How to Avoid Heating Repairs Before They Start

January 14th, 2014

Heating is largely a concern for the winter months here in Central California, which is when repairs are most likely necessary. No one worries about fixing a heater in the summer when temperatures top 100 degrees, and here in Fresno, heating installation services can easily perform repairs when they arise. But rather than waiting for a breakdown to occur, you can take steps to prevent the problem from ever coming up. Here’s how to avoid heating repairs in Fresno before they start.

In the first place, it pays to have a regular maintenance session schedule at least once a year. A trained technician can come to your home and go over your heater to check for any potential problems. If one arises, you can schedule a session quickly before the problem gets any worse. Furthermore, a maintenance session will clean off dust and dirt, tighten loose fittings and perform other “tune-up” services that reduce overall wear and tear. A cleaner furnace has fewer problems with its burners, won’t causes as much friction on moving parts, and won’t need to expend as much energy to do its job.

Another good step is to simply pay close attention to the functioning of your heater, and call in a technician the moment anything out of the ordinary arises. Your furnace doesn’t need to stop functioning to indicate that it could use a little TLC. For example, your monthly energy bills may go up even though you aren’t using you air conditioner any more than normal. Or you may notice a strange sound whenever you turn your heater on that wasn’t there before. It may not stop the heater from functioning right away, but the risk grows the more time that goes by.

Regardless of the circumstances, you need a reliable Fresno heating installation technician on call to help avoid heating repairs before they start. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning handles maintenance issues, we operate in Fresno, heating installation services are part of our services as well, and we can discuss all of your options with you before we start work. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad that you did!

Continue Reading

Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame Weekend

January 13th, 2014

In early December, Michael Purl, Mickie Purl and Brian Driggs were invited to attend a special weekend in Indianapolis to celebrate the Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame honorees.  Michael Purl was inducted into the Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame in 2010 (see video below).  Michael was nominated & chosen for his business accomplishments as well as his extensive list of community service activities and leadership roles.  It has been a wonderful honor and experience for Michael and Mickie Purl and for the Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning team.

The weekend consisted of attending the Indianapolis Colts football game as special recognized guests, Carrier hosted dinner party, business meeting, and a tour of the corporate plant facilities.   It was a wonderful weekend and a great opportunity to visit with all of the past and present Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame honorees.

The Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame awards are presented annually to a very select few industry leading contractors.  These awards are lifetime achievement awards given to a person who exemplifies the dedication of a life and a lifetime of service and contributions to the HVAC industry, their employees and their own community.   Honorees exemplify compassion and commitment to their employee’s communities, and customers.   It is modeled on the vision statement of Carrier founder, Willis Carrier.

Continue Reading

How Can I Find an Efficient Heating System?

January 10th, 2014

“How can I find an efficient heating system in Fresno?” The answer is easy; ask someone who knows. In Fresno, heating questions can be answered with knowledge and courtesy by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. The specifics depend on your circumstances. Someone living alone, for instance, has much different heating needs than a family of seven, and older homes require different things than newer ones. We can answer all of that for you with a thorough inspection of your home. In general, you should pay attention to the following general guidelines:

  • Home size. A heater needs to be sized correctly to match the size of your home. If it’s too powerful, it will cycle on and off rapidly, wasting energy in the process. If it’s not powerful enough, it won’t be able to do the job effectively. A careful measurement of your home’s space will help determine the right size heater.
  • Home heat retention. Similarly, the way your home retains heat will have an impact on the most efficient system to buy. If you have more insulation, double-paned windows and the like, your home will hold in the heat better and your heater needn’t be as powerful as it might others.
  • Home layout. Some heating systems work better in certain homes. For instance, if you have an older home that lacks a system of ducts, you may want to eschew gas furnaces for a ductless mini spit system (which means you won’t need to bother with installing ducts). Or if your home has a lot of rooms that don’t see much use, you may want to include a zone control system as part of your package, allowing you to heat the areas of the home you occupy without heating the other portions.

Regardless of the specifics, Purl’s is here to help. We can answer the question “How can I find an efficient heating system in Fresno?” then install the system that’s right for you. In Fresno, heating is no laughing matter. Let our Fresno heating specialists make sure you have the perfect system to compliment your home.

