Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating Maintenance’

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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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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3 Reasons to Consider Pre-Season Heating Maintenance

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

It’s not difficult to procrastinate about getting work done on your heating system. You’re probably still thinking about the summer fading behind you and don’t want to face up to the coming colder months. But while you’re procrastinating, your heater could develop problems that will lead to unexpected trouble when you finally need it to turn on. Getting an annual inspection will keep your heating system in good operating condition, and the time to schedule maintenance is now—before the chilly season begins.

Here are 3 reasons to call a professional HVAC company like Sound Heating to perform heating maintenance service as soon as possible. Sound Heating has highly-trained Tacoma, WA heating specialists who can prepare your heater for its upcoming job.

Prevent repairs: The most important service pre-season maintenance provides for you is keeping away expensive repairs. If you wait for winter, you could end up with a plunge in the heat in your house while you wait for repair help to arrive. The worst-case scenario is a total breakdown that could even require a full system replacement. Procrastinating until winter to have your heater looked at increases your chances of some extremely uncomfortable days.

Improved energy efficiency: A heater that hasn’t gotten a tune-up will not run at peak efficiency. If dust clogs, corroded pipes, malfunctioning thermostats, or worn motors interfere with a heater’s performance, it will need to work harder to reach the temperature you set for it. The drain on fuel or electricity will show up as higher energy bills. Regular maintenance will get your heater cleaned and fine-tuned so it gives its best performance and saves you money.

Get quicker, more convenient service: Winter puts a crunch on HVAC technicians with numerous emergency calls. (Calls customers could have avoided with pre-season maintenance!) It’s much harder to get a technician out to your home quickly and at a time that suits you during the middle of the heating season. Right now, however, getting an appointment that works for you is far easier, so take advantage of the slower months.

Now is the time to act to get your heater in good health. Sound Heating offers multiple maintenance plans designed for the type of heater you have in your home in Tacoma, WA. Heating systems like gas furnaces, electric furnaces, and heat pumps will get top-quality check-ups from our technicians. Contact us today before the weather gets any colder!

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Steilacoom Boiler Guide: Basic Maintenance

Friday, January 20th, 2012

The boiler in your Steilacoom home is a sensitive piece of equipment that needs routine maintenance and repairs. Regularly maintaining your boiler is especially important for safety reasons. Many boiler malfunctions and accidents are due to neglecting some of these basic tasks.

Even if you’ve just installed a new boiler, the safety valves and settings should be checked by a professional on a regular basis to prevent a breakdown or hazard. We recommend that you schedule a boiler inspection and cleaning at least once a year.

A service technician will measure the pressure, drain and remove sediment buildup, test the efficiency ratings, and make sure your boiler is set at the right temperatures. Regular maintenance can also help you determine whether or not you need a boiler replacement. By keeping track of performance levels, you will be able to tell when it’s time for an upgrade.

Other tasks performed during an annual maintenance visit include cleaning and lubricating all the components, checking for any leaks or clogs, and testing gas boilers for any carbon monoxide intrusion. If you have any gas appliances in your home, you should always have carbon monoxide detectors and test them once a month.

Boiler pressure is something that you can check often on your own. If you aren’t sure how to read the pressure gauge, or if you aren’t sure what the right pressure should be, just call one of our technicians to walk you through this process.

Always call Sound Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. if you have any problems with the boiler in your Steilacoom home. We are here to help and answer any questions you may have.

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Heating System Maintenance: Review from Vanessa P

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

With it working quietly all day in the background, it is easy to forget about your home heating system. Since your heating equipment is relatively complicated, it does require annual maintenance to continue to function safely and at peak efficiency. A maintenance inspection will also detect any potential problems early so you can get them repaired before a complete breakdown.

