Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Common Heat Pump Problems in Tacoma

Monday, January 6th, 2014

In towns like Tacoma, heating repair companies handle heat pumps as often as they handle more traditional gas furnaces. Heat pumps essentially combine the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into one, resulting in a more efficient means of conditioning the air in your home. They work especially well in climates like ours, where the winters are fairly mild and homeowners have HVAC needs throughout the year. But just like any other appliance, heat pumps can experience problems, requiring the services of a trained professional to correct. Here’s a quick breakdown of common heat pump problems in Tacoma.

Heat pumps use the same basic technology as air conditioners, which means their problems are pretty much the same. One common development is a leak in refrigerant gas, which can interfere with the heat pump’s ability to generate cool (and warm) air. Refrigerant needs to be at a specific level if the heat pump is to work the way it should. When those levels are out of balance, frost forms on the evaporator coils, representing lost cooling potential and further hampering the pump’s ability to do its job. Simply scraping the frost off won’ fix the problem: the source of the leak needs to be sealed and refrigerant levels recharged before the system will function again.

Other problems are a little easier for laymen to grasp. For example, the fan motor can overheat, shutting the fan down and preventing the heat pump from moving conditioned air into your home. Clogs and blockages can form in various lines, preventing water from draining or keeping air from moving where it’s supposed to. Dust and dirt can build up to create friction between moving parts and eventually create breakdowns within individual components.

All of these spell the same thing: repair bills, inefficiency and a loss of heating and cooling power just when you need it the most. To correct common heat pump problems, the Tacoma heating system repair technicians at Sound Heating are at your disposal. Our trained heating system professionals can pinpoint the problem and get your system up and running again before you know it. Give us a call today to set up an appointment!

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Ways You Can Save on Heating This Season

Thursday, December 19th, 2013

Heating season usually brings with it higher heating bills, as home owners run their furnaces more often and monthly costs rise as a result. Here in Tacoma, heating repair services see increased breakdowns and service calls during this time, reflecting increased seasonal use. Prudent homeowners can find ways to cut heating costs, and reduce the risk of more extensive repairs in the bargain. Here’s a few ways you can save on heating this season.

  • Get your heater maintained. Heaters collect dust and dirt over time, especially during the summer when they don’t see much use. In addition, they may develop problems that aren’t readily noticeable, but which can turn around and bite you at the worst possible time. A maintenance session can address all of that: cleaning off the dust (which reduces friction and general stress), tightening loose bolts or fittings (which improves efficiency) and spotting any potential issues for larger repairs. All of that improves your heater’s efficiency, which cuts down on bills.
  • Seal leaks in your home. If you have a crack under your front door, a window pane that leaks air or an uninsulated portion of the attic, they could be costing you warm air. Seal any leaks with weather stripping and see if you can add more insulation to your house.
  • Look into zone controls. A zone control system for your heater lets you tailor the temperature in individual portions of your home. You can thus turn off the heat in areas you aren’t using, while leaving it on in those rooms you’re occupying at the moment.

All of that comes on top of common-sense ways you can save on heating this season, such as wearing warm sweaters in the home and setting your thermostat a few degrees below what you’re used to. Heating repair services in Tacoma don’t get any more reliable than Sound Heating. We can perform maintenance and repair on your existing heater, as well as installing a new heater if you feel that the time is right. Call us today to set up an appointment. You’ll be glad that you did!

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Why It’s Never Too Early or Late for Heating Maintenance

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Heating maintenance isn’t strictly a repair service. It’s more like a tune-up for your furnace or boiler. A trained expert arrives and gives your heater a thorough examination. He checks the burners to see if they’re functioning correctly, cleans any dust or build-up on the internal components, tightens any loose bolts, and identifies potential problem areas for future repair. Many prudent homeowners schedule their maintenance session right before heating season begins, as a way of keeping track of it and to ensure that their heaters are running properly before they really need to be used. Here in Tacoma, heating service companies usually provide solid maintenance calls, as well as more formal repairs. But you needn’t wait for a set time schedule to plan for a session. Here’s why it’s never too early or too late for heating maintenance.

The biggest advantage of a heating maintenance session is preventing a problem before it starts. Dust and dirt can increase strain on a heater, which in turn increases the risk of a serious breakdown. If a technician cleans off the dust – regardless of how much has built up – that can reduce the strain on the system. Not only does it help prevent larger issues later, but it helps your heater run more efficiently, which in turn lowers the monthly costs of heating your home.

