A/C Designs of St. Augustine, LLC Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Noises from a Furnace That May Indicate Repair Needs

Friday, January 30th, 2015

Everyone hears strange noises coming from their furnace at one point or another. Though not all furnace noises indicate that something is wrong with your furnace, there are quite a few sounds that do. If you don’t know which noises indicate a serious problem, you won’t know when to call a professional until it’s too late. Therefore, we’ve assembled this list of the most common furnace noises that indicate a need for repairs.

Grinding

Within every furnace is a collection of parts referred to as an “air handler.” This is the section that is responsible for circulating the air through the system and throughout the house. The motor that operates the air handler is under quite a lot of stress while the furnace is operating. In order to ease the burden on the motor, lubricated bearings are installed inside it to decrease the friction. These bearings can occasionally dry up, however, which increases the resistance on the motor. The grinding sound coming from your furnace is likely the sound of the bearings in the motor wearing down. If the bearings are not fixed or replaced, the motor will eventually burn out from the strain of running without them.

Booming

A loud booming sound coming from your furnace could be a couple of different things. In some homes, the warm air in the ducts can cause them to expand and flex. This creates a booming, thunderous sound that echoes through the ducts. This isn’t really anything to be worried about. However, the sound could also be coming from your furnace’s burner assembly.

The burner assembly is the part that actually burns the fuel to create heat. Over time, carbon particles that are left over from the burning fuel can build up on the burner. Once a burner becomes sufficiently caked in carbon, it can have trouble igniting on time. When it finally does ignite, it burns through the excess gas build up all at once. This miniature explosion can also make a loud booming sound.

If you are having issues with your furnace, call AC Designs, Inc. We provide professional furnace repairs throughout St. Augustine.

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Why Your Furnace Isn’t Coming On

Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

It really stinks to have your furnace not come on when you really need it. Though the problem is likely beyond your ability to fix, there are a few things you can do before calling an HVAC technician to look at it for you. After all, investigating the issue is better than sitting in your cold house, waiting for the problem to resolve itself. Let’s take a look at what you should do when your furnace refuses to come on.

Check the Thermostat

The thermostat is one of the core components of your furnace. It is responsible for controlling pretty much everything your furnace does, including turning on and off. This means that if your thermostat malfunctions for any reason, it can pretty easily stymie an otherwise healthy furnace from operating. Have a look at your thermostat’s display and make sure that the temperature and settings are correct. Solving your problem may be as simple as pressing a few buttons. If everything seems to be correct, then the problem might lie elsewhere. Your professional HVAC technician will check the thermostat more thoroughly, to make sure it’s operating properly.

Check the Pilot Light

Not all furnaces use standing pilot lights anymore, those tiny flames that continuously burn underneath the burner assembly. If your furnace happens to still use one, though, look and see if it’s still burning. If the pilot light is out, that is probably the source of your problem. You can try re-lighting it yourself, if you know how to do so. If you don’t, don’t worry. All HVAC technicians know how to re-light pilot lights. If your pilot light refuses to stay lit after you try lighting it, then you probably have a faulty thermocouple.

The thermocouple is a device that is designed to regulate the amount of gas the pilot light receives. If the pilot light is lit, the thermocouple makes sure that it receives a steady flow of gas to keep it alive. If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple closes the gas valve as a safety measure. A faulty thermocouple will often smother a pilot light by cutting off the gas flow prematurely, smothering the flame. If your thermocouple is broken, you’ll need a professional to replace it.

If you’d like to know more, call AC Designs Inc. today to speak with one of our technicians. We provide professional heating repair service throughout the Daytona Beach area.

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What Are My Heating Options in St. Augustine?

Wednesday, December 17th, 2014

St. Augustine enjoys the same pleasant winters that attract visitors to everywhere in the state when the temperatures drops elsewhere in the country. However, we can’t escape cold weather entirely here in Florida, and it’s important that you have a heater in your house that is ready to go to work when necessary.

Below are some of your options for quality heating in St. Augustine, FL. If you need to have a new heating installation for your home, call AC Designs Inc. today. You’ll need the help of our professionals to make certain that you receive the ideal system for your needs. We will handle the installation work so that the new heater provides you with many years of trouble-free comfort.

