Design Comfort Blog

Heating FAQ: What are Some of the Heating Options My Home?

March 11th, 2013

If you are trying to decide which heating option is best for your Salt Lake City area home, there are a lot of different factors to consider. When choosing the right heating system for your needs and particular home, you’ll have to think about the layout, size, and location of your home, in addition to the fuel sources that are available in the area. There’s also figuring in how efficient your home is, as well as how warm you prefer your home to be.

At Design Comfort, we are here to help you out with your decision. Whether you are replacing an older heater, or this is your first time purchasing a new heating system, it is an investment in your home. And it is an investment that you want to be sure that you get the most out of. That’s why this week, we’re providing some professional advice in our blog post. Use this as a general guide in helping you get started by looking at the different options, but you can always call us, and one of our Salt Lake City heating experts will be glad to walk you through the selection process.

Gas Furnaces

Gas furnaces can be highly efficient, especially the newer models with high AFUE ratings. Depending on whether or not you already have a gas hook-up, you will need to think about the cost of adding a new gas line. Ventilation is another factor to consider, so call a heating professional to assess your home if you are considering a gas furnace.

Electric Furnace

Because they do not need ventilation, and there’s no potential energy loss from that, electric furnaces can get even higher efficiency ratings; however, you will need to think about the cost of electricity in your area. Keep track of your electric bills to give you a better idea.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps are another option, but if temperatures often get below freezing, you may have to get a backup furnace. Heat pumps can also cool your home, so they have an added bonus. A professional contractor should be able to help you decide on the most cost-effective system for your home.

Call the Salt Lake City heating professionals at Design Comfort today for expert advice about purchasing a new heating system! Contact Design Comfort today!

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Heating FAQ: Is an Energy Recovery Ventilator Right for Me?

March 4th, 2013

If you’re like most other homeowners then you’re looking for any way to reduce the amount of energy that you use to heat your home. Many homeowners have started looking into energy recovery ventilators (ERV) to try to reduce the energy demands of their heating systems in Salt Lake City. These types of systems require very little energy to run but can result in huge increases in efficiency. At Design Comfort, we offer complete energy recovery ventilator installation and repair in Salt Lake City. Our technicians have years of experience working with all different kinds of ERVs and can help you pick out a great system for your home. We thought it would be a good idea to put together a quick explanation of how they work and the potential benefits.

How Do Energy Recovery Ventilators Work?

ERVs are normally installed in the ductwork of your home. In heating mode, your furnace or heat pump pulls in cool air from the outside, heats it up and then pushes it into your home. After that hot air travels through your home and cools down, some of it gets pulled back be re-heated while the rest gets exhausted outside. The air that gets exhausted still has some heat energy in it. An ERV allows the cool, incoming air to acquire some of that heat energy by pushing it over a heat exchanger. The two air streams aren’t allowed to mix so that the new, fresh air isn’t contaminated by the stale, outgoing air. Some ERVs have humidity recovery systems that allow you to recover some of the moisture that would be lost in the outgoing air.

What Are The Benefits of Energy Recovery Ventilators?

So what’s the bottom line with ERVs—how much can you save? That question is difficult to answer because each system has its own efficiency ratings and capabilities. Some ERVs can achieve up to 85% heat transfer efficiency. That translates to a significant amount of energy savings for your home. But some systems can have as low as 50% transfer efficiency. But in most cases, the electricity required to run the ERV is much less than the energy savings that they can achieve.

If you’re interested in energy recovery ventilator installation, call Design Comfort. We are the Salt Lake City heating experts and can help you pick out a good system for your home.

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How to Get the Most Out of a New High-Efficiency Heating System

February 25th, 2013

If you’ve recently installed a new high-efficiency heating system in your Salt Lake City home, you may be wondering how to maximize its efficiency. Whether it’s a heat pump or a gas furnace, the energy-efficiency rating of your device is only as good as its surrounding system. Design Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning can help you to make the most of your new installation, whether we performed it or not. For more information on our Salt Lake City heating repair and maintenance services, call us today.

