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Salem OR Heating Tip: Common heating repairs

Monday, March 25th, 2013

Here in Oregon we all need our heating systems to work well to keep us comfortable during the cold winter months. Because of all the use that your heating system gets over the course of the year it will likely run into problems. When that happens contact the Salem, OR heating experts at Comfort Flow Heating. We have years of experience working with all kinds of heating systems and wanted to share some of the most common heating repairs that we see so that you can keep an eye out for them.

Not Enough Heating

Probably one of the most common Salem, OR heating repairs that we see is insufficient heating. This can be caused by a faulty thermostat that is causing your heating system not to deliver enough heat into your home. This can also be caused by a clogged air filter which could be restricting the flow of air into your home. There are a number of other problems that could be keeping your home from getting warm enough. Call the Salem, OR heating technicians at Comfort Flow if you have this issue.

Heating System Making Strange Noises

Is your heating system making a squealing noise? This is most likely caused by a worn out fan belt that just needs to be replaced or oiled. Contact the Salem heating professionals at Comfort Flow for all your heating repairs. Other common heating noises are rumbling and rattling. Rattling in a furnace can sometimes indicate that you have a carbon monoxide leak. Make sure you keep an ear open for any new or unusual noises coming from your heating system.

Change the Air Filter

By far the most common cause of heating issues is a clogged air filter. The air filter in your furnace or heat pump is there to keep dust and dirt from getting into the moving parts of your heating system. If it isn’t changed regularly it can get clogged and cause big problems. A clogged air filter can cause insufficient heat, overheating, cracked heat exchangers and more.

For all your Salem, OR heating repair, contact Comfort Flow today.

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Salem OR Heating FAQ: Why Should I Have My Furnace Maintained?

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Furnace maintenance should be a year-round task. Even as we exit the heating season in Salem, OR, we still need to make sure our furnace runs efficiently and effectively. We make sure to clean our homes regularly, and take our car for routine tune-ups. The same rules apply to furnace. They need to be cared for; in turn, they will give you reliable heat when you need it most. We often hear the question, “Why should I have my furnace maintained?” when we talk about our comprehensive furnace services. We’d like to run you through the benefits. For Salem heating service, call Comfort Flow Heating today!

  • Energy efficiency. The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of your furnace depends upon its cleanliness. If there are dust, debris, and water leaks in and around your furnace, you simply won’t get the same type of efficiency. Efficiency measures the heating output against the amount of fuel input. A dirty furnace will almost always cost more to operate.
  • System life. Letting dirt and debris buildup in and around your furnace also allows it to spread into other areas of your system. It can lead to increased air filter replacement, increased grime in your ductwork, and can also begin to obstruct moving parts in your blower motor. While furnaces are generally sturdy machines, lack of maintenance depreciate the value of your system over time. Cleaning is not only about reducing dirt, but also securing part of your home investment.
  • Indoor air quality. Although your air filter is designed to prevent the passage of pollutants and debris into your living spaces, a dirty furnace only exacerbates the risk of contamination. You will have to replace your air filter more often, and a frequently clogged filter can reduce its ability to prevent dust, pollen, dander, and other foreign materials from entering your ductwork.

Furnaces need to be maintained in order to operate correctly. Consider scheduling routine biannual or annual inspections and tune-ups for your furnace and cooling systems. This will not only help your system to heat more effectively and efficiently, it will also give you some peace of mind knowing that your heating is in the hands of a professional. For Salem, OR heating maintenance, call Comfort Flow Heating today!

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Salem OR Heating FAQ: Should I Cover the Outdoor Unit of My Heat Pump When It’s Raining?

Monday, March 11th, 2013

At Comfort Flow Heating, our Salem heating technicians get a lot of questions about heat pumps and how to maintain them. One of the questions we get often is about covering the outdoor unit of a heat pump when it is raining. The simple answer to whether or not you should cover it is “no,” but there are many reasons for this. This week, the Salem, OR heating experts have put together a blog post answering why covering the outdoor unit of your heat pump is unnecessary and can actually harm the system.

Proper airflow is important for several reasons. Maintaining efficiency and ensuring that the compressor of your heat pump doesn’t have to work too hard to heat or cool your home. When the compressor is under excessive stress, it can wear out more quickly, which can cause equipment failure and other issues. Covering your outdoor unit would prevent airflow and be counterproductive to the maintenance of your entire heat pump system.

Not only can it harm the system, but covering the outdoor unit of the heat pump is also unnecessary. Heat pumps are made with durable materials that are designed to withstand even the harshest weather. However, it is also important to make sure that your outdoor unit is clean so that dirt and debris do not get inside the components and harm the system. Keeping it clean will help ensure airflow, as will making sure there aren’t any bushes, tall grass, or other yard debris hindering proper airflow.

If you would like to know more about how to maintain your heat pump, or if you need to schedule a heating service in the Salem, OR area, call Comfort Flow Heating today!