We try to do our best on every service call, from a major installation to a simple maintenance visit. Our technicians will try to answer all of your questions and perform any job quickly and efficiently. Here is what Vanessa P in Graham, WA wrote to us about her heating maintenance:

We just used Sound Heating and Air to service our furnace and heat pump by recommendation of a friend. Our friend said they were friendly, knowledgeable and reasonably priced. We found all those to be true. Jeremy came to our home and was super nice, answered questions and got the job done. We will definitely be using them for our servicing. I recommend them to anyone that wants a family owned, service oriented heating and air contractor. I will be recommending them to all my clients as well. Nice job!

– Vanessa P. in Graham, WA

We are glad you had such a good experience! We offer 24 hour emergency service, so give us a call day or night if you need any repairs this winter!

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How Often Should I Replace My Furnace Filter? A Question from Tukwila

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Just like the filter in your air conditioner, replacing your furnace filter is the key to keeping your Tukwila home healthy and comfortable. By keeping a good filter replacement schedule, you will reduce wear and tear to the furnace and keep your home warm, while keeping your family healthy and controlling energy costs all winter.

But when does your furnace filter need to be changed? Well, each system is different, but there are some general guidelines and recommendations to follow that can help you keep it all straight and stay on top of your furnace filter situation.

Conventional Wisdom

The long-standing rule of thumb on furnace filters is to change them every month. This is good practice if you are using older fiberglass filters, but for newer, more efficient filters, you should do it a little differently. These should be inspected and cleaned at least once a month, but you may need to replace them that frequently also.

Sometimes it is a little more complicated than these general guidelines, so it pays to be aware of some factors and conditions in your home that may affect how frequently you need to change your filter.

Things to Consider

As mentioned above, the first thing to consider is the efficiency of the filter. Because new filters are so efficient, when they get dirty or clogged with dust and debris, they actually restrict airflow, making your furnace bog down and work harder. So, it is important to stay on top of a monthly inspection and cleaning schedule with these filters.

Also take into account air quality and sources of allergens both inside and outside your home. If you live in an area with a lot of pollutants in the air, you’ll want to replace your filters often to keep those out of your home. If you own a lot of pets, the dander and hair will wind up in your furnace filter and you may have to replace it more often.

Complicated enough for you? It doesn’t have to be. Simplify the whole process by doing the following: check your filter monthly and be prepared to change it that often, clean high-efficiency filters regularly, replace the filter at least every three months and again at the start of heating season.

If you do those things at a minimum, you will be in pretty good shape.

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Sources of Carbon Monoxide: A Guide from Issaquah

Monday, November 14th, 2011

The risks of carbon monoxide have been well documented for years, and everyone in Issaquah knows how dangerous it can be. CO can be fatal at high concentrations, but even in low levels it can be poisonous enough to make you sick.

What you may not know is that there are many sources of carbon monoxide, also known as CO. This poisonous gas is formed by any incomplete combustion process. Since combustion is not 100% efficient, that means carbon monoxide is released any time something burns.

To be more specific, here are some examples of carbon monoxide sources you might encounter around your house:

  • A furnace or chimney can leak exhaust gases, including CO, into the home if it has been improperly sealed or vented. For example, if the chimney has a small crack in the flue that goes unnoticed, CO from the fireplace can be vented back into the house.
  • A furnace supplied by an under-sized gas line will often burn the gas at a sub-optimum temperature. The result is incomplete combustion of the gas, which means a source of CO.
  • Old, dilapidated or poorly maintained heating systems are a big culprit. Often the seals or fittings are loose on these units, causing CO to leak out of them and into your house. Or they may not burn fuel as efficiently as they used to, so carbon monoxide is more readily released.
  • Using machinery, like a propane generator or a gas-powered saw, in a poorly vented garage can be very dangerous. Sometimes people don’t think about this one because the garage is large enough that it seems to be ventilated better than it is.
  • There’s a reason that barbeque grills are labeled for outdoor use only: they release a lot of carbon monoxide. Both charcoal and propane grills should only be used outdoors, and you should avoid the smoke from charcoal in particular as much as possible.
  • Smoking tobacco releases carbon monoxide into the air, along with other potentially dangerous gases.

