is measured in a percentage, which represents the amount of energy used for actual heating (instead of being lost to inefficiency). The federal government mandates that all furnaces have an AFUE of at least 75%. (Units with a rating of 90% or greater receive an EnergyStar label, providing an easy way to determine he most efficient new unit.) If your furnace’s rating is below these numbers, especially if it’s more than 10 or 15 years old, it may be time to find a new one.

In Fresno, CA, heating systems fall under the purveyance of Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. Are you ready for heating system replacement? If you are, or even if you just need some good advice on how to proceed, contact our trained  staff of Fresno, CA heating replacement technicians today.

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