ACI Northwest Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating’

How Does a Gas Furnace Work?

Friday, October 3rd, 2014

One of the most popular and common types of heating systems is the furnace. If you use a gas furnace for your heating, you are in good company: approximately 60% of homes have a gas furnace heating system. Understanding how your system works is important, so our ACI Northwest technicians have taken some time to explain below how your gas furnace brings warm air into your home.

How Does a Gas Furnace Work?

In a gas furnace, air is heated and blown into your home through ductwork. The process starts with ignition: the thermostat senses that the temperature in your home has dropped and cues the furnace to begin the ignition cycle. A component called the draft fan inducer motor draws air into the burner assembly; the burners are ignited and the heat from the burners warms the heat exchanger. The air from inside the burner assembly is exhausted to the outside while a second fan, known as the blower fan, turns on. The blower fan is attached to the return duct, and as such, brings in the return air from your living spaces and blows it over the hot heat exchanger. This blown air is warmed, and continues its way into the supply ducts where it is delivered, warmed up, back into your living spaces. This process continues until the set temperature has been achieved.

What Are the Benefits of a Gas Furnace?

Here are some benefits of gas furnaces worth considering:

  • Convenience – natural gas is piped into homes, eliminating the management of deliveries.
  • Clean burning – natural gas burns cleanly, unlike other fossil fuels.
  • Gas heat is very warm – the heat given off by gas-fueled heating systems is anywhere between 25 and 35 degrees warmer than other systems. This means your home will heat up quickly.
  • Good energy efficiency – the average gas furnace has an efficiency rating of 90% , and can go as high as 98%.

If you have questions about your gas furnace heating system, or need repair, call ACI Northwest today and schedule heating service in Coeur d’Alene with one of our HVAC experts.

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Common Causes of Heating Problems

Friday, September 26th, 2014

Our temperatures are starting to cool, which brings our attention to heating in Coeur d’Alene. Fall is a great time to test your heating system for problems and repair them before the cold weather sets in. There can be a number of reasons your heater experiences problems, and knowing what to look for can help expedite repairs to your system. It’s important to always call a trained specialist for your heating repairs, as a heating system shouldn’t be handled by anyone who doesn’t have training. ACI Northwest has helped customers in Coeur d’Alene with heating repair for over two decades, so if you need heating repair, call us today!

Common Causes of Heating Problems

Here are some common causes of heating problems:

  • Clogged/dirty components – clogged and/or dirty components do not work as they should. Parts that commonly become dirty in a heating system are the burner, the air filter, the coils (in a heat pump system), etc.
  • Faulty ductwork (in forced-air systems) – faulty ductwork can account for uneven heating or hot and cold spots. Common problems with ductwork are obstructions, holes and cracks, broken seals and damaged sections.
  • Ignition problems (for combustible systems) – when your combustible heating system doesn’t light, it can’t provide heat. Several things can require repair with a burner assembly, including a faulty igniter, a malfunctioning or cracked thermocouple or dirt in the burner or pilot area.
  • Thermostat issues – your thermostat controls when your heating system cycles on and off, so if it is malfunctioning, it can cause problems with your whole system. Thermostats can get dirty, wires can loosen or corrode, or the unit can be mounted in a poor location. Thermostat problems can be tricky, so it’s best to call for a professional’s help.

If you are concerned about your heating system, now is a great time to test your system for problems. Even if your system appears to be running fine, fall offers a great time to schedule maintenance, which can help reduce the incidence of repairs. No matter your heating needs, ACI Northwest has the technicians who can help, so call us today and schedule your heating service in Coeur d’Alene!

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Experiencing One of These Common Heater Problems?

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Heaters are an indispensable part of life in the Pacific Northwest. With our chilly winters and constant cloud cover, we rely heavily on heating units of all varieties to keep our homes comfortable and warm. A good heater can last you for many years, but like all appliances, it will need repairs from time to time. Here in Spokane, WA, heating service companies can usually correct the problems for you. Are you experiencing one of the common heater problems in Spokane? Don’t hesitate to call upon an expert.

Most heater problems boil down to one of three basic issues:

  1. The air isn’t blowing, or is blowing with insufficient speed. This is often caused by a blockage in the ducts or lines somewhere, though it also crops up if the fan or the fan motor is experiencing problems. It’s troublesome because it forces your heater to work harder and longer to do its job. Not only do you need to wait for a longer period of time for your home to warm up, but it will cost you more in monthly heating bills in the bargain.
  2.  The air is blowing, but there’s no heat. A lack of heat often means a problem with the burners, such as a clog or more substantial damage. It could also mean trouble with the blower or a breach in the ducts that pulls the heated air out. Again, the end result is the same: less heat means the heater must work harder, costing you more money with fewer overall results.
  3. Bills are going up. Sometimes, there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong overtly, but a faulty component or general wear and tear will force the heater to work harder. That costs you money unnecessarily, as well as increasing further strain on the heater and making future repairs increasingly likely. If your heating bills are going up for no apparent reason, that’s usually cause for concern.

