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

Which HVAC System Is Best for My Home?

Monday, June 18th, 2018

Closeup view about using some appliance such as air condition.When you need air conditioning this summer, you’re going to need it quick. But don’t rush into any decisions just yet. You should consider which type of system will work best for you and ensure that it is installed by a professional HVAC contractor in Tacoma, WA.

You can think of each system as a separate strategy for cooling or heating your home, all with the goal of using energy the most efficiently. While the final decision depends on you and your family’s needs, an expert recommendation is going to make all the difference. For now, take a look at the most popular HVAC systems to see how they can help you.

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What Does Dirt Do to an Air Conditioner?

Monday, June 4th, 2018

An old air conditioner unit, in need of updating, sitting in tall weedsAs a homeowner, you probably do all that you can to keep your home clean. After all, a clean home is a happy home, right? This cleanliness probably involves the removal of dust from spaces like your furniture and the floor, even ceiling fans and light fixtures. But what about your air conditioning system?

Just because this appliance and the attached ductwork are out of sight does not mean they should be out of mind. Your air conditioner is a major investment in your overall home comfort, and dust, dirt, and debris within it can cause problems for people with allergies and asthma, as well as problems with the AC unit itself. This is why air conditioning maintenance in Tacoma is so important—a huge component of that is a comprehensive cleaning. But why does this matter so much?

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Follow These Tips to Prevent AC Repairs This Summer

Monday, May 21st, 2018

checklist on a clipboardWith temperatures barely approaching the high 70s, you may not be thinking about your air conditioner too much. However, soon enough you’ll be ready to switch your thermostat to cooling mode, and when that time comes you may not notice anything wrong with your air conditioner and think it’s running just fine. But, if you’ve skipped maintenance then you could certainly find yourself facing a costly AC repair in Tacoma this summer.

Midsummer AC repairs are a hassle for any homeowner, with breakdowns being an even bigger inconvenience. You’ll most likely have to stop what you’re doing to get the repairs taken care of, and will have to battle with other homeowners to schedule a repair technician, since summertime is a time of the year where HVAC technicians are busiest (and harder to get ahold of). We’d like to help you prevent AC repairs in the first place.

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“How Much Will My New Cooling System Cost?”

Monday, May 7th, 2018

air conditioning unit sitting on pile of moneyThe Tacoma area never gets too terribly hot during the summer—at least, not consistently so like other parts of the country. This means we don’t tend to use our air conditioners as much as in other areas. But the fact that we use ours very little means that when they are operating, we want them to function as efficiently and as for little cost as possible.

This means ensuring that you pick just the right system when you arrange for AC installation services. But how do you choose the best cooling system? And how much will it cost?

Well, the short answer to that is, “it depends!” We’ve provided some guidance below that will help you learn about what determines how much a new system, and its installation, will cost.

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Best Ways to Boost Heating Efficiency

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

closeup piСЃture of woman hands holding paper houseWith nights still on the cooler side, chances are you’re still using your heater on a fairly routine basis, even if it is officially spring. That’s pretty much the norm here in our area, which rarely reaches the sweltering spring and summer temperatures that other states on the West Coast do.

But given how much we use our heaters, it makes sense that you want to operate yours as efficiently as possible, so that you don’t spend more money than you need to in order to keep your home comfortable. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways you can improve or maintain efficiency, which we’ve covered below.

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This Is Why You Should Change Your Air Filter

Monday, April 9th, 2018

man holding an air filterNot many homeowners give much thought to how important an air filter is to the operation of their HVAC systems. A filter does little to protect against many of the allergens and pollutants that can aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms (for that you’ll want a high efficiency air filtration or purification system). Rather, the air filter is there to protect the inside components of your Tacoma, WA HVAC system from contaminants that can restrict airflow and cause a host of other problems.

You can always reach out to anyone on our staff if you have questions about the impact of your air filter or are worried about HVAC performance. In the meantime, we’ve shared below some reasons you should always stay on top of changing out your air filter every 1 to 3 months.

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Is My Heater Drying Out My Indoor Air Too Much?

Monday, February 26th, 2018

Sick couple catch cold. Man and woman sneezing, coughing. People got flu, having runny nose.Even though our area doesn’t get as bitterly cold as other parts of the country, our winters are nothing to scoff at. That being said, when you seem to have a problem with your heating system, chances are you want to get scheduled Tacoma, WA heating repair right away. One of the common complaints that Tacoma area homeowners have is about the dry air that results from their heating system being used on a daily, and even hourly, basis.

The assumption that a heater causes dry air is true, but only partially. When the level of moisture outdoors drops, which it does in the winter time, then your indoor relative humidity drops too. Anything below 30% relative humidity is considered too low and will cause discomfort as well as potential illness and even damage to your home. Your heating system, no matter how efficiently it works, only exacerbates this problem.

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It’s Never Too Late to Prevent Major Heater Repairs

Monday, January 15th, 2018

standard wall clock isolated on white backgroundJust like any other big appliance or major piece of equipment in your home, your heating system needs a certain amount of service to be able to continue functioning as best it can. An integral part of this is making sure you stay on top of your annual maintenance appointments (or bi-annual, if you have a heat pump).

We may be well into winter, but it really is never too late for this service—in the absence of a complete system breakdown—and scheduling your heating maintenance appointment as soon as you can if you haven’t done so in the last year will help keep your heater in good working order throughout its lifespan.

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Watch for These Furnace Troubles This Season

Monday, September 25th, 2017

man standing by thermostat looking coldAs the weather cools down for fall, we’re preparing to use our furnaces on a more regular basis. As such, it’s imperative that they be ready for the work ahead. Hopefully, you’ve already had your fall tune-up completed. Regardless of whether you did or not, it’s important to keep an eye out for any Tacoma, WA furnace repair needs that may arise.

The most serious of these, at least in a gas-powered furnace, is a cracked heat exchanger. Heat exchangers are essential to the operation of your furnace—without them, heat from the gas jets would never reach the air, and you’d feel nothing more than room temperature air coming from the room vents. But a damaged heat exchanger can do a lot more harm than simply not providing you with warm air.

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Could Your Home Benefit from UV Germicidal Lights?

Monday, July 17th, 2017

home-benefit-uv-lightsTemperatures may be on the cooler side throughout the majority of the year in our parts, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have our share of sweltering days during the summer. But we have to do more than simply address the heat. While your air conditioner can effectively keep your home and its occupants cool, they can’t deal with the germs, bacteria, and allergens that can infiltrate your living space during the summer months.

This is a problem for just about any home, but is particularly concerning for homes with vulnerable family members, such as infants, the elderly, or anyone suffering from conditions such as asthma or severe allergies. It’s important to realize too, that even the healthiest family members in your living space can suffer when exposed to these germs and contaminants, and the air filter within your HVAC system is not enough to combat them.

Fortunately, we do offer indoor air quality products in Tacoma, WA that can help. We’re going to cover one of these products here.

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