Heating Repair - Why Your Furnace Keeps Blowing Its Fuse

Do you have a furnace that keeps blowing its fuse? This is an in-your-face problem that's impossible to ignore, especially as winter approaches – you are obviously in need of some heating repair. Here are some reasons why your furnace keeps behaving in this annoying way?

1. Dirt and Grime Build Up

Without cleaning on a regular basis, dust and debris of all kinds (including deceased insects) will silently keep accumulating in your furnace. Debris collected by the air filter can end up on the blower motor. The motor will then overheat, and the fuse will blow. The fuse itself will lose its connection if it becomes encrusted with dirt.

2. Loosening of One or More Wires

An operational furnace naturally creates vibrations. Unfortunately, these vibrations can cause one or more internal wires to become loose and cause a short. A professional will be able to locate and fix loose wires.

3. Components Wearing Out

Worn parts that become faulty and may lead to the fuse blowing include:

·       The Starting Capacitor: If you are experiencing intermittent electrical problems, this may be an indication that the capacitor is failing.

·       The Blower Motor: A worn blower motor will tend to draw in too much power, and this may cause a short.

·       The Transformer: The transformer ensures that the system uses the right voltage. If it is not in a good working state, a short could result.

·       Valves: When a valve is worn and doesn’t open and close efficiently, it will overheat and cause a short.

Conclusion

Don’t try to fix your furnace problems yourself – you will probably only get frustrated. Instead, save yourself from blowing your own fuse by consulting a professional furnace repair service. Please contact us for assistance.

Prioritize Air Conditioning Repair when You Have Pets in Your Home

While most people can get away without an operational air conditioner in their home, even during the summertime, you should not rely on your pets to handle this level of heat as well. It is important to understand that your pets require extra care to guarantee their health and happiness, which means you need to prioritize air conditioning repair when it is not working properly.

More Susceptible to Heat-Related Problems

Since most pets are smaller than humans, they are more susceptible to health problems deriving from extreme temperatures, and heat is the main concern when it comes to summertime. An air conditioner is just one way to cool down your home, but it is also one of the most easy and effective methods to use. It is ideal to have an operational air conditioning system to rely on whenever it is hot outside.

Spend Most of the Time in Your Home

Although dogs generally spend a decent amount of time outside, whether they are going for walks or traveling with you, most other pets spend most their life inside your home. For this reason, you need to make sure that they are comfortable at all times, which is especially important for small animals. It is ideal to provide your pets with a reliable way to stay cool that does not involve the air conditioning system. For instance, you can put a ceramic tile inside of a small animal’s cage or keep your kitchen or bathroom accessible for cats or dogs to lay on the surface, which is generally cool to the touch.

No Way to Remove Hair

Pets do not have a way to remove the hair from their body, and aside from dogs, you should not try to give them a trim as it can cause various hair-related problems. Ideally, you just need to understand that it is your responsibility to make sure they are completely comfortable inside your home at all times.

If you want help with the air conditioning in your home, contact us today.

Electrician Shares Good Reasons to Make Dryer Vent Cleaning a Priority in 2016

At the beginning of each year, many people choose to engage in moments of reflection. Some use the time to make plans for the future as well as ruminate on the past. So our electricians like to do a bit of same, which brings up an important question. Could dryer vent cleaning have prevented the house fires that took place in 2015?

We say, “Yes, especially now.” According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the start of the year tends to be the worst when it comes to laundry room fires. Perhaps it’s that people tend to launder lint prone fabrics a lot more in the winter months. Who’s to say? Examples of known lint producers include, but are not restricted to holiday sweaters, fleece-lined outerwear, faux fur blankets and fuzzy slipper socks.

Whether it’s the fabrics we’re drying or not, the unfortunate situations routinely cost families millions of dollars each year. Some of the related expenditures obviously have to do with replacement costs but there are also healthcare bills to consider. After all, fires have the ability to negatively affect a person’s health for life. Just think of those people who’ve sustained lung and skin damage as a result of dryer sparked blazes.

Now dryer vent cleaning clearly won’t stop all laundry room fires from occurring but it will eliminate potential fuel. So if fires do break out in people’s homes because of other reasons, there will be less material to keep the flames moving. Most dryer vent cleaning services take very little time to complete and may include a look at the other laundry room appliances present, if needed.

To schedule dyer vent cleaning and other laundry room related services with our electricians in the months ahead, please contact us.

Hire an Electrician for Small Jobs after Getting Situated into Your New Home

As you go home shopping, you will probably come across a few homes that appeal to you, but that have some features that are missing or that you would like to change after moving in. If you can afford to, you should tackle these jobs as soon as you get situated into your new home because it is easy to procrastinate with these projects and miss out on the reward of living in a home that you love in every way.

