Understanding the Importance Of Attic Ventilation During The Cold Season
If you wish to keep your home warm and protected throughout all of winter, you will need to have an attic in it that is properly ventilated. Lack of attic ventilation can lead to moisture build up which damages the very foundation and structural integrity of your roof and can bring along an urgent need for costly repairs. Additionally, proper ventilation will also allow for quality air flow throughout your home during the cold season. This is important to have fresh air while maintaining comfortable temperatures inside the home.
Benefits Of Attic Ventilation
There is an array of reasons as to why you should ensure proper ventilation of your attic, including the prevention and protection against:
- the appearance of and spread of wood rot
- popping roof shingles
- the buildup of ice dams
- the growth and spread of mold
- moisture build up
- frost build up
Since hot air rises while cold air sinks due to the differences in density, your attic will experience an increase in warmth during winter in contrast to the lower floors of your home. However, with the heat also comes moisture, at least it does when your attic space is lacking proper ventilation. And this moisture is then free to be soaked up by your home; it seeps into the materials which make up your roof, it seeps into the framing of your attic, it seeps into the boxes and furniture stored in your attic. In short: it brings mold and rot.
So how can proper attic ventilation fight this? Well, the installation of a ventilation system will lead to cool and dry air being pumped into your attic from the outside, while also transferring the warm and moist air from indoors to the outside. As a result, temperatures will remain even and moisture doesn’t get to build up. No more hot and cold spots. No more ice dams. Additionally, you will have turned your home into an environment protected against the growth of mold and mildew, as well as an environment unfriendly to rodents and insects. Calling on HVAC service in Philadelphia is important as they understand all aspects of the heating and cooling systems. Most of the companies offering these services have been in business for years and can offer regular maintenance and emergency services as well.
Understanding the Different Forms Of Attic Ventilation
It is recommended to have one square foot of ventilated space in contrast to roughly three-hundred cubic feet of regular, unventilated attic space. Additionally, you will also need an equal amount of intake and exhaust vents, in order to ensure functional airflow in and out of your attic.
Threat Of Refrigerant Leaks Throughout The Cold Season
All across the country, both businesses and homes depend on heat pumps to stay warm and functional throughout the cold season. Heat pumps function by transferring refrigerant through pipes in order to keep the indoors heated. Refrigerant works by changing its aggregate state between liquid and gas throughout the different stages of the heating system. However, due to these states of matter, refrigerant can also escape if a leak occurs in one of the system’s pipes. And such a leak can be more than just annoying. It can be dangerous. Especially if it occurs during the cold season.
Refrigerant Leaks During The Cold Season
Should a leak occur in a refrigerant line of your heat pump system, especially during the winter, you may be faced with disastrous consequences. Consequences that do not just impact your heating system, but may also pose a significant threat to the inhabitants of the home itself.
A sudden lack of heating, especially during dangerously low temperatures, can cause damage to property, but more importantly, pose a threat to the health and safety of people. Should a situation like this occur, it is vital to have a backup or auxiliary heating system to fall back on. It should be noted that it does not take something as severe as a leak to require the switch to the backup system. Simple inefficiency of your heat pump system is reason enough. The switch from the heat pump system to a backup is easily achieved by selecting the “backup” or “emergency” setting on your thermostat.
However, if a backup heating system is inaccessible or non-existent for you, you will need to get your refrigerant leak patched right away. No procrastinating. No evaluating. Contact a heating repair contractor as soon as possible so your refrigerant can be charged and your heating restored before temperatures become dangerously low in your home. Not only will that lead to uncomfortable temperatures but you can catch a cold and fall sick.
The Dangers Of Refrigerant Leaks Throughout The Cold Season
A sudden lack of refrigerant will cause a steady decline in the efficiency of your heating system, which in turn will cause a drop-in temperature in your home. Additionally, other malfunctions are also at an increased risk of occurring. Among these potential malfunctions are a frozen over heat pump and an overheated compressor which can permanently damage your system. Fixing such damage may require not just repairs, but full replacement. That is when you need to contact a HVAC service in Philadelphia PA so that they can offer you the best deal and subscription to maintenance services.
Benefits and Downsides Of Underfloor Heating
Over the course of the last few years, hot air systems and underfloor heating have slowly begun to replace radiators and fireplaces. This is largely due to the decrease in utility bills it brings. However, as with everything else, there are benefits and downsides that come with the installation of underfloor heating. Benefits and downsides which we are going to explore in the article below, so read on if you are curious.
The Two Basic Types Of Underfloor Heating
The market currently provides us with two main forms of underfloor heating; one making use of warm water pumped through pipes, the other making use of electric coils. While mainly affiliated with high end establishments like hotels and resorts, these systems can also be installed by a Heater Repair Service in Philadelphia PA in regular homes.
Warm water underfloor heating requires the installation of an interconnected series of pipes which starts at your home’s boiler and webs along below the floorboards of each room you wish to heat this way. While this form of underfloor heating requires lower temperatures than the other, electric, system, it is also costlier to install due to the more elaborate process of the installation itself. Additionally, the floors of the rooms may need to be slightly raised due to the thickness of the pipes.
The other option would be electric underfloor heating, which requires the installation of a web of wire coils below the floorboards of each room you wish to heat this way. You may also be able to opt for heat mats in certain rooms, though uncommonly shaped rooms will require individual wires if you wish to cover the entirety of the room. Additionally, you will also need insulation below the wires. While electric underfloor heating is cheaper to install, it should be noted that it cannot be installed under carpeted floors.