If you’re experiencing one of the common heater problems, call on ACI Northwest to help. Fast and effective heating services in Spokane, WA if one of our specialties, and we’re dedicated to your complete satisfaction at every step. Pick up the phone and give us a call today!

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How Air Handlers Work in Your Heating System

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

If you used a forced-air system to heat your home, such as a furnace or a heat pump, one of the essential components of the unit is the air handler. The air handler performs the crucial task of air distribution through the ventilation system and into the rooms of your house. Without the air handler, the heat from the burners or heating elements in the furnace, or the coils in the heat pump, would go nowhere and you would receive no comfort from your system.

Care and maintenance of an air handler is a major part of the job of heating repair technicians. Contemporary air handlers are too complex and intricate devices for amateur work. When you need repairs for the air handler to restore your heating in Coeur d’Alene, WA, you must call up experienced heating contractors. ACI Northwest has the training and years of experience to help you with any trouble you may have in your air handlers or any other part of your heater.

The operation of the air handler

The main component of an air handler unit is a large blower fan inside a durable casing connected to a blower fan motor. Some air handlers have variable speed motors that can run at lower power to reduce noise and to assist with even air distribution. The blower sends out air into the ventilation system; sometimes this is air from the outside or sometimes from the return vents that re-circulate air. Blower fans can sometimes require repairs if the blades become bent from debris that enters the air handler. A filter rack or filter chambers in the blower help keep dust and debris picked up from the re-circulated or outside air from entering into the ductwork. Sound attenuators help reduce the noise from the blower.

For heat pumps, air handlers also contain the coils necessary for conditioning the air in heating and cooling mode, making it not only essential for air distribution, but also for providing a comfortable temperature. (With a furnace, the air handler usually plays no role in generating heat.) For ductless mini split heat pumps, the air handlers are often referred to as terminal units, and contain fewer components: usually an air filter, coil, and blower.

Keep your air handler working

Because an air handler is a major mechanical part of your heating system, it needs regular maintenance and prompt repairs to make sure it does not wear down and threaten you with a loss of heat. Should you hear loud banging sounds from the air handler, or if the airflow from your vents drops, you should call for professional repairs as soon as you can.

ACI Northwest has many years of experience handling heating system services in Coeur d’Alene, WA. Contact us any time of the day or night when you need help.

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Signs of a Reliable Heating Service in

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Because of Internet search technology, it’s easier than ever to find heating services in Spokane, WA when you require them. But there’s a downside to this ease: you’ll have too many choices, and many of those choices won’t be technicians worth hiring. You need to find a way to navigate through all your options to zero in on a heating service that is professional, dependable, and skilled. We’ll go over some of the signs to look for that will tell you that you’ve found the right contractor for your heating needs.

Among your choices for heating, ACI Northwest stands as one of the best. Give us a look and you’ll see why.

Here’s what you should look for in a heating service:

  • Many years of experience: Training and education are important, but even more important is experience. All the training in the world won’t mean much if a technician hasn’t had numerous opportunities to put it to use in the field. Don’t trust to newcomers: look for a company with the years to back up the work it does.
  • NATE-certified staff: The North American Technical Excellence certification is the only industry-wide recognized certification for HVAC technicians. A heating service with NATE-certified technicians on staff can deliver you the quality you need.
  • 24/7 emergency service: Nobody plans to have their furnace’s motors burn out at 3 a.m. on a Sunday night—but it seems that’s when these troubles always happen. Since your heating repair needs won’t occur on a convenient timetable, you need to look for a heating service you can depend on to come to your rescue no matter the time of day or night.
  • A major brand dealer: A reliable heating service will be a licensed dealer for the top brands in the heating world: companies like Trane, Lennox, and Amana. When it comes time for new heating installation, you’ll have a contractor capable of delivering you the best systems on the market.
  • Better Business Bureau Accredited: For more than a century, the Better Business Bureau has provided an excellent index of quality and reliability for U.S. businesses. A heating service worth hiring will have an up-to-date rating as an accredited business with the BBB.

ACI Northwest has 85 years of experience with professional heating services in Spokane, WA. We’re accredited with the BBB, offer the major brands, and our NATE-certified technicians ready to help you 24 hours a day. When you need excellent service for your furnace, heat pump, boiler, or geothermal heating system, make ACI Northwest your first call.

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What Are My Spokane Heating Options?

