Design Comfort Blog: Archive for February, 2013

How to Get the Most Out of a New High-Efficiency Heating System

Monday, February 25th, 2013

If you’ve recently installed a new high-efficiency heating system in your Salt Lake City home, you may be wondering how to maximize its efficiency. Whether it’s a heat pump or a gas furnace, the energy-efficiency rating of your device is only as good as its surrounding system. Design Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning can help you to make the most of your new installation, whether we performed it or not. For more information on our Salt Lake City heating repair and maintenance services, call us today.

You may have noticed a percentage with the acronym AFUE stickered on your heating unit. AFUE stands for “Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency,” and it measures the amount of energy drawn out of your fuel against the amount of heated air produced by the heater. It estimates the yearly average efficiency: the higher the rating, the higher the efficiency. Most new units have an AFUE of at least 80%, and they can go as high as 95%.

Here are some ways you can get the most out of your new high-efficiency heating system in Salt Lake City:

  • Programmable thermostat. If you don’t have one yet, install one, and if you do, use it! Programming your heating schedule is not only a great way to customize your climate around your lifestyle; it’s also a great money-saver. Manual thermostat changes can often be too drastic for the system. In particular, constant changes in levels over 5 degrees often force your system to work rapidly and intensely for short periods. Programmable thermostats can make sure changes are gradual and cost-efficient and that your home is always warm when you want it to be.
  • Enroll in a maintenance program. Your local heating technician offers a way to secure the longevity of your investment. Your heater was a big purchase and will run efficiently and effectively for years to come, but it’s also the ideal time to sign up for regular annual maintenance. Cleaning the air filters and checking the ductwork, motors and blower components extends the life of your system and makes your heater that much more efficient.

The first step to ensuring the long life and excellent energy efficiency of your new heater is scheduling maintenance with Design Comfort in Salt Lake City. Call us today!

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How to Get the Most Out of a High-Efficiency Heating System

Monday, February 25th, 2013

Everyone likes saving money where they can. When it comes time to invest in a new home heating system in Salt Lake City, consider choosing a high-efficiency heating system. The better the efficiency rating of your heater the less energy it will require to keep your home warm and cozy. Following the purchase and installation of your high-efficiency heating system there are a more steps you can take to further benefit from its efficiency. Here are some tips from the home Salt Lake City heating experts at Design Comfort to help you get the most out of your high-efficiency heating system.

One of the most important things that you can do to keep your new heating system operating as efficiently as possible is to schedule routine heating maintenance service. Regular maintenance visits give your professional heating technician the opportunity to thoroughly inspect and tune up all of the components of your home heating system. By doing so they can help keep your heater performing at peak efficiency levels. When all of the components of your home heating system are working together properly it is easier for your heater to perform its function. The less work your heater needs to do, the less energy it will consume while doing it. It’s just that simple.

Also, make sure that you fully understand how best to use your thermostat. Thermostats have come a long way from the round, manual devices most of us grew up with. Think about upgrading to a digital or even programmable model. The more control that you have over the operation of your heater the more efficiently you will be able to use it. If you have a thermostat that you do not fully understand you cannot hope to get the best performance possible from it or your heating system.

Don’t invest in a high-efficiency heating system if you do not intend to take all the necessary steps to reap its full benefits. This eliminates the purpose. To schedule a high-efficiency heating system installation in Salt Lake City, contact Design Comfort. We’ll help you get the most out of your new high-efficiency system.

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Heating Tip: Importance of Heating Maintenance

Monday, February 18th, 2013

Design Comfort can help you out with all your Salt Lake City heating needs, including heating maintenance services. Routine tune-ups can benefit you in many ways. In Utah, it can get very cold in the winter. That’s why you want a heater you can rely on in your home. In this blog post, we’ve put together a few reasons heating maintenance is so important.

Improves Efficiency

Not only does heating maintenance improve the efficiency of your heating system, but it also improves the efficiency of your entire home. During annual maintenance visits, our technicians will test your system to ensure that it is maintaining proper efficiency levels. We also test the airflow, which is another factor in how efficiently your system is running. We can resolve the issue once we know whether it is airflow or another cause.

