How to Keep Your Energy Bills Low this Upcoming Heating Season

September 17th, 2013

In Fresno, CA, heating becomes less of an issue than it might be in colder parts of the country. Our California sunshine keeps the winters very mild, and while temperatures may dip below freezing on the coldest nights of the year, our heating bills are fairly tame when considering other communities further east. Even so, no one likes to pay more than they need to for reliable heating. Here’s a few tips on how to keep your energy bills low this upcoming heating season.

  • Common sense steps. Saving money in the winter starts with a few simple options. Turn your thermostat down a few degrees during the winter months. You won’t feel much difference in January if the temperature is 68 degrees instead of 72. Open curtains to any windows facing the sun, which will warm the nearby area. Seal doors and windows to prevent air from leaking out and dress warmly while inside as an alternative to running the heater.
  • Check your ducts and let a professional take a look at your furnace. You lose a great deal of warm air when your ducts aren’t properly fitted or have sprung a leak. A professional can spot any points of trouble and seal the leak, allowing the warm air to pass through your home more efficiently. Similarly, a regular maintenance call from a qualified professional can keep your furnace running at its best and eliminate any small problems before they grow into large ones.
  • Consider upgrades. While installing a new furnace may be beyond your current financial status, you can still take steps to improve the efficiency of your heating system and cut down on costs. For instance, consider adding insulation to uncovered ductwork in your house. Or, if you sometimes forget to turn your thermostat off when you go to work, think about adding a “smart” thermostat that lowers the temperature automatically.

Whatever your situation, you’d probably be very happy with a lower heating bill. The professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning work throughout Fresno; heating systems are a part of our repertoire and our skilled heating professionals can handle both repair issues and installation of new components. Call us today to see how to keep your energy bills low this upcoming heating season.

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Instant Rebates with Carrier Cool Cash

September 16th, 2013

Check out our promotions for details on the instant rebates you are eligible for through November 30, 2013. Savings of up to $1,450 available on qualifying systems! Give us a call today for more information.

Cool Cash promo

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When to Consider Your Replacing Your Air Conditioning System

September 11th, 2013

Have you ever thought about how much effort it takes your AC to cool your home during the summer? If you’re like most homeowners, then you probably run your air conditioner almost constantly. All that use can really take a toll on your equipment and cause the need for repair. However, you may eventually need to start thinking about replacing your air conditioning system and knowing when that time has come can be difficult. That’s why we’ve put together a quick list of some of the things that you should look for that could indicate that you need replacement for your air conditioning in Fresno.

Give us a call here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning and one of our friendly experts can help you with any Fresno air conditioning services that you need.

Tips for Replacing Your Air Conditioning in Fresno

Take a look below at some of the things to think about when replacing your air conditioning in Fresno.

  • Age of the system – Oftentimes, age is a good indicator for when you should replace your air conditioning system. One of the reasons is that as your AC ages it will likely develop the need for more repairs. Additionally, there are tremendous efficiency gains to be had from replacing your air conditioner. Many technological advancements allow new AC units to achieve very high levels of efficiency.
  • Frequent repairs – Usually, air conditioning systems should operate with very few repairs required. If your AC needs to be fixed often then you could potentially avoid those problems by replacing it. If your air conditioning system is old and it needs to be repaired often then there is even more incentive to replace as opposed to continuing to pay for repairs.
  • Inefficiency – If your air conditioning system start to operate less efficiently it could make sense to replace it. If your home is uncomfortable because you don’t want to run your air conditioner because it is so inefficient it might be a good idea to think about replacing it.

Call us here at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning if you have any questions about your AC or if you suspect that you’re ready to replace your air conditioning in Fresno.

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Annual Hot Dog Feed

September 9th, 2013

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning along with Randy and Sheryl Berry hosted the Annual Hot Dog dinner on Sept 3rd.    We hosted dinner for all the 4H and FFA Exhibitors and their families for the Madera District Fair.   The 4H and FFA kids arrive a few days before the Fair to prepare to show their livestock animals.  This is an annual tradition in Madera that everyone at Purl’s Sheet Metal looks forward to attending.

