Design Comfort Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Tips for Staying Warm This Winter

Monday, December 6th, 2021

man-shivering-in-homeOur number one tip for Salt Lake City homeowners to stay warm this winter is to ensure that their heating system is in good shape. This means scheduling maintenance for it first. Maintenance tune-ups should be scheduled once a year (twice, if you have a heat pump system) to keep the system working as efficiently and effectively as possible, for as long as possible. Maintenance tune-ups even help fend off up to 85% of the repairs that a heater may ever need in its lifetime.

But what if you haven’t had maintenance in a while, and your heater broke down? This is of course an emergency and you’ll want to call us right away. However in the meantime, while you wait for repairs, you want to do whatever you can to stay comfortable. Read on for some tips on how to do so.

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Is It Time to Call Our Pros for Your Struggling Furnace?

Monday, October 25th, 2021

woman-wrapped-in-blanket-sipping-from-mugWhen you purchase a furnace for your home, you expect it to keep you warm. That’s literally its only job, right?!

Well, a lot goes into its functionality to do that job. For instance, it’s important that you invest in routine furnace maintenance. Once a year, you should have professional HVAC technicians comprehensively inspect, clean, and adjust your furnace. This ensures that it works as efficiently and effectively as possible, for as long as possible. Not only that, routine maintenance helps fend off up to 85% of the repairs your furnace might ever need in its lifetime.

How?

Just like any other major home appliance or piece of equipment, and even just like your car, components suffer from wear and tear over the years. When we do the inspection part of your maintenance appointment, we check for signs of this wear and tear, and then we alert you to it. This allows you time to get furnace repairs on your schedule, without allowing those small “wear and tear” issues to grow into a much bigger problem that could lead to a complete system breakdown.

Of course, it’s still possible that repair needs can crop up in between maintenance sessions–especially if you have an aging (10-15 years old) furnace. So, it’s good to know the signs of a furnace in disrepair so you can give us a call for your struggling heating system. Read on to learn what some of these signs are!

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Are You Using Your Heater Efficiently Enough?

Monday, February 1st, 2021

woman-huddled-on-couch-in-winter-clothesWinter is progressing right along and just like every winter before, there’s no escape from the cold when you’re outside. But there is indoors! When you have a powerful heater, you never have to worry about staying cozy indoors.

But is your heater reliable? More importantly, is it efficient? The best way to guarantee a “yes” response to both those questions is to keep up on your annual heating maintenance appointments. This allows our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust your heater to ensure optimal performance.

Did you know there are more ways to boost your heating efficiency? This is important, since nobody should have to pay more than necessary to stay safe and comfortable in their living space. So what is it that you can do to boost efficiency and save money? Read on!

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Is It Time to Say Goodbye to Your Old Boiler?

Monday, January 18th, 2021

man-huddled-on-couch-with-sweater-and-scarf-looking-coldBoiler systems are unique and powerful heat sources for the homes and businesses they reside in. Unlike forced-air heating systems like furnaces or heat pumps, boilers are radiant heating systems. Through the use of heated water that’s cycled through a series of pipes, and in some cases radiators, these systems keep households exceptionally comfortable and warm throughout the chilliest of winter days.

This all said, something that your boiler does have in common with all other HVAC systems is that eventually, it will break down to the point that you’ll need to replace it. Sure, boilers last longer in comparison to forced-air systems, but no heater can last forever.

Deciding to upgrade or replace your boiler is a big decision, and not always the cheapest decision. But ultimately, replacing your aging or degrading boiler for a newer one will save you money month-to-month on your heating needs, helping you pay back the installation cost fairly quickly. So, when do you know it’s time for a replacement? Read on!

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What Happens During Heating Maintenance?

Monday, December 21st, 2020

checklistIf you’ve lived in Salt Lake City for even just a year, then it’s no secret to you that it’s vital to have an efficient and effective heater in place. After all, it does get very cold here!

But if you really want to rely on a heater to keep you and your household comfortable all fall and winter, then you need to schedule routine maintenance. Professional heater tune-ups are a lot more involved than many homeowners realize, and shouldn’t be left to a DIY project or to an amateur. Read on to learn why!

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Tips for Staying Warm While You Wait for Furnace Repairs

Monday, December 7th, 2020

woman-in-warm-clothes-hugging-pillowHere’s a scenario that not a single homeowner or their household ever wants to face: It’s a chilly evening and you’re enjoying a relaxing night in with your family when all of the sudden, your furnace goes out! You check the thermostat—everything seems fine there. You reset the circuit breaker, thinking maybe that’s the problem. Nope, that’s not it either. Well, it’s time to call a furnace repair technician. That’s when you pick up the phone and give our number a dial!

We’ll be there quickly! But in the meantime, we don’t want you to be uncomfortable. Depending on how long the problem’s been going on, that may seem inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be. Read on as we share some fun and practical tips to stay warm while you wait for our techs to show up.

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As the Weather Cools, Take This Important Step

Monday, October 26th, 2020

furnace-burnersWith temperatures trending downward, now is the time we all start thinking about our heating systems—how well they’re working, how much you’re paying for their month-to-month use, and any repairs you need have done on these systems. We hope, too, that you’ve considered the most important fall step you can take for your heater—scheduling heating maintenance!

Maintenance is the best way to keep your system functioning as efficiently as possible for as long as possible, while avoiding up to 85% of the repair needs the system might ever have. Read on as we uncover just why it’s so important to have this service done, and how your system and your budget will benefit.

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Late Season Furnace Needs to Be Aware Of

Monday, March 16th, 2020

technician-inspecting-and-maintaining-gas-furnaceWhile there are certainly exceptions to the rule, it’s safe to say that our weather is fairly predictable in our area. We would never expect to see snow in July nor would we expect to be able to use our swimming pools in January. That said, given that it’s just about springtime, most homeowners in our area are getting ready to shut off their furnaces for the winter and turn their attention to air conditioning maintenance.

We definitely encourage this! Air conditioning maintenance will help ensure that your cooling system is clean, adjusted, and that any repair needs are taken care of.

But, speaking of repair needs, if your furnace needs any you’ll want to manage them before you stop using your heater for the season. A suffering furnace sitting in wait all spring and summer means a potentially broken down furnace next fall.

So, how do you know if you have any furnace repair needs? Read on as we uncover some of the most common signs that you may be in need of heating service.

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Could a Dirty Air Filter Hurt Your Furnace?

Monday, March 2nd, 2020

hand-changing-air-filterYou invested in a high-efficiency furnace. You had it professionally installed. You stay on top of your annual maintenance appointments. That’s enough, right?

Well, no.

You’ve definitely done everything right so far if you followed the above steps. However, there is one more step that is too commonly overlooked by homeowners, and that’s changing out the air filter. But why?

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Is it Too Late for Furnace Maintenance?

Monday, February 17th, 2020

technician-working-on-furnaceIn the absence of a complete furnace breakdown, which may require replacement of the system altogether, no it is never too late for furnace maintenance.

“But I always hear that I need to schedule it in the fall…”

Yes, that’s true, this is our recommendation for your heating maintenance. The reason we suggest this is because it gives our techs a chance to thoroughly inspect, adjust, and clean your system before you need it the most. We also recommend that you have air conditioning maintenance done in the spring for the same reason.

Is maintenance really a big deal though? Read on as we answer that question, in detail.

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