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

Why Furnace Repair Is Not a “Do It Yourself” Job

Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

We understand that many homeowners want to save money where possible, and that often means picking up a toolkit and an instruction book and attempting to handle repairs around the house on their own. Going “do-it-yourself” is fine for some jobs, such as trying to fix a doorbell or repair broken hinges on cabinet doors. But there are limits to what amateur work can do—and what amateur work should do. A good example is repairing a furnace. On no account should you ever attempt to fix a broken or malfunctioning furnace on your own. We’ll explain why.

It’s not difficult to receive qualified and professional service for a furnace that is having trouble. You can just pick up the phone and call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We have handled furnace repair in Fresno, CA and the surrounding areas for many decades, and our NATE-certified technicians will deliver quality work to quickly restore warm heat to your home.

Why you must leave furnace repairs to professionals

The most common type of furnace found in homes is the natural gas furnace. Any type of appliance that uses natural gas must be left to licensed professionals when it comes to service: installation, repairs, maintenance. In most jurisdictions, it is illegal for a non-licensed individual to work on an appliance connected to a gas line. The reason for this is that gas leaks are extremely hazardous, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning and the risk of explosions. If you tamper incorrectly with a gas furnace, you can create a dangerous slow leak and not even realize it. Never take these types of risks: have professionals with years of experience handle the work so you can relax in peace in your home.

Even without the dangers from carbon monoxide, furnaces would still be problems for amateurs to fix. Modern furnaces are more complex. Trying to track down the cause of a malfunction is difficult to diagnose without proper training. It is even more difficult to fix without the right tools and proper knowledge. Making the wrong repair is often worse than failing to find the reasons for the malfunction. You shouldn’t take a chance with furnace repairs, so be sure to have licensed service heating technicians work on your furnace.

Finally, professional repairs will go much faster than any amateur work. If you need to have your heat working as soon as possible, the quickest route is call the professionals. Call the team of trained and skilled professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for furnace repair in Fresno, CA. Contact us when you need help with your home’s furnace.

Tags: Fresno, Furnace Repair
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Is It Time to Replace My Heat Pump?

Wednesday, January 14th, 2015

If a heat pump receives regular maintenance from professionals, as well as skilled repairs when necessary, it should continue to keep a home warm during the winter and cool during the summer for many years. But no mechanical appliance can operate forever, and with the amount of work that a heat pump does around the year in California, it will eventually wear down to the point that it should be replaced.

If you suspect that you need to retire your home’s heat pump in Madera, CA, call up Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We provide excellent service for heat pumps, including repairs, maintenance, and new installation.

Below are some of the ways to tell that you should call us regarding heat pump replacement:

Rising energy costs: A sudden increase in electrical bills during periods when a heat pump is running is usually a warning that the system has a fault somewhere in it that is causing it to drain additional power. Targeted repairs will usually fix such problems. But if the rise in the bills is more gradual and it does not decrease due to repairs or maintenance, it often means the system is too old to work efficiently any more. Heating technicians can look into the unit and determine if replacing it is the best route or not.
An increase in repair jobs: Approximately 85% of the repairs that a heat pump or other heating system may need occur during the last two years of its service life. When you find yourself calling for repairs more than once or twice during a year, it’s time to think about retiring the heat pump. As a good rule of thumb, if a repair would cost half or more of the price to replace the heat pump, it is more economical to have a new unit put in rather than to continue with repairs.
Continual noisy operation: Loud noises from a heat pump are a strong sign that the mechanical components have worn down to the point that the system is no longer worth keeping. Heating technicians can investigate the heat pump to see if replacing some of the components will help, or if the heat pump is simply too old for further repairs to do much good.

Call the heating professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We will send one of our service technicians to your home to diagnosis the heat pump to find any possible problems. We can give you an estimate for repairs or replacing the unit. Whether you need repairs or new installation for your heat pump in Madera, CA, you can count on our decades of experience to deliver the highest quality work.

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How Does a Ductless System Heat?

