Our daytime temperatures are finally starting to climb, but our nights are still cool enough to warrant the continued use of our heating systems. Spring is a great time to assess your home’s needs, and if you found that you were struggling with your heating system this winter, it may be time to consider a replacement system. Most people think of replacement as something that occurs when your heater finally kicks the bucket, but it’s always a much better scenario to replace your system before you are completely without heat. Here are some ways to help tell if it’s time to replace your aging heater in Eugene, OR:
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Is It Time for Heater Replacement?
Monday, April 13th, 2015What Is Short-Cycling, and Why Should I Worry About It?
Friday, April 3rd, 2015Have you ever noticed your furnace behaving strangely? Shutting itself on and off every couple of minutes, for example? If you have, you’ve got a pretty serious problem. That behavior is one of the most damaging things that can happen to heating systems, known as “short-cycling.” So what is short-cycling, really? What does it do, and why should you care? Read on to find out.
Causes of Short-Cycling
There is one major cause of short cycling when it comes to furnaces: clogged air filters. The air filter is a fiber mesh that is inserted into the air return duct of the furnace. It is designed to protect the furnace against any particles that may blow in from the ducts, such as dust and dirt. The air filter captures these particles, while allowing the air to flow through it and into the furnace. While this works fairly well under normal circumstances, the air filter has no way to actually get rid of the particles that it captures. That means that sooner or later it will need to be cleaned or replaced. If this is not done, the air filter will become so clogged with particles that it will restrict the air flow into the furnace.
When the air flow into the furnace is obstructed, its internal temperature will begin to rise. Eventually, it will rise high enough to activate the limit switch, which is designed to shut down the furnace if it is in danger of overheating. This is only a temporary fix, however, as the air filter is still restricting the air flow into the furnace. Once the furnace starts back up, it will overheat again and be shut down again. This process will continue as long as the air filter remains clogged.
The Results of Short-Cycling
If not fixed immediately, short-cycling will start to inflict severe damage on the furnace. The startup sequence of the heating cycle is the most stressful, and also happens to be the part that the furnace becomes trapped repeating. This constant repetition of the most stressful part of the heating process puts the system under much more strain than it was designed to handle. A furnace often has its lifecycle severely shortened if left to short-cycle for a long period of time, and will have an increased chance of breaking down.
If you suspect that your furnace may be short-cycling, call Comfort Flow Heating for our comprehensive heating services in the Florence, OR area.
What Are Some Of My Options For A New Heating System in Salem, OR?
Wednesday, April 9th, 2014Heating systems in Salem and other Oregon towns are absolute necessities during the cold winter months. Now that temperatures are rising, you may want to replace an old, used system for a newer and more efficient one. Most people are accustomed to either forced air furnaces or boiler systems, and they’re both effective means of getting the job done. But they’re not the only ways of heating your home, and alternative methods cold offer some benefits that you might not have considered otherwise. “What are some of my options for a new heating system in Salem, OR?” you ask.
We’ve outlined three popular choices below:
- Radiant heating. Radiant heating is used in boiler technology, but a formal system takes it in a much different direction. Metal tubes and reflective tiles are placed beneath your floor, through which heated water is circulated. This warms the room from the floor up, transferring warmth directly through furniture and your feet. It’s very efficient – costing much less in monthly heating bills as forced air furnaces – and it also eliminates problems such as drafts and blown dust.
- Heat pumps. Heat pumps combine the effects of a heater and an air conditioner, using cycled refrigerant to alternately warm and cool the air. That gives them increased efficiency, as well as combining heating and cooling needs into a single unit. Like radiant heating, heat pumps are very cost-effective, and while they struggle a bit in cold weather, they can be paired with electric heaters that still save you money on costs.
- Geothermal heating. Geothermal heating often appears in houses on large property lots, since they often require a fair amount of space. The system buries a series of coils 6-8 feet beneath the earth, where the temperatures remain constant. Liquid is pumped through the tubes, which swaps heat back and forth with the earth. As with the other systems we’ve discussed, it’s very inexpensive month to month, and environmentally friendly to boot.
If you wish to discuss some of your options for a new heating system in Salem, OR, call upon the experts at Comfort Flow Heating for help. We’re fast and efficient, and we can spell out your options with you before performing the installation. Give us a call today!
Reasons to Consider a Reverse Cycle Chiller
Thursday, February 27th, 2014Most businesses take up larger spaces than residential homes, and therefore they require air conditioning and heating on a more advanced level. One of the comfort systems that we recommend for business owners is the reverse cycle chiller, which works effectively in all temperatures and at a lower cost than many rooftop package unit heat pumps.
