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

When is it Time for New Solar Panel Installation?

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

The solar panels on your roof are some of the most extraordinary components of your home. Solar panels can generate enough electricity to power an entire home, yet they don’t have any mechanical parts and require very little maintenance. In some areas, solar panels benefit from a little bit of cleaning from time to time. But in our area, the rain often takes care of this for us. Solar panels are tough and durable, and should last for many years without any trouble.

But the truth is that some sort of trouble may still occur with your solar panels. Be sure to schedule our solar installation service in Lakewood, WA if you experience any trouble or if you suspect damages.

Some Reasons for New Solar Installation

There are only a couple of main reasons to install new solar panels. It’s possible that your panel is damaged to the point that it greatly affects your energy bills. Or perhaps you want new solar installation for even greater energy savings.

  • Panels are cracked or otherwise damaged: Sometimes, a professional may be able to solder a small crack in a panel before it becomes any worse. Actually, your damaged panel may still function just fine, but cracks leave your panel more susceptible to further damage, which is why repairs should be taken care of right away.
  • One broken panel affects them all: If there are multiple panels installed on your property, a single damaged panel may not necessarily have too much of an impact. If you have 5 solar panels, one damaged panel will still allow solar energy to operate at 80% of its original capacity, as long as an electrical current can still run through the rest of them. If one panel cuts off the current to the other interconnected panels, repairs become urgent.
  • You want more solar energy in your home: A final reason to install a new solar panel is if you want more from your solar energy system. Perhaps you already had one or two solar panels installed for your heating or AC system. If this has worked out well, you may consider adding additional panels to power the entire home.

The solar experts at Sound Heating can take care of all of your solar installation needs in Lakewood, WA. Call our trusted team today!

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Heating Tip: What To Do Before You Shut Down Your Heater In The Spring

Monday, April 8th, 2013

As we enter the spring months, many homeowners have already started to think about how to keep their homes cool this summer. That’s important, and we’re glad you’re thinking ahead. But before jumping into the cooling season, there are some things to consider when shutting down your heater this spring. We often get asked what to do to make sure that the heater is in good working order when you return to it next fall. In this post, we’d like to advise you on just that topic. For more information about Lakewood heating, call Sound Heating today!

Let’s look at a few things you can do before shutting down your heater for the spring:

  • Clean the outdoor unit of your heat pump. If you rely on the reliable year-round service of a heat pump, then it’s imperative that you ready your heat pump for cooling. Make sure to consult with a professional about adjusting the reversing valve for cooling. Also, clean the area around your outdoor compressor/condenser—it may be filled with organic debris and it requires proper airflow to operate effectively and efficiently.
  • Replace the air filter. If you have a forced air distribution system, you should check the air filter. The air filter is there to prevent pollutants and contaminants from entering your ductwork and flowing through your indoor living space. Even if you made a habit of regularly replacing it during the peak heating season, it’s a good time to make sure you’re on the right food come the next heating season.
  • Schedule a professional inspection. Routine maintenance is the key to preventing major and costly repairs, to extending the life of your heater, and to ensuring that it is primed for the next heating season. If you haven’t already enrolled in a heating maintenance program, start today and take advantage of professional inspection, cleaning, adjustments, and tune-ups.

Taking care of your heating and cooling systems is a year-round task. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’d rather enjoy your heating than be bothered to ensure it is operating properly, consider enrolling in a professional maintenance program. For more information about our Lakewood, WA heating services, call Sound Heating today!

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Air Conditioning Guide: Things to Check on Your Broken AC Before Calling a Professional

Monday, June 25th, 2012

A broken air conditioner is a stressful situation, especially since you’re considering whether you need a Puyallup air conditioning professional to come out. No one likes spending the money to have a professional take a look at their system, so before you call anyone, make sure to check these problems. You may be able to fix the problem on your own without spending a dime.

Thermostat

The thermostat is one of the most common problems you’ll have with an air conditioner.  Make sure the thermostat wasn’t knocked out of position and the sensors near your coils are in the right place. Often times, a bumped sensor or a slightly off thermostat can cause this kind of problem and as a result, you’ll be left without steady cooling.

Check Your Filters

Another common problem that can cause issues with your air conditioner is filter clogging. While the system will continue to run with a clogged filter, there are a few issues that might pop up – it could smell funny or you might notice icing on the outside line (a major problem). If you allow the filter to get so clogged as to block the air flow from your system, you can expect a number of problems to crop up.

 Blower Belts

Check the system’s blower belt for damage like cracking, excess slack or general wear. A blower belt that isn’t properly installed or that needs to be replaced will reduce air flow which can result in ice buildup or poor air flow – it will make it harder for your system to maintain a steady temperature.

