Rosenberg Plumbing & Air Blog - San Antonio, TX

Cold? You Could Really Use a Heat Pump

February 13, 2015

In heating ventilation and air conditioner systems (HVAC), the heat pump serves an important role. In homes with heating and cooling systems, the heat pump flows air from warmer places to colder places. It releases heat into living spaces from the outside environment. How Does a Heat Pump Work? A heat pump draws heat from the cooler external air or from the ground and is three or four times more efficient in energy use than electrical resistance heaters. It moves heat instead of generating it, giving you more energy efficiency and savings. Heat pumps are great for moderate climates and are an excellent supplement to furnaces and other heating systems in cooler climates. Heat pumps can both heat and cool your home. In the winter the heat pump pulls heat out of the air or ground to heat your home and in the summer, they can be reversed to cool your home or building, and works about the same as an air conditioner. One advantage to using a heat pump is that heating, cooling and ventilation is all done with one system. Heat pumps are fuel efficient because it takes less energy to transfer heat than it does to burn...

View Article

Is a New Furnace The Right Choice?

February 6, 2015

Many people think that a new furnace would be nice, but they feel they really cannot afford it. The fact is, however, that a new furnace is not just a luxury. It could actually save you hundreds of dollars on heating costs, eventually paying for itself. A furnace is not made to last forever, so if you have an old furnace in your home, read on. There are many warning signs that an old furnace is just not preforming like it used to. Some typical problems are: A house that once was warm is now cold. You find yourself turning up the thermostat to get the same level of comfort that the home used to have at a different temperature. You find that your utility bills skyrocket during the winters each year What are the benefits of a new furnace?There are many warning signs of a bad furnace, but the biggest is when repair costs mount. If the unit is broken down more than it is working, then it is a problem. A new unit is that an individual can write them off of their taxes. They also can help to lower heating bills to a more manageable level. When choosing...

View Article

If It’s an Emergency, Call the Plumbers Today!

January 30, 2015

Whether one is considering home or commercial establishments, it is important to have an HVAC emergency plan in place when a major breakdown occurs in heating, ventilation, or air-conditioning. Emergency HVAC Services Services in times of emergency will work best if there is a preparedness plan in place. In cases of power outages, home or commercial generators can be installed to serve as backup during those occasions. Detailed planning for storage of such system, sizing so as to match the utility load required, and placement need to be ascertained. If the HVAC system is reaching the end of its useful life, choice between non-emergent service or emergent service is solely up to the customer in many instances. Furthermore, establishing a customer relationship with an HVAC contractor in non-emergent times may reap customer benefit in small savings during emergent times. Prevention Maintenance a Must Several steps can be taken both commercially and residentially to ensure proper working order of HVAC systems. Neglecting maintenance in a heating system can result in up to 25 percent loss in efficiency. Heat pumps benefit from annual maintenance done annually by professionals. Checking and replacing belts or filters if necessary, lubricating moving parts will help ensure...

View Article

Get the Purified Air You Deserve

January 23, 2015

Many people don’t realize that the air inside their homes has much more dirt and pollutants than the air outside because houses can be a source for many different contaminants. Molds, mildew, dust mites, pets and more produce particles that, when combined with the generally closed environment of a home, make for what can be a toxic atmosphere. Types of Air Purifiers Several different methods exist for cleaning the atmosphere of contaminants. The most common types of air purifiers include regular filter units that are often simply called air cleaners, HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) cleaners, ionizing purifiers, ozone generators and adsorbents. Each removes impurities from the air in a different manner. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has stated that air purifiers may help control the levels of airborne particles, but that there are limitations as to what each type may be able to do. Most air cleaners are unable to remove unwanted gases, while heavier particles often fall to the ground when indoors, thus keeping them outside of the purifier’s reach. Air purifiers can be used, however, to improve certain aspects of indoor air. How Air Purifiers Work Filter models, usually part of a furnace or overall...

View Article

Read This Before Your Next Furnace Purchase

January 16, 2015

When it comes to installing a heating system in a home, bigger is not always better and smaller will not save on energy costs. It is essential to choose a furnace system that is proportionately sized to the home. More power will not keep your home warmer. It will have the opposite effect. Let’s discuss why. Oversize Systems A furnace system that is oversized will tend to have short cycles, as the furnace will release heat for a much larger area. The small area will heat up and cool off quicker and trigger the furnace on more often. This will result in quick temperature fluctuations and increase the amount of energy used. The constant on and off will cause the heat exchanger to work overtime and result in furnace failure at the worst possible time. A furnace system that is sized appropriately will stay on for longer periods of time and warm the home gradually rather than quickly. The temperature is then maintained over a longer time span without the furnace turning on and off in quick succession. Undersize Systems A furnace system that is not large enough to properly heat the home will leave the plumbing vulnerable to...

