Sunset Air Blog: Archive for April, 2015

Tips on picking the right air conditioner.

Thursday, April 30th, 2015

AC-window

Size it correctly

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How Zone Control Can Improve Your Air Conditioning System

Monday, April 27th, 2015

The days are beginning to heat up, and before long you’ll be running your air conditioning system on an almost daily basis. Centralized air conditioning is a great way to keep the entire house cool throughout the summer months. As effective as centralized air conditioning is, though, it’s not perfect. A centralized air conditioner is often controlled by a single thermostat, which makes it less efficient at regulating temperature across rooms that warm up at different rates. It also wastes a lot of energy on rooms that are unoccupied, and thus not in need of air conditioning. Fortunately, there’s a way to solve these problems: zone control.

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3 Signs that Your Air Conditioner Needs Replacing

Monday, April 20th, 2015

Summer is almost here, and your air conditioner is going to start seeing a lot more use than it has in the past few months. The last thing you want is for your air conditioner to give out right in the middle of a hot summer day. Proper repairs and maintenance can prevent that from happening for a time, but there will come a point where your system just won’t be able to make it through another summer. When that happens, you’re going to want to replace it before it has the chance to break down on you. With that in mind, here are 3 signs that your air conditioner needs replacing.

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5 Reasons your furnace turns on and off frequently

Friday, April 17th, 2015

furnace picture

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What Is the Anode Rod, And Why Should You Monitor it?

Monday, April 13th, 2015

Have you ever wondered how your tank water heater could last so many years without rusting away? After all, it is unceasingly heating water in case you should need it. From the time it is installed to the time it is replaced, your tank water heater is in constant contact with gallons and gallons of water. So why doesn’t it rust?

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What is a power surge?

Thursday, April 9th, 2015

Page 10 Surge and Protect

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Short-Cycling and Its Effects on Your Furnace

Monday, April 6th, 2015

Have you noticed your furnace turning itself on and off every few minutes? If so, you have a problem. That behavior is known as “short-cycling,” and it can be quite harmful to your furnace if allowed to continue for any length of time. If you notice your furnace short-cycling, you should turn it off and call for a professional to look at it. If you’re interested in preventing it from happening in the first place (and you should be) then read on. Let’s examine the primary cause of short-cycling, and what it can do to your furnace.

Clogged Air Filter

Every furnace has an air filter installed in the return duct of the air handler. This filter is designed to protect the furnace by capturing any dust or other particles that might otherwise damage the system. Though the air filter is quite good at this job, it can become clogged with these particles if it’s not cleaned or replaced every few months. If that happens, it will restrict the flow of air into the furnace.

When the air flow into the furnace becomes obstructed, the temperature inside the system rises. Eventually, the furnace will overheat. This activates the limit switch, which shuts down the furnace as a safety measure to prevent it from damaging itself. Unfortunately, the limit switch cannot address the cause of the overheating. As soon as the furnace restarts, the clogged air filter will cause it to overheat again and the limit switch will cause it to shut down again.

Damages

The startup process is the most stressful part of the entire furnace cycle. It is during that time that the furnace attempts to reach the target temperature as quickly as possible. After the temperature is reached, it eases off and only makes the occasional adjustment to maintain the climate. When the furnace becomes locked in an endless startup process, it is put under far more stress than it was designed to handle. This can cause the heat exchanger to rapidly wear out and develop cracks, requiring replacement. The entire system will be put at greater risk for a breakdown, and its lifespan will be drastically reduced.

If you suspect your furnace of needing repairs, call Sunset Air. We provide furnace repairs throughout Olympia, WA. 

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What are the signs of a mold or mildew problem?

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

©Martin Scott-Jupp

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