Continue Reading

Christmas Eve Luncheon at Purl’s Sheet Metal

December 31st, 2013

Last week the Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning team celebrated Christmas Eve together with an in-house luncheon. We had a great time being with each other before heading home to our respective families for the holidays. Most notably, we got to celebrate two very significant employee birthdays. Both Bob Martin and Chris Schoettler celebrated TEN YEARS of service with the Purl’s Sheet Metal crew. We appreciate their time with us and all of the hard work they have put in over the years. Our company truly would not be what it is today without the likes of these men. We are proud to have Bob and Chris in the Purl’s Sheet Metal family. Thank you both for all you have done!

We hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas as much as we did and wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

Continue Reading

New Year’s Eve: The Tournament of Roses Parade

December 31st, 2013

The East Coast has their own traditions for New Year’s Eve, notably the dropping of the ball in Times Square to signal the beginning of the New Year. We have our own traditions here on the West Coast, and with 2014 almost upon us, we thought we’d take a closer look at one of the biggest: the Tournament of Roses Parade.

The Parade is held every year on New Year’s Day, save when January 1 falls on a Sunday (in which case it is held on the 2nd). Tradition holds that they don’t host it on a Sunday in exchange for God preventing rain on the parade, though it has actually rained ten times since the first parade. It all began in 1890, when members of the Pasadena Valley Hunt club organized and staged it on Colorado Boulevard. Their parade consisted of horse carts covered with flowers, followed by a series of athletic events (including races and polo matches). Football was first added in 1902, when Michigan beat Stanford by a score of 49-0. The football tradition was dropped for a few years, but came back in 1916 for good. The game has traditionally featured the champions of the Big 10 and Pac 10 Conferences, though teams from different conferences have appeared from time to time.

As for the parade itself, it soon added motorized floats, marching bands and equestrian units to its array of features. A “Rose Queen” is chosen every year from the ranks of Pasadena girls ages 17 through 21, along with six princesses to serve as her court. 2014’s Rose Queen is high school student Ana Marie Acosta. A Grand Marshall is chosen every year as well, and has previously included such varied luminaries as Walt Disney, John Wayne, Dwight Eisenhower, Hank Aaron, George Lucas, Charles M. Schulz, Kermit the Frog, and Fred Rogers. The Grand Marshall for 2014 will be legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully.

Wherever you are and however you choose to celebrate New Year’s Day, we here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning wish you nothing but the very best. May 2014 bring you all good things, and may your New Year’s celebrations – in whatever form they take – be happy, safe and fun for your entire family. Happy New Year!

Continue Reading

Coats for Kids Pizza Party with Lincoln Elementary and St. Joachim School

December 26th, 2013

Last week Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning wrapped up our 2013 Coats for Kids drive with pizza parties at St. Joachim and Lincoln Elementary School in Madera.  The pizza parties gave us the opportunity to celebrate with the classes who collected the most amounts of coats for the 2013 Coats for Kids drive.

We had a great time at the schools with a surprise appearance from Santa himself.   Santa brought candy canes and stayed for photos with each of the kids.   Brian Driggs of Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning took a moment to thank the kids for their part in bringing in 524 coats.   All of the coats collected stayed in Madera County and were distributed by our local  Salvation Army Office.    Mr. Driggs also talked about the importance of helping others in our community and how we can all make a difference.  During the party he also announced that all of the coats collected had already been given to kids in need.

At St. Joachim School, Santa had a couple of minutes to visit the kindergarten class, who brought in the 2nd most coats.   Santa thanked them for helping other kids who needed warm coats.  The kindergarteners were thrilled to see Santa!   What a great way to celebrate successful Coats for Kids drive in Madera.

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and thank you again for all your support!

 

Continue Reading

Merry Christmas from Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning

December 25th, 2013

From all of us here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, we wish you a very Merry Christmas filled with joy and laughter!

Christmas Tree

Continue Reading

Longer Days Ahead: Why Winter Solstice Is a Reason to Celebrate

December 24th, 2013

Holiday greetings from all of us at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning!

December is a time of celebrations across the globe, despite the cold weather that affects much of the countries in the Northern Hemisphere. In fact, the cold weather is one of the reasons that it is so important for people to embrace celebrations of light, color, food, and warm drinks—what better way to cheer up during a time of short days and low temperatures?