Some Choices for Heating

  • Heat pumps: For Florida weather, a heat pump is a terrific option. These systems work as both heaters and air conditioners: essentially, they are ACs that can reverse the direction they move heat so that instead of shifting heat out of a house, the shift it into a house. A reason that heat pumps are an excellent idea for Florida is that they work most efficiently as heaters during mild cold weather. A heat pump will struggle in sub-freezing temperatures—but how often do those occur in Florida? When heat pumps are providing warmth during mild cold, they obtain energy efficiency superior to most other heating systems. And, of course, a heat pump will deliver fantastic cooling during the rest of the year.
  • Gas furnaces: The most common kind of heating system in the U.S. is the gas furnace, and for some excellent reasons. Gas furnaces can produce high levels of heat, able to keep even the draftiest of homes warm. Because natural gas is less expensive an energy source than electricity, gas furnaces are also one of the less costly heating systems to run. Modern gas furnaces are also safer than older units, so you should have few worries about dangers due to carbon monoxide.
  • Electric furnaces: If your home does not have access to a natural gas line, you can choose instead to have an electric furnace installed. Although they cost more to operate than gas furnaces, you won’t need to run the system often during a Florida winter. They have a number of advantages, such as long service lives, small size, and few repair needs. If you are concerned about using natural gas in your house, an electric furnace is a good alternative.

Call Us for a Great Heating Installation

Our technicians at AC Designs Inc. are glad to help you with your needs for heating in St. Augustine, FL. Let us look over your home and find the right system that will keep it warm and match your budget plans. You can count on our more than 10 years of experience keeping the greater Jacksonville and Daytona areas comfortable.

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Reasons to Consider a Furnace for Your Home Heating

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

If you need to have a new heating system installed to warm your home, either to replace an older heater or as part of a new house, you have many options to consider. At the top of the list will be the heating system that has provided more homes in the U.S. with winter comfort than any other: the furnace.

Although you have other heat system choices aside from a furnace, there are some excellent reasons to give this old standard serious consideration. During the more than 10 years that we have been in business, AC Designs Inc. has installed numerous furnaces throughout the Jacksonville and Daytona areas. We have seen firsthand how effective furnaces—electrical and gas powered—are for providing reliable comfort. If a furnace in Orange Park, FL is one of your top options for heating, call us for the sizing and installation work that will see you receive quality warmth for many years to come.

The Benefits of a Furnace

  • Powerful heating levels: Gas-powered furnaces are among the most powerful heating systems available to consumers. Their output of BTUs of heat is high, which makes them effective for homes that lose large amounts of heat through poor insulation. They also heat up homes fast, which means you won’t have to run them as long.
  • Low-cost heating: Gas furnaces cost far less to run than electrical systems because natural gas is a less expensive source of heat. Modern furnaces also score high efficiency ratings, with less exhaust waste than ever before.
  • Flexibility: Furnaces come in a large variety of types and sizes, and that means there is almost always a furnace to fit any given home. For example, if you do not have a gas line for your home, you can choose to have an electrical furnace put in instead.
  • Connects to existing ductwork: If your home already has ducts for a central air conditioning system, a furnace is simple to have installed, since it will connect to the same set of ducts and share them with the AC.

Even though our team at AC Designs Inc. can find a furnace that will match your home’s needs, a furnace may not always be the #1 choice. Let our heating specialists look over your house and help you decide on the best option to deliver you quality heating combined with energy efficiency. When you think you want a furnace in Orange Park, FL, give us a call.

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How Electronic Ignition Works in a Furnace

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

For many years, furnaces were lit using standing pilots. While there are a number of furnaces in existence that use a standing pilot, today’s furnaces use electronic ignition to light your furnace. There are two types of electronic ignition, and while each works differently, the both help reduce fuel usage. If you are interested in finding out how electronic ignition might help you and your furnace in Orange Park, call AC Designs, Inc., today and schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.

