DeHart Plumbing, Heating, and Air Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Furnace vs Heat Pump: Which Should You Choose?

Monday, December 5th, 2022
winter-scene

What could be better than a warm house in the middle of a frigid winter. And when it comes to heating, you have two options: heat pump vs. furnace. While both help you heat your home, they do so in different ways.

A while ago, it was an easy decision, depending on your area’s climate. If your area experienced mild winters, a heat pump was the right choice. On the other hand, a furnace was a better choice for those living in colder areas. With many heat pumps now suitable for temperatures well below freezing, you now have to consider more to determine which option you should go for.

Before you start looking for a Stockton, CA HVAC contractor for help, read this post to find out the best option for your heating needs.

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An Aging Heater Becomes an Inefficient Heater

Monday, March 22nd, 2021
furnace-old

We encourage our customers to think about their home heating systems as the winter comes to a close. Although the climate doesn’t immediately turn warmer as soon as the calendar switches to spring—as much as we’d like it to—this is the season to assess how well your heater has operated over the year and if it’s time to get a new one.

On that subject, we’d like to talk about age and heating systems to help you understand why an older heater, even one that is still “getting the job done,” is a good candidate for a replacement.

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“Why Is My Furnace Blowing Cold Air?”

Monday, March 1st, 2021
woman-wearing-parka-and-sipping-from-mug-on-couch

With cooler temperatures lingering a bit longer this year, the last thing you need in your home is a malfunctioning furnace. So if yours is all of the sudden blowing out cold air, this is of course a big problem.

There are a number of reasons that this might be happening. We’ll dive into that below, so keep reading! But please do not try to diagnose or fix your furnace yourself. You could wind up with more problems rather than less and a pretty big headache. Instead, call our professionals if you suspect any of the following issues, or if nothing you do will resolve the cold air coming out of your room vents.

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What’s Going On When a Heat Pump Won’t Heat

Monday, February 1st, 2021
woman-huddled-on-couch-in-hat-and-blanket

Temperatures may not get as chilly here as they do in the Midwest or Northeast, but if the last couple of weeks have been any indication, it does get cold. This means that furnaces and heat pump systems have been turning on for the first time in months recently. If you have a heat pump in your home, then it gets a lot of use… but you most recently used it in cooling mode, right? All it takes to switch it to heating mode is a quick adjustment on your thermostat.

But what if you adjust your thermostat to get heat from your heat pump, and nothing happens? Perhaps you’re still getting cooled air from the vents, or maybe the air feels like it is still room temperature. This is a clear indication that something is wrong. The problem might be something simple, or it could be more complex. Read on as we uncover what could be going on when your heat pump won’t heat.

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How High-Efficiency Furnaces Work So Well

Monday, January 11th, 2021
gas-furnace

Heating and air conditioning systems have improved their energy efficiency vastly over the past 20 years. Today, the US Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program certifies the most efficient of these systems, which sometimes perform at 40% greater efficiency than older models. 

The high-efficiency furnace is one of the big success stories in energy-friendly comfort. For many years, the standard efficiency of most furnaces was between 70 to 80% AFUE, meaning that 70 to 80% of the furnaces’ fuel source was converted to heat, the rest lost to exhaust. Today, there are high-efficiency furnaces that score higher than 95% AFUE. 

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What You Need to Know About Heating Efficiency Ratings

Monday, December 28th, 2020
money-saving-house

Choosing a new heating system for your home requires balancing several different factors. One you’ll pay close attention to is the energy efficiency rating of the new heater. The number matters because you want to find a system that will save you money and help the environment with its performance. 

But energy efficiency ratings can be a bit confusing and people often are unaware of what a higher rating means. Below, we’ve provided some essential information to help you understand how ratings work for furnaces and heat pumps.

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Is It Time for a New Heater?

Monday, December 7th, 2020
woman-wrapped-in-robe-holding-pillow-looking-cold

Are you about to enter winter with uncertainty about what kind of shape your heating system is in? We know that it’s sometimes hard to make the decision about when it’s time to replace an aging heater. Committing to a purchase like this and spending the kind of money it takes is no small thing.

