Heating season is here, and that means it is time to start considering getting your home ready for winter. One option for improving your home’s heating situation is to install a zone control system. Zone control offers solutions to some of central forced air heating’s biggest problems. Let’s take a look at what zone control is, and how it can help you this winter.
Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating’
The Advantages of Installing Zone Control in Your Home
Monday, October 26th, 2015Indoor Air Quality Concerns You Need to Address This Fall
Monday, October 19th, 2015As you start to rely on your heating system more and more to keep you warm through the coming cold months, you should be aware of a couple of things. Primarily, you need to be aware of certain indoor air quality concerns that are exacerbated during winter. If not addressed properly, these concerns can lead to greater instances of illness and other problems. Let’s take a look at why this is a greater issue during winter, and what you can do about it.
The Advantages of Installing a Boiler This Fall
Monday, October 12th, 2015It is time to start preparing your home for the winter months, and that means giving consideration to your heating situation. If you are in the market for a new home heating system, then consider installing a boiler system this fall. Forced air systems are more popular than boilers, but boiler systems actually have quite a few advantages to recommend them. Let’s take a look at how boiler systems operate, and the benefits associated with them.
Options for a New Heating System This Fall
Monday, October 5th, 2015Summer is over, and winter is on the horizon. That means it is time to start thinking about how you are going to keep your home warm during the heating season. If you are one of the many homeowners looking for a new home heating system, there are a wide variety of options available to you. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular home heating options, and the advantages they offer.
Is It Too Soon for Heating Maintenance?
Monday, September 14th, 2015We are moving into the fall season, and that means that soon air conditioning is going to be switched out for heating. A lot of homeowners haven’t turned on their heating systems for months, and they may be worried if their heaters are going to be able to cope with another winter. If you are one of those people who is worried about the upcoming heating season, read on for some of the benefits of early heating maintenance.
3 Reasons You Need a New Thermostat
Monday, July 13th, 2015When it comes to upgrading their climate control, many people tend to focus on things like their heaters or air conditioners. This makes sense, as those systems are obviously the ones that do the majority of the work. However, those climate control systems do not operate independently. Every climate control system you have relies on a thermostat to give it instructions. Without a thermostat, your climate control would be virtually non-existent. If you’re in the market for a new heater or air conditioner, have a look at these 3 reasons why you should upgrade your thermostat as well.
Energy Saving Tips for the Winter
Monday, January 5th, 2015If you’re looking for ways to save some energy as the new year begins and the heating season is in full swing, there are a few ways to do so without shutting off your heating system altogether. Sometimes, all a heating system really needs is a brief tune-up. Other times, you’ll need to install a new part, like a thermostat. And while it may be the case that you need a new heating system entirely, there are many affordable options to choose from with efficiency ratings that will far exceed your existing unit’s level of efficiency.
Here are a few of the ways you can upgrade your heating system for maximum savings.
- Set the thermostat to an energy-efficient temperature. A programmable thermostat allows you the ability to decide the temperature you expect your heating system to reach at different times of the day. Try setting the heater to kick in only when the temperature drops below 68 degrees. When you’re away or asleep, you can set your thermostat ten degrees lower, and program it to begin to heat up again 30 minutes before you wake up or arrive home. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, consider having a technician install one.
- Schedule heating maintenance every year. Another way to make sure you continue to save energy every year is by scheduling maintenance. As the heating system goes on, parts of your heater are bound to become a bit worn down. And when your heating system goes unused throughout the cooling season, pieces will get dirty and parts may even loosen or fall into a state of disrepair. It’s a good idea to schedule regular maintenance with a heating professional in order to prevent any sudden repair needs and keep your unit in top shape and at peak efficiency.
- Consider a new heating system. No homeowner wants to hear the bad news about their home heating system, but the fact is that any unit will lose its ability to heat a home efficiently over time. Sometimes, a new heating system is your best option. But new heaters are designed to be far more efficient than those built decades ago thanks to new government standards and advancements in technology.
Call Sound Heating to learn more about maximizing the efficiency of your heating. To schedule heating service in Tacoma, call us today!
Steps to Take Before a New Heating Installation
Friday, October 17th, 2014A 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!
What to Look for in an HVAC Service Company
Friday, October 10th, 2014Having 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.
Benefits of Installing a High Efficiency Heater
Wednesday, April 16th, 2014Heaters 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!