Problems with your air conditioner, as with most HVAC systems, are progressive in nature. The longer a problem is allowed to persist, the more likely that it will spread to other parts of the system. Some problems can even cause the entire air conditioner to break down if left alone for long enough. So how can you identify problems in time to stop them from damaging your system? By recognizing the signs. Read on for 3 common signs that your air conditioner needs repairs.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Archive for April, 2015
3 Signs That Your Air Conditioner Needs Repairs
Monday, April 27th, 2015Types of Indoor Air Purifiers That Can Benefit You
Monday, April 20th, 2015Though your indoor air may seem clean, chances are you are inhaling millions of microscopic contaminants with every breath you take. The average home contains many varieties of airborne pollutants, including dust, germs, pollen, and mold spores. These various contaminants are responsible for allergy attacks, as well as illnesses like the cold and flu. Fortunately, there are air purifiers available on the market that combat the contaminants that cause poor indoor air quality. Let’s have a look at a few different types of indoor air purifiers.
Air Conditioning Problems That You Need to Know About
Monday, April 13th, 2015Spring is upon us, and summer will be here in just a couple of months. That means that now is the time to get your air conditioner in top operating condition. Preventive maintenance during this time of year is highly recommended, as it will help identify problems that need to be fixed. If you haven’t had the chance to schedule maintenance for your air conditioner yet, though, you should keep an eye out for any problems that may already be present. Read on for a list of air conditioning problems that you need to know about.
3 Major Benefits of Radiant Heating Systems
Monday, April 6th, 2015Radiant heating systems are boiler-based heaters, which use hot water to distribute heat throughout a house. The boiler heats and distributes water through pipe networks in the walls and subfloors of each room. As the water flows through the pipes, it transmits heats through the pipes and into the rooms. The concept of radiant heating dates back to ancient times, when the Romans would have hot water channeled through canals under their floors.
Despite its long history, however, in modern times radiant heating has been eclipsed in popularity by forced-air systems. This is unfortunate, as modern hydronic radiant heating offers a lot of unique advantages. Let’s take a look at 3 of the major benefits that you can garner from installing a radiant heating system.
Energy Efficiency
Having an energy-efficient heating system is a great way to reduce your home’s operating costs. The average forced-air heating system loses around 20 to 30 percent of its output to leaks in the ductwork, according to the US Department of Energy. Radiant heating uses water pipes instead of ductwork, which enables it to deliver far more of its heat to the target destination. As water is a much more effective thermal conductor than air, a room serviced by a radiant heating system will also heat up faster and stay warm for longer.
Health
Forced air heating systems often negatively affect the indoor air quality of the homes in which they are installed. Airborne contaminants have a tendency to collect in ductwork, and are circulated throughout the house whenever the heater is turned on. Using a forced-air heater too much also has a tendency to dry out the air in the house. These two factors contribute to allergy attacks and illnesses. Radiant systems circulate heat without affecting the air quality inside your home, so you can use them as much as you want without worry.
Comfort
When warm air is pumped into a room, it will immediately rise to the ceiling. As it cools, it will slowly sink to the floor of the room. This creates uncomfortable hot and cold spots in rooms heated by forced-air systems. Hydronic radiant heaters, by contrast, don’t use air as a medium to transport heat. The thermal energy moves directly through solid objects, keeping it near the floor of the room where people are most able to benefit from it.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of radiant heating, call Saddleback Plumbing. We provide heating services throughout Orange County.
Furnace Short-Cycling: Why It Happens, What to Do About It
Friday, April 3rd, 2015If your furnace is turning on and off rapidly, more often than it should, it is short-cycling. This is a problem since it will put extra strain on the furnace, raise heating bills, and create repair issues. If you need help with a short-cycling furnace, call on Saddleback Plumbing. We have many years of experience in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with furnace repair, installation, and other services. With more than three decades of helping Orange County stay warm, we are the contractor you should trust for furnace repairs.
Reasons that short-cycling may occur
The bad news first: if you have a new furnace that is short cycling, the problem may be that the furnace is the wrong size for your home. Putting in a furnace that is too large for the area it is supposed to heat is a common error that amateurs make, and one of the reasons you should only entrust furnace installation to experience professionals. If this is the case with your furnace, you usually must start over and have experienced technicians put in a new furnace.
Now for reasons a furnace might short-cycle that require less drastic repairs:
- The air filter is clogged: This is a common problem, but thankfully it’s easy to fix. Check on the furnace’s filter; if it is congested with debris, change it (and keep doing it every month when the furnace runs on a regular basis) so the furnace receives proper airflow once more. If the furnace continues to short-cycle, call for professional repairs.
- Thermostat trouble: A malfunctioning thermostat that reads the incorrect temperatures will cause a furnace to shut off before it should. Check to see that the thermostat isn’t exposed to drafts or extra heat. In some cases, the thermostat may need to be moved to a new location.
- The furnace is overheating: Contemporary furnaces have safety devices to prevent them from overheating. These precautions will shut off the furnace if one of the heat exchangers grows too hot. This will cause short-cycling, and is a repair you need have taken care of immediately.
Please, do not attempt to investigate any furnace short-cycling on your own. Furnaces are complex appliances, and only trained professionals should repair them. This is especially true for a natural gas furnace, the most common type found in homes today. Let Saddleback Plumbing handle the job of finding out what problems are causing your furnace to short-cycle and fix them. We are the Rancho Santa Margarita, CA furnace service professionals who will see that the job gets done right.