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

Common Heat Pump Problems in Tacoma

Monday, January 6th, 2014

In towns like Tacoma, heating repair companies handle heat pumps as often as they handle more traditional gas furnaces. Heat pumps essentially combine the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into one, resulting in a more efficient means of conditioning the air in your home. They work especially well in climates like ours, where the winters are fairly mild and homeowners have HVAC needs throughout the year. But just like any other appliance, heat pumps can experience problems, requiring the services of a trained professional to correct. Here’s a quick breakdown of common heat pump problems in Tacoma.

Heat pumps use the same basic technology as air conditioners, which means their problems are pretty much the same. One common development is a leak in refrigerant gas, which can interfere with the heat pump’s ability to generate cool (and warm) air. Refrigerant needs to be at a specific level if the heat pump is to work the way it should. When those levels are out of balance, frost forms on the evaporator coils, representing lost cooling potential and further hampering the pump’s ability to do its job. Simply scraping the frost off won’ fix the problem: the source of the leak needs to be sealed and refrigerant levels recharged before the system will function again.

Other problems are a little easier for laymen to grasp. For example, the fan motor can overheat, shutting the fan down and preventing the heat pump from moving conditioned air into your home. Clogs and blockages can form in various lines, preventing water from draining or keeping air from moving where it’s supposed to. Dust and dirt can build up to create friction between moving parts and eventually create breakdowns within individual components.

All of these spell the same thing: repair bills, inefficiency and a loss of heating and cooling power just when you need it the most. To correct common heat pump problems, the Tacoma heating system repair technicians at Sound Heating are at your disposal. Our trained heating system professionals can pinpoint the problem and get your system up and running again before you know it. Give us a call today to set up an appointment!

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Ways You Can Save on Heating This Season

Thursday, December 19th, 2013

Heating season usually brings with it higher heating bills, as home owners run their furnaces more often and monthly costs rise as a result. Here in Tacoma, heating repair services see increased breakdowns and service calls during this time, reflecting increased seasonal use. Prudent homeowners can find ways to cut heating costs, and reduce the risk of more extensive repairs in the bargain. Here’s a few ways you can save on heating this season.

Get your heater maintained. Heaters collect dust and dirt over time, especially during the summer when they don’t see much use. In addition, they may develop problems that aren’t readily noticeable, but which can turn around and bite you at the worst possible time. A maintenance session can address all of that: cleaning off the dust (which reduces friction and general stress), tightening loose bolts or fittings (which improves efficiency) and spotting any potential issues for larger repairs. All of that improves your heater’s efficiency, which cuts down on bills.
Seal leaks in your home. If you have a crack under your front door, a window pane that leaks air or an uninsulated portion of the attic, they could be costing you warm air. Seal any leaks with weather stripping and see if you can add more insulation to your house.
Look into zone controls. A zone control system for your heater lets you tailor the temperature in individual portions of your home. You can thus turn off the heat in areas you aren’t using, while leaving it on in those rooms you’re occupying at the moment.

All of that comes on top of common-sense ways you can save on heating this season, such as wearing warm sweaters in the home and setting your thermostat a few degrees below what you’re used to. Heating repair services in Tacoma don’t get any more reliable than Sound Heating. We can perform maintenance and repair on your existing heater, as well as installing a new heater if you feel that the time is right. Call us today to set up an appointment. You’ll be glad that you did!

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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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How to Maximize Your Energy Efficiency this Winter with a New Heater

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Here in Tacoma, heating installation is not a causal undertaking. Our winters are cold enough to demand a reliable heating system at all times, and considering the costs involved, you want your existing unit to last as long as possible. Sooner or later, however, even the most durable heater needs to be replaced. A new heater can make a difference in numerous ways, not the least of which is an improved energy efficiency in your home. Here’s how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater.

The very act of buying a new heater will probably help you make better use of your resources, since it probably works more efficiently as a matter of course. More specifically, you should look for a heater with a high AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating, measured as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the more energy is being used to actually heat your home. New heaters tend to have a higher AFUE than old ones, and you can “cheat” a bit by selecting a heater with the EnergyStar label (denoting units with particularly high AFUE ratings).

