Comfort Flow Heating Blog:
Archive for September, 2014

How Does Fall Maintenance Improve Air Conditioning Performance?

Friday, September 26th, 2014

As we creep closer to winter, it is easy to turn off our air conditioner and start thinking about heating. But just shutting your AC off without first scheduling maintenance may lead to problems when you turn your AC back on in the spring. Your air conditioner worked hard all summer; as a result, it is dirty and worn, and may even have a developing problem of which you are unaware. Scheduling maintenance for your air conditioning can help with these kinds of problems and more, and help put your AC in great shape before winter comes. Fall is here and the trained technicians at Comfort Flow Heating are ready to help, so call us today!

Benefits of Fall Maintenance

There are multiple benefits to scheduling fall maintenance for your air conditioner:

  • Maintain energy efficiency – when your air conditioner becomes dirty and worn out from summer usage, it won’t operate at its normal level of efficiency. The tune-up your air conditioner receives during a maintenance appointment allows it to operate optimally, which helps your system maintain its expected efficiency level.
  • Prevent repairs – one of the biggest benefits of maintenance is that it allows you to get ahead of repairs. During a maintenance appointment, your air conditioner is thoroughly inspected by the technician, allowing him/her to detect any existing problems. If there are problems, they can be taken care of before the next cooling season.
  • Extend life of equipment – when your air conditioner is kept in good working order, it doesn’t operate under stressful conditions. This can help extend the life of your equipment.

How Does Fall Maintenance Improve Performance?

Now that you’ve seen some benefits of fall maintenance, let’s look at how the performance of your system is improved. As mentioned above, the technician thoroughly inspects your entire system, but that isn’t all. He/she cleans components, checks for refrigerant leaks, lubricates and adjusts parts as necessary, and makes small repairs where needed. All of this work puts your components into good working order, and allows each component to operate as it should; this helps improve your system’s overall performance.

Fall is the perfect time of year to schedule maintenance for your air conditioning in Eugene. Call Comfort Flow Heating today!

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Common Problems with the Condensate Tray and Drain

Friday, September 19th, 2014

Your air conditioner keeps you cool by relying on a refrigeration cycle to remove the heat from the air in your home. And while this helps lower the temperature, this same process also helps keep you more comfortable by lowering humidity levels. When there is too much moisture in the air, the evaporator coil helps to control moisture levels, while the condensate tray and drain help moisture evacuate from your home.

How It Works

The evaporator coil helps refrigerant to absorb heat from the inside air so that it can release outdoors. Additionally, as warm air blows over the very cool evaporator coil, the process of condensation leads to water droplets forming on the outside of the coil. Water then drips into the condensate pan, a shallow, angled tray underneath the evaporator coil with a hole at the bottom that allows the condensation to drain outdoors.

What Goes Wrong

  • Condensate Pan Is Misaligned: The condensate tray has to be at the correct angle so that water can flow easily into the drain. Sometimes, the technician does not properly position the tray, or it may get knocked out of place over time. If this is the case, water may leak into your home.
  • Clogged Condensate Drain: A clogged condensate drain may also cause water to leak from the tray. Over time, debris may fill up the drain pipe, causing water to back up into the pan. This is problematic for a couple of reasons. For one, the water may flow into your home. However, it may also attract mold and mildew which could cause health problems for some of your family members.
  • Damaged Tray: Finally, the tray may tear or become cracked over time, causing water to leak out of the pan. Usually, the least expensive option is to have a technician replace the tray entirely.

When you notice leaks from your AC system, you need a professional who can assess the problem and make quick repairs to avoid any potential damage to your home. For repairs, maintenance, or tips about air conditioning in Eugene, give the technicians at Comfort Flow Heating a call.

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Is Fall a Good Time to Schedule Air Conditioning Maintenance?

Friday, September 12th, 2014

If your air conditioner made it through the summer with little or no trouble, you may not think about calling a technician. But you are doing your system a disservice if you do not allow a technician to fully inspect your AC well before the next cooling season. Fall is an excellent time to schedule air conditioning maintenance, especially if a technician did not look at your system during the cooling season. Here are some of the advantages you may notice come spring if you schedule AC maintenance today.

  • Higher Efficiency: When a technician visits your home for maintenance, your air conditioning unit will be cleaned, adjusted, and thoroughly inspected. This is advantageous for many reasons, including efficiency. Your energy bills can go up if a part is out of place, needs repairs, or if it’s dirty. Clean components are more effective at carrying out the heat exchange process that is necessary to cool the air in your home, which means your unit will run as it’s supposed to, keeping bills low.
  • Longer Lifespan: Air conditioners that receive regular maintenance also tend to last longer. Most air conditioners have an expected lifespan of about 10-15 years, but without any maintenance, your unit may not make it that long. This is because small problems will worsen over time, causing some components to fail early on. After a maintenance inspection, you will be alerted to any small problems that may be at risk of damaging your system permanently.
  • No Surprises: Finally, if you schedule maintenance today, it’s unlikely that you’ll be greeted by a failing unit in the next cooling season. For example, you may be unaware of low refrigerant in your unit unless you get a visit from a maintenance technician. A refrigerant leak may get worse, and, by spring, you may have very little left. When you switch on your AC, the lack of refrigerant could cause compressor failure, but scheduling maintenance now means there probably won’t be any unpleasant surprises such as this in the spring.

Do you need air conditioning maintenance in Eugene? Trust the dependable technicians at Comfort Flow Heating for all of your AC repairs or for regular maintenance. Give us a call!

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Why Schedule Professional Duct Sealing?

Friday, September 5th, 2014

Ductwork can break down just like any other part of your air conditioning system in Eugene, and the results can cost you money every month in your utility bills. One of the best ways to reduce the problems caused by faulty ductwork is to schedule professional duct sealing. Since 1961, Comfort Flow Heating has helped multiple customers throughout the Eugene area with ductwork installation, repair and replacement, and we can help you with your ductwork.

What Is Duct Sealing?

Duct sealing entails repairing the holes and cracks that can develop in ductwork over time, as well as sealing connections together with metal binding. To properly seal ducts, your technician will use a substance called mastic coupled with either fiberglass or foil tape. Mastic is an adhesive that is also a very strong bonding agent. When sealing holes or cracks in your ductwork, the technician will spread mastic over the faulty area, then lay tape over the mastic. The mastic needs a period of time to cure, during which it hardens into a permanent seal. This procedure is done for all holes and cracks in your ductwork.

When sealing connections, the technician will brush mastic onto the ends of the two pieces of ductwork that are coming together, then wrap a piece of metal binding around them, connecting the two ends together. The binding is secured with sheet metal screws, and the mastic will harden, creating an air-tight seal between the two pieces.

What Are the Benefits of Duct Sealing?

There are several important benefits to duct sealing:

  • Significant reduction of air loss – one of the biggest problems with faulty ductwork is the rate at which air is lost. It is estimated that up to 30% of your total air loss can be attributed to faulty ductwork. By sealing the holes and cracks, you can restore your air flow.
  • Better energy efficiency – when your system loses air, your air conditioner has to work harder to recoup the loss; this puts stress on your AC. Anytime your air conditioner is stressed, it uses more energy to operate.
  • Better indoor air quality – different kinds of particles and fumes can enter your air flow directly through the holes and cracks in your ductwork; this can reduce your indoor air quality.

Duct sealing can provide you and your air conditioning system with a lot of benefits, but only if it’s done correctly. This is why it’s important to always hire trained professionals for any kind of work on your air conditioning. If you are interested in scheduling duct sealing in Eugene, call Comfort Flow Heating today.

 

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