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Posts Tagged ‘Springfield’

We’ll Be at the Home Building & Remodeling EXPO: May 18, 19 and 20th

Wednesday, May 9th, 2018

expo-logoComfort Flow Heating will be at the upcoming Home Building & Remodeling EXPO in Springfield, OR, with our own booth. This is the first Home Building & Remodeling Expo held by the Home Builders Association of Lane County, and it will give the community the opportunity to meet professional local businesses in the housing industry. If you’re considering doing building or remodeling for your home, the Expo is your one-stop shopping place for the many services you need. You can meet with landscapers, designers, builders, remodelers, and more. It’s the only show of its kind in Springfield!

We’ll be there presenting the best in the HVAC installations you need for comfort in your new home or to complete your remodeling project. Are you interested in using radiant floor heating for your house, or are you considering putting in ductless mini splits for flexible construction planning? We’ll help you explore all the options available to you for great heating and cooling. Stop by and say hello! We are in booths #207, 208, and 209.

Willamalane Center
250 S. 32nd Street
Springfield, OR 97478

Expo Hours

Friday, May 18th: 5pm – 8 pm
Saturday, May 19th: 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday, May 20th:10 am – 5 pm

Admission and parking are free for guests!

Comfort Flow Heating serves all of Oregon with heating and cooling.

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Upgrades to Consider During Air Conditioning Installation

Friday, August 22nd, 2014

When you install a new air conditioner for your home, you will likely receive a system with improved energy efficiency over your older system. However, you don’t have to let the benefits end there. As part of installation, you can choose some additional upgrades for your HVAC system to improve performance and increase energy efficiency.

Comfort Flow Heating has performed air conditioning installations in Springfield, OR for more than 50 years. We know many ways to upgrade your AC system that help you get the most from your cooling.

We’ve listed some of your options below; to find out more, contact one of our cooling specialists today.

New Thermostat

If you’ve had your current air conditioner for more than 10 years, you probably have an outdated thermostat controlling it. If you still use a manual thermostat, now is the time to switch to a more precise digital model. If you already have a digital model, you can upgrade to one with programmable features that will allow you control the temperature even when you are away from home. A new thermostat will make your life easier, your comfort better, and your utility bills lower.

Zone Control System

With a central air conditioning system that uses ductwork, you must cool down every room whenever the AC turns on. But installing a zone control system into the ventilation changes that. Dampers placed into the ductwork and connected to separate thermostats allow you to shut off cooling to different areas (“zones”) of the house, saving you money and allowing individuals to adjust the temperature in their area to their needs.

Heat Pump

This is an upgrade for your whole system, and for your comfort during the whole year. Instead of putting in another standard air conditioner, you can choose to install a heat pump. A heat pump works the same way as an air conditioner—except that it can reverse the direction that it moves heat and bring heat into your home. So it works as both an air conditioner and a heater, packed into one unit. It works more efficiently than most heaters as well.

Comfort Flow Heating can install all of this and more for your air conditioning installation in Springfield, OR. We also strongly recommend that you sign our Energy Savings Agreement, which will delivery you annual maintenance for both your air conditioning and heating system to make sure they work in prime condition for many years. We offer 1-, 2-, and 3-year agreements, so you can select the plan that best suits your budget. In addition, the Energy Savings Agreement provides a 15% discount on repairs, 24-hour emergency service, and priority customer scheduling.

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How Do Air Conditioning Repairs Improve Energy Efficiency?

Friday, August 1st, 2014

During the summer, you’re used to seeing your energy bills go up and up. But you may have unusually high bills if you allow air conditioning repair needs to go unaddressed for too long. Air conditioning works by removing heat from a home and releasing it outdoors. This process repeats over and over again until your home reaches the desired temperature. If a problem interferes with heat exchange, however, your air conditioner will have to run for a longer period of time and work a lot harder to reach this temperature. When your air conditioner cycles for too long, you use a lot of energy even though your home may never be able to reach the set temperature with some problems.

Types of AC Repairs that Can Improve Efficiency

There are many problems that can cause your air conditioner to consume a lot of energy. Here are some of the repairs that can improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.

  • Frozen Evaporator Coil: The evaporator coil freezes when there is reduced airflow in the indoor portion of an AC. This coil helps to remove heat from the air, so any hindrance reduces its ability to transfer heat. Repairing a frozen coil restores efficiency, allowing the heat exchange process to take place uninterrupted.
  • Thermostat Issues: Replacing a faulty thermostat is another way to improve efficiency. Sometimes, wiring issues can cause the air conditioner to short cycle, or your home may never reach the set temperature. A new digital thermostat can not only solve these problems, but may also have more features than your older model.
  • Fan Motor Problems: As refrigerant cycles through the indoor evaporator unit of your AC, a blower fan moves indoor air over the evaporator coil and distributes cool air throughout your home, while an outdoor fan helps refrigerant to condense and dissipates heat outdoors. A broken fan motor may cause a fan to turn too slowly, and repairing or replacing the part can keep air moving through your unit and into your home.