Along those lines, a maintenance session can spot potential trouble areas before they get out of hand. For example, a loose bolt may cause the fan motor to rattle a bit. If a technician spots that in a maintenance session, he or she can tighten the bolt and fix the problem. Conversely, if the bolt is left loose, it may damage the motor itself, requiring a far more expensive replacement later on down the line. Regardless of when a maintenance session takes place, if it catches something like that, it could save you a great deal of money.

In Tacoma, WA, heating service is provided by Sound Heating. We know why it’s never too early or too late for maintenance and our trained heating experts are standing by to inspect your furnace whenever you desire it. Pick up the phone and give our Tacoma heating maintenance technicians a call to make an appointment today.

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How to Maximize Your Energy Efficiency this Winter with a New Heater

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Here in Tacoma, heating installation is not a causal undertaking. Our winters are cold enough to demand a reliable heating system at all times, and considering the costs involved, you want your existing unit to last as long as possible. Sooner or later, however, even the most durable heater needs to be replaced. A new heater can make a difference in numerous ways, not the least of which is an improved energy efficiency in your home. Here’s how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater.

The very act of buying a new heater will probably help you make better use of your resources, since it probably works more efficiently as a matter of course. More specifically, you should look for a heater with a high AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating, measured as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the more energy is being used to actually heat your home. New heaters tend to have a higher AFUE than old ones, and you can “cheat” a bit by selecting a heater with the EnergyStar label (denoting units with particularly high AFUE ratings).

In addition, it’s very important to size your heater properly, with about 50 BTUs (British Thermal Units) or heating power for every square foot you need heated. (The specifics can vary depending on things like insulation and sunlight exposure, so let an expert make your calculations for you.) If the heater’s too small it will work too hard without warming your home. If it’s too large, it will cycle on and off rapidly, wasting heat in the process. Maximum energy efficiency can be achieved only if your heater is sized just right for your home.

These are just general tips showing you how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater. For more specific plans on how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater, call the Tacoma heating installation specialists at Sound Heating. We’re based in Tacoma, heating installation is part of our area of expertise and we’re dedicated to making sure your new heater gets the maximum amount of bang for your buck. Give us a call today and let us show you what we can do!

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Why a Hydronic Floor System Might be Right for Your Home

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

A hydronic floor system is a form of radiant floor heating, using technology installed in the floor of your home to keep the temperature warm and cozy. Here in Tacoma, heating options can include this kind of technology, which costs more to install than forced air furnaces, but can make up for it with reduced monthly heating costs. If you’re considering upgrading your existing heating system or installing a new one, you might want to consider a system like this one. Here’s why a hydronic floor system might be right for your home.

The system itself runs a series of tubes or pipes through the floors of your home, then runs hot water through the pipes. The resulting radiant heat comes up through the floorboards and warms furniture, fixtures and people directly. The benefits of this are subtle but undeniable. Radiant heating doesn’t entail any draft, cold spots or unpleasant breezes, delivering the heat directly where it needs to go instead of giving it to you diffusely through the air. As we stated before, that efficiency also means lowered heating costs: saving you money while still delivering very comfortable temperatures to your home. Because it doesn’t rely on a fan, it’s a very quiet system, and because the system doesn’t rely on a lot of moving parts, maintenance concerns are much lower than they would be for a forced-air system.

The main downside of a hydronic floor systems is the installation costs, as well as the difficulty of adding the system to existing floors. You need to be prepared to move some furnishings around and have your home disrupted during the installation procedure. On the plus side, a good technician can explain all of the steps involved beforehand, making sure you understand everything about it before beginning. When completed, the hydronic system will likely add resale value to your home, helping to recoup the costs of installation. For more information, contact Sound Heating for advice and service. We can discuss why a hydronic floor system might be right for your home, then install the system with professionalism and care. We handle Tacoma heating issues of all varieties, so don’t hesitate to contact us!

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What Types of Different Heat Pumps Are There?

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

Although heat pumps have existed for decades, over the last twenty years they have rocketed to the top of the list of HVAC systems people want installed in their homes. It’s easy to see why they have achieved such popularity: they take care of air conditioning and heating in a single unit.

As with any heating system, heat pumps come in a variety of models and types. To help you navigate the options available, we’ll run over the main types to consider. Get in touch with Sound Heating if you want more information about heating service in Puyallup, WA.