If you are interested in learning more about reverse cycle chillers, or if you want to schedule installation, call Comfort Flow Heating. We specialize in commercial installation, maintenance, and heating repair in Salem, OR.
What is a reverse cycle chiller? It works similar to a heat pump, except that it doesn’t heat and cool the air. Instead, it works on water. Its heat pump unit is connected to an insulated water tank to which it either removes or adds heat. The conditioned water is then pumped from the tank and to the various places where either heating or cooling is required.
Why should you consider a reverse cycle chiller for your commercial building? Here are a few reasons:
- No backup burner required: If you use a standard air-source heat pump, it requires a backup burner to supply heat when the system switches from cooling mode to heating mode. This burner is important to make sure that the heat pump doesn’t continue to blow out cold air while the coils defrost. With a reverse cycle chiller, hot water from the tank defrosts the coils and removes the need for the extra burner. This saves energy and assures you’ll receive warm air instead of cold air when you want it.
- Efficient operation in cold temperatures: An issue that air-source heat pumps can encounter is that when the temperature drops below freezing they will struggle to remove heat from the cold air. Reverse cycle chillers operate through water and do not have trouble with lower temperatures. Even when the temperature outdoors is freezing, a reverse cycle chiller can heat water to above 100°F. (Don’t worry about the water in the chiller freezing; the constant cycling through the system prevents this.)
- Energy conservation: Reverse cycle chillers are a popular alternative when a geothermal ground-source heat pump is not possible. These chillers use up to 10% fewer kilowatts per hour than a geothermal heat pump, and because of their efficiency at providing heat, they require no supplementary source like heat strips that are often necessary for ground-source heat pumps.
A reverse cycle chiller may not be the optimal choice for your building, so let the professionals at Comfort Flow Heating evaluate your needs to help you select the best option for comfort for your workers, customers, and clients. We can provide heating installation and heating repair in Salem, OR for your company, and then deliver the maintenance to keep the system running for many years.
How Does a Thermocouple Work?
Friday, January 10th, 2014Homeowners often express concern about having a natural gas-powered furnace installed in their house. For the most part, these concerns are unwarranted; as long as they receive regular maintenance once a year to see that all of their components are functioning properly, gas furnaces present few health hazards and should work effectively and safely for many years.
One of the ways that the manufacturers of gas furnaces keep their products safe is through a device called the thermocouple. We’ll explain what it is and how it works to keep you safe.
For help with your heating in Salem, OR, contact Comfort Flow Heating today. We will make sure you get the most from your furnace.
The thermocouple
A thermocouple is a device that consists of a pair of strips of metal made from different material. It is installed so that its ends are in the pilot light of the furnace. The thermocouple detects the heat from the pilot light, and should the pilot light go out accidentally, the thermocouple will automatically shut off the gas valve. This prevents unburned gas from flooding into the combustion chamber, where a small spark might cause an explosion.
The thermocouple performs its job through a thermoelectric effect known as the “Seebeck effect,” named after Thomas Johann Seebeck, a German-Estonian physicist who discovered the effect in 1821. Seebeck found that two separate types of metal in proximity to each other will generate electrical voltage in proportion to the heat they sense. The higher the heat around the two metal pieces, the higher the voltage.
The thermocouple in a gas furnace is designed to keep the gas valve open through its electric voltage. If the pilot light goes out, the loss in heat causes the voltage between the two pieces of metal to drop, and this shuts the valve and reduces the combustion risk.
It’s a remarkable feat for so simple and small a device. However, a thermocouple can break, rust, or fall out of place, and this can lead to a potential hazard if the pilot light fails. This is one of the reasons you need to schedule regular preventive maintenance for your gas furnace: technicians will catch failing thermocouples and replace them with the correct unit.
(Some current gas furnaces use a mercury sensor instead of a thermocouple. Your technician will know how to handle potential problems with mercury sensors as well.)
Stay safe this winter with your heating system in Salem, OR: call Comfort Flow Heating and enroll in our maintenance program. We are also ready to help you with repairs, any time of the day or night.
Reasons You Should Consider Radiant Heating in Salem, OR
Wednesday, December 18th, 2013The first time people experience radiant floor heating when they are a guest in someone’s house, it usually astonishes them. The level of warmth, the sensation of heat pouring onto them straight from the sun on a summer day, is so different from the feeling of hot air blown about a room from a furnace, or even the heating coming from a radiator attached to a boiler. Once people have an encounter with radiant heating, they usually want to know if they can have their own system installed.
