Comfort Flow Heating Blog:
Archive for January, 2013

Springfield Heating FAQ: Common Heating Repairs

Monday, January 28th, 2013

Do you have a heating repair? Call the Springfield heating repair technicians at Comfort Flow. It’s important to call for repairs as you notice any issues with your heater. This helps prevent further damage or other problems. That’s why it’s also important to know some of the more common heating repairs and the warning signs of each.

Many common issues can be resolved by a simple repair or adjustment; however, it’s always best to call your heating contractor whenever you have problems. To help you out, we’ve put together a short list of potential problems and how they are repaired.

We get many calls about gas furnaces with a pilot light that won’t light or stay lit. There could be many causes, but any issues with a pilot light should be taken care of by a heating professional trained to work with gas systems. A delayed start is usually indicated by a loud bang or explosion noise. This is a safety concern and should be addressed before the problem gets worse. Other pilot light issues could be that there’s a draft in the ventilation system or a bad igniter.

If you are having problems with your heat pump, always check to make sure that it is plugged in all the way, and that it is on the right settings. If you aren’t getting enough heat, check the thermostat. Make sure you know what setting to put your thermostat on. Also check the fuse box for a flipped switch if the heat pump isn’t turning on at all.

Contact Comfort Flow today for all heating repairs in Springfield OR.

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Springfield Heating FAQ: Heating Options in Springfield

Monday, January 21st, 2013

When you live in Springfield, OR, a good heating system is absolutely necessary to make sure that you stay comfortable during the winter. But which system is best for your home and for your personal preference. At Comfort Flow, we wanted to help out our local customers by putting together a quick guide about some of the more popular heating systems in Springfield, OR. If you have any questions about heating systems and which one is best for your home, just call your local Springfield heating contractor.

Traditional Furnaces and Boilers

The furnace and the boiler are two of the most popular heating system in the United States. They provide comfortable heat and are relatively efficient systems – especially if you bought yours less than 5 years ago. Furnaces are generally less expensive up front but can sometimes cause indoor air quality issues because they blow air around your home. Boilers are usually more expensive to install but offer comfortable radiant heat.

Heat Pumps in Springfield, OR

Heat pumps are a tremendously efficient way to heat your home. As a bonus, they also offer cooling for your home during the summer. Heat pumps are very efficient heating systems because they don’t actually consume any fuel to heat your home: they just move heat around. In heating mode, they collect heat from the outside air and move it into your home. However, during very cold winters, this can potentially be a problem when there is very little heat in the air. During those times, a back-up heating system is usually required.

Geothermal Heating and Air Conditioning Systems in Springfield, OR

Geothermal heating and AC systems are basically a heat pump. But unlike an air-source heat pump, geothermal systems use the energy stored in the ground to heat and cool your home. Geothermal systems required a large series of pipes to be buried in the ground and filled with refrigerant. In heating mode, the pipes gather heat stored in the earth and use it to heat your home. In cooling mode they do just the opposite: heat is removed from your home and deposited into the ground. These are very efficient systems that are able to take advantage of renewable energy in the earth.

When you need any kind of heating services, from heating installation to heating repairs, call Comfort Flow. We have experience working with all types and brands of heating systems in Springfield, OR.

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Springfield Heating Tip: What to Look for in a New Heat Pump

Monday, January 14th, 2013

If you’re interested in getting a heat pump in Springfield, there are many different things to consider as you start the process. Comfort Flow has been providing complete air conditioning and heating services in Springfield, OR since 1961. We’ve helped countless customers pick out and install new heat pumps for their homes. We thought we would share some of our experience and knowledge to help out our customers. If you have any questions about heat pumps, how they work and the installation process, just contact Comfort Flow today. One of our friendly heating and air conditioning technicians would be happy to talk with you.

How Heat Pumps Work

For those not familiar with heat pumps, here is a quick description of how they work. If you have a traditional central AC system, then you have a heat pump. Your air conditioner is a heat pump that simply moves heat out of your home to the outside. In heating mode, the process is just reversed: heat from the outside is moved into your home.

Heat Pump Benefits

Unlike other heating systems, heat pumps don’t burn fuel to create heat. So while a furnace or a boiler burns gas or oil to heat your home, a heat pump just takes available heat from the outside air and moves it into your home. This allows heat pumps to achieve a very high level of efficiency. The only energy source they need is electricity.

What to Look For In Your New Heat Pump

When you decide to get a new heat pump for your home, here are a few of the things you should think about as you move forward with the process.

  • Efficiency – One of the most attractive benefits of a heat pump is its high efficiency rating. Heat pumps are given a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating to describe how efficient it is in heating mode. A HSPF rating of 7.7 is required for Energy Star compliance. In cooling mode, heat pumps are typically given a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating which measures cooling output divided by energy consumption. A SEER rating of 14 is the minimum for Energy Star approval.
  • Source – Some people may not realize that there are several different types of heat pumps. As we mentioned above, heat pumps use the air as a source of heat for your home. Those heat pumps are referred to as “air-source” heat pumps. However, there are other sources of heat. There are ground-source heat pumps, also known as geothermal heat pumps. There are water-source heat pumps that use a lake or a river as a source of heat. These other types of heat pumps generally have space requirements which may make them unavailable to you depending on the size of your property.

If you have any questions about heat pumps, heat pump installation or repair, call the Springfield heating experts at Comfort Flow. We offer comprehensive heat pump services in Springfield, Oregon for all different types of heat pumps. Call us today to learn more!

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Eugene OR Heating FAQ: To Repair or Replace?

Monday, January 7th, 2013

When you have a problem with your home heating system you will generally opt to have that problem repaired rather than to replace your entire heating system. In certain cases, though, that decision may get more and more difficult to make. As the line begins to blur and you start to wonder whether or not further heating system repairs are justified the advice of a professional Eugene OR heating technician can be of real value.

If you are experiencing problems heating system in your home, contact the Eugene OR heating experts at Comfort Flow Heating. We can help you make the difficult decisions about when it may be time to replace your home heating system. Call us today to schedule high quality service from the local professionals you can trust. Contact Comfort Flow Heating today!

There are many factors that you must consider when deciding whether or not to replace your home heating system. One of the most important is the age of your system. Even if it is possible to have your heater repaired it may not be worthwhile once it gets past a certain age. Your 12 year old furnace, for instance, may be salvageable. However, even if it operates as efficiently as it did 12 years ago there is probably a big gap between what is considered highly efficient now and what was back then. If you have room in your budget it may be better to upgrade to a newer furnace. The potential energy savings can help offset the cost of your new heater.

You should also take into consideration the service needs of your current heater. If you keep up with regular, professional maintenance but find that your heater still requires frequent repairs or services then it may be time to invest in a new system. Even if it seems to be operating effectively it may not be doing so efficiently. Do not wind up paying too much for a decent performance because you assume if your heater operates it is doing so properly.

There is really no way for you to be sure which is the best decision for your heater without the help of a professional. If you are considering the installation of a replacement heating system in Eugene OR, contact Comfort Flow Heating first. We’ll help you make the right choice.

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How To Change an Air Filter

Friday, January 4th, 2013

Air Filters in your Heating and Air Conditioning system need to be changed regularly (ideally every three months). It is simple and easy to do! The life of your Heating and Air Conditioning system depends on regular maintenance and basic care. Just like an oil change for your car, regular filter changes keep your system running clean, providing the best quality air for your home or business. Give the experts at Comfort Flow a call for more information or to have someone come out for maintenance or repair. Check out the easy tutorial from one of our techs in the video below:

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