Prevents Heating Repairs

In addition to lowering energy use and saving money on utility bills, routine maintenance for your heating system also saves money on potential repairs. Don’t wait until your heater breaks down in the middle of a cold snap, call today to schedule your yearly tune-up.

Extends the Life of the Equipment

Even if you have an older system, keeping up with routine maintenance can help extend the life of the equipment. We can ensure that everything is working properly, and clean your system, which helps it last longer. Why not get the most out of your heating system? Make sure you schedule maintenance at least once a year.

The Salt Lake City, Utah heating experts at Design Comfort are here to provide you with all your heating maintenance services, including annual tune-ups. Contact Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tip: What To Do If Your Heater Breaks Down

Monday, February 11th, 2013

When you live in Salt Lake City you need a good heating system. The winters here can be brutally cold and an efficient and reliable heating system is an absolute necessity. But if your heating system breaks down in the dead of winter it can be an inconvenience and could be dangerous in certain situations. At Design Comfort, we provide fast and reliable heating repairs in Salt Lake City. We’ve been working with customers in the Salt Lake City area for many years helping them repair all different types and brands of heating systems. We thought it would be helpful to put together some of the things that you can do to stay warm when your heater breaks down.

What to Do If Your Heater Breaks Down in Salt Lake City

If your heater breaks down and you need heating repairs in Salt Lake City, it can be an uncomfortable experience. But here are some of the things that you can do to keep warm in your home.

  • Bundle up – The human body produces a tremendous amount of heat energy. When you put on extra clothes or blankets, you can keep more of that heat close to you. Be sure to wear something on your head!
  • Space heaters – If you have a gas or oil-fired heating system like a furnace or a boiler and you’ve lost access to the fuel you need, try using an electric space heater. You can also put the space heaters in a single room to trap more of their heat in a smaller space.
  • Cooking – If you have an electric heating system that has lost power, you could consider using your gas fired oven or range to cook up some delicious cookies. The heat from the oven and your range can provide a lot of heat for your kitchen.
  • Fireplace – If you’ve lost electricity, you could still use your gas-fired fireplace. If you have a traditional wood-burning fireplace you could always start that up as well.

Call the experts at Design Comfort for all your heating repairs in Salt Lake City, UT. Our Salt Lake City heating technicians can show up quickly, diagnose the problem and repair it fast. Contact Design Comfort today!

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Heating Tip: Getting the Most Out of Your Zone Control System

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Sometimes heating your home throughout the winter, especially during the harsh winters we have in Salt Lake City, and make a pretty big dent in your budget. At Design Comfort we want to do everything we can to ensure that no homeowner in the service area is dissuaded from heating their home the way the want to just because energy prices are so high. One way we can help you do this is by making the way in which you heat your home more efficient. A zone control system is a great way to do so.

Zone control systems give you more control than ever before about the way in which energy is used in your Salt Lake City home. The more control you have over your heating system, the more efficiently you can operate that system. In order to get the most out of your zone control system, though, you must understand how it works.

A zone control system allows you to break up your home into different heating zones. Each of these zones can then be heated independently of the others. This means that if you want to raise the heat downstairs in the dining room you are now able to do so without also raising the heat upstairs in unoccupied bedrooms. This helps reduce the amount of energy you use when heating your home.

As you have probably discovered, different people are comfortable at different temperatures. This can lead to arguments over what temperature the thermostat should be set to, especially when it comes time for bed. By heating individual bedrooms independently of one another you can keep everyone comfortable and happy. Enjoy the perfect temperature in each separate heating zone of your home.

If a zone control system sounds like a heating upgrade that you are interested in, call the Salt Lake City heating professionals at Design Comfort. Your comfort is our business, and we take pride in the job that we do to make your Salt Lake City home more comfortable. Contact Design Comfort today to schedule a zone control system installation or service.

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