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

Steps to Take Before a New Heating Installation

Friday, October 17th, 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 service involves helping with these steps to ensure that you install a heating system that fits your home perfectly and provides the comfort you need. If you are getting ready to install a new heating system, call us today.

Steps to Take Before Installation

Choosing a Type of System

There are a number of choices available to homeowners when it comes installing a new heating system. Some of these choices are:

Furnaces (both gas and electric)
Heat pumps (both ducted and ductless systems)
Geothermal systems
Boilers (gas and oil)

Understanding how each works, whether a system needs ductwork, and knowing both the advantages and disadvantages of each system are important factors that should go into your decision.

Energy Efficiency

Using an energy efficient system is good for both you and the environment. Today’s heating systems are very energy efficient, but there is some variation between systems. To measure the efficiency of combustion systems, you want to review the AFUE rating – the annual fuel utilization efficiency. This rating is the measure of combustion system’s efficiency in converting fuel into energy; the higher the AFUE, the more energy efficient the system. For non-combustion systems, like heat pumps and geothermal systems, you’ll want to review the Energy Star ratings and the HSPF ratings. HSPF stands for heating season performance factor. This rating system ranges from 1 to 10, with the highest efficiency ratings measuring between 8 and 10. HSPF is calculated by dividing the total electrical energy consumed by the heat pump system (in watt-hours) during a specific season by the total space heating required during that same season (in BTUs).

Size Calculation

One of the most important steps you can take before choosing a system is knowing exactly what size system you need for your home. Many people only factor in the square footage of their properties when sizing a heating system – several other factors need to be considered to be accurate. Some of these other factors are:

Orientation of your home
Amount of daytime heat gain your home has
Levels of insulation
Number and types of windows and doors
Floor plan
Number of rooms
Number of occupants

Incorrectly calculating your heating load can lead to the installation of a heating system that is not correctly-sized for your home. You can avoid this by working with a trained professional.

A new heating installation can be a great opportunity for you and your home, but using a trained professional is very important to the process, which is why sizing, etc., is part of our HVAC service in Tacoma. If you are ready to take the next steps toward heating installation, call Sound Heating today!

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What to Look for in an HVAC Service Company

Friday, October 10th, 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 years, and our NATE-certified technicians are available 24/7 for any repairs needs you may have.

HVAC Companies: What to Look For

Here are some things to keep an eye out for when choosing an HVAC service company:

Are they licensed and insured?

Using a company or individual who isn’t licensed and insured puts you and your HVAC system at risk. How? Any problems that occur – injury to the technician, damage to your equipment – will not be covered. The liability will fall on you.

Does the company have an office and physical address?

A real service company should have some kind of physical address, not just a phone number.

Is the company part of any national trade organization?

Organizations like NATE (North American Technician Excellence) and others denote that technicians have the training and knowledge necessary to work on your system.

Are the employees professionally dressed?

Having a uniform with an ID tag indicates that the company takes a professional approach to their jobs.

Does the company carry any name-brand products?

Manufacturers are picky about who carries their products – after all, it’s their name that’s out there. As such, manufacturers vet their vendors before allowing an HVAC company to carry a specific product line.

Does the company offer emergency service?

Unfortunately, heating equipment doesn’t break down at convenient times. You need to be able to get a hold of a repair person, even if it’s 11pm on a Sunday night.

Is the work guaranteed, or is there a refund policy?

You want to have confidence that a company will stand by its work and also put customers first.

It can take some time to find an HVAC service company in Tacoma that will meet your needs, but it’s worth it. If you have questions about HVAC service, or want to know more about how Sound Heating can help you, call us today.

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Benefits of Installing a High Efficiency Heater

Wednesday, April 16th, 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. When you do, our heating service technicians in Olympia ready to do the job, but you need to understand the benefits of installing a high efficiency heater first.

The biggest advantages lies in cost: high efficiency heaters will to the job quicker and more readily than other types, which means they won’t run as long and will save you considerable amounts of money in monthly heating costs as a result. Over time, it may even cover the cost of installation, and because the heater can do the job more efficiently, you can probably use a less powerful (and less expensive) unit to do a perfect job. On top of all of that, high efficiency units put less strain on their components, helping the heater as a whole to last longer and reducing the risk of serious repairs during its lifetime.

Efficiency can be measured with the heater’s AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating. It’s a simple measurement, listing the percentage of the total consumed energy that actually goes into heating your home. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit, and a trained heating technician can help size the new heater to properly fit your home.

For more on the benefits of installing a high efficiency heater, or for general heating services in Olympia, then call upon the heating system experts at Sound Heating to help. We’ll discuss all your options with you and size your home properly, then find the right heater for your needs and budget. High efficiency heating systems will save you money and make an environmentally friendly choice as well. Our trained professionals know all the ins and outs, and we won’t rest until you are completely satisfied with our work. Contact us today to make an appointment!