You may have noticed a percentage with the acronym AFUE stickered on your heating unit. AFUE stands for “Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency,” and it measures the amount of energy drawn out of your fuel against the amount of heated air produced by the heater. It estimates the yearly average efficiency: the higher the rating, the higher the efficiency. Most new units have an AFUE of at least 80%, and they can go as high as 95%.

Here are some ways you can get the most out of your new high-efficiency heating system in Salt Lake City:

  • Programmable thermostat. If you don’t have one yet, install one, and if you do, use it! Programming your heating schedule is not only a great way to customize your climate around your lifestyle; it’s also a great money-saver. Manual thermostat changes can often be too drastic for the system. In particular, constant changes in levels over 5 degrees often force your system to work rapidly and intensely for short periods. Programmable thermostats can make sure changes are gradual and cost-efficient and that your home is always warm when you want it to be.
  • Enroll in a maintenance program. Your local heating technician offers a way to secure the longevity of your investment. Your heater was a big purchase and will run efficiently and effectively for years to come, but it’s also the ideal time to sign up for regular annual maintenance. Cleaning the air filters and checking the ductwork, motors and blower components extends the life of your system and makes your heater that much more efficient.

The first step to ensuring the long life and excellent energy efficiency of your new heater is scheduling maintenance with Design Comfort in Salt Lake City. Call us today!

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How to Get the Most Out of a High-Efficiency Heating System

February 25th, 2013

Everyone likes saving money where they can. When it comes time to invest in a new home heating system in Salt Lake City, consider choosing a high-efficiency heating system. The better the efficiency rating of your heater the less energy it will require to keep your home warm and cozy. Following the purchase and installation of your high-efficiency heating system there are a more steps you can take to further benefit from its efficiency. Here are some tips from the home Salt Lake City heating experts at Design Comfort to help you get the most out of your high-efficiency heating system.

One of the most important things that you can do to keep your new heating system operating as efficiently as possible is to schedule routine heating maintenance service. Regular maintenance visits give your professional heating technician the opportunity to thoroughly inspect and tune up all of the components of your home heating system. By doing so they can help keep your heater performing at peak efficiency levels. When all of the components of your home heating system are working together properly it is easier for your heater to perform its function. The less work your heater needs to do, the less energy it will consume while doing it. It’s just that simple.

Also, make sure that you fully understand how best to use your thermostat. Thermostats have come a long way from the round, manual devices most of us grew up with. Think about upgrading to a digital or even programmable model. The more control that you have over the operation of your heater the more efficiently you will be able to use it. If you have a thermostat that you do not fully understand you cannot hope to get the best performance possible from it or your heating system.

Don’t invest in a high-efficiency heating system if you do not intend to take all the necessary steps to reap its full benefits. This eliminates the purpose. To schedule a high-efficiency heating system installation in Salt Lake City, contact Design Comfort. We’ll help you get the most out of your new high-efficiency system.

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Heating Tip: Importance of Heating Maintenance

February 18th, 2013

Design Comfort can help you out with all your Salt Lake City heating needs, including heating maintenance services. Routine tune-ups can benefit you in many ways. In Utah, it can get very cold in the winter. That’s why you want a heater you can rely on in your home. In this blog post, we’ve put together a few reasons heating maintenance is so important.

Improves Efficiency

Not only does heating maintenance improve the efficiency of your heating system, but it also improves the efficiency of your entire home. During annual maintenance visits, our technicians will test your system to ensure that it is maintaining proper efficiency levels. We also test the airflow, which is another factor in how efficiently your system is running. We can resolve the issue once we know whether it is airflow or another cause.

Prevents Heating Repairs

In addition to lowering energy use and saving money on utility bills, routine maintenance for your heating system also saves money on potential repairs. Don’t wait until your heater breaks down in the middle of a cold snap, call today to schedule your yearly tune-up.

Extends the Life of the Equipment

Even if you have an older system, keeping up with routine maintenance can help extend the life of the equipment. We can ensure that everything is working properly, and clean your system, which helps it last longer. Why not get the most out of your heating system? Make sure you schedule maintenance at least once a year.