In addition, it’s very important to size your heater properly, with about 50 BTUs (British Thermal Units) or heating power for every square foot you need heated. (The specifics can vary depending on things like insulation and sunlight exposure, so let an expert make your calculations for you.) If the heater’s too small it will work too hard without warming your home. If it’s too large, it will cycle on and off rapidly, wasting heat in the process. Maximum energy efficiency can be achieved only if your heater is sized just right for your home.

These are just general tips showing you how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater. For more specific plans on how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter with a new heater, call the Tacoma heating installation specialists at Sound Heating. We’re based in Tacoma, heating installation is part of our area of expertise and we’re dedicated to making sure your new heater gets the maximum amount of bang for your buck. Give us a call today and let us show you what we can do!

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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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How to Choose a New Heating System for Your Home

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Winter is crawling toward us, and will strike before we know it. You will need an efficient and dependable heater working in your home to keep you warm and safe until spring. If you have considered getting a new heating system installed (perhaps your old one is dying, or you have just built a new home), now is the best time to act. You will need professional assistance for this job, and HVAC technicians have less crowded schedules during the fall.

The reason you need to have experts helping from the start, and not just during installation, is that the many choices of heating systems available can feel overwhelming. You want to make a correct choice for installation so you can have many worry-free years of warmth. Our Tacoma, WA heating installation specialists at Sound Heating have some advice about how to go about choosing your new heating system, and they are ready to answer any other questions you may have.

One of the first things to consider when it comes to getting a new heater is your available fuel supply. Do you have a hook-up to natural gas? Did your last heater run from propane or oil? Is electricity your sole power supply option? Your home’s available fuel will help you narrow down your choices.

Next, think about the heating requirements of your house. How large is it, and how many people live there? Do you have adequate insulation? Did your last heater wear down fast because it had trouble getting the whole house warm? These are tough questions to answer yourself—or least in a way that will seem meaningful when picking a heater on your own. HVAC professionals can perform a heat load calculation, a complex equation that balances a multitude of factors about your home, to arrive at the size of heater you’ll need and what kind will work best for you.

Third, consider your budget goals. Some heating models cost less to install, but may require a greater number of repairs and lead to higher energy bills in the future. Some expensive models will end up saving you money with great efficiency levels. This will tie into the information from the heat load calculation so you can zero in on the heater that will give you the most value for your money.

Sound Heating installs furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, zone systems, and ground source heat pumps. With this variety available, we can locate the system that will provide your home with the best warmth this winter. Call on us for heating installation service in Tacoma, WA, and we’ll get you started along the road toward a cozy season.

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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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Common Heating Repair Needs in Tacoma, WA

Tuesday, October 1st, 2013

In Tacoma, WA heating units are a vital part of keeping your home cozy and comfortable during our omnipresent rain. When problems develop, you need to address them promptly lest they leave you without reliable heating just when you need it the most. A professional Tacoma heating service company like Sound Heating & Air Conditioning can deal with common heating repair needs, but it helps if you the homeowner understand what those needs are. A few of the more common ones can be found below:

Thermostat issues. A malfunctioning thermostat can wreak all kinds of havoc with your heater. Misreading the temperature results in your house being too cold or too hot, while an inability to engage the fan can leave the hot air just sitting in the central unit. In some cases, a faulty thermostat means that the heater won’t turn on at all.
Pilot light or ignition control problems. If you turn the heat on and yet the air moving through your house isn’t particularly warm, it could indicate a problem with the pilot light and/or ignition control. Without the light, the furnace can’t generate any heat, even if every other aspect of the system is functioning the way it should.
Air flow issues. Problems with air flow can stem from a number of issues. There may be blockage in your ducts, a leak or a fissure may have developed, the fan belt may be frayed or broken, or the fan motor may have overheated. Regardless of the cause, the issue drops your air flow to nothing, slowing the speed at which your home is heated and costing you in higher energy bills as a result.

When common heating repairs arise, it pays to call upon a heating company with the experience and know-how to do the job right. The Tacoma heating repair specialists at Sound Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to handle any problem you may have, from the smallest to the largest. In Tacoma, WA, heating issues need to be addressed promptly, but with an eye on quality service. We’re completely dedicated to your satisfaction in all aspects of the operation. Contact us today to make 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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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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