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Sensible Tips to Reduce Your Heating Bill

Thursday, January 23rd, 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 sensible planning and a little foresight, however, you can cut those costs a good deal. A few steps are obvious. For instance, you can set your thermostat a few degrees lower than you normally might and you can dress warmly inside. Beyond that, here are some sensible tips to reduce your heating bill.

Seal up leaks and cracks. You may notice that your door fits loosely in the frame, or that air leaks out of your window frames when you turn on the heat. They cost you in energy efficiency. You can correct the problem by sealing those cracks with weather stripping, available at any hardware store. You might also look into replacing your leaky window frames with vinyl siding, or buying double-paned windows.
Add insulation. Insulation helps retain heat, especially if you place it in the attic where most heat escapes. If you can, add a second layer of insulation, and look into adding more in your walls as well.
Upgrade your heating system. A trained technician can install new components to your existing system to help you cut down on heating costs. The most pertinent is a zone control system, which divides your home into sections and lets you individually heat or cool each one. That allows you to turn off the heat in sections of the house you aren’t using. In addition, if you have an older thermostat, you might consider replacing it with a digital one, which lets your automatically turn the heat off and on to coincide with your daily departures and arrivals.

Sensible tips to reduce your heating bill should be applied along with regular maintenance and upkeep for your heating system from our professional Olympia heating system service techs. That will help reduce wasted energy and keep your heater functioning at its best. In Olympia, heating maintenance can be performed by the trained experts at Sound Heating. Call us today to see what we can do for you!

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3 Great Things about Hydronic Heating

Tuesday, January 14th, 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 for our cool, wet weather. How, exactly? We’re glad you asked. Here are 3 great things about hydronic heating.

It’s efficient. Because it heats the room directly through the floors and walls, there isn’t a lot of wasted energy with a hydronic heating system. You don’t lose any heating potential with forced air, and you avoid the problems of drafts and cold spots that come with it. Hydronic heating warms the room evenly leaving no corner untouched, and you can install zone control systems that let you heat only those parts of the household that you want.
It’s inexpensive. While start-up installation tends to cost more, hydronic heating doesn’t need a whole lot of power once it gets going. That means your monthly heating bills could be a lot less expensive and may even pay for the cost of installation over time, depending upon your circumstances.
It’s clean. Unlike gas furnaces, hydronic systems don’t produce any pollution, and thus can reduce your impact on the environment significantly. They only energy used is a small amount of electricity, and because the system is self-contained, there’s no danger of runoff or similar problems. If you’re looking to “go green,” a hydronic heating system may be your best option.

For more great things about hydronic heating, or to discuss the possibility of installing a hydronic heating system in your home, call the Olympia, WA heating system experts at Sound Heating & Air Conditioning. We can help determine if a system will work for you, and perform installation and repair services with diligence and professionalism. Our staff operates throughout Olympia, heating with hydronic power is one of our signature services, and we are absolutely dedicated to your complete satisfaction at every step of the process. Call us today to set up an appointment!

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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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3 Ways to Reduce Your Heating Bill This Fall

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

Do you dread the coming of fall, not because of the drop in temperature, but because of the impact the drop in temperature has on your finances? You aren’t alone: home heating in Puyallup, WA can get expensive as the thermometer begins to fall. But you do have methods to reduce your heating bills, some of them very easy to do. These 3 options will get you started in putting a check on rising heating costs.

If you want advice on heating from experts, look to Sound Heating. We’ve served Puget Sound for over 20 years, so we know the sort of conditions you can expect to encounter during the later months of the year.

1. Lower your thermostat

What’s the best temperature to set your thermostat to? It’s almost certainly not the highest setting. Just because you can heat the inside of your home to 90°F doesn’t mean you should; aside from the high energy cost, this will overtax your heater and could cause it to break down. According to the US Department of Energy, homeowners can save 18% on their energy costs if they lower their thermostats 5° to 10° for 8 hours a day. This isn’t difficult: 68° is sufficient heat for comfort with an extra layer of clothes. When you’re asleep, lower the thermostat to 58° and pull up an extra blanket.

2. Seal heat leaks

The construction of modern homes aims to make them heat seals, so excess heat doesn’t get in during the spring and summer, and vital heat doesn’t escape during the fall and winter. But this seal isn’t perfect, and gaps around doors and windows, or insufficient insulation, will drain away this precious heat and make your heating system labor harder to compensate. Install storm windows to reduce heat loss, caulk your windows, and put weather stripping around the outside doors to keep as much heat as you can inside your home.

3. Schedule regular maintenance for your heater

Having a professional give your heater a check-up and tune-up is an excellent way to make sure it performs well without draining extra power during the fall. The technician will tighten connections and clean the system so it performs efficiently. Preventive maintenance will also reduce the wear and tear on your system so it won’t age as fast and will continue to perform at its best throughout the fall and into the winter.

The Puyallup, WA heating experts at Sound Heating are available 24-hours a day to help you with your heating needs. If you want to get started with reining in your heating bill for the coming fall, contact us to schedule your annual maintenance check.