There are a number of good reasons to consider radiant heating in Salem, OR, beyond their wonderful comfort. If you want to know more, contact our radiant heating specialists at Comfort Flow Heating. They can help you decide if radiant heating will work for your home, as well as determine the type and size to install.
Advantages of radiant heating
- Cleaner air: Low indoor air quality is one of the leading health risks in the U.S. (according to the U.S. Department of Health), and one of the main contributors is dust blown from the ductwork connected to heat pumps and furnaces. Radiant heating doesn’t need ducts: instead, it uses the clean power of heat waves radiating from warmed objects. If there are people living in your home with allergies to dust, pollen, or hair, radiant floor heating will especially benefit them.
- Energy efficiency: Forced-air heating systems often blow heat into the upper areas of rooms, where it gathers without warming the space effectively. You have to keep a furnace or heat pump on longer to provide sufficient heat to make a difference. But radiant heating gives you heat directly, from the floor under your feet, and it rises evenly through the room. You’ll need to run your heater far less to get the same level of comfort. Radiant floor heating also experiences no heat loss along ducts, furthering its energy efficiency.
- Less noise pollution, less visual pollution: Radiant heaters operate so quietly that you’ll hardly notice yours working—except for the cozy warm floorboards. And you shouldn’t see it much either, since if properly installed, a radiant heating system is almost invisible, without needs for vents or radiators.
You might want to dash out right now and order installation of a radiant heating system, but be cautious: the installation process is extensive, and it may not even be the best option for heating your home. For these reasons, make sure you contact experts in radiant heating to help you find out if this is the best path to take, and to have quality installers on the job if you decide to move forward.
For over 50 years, Comfort Flow Heating has helped our clients live better with quality heating in Salem, OR. Let us assist you with radiant floor heating today.
Why Are Furnaces So Popular?
Tuesday, November 19th, 2013Furnaces are the oldest of all home heating systems, dating back to before the Industrial Revolution, when they principally burned wood. But despite their age, furnaces still remain popular across the U.S. and the rest of North America as ways to provide heat during the winter. With so many technological advances in the HVAC industry during the last hundred years, why have furnaces continued to top the list of options for heating?
If, after reading over these reasons for the enduring popularity of furnaces, you are interested in installing one to solve your heating needs, contact the Springfield, OR heating technicians at Comfort Flow Heating. No job is too small or too large for us.
One of the reasons furnaces remain popular is that those same advances in HVAC technology have affected furnaces as well: today’s gas furnaces from respected manufacturers like Trane perform at levels of efficiency unthinkable only 20 years in the past. Some models score AFUE ratings of 96.7%, meaning they consume almost 97% of the fuel they use when providing you heat—the energy waste is minimal.
Another benefit of furnaces is their flexibility. Furnaces can run from a variety of fuels: electricity, natural gas, oil, propane. They also come in many different sizes to accommodate the heating needs of many different homes. It’s rare that we can’t find a particular furnace that is a perfect match for a customer’s home.
Furnaces are also price-competitive: high-efficiency furnaces cost far less than they did only a decade ago. Where effective gas furnaces were once out of the price range of many families, they are now attractive alternatives that won’t break the bank and return the money with their energy savings.
Finally, furnaces use forced-air heating sent through ductwork to operate. Since most homes already have ductwork, it’s easy to have a furnace installed and hooked up to the pre-existing ducts.
You should definitely have a furnace on your list of options for heating your home: don’t push them aside because they seem “old fashioned.” Trust to Comfort Flow Heating and our 50 years of experience providing quality heating service in Springfield, OR. We install top-of-the-line Trane furnaces, and we can locate the right model furnace for your home.
What’s the Difference Between Forced-Air Heat and Radiant Heat?
Tuesday, November 12th, 2013In Springfield, OR, heating services need to address a number of different types of heater. Our winters are cold, but we also embrace innovation, and while plenty of homes use traditional forced-air burners, many other use newer forms of heating such as geothermal and radiant heating systems. If you’re going to add a new heater, you need to understand how each one is distinguished from the others. For example, what’s the difference between forced-air heat and radiant heat?
Forced-air heat comes from a gas furnace, which heats the air before blowing it into a system of ducts to be distributed throughout your home. Radiant heat, on the other hand, relies upon a system of tubes or coils placed directly beneath your flooring. It sends warmth up through the floor, the furniture and even the people in the room.
