We live in sunny California, and even when it rains in the winter, we can expect a lot of sunshine no matter what the time of year. Solar technology has been available for a long time, but it keeps getting more efficient and easier to set up. For the right property, investing in solar panels can end up saving you a great deal of money. How? Read on for the answers.
Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Sacramento’
How Does Solar Electricity Save You Money?
Tuesday, December 12th, 2017How to Cut Down on High Heating Costs this Winter
Monday, December 4th, 2017
Our winters are never as bad here as they are in other parts of the country, but we still get chilly nights, and regular frosts are not unheard of. A good heating system can be your best friend during the coldest parts of the year and can help your family stay healthy as well as comfortable when the temperatures really drop.
We’re used to paying more for our monthly heating bills in the winter, and in some ways, there’s no getting around that. Increased use means increased cost, period. However, just because you’re paying more to use your heater doesn’t mean you should pay more than necessary, and those higher bills don’t always have to be as high as they can sometimes get.
There are a number of ways to reduce the costs of running your heater in the winter. Some of them are very easy to implement, and you might be using them already. For example, setting the thermostat a few degrees cooler than you might normally can shave precious dollars off of those monthly bills, and dressing warmly inside can keep you comfortable without having to waste money running the furnace. But if you’re looking to do more than that, there are a number of options you should consider.
Test-Run Your Furnace Before the Winter
Monday, November 20th, 2017
Winter, and the first real cold snap, is still not yet upon us but it’s usually a good idea to start up and run your furnace or heater this time of year. Whether you’ve just purchased your furnace or are hoping to coax one last season out of an older one, a test run is always a good idea in these relatively mild weeks before winter begins in earnest.
Check Your Heater with Timely Maintenance
Monday, November 13th, 2017
The weather is getting colder by the day, and if you aren’t running your heating system on a regular basis already, you soon will be. Imagine the trouble you’ll have if you turn on your furnace in the middle of a cold front and have it fail to turn on or demonstrate some other kind of problem. A timely repair service can get the problem dealt with, but far better than fixing problem is preventing it in the first place.
Flush Your Water Heater This Fall
Monday, November 6th, 2017
Water heaters are one of the most reliable appliances to be found in a home, and they usually do their job quietly and without complaint. Indeed, most of them are tucked away in the basement, closet, or garage, and unless something goes wrong with your hot water, you rarely have cause to think about it. Unfortunately, there’s a flip side to that reliability: most people aren’t able to notice problems with their water heaters until the problem has gotten quite bad. In many cases, by the time you notice a problem, the entire water heater needs to be replaced instead of just repaired.
One important way to spot problems with your water heater before they bite you is to schedule annual service from a trained technician. they will check the water heater for signs of trouble, attend to little maintenance jobs like replacing the anode rod (which prevents rust inside the tank), and otherwise make sure that the water heater is functioning as it should. Doing so can also help extend the life of the system as well as helping it perform more effectively overall.
3 Factors to Consider When Buying a New Heating System
Monday, October 23rd, 2017
We’ve enjoyed a long Indian summer these past few weeks, which can be a great boon for local homeowners looking to replace their heating system. The more planning and preparation you can do in anticipation of installing a new heater, the better off you’ll be. A good technician can help you with the specifics of your home and install the unit that is best suited to your needs, but it helps to understand the basic factors that you need to consider.
Every home is unique and therefore every heater needs to reflect the specific needs of the home it keeps warm. Determining those factors can go a long way towards ensuring that your new heater is exactly what you need it to me. Here are the three most important, along with a brief explanation.
Why Is Low Airflow a Problem for Your Heater?
Monday, October 16th, 2017
With heating season rapidly arriving, now is the time to give your furnace a close look and check for any problems that might occur. We’re using our heating systems these days, but the weather is still comparatively warm. That lets you observe any issues the furnace may have and get them addressed before the weather gets too cold later this winter.
One common symptom of trouble is reduced airflow: warm air moving out of your vents more slowly than you’d expect. It sounds minor, but it actually signals a significant problem.
What Do Ductless HVAC Systems Do for You?
Monday, October 9th, 2017
If you’re in the market for a new HVAC system, fall is the ideal time to plan and prepare for it. Autumn in central California is usually quite mild, which means you’ll have plenty of time to decide which system you want and plan the installation before you’ll have need of it. And while most of us are accustomed to centralized heating and air conditioning systems, they’re not the only type out there. If your home can’t support a traditional centralized system—or it can, but you just don’t feel it’s right for your needs—there are other options available.
Get Your Heating System Ready for Winter
Monday, September 25th, 2017Fall has officially arrived, and while we may still have a few hot days left in the year, we’re going to be depending upon our heating systems more and more as the autumn weather continues. If you haven’t gotten your furnace ready for winter yet, now is an excellent time to do so. While laymen should never attempt to diagnose or repair any damage to a functioning heater—it takes formal training and licensing—it’s usually a good idea to turn it on and check for any unusual activities. Regular maintenance can help as well if you’d rather leave the basic diagnosis to professionals. Here’s a quick breakdown of how they work.
Signs You Need a New Air Conditioner
Monday, September 11th, 2017
With the end of summer comes cooler temperatures, and while we likely have a few more weeks of hot weather yet, your air conditioner has more or less come to the end of another season. Now makes an excellent time to take stock of your air conditioner and see if it can handle another hot summer, or if the time has come to finally replace it. That gives you the whole winter to schedule installation for a new system, if you decide that’s how you want to proceed. But is your air conditioner really ready for replacement? Only you can make that decision, but there are a few key factors that you should seriously consider.