View Article

Is it Time to Change Your Heater?

January 9, 2015

The worst time to find out that your heating system is no longer working is when you need it the most. The best way to avoid being stuck without a functioning heating system is to be properly prepared and know the warning signs of needing a new heating unit. How Do I Know If My Heater Needs To Be Replaced? There are several signs to look for when deciding if a home’s heater needs to be replaced. If the heating unit is over 10 years of age and requiring more frequent repairs to continue working, the unit should be replaced. Another sign that your home’s heating unit may need to be replaced is if your home does not stay a constant temperature. Differing temperatures can be from room to room throughout the home, or the temperature of a particular room rising and falling. A heating unit that is functioning properly will heat evenly throughout the home. Soaring energy costs is another sign that your heating unit needs to be replaced. As a unit has to work harder to produce the proper amount of heat, it will use more energy causing bills to rise. What Are The Benefits Of A New...

View Article

The Purpose of Heat Pumps

December 26, 2014

When you think of cooling a home or an office, the first thing that comes to your mind is air conditioning. Otherwise, you would simply settle for window fans. But did you know that heat pumps do the job better in cooling your space than any of these devices? Yes, the name might be misleading but the truth is heat pump can both heat and cool. Simply put, heat pump uses low energy to move heat from one area to another. A typical heat pump pulls the heat out of the air or ground to heat your home or business building. And it can be reversed to cool as well. If you know how an air conditioning system works, the same theory applies to heat pump. One of the major advantages of having a heat pump as the source of heating and cooling is that there is no need to own separate systems or performing these tasks. Moreover, heat pumps work efficiently compared to furnace or AC units simply because they transfer heat from one location to another rather than burn fuel to produce heat. This means, you will be owning an appliance that is more greener than gas-burning...

View Article

Furnace Issues & Resolutions

December 19, 2014

Typically as a furnace ages it begins to use more and more oil. It might not be something that is noticeable to those sitting inside and enjoying the heat that it is creating, although careful inspection of the quantity of oil used might reveal a different set of facts. The efficiency of any furnace begins to degrade with age causing money that might be spent on any repairs or replacement to be burned up in the form of oil. Having an expert HVAC serviceman come to your residence to inspect your furnace can allow them to make any recommendations about any maintenance or repairs that need to be done. The times during the year when the furnace is not actively in use are the best times to make service calls. It’s best not to wait until you need the unit for heating purpose only to find out that its malfunctioning or in worst case scenario not working at all. Fortunately for many people even if they have problems during the colder season it’s not as if they are going to freeze to death. It is merely a recommendation to try and take care of any potential problems before you find...

View Article

Air Filter Information Every Homeowner Needs!

December 12, 2014

Changing Air Filters Regularly All air filters will have to be checked and cleaned from time to time. They are great for keeping things out of the air that no one wants to breath in, but it is important to change them out in a timely manner in order for them to be as effective as possible. Those who neglect to do this are risking the quality of the air that they breath in, and this in turn may cause them to be risking their health as well. Clearly, no one wants to be in that position. Damaging One’s System Even if your health is not your top concern for some reason, changing out air filters still matters. The damage that an unclean air filter can do to one’s air filtration system is massive. It only takes a few moments to clean out an air filter, and it does not have to be done too frequently. It would be rather unwise to risk massive damage to one’s system just to try to save a few minutes of time on cleaning out the filter. Lowering Operating Costs Clogged air filters are a drain on one’s financial resources as well. A...

View Article

Understanding Your Home’s Heating System

December 5, 2014

What is Auxiliary Heat Auxiliary heat is a heating system that works when the temperature inside a home or building drops lower than two or three degrees from what the temperature is set. Or when someone decides they are cold, and turns the thermostat up more than three degrees. Auxiliary heat is a component of heat pump systems. Heat pumps have two units, one of which is outside a home, and the other, which is the auxiliary heating system, is inside. On cold mornings, especially when the temperature gets below 32 degrees, the outdoor heat pump is very cold and would take a long time to heat up the air inside the house. The auxiliary system will kick in on these mornings to heat the home more quickly from the warmer inside unit. What is the Purpose of Auxiliary Heat The purpose of auxiliary heat is to warm up the home as quickly as possible and bring it to the desired temperature set on the thermostat. Waiting for the heat to come in from the cold heat pump on the outside of the home would take a very long time. One of the advantages of living in modern society is...

View Article