Wednesday, January 7th, 2015

When people think of keeping a home warm with a central heating system, they often think first of a furnace. A furnace is a type of “forced-air” heater that spreads warmth throughout a building by first raising the temperature of the air, then using a blower fan to send the air out into rooms. In order for a furnace to distribute its heated air, it must have ductwork leading from the cabinet and to the vents into the room.

However, not all forced-air heating systems require ducts like a furnace does. A popular option for home comfort today—ductless mini split systems—allows for central heating without needing any lengths of space-consuming ductwork. Ductless mini splits are an excellent idea for new home construction, home expansion, remodeling, and older houses that lack room for duct installation.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning offers installation of ductless mini split systems, as well as other systems for central heating in Fresno, CA. Call our technicians today to find out more about how we can keep your home warm no matter how cold it gets outside.

The Basics of Ductless Mini Split Systems

A ductless mini split system is a type of heat pump, which means that instead of creating heat by burning fuel or through electrical resistance the way a furnace does, it moves heat from one place to another. In operation, ductless mini splits are similar to air conditioners, except they can shift heat in both directions: from inside a home to the outside (cooling) and from outside a home to the inside (heating).

How does a ductless mini split send heat around a home without ducts? Instead of using a single indoor cabinet where heat is released and then sent into a duct network via a blower, a ductless mini split has multiple air handlers mounted in rooms around the home. The outdoor cabinet connects to the individual air handlers through power and refrigerant lines. Each air handler contains a blower and a coil; the coil releases heat, and the blower sends it directly into the room.

Aside from the advantage of not needing any ductwork, ductless mini split systems offer zone heating for a home: each air handler can be controlled separately from the others, so a home only needs to receive heating in rooms that require it. This makes ductless mini splits great energy savers.

A ductless mini split heat pump is not ideal for every house, so make sure you call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning and speak to our Fresno, CA heating professionals before making a choice for home comfort. We install, repair, and maintain a variety of heating systems, and we will help you find the best way to keep your house warm.

Tags: Fresno, Heating
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How Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings Are Determined

Friday, November 21st, 2014

Homeowners are more concerned than ever today with energy efficiency in their homes. Manufacturers of heating and cooling systems have responded with the production of new high-efficiency units that produce superior levels of comfort along with reduced energy use. When you are considering a heat pump for your home heating in Fresno, you should examine the two ratings that will tell you how efficient a particular unit is: HSPF and SEER. For more information to help you select, size, and install a heat pump, contact our professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)

HSPF is the efficiency rating for a heat pump when it is in heating mode. The number is a ratio of the amount of heat the unit generates (in BTUs, British Thermal Units) to the amount of electricity consumed (in watt-hours) as averaged over a season of heating. The higher the number, the more efficient the heat pump is at converting electricity into heating power. Many heat pumps have HSPF around 10 or 11; they are somewhat less efficient in heating mode than in cooling mode, but for the winter climates in Fresno they are usually sufficient for quality warmth.

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating)

SEER measures efficiency when a heat pump is in cooling mode; it is the same efficiency measurement used for standalone air conditioning systems. SEER is a ratio of the amount of heat the unit absorbs from the indoors (in BTUs) to the electricity in watt-hours, measured over a season. As with HSPF, the higher the number, the more efficient the unit. Heat pumps often have SEER of 14 or greater, and are effective for combating almost any level of outdoor heat—provided the system received professional installation.

The HSPF and SEER of a heat pump are only two factors that go into the selection of a heat pump for a house. A system can have high efficiency, yet still not work well for the home’s comfort needs. To make sure you receive quality cooling and heating from a heat pump, contact the skilled technicians at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning to handle the installation job. Call us today to arrange your heat pump service in Fresno.

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What Does the AFUE Rating on a Furnace Mean for My Heating?

Friday, November 14th, 2014

The energy efficiency of the furnace that keeps your house warm is one of the most important things to know about it. You can use it to estimate how much a furnace will cost to run, and it also serves as an early warning of repair issues should the furnace start to create higher heating bills than normal.

