With the weather being so mild you might think that it's not a good time to have your heating and air system checked out. After all, if it ain't broke why fix it? Right? Why not wait until you need your system to have it checked out? Well here are some things to think about when it comes to your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump:
1. Better Service. When do you think most folks have their system worked on or checked out? Probably the hottest part of the summer or the coldest part of winter. That's the worst time to do it because heating and air companies are super busy then. With lots of service calls the technicians are trying to see as many people as possible as quickly as possible and are only taking care of the biggest problems first. Why compete with all those other customers? The best time for your system to get a technician's full attention is when it is slow. Then the tech can take his time to look over the system, make recommendations and better listen to your needs.
2. Better Prices. Most companies do not run their best specials in the "demand" months because there is a long line of customers who need to have their system checked out. Your best bet for a good price on service or replacement is when the weather is mild and there are technicians just sitting around waiting for the phone to ring.
3. Better Control. Why let your heating and air system control when you are going to have it repaired? Do you want to wait until the hottest day of the summer for your Air Conditioner to say, "ok, I give up, fix me now"? That would be the worst time to get it fixed. You will then have to be at the mercy of whoever can get to you the quickest, and in the summer the best companies get overloaded with service calls and so then you have to either wait until they can get to you or try some new, unknown company with few customers and take a chance that they will treat you properly. Instead, take control of your system by getting it checked out before it gets overloaded. Think about it like taking a trip: When should you have your car serviced, before a long trip or after?
Well, if you still aren't convinced then simply put it off and take your chances. Not what I would recommend, but perhaps you are feeling lucky......
If you would like to take control over your Summer cooling do it now, in the Spring. Give me a call at 916-751-6060 or simply fill out a comment with your contact info.
Take Care,
The HVAC Tech
Showing posts with label furnace tune up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label furnace tune up. Show all posts
Monday, April 2, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Furnace Filters
The filter to your furnace or heat pump is probably the only thing you as a homeowner are involved in when it comes to routine maintenance on your heating and cooling system. However, I believe it is by far the most important item that can be done to keep your system operating efficiently.
If you could equate a filter change with routine oil and filter changes on your car, maybe it will demonstrate just how important this one step is. Suppose you changed your car's oil and filter only once per year....only once every two years.......once every three years. How would that effect the motor? Not good right? Probably will reduce the life of your engine, cause it to run hot, increase friction, reduce mileage and cause other problems that will have to be repaired due to the lack of maintenance? Well that is what happens to your heating and air system when the filters are not changed. A dirty filter will:
Cause reduced air flow which will overheat your furnace
Reduce heat delivery to your home which will increase the run time, costing you more money
Cause unfiltered air to bypass the filter thereby coating your blower wheel and motor with dust, coating the evaporator with dust, and circulating dirty air back into your house.
The above is just a short list of what can happen. Dirty filters are the number one reason I repair furnaces. Yep, it is that important, even more important than the age of the system. So, you can change your filter often, have a scheduled maintenance plan to change it, or you can let it go, allow the system to get dirty and just plan on replacing parts and eventually replacing your system.
So in a nutshell, change your furnace or change your system. It's that simple. :)
Take Care,
The HVAC Tech
If you could equate a filter change with routine oil and filter changes on your car, maybe it will demonstrate just how important this one step is. Suppose you changed your car's oil and filter only once per year....only once every two years.......once every three years. How would that effect the motor? Not good right? Probably will reduce the life of your engine, cause it to run hot, increase friction, reduce mileage and cause other problems that will have to be repaired due to the lack of maintenance? Well that is what happens to your heating and air system when the filters are not changed. A dirty filter will:
Cause reduced air flow which will overheat your furnace
Reduce heat delivery to your home which will increase the run time, costing you more money
Cause unfiltered air to bypass the filter thereby coating your blower wheel and motor with dust, coating the evaporator with dust, and circulating dirty air back into your house.
The above is just a short list of what can happen. Dirty filters are the number one reason I repair furnaces. Yep, it is that important, even more important than the age of the system. So, you can change your filter often, have a scheduled maintenance plan to change it, or you can let it go, allow the system to get dirty and just plan on replacing parts and eventually replacing your system.
