Action Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric

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Category: Heating

In parts one and two of this multi-part blog series, we’ve gone over some of the risks associated with indoor space heaters used to complement winter heating needs. These items may help increase your heating capacity, but they come with downsides in terms of safety, health and increasing utility bills that often cancel out their benefits and then some.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we’re here to help by providing quality HVAC services and alternatives to your heating needs, such as furnace installation and repair or our modern mini-split ductless heating systems that allow for individual temperature controls between rooms. In addition to working with our team to find the best and most efficient heating products for your needs, here are several important areas to keep an eye on that will eliminate the need for expensive, risky space heaters in your home.

Air Filters

The air filters in your HVAC system should be changed regularly throughout the year to maintain both air quality and system performance, and this is particularly vital during winter. Filters that are clogged up with dust and dirt will not only lower your air quality, but also strain the system, forcing it to work harder to perform the same level of heating – or even lowering its maximum heating capacity significantly.

Instead of rushing off for an expensive space heater if you aren’t getting enough warm air, consider whether your filters have been changed recently and if this might be contributing to the issue.

Vent Cleaning and Air Flow

Another factor that could be contributing to poor heating quality is vents that are not clean, blocking the proper air flow from making its way around the home. One way to avoid this is by cleaning your vents regularly, ensuring the system can perform as strongly as possible at all times. Blocked vents can diminish heating capacity to a larger degree than you might have considered.

Programmable Thermostat

If your home still utilizes a manual thermostat that has to be changed by hand to alter the temperature, upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat option can do wonders for your heating. This allows you to easily change the temperature and even schedule heating periods, which both saves you money and allows you to maximize comfort when you know everyone will be home.

Professional HVAC Service

Finally, regular professional maintenance from our HVAC pros will keep your furnace and other components in peak condition. This will limit the need for any additional heating items, allowing your home’s installed system to do all the work in an efficient, affordable way.

For more on the risks associated with space heaters, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

In part one of this multi-part blog, we went over some of the concerns associated with indoor space heaters. Used by many homeowners to supplement heating in a given room or area, these products may increase heating capacity – but also pose several risks, from basic safety to health and, of course, a rising utility bill.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we offer a wide range of safer, more efficient alternatives, from basic furnace repair and installation services to mini-split ductless heating systems and many others. Today’s entry will focus on a few more specific types of indoor heaters and the issues they pose, while part three will dig into the steps you can take to improve your HVAC system so there’s no need to look for risky alternatives like these.

Filler Heaters

Filler heaters are those generally used for smaller spaces, utilizing oil as their heating fuel. This is the first risk: Oil can be spilled and become dangerous to anyone in the area, or can just create a mess you’ll have to deal with.

In addition, like with fuel-burning heaters we discussed in part one, there’s a significant risk of carbon monoxide leaking and causing negative health effects. Especially given that these heaters are used in smaller areas, this is a risk to keep an eye on. If you have a smaller space you need to heat, we recommend our mini-split ductless system instead.

Convective Heaters

Convective heaters do a good job heating a room evenly, but they come with safety risks similar to those of radiative heaters: They become extremely hot to the touch and are not safe for children or animals in the home. In addition, if anyone in the home has issues with allergies, asthma or any respiratory condition, dust movement created by convective heaters can be a significant burden.

Steam Heaters

Steam heaters are among the oldest options we’re discussing here – they’ve been used for decades in varying circumstances. There are even a few new models being made, though this is a rarity today.

Steam heaters are actually relatively safe and healthy, but the issues arise when you get into cost and maintenance areas. They are expensive to purchase, first of all, and older models have tons of potential issues that require repairs and hassle. They’re also not efficient at all, meaning you’ll spend a ton just to get the same level of heat you could accomplish for a much more affordable price by maximizing your HVAC system. Finally, steam heaters are noisy and annoying to be around.