Air source heat pumps

The most common type of heat pump uses air as the medium of heat exchange. When acting as an air conditioner, they draw heat from your indoor air and remove it to the air outdoors. For heating, they reverse the process, drawing heat from the outdoor air and placing it indoors. Although these heat pumps have high energy efficiency (a family of four can see savings of 30%-40% on their heating bills if they switch from a furnace), they can struggle with providing effective heat during temperatures that drop freezing.

Ground source heat pumps

These are also called geothermal systems, since they use the earth itself as the medium for heat exchange. Through coils buried in the ground around a home, they draw heat to move indoors—and can reverse the direction to put heat back into the ground. Because the temperature of the earth remains fairly steady at a level of 10 feet below the surface, these pumps rarely encounter trouble from heavy cold weather. They also provide even greater energy savings. However, they do not work for all homes and can cost much more to install than other systems.

Mini split heat pumps

These heat pumps—usually air-source—do not use ducts to distribute heated or cooled air. Instead, the outdoor unit hooks up to various individual blower units mounted in different rooms (or “regions”) throughout your home. These blowers send the conditioned air directly into your living spaces. Mini split systems are ideal for new homes that do not have any ductwork installed.

The kind of heat pump you need for your house will depend on many factors, and it requires the work of an HVAC expert to balance all of them and come up with an answer to the question: “What heat pump will provide me the best performance and energy-efficiency?” You will also need experts to handle the installation (ground-source heat pumps in particular involve extensive work) so that your new system will operate as it should with few repair needs in the future.

Trust your heating in Puyallup, WA to Sound Heating. We’ve served the Greater Puget Sound area since 1989.

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How to Choose a New Heating System for Your Home

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Winter is crawling toward us, and will strike before we know it. You will need  an efficient and dependable heater working in your home to keep you warm and safe until spring. If you have considered getting a new heating system installed (perhaps your old one is dying, or you have just built a new home), now is the best time to act. You will need professional assistance for this job, and HVAC technicians have less crowded schedules during the fall.

The reason you need to have experts helping from the start, and not just during installation, is that the many choices of heating systems available can feel overwhelming. You want to make a correct choice for installation so you can have many worry-free years of warmth. Our Tacoma, WA heating installation specialists at Sound Heating have some advice about how to go about choosing your new heating system, and they are ready to answer any other questions you may have.

One of the first things to consider when it comes to getting a new heater is your available fuel supply. Do you have a hook-up to natural gas? Did your last heater run from propane or oil? Is electricity your sole power supply option? Your home’s available fuel will help you narrow down your choices.

Next, think about the heating requirements of your house. How large is it, and how many people live there? Do you have adequate insulation? Did your last heater wear down fast because it had trouble getting the whole house warm? These are tough questions to answer yourself—or least in a way that will seem meaningful when picking a heater on your own. HVAC professionals can perform a heat load calculation, a complex equation that balances a multitude of factors about your home, to arrive at the size of heater you’ll need and what kind will work best for you.

Third, consider your budget goals. Some heating models cost less to install, but may require a greater number of repairs and lead to higher energy bills in the future. Some expensive models will end up saving you money with great efficiency levels. This will tie into the information from the heat load calculation so you can zero in on the heater that will give you the most value for your money.

Sound Heating installs furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, zone systems, and ground source heat pumps. With this variety available, we can locate the system that will provide your home with the best warmth this winter. Call on us for heating installation service in Tacoma, WA, and we’ll get you started along the road toward a cozy season.

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Why Heat Pump Short Cycling is a Problem

Thursday, October 31st, 2013

Heat pumps combine the functions of an air conditioner and a heater into a single unit. In the summer, a heat pump cools the air inside your home while releasing heat into the air outside. In the winter, that process is reversed: releasing heat into the air in your home and cooling the air outside. They work extremely well in towns with mild weather like Puyallup; heating repair services often treat them in addition to handling problems with traditional gas furnaces.  If you notice your heat pump short cycling (turning on and off rapidly multiple times throughout the day) it could indicate a number of different problems from an oversized heat pump to a faulty thermostat to a malfunctioning fan motor. Whatever the cause, however, it needs to be addressed before the issue gets out of hand. Here’s why heat pump short cycling is a problem.

Heat pumps use more energy when they turn on and off than they do at any other time in the heating process. The effort required to power up and get up to speed (or power down and shut off) is far greater than simply running once it all kicks in. Furthermore, the process of turning the pump on creates much more strain and stress on individual components than running at a clip: increasing the chances of a breakdown and hastening the point when that component needs to be replaced.