The Benefits Of Underfloor Heating
A lot of people choose underfloor heating to rid themselves of the constraints set by radiators which require to be free of furniture to heat the room. Additionally, radiators will also spread heat unevenly due to their location, and require more electricity to function in lower temperatures. In contrast, underfloor heating is more efficient in both operation and operating costs.
The Downsides Of Underfloor Heating
The lack of underfloor heating in regular homes can be traced back to three main reasons: installation costs, incompatibility with older buildings, and slower heat up time. You can always call on reliable HVAC contractors that have ample experience and expertise in handling such cases. If the underfloor heating system is old, they can remove and install a new one with ease.
A Guide To Charging Heat Pumps During The Cold Season
Refrigerant is a substance (or mixture) that is used to move heat back and forth between the in- and outdoors. However, since refrigerant is transferred through pipes, these lines may be damaged, which will lead to leaks, and thus a loss of refrigerant. As a result, the heat pump requires a recharge in order to restore the desired performance level.
The Complexity Of Charging Your Heat Pump During Winter
If you wish to, or need to, charge your heat pump in the depths of winter (or generally low temperatures), you will need to make use of what is called the “superheat method”.
This method can only be performed by HVAC Repair technicians in Philadelphia who have undergone the required training. “Superheat” is a term which is used when talking about the differences in temperature between refrigerant vapor in its actual state and refrigerant vapor’s temperature during saturation.
If you wish to keep your home warm and cozy, your auxiliary heating system needs to be up and running during the repair process of your heat pump. This is because the heat pump needs to be offline while the necessary repairs are made.
The charging process of a heat pump is significantly more difficult during the cold season due to the latent heat load being so minuscule around the evaporator.
Additionally, and as a result of this, the refrigerant charge of your heat pump cannot be perfect, but it will still be more than enough to restore efficiency to your system.
Charging Process In Low Temperatures
- In order to keep the air inside the system from escaping, the condenser will be covered by a sheet of plastic.
- Using the 4-way reversing valve, the heat pump’s mode is switched to cooling. To achieve this, its low voltage wire will need to be removed. This is because the thermostat will still be asking for heat which it will now be able to obtain through the auxiliary heating system. Once this set up is complete, your home will remain heated, even while the heat pump is down.
- The refrigerant vapor in the refrigerant lines needs to be retrieved by bleeding air from the lines.
- In order to capture this refrigerant, a refrigerant cylinder will be fastened to the gauge lines and switched upside down. Once this set up is established, the manifold valve can be opened and refrigerant liquid can be retrieved.
It is important that you discuss the details with a reliable and licensed contractor that has years of experience in handling varied sizes of HVAC systems. Usually, such services offer standard maintenance plans on a regular basis.
Winter and 6 of the Most Common Heating Problems
Winter is coming…and it has nothing to do with Jon Snow or a Game of Thrones episode! In fact, winter is officially here. It has a way of sneaking up on you, particularly if you are unprepared for it.
When cold weather sets in, you want to be able to rely on your furnace to keep your home and family warm. There are many reasons why your heating system may need repair. Mechanical household systems will break down periodically like any other and some are just a matter of age and daily wear and tear on the system. But there are some very common things that tend to break down with heating systems, some of which don’t need to happen with proper periodic system maintenance.
Lack of Maintenance
Your Philadelphia HVAC system is a huge investment and should be kept in proper working order, just like you keep your car maintained. Unfortunately, many homeowners neglect this maintenance and end up with unexpected breakdowns in the middle of winter. Don’t let this be you!
Clogged Air Filters
The simplest and most important thing you can do as a homeowner is changing your air filter. A clogged air filter will cut down on your system’s ability to do its job and can put unnecessary strain on the system leading to costly breakdowns. Manufacturers suggest that you change your air filters every three months but during the height of winter usage, you may want to do this more often.
Air Flow Problems
Other airflow problems can make your system work inefficiently and cause an eventual breakdown. Damaged ducts and large leaks can lead to a reduction in airflow that can cause wear and tear on the system.
Mechanical Breakdowns
There are hundreds of mechanical parts that are essential to the operation of your heating system. And like any other mechanism, these parts can wear and break down. Wear and tear on a mechanical system can cause problems with performance and cause inconvenient breakdowns. Fortunately, components can be easily replaced as part of a repair service call.
Ignition Control and Pilot Problems
Ignition problems can cause a system to malfunction and require a Philadelphia PA furnace repair call.
Thermostat Problems
A thermostat that is malfunctioning can create comfort issues and can result in no heat getting to your home. This can be quickly diagnosed and repaired by your Philadelphia HVAC repair specialist.
The Best Way to Avert Furnace Breakdowns
The best way a homeowner can keep Philadelphia furnace repairs to a minimum is to have the system inspected and maintained annually before winter sets it. Scheduling an annual maintenance visit can save money and frustration and reduce costly breakdowns when you need your heating system the most.
At Affordable Fixes LLC, our Philadelphia HVAC repair technicians will conduct a complete inspection and cleaning of your heating and cooling system to ensure that it is working efficiently to the manufacturer’s specifications. Don’t get caught with a furnace breakdown in the middle of winter! Call us today to schedule your inspection before a costly breakdown happens to your system.