Winter is the most stressful time of year for furnaces, which means there is a much greater chance of problems occurring in them. If you are relying on a furnace to keep you warm throughout the winter, you should be vigilant for signs that your system is starting to have operating problems. Otherwise, you may end up without heat for a few days when the furnace breaks down on you. Let’s take a look at some of the signs that your furnace might be heading for trouble.
Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category
Furnace Issues to Be Aware Of
Monday, November 30th, 2015What You Need to Know About Boiler Kettling
Monday, November 23rd, 2015Boilers are remarkably sturdy systems, much more so than furnaces and other forced air systems. This is because they have far fewer moving parts, which makes for fewer potential problems that they have to deal with. This does not make boilers invincible, however. There is a serious issue that afflicts quite a few boilers across the country: it’s called kettling. Read on to find out more about kettling, and the threat it poses to your boiler.
When to Replace Your Furnace
Monday, November 16th, 2015As we move further into the coldest months of the year, it’s a good idea to make sure that your furnace is able to keep you warm through another winter. If it isn’t, you should get it replaced as soon as possible. It’s not pleasant to spend a week or more without heat while you look for a new heating system in the middle of December, after all. So let’s take a look at some of the common signs that your furnace needs replacing.
Is It Time to Replace My Boiler?
Monday, November 9th, 2015Boilers are incredibly sturdy systems, compared to other traditional heating system types. While a furnace may last 20 years with proper care and maintenance, a boiler could easily last twice as long. The reason that boilers last so long is because they have fewer moving parts, and thus fewer ways to develop problems or break down. Boilers don’t last forever, though. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to replace your boiler no matter how well you took care of it. You’ll want to do this before winter, so you don’t end up having your boiler break down on you when you need it the most. Read on for some of the signs that you should probably replace your boiler before winter.
The Advantages of Installing Zone Control in Your Home
Monday, October 26th, 2015Heating season is here, and that means it is time to start considering getting your home ready for winter. One option for improving your home’s heating situation is to install a zone control system. Zone control offers solutions to some of central forced air heating’s biggest problems. Let’s take a look at what zone control is, and how it can help you this winter.
The Advantages of Installing a Boiler This Fall
Monday, October 12th, 2015It is time to start preparing your home for the winter months, and that means giving consideration to your heating situation. If you are in the market for a new home heating system, then consider installing a boiler system this fall. Forced air systems are more popular than boilers, but boiler systems actually have quite a few advantages to recommend them. Let’s take a look at how boiler systems operate, and the benefits associated with them.
Options for a New Heating System This Fall
Monday, October 5th, 2015Summer is over, and winter is on the horizon. That means it is time to start thinking about how you are going to keep your home warm during the heating season. If you are one of the many homeowners looking for a new home heating system, there are a wide variety of options available to you. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular home heating options, and the advantages they offer.
Is It Too Soon for Heating Maintenance?
Monday, September 14th, 2015We are moving into the fall season, and that means that soon air conditioning is going to be switched out for heating. A lot of homeowners haven’t turned on their heating systems for months, and they may be worried if their heaters are going to be able to cope with another winter. If you are one of those people who is worried about the upcoming heating season, read on for some of the benefits of early heating maintenance.
Advantages You Can Garner from Hydronic Radiant Heating
Monday, April 6th, 2015Radiant heating is not something that is often considered when homeowners are in the market for a new heating system. This is usually because the house is already set up to accommodate a forced-air heating system. The temptation to make the process easier by sticking with a similar type of heating system to the last one is also a factor. However, radiant hydronic heating actually has quite a bit to recommend it. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages that you can garner from installing a hydronic radiant heating system in your home.
Energy Efficiency
Hydronic radiant heating is a boiler-based system that heats the house by distributing hot water through it. The water flows through a network of pipes installed in the walls or subfloors of each room. As the water flows through the pipes, it transmits heat through them and into the room. This style of heating is much more energy efficient than forced-air systems. For one thing, water is a much better thermal conductor than air is. It heats up faster, and retains that heat for longer. For another, forced-air systems have to deal with duct leaks.
The US Department of Energy has estimated that the average forced air system loses as much as 20-30% of its output to duct leaks. A radiant heating system doesn’t use ducts, which allows it to deliver much more of its heat to the intended destination.
Comfort
When warm air is pumped into a room, it will immediately rise to the ceiling and then lower as it cools. This not only makes it take longer for a room to warm up, but creates an uneven heating effect. Hot and cold spots are quite common in rooms heated by forced-air systems. Radiant heating warms a room much more evenly, with most of the heat staying near the floor where it is of greater benefit to the occupants.
If you’d like to know more about the benefits of hydronic radiant heating, call Sound Heating. We provide heating services throughout Tacoma, WA.
Why is there Ice on My Heat Pump?
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015Finding ice on the outside of your heat pump is not uncommon, especially in cold environments. Most people tend to assume that this indicates a problem with the heat pump. This isn’t necessarily true, though there is a way to tell whether you need to call for heating repair for this. First, let’s take a look at why ice forms on a heat pump in the first place. Then, we’ll tell you how to identify if you need to call a professional or not.
The Cause of Heat Pump Ice
A heat pump works by evaporating refrigerant to absorb thermal energy from the surrounding outside air. It then sends that thermal energy inside to heat the home. There are two effects to evaporating refrigerant in this way. First, the temperature in the surrounding area drops as the thermal energy is siphoned out of the air. Second, condensation begins to form on the heat pump coil and the surrounding casing. The combination of those two effects causes ice to form on the heat pump.
When is Ice on My Heat Pump a Problem?
So, the question remains about when ice on the heat pump is a problem. Well, if left unchecked, the ice will continue to build up until it completely encases the heat pump. This is a problem because it cuts off the supply of thermal energy from the surrounding air, essentially preventing the heat pump from heating the home. Now, the heat pump is designed to address this problem by using a defrost cycle. Basically, the heat pump will periodically reverse the refrigerant flow in the system to melt the ice off the outside unit.
The problem you should be aware of is that the defrost cycle can sometimes malfunction. If this happens, there is nothing to prevent the ice from eventually covering the entire heat pump. So, the best way to tell if you should call a professional for this is to note the amount of ice on the pump. If there’s only a little ice, there’s no reason to worry. If there is a large amount of ice, or the ice is slowly growing over time, you should call a technician to check your defrost cycle.
If your heat pump needs repairs, call Sound Heating. We provide quality heating repair services in Tacoma, WA.