Central furnaces, whether gas or electric, have their efficiency measured in AFUE, an acronym for “Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.” Understanding how AFUE is measured will help you better understand your furnace. It will also caution you about when to call for repairs or schedule a replacement for the furnace. When you need expert service for your furnace, call on a highly-trained team with a long history in the HVAC industry in Fresno with heating: Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

What the AFUE Rating Means

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is expressed as a percentage. This percentage is the amount of energy put into the furnace that it converts into heating power, as measured over a year. The larger the percentage, the more fuel is turned into heat and the less is wasted as exhaust. For example, if a gas furnace produces on average 90 BTUs for each 100 units of natural gas that it burns, then it has an AFUE of 90%.

The Federal Trade Commission requires that manufacturers of furnaces include AFUE ratings on all new units. A non-condensing furnace must have a minimum of 78% AFUE (unless designed for a mobile home). The Department of Energy has new requirements for furnaces that are set to go into effect on January 1, 2015: all weatherized gas furnaces must have 81% AFUE after this date.

However, many furnaces score much higher AFUE ratings than this. High-efficiency furnaces often rank above 90% AFUE. Electrical furnaces are also extremely fuel efficient, but electricity is usually a more costly energy source. If you are planning to have a new furnace installed, you will need assistance from heating and cooling experts to find the right balance of efficiency and cost to fit your home and budget.

As long as your furnace receives regular annual maintenance from skilled technicians, it should keep 95% of its efficiency for most of its service life. If you notice a spike in your heating bills, it can mean your furnace needs repairs or it has reached a point where it is losing efficiency due to age. In either case, call for furnace professionals to look into the issue and see what needs to be done.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has many decades with residential furnaces in Fresno. Whether you need new installation, maintenance, or repairs to protect your home’s heating, you can count on our services seven days a week.

Tags: Fresno, Furnace
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What’s at Risk if I Try to Install a Furnace on My Own?

Friday, November 7th, 2014

We understand that many people in the Central Valley have strong “do-it-yourself” drives when it comes to home improvements and repairs. However, if the home improvement that you need to undertake is installing a new gas furnace, you absolutely do not want to tackle the job on your own, or even hand it over to a team of amateurs. There are some very good reasons that furnace installation is a job for professionals and professionals only.

It’s easy to locate experts in home heating in Fresno who can install a new furnace for your home: call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning today and speak to one of our team, and we will help schedule a new installation that will give your household many years of warmth.

The Risks Involved In DIY Furnace Installation

The most important reason you should leave furnace installation to the professionals is that attempting the job yourself can be flat-out dangerous. Gas-powered furnaces connect to the gas main that enters your house, and trying to work on this line can expose you to toxic and combustible gases. In many jurisdictions, it is illegal for anyone except a licensed professional to work on any appliance connected to the gas main. Most furnace manufacturers also require that only professionals handle the installation job. Don’t take any risks of fires or exposing your family to carbon monoxide.

Aside from the potential physical dangers of DIY furnace installation, the necessary work is simply too precise and requires too much special equipment for anyone to handle it correctly unless they have years of training and access to high-end tools. Custom-cutting for the gas pipes alone is a technical skill that goes beyond do-it-yourself tactics. If you are planning to install a higher efficiency furnace for your home, modifications to the ductwork are often necessary, and this needs professionals to handle; trying this on your own could deliver you a furnace that doesn’t vent correctly or fails to distribute air to the rooms.

So leave aside any ambitions about installing a furnace yourself. The risks are too high. Professionals will handle the installation correctly so that the new gas furnace works as it should and will continue to do so for many years. And they will do the job in only a fraction of the time it might take amateurs.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has served the community since 1952. We are headquartered in Madera, CA, which Forbes recently listed as one of America’s Booming Small Cities for 2014, with a job growth of 25% over the last fourteen years and a personal income growth of 22%. We are proud to be part of Madera’s continuing expansion, as well as providing services for excellent cooling and heating to Fresno and other surrounding areas.

Tags: Fresno, Furnaces
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How a New Thermostat Will Help Your Heating

Friday, October 31st, 2014

It’s easy to take for granted the thermostat that runs the heating system in your home. However, a thermostat has a crucial part to play in the operation of a heater, and should it malfunction, it will mean a heating system that won’t turn on, won’t turn off, or provides uncomfortably high or low temperatures.