The Salt Lake City, Utah heating experts at Design Comfort are here to provide you with all your heating maintenance services, including annual tune-ups. Contact Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tip: What To Do If Your Heater Breaks Down

February 11th, 2013

When you live in Salt Lake City you need a good heating system. The winters here can be brutally cold and an efficient and reliable heating system is an absolute necessity. But if your heating system breaks down in the dead of winter it can be an inconvenience and could be dangerous in certain situations. At Design Comfort, we provide fast and reliable heating repairs in Salt Lake City. We’ve been working with customers in the Salt Lake City area for many years helping them repair all different types and brands of heating systems. We thought it would be helpful to put together some of the things that you can do to stay warm when your heater breaks down.

What to Do If Your Heater Breaks Down in Salt Lake City

If your heater breaks down and you need heating repairs in Salt Lake City, it can be an uncomfortable experience. But here are some of the things that you can do to keep warm in your home.

  • Bundle up – The human body produces a tremendous amount of heat energy. When you put on extra clothes or blankets, you can keep more of that heat close to you. Be sure to wear something on your head!
  • Space heaters – If you have a gas or oil-fired heating system like a furnace or a boiler and you’ve lost access to the fuel you need, try using an electric space heater. You can also put the space heaters in a single room to trap more of their heat in a smaller space.
  • Cooking – If you have an electric heating system that has lost power, you could consider using your gas fired oven or range to cook up some delicious cookies. The heat from the oven and your range can provide a lot of heat for your kitchen.
  • Fireplace – If you’ve lost electricity, you could still use your gas-fired fireplace. If you have a traditional wood-burning fireplace you could always start that up as well.

Call the experts at Design Comfort for all your heating repairs in Salt Lake City, UT. Our Salt Lake City heating technicians can show up quickly, diagnose the problem and repair it fast. Contact Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tip: Getting the Most Out of Your Zone Control System

February 4th, 2013

Sometimes heating your home throughout the winter, especially during the harsh winters we have in Salt Lake City, and make a pretty big dent in your budget. At Design Comfort we want to do everything we can to ensure that no homeowner in the service area is dissuaded from heating their home the way the want to just because energy prices are so high. One way we can help you do this is by making the way in which you heat your home more efficient. A zone control system is a great way to do so.

Zone control systems give you more control than ever before about the way in which energy is used in your Salt Lake City home. The more control you have over your heating system, the more efficiently you can operate that system. In order to get the most out of your zone control system, though, you must understand how it works.

A zone control system allows you to break up your home into different heating zones. Each of these zones can then be heated independently of the others. This means that if you want to raise the heat downstairs in the dining room you are now able to do so without also raising the heat upstairs in unoccupied bedrooms. This helps reduce the amount of energy you use when heating your home.

As you have probably discovered, different people are comfortable at different temperatures. This can lead to arguments over what temperature the thermostat should be set to, especially when it comes time for bed. By heating individual bedrooms independently of one another you can keep everyone comfortable and happy. Enjoy the perfect temperature in each separate heating zone of your home.

If a zone control system sounds like a heating upgrade that you are interested in, call the Salt Lake City heating professionals at Design Comfort. Your comfort is our business, and we take pride in the job that we do to make your Salt Lake City home more comfortable. Contact Design Comfort today to schedule a zone control system installation or service.

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Water Heater FAQ: Tank vs. Tankless Water Heater

January 21st, 2013

If you’re a homeowner in Salt Lake City, your water heater is probably one of the most important components of your home. When it comes time to replace it, you’ll probably end up wrestling with the tank vs tankless water heater debate. At Design Comfort, we’ve been providing complete tank water heater and tankless water heater service in Salt Lake City for many years. We thought we would put together a quick list of some of the advantages and disadvantages of each system for our customers. Contact your local Salt Lake City water heater contractor if you have any questions about which system is right for you.

