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

Signs Your Furnace is Failing

Monday, October 8th, 2018

furnace venting outsideFall has just begun, and soon enough temperatures will drop to the point that you’ll need your heating system running a regular basis. What’s more, you need that heating system to work flawlessly—and efficiently as possible. The best way to ensure this is the case is by having a maintenance tune-up done on your system, if you haven’t already done so. For a furnace, this should be done once a year, and is one of the most important Tacoma, WA furnace services you can have done.

Whether you skipped maintenance, or you have an older furnace that’s already been experiencing problems, it’s important to keep your eyes out for signals that something is amiss with your heater. Calling in a pro for inspection and repairs at the first sign of trouble is the best way to ensure you won’t have too big of an interruption in service. And the good news is there are some common signs we can have you look out for! We’ll get to those in a moment.

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Best Ways to Boost Heating Efficiency

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

closeup piСЃture of woman hands holding paper houseWith nights still on the cooler side, chances are you’re still using your heater on a fairly routine basis, even if it is officially spring. That’s pretty much the norm here in our area, which rarely reaches the sweltering spring and summer temperatures that other states on the West Coast do.

But given how much we use our heaters, it makes sense that you want to operate yours as efficiently as possible, so that you don’t spend more money than you need to in order to keep your home comfortable. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways you can improve or maintain efficiency, which we’ve covered below.

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Common Late-Season Furnace Issues

Monday, March 26th, 2018

hvac vent on wall near floorWe may not suffer from blizzard-like conditions and below-zero temperatures on a regular basis like other parts of the country, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have any cold weather to deal with during the winter. In fact, our winters are typically more drawn out than our summers, which means our heaters get put through a good deal of work. For this reason, it’s imperative that you make sure your furnace is in good condition by staying on top of Puyallup, WA furnace repair needs.

We install and service gas and electric furnace systems, and we can handle any repairs that crop up with your system. A malfunctioning furnace is not only an inconvenience and an annoyance, but can also be a safety issue. And that’s why even though it’s near the end of our heating season, you should still be aware of common furnace issues that could crop up.

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No, Your Heater Should Not Make These Noises!

Monday, March 12th, 2018

Shocked and surprisedWe may not get as bitterly cold weather in our part of the world as other states do, but we’re still relying on our heating systems for at least a few more weeks. By the time we reach the end of the season, our heaters have been put under a lot of strain, and the more strain your heater receives, the higher likelihood there is for problems to form, which is bad news for your system and your comfort. You don’t want your heater to break down, and you can’t delay repairs until next year if you want to rely on it to work the next time you need it, either.

To keep your heating system in the best shape possible for the rest of winter, you’ll want to stay on top of any Olympia, WA heating repair needs you may have. And sometimes the best way to detect that you have heating repair needs is by listening for any unfamiliar or loud noises coming from the system. We covered some of these sounds below—if you hear them, be sure to give our team a call as soon as you can.

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Is My Heater Drying Out My Indoor Air Too Much?

Monday, February 26th, 2018

Sick couple catch cold. Man and woman sneezing, coughing. People got flu, having runny nose.Even though our area doesn’t get as bitterly cold as other parts of the country, our winters are nothing to scoff at. That being said, when you seem to have a problem with your heating system, chances are you want to get scheduled Tacoma, WA heating repair right away. One of the common complaints that Tacoma area homeowners have is about the dry air that results from their heating system being used on a daily, and even hourly, basis.

The assumption that a heater causes dry air is true, but only partially. When the level of moisture outdoors drops, which it does in the winter time, then your indoor relative humidity drops too. Anything below 30% relative humidity is considered too low and will cause discomfort as well as potential illness and even damage to your home. Your heating system, no matter how efficiently it works, only exacerbates this problem.

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Yes, Neglecting Furnace Repairs Is Dangerous

Monday, February 12th, 2018

Technician looking over a gas furnace with a flashlight before cleaning it.Generally speaking, gas furnaces are not inherently dangerous. This is an important fact to clear up right away—we don’t want you to feel panic just because you use a furnace for your home heating. Like any other powerful appliance that creates combustion gases, however, a furnace can potentially create health hazards if not maintained regularly and if Puyallup, WA furnace repairs are taken care of right away. If you stay on top of these repairs, you’ll have few worries.

So when can neglecting repairs actually be dangerous? When you ignore the need to fix cracked heat exchangers. This is most likely to happen with an older furnace—we’re talking about 15+ years. This is why we recommend looking into a replacement as soon as you know a furnace is approaching the end of its lifespan. It’s also why we strongly recommend staying on top of your annual maintenance appointments. Tune-ups will help you catch any furnace problems early so you can arrange for repairs or a replacement right away without risking your safety by neglecting repair needs.

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What’s the Source of Cold Spots in Your Home?

Monday, January 29th, 2018

cute dog under the warm grey blanketOur winters may not get as frigid as other parts of the country. However, this is no excuse to overlook that they are cold enough to cause major discomfort. This is especially true if you find yourself in need of heating repair in Olympia, WA right in the middle of it. When your home is chilly, there’s no way you can remain comfortable with a malfunctioning heater. So if you notice something like cold spots cropping up throughout your living space, you’ll want to have the trouble addressed quickly by a professional.

But what causes these cold spots? Well, as is the case with most heating system issues, there are various reasons that you might experience cold spots around your home. Our heating professionals are here to help! We’ll investigate the situation thoroughly so we can give you a proper diagnosis the first time around. From there, we’ll advise you on how to resolve the problem and get back to living comfortably.

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It’s Never Too Late to Prevent Major Heater Repairs

Monday, January 15th, 2018

standard wall clock isolated on white backgroundJust like any other big appliance or major piece of equipment in your home, your heating system needs a certain amount of service to be able to continue functioning as best it can. An integral part of this is making sure you stay on top of your annual maintenance appointments (or bi-annual, if you have a heat pump).

We may be well into winter, but it really is never too late for this service—in the absence of a complete system breakdown—and scheduling your heating maintenance appointment as soon as you can if you haven’t done so in the last year will help keep your heater in good working order throughout its lifespan.

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How to Heat Your Home More Efficiently

Monday, January 1st, 2018

family playing with dog and looking comfortable inside homeThere’s no a place in the country we can think of where homeowners want to pay more than necessary on their home heating bills. That is particularly true for cold-weather states such as ours. We may not have as severe winter weather as the east coast, but we experience more than our fair share of cooler temperatures all year long, and therefore need heating systems in our homes that will work as effectively and efficiently as possible, for as long as possible.

Since heaters are mostly “out of sight, out of mind,” you may not think much about them, let alone what could be causing them to operate inefficiently. We’ve provided some tips below that should help you make small changes (which equate to big differences in efficiency) that can help your heater perform better, and help you prevent the biggest and most costly of Bellevue, WA heating repairs.

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Heating FAQ: What Should You Know

Monday, December 18th, 2017

white question mark on a blue backgroundWhen it comes to where we live, there’s no question: it’s absolutely essential that we have effectively and efficiently working heating systems within our homes to stay comfortable through the winter. In order to have this however, you have to properly care for your heating system.

This means keeping up on any Olympia, WA furnace repair needs that come up, scheduling regular maintenance for your system, and having your heater professionally installed in the first place. We’ve covered some commonly asked questions about heating system care below, to help guide you in making the right decisions for your heater!

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