Even if your home’s thermostat is in excellent working condition, you may benefit from upgrading it to a more advanced unit. When you call home heating and cooling specialists to handle thermostat purchase and installation, you’ll receive a quality job that will live up to your expectations. Poor installation of thermostats can result in heating and cooling systems that run inefficiently—or may not run at all.

The NATE-certified technicians at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning provide quality installation of thermostats to help achieve better residential heating. If you have an older model thermostat in your home, contact us today to find out more about options for upgrading.

Why a new thermostat can mean better heating

Although manual thermostat models are effective at controlling temperatures in a home, they lack the precision of newer digital models. The difference between a manual model and a standard digital model thermostat is small, however: a matter of a degree or two when it comes to temperature settings.

The big difference is when you upgrade from either of these two thermostat types to a digital programmable model. A programmable thermostat grants you control over your heating system even when you are not home. You can set the thermostat to turn the heater on a half hour before you return home, which means you can come in the door after a day at work and straight into an already warm house—without needing to waste money running the system throughout the day. This means greater comfort without a sacrifice on your heating bills.

There are different levels of complexity for programmable thermostats. Basic models usually have two program slots: one for morning and one for evening. More advanced models can allow different programming for each day of the week, and this will help you enjoy pleasant temperatures and energy-savings without needing to constantly manipulate the thermostat.

One of new innovations in thermostat technology is the Wi-Fi thermostat. These models allow you to control your heating and cooling remotely with a laptop or mobile device, from anywhere you have an Internet connection. This will help you further reduce energy consumption, and you won’t have to worry about accidentally leaving the heater or air conditioner running when you’re away from home.

Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning if you think your home will benefit from a more up-to-date thermostat. We will help you find the replacement unit that will give you better heating in Fresno, CA as well as increased energy savings.

Tags: Fresno, Thermostats
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Is a Heat Pump Effective for Winter Heating?

Friday, October 24th, 2014

When it comes to providing comfort throughout the year, a heat pump is an excellent installation option. Heat pumps work in a manner almost identical to air conditioners: they circulate refrigerant between an indoor and outdoor unit, moving heat from one location and releasing it in the other. When set in “cooling” mode, the heat pump absorbs heat from the indoors and releases it outdoors, the same as an air conditioner. In “heating” mode, a reversing valve in the system switches the direction of heat exchange, and the heat pump absorbs heat from the outdoors and then releases it indoors.

However, this description of the way a heat pump works often prompts the question from homeowners: “If I’m using a heat pump to warm my house during cold weather, how is the heat pump drawing heat from outside?” This causes some people concern about whether a heat pump is an effective option for home heating in Fresno, CA.

We understand where this concern comes from, but for many homes a heat pump is more than sufficient for delivering comfort through a Fresno winter. If you want advice from professionals who can tell you if installing a heat pump is a good option for your house, call at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

Here is what to consider when thinking about heat pumps in heating mode: there is always some heat available in the outside air, regardless of how low the temperature is. It becomes more difficult for a heat pump to efficiently remove that heat from the outdoor air during extremely low temperatures; however, the temperature must usually fall below freezing before this problem with inefficient operation starts. The average low temperature in Fresno during the two coldest months of the year is 38°F, still above freezing. In homes with effective insulation, a heat pump can usually handle the winter weather without losing its efficient performance.

You should definitely consult with heating and cooling professionals before you settle on a heat pump for installation. (And you should never attempt to install a heat pump on your own, anyway.) Professionals will help you decide if a heat pump will provide the comfort level necessary, and then size and install it so that it works as it should.

Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for heat pump services. We have helped with cooling and heating in Fresno, CA since 1952, and we’re on call 7 days a week for your convenience.

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Repairs Your Gas Furnace May Need

Friday, October 17th, 2014

Furnaces are one of the more common ways to provide heat for homes. A properly cared-for furnace can deliver high heating levels and operate for many years with only occasional repair needs. If you have a furnace installed in your home, make sure that you schedule annual maintenance for it during the fall to lower the chance that you will have to call for repairs during the winter.