For more on these heater types and the risks they carry, or to learn about any of our furnace installation services or other alternatives, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

Are you in the process of building a new home for yourself and your family, or looking to replace an aging heating system in your current home? There are a few viable options available to you here, and one you shouldn’t gloss over is the boiler heating system.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we proudly offer boiler installation services in addition to our numerous other plumbing, heating and air services. We’ll both assess older boilers for their quality and install new ones when needed. What are some of the potential benefits associated with boiler heating systems compared to others? Here are some basics to consider.

Cost and Energy Savings

While some people instantly look elsewhere when they see that boiler installations come at a higher upfront cost than furnaces, it’s important to look a little deeper here before making a decision. Cost of a heating system should be considered over the life of the system, not just its initial cost – and from this perspective, boilers look a lot more attractive.

Simply put, it tends to cost less to operate a boiler over a period of time than a furnace. Boilers utilize hot water within pipes to create their heat rather than transferring air, and this is considered a more efficient method of heating that will save both energy and money. Over the course of several years, many find they save hundreds or even thousands in accumulated heating costs.

Heat Distribution

Some forced air systems, particularly older ones or those that have not been well-maintained, may have issues with heat distribution. Many of us have experienced this before: Heat collects at the top of the room first, taking a while to spread out to the entire space.

Boiler systems, on the other hand, heat areas evenly. They produce radiant heat based on their water source heat that moves evenly through any room.

Durability and Limited Maintenance Needs

Boilers also require fewer moving parts and components than furnaces or heat pumps, meaning they don’t require as much maintenance to operate on a regular basis. In turn, they also tend to last longer over a larger sample of time – heat pumps have 10-15-year lifespans and furnaces are generally closer to 15-20, but many boiler systems last 30 years or more with nothing but limited yearly upkeep.

To take us back to our initial point about cost, this is the full picture you need to evaluate. While you might indeed pay less now for a different heating system, a boiler is likely to be your most efficient option over the entire life of the system.

For more on the possible benefits of installing a boiler heating system in your home, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

Those who have significant allergies often see them peak during the spring season, but many also are affected by these during fall and even year-round. The impact of allergies can be exacerbated during colder months as well, based on the cooler temperatures and the way they negatively impact immune function in many people.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we offer a wide range of HVAC and air conditioning service that will, among other things, keep the occupants in your home protected from significant allergen risks in the air. For those particularly concerned about fall allergy symptoms, let’s go over a few common risks and how proper HVAC maintenance limits or even completely eliminates them within your home.

Common Allergy Risks

While there are many possible allergy risks throughout the year, one that’s particularly notable during the fall season is ragweed. Able to travel hundreds of miles on the back of wind, ragweed can show up virtually anywhere and is often a major cause of allergy symptoms. It can lead to everything from eye irritation to significant hacking and lung concerns.

In addition, while mold is a risk for both allergies and other physical symptoms no matter when it shows up, its growth is a bit more common during the fall. As the temperatures drop, clouds of humidity become more common and damper than usual – conditions that are ideal for mold to grow, in other words. Combine this with leaves stacking up on the property, trapping in moisture, and the potential for mold is highest at this time of year.

HVAC Maintenance and Allergy Prevention

Luckily, there are several things that can be done within the HVAC system to prepare for these fall risks and ensure they aren’t making their way inside. Some general themes:

  • HVAC cleaning: Just taking a little time to clean dust and any dirt off your outdoor AC unit can go a long way toward limiting any allergen particles from getting inside the system.
  • Home and duct cleaning: In addition to the AC unit itself, do what you can to keep indoor and outdoor areas free of debris like leaves or dirt, which can promote allergen growth. In addition, if anyone in the home is struggling with allergy issues despite your efforts, speak to our pros about a professional duct cleaning to remove dust that might be causing these issues.
  • Filters: In many cases, the simplest reason for increased allergy symptoms in the home is air filters that have not been changed recently enough, causing them to accumulate dust and do a poor job of filtering allergens out of your air. Filters should be changed often throughout the year.

Additional Air Quality Items

If someone in your home is particular susceptible to allergies, you might consider an additional line of defense in the form of various indoor air quality products, such as purifiers. These are meant to cycle air in a particular room or area and catch all possible allergens.