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This Year’s Heating Options

Tuesday, September 17th, 2013

Frequent rain and chilly temperatures are a hallmark for winters in the Seattle area, including outlying suburbs like Puyallup, WA. Heating systems can help combat that, providing warm and cozy homes to act as a refuge against the miserable weather outside. As heating season approaches, it pays to take stock of your particular circumstances and determine your heating options this year. Obviously, every case is unique, but a few general outlines can cover the basics.

The first option is to sit tight with your existing heating system, which is probably what most people prefer to do. Unless your furnace is more than 15 years old and/or is experiencing serious repair issues, there’s no need to install a new one. Instead, you should schedule a routine maintenance inspection from a qualified professional. He can come to your home, inspect the furnace for any signs of damage, clean the components and/or otherwise “spruce up” the unit for the upcoming cold weather.

You may also be in a situation where you don’t need a new furnace, but might want a few upgrades to improve the old one. Upgrades can range from insulated covers on exposed ductwork to better retain the heat to newer thermostats designed with pre-timed start and stop options. Such upgrades won’t break your bank, but can give you more options for controlling your heating, and more importantly, might save you money in your monthly electric bills.

Finally, you may need to consider replacing your existing unit entirely. If it’s more than 15 years old, is struggling to heat your home adequately and/or is undergoing repairs too frequently, a new unit may be what you need. The up-front cost may be high, but you’ll likely save money in repairs (to say nothing of monthly energy bills).

Regardless of what option works best for your home, it pays to consult a professional to understand your heating options this year. Sound Heating provides heating services throughout Puyallup, WA. Heating and furnaces are a specialty of ours, and we can discuss all of your choices with you before beginning maintenance or installation procedures. Give us a call today!

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Why it’s Important to Leave Air Conditioning Repairs to a Professional Technician

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

Every homeowner loves the occasional do-it-yourself project, but when it comes to the heating system in your home, it is usually best to leave it to the pros. At Sound Heating, we know that you rely heavily on your heating system during the winter which is why we offer a large range of Tacoma heating services. We’ve responded to countless calls for heating repair, and we wanted to share some of the reasons why calling for a professional heating contractor for all your repairs is usually a good idea.

Tacoma Heating Tip: Why Call for Professional Repairs

Check out a few of the reasons why you should call for professional Tacoma heating repair services.

Better quality – Your heater is critical to your home’s comfort in the winter. If anything goes wrong with it you want to make sure that the repair work is done with good quality. Most non-professionals don’t have the training or experience that a licensed professional has to do the work properly.
Faster service – While it might seem like it would be faster to just look up the solution on the internet and do it yourself, it will actually probably take less time and effort to call for professional Tacoma heating repair services. Here at Sound Heating, we always do our best to respond quickly. Plus, our technicians have likely fixed the exact problem that you’re having many times which will allow them to get in and out of your home very quickly.
Safety – Also, depending on the type of heating system that you have, there could be danger to your home and to your person if anything goes wrong with the repair work. In particular, if you have a gas-fired heater like a furnace or a boiler and you damage the gas line or flue you could put yourself and your home in danger.

No matter what type of heater you have, whether it’s a hydronic system or a forced-air system, call the Tacoma heating repair pros at Sound Heating.

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Heating: Room Temperature Does Not Match Thermostat Setting

Monday, May 6th, 2013

Most of your heating and air conditioning system components are tucked away out of view, and you have little interaction with them. Your thermostat, however, is one of the most important parts of your HVAC system, and by far the component that you have the most face time with. When you are unable to operate your thermostat successfully, it can be quite frustrating. The Bellevue, WA heating professionals at Sound Heating & Air Conditioning know that you depend on your thermostat year round to accurately control temperatures in your home. Here are a few reasons why the temperature in your home may not match that of your thermostat setting.

If your thermostat is not able to accurately read the temperature in your home, it will not be able to regulate it properly either. It is possible that your thermostat is dirty inside, which can affect its reading of the temperature. Remove the cover on your thermostat, and use a soft brush to gently remove and dust, dirt or other debris that may have accumulated therein.

It is also possible that some corrosion has taken place within your thermostat. If this is the case, the electrical contacts in the thermostat may not be operating properly. By using an electronic contact cleaner you can resolve this problem in some cases. If the thermostat is outdated anyway, though, you may just want to consider replacing it.

The installation of your thermostat is very important in determining the success of its operation. If your thermostat is too close to the ground, or is located close to windows or in direct sunlight, it may not operate properly. Make sure that your thermostat is in an area that is actually indicative of the true temperature in the room. For more tips on using your thermostat properly, give us a call.

At Sound Heating, our Bellevue WA heating technicians have the answers to any thermostat questions you may have. Contact us today to learn more. Get the best performance possible from your air conditioning and heating equipment by communicating with it successfully. A great thermostat is integral to achieving that goal.

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