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Keeping your Spokane house warm during the winter is both easier and more complex because of today’s home comfort technology. It’s easier because you have more options to fit your needs, and they supply better comfort than older heaters. It’s more complex because—well, the more choices you have, the more difficult it is to make a choice.

To help you navigated the rocks and shoals of heating systems in Spokane, WA, we’ve put together a list of your main options for heating systems. ACI Northwest can install all of these, so give us a call for help in making the decision for your new heater installation.

Furnaces

Furnaces heat air and then distribute it through a ventilation system. Furnaces have the advantage of flexibility—they can use a variety of different fuels—and heating power. Furnaces reach high temperatures and are capable of combating the strongest winter cold. On the downside, furnaces can be costly to run (especially electric furnaces) and require more repairs than some other systems.

Heat pumps

The big plus of heat pumps is that they work as both heaters and air conditioners. They also use a small amount of energy to run and can provide large savings in heating bills. However, heat pumps sometimes struggle with providing sufficient heating during heavy cold weather.

Boilers

Boiler use hot water to heat up a house, and therefore do not require any ductwork to operate. They provide cleaner heat than systems that use ducts (which can get dusty), operate quietly, and have long lifespans with few repairs. They do not heat up homes as fast as furnaces, however, and damage from water leaking can be a problem.

Geothermal

These systems are essentially heat pumps that use the natural heat of the earth as their exchange medium. Geothermal is incredibly efficient, safe, and beneficial for the environment. However, the installation process is extensive and often expensive, and not every property will benefit from geothermal.

If you still feel confused about the best heating for your home, don’t worry: you should have experts involved from early in the process to help you make the best decision. ACI Northwest can examine your home and perform a heat load calculation to determine what your best options are. Once we’ve done that, we’ll make sure you receive a great installation for your heating in Spokane, WA. We have more than 85 years of experience to put to work for you.

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Signs That You Need to Call for Heating Repairs

Friday, January 10th, 2014

Protecting your heating system during the winter is important to make sure the season is enjoyable and not a chore to slog through. No matter how new, durable, or well-maintained your heating system is, it can still malfunction and require repairs to get it back to providing your home with warmth. Furnaces, boilers, heat pump, and geothermal systems can all need professional repairs.

Fortunately, no matter what trouble you have with your heating system in Coeur d’Alene, WA, you can access help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from ACI Northwest. Don’t hesitate to make the call if you encounter any of these signs that heating repairs may be necessary:

Strange, unexpected noises

If you’ve lived for at least a year with your heating system, you will know the sorts of sounds it makes during regular operation. An interruption to this sound routine often indicates a repair need. A rumbling boiler; a groaning furnace; a loudly clicking heat pump. Since these odd noises can come from a number of different sources, call for professionals to diagnose the issue and find the best way to repair it.

Spikes in your heating bills

A heating system can begin to malfunction without showing any outward signs that anything is amiss: you’ll still get the same level of heat you expect. However, these malfunctions will make the heater work harder to provide this regular service—and this will show up on your power bills. Pay close attention to your bills so that a sudden leap will warn you when you need to call in professional heating repair.

Uneven heating

If you heater was properly sized during installation (and if you relied professional, licensed installers, it should be), then you can expect it to spread the warmth evenly through the rooms of your home. If you begin to discover cold rooms while the heater is running, it often means trouble developing in the ducts, the heating elements, the refrigerant coils, or the zone control thermostats. Call for help to find out what’s behind the poor heating.

The complexity of modern heating systems makes them difficult for amateurs to investigate (and occasionally dangerous). It’s often impossible to guess what is ailing a heater, so turn to licensed and trained experts from a company like ACI Northwest for your repairs. We work on many types and brands of heaters, and we can assist you with your heating in Coeur d’Alene, WA this winter.

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Why Replacing Your Heater Might Be Your Best Bet

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

The beautiful Spokane winter is almost here. Are you prepared to make the most of it? Specifically, is your heater prepared to make the most of it for you? Although modern heaters can last for many years, eventually a time will come when you must consider replacement as a serious option. In this post we will go over some reasons why it may be time to stop calling for repairs and instead call for a new heating installation. You should have the best heating in Spokane, WA possible to make the winter pleasant instead of something you must simply endure.

ACI Northwest has more than 85 years of experience providing professional heating service to Spokane; we’ve seen many developments in heating technology, so trust us to help you select the right heater to replace your old one—and then trust us to install it correctly.

Ways to tell that you should replace your heater instead of repair it:

  • It’s extremely old: The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that you have your heating system inspected if it is over 15 years old (10 years for heat pumps). An older heating system will often start to work inefficiently, increasing your heating bills while declining in its ability to keep you warm.
  • Repairs are becoming regular: Look over the last two years’ worth of repair service calls. If you’re spending a large amount of money having repairs done to your heater to keep it working, then it may be more cost-effective to invest in a replacement heater than continuing with repairs that will only increase until the heater breaks down entirely.
  • You can’t get control of your heating bills: A brief spike in your bills usually indicates that your heater needs repairs. However, if your heating bills increase and nothing seems to reduce them, then the reason is probably a heater approaching the end of its service life. A new heater with improved energy efficiency will take care of those high bills.

