Comfort Flow Heating Blog:
Archive for June, 2014

Benefits of a Ductless AC System

Friday, June 27th, 2014

Ductless systems have gained in popularity in homes during the last 20 years, making the leap from businesses, where they were especially popular in restaurants. Ductless systems have a number of significant advantages that they offer to homes. If you are considering new AC installation, you should take some time to look into the possibility of going ductless this time… it just might be the perfect system for your household.

However, despite the advantages listed below, ductless mini split systems are not suitable for every household. They work best if you live either in an older home without pre-existing ducts or if you are planning new construction. It’s best if you contact ductless installation specialists when you are considering one of these systems for your new air conditioning in Salem, OR. Our staff at Comfort Flow Heating has extensive experience with all types of comfort systems, and they will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about ductless ACs.

The Ductless Advantages

  • Cooling and heating: The first important thing you need to know about ductless air conditioners is that they are properly called “ductless mini split heat pumps.” As heat pumps, they work as both air conditioners and heaters. Essentially, they operate as air conditioners that can switch the direction they move heat, so that instead of bringing heat out of your home, they can also bring it into your home. You get a “best of both worlds” scenario, and you won’t sacrifice on the quality of your air conditioning.
  • Improved indoor air quality: One of the drawbacks of an extensive ventilation system is that it eventually picks up dust, dirt, and other contamination that will lower the quality of your indoor air. Since ductless systems use a series of indoor blower units mounted on the walls to send air directly into rooms without the need for ducts, they do not blow around dust circulated through vents. Ductless systems are especially beneficial for homes where people with allergies or asthma live.
  • Zone control: Using separate blowers in different rooms brings with it a significant benefit: you can shut down cooling (and heating) to rooms that don’t need it. This is called “zone control” and will contribute to a more comfortable and energy-efficient home. You can expect to save on your energy bills when you no longer need to cool down rooms that no one is using. People in your household can also adjust temperatures to fit their needs wherever they are in the house.

To find out if a ductless mini split heat pump is the top choice for your heating and air conditioning in Salem, OR, call up our experts at Comfort Flow Heating. We have more than 50 years of experience keeping families comfortable—no matter the weather.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Benefits of a Ductless AC System

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.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on What Are My Air Conditioning Options Here In Springfield, OR?

Thermostat Problems and Air Conditioning Repairs

Monday, June 16th, 2014

Thermostats are small devices compared to rest of a home’s comfort system. But don’t let that diminutive size deceive you: thermostats are powerful control centers that can make or break an air conditioner. In this post, we’re concerned with the ways a malfunctioning thermostat could “break” your AC—or at least make it start to work incorrectly and require that you call for air conditioning repair service in Eugene, OR.

Because thermostat issues can look like electrical or mechanical failures inside an air conditioner’s cabinet, you must have skilled repair technicians handle the job of fixing them. The professionals will know where to search to determine the source of your home’s cooling woes. You can reach Comfort Flow Heating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergency service that will cut to the heart of the problem and fix it.

Some Common Thermostat Issues That Require Repair Work

  • Miscalibration: When a thermostat begins to misread a home’s temperature by a few degrees or more—a miscalibration in the temperature sensor—it will result in behavior from the air conditioner that will create an uncomfortable home environment. This is usually a simple repair for technicians, although they may advise that you replace an old manual model thermostat with an updated and more precise digital programmable unit.
  • Connection loss: A thermostat (except for recent wireless models) communicates to an air conditioner through a series of wires that control when the fans and the compressor turn on and off. Loss of connection in any of these wires due to breaks or loose connections will cause the air conditioner to fail to turn on or refuse to turn off. These types of problems often look like serious malfunctions within the AC itself, but experts will narrow down the problem if it originates with the thermostat and provide the necessary targeted repairs.
  • Poor unit placement: If amateurs originally installed the AC in your home, the thermostat may be located in a poor position to record accurate temperatures. If it the thermostat is too far from the center of the house, it will pick up outlier readings that won’t reflect the actual temperature of the rest of the house. If placed in direct sunlight or near outside drafts, the thermostat will detect “ghost readings” higher or lower than the true temperature. These problems will all lead to poor AC performance. Technicians will have to move the thermostat to a better spot.

Call Comfort Flow Heating for AC Repairs

Sometimes determining what is causing a malfunction in an air conditioning system is the hardest part of a repair. But if you leave your air conditioning repair in Eugene, OR to the experienced team at Comfort Flow Heating, you can expect a fast and accurate solution to whatever ails your comfort system.