Types of Electronic Ignition

There are two types of electronic ignition:

  • Intermittent pilot
  • Hot surface ignition

Intermittent Pilot

As the name indicates, the intermittent pilot is a pilot light that turns on intermittently, i.e., when the thermostat cues your furnace to start. With an intermittent pilot, a small gas line dedicated for the pilot light opens, and an electronic device creates a spark that lights the pilot. A flame sensor, one of the safety mechanisms, monitors the flame to see if it is present and viable; if the flame is viable, the flame sensor allows the main gas valve to open. Once the gas flows from the main gas valve, the pilot lights the burner, and the small gas line for the pilot closes, extinguishing the pilot.

Hot Surface Ignition

Hot surface ignition uses a metal probe to light your burner directly. The probe is made of metal, and heats like a light bulb. When the thermostat cues your heater to begin ignition, a current passes over a silicone filament that heats up to a temperature that will ignite the gas. Once this temperature is reached, the main gas valve opens and the gas is ignited, lighting the burner. Hot surface ignition is an easier ignition system than intermittent pilot, and as such, is used more frequently.

Some furnaces can be retro-fitted with electronic ignition, but there can be some cost associated with this upgrade.

If you are experiencing problems with your furnace’s electronic ignition, or any other heating problems with your furnace, call AC Designs, Inc. for professional furnace service in Orange Park, FL.

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Heat Pump Repair Basics: The Reversing Valve

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

Heat pumps work very similarly to air conditioners except for one key way: they can also heat your home. How do they do this? With the help of a component called a reversing valve. The valve itself is fairly complex, but the result for you, as the homeowner, is that you have a system that can easily switch between heating and cooling. However, heat pumps run year-round, making them a little more prone to needing repair than other more seasonal systems. If you are need of quality heat pump repair service in Daytona Beach, call the people you can count on: AC Designs Inc.

How Does the Reversing Valve Work?

The reversing valve is a somewhat delicate component that has a pipe on the bottom and three on the top. The job of the reversing valve is to change the direction of the flow of refrigerant in your system; this is how the heat pump changes modes between heating and cooling. The valve has two settings within it: one is excited, the other is relaxed. The valve manufacturer sets which state stands for heating and which stands for cooling, so there can be variations between valves. What doesn’t change is that once a state is set for a specific mode – either heating or cooling – it stays that way for the life of the pump.

So how does the pump change modes? As the homeowner, you press a button on your dual-mode thermostat. This cues the heat pump’s solenoid, which is a low-voltage electrical component, to slide the valve in the opposite direction. As the valve slides, the refrigerant also helps the valve to change states between relaxed and excited, or vice versa. Once the valve has slid into the correct position, the mode has changed.

When the Valve Is Stuck

One of the most common problems that can develop with a reversing valve is that is can get stuck. It may become stuck in a specific mode or in between modes. If the valve is stuck due to a bad solenoid, the solenoid can be replaced; but should there be another problem causing the valve to stick, such as leaking refrigerant, the valve will need to be replaced.

Reversing valve repairs should only be handled by trained professionals. The valves can be complex, but more importantly, they operate with refrigerant, and you must be certified to handle refrigerant. The trained technicians at AC Designs Inc. can handle all types of heat pump repairs in Daytona Beach, so don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need help with your heat pump system.

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How to Avoid Heating Repairs for Your Furnace This Winter

Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

While nothing can guarantee that you’ll never need a heating repair again, there are some things that you can do to greatly reduce your chances of requiring furnace repair in Daytona Beach. Taking certain precautionary steps and being a little proactive can go a long way toward helping your furnace to work well. However, if you do encounter problems with your furnace, call the people you can count on 24/7: AC Designs, Inc.

Ways to Help Avoid Heating Repairs

Here are some suggestions to help you avoid possible heating repairs this winter:

Don’t Ignore Strange Sounds or Odors

When problems develop with your furnace, it will give signs that something is amiss. Typically, these signs come in the form of strange sounds and/or strange odors. Ignoring the signs that something may be wrong with your furnace is not a good step to take; it can put your system at risk and, if there are problems, they will not improve on their own. If you hear something odd or smell something off, call for a technician.