Have experts assist you

Before you decide on having a new heater installed, bring in the Spokane heating replacement experts for a professional analysis. An HVAC technician can determine if a new heater is the best option, and recommend types and models for your replacement. You will also need these experts to carry out the installation when the time comes; a heater installed by amateurs can pose health hazards and on average works 30% less efficiently than one that received a professional installation.

ACI Northwest will help you through the process of choosing and installing a new heater if that is your best option. We back up our work with a written unconditional one-year money-back satisfaction guarantee.

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Common Electrical Problems with Your Heater

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Although contemporary homes can depend on a variety of energy sources—natural gas, propane, and geothermal—electricity is an essential you’ll find almost everywhere. Because of electricity’s importance in running your home, it will probably have some connection to your heater, even if it is only to power the thermostat. Heaters can develop a number of problems due to electrical failures, most of which will require the work of a trained HVAC technician to repair.

Here are some common electrical problems your heater may encounter. If you need help with repairs for your heating in Hayden, ID, make sure you call professionals; don’t try to do the work yourself or rely on a friend or relative with some basic knowledge of electricity. Contact experts like those at ACI Northwest. We are on-call to assist you, 24 hours a day.

Common electrical problems in heaters

Failed heating elements: This applies to electrical furnaces and boilers, both of which use heating elements—sets of coils that burn hot as current passes through them—to raise the temperature of air (furnaces) or water (boilers). They can fail like any electrical system, which will reduce your heating ability. Furnaces and boilers contain more than one heating element, so if one fails you probably won’t lose your heat entirely, but the heater will no longer be able to match its target temperature. Have an HVAC expert open up your heater, removed the failed element, and replace it.

Capacitor issues: If you have a heat pump, this is the most common electrical trouble you may encounter. Capacitors are cylindrical devices about the size of soda cans that are responsible for sending electrical charges to the motors to start and keep them running. Capacitors can burn out or suffer from wiring problems, and this will cause the heat pump to “hard start” (draining power) or quit operating entirely. A technician will have to replace the damaged capacitors.

Thermostat wiring problems: Even if your heating system runs off natural gas, oil, propane, or geothermal power, it almost certainly has an electrical thermostat controlling it. Thermostats with faulty wiring will start to malfunction, often incorrectly registering your home’s temperature or failing to accurately set the heater. If you notice your heater is unable to reach its target temperature despite showing no other signs of malfunctioning, thermostat may be to blame.

Electrical problems pose a serious danger to anyone who works with them and lacks experience. Avoid the risk of a high voltage shock, or causing additional electrical problems through haphazard tinkering. Get the job done safely and correctly with a professional Hayden, ID heating technician. ACI Northwest will deliver the service you need to solve your heating problems in Hayden, ID —electrical or any other type.

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What’s the Difference Between a Heat Pump and a Furnace?

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013

In Spokane, heating your home is an essential part of the battle against our regular cold and rain. There’s nothing better than coming home on a stormy night to find a warm, cozy household waiting for you. Many Spokane households use traditional central furnace systems, but others use heat pumps: a technology that combines the features of a traditional air conditioner and a heater. What’s the difference between a heat pump and a furnace? Read on for the answers.

In simple terms, a furnace can’t cool the air, only warm it. Most models depend on gas or oil to ignore burners, which heat the air that then travels throughout your home via a system of ducts. Gas furnaces benefit from an ease of use and they don’t cost as much to install as heat pumps, though they’re not as versatile and may cost you more in monthly heating bills.

Heat pumps, on the other hand, function according to the same principles that govern air conditioners. Refrigerant passes through a series of condenser coils (which bleed heat from it into the surrounding air) and then into a series of evaporator coils (which cool the air around it). One set of coils is in the indoor part of the house and one on the outdoor part. In the summer, the indoor coils act as evaporators – releasing cool air into your home – and the outdoor coils act as condensers – releasing heat into the outside air. In the winter, that process is reversed, allowing you to heat your home with the same technology that you once cooled it.

Heat pumps work very well in climates where the temperature rarely drops below 40 degrees, like Spokane. They cost more to install that gas furnaces, but tend to use much less energy to do the same job. That’s the key difference between a heat pump and a furnace, at least as far as the average homeowner is concerned. In Spokane, heating services are provided by ACI Northwest, who can help choose a type of furnace before providing professional heating installation services. Call us today to set up an appointment.

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