When you need a central air conditioning system installed, whether for a new home or to replace an older system, you must call professionals to handle the work. This is not only to ensure that the new air conditioning system is put in correctly so that it works at maximum efficiency and effectiveness. It is also to make sure that the right system is put in. An error in sizing a central air conditioner (i.e. determining how powerful an AC is necessary for a specific home) will lead to multiple problems for both comfort and energy efficiency. In most cases, an improperly sized air conditioning system must be replaced.
Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Fresno’
An Oversized Air Conditioner: Why This Is a Problem
Tuesday, May 26th, 2015What the Condensing Unit Does in a Central Air Conditioning System
Monday, May 18th, 2015The standard central air conditioning system found in homes is a split system: it consists of two units housed in different locations that are connected through power and refrigerant lines. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil and the air handler that sends cooled air into the ductwork and then to the rooms. The outdoor unit is called the condenser.
Air Conditioning Question: What Does Refrigerant Do?
Monday, May 4th, 2015Modern air conditioning systems are complicated machines that require a balance of components working in peak condition: the compressor, fans, coils, capacitors, motors, etc. All of these parts play vital roles in providing a home with cool temperatures. If one of the parts starts to fail, it can mean a drastic drop in efficiency and effectiveness.
How Do Electronic Air Cleaners Work?
Monday, April 27th, 2015There are many different ways to eliminate the pollutants that can circulate through your home’s air and lower its quality. One of the most effective ways to remove tiny particles, such as gas and odor molecules, is with an electronic air purifier. You can combine an electronic air purifier with a filtration system to provide and extra layer of air cleaning for your home. Ask indoor air quality specialists for recommendations on what kind of air purifiers and/or filter will work best for your household.
Some Air Conditioning System Warnings Signs to Watch for in the Spring
Monday, April 6th, 2015Spring is the season when you should arrange for professional air conditioning maintenance. This service will see that your home’s AC is cleaned, tuned-up, and any potential malfunctions caught before they become serious problems. Annual spring maintenance is the best way to protect your home comfort through the summer.
But even with the best maintenance possible for your air conditioning system, you must pay special attention to warning signs from it during these early spring days. Odd behavior can point to developing faults that may lead to an inefficient cooling system or even repairs down the road. If you notice any of the following from your air conditioner while it is running during the spring, give the professional service technicians at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning a call right away. Our expert team is ready 7 days a week to look into any problem with your air conditioning system.
- Out of the ordinary noises: You probably have a good idea of the sounds that your air conditioner makes while it’s running normally. When something that doesn’t sound right interrupts this regular series of sounds—such as mechanical grinding, hissing, or clicking noises—it probably means something is wrong with the AC that needs attention.
- Ice on the indoor coils: Although ice may seem like something normal for a system that sends out cold air, it isn’t. If the indoor coils of your AC begin to develop frost, one of a number of problems is affecting the system, and all of them are serious. Get service technicians on the job right away for repairs.
- Odd smells from the vents: If you notice acrid, musty, or moldy scents coming from the air vents, don’t hesitate to contact HVAC professionals to look into it. This could indicate a motor that is overheating, or it may point toward ductwork damage that will require repair work from ventilation specialists.
It’s crucial that you never ignore unusual behavior from your air conditioning system. These aren’t “quirks”: they are the way that your AC warns you it requires the service of professionals.
Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for the AC services you need to prepare for the coming hot season in Fresno, CA and throughout the Central Valley. Quality is the cornerstone of our success, and has been for over 60 years.
Why Regular Duct Cleaning Is Important
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015It is easy to forget about the ductwork attached to your forced-air comfort systems (furnace, heat pump, package unit, central air conditioner) since most of it remains hidden from sight behind the walls and in the ceilings of your house. However, this ductwork needs to receive routine maintenance service from professionals to keep it clean and free from the dust and debris that will naturally start to accumulate inside it. Duct cleaners will use special equipment and techniques to do a thorough job.
How often you need to have this service done depends on your home. Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning and our Fresno, CA duct cleaning experts will help you arrange a schedule to keep your ductwork in excellent shape.
Why you need to have routine duct cleaning
There are a number of important reasons to keep the ductwork in your home as clean as possible. First, ducts that become clogged with excessive amounts of dust, lint, and other debris will create a drop in energy efficiency for the HVAC system. Even a thin layer of dust will place resistance against the airflow through the ducts. As more dust and dirt accumulates, your forced-air systems will need to work harder, creating a rise in your heating and cooling bills. If you have detected an increase in costs to run your HVAC system, it’s often a sign that you are overdue for duct cleaning services.
Second, dirty ductwork can cause damage to your forced-air heater and central air conditioner. If debris enters the cabinet of a furnace, heat pump, or AC, it can cause problems with motors, electrical connections, evaporator coils, and more. This will lead to repairs and possibly a shortened life for the system.
Third, when the ducts have too much contamination in them, it will result in a decline in your indoor air quality. When you consider that the average 6-room family home can circulate 40 lbs. of dust through the HVAC system every year, you’ll understand why cleaning the ducts will do so much for helping reduce indoor air pollution. It’s especially important to keep the ductwork clean if you have people living in your home who suffer from asthma or allergies.
Contact us to schedule duct cleaning
At Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, we offer professional duct cleaning for Fresno, CA and the surrounding areas. Our technicians are NATE-certified and EPA-certified, so you will know that you are receiving the highest quality work. Give us a call today to schedule service.
Why Dryer Vent Cleaning Is Important
Wednesday, March 4th, 2015What is one of the key steps you need to take whenever your transfer a load of wash from the washing machine to the dryer? You must check the lint catcher in the dryer to make sure that it is cleaned out. Unless the lint catcher is clean, the dryer will have a harder time removing heat from the clothing load, resulting in damp clothes at the end of the drying cycle.
However, issues from lint go deeper than the lint catcher. The vent to the outside of your home that exhausts the heat from the dryer will start to collect lint over time, and eventually the hose from the dryer and the vent will become congested with clothing fibers. It is important that you have routine dryer vent cleaning to remove these obstructions, as we will explain below. You can call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for excellent dryer vent cleaning in Fresno, CA. We will be glad to perform this crucial service for you.
A clean dryer vent will prevent fire hazards
The main reason you need to schedule regular dryer vent cleaning is to prevent the danger from fires. Clothing lint is highly flammable, which is why hikers often carry it to use as a catalyst for starting campfires. If too much lint collects inside the dryer vent, it can ignite due to the high temperatures of the exhaust, starting a fire that will spread rapidly. A large number of house fires begin this way every year, but with routine vent cleaning you can keep your home safe.
A clean dryer vent means shorter drying times
If you keep the lint catcher clean, but it still seems that you have to keep the clothing in the dryer for longer periods to properly dry them, you probably have a clogged dryer vent. You will continue to encounter problems with lengthy drying times until you have the vent professionally cleaned.
A clean dryer vent reduces wear and tear on the dryer
A congested dryer vent will make a dryer work harder. This will both increase your energy bills and also shorten the dryer’s service life. To make sure that you receive many years of quality and energy-efficient performance from your dryer, arrange for regular dryer vent cleaning.
The trained technicians at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning can clean your dryer vent quickly using powered vacuums and air cleaners. You can set up a regular cleaning schedule with us to ensure that the work always gets done when necessary. Call us today to arrange for dryer vent cleaning in Fresno, CA and the surrounding areas.
Why Furnace Repair Is Not a “Do It Yourself” Job
Wednesday, January 21st, 2015We 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.
How Does a Ductless System Heat?
Wednesday, January 7th, 2015When 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.
How Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings Are Determined
Friday, 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.