Don’t let repair needs go unexamined for any longer. For air conditioning repair service in Springfield, OR, call Comfort Flow Heating today!

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How to Properly Prepare for Air Conditioning Installation

Friday, July 18th, 2014

A whole-home air conditioner can be a great asset for your property, but it’s not like purchasing a simple window fan. An air conditioning system is a large appliance that will have an effect on everyone in your home for a number of years, so it’s important to take a number of steps before installing an air conditioning system in your home.

Choose a Type of Air Conditioning System

When it comes to air conditioning systems, there are a number of options available for purchase. Each type offers its own set of benefits, which you can discuss with your air conditioning installation expert:

  • Traditional split system – a very popular choice for residential properties, a split system air conditioner has two units, indoor and outdoor, that deliver the cool air via ductwork. The outdoor unit contains the compressor, condenser, condenser fan and coils; the inside unit houses the blower and evaporator coils. Even though there are two units, the system works as a single, closed system.
  • Ductless mini-split system – ductless systems have an outdoor unit very similar to a traditional split-system AC, but use separate individual blowers to distribute the air throughout your home rather than ductwork. Blowers can be installed into your choice of rooms, and each outdoor unit can support up to 4 blowers.
  • Geothermal system – geothermal systems use an in-ground loop to take advantage of the steady temperature of the earth below the frost line to both heat and cool your home. A geothermal system extracts the heat from the Earth during the winter and, using the heat pump, delivers it to your home. In summer, the heat pump removes the heat from your home and deposits it into the Earth. There is no use of fossil fuel with a geothermal system and the only component that needs electricity is the heat pump, which requires very little energy to run.

Choosing a Size

Size is very important when it comes to your air conditioning installation. An AC that is either too big or too small will result in discomfort and potential problems with the system itself. The best way to accurately calculate what size of air conditioner is best for your home is to determine the cooling load needed. This is done by considering a number of factors that answer the important question, “how much cooling does my home really need?” This calculation can be complex, so it is strongly recommended you work with a trained professional.

Energy Efficiency

Today’s air conditioners are very energy efficient. This efficiency is measured by a number known as a SEER number – seasonal energy efficiency rating. This rating starts at a minimum of 13 and can go as high as 23.  A high efficiency level is great for the environment and your monthly bills, but typically, the higher the SEER number, the more expensive the system. A trained professional can help you determine what the best SEER number is for your home and wallet, both short- and long-term.

A lot of factors need to be considered and weighed when purchasing a new air conditioning system. For over 50 years, Comfort Flow Heating has helped many customers with their air conditioning installations in the Springfield, OR area. If you are ready for a new air conditioner, call the experts who can help you with every aspect of your installation: Comfort Flow Heating.

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What Are My Air Conditioning Options Here In Springfield, OR?

Thursday, June 19th, 2014

Many industries are experiencing a push for better technology to help with the environment while also helping consumers; the cooling industry is no different. At Comfort Flow Heating, we’ve been able to see these advances implemented in our customers’ homes, and we look forward to continuing to bring the best cooling products to our customer base. Are you considering an air conditioning installation for your Springfield property? If so, we’ll tell you about several air conditioner options currently available on the market.

Types of Air Conditioning Systems Available

It’s a good to have choices, but sometimes it can be it a bit overwhelming when trying to decide what air conditioner will work best for your home. A lot goes into choosing the right air conditioner, so it’s important to work with a professional.

Traditional Split-System

One of the most common types of air conditioners found in residential properties, a traditional split-system AC has two units – one indoor, one outdoor – that delivers cool air via ductwork. The outdoor unit contains the compressor and condenser while the inside unit contains the evaporator and blower.

Ductless Split-System

Long used in commercial spaces, ductless air conditioning is becoming a very popular choice with homeowners. As per the name, a ductless system does not need ductwork to deliver cool air, opening the possibility of whole-home air conditioning to property owners that do not have ducted systems.

A ductless air conditioner has an outdoor unit very similar to a traditional split system, but uses individual indoor blowers to deliver the cold air. The outdoor unit connects to the indoor blowers through a conduit placed in an exterior wall in which the refrigerant and drainage lines are housed. Each blower has its own programmable thermostat, giving the ability for zone control, and the blowers can be mounted flush to a wall, hung from a ceiling or left free-standing.