Tank Water Heaters in Salt Lake City

The traditional tank water heater is probably the more common of the two types of water heaters. It offers high capacity hot water for homes all over the country. However, it tends to use more energy than tankless water heaters because it has to constantly heat that large tank of water. It also lends itself to heat loss when the hot water just sits in it. Over time, they also can potentially become vulnerable to rust and corrosion.

Tankless Water Heaters in Salt Lake City

While tankless water heaters do offer homeowners the potential to reduce their energy consumption form heating water, they do have some drawbacks. If you have children and teenagers, your demand for hot water will likely make your tankless system work less efficiently. In homes with higher demand, multiple tankless systems will likely be require to keep up with the demand. Because tankless systems are much more expensive to install, this normally leaves larger families in Salt Lake City with the tank water heater option.

If you have any questions about tank or tankless water heater systems, just call Design Comfort. We provide complete tankless water heater installation and tank water heater installation and repair in Salt Lake City. Call us today!

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What Is an ERV and Do I Need One?

January 14th, 2013

An Energy Recover Ventilator (ERV) is an HVAC component that is missing from many homes. If you’ve heard about ERVs and would like to learn more then keep reading. Design Comfort is proud to provide complete heating services in Salt Lake City including installation and repair of ERVs. Contact Design Comfort today to learn more.

What is an ERV?

The purpose of an energy recovery ventilator is to provide fresh air to your home. If your home is tightly sealed, as most of our homes are during the winter, then it is likely that the air quality in your home has started to suffer without the introduction of new, fresh air from outside. An ERV accomplishes that without allowing cold air into your home.

How Does an ERV Work?

During heating season, an ERV recovers energy by letting fresh air from the outside soak up some of the heat from the stale indoor air that is getting exhausted outside. The two air streams don’t mix so that the new air isn’t contaminated. In this way, the ERV allows you to take in fresh air without compromising the energy efficiency of your home—like you would if you just opened a window.

Benefits of an ERV

The benefits of an ERV are many. Here are just a few of them.

  • Energy efficiency – About 85% of the heat from the exhausted air can be recovered in some ERVs. This is a great way to reduce the amount of energy that you use by keeping it in your home.
  • Air quality – Adding fresh air from outside allows you to dilute the contaminants that are inside your home. Additionally, by exhausting stale indoor air, you can remove some of the pollutants from your home as well.
  • Humidity control – Many ERVs allows you to recover some of the moisture from the exhaust air as well. During the winter, this is especially important because of the dry air.

An ERV is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. You can improve the quality of your air while reducing the amount of energy that you use to heat your home. If you’re interested in learning more about ERVs and if one is a good option for your home in Salt Lake City, call Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tips: Small Upgrades

January 7th, 2013

If you are like most homeowners, keeping your home comfortably heated during the winter months is second only to doing so in the most efficient way possible. If you are not totally satisfied with the performance levels or efficiency of your home heating system, consider making some of these small upgrades to the system or your home. For further information about how you can get a better, more comfortable performance out of your heater in Salt Lake City, contact Design Comfort today. We are always happy to share our expertise with you. Let us help make your home a more comfortable place to live. Call to speak to a Salt Lake City heating professional today!

One of the first upgrades to your home heating system that you may want to consider is the installation of a programmable thermostat. A high quality manual thermostat is fine, but it does not give you the same amount of control over the way in which you use the energy and heat you pay for to keep your home comfortable. With a programmable thermostat you set different programs for different situations that will allow you to be comfortable all winter long without paying an arm and a leg for the service. Set your thermostat to raise temperatures shortly before you get home from work or vacation to conserve energy throughout the day while still coming home to a comfortable house.

You may also want to consider the installation of a whole house humidifier in your home. If this is simply not in your budget try running a room humidifier for a while and see if you notice a difference. Air in the winter tends to be pretty dry, and it is dried out further by your heater. Humid air, though, holds heat better than dry air. By instilling more humidity into the air in your home you can actually help it to retain heat better. This means that you will be able to pay less to keep your home just as warm and comfortable.

There are many other ways, big and small, for you to upgrade your home heating system, from zone controls to all new equipment. Make the most out of your heating experience in Salt Lake City. Call Design Comfort today for more information.

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