May 25, 2015
Over the past few decades, homes have been designed to be more and more airtight. This was to help improve the efficiency of insulation, to make climate control easier. Unfortunately, this had the unintended side effect of cutting off the interior of the home from fresh air flow. Without fresh air flowing into the home, Continued…
May 18, 2015
Most people will call for air conditioning repairs as soon as they notice a problem with their systems. That’s all well and good, but prompt repairs aren’t the only way to keep your air conditioner healthy. In fact, they’re arguably not even the best way. Preventive maintenance is a big part of ensuring that your Continued…
May 11, 2015
Summer is almost here, and that means that people are getting their air conditioners ready for the hot season. While plenty of people know to schedule preventive maintenance and prompt repairs for their air conditioning system, they don’t often think about other ways to improve how their homes are cooled. A central air conditioner isn’t Continued…
May 4, 2015
We enjoy mild weather here in Tacoma, WA, but summers can be surprisingly warm. A reliable air conditioning system helps you get through those heat waves comfortably. If it breaks down, you need a repair service to move fast. And while you should never attempt to fix a broken air conditioner yourself, it pays to know what Continued…
April 27, 2015
We’re beginning to move into the summer season, and that means using your air conditioner more often for the next few months. The last thing you want is for your air conditioner to die halfway through the summer, leaving you without any cool air until you can find a replacement. If you’re going to replace Continued…
April 20, 2015
Summer is almost here, and that means it’s time to start getting your air conditioning system ready for the hottest days of the year. Part of that preparation includes conducting any necessary repairs on your system before it has a chance to break down. It’s rather hard to recognize the need for repairs if you Continued…
April 13, 2015
The air in your home may seem clean, fresh, and empty, but it almost certainly isn’t. The average home’s indoor air is teeming with microscopic contaminants. Dust, pollen, germs, mites, and mold spores are just a handful of the many different kinds of pollutants that you are probably breathing right now. These contaminants are responsible Continued…
April 3, 2015
Just like any other system, your air conditioner is likely to develop a few problems over the course of its lifetime. No matter how well you take care of it, you’re going to have to call for air conditioner repairs at some point. The important thing is recognizing when you need to call for those Continued…
March 20, 2015
Tankless water heaters have garnered quite a bit of popularity recently, mainly for their advantages over traditional storage tank water heaters. Compared to tank water heaters, tankless water heaters are more energy efficient and less likely to cause water damage to the surrounding area by rupturing. However, tankless water heaters are not immune to all Continued…
March 11, 2015
Finding 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 Continued…
February 16, 2015
When it comes to water heaters, one of the biggest questions our Sound Heating specialists get asked is, “will a tankless unit really save me money?” The answer is yes, but it takes some explaining, which we will do below. You can also access direct help with any questions you may have about installing a tankless Continued…
January 5, 2015
If you’re looking for ways to save some energy as the new year begins and the heating season is in full swing, there are a few ways to do so without shutting off your heating system altogether. Sometimes, all a heating system really needs is a brief tune-up. Other times, you’ll need to install a Continued…
December 19, 2014
Heat pumps are becoming more common, and that has caused a huge jump in demand for accurate information and advice on their selection and operations. The question “which kind of heat pump is better?” has become quite common, and it’s not hard to see why. Homeowners are always careful to make sure that they get Continued…
December 12, 2014
eople have kept themselves warm with hot water for a millennia, but it wasn’t until about a 100 years ago that use of hot water was harnessed to heat entire homes. What are we talking about? Hydronic heating systems: systems that use hot water, or its byproduct, steam, to heat your home. Lots of innovations Continued…
December 5, 2014
Because a furnace is usually hooked up to the gas line, some homeowners may worry about the safety of their home and family. Unfortunately, gas furnaces are sometimes unfairly written off as unsafe since they deal with combustion gases that could be hazardous. In reality, today’s furnaces are actually incredibly safe and contain key features Continued…
November 28, 2014
Although the thermostat is a physically small component of the heating system in a home, it is one of the most important. When a thermostat begins to malfunction, it can have a huge effect on how well your home is heated; and if the thermostat stops working entirely, you won’t have the ability to turn Continued…
November 14, 2014
Any type of heating system may have its advantages and drawbacks. A furnace, the most popular choice for home heating in the United States, is a reliable heating system that works in any home with a set of ducts. Though older models were rather inefficient, today’s units use far less energy to heat the air Continued…
November 7, 2014
hydronic heating system is a broad term for any system that uses water to heat a home instead of air. Radiant heating systems are the most common form of hydronic heating. In this post, we’ll discuss the various unique qualities of the radiant heating system, and the advantages it provides. What is Radiant Heating? Radiant Continued…
October 31, 2014
Geothermal systems are pretty ingenious. Harnessing the steady temperature of the Earth just below the frost line, these systems can heat and cool your home without the use of fossil fuels. One of the key components in the system that allows it to work as it does is the ground-source heat pump. Heat pump technology Continued…
October 24, 2014
Boilers were one of the first whole-home heating systems. Today’s boilers are very energy efficient, and can distribute heat through radiators, baseboard heating and radiant heating. How does the system work? We’ll detail more of that below, but what is important is having a reliable heating company to call whenever you experience problems with your Continued…
October 17, 2014