Geothermal System

A geothermal system uses the ground’s natural, stable temperature to provide heating and cooling. The upper ten feet of the earth’s surface stays at a steady temperature between 50° to 61°F (10° to 16°C). Using a geothermal device, the system draws heat energy into the outdoor heat sink and transfers the cool temperatures into a warmer area. Geothermal systems need ductwork to deliver the cooled air.

Use a Professional When Choosing Your Air Conditioner

A whole-home air conditioner is a big purchase that is meant for the long-term, which is why it is important to work with a professional to ensure your air conditioning system fits with your property. Have questions about your air conditioner options? Call Comfort Flow Heating today and schedule professional air conditioning installation in Springfield, OR.

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What Steps Are Involved in Heating Maintenance?

Friday, March 28th, 2014

Annual maintenance for your heating system from a trained professional is essential for prolonging your system’s life and receiving the most efficient and trouble-free performance you can from it. You should schedule maintenance for your heater during the fall, although you can start at any time if for some reason you had to put it off. The important part is that you have it done every year for your heating system.

We offer an Energy Savings Agreement at Comfort Flow Heating that will provide you with a precision tune-up for your Springfield, OR heating system and for your air conditioner. Call us today to sign up to start saving energy and keep your heater in excellent shape.

Here are the basic steps in heating maintenance you can expect whenever a trained technician shows up at your home for the annual visit:

  • Thermostat check: It’s important first to make sure that the thermostat is correctly calibrated and has no connection issues, or else it will be difficult to determine the condition of the rest of the heater.
  • Check components connected to the gas line (natural gas heaters): The technician checks the gas line, the burner, the ignition, and the heat exchanger to make sure there are no safety or performance concerns.
  • Tighten connections: The technician sees that all electrical connections on the heating system are secure, and tightens any loose ones that might become safety hazards. The technician then checks the voltage on the motors.
  • Lubricating moving parts: To ensure the heater works with the least amount of stress and power drain, the technicians lubricate all the moving parts, such as motors and compressors.
  • Check refrigerant level (heat pumps): The technician checks that the refrigerant is at its proper level, and recharges it if necessary.
  • Control board check: The technician looks over the control board to see that it is operating the heater correctly. This involves testing each part of the system to see that it comes on, operates, and turns off properly. After this is done, the technician will know if the heater is running better because of the tune-up.

The Energy Savings Agreement at Comfort Flow Heating doesn’t just provide you with regular maintenance. You’ll also receive priority scheduling, a 15% discount on repairs, and no overtime charges.

Don’t wait to start maintenance for your heater: if it’s been more than a year, call us right away and set up your first inspection and tune-up visit.

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Commercial Heating Repair Needs in Springfield

Monday, January 27th, 2014

If you are a business owner, you know that keeping your employees and/or customers comfortable is important for maintaining a pleasant environment, one to which customers wish to return and where employees work their best.

Commercial heating is much different from heating a home. Although some of the systems are similar, commercial heaters are larger, more intricate, have complex controls, and require special attention. When you have needs for commercial heating repair in Springfield, OR, you should call specialists.

Comfort Flow Heating has more than 50 years of helping both businesses and homes in the Wilamette Valley, and we have built up a trusted name for quality. Make us your first call for any of these repairs for your business.

Repair needs your commercial heating may need

  • Leaking boiler: If your building uses a boiler to provide it with heat, it is crucial to stop leaking as soon as possible. Not only will leaking begin to impair the boiler’s performance, but leaks will cause significant damage to building material, ruining drywall and causing ceiling tiles to collapse. Commercial boilers have extensive pipe systems, so having professionals track down all the leaks to seal them is essential. The professionals will also locate the cause of the leaking.
  • Fixing blower problems in rooftop units: The most common type of HVAC system for businesses is the packaged rooftop unit, which places the cabinet out of the sight of the public but also in a place where it can perform its job without obstructions. But this also puts the unit in a place where it can suffer damage from outside conditions—especially if it is not receiving regular maintenance a few times a year. The most common problem that commercial HVAC technicians deal with when it comes to rooftop units is damage with the fans, fan belts, and motors inside the blower units.
  • Repairing thermostats: One of the more complex aspects of commercial heating is the multiple thermostats used to control them. It’s common for problems to appear to develop in a heating system, but are actually issues with the electrical connections in the thermostats. Technicians can usually trace these problems down quickly and perform the necessary repairs or replacements.