There is no way that you can avoid all repair needs for a furnace, no matter how well you keep the system maintained. Below are some repairs that a furnace may require during its service life to keep it working efficiently, effectively, and safely. If you notice an issue with your furnace—such as a drop in heating levels or strange sounds coming from the cabinet—call for furnace repair service in Fresno from Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We have 60 years of experience servicing heating systems in the Central Valley.

Some Common Furnace Repair Needs

Replacing cracked heat exchangers: The heat exchanger is the component of a furnace responsible for transferring heat from the combustion gas to the air from the blower. If a heat exchanger starts to develop corrosion with age, it may lead to cracks and exhaust gas escaping from the furnace. This is a potentially dangerous situation, and a technician will need to replace the exchanger should it happen. Technicians will notice issues with the heat exchanger during a regular maintenance visit and arrange for the repair work to replace it.
Ignition repair: Most modern furnaces no longer use a standing pilot light, but instead ignite the gas jets along the burner using electronic ignition. This ignition can malfunction or fail, which will result in either delayed ignition or the furnace burners not coming on at all. Don’t try to repair this problem on your own: call for professional assistance to repair or replace the electronic ignition.
Blower motor repair: The motor that runs the blower can overheat if it develops too much stress on its mechanical parts due to dust, dirt, or lack of lubrication. An overheated motor will burn out and stop working if it doesn’t receive repair work. If you detect airflow issues or discover that the blower will not turn on at all, call for repair technicians right away.
Recalibrating the thermostat: Sometimes what seems like a furnace malfunction actually comes from a miscalibrated thermostat that is reading temperatures incorrectly and turning the furnace on and off at incorrect times. Skilled technicians will know how to track down the trouble to the source and fix it.

We must emphasize that you should never attempt repairs to a gas furnace on your own because of the potential safety risk. Call on the experienced team at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for your heating repairs in Fresno, CA. We are on call seven days a week.

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3 Repairs for Heating You Need to Take Care of Before Winter

Friday, October 10th, 2014

Before the steady low temperatures of winter arrive, you should know if your heating system has any malfunctions that may impair it or even cause it to break down. The best way to know if you need to schedule repairs is to take the heater for a brief “test run” during a warm day to see if you notice anything wrong. Afterwards, arrange for the heater’s annual maintenance visit from an experienced HVAC service technician.

Below are three common repair issues that heating systems may need before winter starts. You can call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning seven days a week to handle any of these troubles, as well as to sign up for our Ultimate Service Agreement to handle maintenance. We are here for all your needs for HVAC repair in Fresno.

3 Common Heating Repair Issues before Winter

Gas line problems: You don’t want to turn on a gas furnace at the start of winter and discover that the gas isn’t flowing to the burner. If during your test run on a gas furnace you discovered that the burner wouldn’t ignite, even though the pilot light or electronic ignition was working, than you probably have trouble in the gas line. As with any device hooked up to natural gas, you never want to attempt repairs on your own. Only trust to experienced professionals.
Broken ignition/failed pilot light: Everything else in a gas furnace may be operating well, but if the pilot light will not remain on, or the electronic ignition has failed, nothing will happen. Dirt across the burner can cause a pilot light to keep going out, or not come on at all, and electronic igniters can fail for a variety of reasons. Repair technicians can clean off the burner or replace the igniter to restore the furnace’s operation.
Low refrigerant: This is an issue with heat pumps, which use the circulation of refrigerant to provide both cooling and heating throughout the year. The refrigerant in the system will not “get used up” during normal operation, but leaking can cause the level of the refrigerant (its “charge”) to begin to drop, which will affect its heating ability and could also lead to serious damage to its components. Because this affects the cooling ability as well, you shouldn’t ignore a dip in air conditioning power from the heat pump during the end of the warm season, since this decline will carry over to heating mode. Professionals will locate the refrigerant leaks, seal them, and recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.

During a maintenance visit from one of the experienced technicians at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, you will learn about any repair troubles your heating system has. We will arrange for the repair work to take care of the malfunction so you will have your heating system ready in time for the winter cold. Trust in us for any repairs in Fresno, CA for your HVAC heating system needs.

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