The differences between the two are very clear. Forced-air systems rely upon reliable air flow and are subject to the vagaries of your home’s layout. It can result in drafty areas, cold spots and the general unpredictability of air movement. Radiant heating systems, on the other hand, heat the space much more evenly because they do so through the floor. They avoid the unpredictability of forced-air systems, and because they are much more efficient, they can save you a huge amount on your monthly heating bills in the process.
However, the initial installation of a radiant heating system can cost quite a bit more than a gas furnace. It can also involve a lot more fuss and bother, since the floors of your home need to be torn up in order to install it. It becomes a question of short-term investment vs. long-term gain, and it’s up to the individual homeowner to decide which path to take.
For more information on the difference between forced-air heat and radiant heat, contact Comfort Flow Heating. We operate out of Springfield, OR, heating services are our specialty, and we can explain all of your options to you before you decide on a course of action. Pick up the phone and call our Springfield, OR heating service technicians today!
Signs That You Need to Replace Your Heater
Tuesday, October 8th, 2013Replacing any large appliance in your home, such as a refrigerator or oven, is a major step. When it comes to your heating system, however, it’s both a major step and a complex one. A new heater requires professional installation that takes into consideration numerous factors about your house. It isn’t something to take lightly, but it’s often the wisest solution for getting the best and most cost-efficient home heating.
Although heating replacement is a large task, it doesn’t have to be stressful for you if you hire the right company to perform the installation. The Salem, OR heating professionals at Comfort Flow Heating can handle any size installation and get it done right the first time so you’ll have fewer worries about repairs and breakdowns in the future.
Look for the following signals that your current heating system might be nearing the end of its lifespan:
Consistently high energy bills: If you’ve inspected your power bill and noticed a rise in costs that goes beyond normal seasonal changes or inflation, then you may have a heater that’s too aged and worn to work efficiently. Any machine will wear down over time, no matter how well it’s cared for, and your heater will eventually reach a stage where it must drain excess energy to keep up with your comfort needs. A professional can perform tests to see if your heater has lost efficiency and if it requires replacement.
Mounting repair expenses: Heaters will suffer malfunctions and require repairs at some point—but if those repairs start to come frequently, then the most economical move may be to replace it entirely with a sturdy new model. Look over the repair bills for the past three years and compare them to the cost of a new installation.
Extreme noise levels: A sudden, unexpected noise from your heater may warn you it needs professional repairs. But if your heater begins to make almost constant noise much higher than what you expect, the issue may be that its components have gotten too worn down from age. Think about getting a replacement before a full shutdown leaves you in the cold.
Seeking the advice of HVAC professionals about whether or not to install a new heater is the first step to take. If you do decide to get a new heater, the professionals can help you find the right type, model, and size to suit your home, and then install it quickly and properly.
Comfort Flow Heating installs the top brands of furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless mini splits to fit all needs. Put your Salem, OR heating concerns in our experienced hands.
How To Prepare Your Heating System for The Fall
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013As we continue to roll into fall, many homeowners may be starting to think about turning on their heater for the first time since summer. However, before you do that, there are a few things you may want to think about doing to prepare your heater for the fall and winter. Read on below and then give us a call here at Comfort Flow Heating if you have any questions about our Springfield, OR heating services.
Here’s a Springfield, OR Heat Tip On How to Prepare Your Heater for the Fall Season
Here are a few things that you can do to make sure that you get great heating all fall and winter long:
Heating Maintenance
Probably the best thing that you can do for the efficiency and effectiveness of your heating system is to get it maintained by a professional before the cold weather really arrives. When your Springfield, OR heating technicians visit your home, they will perform a thorough inspection of your heating system. They will clean out all of the components, lubricate the motors, check the electrical and fuel systems, and they will also alert you to any problems that they might find. Doing this can help you find any small issues early and clear out any problems that could have developed over the summer. There are a few very important benefits to doing this including:
- Reduced repair
- Increased efficiency
- Extended equipment life
Change the Air Filter
Another important thing to do for your heating system is to change the air filter. If you’re like many homeowners, then your air conditioning system likely uses the same air filter to keep dust and dirt from getting into its moving parts. Changing the air filter after all the summer use that your AC got could help keep air flowing freely through the system.
Give us a call here at Comfort Flow Heating if you need any kind of Springfield, OR heating services like repair, installation or maintenance.