You want to be sure that you don’t replace your heater before you actually need to. After all, wouldn’t it be a waste of money to make an upgrade otherwise?

Well, honestly, today’s heaters are even more efficient and powerful than systems made even just less than a decade ago. We’ve provided some signs below that it may, in fact, be time for you to consider a new heater.

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How the Right Thermostat Makes a Difference for Winter Efficiency

Monday, November 30th, 2020
remote-home-controls

What type of thermostat do you have to control the climate in your home? If you have a basic dial thermostat or one that uses manual sliders, that might seem like all that’s necessary. What’s wrong with going with something simple as long as it works? 

But the truth is that older thermostats can mean lower energy efficiency in your house, and we can use the coming winter as an example. There are many great options for new thermostats in Modesto, CA if you want to make the change to climate controls that help you cut down on energy expenditures in winter without missing out on comfort.

The Efficiency of the Modern Thermostat

Today’s thermostats can be extremely advanced: Wi-Fi “smart” thermostats take care of the work of keeping a home comfortable without much input from the homeowner. They can also be controlled from almost anywhere through their Wi-Fi connection: from a tablet, a computer, a smartphone. This makes them extremely convenient. But how do they make for better winter efficiency?

The EPA has made studies of the improvement in energy savings for homes that switch from manual to programmable thermostats. They found that on average a home reduces its energy usage over a season by 5–15%. Just going digital improves the precision of the thermostat, but programmability allows a homeowner to adjust temperatures automatically, even when they aren’t home, and to automate lowering the temperature at night when there’s less need for heat. Factor out basic human error with settings, and the improvement is significant. You can program the thermostat for 68°F during the day when you’re home and have it lowered to 60°F at night, or program it to come on a half hour before you get home. 

Now consider using an advanced smart thermostat. This type of climate control learns from your programming and your house so it can create its own changing program that matches your needs while maximizing energy efficiency. Smart thermostats even provide you with reports so you can see how much you’re saving. You’ll also add life to your heating system because there will be less strain on it.

There are also the environmental benefits of using improved thermostat technology. This is something we take seriously at Greenhart, because we want to help our customers save energy and also live greener. Thermostats reduce energy consumption, which helps the environment. They also do not contain any mercury like old thermostats, which is toxic to add into landfills.

Making the Upgrade

Something we want to caution you about: only professionals can install an advanced thermostat for an HVAC system. You cannot purchase one online and then attempt to install it, and you can’t have a professional install one you purchased yourself. The new thermostat must match the HVAC system. The advanced algorithms in the thermostat may damage older HVAC systems. Leave the job of selecting the new thermostat to the professionals so that you’ll have the ideal match between the controls and your heating. Our team is glad to help you find the best new climate controls so you can save money this winter and in every season. 

Look to Greenhart in Modesto, CA, for energy-saving options for your house. Live Green, Save Green!

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“Help! My Furnace Is Blowing Out Cold Air”

Monday, November 23rd, 2020
woman-hugging-pillow-looking-cold-on-couch

This is obviously a very concerning problem—getting cold air from your vents when you turn on your furnace. After all, that’s the absolute last thing you need when you turn on your furnace, whether it’s the first time this season or you’ve already been utilizing it on a regular basis. If your furnace has indeed started blowing cold air, the best thing you can do is give our pros a call!

We cannot definitively tell you in a blog post what’s wrong with your specific system, but we can speculate. There are a number of reasons that it may experience this issue. Please don’t try to fix it on your own, as you can do more harm than good, without ever resolving the actual issue. Read on as we uncover what might be going on with your heater while you wait for a pro to come for repairs.

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3 Reasons to Consider a Heat Pump

Monday, October 12th, 2020
vent-low-on-wall

Are you considering a new heater before winter comes? Granted, it doesn’t get that cold around our area in comparison to other parts of the country, but still, you want an effective and efficient heating system when you do need it, right?

And if your air conditioner is also on its last leg after all these heatwaves, you’re probably left prioritizing which is more worth your money… replacing your air conditioner or your heater. What if we told you that you could do both, with one system?

We’re talking about the heat pump! These are great systems that keep your indoor climate right where you want it, all year long. Read on as we uncover 3 of the biggest benefits of having a heat pump installed in your home.

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