So in a nutshell, change your furnace or change your system. It's that simple. :)
Take Care,
The HVAC Tech
Friday, March 16, 2012
Evaporator Coil Cleaning
If I were to name two of the biggest contributors to furnace failure, and the cause of most service repair calls I would have to blame it on 1. Dirty Filters and 2. Clogged and dirty Evaporator Coils.
I will post an article about Filters another day but today I want to review how important it is to have your indoor evaporator checked and cleaned. Heating and air conditioning are all about air flow. Proper air circulation thru your central duct system is crucial to a properly functioning HVAC system in your home.
The evaporator sits on top of your furnace if it's in the garage or hallway or alongside the furnace or air handler if it's in the attic. It is the indoor portion of your air conditioner if it is a split system. What happens is that over the years dust makes it into this component due to clogged air filters, leaky ductwork and because of lack of routine maintenance becomes coated with dust. Imagine the radiator in your car. The coil is very similar in that it has very small openings for air to pass thru. when these openings get clogged with dust and dirt it blocks the airflow thru the unit and the air has to go around the coil causing reduced air flow and an increase of static pressure in the coil which causes problems for proper circulation of heated or cooled air.
This causes a cluster of issues. In the winter, reduced air flow out of the furnace will cause it to overheat which will trip built in safety devices in the furnace shutting it down, causing it to cycle on and off, blow cold air, overheat motor windings, and can drastically stress out the heat exchanger causing uneven thermal expansion and contraction which can cause dangerous cracks.
Basically, bad news for your system. In the summer this can cause your air conditioner to ice over, run all the time without cooling and cause your electric bills to rise.
Solution? We need to clean that coil and along with it the blower as well. This can be time consuming depending on the style of coil you have and the extent of dust coating the coil and blower.
If you live in the Rancho Cordova or Sacramento area contact a trained technician such as myself or contact the company servicing your system to come out and inspect your system. A proper cleaning can extend the life of your heating and cooling unit as well as save you money in operationg costs and reduced service calls.
Take Care,
The HVAC Tech
I will post an article about Filters another day but today I want to review how important it is to have your indoor evaporator checked and cleaned. Heating and air conditioning are all about air flow. Proper air circulation thru your central duct system is crucial to a properly functioning HVAC system in your home.
The evaporator sits on top of your furnace if it's in the garage or hallway or alongside the furnace or air handler if it's in the attic. It is the indoor portion of your air conditioner if it is a split system. What happens is that over the years dust makes it into this component due to clogged air filters, leaky ductwork and because of lack of routine maintenance becomes coated with dust. Imagine the radiator in your car. The coil is very similar in that it has very small openings for air to pass thru. when these openings get clogged with dust and dirt it blocks the airflow thru the unit and the air has to go around the coil causing reduced air flow and an increase of static pressure in the coil which causes problems for proper circulation of heated or cooled air.
This causes a cluster of issues. In the winter, reduced air flow out of the furnace will cause it to overheat which will trip built in safety devices in the furnace shutting it down, causing it to cycle on and off, blow cold air, overheat motor windings, and can drastically stress out the heat exchanger causing uneven thermal expansion and contraction which can cause dangerous cracks.
Basically, bad news for your system. In the summer this can cause your air conditioner to ice over, run all the time without cooling and cause your electric bills to rise.
Solution? We need to clean that coil and along with it the blower as well. This can be time consuming depending on the style of coil you have and the extent of dust coating the coil and blower.
If you live in the Rancho Cordova or Sacramento area contact a trained technician such as myself or contact the company servicing your system to come out and inspect your system. A proper cleaning can extend the life of your heating and cooling unit as well as save you money in operationg costs and reduced service calls.
Take Care,
The HVAC Tech
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Hot Surface Ignitors
A commonly replaced part on a gas furnace is a hot surface ignitor. Pilot lights are a thing of the past in modern furnaces which is a good thing because they waste fuel. However, this means that we use another type of ignition system which requires a part, which means it needs to be replaced after use.
Customers have asked me if ignitors can be cleaned and the answer is no, you cannot clean one of these parts because they have a coating which is compromised over the years and must be replaced.
A couple things to look for when a technician replaces your hot surface ignitor (HSI):
Make sure he is very careful. A fingerprint on the surface of the ignitor will reduce the life to only about two years, so it is advisable to use rubber gloves when installing this part, or at the very least to be very careful not to touch the business end of this part.
