Cool temperatures have arrived here in Portland, OR, which means that we’ll be using our heaters a lot more often these days. It behooves you to keep a close eye on yours for signs of trouble. That way, you can get it corrected before things get much colder, when you’ll need your heater even more and a breakdown could be far more catastrophic. Among the more common problems we encounter with furnace this time of year is short-cycling, where the system turns on and off rapidly multiple times, often without fully heating your home. The problem actually goes deeper than that, which is why if you spot the signs of short-cycling in your furnace, you need to get it addressed immediately.
The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Portland’
Why Install a Humidifier?
Monday, November 9th, 2015Portland, OR is a rainy city, and that means we usually have to deal with excessive humidity instead of a lack of humidity. Many residents may question the need for a humidifier installed in their homes, especially since such a device will see little use during our hot and muggy summer months. The winter, however, can create exceptionally dry air, and if you’ve ever felt the discomfort of chapped lips or the sting of a static electricity shock, you know how true that can be. Installing a humidifier can make those problems go away, as well as helping maintain your home’s energy efficiency.
Make Your House Comfortable for the Holidays
Monday, November 2nd, 2015With Halloween past us, it’s time to look forward to the holiday season here in Portland, OR. And that means friends and family members coming over to your house for a visit. When they arrive, you want to make sure they’re s comfortable as possible, which means ensuring that your home is kept cozy against falling temperatures here in Portland, OR. Now is the perfect time to let a trained technician take care of those issues, before you need to start cooking the turkey and setting up the decorations. Here are a few suggestions on ways to make your house comfortable for the holidays.
Possible Causes of Low Heat in Your Furnace
Monday, October 26th, 2015Your furnace is going to see daily use this winter, as it will most winters in a town like Portland, OR. That makes it doubly concerning when you turn your heater on and the air isn’t warm enough, or worse: it’s not hot at all. That usually merits a visit from a repair technician, who can pinpoint the problem quickly and implement a proper solution. As a homeowner, however, it may help you to understand the possible causes of low heat in your furnace, which can stem from a number of different sources and usually requires professional expertise to resolve. Here’s a partial list of some of the more common causes to help you out.
Clogged Burners and Gas Lines
The burners are where the heating process gets started, and over time they can develop clogs and similar problems, preventing them from working as they should. In some cases, this can stem from trouble in the gas lines, where a clog or disruption is preventing the gas from getting to the burners. (This is one of the reasons why you should shut off the heater and the gas immediately upon detecting a problem: leaky gas is nothing to fool around with.) A service technician can unclog the burners, and regular maintenance session can help keep them from forming in the first place.
How to Spot Problems with Your Heater
Monday, October 19th, 2015Fall has arrived here in Portland, OR, and homeowners are dusting off their heater for use in the coming winter. Now is often the time when we discover repair issues with our heating systems: having sat unused for several months and now called upon to perform on a daily basis. The good news is that you still have time to schedule a repair session to deal with them, while the weather is still comparatively warm. But the sooner you can spot problems with your heater, the more readily you can bring in a qualified service to perform repairs. Here’s a few signs that you should watch for.
What to Look for in a New Heater
Monday, October 12th, 2015With fall arriving here in Portland, OR, now is the perfect time to trade your old heater in for a brand new one. Temperatures are still mild enough to let the technician install the system without inconveniencing you, and you can schedule the session at your leisure, without having to rush to get it in before a cold front hits. More importantly, installing a new heater now will let you enjoy the benefits of improved efficiency and lower monthly bills from the start of the season. But just because you’ve decided to buy a new system doesn’t mean the work is done. Here are a few tips on what to look for in a new heater.
Indoor Air Quality Issues to Watch for This Winter
Monday, October 5th, 2015Winters in Portland, OR have been cold lately, and while we’re still enjoying the moderately mild temperatures of fall, that thermostat is bound to start dropping soon. Keeping your heater serviced and maintained is the ideal way to ensure your home enjoys comfortable temperatures all winter. But temperature isn’t the only factor in determining household comfort levels. Indoor air quality plays a vital role as well. A number of issues unrelated (or at best tangentially related) to your heating system can crop up, and now is the time to prepare for them. Here are a few indoor air quality issues to watch for this winter, as well as some effective ways to combat them.
Is Geothermal Heating Right for Me?
Monday, September 28th, 2015Geothermal heating is an exciting alternative to traditional forms of heating. It uses a physical constant to provide warmth for your home: once you get more than a few feet below the ground, the temperature of the Earth never changes. A geothermal system simply runs a series of tubes below the ground on your property, then pumps a mixture of water and anti-freeze through it. The mixture facilitates a heat exchange with the ground, allowing you to warm or cool your home by drawing on an infinitely renewable natural resource. Geothermal heating can save you a great deal of money over the life of the unit, and a lot of Portland, OR residents will appreciate its environmentally friendly format. That being said, there are some factors involved which you should consider carefully before pulling the trigger. “Is geothermal heating right for me?” you ask. Here are some things to think about.
How to Prepare Your Heater for Fall
Monday, September 21st, 2015The summer is coming to an end here in Portland, OR, and while we may have a few more hot days to come, you’re going to start using your air conditioner less and less and your heater more and more. Now is the best time to get your heater prepped for fall, when temperatures are still warm. A little care and forethought can make a big difference this winter, both in terms of monthly heating costs and in terms of reducing the risk of breakdown. Here’s a few tips on how to prepare your heater for fall.
Alternative Types of Air Conditioning
Monday, September 14th, 2015With summer finally coming to an end here in Portland, OR, you might be looking at replacing an old, malfunctioning air conditioner with a new unit. Now is the perfect time to do it, when you have months of cool weather on the way to set a schedule at your leisure. But just because you’re replacing your old air conditioner, that doesn’t mean you need to install a new one just like it. There are several alternatives to the traditional central model available, and while they don’t match the needs of every home they can be quite a boon when they do. Here are several alternate types of air conditioning to think about when preparing to replace your existing unit.