D'Spain Sales and Service Blog : Archive for November, 2014

10 Facts You Should Know about Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014

Thanksgiving has been celebrated as an official holiday in the United States for over 150 years, so you may think you understand all there is to know about this family feast. Most of us have heard the story of the pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving in 1621 after arriving in North America on the Mayflower. But did you know that only about half of the people on this ship were actually pilgrims? This fact is one of ten things that may actually surprise you about the Thanksgiving tradition!

  1. Although we often consider Thanksgiving a holiday unique to the United States, many other countries and cultures celebrate their own set of harvest-time and thanksgiving traditions. In Korea, Chu-Sok (or “fall evening”) is put on in remembrance of forefathers on August 15th of every year. Brazil celebrates a contemporary version of the U.S. holiday. Chinese, Roman, and Jewish cultures all have a history of harvest celebrations as well.
  2. President Harry S. Truman began the tradition of a ceremony held before Thanksgiving during which the president receives a turkey. George H.W. Bush was the first to pardon the turkey instead of eating it.
  3. In Minnesota alone, farmers raise over 40 million turkeys a year. In fact, U.S. farmers produce about one turkey for every one person in the country.
  4. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American will gain about one to two pounds every year during the holiday season.
  5. On the other hand, turkey is naturally high in protein and has been known to support and boost immune systems to protect against illness and speed up healing. So feast on!
  6. Abraham Lincoln issued a “Thanksgiving Proclamation” in 1863, but a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale can be credited with the idea. While Thanksgiving had been celebrated at different times of year in many areas of the U.S. for years, it was Hale, prominent magazine editor and author of the rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” who urged Lincoln to finally establish the national event.
  7. President Franklin D Roosevelt once tried to change the date of Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday of the month in order to extend the holiday shopping season and boost the economy.
  8. Only about half of the people on the Mayflower were what we would consider today as “Pilgrims.” The other (approximately) 50 people were simply trying to find a way over to the New World.
  9. Gobble, gobble! Click, click? While male turkeys make a gobbling noise, females (hens) do not; it’s often described as a clicking.
  10. Even though we celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November, the month of June has been declared National Turkey Lovers’ Month by the National Turkey Federation so you can continue the celebration in the summer as well!

From our family here at D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc., we’d like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Continue Reading

Options to Consider for Your Heating in Boerne This Winter

Thursday, November 20th, 2014

There are a myriad of heating options available for your home these days. If you’re in the market for a new heating system, the sheer scope of your choices can be paralyzing. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this alone. We’ve outlined a few great options for you, along with some pros and cons to help you make a decision.

Heat Pumps

A heat pump is a forced air heating system that focuses on moving heat from one place to the other, instead of creating it through combustion of fuel. There are two primary parts to the heat pump, an interior unit and an exterior unit. When the heat pump is turned on, the exterior unit siphons heat from the air around it and sends it to the interior unit. There, it warms the air and circulates it throughout the house.

There are a number of benefits to this type of heating system. It is extremely energy efficient, since it doesn’t need to burn gas or any other kind of fuel to heat your home. By that same token, heat pumps are arguably safer for your health, as they do not produce toxic byproducts like carbon monoxide that could find a way into your home. On the downside, heat pumps rely on the air around them to provide heat. In extremely cold environments, a heat pump will not be as efficient.

Furnaces

Furnaces are the most common kind of heating system, and are widely used throughout the country. They typically burn either wood, propane, or natural gas, and have a reputation for being extremely reliable. A furnace produces heat by relying on burners, which consume the chosen fuel and funnel heat into the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger warms the air being circulated, while also venting combustion byproducts like carbon monoxide out of the house.

The advantages of a furnace system include long lifespans, ease of availability and repair, and high heat output. Disadvantages include occasionally inefficient heating and unhealthy combustion byproducts.

If you’d like to know more about our heating installation service in Boerne, call D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. today to speak with one of our heating specialists or schedule a service appointment with us.

Continue Reading

Is Ductless Heating in Bandera a Good Choice?

Wednesday, November 19th, 2014

That all depends on what you’re looking for. There was a time, not too long ago, when ductless units were almost exclusively used in apartments and other living spaces that could not afford central heating. That time is long past, and now more and more people are using ductless units as their main method of heating their home. Let’s examine why you might want to choose a ductless heating system for your home.

