Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for November, 2013

Coats for Kids – Last Day November 30th!

Friday, November 29th, 2013

We have only 1 more day to accept donations for Coats for Kids 2013!

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has been thrilled with the success of our partnered efforts this year. Just last week we had a total count of 229 coats. As of this Monday, our total count was up to 479 coats! That’s 250 more coats in 1 week! It has been truly amazing to witness the outpouring of community support from donations dropped off at the Purl’s Sheet Metal shop, St. Joaquim School, and Lincoln Elementary School. We are incredibly proud to be a part of this community effort.

If you have not yet donated, but still wish to contribute to this effort, please stop by our shop today or tomorrow:

232 South Schnoor Avenue, Madera, CA 93637

And again, THANK YOU to all who have helped contribute to this effort, whether by donating, helping count coats, load coats into trucks, bag coats, or simply spread the word – each form of contribution is what made this years Coats for Kids drive so successful. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Tags: Charity, Coats for Kids, Donate, Kiss Country, Lincoln Elementary School, St. Joachim School
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Thanksgiving, 2013: The Presidential Turkey Pardon

Monday, November 25th, 2013

Thanksgiving began in 1621, but didn’t become a national holiday until 1863, when Abraham Lincoln declared it in hopes of bringing a divided nation together. We have many Thanksgiving traditions in this country, from turkey at the meal to the annual Cowboys and Lions games on television. But one of the most beloved is the annual Presidential turkey pardon, in which the U.S. President “pardons” a turkey to life in a petting zoo rather than ending up as someone’s main course. As we celebrate this Thanksgiving, we thought you’d like to know a little more about the history of this fascinating tradition.

Farmers have sent turkeys to the White House as far back as the 1800s, hoping to have the honor of providing the President’s annual meal. There have been scattered stories of individual turkeys being “pardoned” throughout that time, including one in which President Lincoln’s son Tad successfully convinced the president to spare a bird intended for the family’s Christmas dinner.

Starting in 1947, the National Turkey Federation became the official supplier of the President’s Thanksgiving birds. The White House arranged for an annual photo op that year with the President receiving the turkey in the Rose Garden. Sadly, there was no pardon as yet; those birds all ended up on the Presidential table.

The push for an official pardon picked up steam in 1963, when President Kennedy ask that the bird be spared just a few days before his assassination. President Nixon opted to send each of the birds he received to a nearby petting zoo after the photo op, though there was no formal pardon attached.

But it wasn’t until 1989 that the pardon became official. On November 14 of that year, President George H. W. Bush made the announcement, and sent the bird to a Virginia game preserve to live the rest of its life out in cranberry-and-stuffing-free bliss. Since then, every President has held an annual pardoning ceremony, with the lucky turkey spared the axe and sent off to live in peace. Since 2005, the pardoned birds have gone to Disneyland in Anaheim, California where they have lived as part of a petting zoo exhibit in Frontierland.

No matter what traditions you enjoy this holiday, or who you enjoy them with, all of us here wish you a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Tags: Thanksgiving
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Exciting Update for Coats for Kids!

Friday, November 22nd, 2013

We would like to thank the volunteers from St. Joachim School who helped us count our coats as well as all the generous donors thus far. We are up to 229 coats! That’s 172 coat donations since last Thursday! Can you tell we are excited?

It is truly humbling to be a part of such a gracious community. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is honored to be able to participate and serve in our community. Let’s keep it up!

Coats for Kids runs through November 30th, so the time is now to bring those coats in to our shop:

232 South Schnoor Avenue, Madera, CA 93637

Thank you again to all the donors!

Kids from St. Joachim School helping us count coats!

Sheryl Berry sorting 63 coats from Lincoln Elementary School

Tags: Charity, Coats for Kids, Community Service, Donate, Kiss Country, Lincoln Elementary School, St. Joachim School
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Ducts or No Ducts: Your Heating Installation Options

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

Heating installation in Madera can entail a number of different systems, from traditional gas furnaces to heat pumps and ductless mini-split systems. Your heating installation options can vary quite a bit, but generally revolve around one basic question: ducts or no ducts. Both offer advantages, and the question of which one works best for you depends on the specifics of your home.

Most people are familiar with ducted systems and many homes come equipped with them as well. They branch out from a centralized HVAC system, through the crawlspace in the walls and other unobtrusive areas like the attic. That allows them to carry air from the HVAC system to any part of the house. They do their jobs well and if your house already comes equipped with them, then it makes sense to use them. On the other hand they’re not the most efficient means of conveying heat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you could lose up to 20% of you heating capacity through your ducts, and if you need to install them as part of adding a new heating system, you lose the inexpensive start-up cost that serves as one of the great advantages of such a system.

Ductless systems usually rely on multiple units placed throughout your home, allowing you to tailor the heat in individual rooms to match your tastes. They also allow you to only heat those parts of the house that you’re using, cutting down on energy costs in the process. Indeed, ductless heating tends to be more efficient than ducted system in general, saving you money on heating every month. The only real down side is that installation tend to cost more, and then only if your house already has an existing system of ducts.

Based on that, you need to evaluate the state of your current furnace system, then make a decision after going over your heating installation options with a trained professional. Heating installation service in Madera, CA is covered by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We’ve served the Central Valley for over 60 years, and can help you decide between ducts or no ducts. Pick up the phone and call us today!

Tags: Heating Installation, Madera
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Coats for Kids Update!