Thus, a heat pump that cycles on and off rapidly throughout the day will work harder to cool your home – raising energy costs and hitting you with a higher monthly bill to do the same job – while increasing the risk of a more serious breakdown and even more repair costs in the future.

In Puyallup, heating repair services are offered by Sound Heating, who understand why heat pump short cycling is a problem. Our trained Puyallup heating repair service professionals can hunt down the source of the issue and restore your heat pump to standard operating condition. Don’t waste money by ignoring a cycling heat pump. Give us a call to set up an appointment today.

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The Benefits of Routine Heating Maintenance

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013

People sometimes have an instinctual reaction to the word “maintenance.” It sounds like work, but it also sounds like something that can be put off… so it gets put off. We wish people would hear the word for what it really means: work done to sustain something—usually something important that you don’t want to fail.

The heating system in your home—whether a furnace, heat pump, or boiler—should never have its maintenance put off. (Although if you have been putting it off, it’s never too late to start!) The benefits of scheduling annual maintenance visits are immense. Here are the three big advantages you’ll receive from regular heating maintenance in Tacoma, WA. When you’re ready to get started, contact Sound Heating and put our more than two decades of experience to work for you.

Prevent emergency services (at the worst times)

It’s seems like a law of nature that if your heater breaks down completely, it will do so on the coldest day of the year. (Actually, there’s no supernatural agency to this; poorly maintained heaters will fail when pushed their hardest, and that will likely occur on the coldest day of the year.) A maintenance visit during the fall will catch any faults that might lead to this catastrophe and get them fixed so you won’t be left with an Arctic house while waiting for emergency service.

Extend your heater’s lifespan

A heater cannot last forever, no matter how sturdy a brand you have installed. But it can last to its full expected service lifespan and maybe a few years beyond if you have it maintained regularly. Maintenance entails lubricating and cleaning moving parts, replacing worn components, and reducing general stress so that your heater won’t age quickly. A replacement heater can be expensive, so make sure you get as many quality years from your current system as you can.

Save money with a more efficient performance

One of the first signs of trouble in a heating system is a spike in power bills: a malfunctioning heater will need to draw more power in order to provide heat. A heating system that runs improperly because of lack of maintenance will lead to an increase in your energy costs. Regular tune-ups will add up to long-term savings.

Sound Heating offers multiple maintenance plans to fit your home’s heating system. When you are ready to begin your maintenance, contact the Tacoma, WA heating maintenance specialists at Sound Heating to schedule an appointment.

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Does Your Heater Need to be Replaced?

Monday, October 14th, 2013

If you’re asking yourself if it’s time to install a new home heating system, it’s probably because you have worries about the rapidly approaching winter. Since we’re on the edge of the Pacific Ocean here in Puget Sound, we experience milder temperatures during winter than places farther inland—but we still have heavy rains and gnawing wind to deal with, which makes an effective heater a necessity. If you’re concerned about whether your heater can make it through the winter without experiencing a breakdown, it’s possible that a new heater is the best option.

This is a difficult decision to make, since it involves time and expense. You’ll have fewer headaches if you turn to an HVAC company with years of experience to handle the installation—starting with helping you decide if a new heating system is the answer for your heating in Olympia, WA.

At Sound Heating, these are a few signs we look for to tell if a heater needs to be replaced. Knowing them may help you with your decision:

Noisy operation: HVAC manufacturers design heaters to run with as little noise as possible. If we hear a furnace making constant grinding noises, or a boiler that rumbles all the time, it’s a major clue that the system is too old to operate properly. There are other possibilities we look into, and if the sound is an isolated occurrence, the heater may only need repair. But the more consistent and noisy the heater, the more likely it needs replacement.

Increased power bills: We often find that customers who are concerned about their heater’s future have experienced an increase in their power bills that they didn’t expect: a price hike above the normal one from the shift to winter. Make sure you pay attention to your monthly bills, because a constant increase is a strong warning of a heater approaching the end of its service life.

Numerous repairs: If we’ve visited a home to perform repairs multiple times over a space of a few years, we suspect that the heater is very worn down. At a certain point, you’ll need to weigh the cost of future repairs against the cost of replacement.

You can make all these observations without the help of a professional contractor, but you should call one in for a second opinion before you decide to go with a replacement. The professional can then help you with selecting a new heater, sizing it, and installing it efficiently and correctly.

If you have concerns in Olympia, WA about heating your home—whether its repair, replacement, or maintenance—come to Sound Heating for a sound solution.

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