This year we cooked over 500 hot dog dinners complete with drinks and all the fixings.   It is a great way for us to get out in the community and support our local hardworking kids and the agricultural community.

Everyone had a great time and was well fed! Check out some photos of the event below.

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We Wish You a Happy Labor Day

September 2nd, 2013

On every project that we complete, we ensure that our customers are satisfied. We take pride in the work that we do every day, and this level of diligence and attention to detail has allowed us to grow over the years. On the first Monday of every September, our country celebrates Labor Day as a way of recognizing the hard work that has made this country great. Because making your home more comfortable and convenient is our business, we want you to have an enjoyable and pleasant Labor Day.

Labor Day is a time of good BBQ, the start of the professional and college football seasons, entertainment with family and friends, and, most importantly, taking a day off from work. Labor Day emerges as a federal holiday in the wake of the Pullman Strike of 1894. It was designated as such by President Grover Cleveland and Congress as a way to reconcile the damage done by the faceoff between the Federal government and the Pullman Palace Car Company workers and other railroad workers. But over a decade before it became official, Labor Day began as a workers’ picnic and demonstration suggested by either Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor, or Matthew Maguire of the Central Labor Union of New York.

From our family to yours, we wish you all the best on this Labor Day.

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A Brief Guide to Installing a New Air Conditioning System

August 29th, 2013

If your air conditioning system has failed permanently or if you’re moving into a brand new home, make sure that you call a Fresno air conditioning installation professional. Getting your new AC installed by the professionals at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is one of the best ways to make sure that the new system works well and lasts for as long as possible. We often get asked by our customers about how the installation process actually works. Here’s a quick description of what the process is like. Give us a call if you have any questions.

Fresno Air Conditioning Installation Process

One of the most important decisions that needs to be made is what type of air conditioning system you want to have installed in your home. There are a number of different types of AC systems available on the market and our technicians will help you figure out which system is right for your home. You’re probably familiar with central AC systems but there are others out there such as heat pumps, package units which contain both a heater and AC system, and ductless mini split systems that allow you to dispense with ductwork.

Once you decide what type of system works for your needs, you need to determine exactly what size system is good for your home. Different air conditioning systems have different cooling outputs. If you get an AC that is too powerful or too large for your home it could negatively affect the comfort and efficiency of your home. Likewise if your AC is too small it won’t be able to cool your home. Our experts will run all the necessary calculations to determine exactly what size system is right for your home.

Next, our specialists will install your new air conditioning system at your home. The years of training and experience that we have will allow us to provide you with the quality and speed of service that you deserve. There are huge benefits to calling your local contractor for professional Fresno air conditioning installation services. Not only will the job be completed faster, but it will also be completed with high quality.

No matter what kind of AC unit you want installed, call Fresno air conditioning specialists Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning for air conditioning installation services that you can trust.

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How A Bad Capacitor Affects Your Air Conditioner

August 21st, 2013

When you set your thermostat to a certain temperature you expect that your air conditioning system will automatically turn on and start to remove heat from your home. But if your system won’t turn on or if only parts of your system are running it could be the fault of the capacitors in your HVAC system. Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is proud to offer a full range of air conditioning repair services in Fresno, CA and we wanted to share a little bit with you about capacitors. Give us as call today if you have any questions or if you’re having any problems with your air conditioning system.

Fresno Air Conditioning Repair FAQ: Capacitors

Capacitors are kind of like an energy booster for the motors in your air conditioning system. They store energy and deliver it to the motors when they need. Your AC has a couple critical motors that use capacitors: both the fans each have their own capacitors and the compressor motor also has its own. If any of these capacitors fail then those motors won’t be able to start up. As a homeowner, you can determine which capacitor is out by listening to your system. If you hear a low, electronic hum coming from any of your components it could be the motor trying to start up on its own and failing. Also, if you only hear certain components running then you can determine that the capacitor for the failing component needs to be replaced.