For many of these projects, you may need to hire an electrician for guaranteed work.

Install Ceiling Fans or Replace Old Ones

Ceiling fans are great to have, but your home may not have them, or they may have ones that do not possess the features that you desire. Although you could replace the ceiling fan on your own, it is easier and safer to rely on professional assistance for new installations and even replacements.

Hide Your Cables in the Walls

Once you have your home set up how you want it to be situated for a long time, you can get an electrician to hide your cables in the walls. It is an ideal solution for televisions and computers because they can generally get quite cluttered with cables that do not look attractive and are hard to hide otherwise.

Determine Home Safety

Although you should have already gotten a home inspection to make sure the home is electrically safe, you can benefit from getting a thorough inspection from an electrician. The initial inspection does not have any of your own possessions plugged into the walls, so a new inspection can help you spot out problem areas, such as where you might be drawing too much power from a single outlet.

If you want to get an inspection or know more about what an inspection entails, contact us today.

Have Your Air Conditioning Repairs Done Before It Gets Too Hot

It is easy to put things off when you are short on time, but there is one thing that you will not want to ignore. If your air conditioning is not working properly, then you should have someone who knows how to fix things come over right away. Don't put off having your air conditioning repairs done, or you might regret it.

Have The Repairs Done Before It Gets Too Warm

The temperature of your home should always feel comfortable, and one thing that you can to do know that it will stay that way is to make sure that your air conditioning is working. Make sure that it is ready to cool your home down on every warm day.

Have A Good Company Work On The Repairs                                                               

The most important thing that you can look for in the one that you hire is honestly. Hire a company that you trust, and that has years of experience working on air conditioning repairs, and you can know that they will do great work for you.

Have This Done Right Away

Have the air conditioning repairs done right away, and not only will you stay cool when you want to, but all of the stress that you were feeling will leave you, as well.

There is no reason to put off having your air conditioning repairs done. Contact us as soon as you notice that something is not right, and we will come to your place and get things running good again. 

3 Things to Look for in an Austin, TX Electrician

Life has a way of changing things up without our knowledge, and our home's HVAC and electrical systems aren't immune to this. 

But what do you do when you need a residential electrician? Do you just go online and look up "Austin, TX electricians" and pick the first one? Because, if that's your selection style, we're here to advise you against it.

Instead, follow our tips.

Here are three things to look for in an Austin, TX Electrician.

1. Experience and Qualification: Job experience goes a long way with electricians. Those with more experience (obviously) have more knowledge and know-how. Begin your selection process by narrowing it down by experience. Then, once you know a bit more about an electrician, dig a little deeper.

2. License and Insurance: A license for an electrician is like a license to drive a car. A license ensures that the electrician of your choosing has the training and skills to perform the job that you need to be done. If you are unsure about an electrician's ability to perform a job, ask to see their license. All professional and obliging electricians are more than happy to show you their license.

3. Attitude and Friendliness: Professional, respectful, trustworthy, and friendly are just a few of the words that should describe an electrician. These qualities transfer into how a job is done. Without a professional attitude, a friendly nature, and a trustworthy work ethic, your electrical needs and your person-to-person interactions will surely be put on the back burner.

When you are in need of a residential electrician, please contact us at Comfort Control. We are a locally owned company, and we promise to provide you, and all Austin residents, with upfront pricing and written estimates.

Clear the Air – HVAC Efficiency

The main purpose of a furnace air filter is to reduce the amount of dust, pollutants, and allergens in the air that we breathe in our homes. In addition, the filter helps to minimize the amount of dust and debris that collects inside the furnace unit itself, thus improving the efficiency of the machine. An excess amount of dust within the furnace will restrict the desired amount of air flow necessary for maximum performance.

There is no simple answer to the question, "How often should I change the filter?". The shelf life of a furnace filter depends on the type of filter being used and the lifestyle of the family. The newer high-efficiency pleated models are designed to last longer than the less expensive fiberglass padded filters. A good rule of thumb is to inspect the filters monthly and change them as needed.

Homes that have pets will have issues with pet dander clogging up the filter and if there are smokers in the home the filters are further challenged. Other factors that impact the efficiency of your filters are:

·       The amount of dust in your home

·       Whether or not you use a wood burning fireplace

·       Keeping windows or doors open

Improve the quality of the air you breathe, maintain the internal workings of your HVAC system, and keep your energy bills down by being proactive. Check the filters monthly, and replace them at least every three months- or more often if needed. Keep a supply on hand.

Contact us, we have just what you need at Comfort Control, and we are always ready to help.