There are plenty of other sources, as well, but those are some common ones. To protect yourself and your family, make sure any areas where combustion occurs are well-ventilated, keep your HVAC equipment well-maintained and in good repair and invest in a home CO detector. They are inexpensive, and many are combined with a smoke detector, so you only need to buy one unit.

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How to Clean the Parts of a Heat Pump? A Question from Yelm

Friday, November 11th, 2011

It is very important to keep your heat pump clean. It improves efficiency, helps performance and prevents malfunctions. Cleaning your heat pump should be part of your Yelm home’s maintenance routine in order to keep the house as comfortable and worry-free as possible.

That is all well and good, but how do you go about cleaning the components of your heat pump. It’s one thing to advise you to clean, clean, clean…but it doesn’t do much good if you do not know how. To correct that, here are some tips to help you clean the different parts of your heat pump.

Caution: before doing any maintenance on your heat pump, including cleaning, be sure to turn off the power to the unit. This is a necessary safety measure.

Filters

  • If you use disposal air filters in your heat pump, skip this part. Just make sure to change them regularly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • To clean air filters, follow the directions of the manufacturer that were included with the filter. This is also a good time to double check that the filters are installed properly.
  • Clean or replace your filters monthly during heavy use seasons, such as the warm summer months and cold months of late fall and winter.

Coils

  • Remove any debris from the outside of the coils and the surrounding area. Sticks and leaves may have accumulated near the outdoor coils, so just brush them away.
  • Using a soft brush attachment, vacuum the exterior of the coils. Take care not to bend or dent the coils.
  • Using a hose with a spray attachment, flush the coils with water from the inside out. This will remove any stubborn debris. Take care not to spray any electrical components, such as the fan or any nearby wires.
  • While you are inside the unit, vacuum the bottom inside to get rid of any more stray debris.

With that done, put everything back, replace the grille covers and power the heat pump back on. It should run smoothly with a fresh filter and no debris to gum up the works. Clean the coils every few months to keep the heat pump in tip top shape.

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Heat Pump Maintenance: Some Pointers from Seatac

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Heating and cooling your Seatac home is a priority. You need your home and family to be comfortable all year round, so you either got or are considering a heat pump. These machines are great because under the right circumstances, they are essentially all-inclusive and incredibly efficient solutions for all your home heating and cooling needs.

Notice the “under the right circumstances” part. A number of things have to be considered when choosing a heat pump, such as the climate and the size of your home. But these are not the only circumstances that influence how well your heat pump works for you. Proper maintenance is a vital component of heat pump ownership, ensuring that you get the best performance out of your heat pump for the longest time possible.

A major part of properly maintaining any machine is to keep it clean. A heat pump is no exception. Dirt and dust can affect the efficiency of your heat pump, as well as speed up corrosion problems. Keep the compressor and coils clean. Check them monthly or so and remove any accumulated dirt. Also, consistently check and change filters according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Simple cleaning is an easy and effective first step to heat pump maintenance, but there are some things that you just won’t be able to do on your own. For more intensive maintenance, it is best to call in a professional for an annual inspection.

During a routine maintenance check of your heat pump, a technician will inspect the whole heat pump system for problems. He will clean the compressor and coils, tighten any connections that may have loosened up and change the filters as needed. In addition, a skilled technician will be able to detect any early signs of trouble and make necessary repairs to prevent break downs. These small repairs can prevent big problems later on, thereby preventing some serious discomfort and a possible big expense.

If you are considering a heat pump as a heating and cooling solution for your home, great. If you have already decided on one and had it installed, congratulations on making a smart decision. Now, make another smart decision to protect that investment by keeping your new heat pump properly maintained.

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Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Happy Halloween! We hope you all have a great time trick or treating, going to a haunted house, or just dressing up! And don’t forget that Halloween means fall is definitely here; don’t wait to get started on your fall maintenance. Now is the time to rake up those leaves, seal up any leaks, and check your heating system. You’ll be glad you did later this winter!

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