Also, if you aren’t getting enough cooling in your home it could be the fault of the capacitor. For example, your compressor is there to compress a refrigerant that is used to remove heat from your home. If the compressor doesn’t start up then the AC can’t remove heat. If the fan motors’ capacitors aren’t working then the system won’t be able to push cool air into your home which will likely leave you uncomfortable.

For any air conditioning repair service that you need, call the Fresno air conditioning specialists at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

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Meet Our New Ford Focus Fleet Member!

August 21st, 2013

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is proud to introduce our newest fleet member: the Ford Focus “Speedy”! Our new Ford Focus is fuel efficient and eco-conscious, which suites the Purl’s Sheet Metal philosophy perfectly. We want to do what we can to take care of our environment. Needless to say, we are all very excited about the new addition and wanted to share the news with you!

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How Does a Thermostat Work?

August 16th, 2013

The thermostat serves as the control panel for your air conditioning system, allowing you to set the temperature and cool your house. Older thermostats used mercury switches to function, while newer ones are almost exclusively digital: allowing them to add convenient features like automatic activation. You may wonder how exactly they work, especially in an area like Fresno where temperatures climb during our hot Central Valley summers. The specifics depend on the type of thermostat you have.

Older thermostats placed several wires in a small vial which contained a measure of mercury. One wire stays in contact with the mercury at all times. The other two sit on either side of the vial and are attached to thermometer coils on the ends. When you adjust the heat or the cooling controls, the thermostat tips the vial, putting the mercury in contact with one of these wires and activating the heating or cooling cycle. The coils unwind until they tip the vial again, moving the mercury and shutting the system off.

Digital thermometers are much more complex, utilizing electronic components to perform the same function as mercury thermometers. Specifically, they use a device called a thermistor, which permits shifts in electrical resistance when the temperature changes. A microcontroller can gauge the level of resistance in the thermistor and convert that to an actual number. When that number is hit, the system turns the heat or the cool air on and off as needed. That allows users greater control over the process. For instance, they can set the thermostat to automatically turn on at a specific time, then turn off again when the goal temperature is reached.

When thermostats break down, it pays to call on an air conditioning professional in Fresno to enact repairs. The mercury in older thermostats is hazardous and requires a qualified air conditioning technician to approach properly. Newer thermostats may utilize a number of different components, and still require the proper know-how to properly connect to your air conditioning system. If you are experiencing problems with your thermostat, or you’d like to replace an older model with something more up to date, contact Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. Our service technicians can travel to anywhere in the Fresno, CA area and can handle whatever air conditioning needs you may have.

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New Residential New Construction Air Conditioning Installation

August 9th, 2013

Are your building the home of your dreams? Or just constructing a second home that you can rent out? Whatever your plans are for that new plot of land, you need to make sure that it has the HVAC it needs to offer comfort year-round. During the summer months, it gets hot in Fresno, and your air conditioning system needs to be able to fend off the heat of the sun. The best way to start off your home on the right foot is with a professionally installed air conditioning system that matches the unique needs of your new home. At Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, we offer excellent new construction air conditioning installation throughout the Fresno area, for homes of all shapes and sizes.

There are various considerations to keep in mind when thinking about your new HVAC system. Here are just a handful:

  • Size. When it comes to new HVAC installation, few things are as important as the size of the system. Your HVAC project manager will look closely at various parameters when determining how much cooling you need to keep your home comfortable and energy efficient. A load calculation of the living space will take into consideration not only the volume of indoor air, but also the condition of the windows and doors. When that’s done, we can then recommend a variety of system and brand options depending on your cooling preferences.
  • Budget. Another important consideration must be your budget. How much are you willing to spend? How important is long-term energy savings to you? When it comes to choosing a new system, it can make things a lot easier when you have a ballpark range for how much you can spend on your HVAC system. Working in consultation with a professional to figure out an accurate estimate is also essential.
  • Ducts or no ducts? New residential HVAC construction has a certain advantage over working on existing systems. Installing ductwork when the walls are open and there is plenty of space is often far easier than having to replace ducts that were installed years ago. But you also need to decide whether you want ducts at all, or whether you would like to opt for a ductless system.

Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning today. We can make sure that your Fresno air conditioning services are well taken care of.

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