 

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Thermostat Problems and Air Conditioning Repairs

Stages of Air Conditioning Installation

Monday, June 9th, 2014

Installing a new air conditioner is a DIY job… if you’re installing a small window unit. You may need a friend to help balance the heavy piece of equipment while you angle it into the open window, but once that’s done, all you have to do is screw down the window and the side flaps of the unit and plug it in. Done.

But installing a ­central air conditioning is not a DIY project! It requires specialists with years of training and experience to do the job correctly and in a timely fashion. Don’t ever trust the work to amateurs. Call a company with years of history handling air conditioning installation in Salem, OR. Call Comfort Flow Heating today, and we’ll take you through the following stages of AC installation:

The Stages of the Air Conditioning Installation Process

  • Selecting and sizing the unit: Before any tools come out, the installers will help you pick the right model of AC and size it so it has the right power and cooling load to match your home and its energy needs. Incorrect sizing can turn out disastrous, so you need to have the professionals on the work from the beginning.
  • Ductwork resizing: When the actual work of installing starts, the installers will first cut your existing ductwork to fit the new system. This usually only involves some minor changes.
  • Placing the indoor unit: Next, the indoor evaporator unit goes into place. It is hooked to the ducts, connects to a drain line for condensate drainage, and links to the coolant line that will go outside to the condenser unit.
  • Placing the condenser unit: The outdoor cabinet that houses the condenser coil and the compressor, is placed and secured to a solid foundation. The coolant and power lines connect to it.
  • Electrical systems check: The installers inspect all the electrical connections. Because air conditioners use a great deal of power to run the compressor, they need to be checked to make sure they will not cause tripped circuit breakers.
  • Full system check: Now that the complete air conditioner is hooked up and charged with refrigerant, the installers run the AC and check on air flow, cooling power, and thermostat control.

Professionals will not leave your home until they are 100% certain that your air conditioner is working as it should, with no malfunctions or unnecessary stress that could lead to repairs in the near future. You now have your sturdy and powerful new air conditioner ready to work keeping your home cool for many summers to come.

Call Comfort Flow Heating when you are ready for new air conditioning system installation in Salem, OR. Our history speaks for itself: more than 50 years of providing comfort for our customers… and we’ve no intent of stopping now.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Stages of Air Conditioning Installation

Do I Need to Call for Repairs if There Is Frost in My Air Conditioner?

Thursday, June 5th, 2014

A common mistake homeowners make regarding their air conditioning systems is to think that the appearance of frost on the indoor evaporator coil is normal and nothing that requires repairs. But frost or ice appearing anywhere on an AC is a serious problem that needs remedy from professional technicians as soon as possible.

We’ll look into the reasons that ice can form over the coil in your air conditioner. Regardless of the original cause for the icing, call Comfort Flow Heating right away for the necessary air conditioning repair in Salem, OR that will reverse the problem and restore your cooling.

The trouble with ice on an AC

Ice forms along the evaporator coil whenever the coil begins to absorb less heat than normal. The evaporator coil performs the crucial job of removing the heat from the air that will pass into the ventilation system and move out into your living spaces. If the coil doesn’t absorb enough heat, the cold refrigerant inside it will remain at a low enough temperature that it will freeze condensation moisture along the coil. Once this ice forms, it will further block heat absorption, leading to a downward cycle until ice blocks the whole coil and no cooling can occur.

Why ice might form

A common reason for this to start is because of a clogged air filter. When the air filter cannot bring in sufficient warm indoor air to the evaporator coil, the refrigerant will not cool down fast enough, and the ice will start. This is one of the many reasons you must change the air filter once a month during the summer when the AC runs regularly.

If excess dirt enters the AC’s cabinet, it will lead to a grime layer across the evaporator coil, which will insulate it and lower heat absorption, triggering the ice growth. Professionals will need to remove the coil and clean it. Don’t attempt to scrape the ice off on your own, as you might damage the coil.

Finally, and most seriously, a loss of refrigerant due to leaking will also cause ice to form. Less refrigerant in the coil means reduced heat absorption, and the remaining refrigerant will remain cold enough to start the freezing. Low refrigerant charge can lead to serious damage in the compressor, so this must be solved right away. Professionals will seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.

Professionals are only a call away

At Comfort Flow Heating, our motto is, “No job is too large or too small.” No matter what problem has caused the ice on your AC, you can trust us to bring you quality air conditioning repair in Salem, OR. We are always ready for your call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Air Conditioning | Comments Off on Do I Need to Call for Repairs if There Is Frost in My Air Conditioner?