You can’t afford to wait to call for professional commercial heating repair. Not only will your business face uncomfortable conditions, but the repairs will only become more expensive the longer you wait. Call on commercial HVAC experts as soon as you sense there’s a problem. Comfort Flow Heating is on call 24 hours a day for your needs for commercial heating repair in Springfield, OR.

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How Does a Heat Pump Work in the Winter?

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Heat pumps are remarkable devices that combine the power of an air conditioner and a heater in one convenient unit. Heat pumps actually use the same action to produce cooling as to produce heat; they aren’t two separate units packaged together. This often leads to some confusion in homeowners about how exactly a heat pump operates. We’ll go into a bit more detail about how these systems work and answer a question we often hear: how can a heat pump extract heat from cold weather during the winter?

If you need help installing, repairing, or maintaining a heat pump, contact the Springfield, OR heating system specialists at Comfort Flow Heating. We offer 24-hour emergency heating repair in Springfield, OR.

Heat pump basics

A heat pump operates in the same way as an air conditioning system, except it can run the direction of the heat exchange two ways. Heat exchange is the movement of heat from one location to another. When a heat pump is in cooling mode, heat exchange carries heat from the inside of a home and removes it to the outside. Removing heat gives the feeling of cool, and the blower fans send out this conditioned air through your home. But when the heat pump changes over to heating mode, the direction switches so the heat pump removes heat from outside and brings in indoors.

“But wait,” people often ask at this point, “since the heat pump will only run in heating mode during cold weather, how is it removing heat from the outside? How can it get heat from cold air?”

The answer is that there is always some heat in cold air, unless the temperature is absolute zero (which is a hypothetical temperature anyway) and there is no molecular motion. As long as there is some molecular motion, some heat exists. The heat pump uses the process of evaporation to extract the heat that is available.

However, it does become more and more difficult for heat pumps to remove the heat the lower the thermometer drops. When the temperature goes below freezing, heat pumps will tend to start losing their heating efficiency. In general, heat pumps have lower efficiency ratings for heating than they do for cooling. For this reason, we highly recommend that you consult with heating experts before you schedule a heat pump installation. Professional installers can estimate whether a heat pump will be able to provide sufficient heat for your home, and offer other options if a heat pump is not the ideal choice.

Call us for heating advice

Comfort Flow Heating has more than half a century of experience with heating homes, so you can trust us to provide you with what you need for heating this winter. If you need heating repair in Springfield, OR—or any other heating service—contact us today.

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Can a Damaged Heater Still Work?

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Like cars and computers, a damaged heating system can sometimes still soldier on while performing its basic function. And, like cars and computers, you don’t want your heater to keep operating if it’s damaged, even if it can. For many reasons, you need to have repair work done right away before you continue using your heater.

If you contact an HVAC repair specialist, such as Comfort Flow Heating, you can have the damages to your heater fixed and the system working optimally once more in only a short time. The expense for having repairs done is minimal compared to what can go wrong if your heater keeps running when it’s impaired. Call for heating repair service in Springfield, OR as soon as the need appears.

But what’s wrong with still running the heater?

Many things. Let’s run down the major ones:

  • A damaged heater presents a safety hazard. This is particularly important for a gas-powered furnace, where damages like a cracked heat exchanger can lead to the release of carbon monoxide exhaust into your home, which is both toxic and combustible. Malfunctioning electrical heaters can also trigger fires due to wiring problems.
  • A damaged heater wastes energy. The heating system must do more work to reach the level of heating it is supposed to, and this will cause your energy bills to rise.
  • A damaged heater is more likely to break down. A single repair need on a heater that’s left without attention will start to cause other problems, and eventually your heater will not run at all.
  • A damaged heater won’t keep you comfortable. Your comfort will suffer if your heater has to struggle with damage. You can expect to find cold rooms in your home when the heating system malfunctions.
  • A damaged heater will have a shorter lifespan. Just as the heater risks breaking down because of damages left unattended, it also risks failing permanently. You want your heater to last as long as possible, maybe even exceed its manufacturer’s estimated lifespan… and that won’t happen if it operates while damaged.

Prompt repairs are the answer

Whatever damage your heater has sustained—whether breaks in the ducts, broken fan belts, damaged geothermal coils—you need it taken care of as soon as possible. Look to a company with 24-hour emergency service and years of experience to get your system back to prime working condition.

Comfort Flow Heating can fill your needs for heating repair service in Springfield, OR. We’ve been in business for over 50 years, and we will answer your calls around the clock. Don’t “drive” a damaged heater: call Comfort Flow Heating today!

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Why Are Furnaces So Popular?

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

Furnaces 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.

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