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Eugene OR Heating Guide: Commercial Heating Maintenance

Monday, October 1st, 2012

A commercial heating system is a powerful and complex piece of machinery, and you rely on it to do a large and important job. Because of this, it’s very important that you make sure your system is prepared for the long heating season ahead, and the best way to do that is with regular commercial heating maintenance from an experienced Eugene OR heating professional.

Benefits of Regular Maintenance

Regular commercial heating maintenance will benefit you in several ways. To begin with, it will ensure that your heating system is working at peak energy efficiency levels, and that means lower heating bills for you all winter long. A system that isn’t properly maintained on a regular basis may still work effectively, but it will likely be using more energy than necessary to run, and that costs you money.

Your furnace is also less likely to need emergency repairs when you have a technician inspect it prior to the start of the heating season. On this type of visit, they can often find parts that need to be replaced before the break down completely, and they can address any other minor issues they find that would have turned into larger problems later on.

Ongoing professional maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your system as well. Since your commercial heating system was such a substantial investment to begin with, you want to make sure you get the most possible out of it, and keeping up with maintenance is the most effective way to do that.

Why You Need a Qualified Professional

Because a commercial heating system differs from a residential system in several fundamental ways, it’s important to have a technician with experience working with commercial systems caring for yours. That way, you can have confidence that all maintenance is being carried out properly and that your system will work properly when you need it to.

To schedule a maintenance visit for your commercial or residential heating system in Eugene OR, give Comfort Flow Heating a call today!

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Eugene, OR Heating Tip: Make Your Heating System More Energy Efficient

Monday, September 24th, 2012

Everyone wants to ensure efficiency in their heating and air conditioning systems, so when the opportunity comes to perform a handful of basic tasks or upgrades that will do just that, many people in Eugene, OR jump at the chance. Specifically, when it comes to your furnace there are quite a few things you can do that will make your system more efficient without having to replace the entire system. Here are a few of them:

*  Regular Maintenance – The easiest way to ensure any heating system uses as little energy as possible is to have regular maintenance performed on it. A tune up performed by a professional once a year is the best way to do this, though you can also benefit from cleaning in and around the furnace room yourself every month.

*  Filter Checks – Check and clean filters according to their manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure there are no clogs in the system. This will greatly reduce the cost of operating your furnace.

*  Inspect and Repair Ductwork – If there are leaks or gaps in ductwork, it can result in a significant loss of heating during operation which will of course greatly reduce your heating efficiency.

*  Vent Damper – A vent damper is a good fit for older furnaces that don’t have mechanisms in place to protect against losses of heat through the chimney when your furnace is not firing.

*  Derating Your Furnace – Older furnaces are often oversized and can be derated to use less energy without having any effect on your home’s comfort levels. The modifications are simple, though not necessarily allowed in every municipality.

The best way to know for sure which of these things are best for your furnace is to talk with a Eugene, OR heating professional about them. Derating and vent damper installation especially are very effective in reducing energy loss but may not be the best option depending on the age of your furnace and how close it is to needing replacement.

A Comfort Flow Heating technician can help you review all of your options before making a decision.

Contact Comfort Flow Heating today!

 

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Eugene, OR Heating Guide: Tips on How to Navigate Buying a Furnace

Monday, September 17th, 2012

Replacing an older furnace is a great way to save money by lowering your energy bills. That’s because newer models are much more energy efficient than those made even 15 years ago. If you’re in the market for a new furnace in Eugene, there are some things you should think about before spending any money. Doing a little bit of research upfront can end up saving you a lot in the long run.

Size is one of the biggest things to consider. A system that’s too small will have to work harder to get your home to the desired temperature, causing it to continually draw in more fuel, greatly increasing your energy bill.

Some people try to overcompensate for this by buying a furnace which is bigger than their home needs. The problem with doing this is that a larger system will cycle on and off more frequently, which is also counterproductive to saving energy. The proper size system for your home falls in between these two extremes and cycles on and off at the right times to keep your home comfortable.

Efficiency is also important and can be seen in a system’s AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating. The higher the AFUE rating number, the better the system is at garnering heat from a set amount of fuel. The more efficient a system is, the lower its emissions, and that’s also better for the environment.

One drawback to a system with a higher AFUE rating is the higher initial installation cost. The benefit is lower energy bills for the life of the system, which can add up to significant savings over the long run.

If you’re looking at a specific brand of furnace, it may pay to do some checking online or with a professional Eugene OR heating company to see how the competition stacks up. Someone who works exclusively with HVAC systems can give a lot of insight into what brands and models are tried and true, which ones seem to need frequent repair, and even which ones haven’t been on the market long enough to have been thoroughly tested over time. All of these are important things to consider before making your final purchasing decision.

For any help choosing a furnace in the Eugene area, give Comfort Flow Heating a call!

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