 Check the Outdoor Unit

Check to make sure nothing is blocking the outdoor unit. Clean the condenser coils and remove any debris that might have built up around the outdoor unit. Often, slowed air flow is caused by nothing more than leaves piled in front of your condenser.

If none of these problems is the culprit or if you fix them all and your system continues to struggle, it is time to call a Puyallup air conditioning professional like Sound Heating!

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Window and Through Wall Units – Benefits and Disadvantages in Kent

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

When you’re trying to decide what type of air conditioner to get for your Kent home, you’ll first have to determine whether a central air conditioning system or smaller individual unit is best for you. These smaller air conditioners are generally installed either in a window or through the wall of your home, and they can provide excellent cooling under the proper conditions.

If you’re still on the fence about what type of air conditioner is right for your home, here are a few items to consider:

  • Ducts – If your home already has ductwork installed for a central forced air heating system, it should be relatively easy to hook up a central air conditioner. But if there are no ducts currently in place, your installation costs will be a lot lower with window or wall mounted units.
  • Portability – Most window units are designed to be removed and stored at the end of the summer, so you can have your windows back and not have to look at that unit all winter long. Through wall units aren’t generally removable, but because they don’t take up window space and provide a more thorough seal against the elements, that’s not as much of a concern.
  • Aesthetics – With both window and through wall units, you’ll have something protruding into your room at least a few inches. These types of units are hard to hide, particularly when compared to the simple air ducts that central air conditioning systems use.
  • Flexible Sizing – No matter how big or small your room is, you should have no trouble finding a window or through wall unit to match it. A central air conditioning system needs to be sized to fit the entire house. If you’re only inclined to use air conditioning in two or three rooms during the hottest months of the year, you may not want to pay to cool the entire house all of the time. Smaller units provide that type of flexibility.
  • Affordability – Installing a central air conditioning system, even if you already have ducts in place, is a large undertaking and likely to cost you several thousand dollars up front. On the other hand, small window and through wall air conditioners are available for as little as $200 and you can buy more whenever you’re ready to spend that extra money. You can also usually install a window unit yourself, and the cost of having a through wall unit installed is minimal compared to that of a central AC unit.

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What Types of Air Conditioning Systems Are There? A Question From Lakewood

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Picking out the right air conditioning system for you in Lakewood can actually involve a lot of steps. There are many factors to consider and you will need to understand how each type of air conditioning system functions to know what will be best in your house. Of course, before you can compare them, you need to know what the different types of air conditioning systems actually are.

Packaged air conditioning systems are probably the type that the majority of people are most familiar with. They consist of an outdoor compressor unit that is connected to an indoor air handler or furnace through ductwork within the house. The air is cooled by the compressor and then blown into the house where it is circulated through the ductwork by the air handler.

Packaged air conditioning systems are appropriate for most residential buildings and they come in a variety of sizes so that it is easy to match one to the size and dimensions of your home. However, these types of air conditioning systems do require ductwork, so if you do not already have it installed in your house, putting it in can add considerably to the overall installation costs.

If you do not want to have ducts put in or if you are only trying to cool a small space within your home, you may want to opt for a ductless mini-split system. These types of air conditioning systems are becoming more and more popular because of their excellent energy efficiency and flexibility when it comes to installation options.

Ductless mini-splits also require an outdoor compressor unit, but this is connected to one or more indoor units through refrigerant lines rather than actual air ducts. These refrigerant lines are much easier and less costly to put in place than ducts are, so mini-split systems can be installed for much less than a packaged air conditioning system in a home that does not already have ducts.

These ductless mini-split systems can include only one or many indoor units. Each of these units is controlled independently of the others, making it possible to maintain different temperatures in different parts of your home.

For larger buildings and commercial spaces, central air conditioning systems are generally the preferred option. They are set up essentially the same way as packaged air conditioning systems but on a much larger scale. However, just like packaged air conditioning systems, central air conditioners rely on ducts to get the cooled air to the various areas of the building.

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Hydronic vs. Forced Air System

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Both hydronic and forced air heating systems can serve you well depending on the specifics of your home and your household heating needs. Certainly each of these types of home heating systems has advantages and drawbacks, but there is really no clear cut answer about which is better. All you’ll be able to determine is which one is best for you.

While current discussions about hydronics have come to focus on the applications for in floor radiant heating, this category of heating systems is actually much broader than that. Really, all the term hydronics means is that the system uses water to carry the heat throughout the house instead of air. This is what traditional radiators always did, and these types of systems are certainly still perfectly appropriate for certain types of homes.