A new heating system is a great opportunity to improve your energy efficiency and comfort, and to install a system that can better fit your needs. Before moving ahead with a purchase, though, it’s important to complete a few preliminary steps, preferably with the help of a trained professional. Part of our Sound Heating HVAC Continued…
October 10, 2014
Having a reliable heating and cooling company is a necessity for homeowners. However, finding one can sometimes be a challenge. There are some specific things you should look for in any HVAC service company in Tacoma, and we’ll outline a few of them below. Sound Heating has been serving the Puget Sound area for over 20 Continued…
October 3, 2014
You may not have turned on your heating yet, but the cold weather is coming. One of the best ways to make sure you and your heating system are ready for winter is to schedule HVAC maintenance. There are multiple benefits to performing maintenance, and fall offers a perfect time to schedule it. Scheduling fall HVAC Continued…
September 26, 2014
With all the other bills, minor repairs, and general upkeep involved with being a homeowner, it can sometimes be tempting to neglect fall heating maintenance. Ultimately, however, such neglect can only hurt you in the long run. Here are some of the most important benefits of having your heating system serviced every fall. Convenience By Continued…
September 12, 2014
You may have heard that tankless water heaters are an efficient alternative to traditional water heaters, but they may not actually be the best choice for everyone. While tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular, traditional units, otherwise known as storage tank water heaters, are still the most widely used system in the Continued…
September 5, 2014
You use hot water for many of the things you need to do every day, such as showering and washing dishes. So when you need a new water heater, you want to make sure that your new system can accommodate your needs. While many homes have water heaters that use large tanks to keep a Continued…
August 22, 2014
We use hot water for a variety of tasks around the house, but we rarely think about where it comes from. If you’re a homeowner, you may be used to seeing storage tank water heaters, which use a large tank to heat water and store it so that it is available at any time. But Continued…
August 15, 2014
There are two fans in your air conditioner, a condenser fan in the outdoor unit and a blower in the evaporator. Each plays an important role in the heat release/cooling process; each also provides air flow in your system. When there is a malfunction with your fans, the effects can be felt system-wide. Many times, Continued…
July 11, 2014
On a hot day in Tacoma, you shouldn’t be stuck with an air conditioner that only blows warm air into your home. While there may be many reasons why your air conditioner fails to blow cool air, some of which are detailed below, a qualified technician can usually identify the issue and offer the repairs Continued…
June 20, 2014
The old-fashioned style of water heater that uses a large tank of water to which heat from natural gas or electric heating elements is continually applied is so… old fashioned. There’s a new way to provide hot water for your home that removes the tank and gives you many advantages to take its place: the Continued…
May 23, 2014
Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to do its job: running through a theoretically closed system that first converts it to a liquid (releasing heat into the outside air) then shifts it back into a gas (pulling heat from the nearby air which can then be blown into your home). The cycle depends on specific Continued…
May 16, 2014
A new air conditioning system is a big investment, and before you pull the trigger, you want to have all of your ducks in a row. When it comes to air conditioning in Olympia, there are plenty of services to help make the big decisions with you, but you want a local HVAC company that Continued…
April 28, 2014
Spring has arrived, and here in Olympia, air conditioning systems are being dusted off in preparation for another warm summer. Before temperatures get too warm, you might consider scheduling maintenance for your cooling system, designed to clean off the dust, recharge refrigerant levels and spot potential trouble issues for later repair. Some people consider such Continued…
April 16, 2014
Heaters wear out, just like any other appliance, and lack of efficiency is often a determining factor in deciding to replace an older heater. High efficiency heaters are a sound investment, but they often cost more than lower efficiency heater, which means you need to think about the advantages carefully before you pull the trigger. Continued…
February 27, 2014
Hydronic heating consists of a series of metal tubes planted beneath the floorboards of your home along with reflective tiling. Hot water is pumped through the tubes, which warm your home directly through the floors instead of relying on forced air like traditional systems do. Installation can be very involved, but once the system is Continued…
February 17, 2014
In Puyallup, heating systems still depend on thermostats to gauge the temperature and tell the heater to turn on and off. Most people still think of thermostats as wired models set in one specific point in the house, and indeed such models are quite popular. But they’re not the only type of thermostat on the Continued…
February 6, 2014
Hydronic heating is a form of radiant heating, warming the space by transferring energy directly rather than depending upon blown air the way traditional gas furnaces do. In the case of hydronic system they use heated water to do it, which makes for a very effective and efficient form of heat. In Washington towns like Continued…
January 28, 2014
A zone control system is used to regulate different sections of your house. For example, it allows you to set one temperature in the living room (where it may be quite cool) and another temperature in the kitchen (where using the stove might elevate he temperature considerably). You can also shut off the heat in Continued…
January 23, 2014
No one likes to see a high heating bill, but in rainy towns like Olympia, heating costs are a fact of life. We all need warm comfortable spaces to come home to, and with the weather so cold and rainy during this part of the year, it’s only natural to see heating costs rise. With Continued…
January 14, 2014
Hydronic heating refers to heating that uses water or steam to warm your home. It’s a form of radiant heating, with plastic pipes installed in your floors and walls through which hot water or steam is pumped. Here in Olympia, heating options can include hydronic heating very easily, and the system makes a good fit Continued…
