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

Replacing Air Filters on a Regular Basis

Thursday, January 30th, 2014

Replacing the air filters regularly in your home or business is a must. A clogged air filter can cause trouble with your HVAC system. It can cause additional stress to your heating and cooling equipment that can lead to costly breakdowns or even equipment failure. This can lower the indoor air quality of the air you breathe. The air filters need to be changed on a regular basis or it can block and restrict air flow through your ductwork and HVAC system.

Cooling

Your AC system is designed to remove heat from your home or business. The fan pulls the warm air and passes it over evaporative coils. The fan pushes the newly generated cool air through the ductwork system to cool your home or business. When the filter is clogged it reduces the airflow into the system and can cause many problems. It can reduce the cooling capacity and in turn reduce the comfort level. It can even cause the coils to ice up and the system to struggle and make noises. During the hot summers in Fresno CA, you want to make sure your equipment is working to capacity. Poor operation can reduce the efficiency and lifespan of your equipment not to mention your comfort level.

Heating

Operating your heater with a clogged filter can be very dangerous. A clogged filter does not allow enough cold air to pass over the heat exchanger and can cause the heat exchanger to crack. When a heat exchanger cracks it can be dangerous. It can leak carbon monoxide into your home or business.

Just like your car, your home’s heating and air conditioning system needs regular maintenance and service to keep it running properly. Check your operation manual for the suggested filter changing requirements. The best way to extend the life of your equipment is to have your HVAC system serviced, cleaned and inspected on a regular basis by a licensed professional. During routine service your technician will replace the air filters and clean the components of your HVAC Air Filter. At Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning our service technicians can service your HVAC system, change your filters and help you maintain efficient operations.

Tags: Air Conditioning, Air Filters, CA, Fresno, Heating
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Installing Zone Controls in an Existing System

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014

Here in Fresno, heating is definitely a season concern, though it’s not quite the all-consuming necessity that it is in colder places back east. We get our share of chilly nights, but overall the weather here in the Central Valley is very mild. That could leave some homeowners to look into ways to minimize their heating bill in any way they can, using it only during those cold nights when they really need it. A zone control system could be the answer, and luckily, installing zone controls in an existing system is easier than it sounds.

Zone controls basically divide the home into sections, with a separate control for each one. That allows you to shift the temperature up and down individual rooms: to have one temperature in a bedroom which might be particularly chilly, while having a completely different temperature in the kitchen were you may be cooking over a hot stove. You can even turn off the heat in areas of the house you aren’t using.

Often, zone controls can be installed most easily when installing a new heating system, and often involves individual units placed around your home, each with their own controls. That renders an existing duct system inert, however, and may be more than many homeowners want to take on. Luckily, you can install controls in an existing duct system. Specifically, the technician places a series of dampers and valves at strategic points in your duct system, then set up controls that allow you to open and close them at will. That achieves the same effect as a ductless system while still making full use of your existing furnace.

Having said that, you still need the right service if you want to properly install zone controls in an existing system. Luckily, the Fresno heating specialists at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning are on the job. We have plenty of experience with adding zone controls to your existing ducts, and will go through all of the steps with you before performing the task. Call us today to set up an appointment. We’d be happy to discuss your options with you!

Tags: Fresno, Zone Control Systems
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Steps to Installing a New Heat Pump

Monday, January 20th, 2014

A heat pump combines the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into a single unit. It consists of two components – one indoor, one outdoor – that need to function together in order to effectively warm your home in the winter and cool it in the summer. Heat pumps make a lot of sense in towns with warm winters like ours. Here in Fresno, heating repair services can install them with efficiency and care. You should always count on a professional to install a new heat pump – it’s not a job for do-it-yourselfers – but it helps if you know what’s entailed in the process. Here are the steps to installing a new heat pump.

The location is set and prepared. Heat pumps need an even surface to rest on, and the spot for the indoor unit needs to line up with the outdoor unit. You should also have at least 18 inches of clear space around the heat pump, which will prevent obstruction and ensure that the unit is functioning the way it should. If necessary, holes are drilled in the wall to let the line run between the two halves of the unit.
The inside portion of the heat pump is set in place and mounted, with the lines run to the outside area if necessary. The lines need to run on a level plane, without rising or dropping between inside and outside.
The outside portion of the unit is connected to the inside portion and the pressure of the lines is equalized and capped. This ensures that the refrigerant will move safely between the inside portion of the unit and the outside.
The outside unit is mounted and secured in place, and the entire system is run to make sure it is operating correctly.

In Fresno, heating repair services that care about quality will always follow the steps to installing a new heat pump. That way, the customer gets a reliable system from the get-go and doesn’t need to worry about hassles or problems cropping up. The Fresno heating repair experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning can install a new heat pump for you, and are dedicated to your complete satisfaction with the process. Call us today to set up an appointment.

Tags: Fresno, Heat Pumps
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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!

Tags: Fresno, Heating Installation
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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.

Tags: Fresno, Heating
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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!

Tags: Fresno, Heating Installation
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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.

Tags: Fresno, Heating Repair
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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!

Tags: Fresno, Heating Repair
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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!

Tags: Ductless Heating, Fresno
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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.

Tags: Fresno, Heating Maintenance
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