Particularly if your home doesn’t already have ductwork installed, hydronic heating might be the best option for you because it doesn’t require ducts to get the job done. All you’ll need to have installed are pipes to carry the water to different parts of the house. These pipes are much easier than ducts to install and take up much less space overall.

If you’d like to include radiant floor heating as part of this system you’re certainly able to. However, using only this type of heating to heat your entire house is not particularly efficient or practical. Radiant flooring is particularly useful in basements because no matter how warm the air in the room is, the floor in these areas will still be cold.

However, if you do already have ducts installed in your home, it may make perfect sense for you to have a forced air heating system installed. While there are sometimes problems with the evenness of the heating experience that you get with these types of heating systems, proper installation of a high quality system can usually mitigate those types of issues.

Forced air heating systems are also convenient because they are made to work in concert with many types of central air conditioning systems. If you have hydronic heating and think you’d like to have a central air conditioning system as well, you’ll either have to install multiple window or wall units or have ducts put in anyway.

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Worst Rooms in Your Home to Collect Allergens

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Your home is a haven for allergens, but some rooms in particular are much worse than others. They are damp. They are warm. They often have garbage in them. These are the rooms that need especially close attention when trying to maintain air quality in your home.

Basement

First on the list is your basement. A basement is the biggest problem when it’s either unfinished or not used very often. If you have water leaks in your basement or poor insulation, it’s important to have a moisture barrier put in and have your pipes checked. If the water comes from a drainage pipe or your sewer line, repairs can be made. If it comes from excess ground water or leaks in the foundation, a sump pump or drain tile system will help remove the excess water. Either way, the wetter your basement gets, the higher the risk of mold and other contaminants becomes.

Beyond moisture, a basement tends to collect a lot of dust. After all, it is where we put many of our old and unwanted possessions, and because the furnace is often in your basement, all that damp, allergen filled air gets cycled back into your home.

Bathroom

Bathrooms are allergen havens for two reasons. They are filled with moisture, and without proper ventilation they will soon be filled with mold and mildew. Additionally, when not cleaned regularly they can house buildups of hair, skin, and other dust building residue that tend to trigger allergies.

The easiest way to handle this problem is to clean your bathroom regularly and make sure it is properly ventilated. Short of an exhaust fan in your bathroom, keep the door and windows open to help it dry faster.

Kitchen

Your kitchen produces allergens like mold and mildew due to the presence of garbage and fruit. It can also attract bugs and the dirt that accrues from people passing through constantly. Pets tend to eat in the kitchen, leaving behind dander. Additionally, plants and vegetables in the kitchen release pollen that circulates through your home to trigger additional allergies. Exhaust from cooking and smoke can also be a harmful allergen trigger.

The kitchen should be kept well ventilated and clean at all times. Check for any gaps in your insulation and have your exhaust fan and hood cleaned regularly to avoid backups of smoke or gas.

Allergens are everywhere in your home – with careful attention, however, you can stop them from affecting your family negatively.

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What Is SEER?

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

If you’ve been looking at air conditioners, you’ve probably noticed that they all seem to have a SEER rating. But what does this actually mean?

The SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is a measure of how energy efficient a particular air conditioning model is. So when you’re shopping around for the best deal on an air conditioner for your home, this is something you’ll absolutely want to pay attention to.

Interpreting SEER Ratings

The SEER rating system is relatively simple – the higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the product. But because a higher price tag typically comes with a higher SEER rating, it’s important to know just how much more efficient a higher rated unit will be. It helps you decide whether paying significantly more for a higher rated unit is worth it in long term savings. Will it actually save you enough each month to make up for the difference in price?

Evaluating Your Energy Usage

A big factor here is how much you will use your air conditioner. If you live in a place with very hot and humid summers where the air conditioning runs constantly, you’re probably best off with the highest SEER you can find. When you consume that much energy to keep your home cool, you want to get as much as possible out of it, and that’s what a high SEER model can do for you.

On the other hand, if you live in an area that doesn’t have the harshest summers, you may be better off with a slightly less efficient (and therefore cheaper) model. Keep in mind, too, that the actual percentage increase in energy efficiency goes up by smaller and smaller increments the higher in SEER ratings you get. For instance, while a 10 SEER unit may be almost 20% more efficient than an 8 SEER model, a 12 SEER is only about 10% more efficient than that 10 SEER.

Finding the Right Balance

The best way to decide what SEER rating is best for you is to determine the annual cooling costs with your current unit and then calculate your savings in dollars based on the percentage each model would improve your efficiency. If you don’t currently have an air conditioner, this can be a bit tricky, but a professional contractor or air conditioning salesman can help you estimate your total monthly cooling costs with the various units.

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