For more on how to stay protected from allergies during the fall or any other part of the year, or to learn about any of our HVAC or plumbing services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we’re proud to offer a comprehensive range of both plumbing services and HVAC coverage. With fall in full swing and leading us into winter before long, we’re on hand to assist with both autumn plumbing preparation and fall furnace tune-ups, repairs and other needs as you transition between seasons.

Whether you leave them to our professional technicians or choose to take on a few of the simpler parts of fall HVAC upkeep yourself, there are several important areas to consider as you move toward the colder part of the year. Let’s look at several areas we’ll help you address during this season.

End-of-Summer Air Conditioner Maintenance

To begin with, the fall season is a transitional one where you can attend to both the AC unit that’s finishing up its peak season and the furnace that’s headed into its own. Many homeowners choose to have air conditioner inspection and maintenance done during the fall, especially if they were unable to do so during the spring season. This is a good time of year to check on everything from basic AC connections to air flow concerns and any leaks or other damage.

In addition, we recommend taking a look at the entire area around the outdoor AC unit, not just the unit itself. Clear out any significant debris or plants that have built up during summer, as these can be both shelter for invading pests and a fire hazard in certain situations.

Thermostat Adjustment

As the temperatures get cooler, at some point you’ll have to consider adjusting the settings on your thermostat if you have a programmable or smart thermostat option in the home. There will be a few weeks or even a month or two where this is a bit of a transition as well, when temperatures are in between summer and winter extremes.

Air Filters

Especially if you haven’t done it in a few months, now is a great time to change out the filter or filters in your HVAC system. These are responsible for maintaining air quality throughout the home, keeping it free of allergens and other contaminants that might be present. They should be changed several times per year at minimum.

Professional Inspection

Finally, for a comprehensive preparation for the upcoming winter, call our team about a professional furnace inspection and tune-up service. We’ll look at the entire system, from the furnace itself to ductwork, connections and even insulation, to ensure you and your family will be warm and comfortable throughout the cold season without running up a high utility bill.

For more on how to prepare your HVAC system for winter, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

With September now in swing, Utah homeowners can see the outlines of fall making its way into town. And as those who have lived here for years are well aware, the fall period often doesn’t last long before it gives way to winter, meaning it’s important to prepare the home in a few vital areas, namely plumbing, before the freeze hits.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re here to help. Our various plumbing services, from water heater repair or replacement to drain cleaning, water filtration and many others, will help prepare you for the upcoming winter as needed, with expert plumbers on hand who can spot any issues that might be problematic once the temperatures drop. Here are several areas we recommend taking a close look at this time of year, including several where our team is happy to assist you.

Hoses and Outside Faucets

One of the primary areas to ensure you’ve got covered is protecting any water source that could risk freezing during the winter, and outside hoses and faucets are a good example. If any water is left in such hoses, it can freeze and expand, damaging the hoses themselves as well as faucets and connecting pipes.

Ensure all water is removed from these areas and these hoses are turned off. Make sure there are no drips or leaks in these areas – our pros can assist with basic repairs if there are. If your home has interior shut-off valves that lead to these outdoor faucets, close them and drain all water from these lines.

Insulation and Sealing

Another anti-freezing technique to consider, both in exterior areas and throughout the home, is insulation. Cover all outdoor faucets with an insulation kit, the kind you can buy at any home improvement store. In addition, consider insulating your pipes in unheated areas of the home where freezing within the pipes might be a concern.

Down similar lines, seal off any leaks around your doors or windows. This will stop cold air from making its way into the home.

Water Heater Maintenance

The water heater will do a lot of work during the upcoming winter, so it’s good to prepare it. Flush it out and remove any sediment buildup – our team can help if you require it. We’ll also assist you with testing the water heater’s pressure release valve, plus replacing it if it’s gone faulty since last winter. Finally, ensure the temperature is set right around 120 degrees Fahrenheit for the best performance.

Gutters and Downspouts

Ensure your outdoor gutters and downspouts are cleared and clean in preparation for winter drainage. This kind of drainage is vital due to water freezing risks, which can pose a danger if water is draining improperly and remaining on or near the structure.