There is another reason to feel joy at the end of December, regardless of your religion or culture: an astronomical event called winter solstice.

Four astronomical markers divide the seasons on planet Earth: two solstices and two equinoxes. Equinox (a combination of the Latin words for “equal” and for “night”) is the point in Earth’s orbit when its axis is parallel to the Sun. Solstice (from the Latin words for “sun” and “to stand still”) is the point in orbit where the Earth’s axial tilt points toward the Sun. During the equinoxes, which occur at the start of spring (vernal equinox) and fall (autumnal equinox), the periods of day and night are the same length. During the solstices, which occur at the start of summer (June solstice) and winter (winter solstice), either day or night is at its longest period. June solstice is the longest day of the year; winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year.

Occurring on the 20th or the 21st of the month (this year it falls on the 21st), winter solstice marks the official beginning of winter, but also the point at which the days start to grow longer once more. The sun, which has dropped lower in the sky since the June solstice (June 20-21) and reaches its lowest point above the horizon on noon on winter solstice, once again begins to rise.

From the earliest human prehistory, people have recognized the winter solstice as an important event in their lives. When winter survival was difficult for early human societies, the sight of the sun beginning to rise in the sky once more was a symbol of hope and a reason to celebrate.

(All of the above applies to the Northern Hemisphere of Earth. The equinoxes and solstices flip in the Southern Hemisphere. For example, in Australia, Christmas is a summer holiday.)

However you commemorate and observe this time of year, we hope you and your family have a joyful and safe season!

Continue Reading

Success at the 20th Annual Madera Light Parade

December 20th, 2013

All of us at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning had a great time enjoying the festivities of the 2013 Madera Light Parade. The parade was held on December 5, 2013 in downtown Madera and is an annual tradition to kick off the holiday season. For 20 years now, the Madera community has come out to celebrate the holidays by lining up along the streets of Yosemite Avenue to cheer for their favorite parade entry.

The Purl’s Sheet Metal crew entered the parade again this year with our fleet of antique firetrucks, loaded down with staff and family. We always have a great time and this year was no different! All of the relics came out with flare this year including the 1979 Crown Fire Coach Pumper, the 1951 American LaFrance Pumper and the 1948 American LaFrance Aerial Ladder Truck. We sang Christmas carols, ate hot dogs, sipped on hot cocoa and had a blast!

We hope to see you next year to continue the tradition and we wish you the best this holiday season, from our family to yours!

 

Continue Reading

Why Having the Proper Sized Heater Is So Important

December 18th, 2013

Here in Fresno, heating installation is a serious business. Our winter nights can get surprisingly cold in the Central Valley, and your heater needs to reliably combat them for many years to come. A heater that isn’t right for your property will cause you unnecessary headaches, as well as monthly heating bills that are higher than they need to be. In particular, the size of the heater plays a huge role in its efficiency: not its physical size (though that may be a factor depending on the space you need to fit it into) but its heating capacity as measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). Here’s why having the proper sized heater is so important.

Generally speaking you need about 50 BTUs of heating capacity to heat one square foot of space. This is a very rough estimate and can be changed by factors such as the amount of insulation in your home and its exposure to sunlight. A trained professional can make an accurate assessment and determine how many BTUs you need to adequately heat it.

As you may suspect, a heater that produces too few BTUs won’t be able to do its job. It will work too hard – increasing wear and tear on its components – and you may never feel warm enough in certain parts of the house.

At the same time, a heater that produces too many BTUs may cause an equal number of problems. That may seem counter intuitive, but in fact it makes perfect sense. Heaters use the most amount of energy (and create the most strain on their components) when they’re starting up or turning off. Accordingly, you want your heater to run at a steady pace for at least 15 minutes at a time, possibly more. A heater that produces too many BTUs for your space will cycle on and off too rapidly, which also increases energy consumption.

In order to work with maximum efficiency, a heater thus needs to follow the Goldilocks Rule: neither too small nor too large but just right. That’s why having the proper sized heater is so important. In Fresno, heating installation service is provided by the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We can ensure that your heater is properly sized for your living conditions, so give us a call today!

Continue Reading