Get the old part. A worn out ignitor will be coated with a whitish substance instead of a robust, sparkling black surface. A quick test with an ohm meter will also verify the condition of this part.
These parts are very brittle. I have broken my share of them putting them in, so I recommend using only a trained, experienced technician to install this part.... like me!
Give me a call if you live in the Sacramento area and I will be happy to talk to you about becoming your heating technician for all your furnace needs.
James 916-751-6060
Customers have asked me if ignitors can be cleaned and the answer is no, you cannot clean one of these parts because they have a coating which is compromised over the years and must be replaced.
A couple things to look for when a technician replaces your hot surface ignitor (HSI):
Make sure he is very careful. A fingerprint on the surface of the ignitor will reduce the life to only about two years, so it is advisable to use rubber gloves when installing this part, or at the very least to be very careful not to touch the business end of this part.
Get the old part. A worn out ignitor will be coated with a whitish substance instead of a robust, sparkling black surface. A quick test with an ohm meter will also verify the condition of this part.
These parts are very brittle. I have broken my share of them putting them in, so I recommend using only a trained, experienced technician to install this part.... like me!
Give me a call if you live in the Sacramento area and I will be happy to talk to you about becoming your heating technician for all your furnace needs.
James 916-751-6060
Monday, March 12, 2012
Furnace Repair Rancho Cordova
It's still not too late to repair your furnace or heat pump this season. Here are some common things to look for:
Is your unit turning off and on too quickly?
Is there heat coming out of the supply vents for a short time and then blowing cold air?
Is the furnace blowing air all the time?
Is there a lot of dust in your house?
Any of these items could indicate the need for a qualified technician to service or repair your unit. Sometimes it's a quick fix like a new capacitor, cleaning the flame sensor or cleaning the blower motor or indoor evaporator coil. I am happy to check any of these items for you if you live in Rancho Cordova, California or the greater Sacramento area.
I can be reached at 916-751-6060 to schedule an appointment.
See you soon!
The HVAC Tech
Is your unit turning off and on too quickly?
Is there heat coming out of the supply vents for a short time and then blowing cold air?
Is the furnace blowing air all the time?
Is there a lot of dust in your house?
Any of these items could indicate the need for a qualified technician to service or repair your unit. Sometimes it's a quick fix like a new capacitor, cleaning the flame sensor or cleaning the blower motor or indoor evaporator coil. I am happy to check any of these items for you if you live in Rancho Cordova, California or the greater Sacramento area.
I can be reached at 916-751-6060 to schedule an appointment.
See you soon!
The HVAC Tech
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Rancho Cordova Furnace Tune Up
It is important to keep your furnace tuned up and ready to heat your home efficiently and safely. Most of us will take our automobile in for regular tune ups but what about our furnace?
Did you know that tuning up your furnace can allow it to work more efficiently thereby saving you money in operating costs as well as catching small items that are wearing out before they turn into big items that can cost you an arm and a leg.
By cleaning the burner assembly, checking capacitors, hot surface ignitors, flame sensors and the general condition of your furnace you can ensure a safe, efficient heat source for your home.
If you live in the Rancho Cordova, CA or Sacramento area I can provide a tune up for your home for only $69. I will check out your furnace, clean the blower assembly, check the filter and even run a quick diagnostic for you.
How can I do it so cheap? In this economy it is important to keep busy and by doing a tune up cheaply I can see more people and it's better to work than stay home.
I work for a local heating and air company and would like to offer you my services and become your heating and air technician for life. If you would like to schedule a tune up please call me at 916-751-6060 or just respond to this blog.
Did you know that tuning up your furnace can allow it to work more efficiently thereby saving you money in operating costs as well as catching small items that are wearing out before they turn into big items that can cost you an arm and a leg.
By cleaning the burner assembly, checking capacitors, hot surface ignitors, flame sensors and the general condition of your furnace you can ensure a safe, efficient heat source for your home.
If you live in the Rancho Cordova, CA or Sacramento area I can provide a tune up for your home for only $69. I will check out your furnace, clean the blower assembly, check the filter and even run a quick diagnostic for you.
How can I do it so cheap? In this economy it is important to keep busy and by doing a tune up cheaply I can see more people and it's better to work than stay home.
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