For more on how to prepare your home’s plumbing for the upcoming winter, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

The summer period is often a great one to consider upgrades to your home’s heating capability – these services aren’t used as often during summer, for obvious reasons, but this means HVAC contractors will have fewer appointments and there’s a good chance heating equipment might come at a discount. One good example of a heating upgrade to consider during this period is a boiler system.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we’re here to provide high-quality boiler installation at any time of year. Boiler systems, which run hot water through your pipes to create a system known as baseboard heating, are an alternative heating format that’s become very popular among many homeowners for its efficiency and ease of use. And if you’re among those who have already taken the chance to install a boiler system, or even if you’re considering one and want to know the kinds of upkeep areas you’ll have to think about when you upgrade, here are some basic maintenance areas to keep in mind for your home’s boiler system.

Water Levels

Roughly every few weeks or so, especially during heating season, you should be checking the basic boiler water level to ensure everything is in order. Most modern boilers contain specific markings noting where the water level should be at to operate optimally – if yours doesn’t, consult the operations manual or call our HVAC pros for assistance.

If you allow water levels in the boiler to reach too low, not only will your heating be sub-optimal, your equipment could be damaged. Boilers are not meant to run without proper water levels, and could lead to significant issues not only for themselves, but also for nearby plumbing.

Dust and Debris Removal

Boilers will accumulate some dust over time, just like any other element in a home that sits in one place. The main concern here is dust or debris making its way into the fan or the motor of the boiler, which can lead to parts wearing down faster than they should. When you dust the rest of your home, roughly once a week or so, also take some time to dust the boiler.

Lubrication

Like any other machine with moving parts, boilers need to be lubricated to ensure too much friction doesn’t build up. Fans, pumps and motors are the parts of a boiler that require lubrication – our pros can offer you tips on the proper lubricant and how to carry out this process.

Regular Inspection

Finally, as part of your yearly plumbing and HVAC inspection, you should have the boiler checked along with its plumbing lines. Professionals will help you determine if there are any leaks or faulty parts, plus other issues that might crop up during the winter.

For more on the basic upkeep you need to provide your boiler system, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

If you’re considering finishing your home’s basement, arranging for proper heating and air components is often among your first steps. While finished basements may or may not end up containing plumbing, depending on your precise needs and desires, virtually all of them will require basic HVAC setups to make them comfortable and livable.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, our expert team of plumbers, electricians and HVAC professionals is here to help you with any and all such services within your home. Let’s go over some basic tips on hiring the proper professionals for this kind of job, the heating and cooling areas you’ll need to consider for a finished basement, and a couple other tips to help prevent any long-term issues in the new space.

Hiring the Right Team

So why is it important to involve HVAC professionals in a basement finishing project, anyway? Well, for several reasons. One such reason is the potential need for permits, which could be the case in your area if you’re installing ductwork, getting certain pieces of new equipment or making major additions to certain parts of the system.

In addition, HVAC contractors can help with large pieces of equipment like furnaces or hot water heaters. We’ll assist you with concealing these items but not closing them off entirely, plus ensuring you meet accessibility requirements for the space.

HVAC Areas to Assess

A couple general areas to think about when it comes to a finished basement and HVAC equipment:

  • Space: Finishing a basement means adding significant extra square footage to the area of your home that requires heating and air services. This means you’ll want to take a hard look at your current equipment, such as your furnace and AC unit, to ensure they can handle this additional space. In some cases, the more efficient move will be to replace a component or upgrade the system for this reason.
  • Purpose: What will the finished basement be used for? Will it be an occasional fun space for the kids, or will someone in the home be living in the space on a daily basis? These questions will help you determine what kind of temperature control you need in the basement, including whether you might require a zoned thermostat system.

Moisture and Air Quality

Another vital area our pros will help you with is ensuring you have proper drainage, waterproofing and dehumidifying solutions present in the finished basement. Basement spaces are more prone than others in the home to moisture and condensation issues that may lead to mold or other air quality concerns, but the right simple precautions taken here will prevent these risks entirely.

For more on how our HVAC pros can help you finish your basement, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the pros at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.

