Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Fresno’

What Could Go Wrong with Your AC’s Condenser

Monday, May 7th, 2018

air-conditioning-tool-bagThe condenser, or condenser unit, is one of the vital parts of a home’s air conditioning system. When HVAC technicians refer to the condenser, they’re talking about the entire outdoor unit of a split system air conditioner, the type most people use for home comfort. The condenser houses the compressor, which places the refrigerant under pressure so it will circulate through the system, condenser coils where heat is released to the outdoors to cool down the refrigerant, and a blower fan to draw air across the condenser coils and then exhaust the heat out of the unit.

The condenser is therefore responsible for two crucial functions in the AC: to move refrigerant and to exhaust heat.

Continue Reading

Need a Furnace Repair in April? Yes, Have It Done Soon!

Tuesday, April 24th, 2018

hands-opening-heating-cabinetIf you recently glanced at weather reports from around the country, you’ll have noticed how unpredictable April can be: snowstorms striking Vermont, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Central California never experiences anything so extreme (except up in the mountains), but April is still no time to risk having your heating system fail. So even though the calendar says it’s spring, don’t let that stop you from taking action with your furnace if it’s putting your comfort in jeopardy.

Continue Reading

Rains Mean More Pollen! We’ll Help Protect your Indoor Air Quality

Thursday, April 5th, 2018

woman-with-allergiesIt’s been raining this week and last week in Fresno, CA. This rainfall is very welcome, since we’ve been going through a drought and rain brings relief for farmers. But there’s a downside—and we don’t mean having an outdoor touch football game being rained out. Spring rains cause the pollen count to rise, and this can be terrible for allergies. Watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and all types of allergy irritations occur because there’s too much pollen drifting in the air.

One of our jobs here at Purl’s Sheet Metal is to help locals improve their indoor air quality. We have solutions to keep control of the pollen count and other allergens inside your house.

Continue Reading

Why You Should Use a Licensed and Insured Contractor

Friday, March 23rd, 2018

crossed-wrenchesIf you look at the home page of our website, you’ll see right under our name at the top of the page is our contractor’s license number: 463756. We have it displayed there because the license is what sets us apart from an amateur contractor. Each state has different requirements for licensing and regulation. Here in California, holding a license means a contractor has the necessary insurance and bonding required locally.

But what does this mean to you as a customer? Why should you turn to a contractor who has a license and insurance rather than to an amateur who offers low costs? One reason is the basic quality of the service you’ll get. But right now we’re going to look specifically at the importance of the license and insurance.

Continue Reading

How a Wireless “Tstat” Can Help You Save Energy and Money

Monday, March 12th, 2018

The technology behind climate control continues to improve each year. The top of the line thermostats today are advanced to a level where they’re essentially A.I. computers capable of handling home comfort on their own and maximizing energy use. The wireless or Wi-Fi thermostat is one of these fantastic advances in thermostat technology. This type of thermostat contains numerous features, such as “smart” programming and remote access.

You may be interested in wireless thermostats in Fresno, CA or elsewhere in the Central Valley as a way of boosting your household HVAC system. What are the advantages of going with a wireless “Tstat”? Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest ones.

Continue Reading

Benefits to Upgrading to a High Efficiency HVAC System

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018

checkmark-greenAs spring approaches, it’s a great time to give some thought to making an upgrade to your old HVAC system. If your heating and air conditioning system is more than 15 years old, or it has started to require more repairs while running up steeper utility bills, this is probably the year to have the system replaced—and with one that’s more efficient than your old system was even when it was new.

Because of advances in heating and air conditioning technology, almost any system you have professionally installed will perform at better energy efficiency. But we recommend you look into a special high efficiency system for your HVAC in Fresno, CA. These systems cost more to install, but the benefits are tremendous and the extra costs will soon be paid back.

Continue Reading

Heating Troubles That May Be the Fault of the Air Filter

Wednesday, January 31st, 2018

air-fliter-cuModern heating systems are normally reliable, year after year, provided they receive a professional installation by licensed HVAC technicians and continue to have annual maintenance. But no system can ever be 100% reliable, and no amount of care can protect a heater from all malfunctions. At some point in your current heater’s service life, you may need to call for heating repair in Fresno, CA from our trained team.

One of the more common problems that affect forced-air systems (which include all types of furnace and heat pumps) is trouble with the air filter. This isn’t a filter for providing better indoor air quality, but the standard filter attached to the HVAC cabinet that stops dust and dirt from getting into the heater through the return air vents. An air filter clogs over time and must be replaced every 1 to 3 months so air can flow freely through the blower and heater.

If a clogged filter is left in place, it can lead to these heating problems:

Continue Reading

Why Won’t My Heater Stop Running?

Wednesday, January 17th, 2018

question-mark-badgeWhen you set your furnace or other home heating system to come on, and then nothing happens, you’ll instantly know you have a problem. It might be a simple issue, like a tripped circuit breaker or clogged air filter. It could a more serious malfunction, and in that case you’ll need the assistance of HVAC professionals to inspect and repair your heating in Fresno, CA or elsewhere in the Central Valley.

There’s a flip side to this: a heating system that comes on and won’t shut off. When this happens, not only will the heating system waste immense amounts of energy and risk suffering permanent damage, but the house can become overheated, stuffy, and unpleasant. Why does this happen? What can be done about it?

Continue Reading

Cracked Heat Exchanger: Do I Need a New Furnace?

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018

natural-gas-burnerWe’ve written before about the importance of having your furnace’s heat exchanger regularly checked by a professional. This is a part of our routine preventive maintenance program, the Ultimate Service Agreement, and it’s a vital inspection to make sure that a furnace operates as safely as possible. What our technicians look for when they examine a heat exchanger is signs of cracks along it or corrosion that can lead to those cracks. A cracked heat exchanger can allow toxic combustion gases to escape into the airflow moving into the rooms around a house—a dangerous situation!

Furnace owners often feel nervous when they learn their furnace may pose a safety risk. This leads to the question whether they should have the furnace repaired—which means replacing the heat exchanger—or instead have a new gas furnace installed.

Continue Reading

Dryer Vent Cleaning Is an Important Job

Friday, December 15th, 2017

purl-s-hvac-service-and-repair-purls-madera-dryer-ventAs one year ends and another begins, you will probably take a look over your house to find various cleaning and improvement projects. One that you may not have thought of, but which is a critical job to have done on a regular basis, is dryer vent cleaning.

What is dryer vent cleaning?

The dryer vent is the hose and outdoor vent that removes heat and moisture from a household clothes dryer. The vent can be located in a variety of locations, such as on the roof (as the one in the picture at the top of this post).

Continue Reading