Schedule Fall Maintenance

Your furnace works hard during the winter to keep you warm. It is normal for wear and tear to develop, and for dirt and dust to get into your system. When your furnace operates each season without the benefit of maintenance, this build-up and wear compounds, reducing the efficiency and performance quality of your system. The tune-up your system receives during a maintenance appointment is integral to the system working optimally, so it’s important to schedule it annually.

Change the Filter

The air filter in your system needs to be changed about every 3 months. When it isn’t changed, and left in your furnace for an extended period of time, it can clog up. A clogged air filter can restrict the airflow in your system and fail to block dirt, dust and debris from entering your system as it’s supposed to. Changing your air filter on a timely basis can help you avoid multiple problems.

You can’t avoid every needed heating repair for your Daytona Beach home this winter, but you can reduce the amount of potential problems. Need help with your furnace? Call AC Designs, Inc. today.

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What to do if Your Heat Pump Won’t Heat Your Home

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014

Heat pumps operate slightly differently from more traditional systems, which makes them a bit more complicated when it comes to potential problems popping up. Before you call your heating repair technician, however, it helps to see if you can find the problem beforehand. Below are some of the things you can do before your HVAC technician gets there.

Check the Thermostat

There are tons of heating problems that can be attributed to a malfunctioning thermostat. Your heat pump might be perfectly fine, but without a properly working thermostat it won’t matter. Check the display to make sure that the thermostat is in heating mode and the temperature is set properly. If it is, the heat pump is more likely to be the problem.

Check Your Outdoor Unit

Depending on how cold your environment is, ice can form on the outside of your outdoor unit. Normally, this isn’t a problem. All heat pumps are equipped with a defrost cycle to regularly melt the ice around the unit. If this defrost cycle isn’t working for whatever reason, the ice can build up and eventually encase the entire unit. This prevents the unit from absorbing thermal energy from the surrounding air, leading to a drop in temperature inside the house. If you see a large amount of ice on your heat pump, covering at least ¾ of the unit, your defrost cycle is probably not working.

Look for Leaks

Most systems rely on an internal “charge” of refrigerant to transport thermal energy where it is needed. A leak in the refrigerant line can drain this charge, severely depleting the heat pump’s ability to heat properly. If you see fluid leaking from either your indoor or outdoor unit, you may have a leak in the refrigerant line. You’ll want to get this fixed right away, as fluid leaking onto other parts of the heat pump can easily cause more problems if left alone.

If your heat pump seems to have lost its ability to heat properly, call AC Designs Inc. We provide quality heating repair services throughout the Jacksonville area.

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Furnace Guide: 3 Important Components

Thursday, March 13th, 2014

Here in Jacksonville, FL, furnaces are a common home heating system, providing reliable and inexpensive warmth by blowing heated air through a system of ducts. The process used to create that heat is actually fairly straightforward, but like a lot of mechanical systems, it requires multiple components working in conjunction to create the heat. Understanding those components is a big step towards understanding why a furnace develops problems from time to time.

Here are 3 important components you should be aware of:

  • Ignition/thermocouple. The ignition system used to be the pilot light in older furnaces, and is now usually an electrical ignition system designed to ignite the flow of gas. The thermocouple is a valve that controls the flow of gas into the furnace, and will only do so if it detects the ignition system functioning. (That keeps your home from being flooded with gas if there’s a problem.) Many times, the ignition and the thermocouple are part of the same component.
  • Burners. Once the gas is lit, it moves to the burners which channel the heat into the heat exchanger. Burners can become clogged with dirt, which may restrict their functioning, and can also suffer damage and wear-and-tear. Most furnaces have multiple burners, which means a damaged burner won’t shut off your heat. It will lower the heating potential, however, and force your furnace to work harder to do its job.
  • Heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is essentially a long metal tube with openings at either end. Heated gas passes through it, heating the surface and passing the heat along to the surrounding air. Trace toxins in the gas are removed through a venting pipe, while the heated air can then be blown into your house with a fan. Heat exchangers don’t have moving parts so they rarely suffer damage, but when they do, it usually means you have to replace the entire furnace.

If you detect a problem with these important components or you need repairs in some other portion of your unit, it pays to call on someone who knows. Here in Jacksonville, FL, furnace repairs can be made by the experts at AC Designs, Inc. Call us today to make an appointment and let us show you what we can do!

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