Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning received the Russell Sigler Award for Sales Excellence for 2014. Co-Owners Brian Driggs and Kurt Davidson were honored to accept this special award. This award is given to a few select dealers to recognize sales excellence. It recognizes companies that embody the same commitment to hard work, dedication to success and high integrity as Russell Sigler. This is a distinct honor to receive this award. Since 1952, Purl’s Sheet Metal has conducted business with the same high standards and commit
ment to excellence as Russell Sigler.
Russell Sigler started his company in 1950 after being inspired by Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. Russell was called into service in 1941 and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1946 and then worked as an engineer. He attended classes from Willis Carrier, who is the founder/inventor or modern air conditioning. His startup capital was provided by a savings bond and war bonds he had sent to his parents to help out at home during the war. His parents put those bonds in a savings deposit box to save for him.
Always a believer in positive thinking, Russell wrote himself a letter in 1949, stating that he expected to “earn 1 million dollars by 1980 by establishing air conditioning contracting business to install and service the best air conditioning systems at competitive prices.” Not only did he meet that goal, but by 1970 the company was already recording sales of $8 million dollars. His next goal is to reach $1 billion dollars in sales in 2017 when he will also reach 100 years of age. Russell Sigler Inc. is currently comprised of 29 locations in 6 states.
Russell Sigler Award for Sales Excellence 2014
December 16th, 2014Christmas Light Parade 2014
December 9th, 2014Purls Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning employees and their families had a fantastic time at the 2014 Parade of Lights in Madera, CA. The 21st Annual Madera Light Parade was held on Thursday December 4, 2014. The annual light parade is a tradition in Madera that begins 
the Holiday Season with a spectacular Christmas celebration of lights. Each year the event is coordinated and hosted by the Madera Kiwanis Club and the Downtown Association.
The light parade began 21 years ago as a procession of farm equipment and tractors down historic Yosemite Avenue in Madera, CA. Today, the parade route continues down Yosemite Avenue and still includes tractors and harvesters as well as fire trucks, cars, semi-trucks, flatbed trailers and just about anything else you can put lights on. There is only one qualification to enter … each vehicle must have a minimum of 100 lighted Christmas lights. Madera residents lined the streets of Yosemite Avenue and cheered for their favorite entries.
Purl’s Sheet Metal entered the parade again with their fleet of antique fire apparatus decorated and loaded with Purl’s Sheet Metal employees and families. It was a great evening for us to bundle up and barbeque hot dogs, drink hot cocoa and sing some Christmas carols. The Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning fleet includes, 1979 Crown Fire Coach Pumper, 1951 American LaFrance Pumper and 1948 American LaFrance Aerial Ladder Truck.
Will Thanksgiving Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?
November 26th, 2014We’ve all heard it before: you feel so sleepy after a Thanksgiving meal because of the main event: the turkey. For years, people have credited extraordinary levels of tryptophan in turkey as the reason we all feel the need to nap after the annual feast. But contrary to this popular mythology, tryptophan is probably not he largest responsible party for your post-meal exhaustion.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means it’s something that our bodies need but do not produce naturally. Your body uses tryptophan to help make vitamin B3 and serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that sends chemicals to the brain to aid in sleep. But in order to get this essential amino acid, we have to eat foods that contain it.
Turkey has somewhat high levels of tryptophan, but so do many other foods, including eggs, peanuts, chocolate, nuts, bananas, and most other meats and dairy products. In fact, ounce-for-ounce cheddar cheese contains a greater amount of tryptophan than turkey. In order for tryptophan to make you feel sleepy, you would have to consume it in excessive amounts, and serotonin is usually only produced by tryptophan on an empty stomach.
The truth is, overeating is largely responsible for the “food coma” many people describe post-Thanksgiving. It takes a lot of energy for your body to process a large meal, and the average Thanksgiving plate contains about twice as many calories as is recommended for daily consumption. If anything, high levels of fat in the turkey cause sleepiness, as they require a lot of energy for your body to digest. Lots of carbohydrates, alcohol, and probably a bit of stress may also be some of the reasons it feels so satisfying to lay down on the couch after the meal and finally get a little bit of shut-eye.
If you feel the need to indulge in a heaping dose of tryptophan this year, go ahead! Turkey also contains healthy proteins and may even provide a boost for your immune system. Here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, we hope your Thanksgiving is full of joy and contentment this year. Happy feasting!
How Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings Are Determined
November 21st, 2014Homeowners 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.
Christmas Light Parade 2014
November 19th, 2014The 21st Annual Madera Light Parade is scheduled for Thursday Dec 4, 2014. The annual light parade is a tradition in Madera that begins the Holiday Season with a spectacular Christmas celebration of lights. Every year the event is hosted by the Madera Kiwanis Club and the Downtown 
Association.
The light parade began 21 years ago as a procession of farm equipment and tractors down historic Yosemite Avenue in Madera, CA. It was a great way to celebrate the end of the harvest and begin the Holiday Season. Today, the parade route continues down Yosemite Avenue and still includes tractors and harvesters as well as fire trucks, cars, semi-trucks, flatbed trailers and just about anything else you can put lights on. There is only one qualification to enter … each vehicle must have a minimum of 100 lighted Christmas lights. Madera residents line the streets of Yosemite Avenue and cheer for their favorite entries. Spectators can view the parade and wander through downtown business locations.
Purl’s Sheet Metal will be entering the parade again with their fleet of antique fire apparatus decorated and loaded with Purl’s Sheet Metal employees and families. We partner our entry with our friends from Warnock Food Products of Madera with a total entry of 6 to 7 antique fire engines. It is a great evening for us to bundle up and barbeque hot dogs, drink hot cocoa and sing some Christmas carols. The Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning fleet includes, 1979 Crown Fire Coach Pumper, 1951 American La France Pumper and a 1948 American La France Aerial Ladder Truck. 
The parade begins at 6:00 pm and also offers tickets to the wine and hot chocolate stroll through downtown businesses with appetizers and wine tasting from more than 9 local Madera Wineries. Contact the Madera Chamber of Commerce for tickets.
Click here for more Light Parade Information (Add to see photos of Purl’s fire trucks from last years parade)
What Does the AFUE Rating on a Furnace Mean for My Heating?
November 14th, 2014The 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.
What’s at Risk if I Try to Install a Furnace on My Own?
November 7th, 2014We 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.
Coats for Kids 2014 Kicks Off! November 3rd – December 7th
November 6th, 2014
Coats for Kids 2014 kicks off their local campaign November 3rd – December 7th. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is proud to join Kiss Country and the Salvation Army again as a collection location for the 2014 Coats for Kids drive. Each year the community and local businesses work with the Salvation Army to collect gently used or new winter coats to keep kids warm in the cold winter months.
The Coats for Kids Campaign was established by the Salvation Army in 1980. For more than 30 years this campaign has brought together organizations, schools, businesses and members of the community with the single goal to donate to children in need. Kiss Country has been part of Coats for Kids in the Central Valley for more than 20 years. Their efforts to bring this issue and coat drive to the forefront, has made a real difference in the lives of so many young children.
Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning have also partnered with St. Joachim School and Lincoln Elementary School in Madera to help benefit our local kids. We are open to the public as drop off location 232 South Schnoor Avenue, Madera, CA 93637 for coats Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. We encourage our customers and members of the community to get involved and help keep the kids in our Valley warm. Last year we collected over 500 coats in Madera. Our 2014 goal is increase that number and collect hundreds of coats in the hope that no child will have to be cold!
How a New Thermostat Will Help Your Heating
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.
Is a Heat Pump Effective for Winter Heating?
October 24th, 2014When 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.