Friday, November 15th, 2013

So far our Coats for Kids campaign has been a huge success! Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far. This makes such a difference in the lives of the kids in our communities. It is true that “it takes a village” to ensure the the growth and well-being of our children. We are honored to get to be a part of this project to keep our kids warm this winter.

As of Thursday, November 14th, we have collected 57 coats and they keep coming in! Spread the word to friends and family!

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has partnered with St. Joachim School and Lincoln Elementary School in Madera as drop off centers. We are also open to the public as a drop off location for coats Monday – Friday from 8am-5pm. Come visit us!

: Kurt and Jacob installing the sign

: Good looking Drop Off sign for all to see!

: Drop off bin at the office

: Bob Martin, Service Dispatching donating a couple coats

: Kurt and Brian making some coat donations

: Coats for Kids!

Tags: CA, Charity, Coats for Kids, Donate, Lincoln Elementary School, Madera, St. Joachim School
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What You Need to Know about Ductless Heating

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

Most of us are accustomed to heating systems that follow the traditional forced-air model. That is, hot air blown from a centralized system throughout the house via a series of ducts. That’s the standard model covered by various companies handling heating installation and replacement in Fresno. Our mild California weather makes forced-air furnaces the norm, and the technology is comfortable and reliable, so there’s little reason to think that another option may be available. You may be surprised to learn how many options there are, however; options that offer a number of advantages over older forms of heating, including some that get rid of those pesky ducts. Here’s what you need to know about ductless heating.

As the name implies, ductless heating doesn’t realty on a single distribution system. Instead, it places multiple individual units throughout your house, each with its own controls and settings. In some cases, they can serve dual functions of heating and air conditioning: simplifying your system and permitting maximum flexibility.

Ductless heating provides a number of other advantages as well, including increased efficiency and improved control. For instance, one family member reading in the bedroom can set the heat at a specific temperature, while someone else cooking in the kitchen can set an entirely different temperature. Besides the added comfort of that equation, it allows you to only heat those areas of the house that you’re using: further cutting down on expenses. Ductless systems also make an elegant solution for homes that don’t have the space or the features to support a traditional duct system. You can place the units almost anywhere, and the technology has been proven over decades of regular use.

If ductless heating sounds like a good fit for you, or you have other issues regarding heating installation and replacement in Fresno, contact Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for help. We can explain what you need to know about ductless heating, then set up an installation plan that works for your home. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

Tags: Ductless Heating, Fresno
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Why Refrigerant is Important to Your Heat Pump Efficiency and Performance

Monday, November 4th, 2013

Heating maintenance in Fresno often means tending to heat pumps as well as centralized air furnaces. A heat pump works extremely well in places with winters like here in the Central Valley, and the Fresno area features many heat pumps working to keep homes comfortable. Refrigerant plays a huge part in a heat pump’s ability to perform. When it leaks, you need to contact a qualified technician to address the problem immediately. Why? Here’s an overview of why refrigerant is important to your heat pump efficiency and performance.

Heat pumps use refrigerant in a closed loop to alternately warm and cool your home. In the summer, the refrigerant gas enters a compressor (on the outside of the building), which subjects it to a great deal of pressure and heat. The compressor coils then bleed off the heat into the surrounding air, and the refrigerant – now a liquid, though still under a great deal of pressure – moves inside the building to a waiting expansion valve. That releases a set amount of the liquid into evaporator coils, which turn the refrigerant back into a gas and pull heat from the surrounding air in the process. A blower then moves the air into your home to cool it. In the winter, that process is reversed. The inside coils act as compressors to release heat into your home, while the outside coils act as evaporators to cool the air.

When a leak springs up in that system, it throws the entire process out of balance. The air can’t be cooled as efficiently – no matter what season it is – and the heat pump must work harder to do its job. Frost forms on the evaporator coils, further restricting the process and increasing strain on the system as a whole. Not only will it cost you more to operate the heat pump, but it could lead to a more significant breakdown later on down the line.

For any problems with heating maintenance in Fresno, Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is on the case. We know why refrigerant is important to your heat pump efficiency and performance, and can seal the leak before returning your refrigerant to its prescribed levels. Pick up the phone and schedule an appointment today.

Tags: Fresno, Heating Maintenance
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Coats for Kids 2013

Friday, November 1st, 2013

Coats for Kids 2013 kicks off their local campaign Nov 1^st – Nov 30^th. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is proud to join Kiss Country and the Salvation Army as a collection location for the 2013 Coats for K

ids drive. Each year the community and local businesses work with the Salvation Army to collect gently used or new winter coats to keep kids warm in the cold winter months.

The Coats for Kids Campaign was established by the Salvation Army in 1980. For more than 30 years this campaign has brought together organizations, schools, businesses and members of the community with the single goal to donate to children in need. Kiss Country has been part of Coats for Kids in the Central Valley for more than 20 years. Their efforts to bring this issue and coat drive to the forefront, has made a real difference in the lives of so many young children.

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning have also partnered with St. Joachim School and Lincoln Elementary School in Madera to help benefit our local kids. We are open to the public as drop off location for coats Monday – Friday from 8am-5pm. We encourage our customers and members of the community to get involved and help keep the kids in our Valley warm. Our goal is to collect hundreds of coats in the hope that no child will have to be cold!

Tags: CA, Coats for Kids 2013, Fresno, Kiss Country, Lincoln Elementary School, Madera, Salvation Army, St. Joachim School
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