When you purchase filters for your home’s HVAC system, you’ll generally be able to find basic information on how often they should be changed, whether on their packaging, online or elsewhere. Most filters need to be changed somewhere in the range of once every month or two, though there might be certain types that vary from this.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, however, our HVAC and indoor air quality professionals can tell you from experience that there are plenty of situations where you may have to diverge somewhat from the stated filter replacement guidelines. Said guidelines don’t really account for several circumstances where filters may fill up faster than usual – let’s look at several of these and identify situations where changing your filters more often is the best bet.

Renovations and Dust Presence

Have you been performing any recent renovations or construction projects in or around your house? These projects almost always come with large quantities of dust and general dirt, and much of this ends up in your furnace filter after being picked up by basic air flow.

If you’ve recently done such a project or are preparing to, take some extra care with your filters. One good visual clue here is the spaces near your vents and registers – if you notice dust building up here, it’s a clear sign that levels are higher than usual and you should change your filters more often.

Pets and Hair

Another group of homeowners that should take special care with filters is those who own pets, particularly shedding animals like cats and dogs. Their hair will be caught by filters, and it will clog them up much faster than usual. On top of brushing your pets often and performing basic cleaning tasks like sweeping and vacuuming, take care in this area.

Leak Concerns

You should also check your ducts regularly for leaks, as these can allow in many particles that will clog the filter quickly. Particularly if your leaks open the ducts up to air from the attic, this air could contain many more contaminants than other air.

HVAC / Fan Settings

Most thermostats have two fan settings: ON and AUTO. The former means the fan will run at all times, regardless of whether the HVAC system is actively heating or cooling the home, while the latter means the fan will only come on in coordination with the HVAC system.

In general, your thermostat should be set to AUTO most of the time. If you leave yours ON for longer periods, however, whether to rotate air or for another purpose, this will increase the amount of air that passes through the filter and require changing more often.

Using the Wrong HVAC Filters

Finally, you might simply be using the wrong filter if you find you have to change yours too often. Filters are defined in large part by their MERV rating, which lays out how fine a degree of particle they can capture – and while it’s great to get a high-MERV filter, there’s such thing as taking this too far and installing filters that will pick up too much, therefore clogging faster.

For more on common reasons why you might need to change furnace filters more often than recommended, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

When it comes to the HVAC system in any home or business building, smells are a common consideration. We often get some of the earliest signs of issues in the heating or cooling system through smells that aren’t what we’re used to, and these can also be signals of poor air quality or other HVAC issues throughout the year.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, our heating and air conditioning pros can help you with any strange odors in your home or building. One common smell that’s often found in Utah homes during the fall, winter and any other cool periods: A burning smell coming from the furnace. What does this smell signal? Is it always necessarily a bad thing? Let’s go over all the basics you need to know here, including when you should call our pros.

What Burning Smells Mean

In many cases, particularly if you’ve just installed a furnace or are just turning it on for the first time in a little while, burning smells coming from this area are entirely normal. This kind of thing is common, and is actually one of the most frequent questions we get from our clients during the winter. Over time, most people who have lived in a home for a few years get used to that general smell, which is just part of the components of the furnace getting going in most cases.

Causes

When the furnace isn’t in use, whether it’s for months at a time or even just hours, dust and other buildups can accumulate on their components – things like heat exchangers, registers and even air ducts throughout your home.

And when the furnace is turned on after this, this buildup is shot into the air and begins to be circulated. In nearly all cases, the dusty or burning smell you experience is due to this buildup.

Persisting Smell Issues

In most cases, this smell will last just a couple hours or even less. This is especially true when the furnace hasn’t been off for too long, such as just a day or two. In cases where it’s been unused for several days or months, you can give it several days for the smell to dissipate.

However, if the smell continues to persist after this point, or if the burning odor seems more significant or different than it has been in the past, you could have another issue. Go through standard filter changing and other furnace tactics, but if these do nothing, call our pros right away to get them on the scene and investigating the issue before it worsens.

For more on the causes and actions you should take with a burning smell coming from the furnace, or to learn about any of our heating, cooling or plumbing services, speak to the pros at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

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