What is a Ductless Heating System?

A ductless heating system is comprised of a single heater with two parts, an interior and an exterior. The interior part of the unit is installed inside the room that needs to be heated, usually on the wall or ceiling. The exterior section is installed on the outside of the house, usually on the other side of the wall from the interior unit. When the heat is turned on, the exterior unit siphons thermal energy from the air and sends it to the interior unit, where it is used to warm and circulate air in the room.

There are two main differences between this kind of heating and more traditional heating systems. The first is that, as the name implies, the unit eschews ducts completely. This means that a ductless unit can only heat the room in which it is installed. The second difference is that the ductless heater does not utilize combustion to generate heat, instead operating more like a heat pump to move heat from outside the home inside.

Advantages of Ductless Systems

So, why would you want to install a ductless system to heat your home? Well, ductless systems are a very energy efficient choice for heating. They don’t lose any of their heat to duct leaks, like other systems do, and they don’t burn fuel to create their heat. All they need is electricity to operate. This can save you a great deal of money on your heating bills. They also provide a lot of control over the climate in your home. Since each ductless system is installed with its own thermostat, multiple units throughout the house can allow each person to set the temperature however he or she wants.

If you’re thinking of installing a ductless heating system, call D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. to set up a service appointment today. We provide quality heating service in the Bandera, TX area.

Continue Reading

How Electronic Air Purifiers Work

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

If you ask around about options for improving the air quality in your home, you’re likely to hear a lot about electronic air purifiers, or “ionizers.” These ionization filters are toted as a great way to remove a lot of contaminants from your air, but few homeowners actually understand how they work. Let’s examine what makes electronic air purifiers work, and why you might want one for your home.

What is an Electronic Air Purifier?

The purpose of any air purifier is to improve air quality by removing contaminants from the surrounding air, preventing them from circulating. An electronic air purifier does this by creating a static field around itself. As air molecules pass through this static field, they pick up extra electrons that give them a negative charge. They will then be attracted to any positively charged surface. Most ionizers have one or two metal plates in them for this purpose, to attract the charged air molecules and the particulates they are carrying. The plates can then be cleaned and the particulates disposed of.

What are the Benefits of Electronic Air Purifiers?

Electronic ionization purifiers have a few advantages over other air purification systems. Because they draw particles in with ionization rather than passively filtering them out of the air, they tend to capture many more particles than other systems. Both organic and inorganic pollutants can be removed in this way. They also tend to be used more as portable units, saving you the time and expense of installing them in the actual ductwork of the house. However, there are some things you should consider before buying one.

Though the negatively charged air molecules usually end up on the metal plates inside the purifier, they can also stick to the walls, floor, and furniture of a room. They are not circulating through the air, which is good. However, these clumps of particles can occasionally manifest as black spots which can stain the objects they land on. Electronic air purifiers can also produce ozone, a gas that is itself a pollutant according to the EPA.

If you’d like to know more about electronic air purifiers, call D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. to schedule an appointment with us today. We professionally install air purifiers throughout Helotes.

Continue Reading

Signs You Need Heating Repair for Your Furnace

Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

Whole-home heating systems are designed to be durable, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be repair-free. Understanding the signs that it may be time for furnace repair helps both you and your system. It isn’t advisable for homeowners to work on heating systems themselves, so knowing when to call for heating repair in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX is necessary. The experienced technicians at D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc., can assist with any heating repair, so call us today.

Signs It’s Time for Repair

  • No heat – clearly, if you have no heat, there’s an issue with your furnace. However, there can be multiple reasons why your system won’t work: a faulty thermostat, problems with ignition or even a dirty burner. Because there is such a wide range of possibilities, it’s best to let a professional find the cause and repair it.
  • Not enough heat – not feeling enough heat blowing into your home can be an indication of fan problems, such as a malfunctioning fan motor or worn belt; faulty ductwork, which is allowing too much air to escape; or an issue with the heat exchanger. Unless you have expert knowledge of your system, call a technician for assistance.
  • Strange noises – booming, banging, clicking – these are all sounds that shouldn’t emanate from your furnace. A booming sound can indicate delayed ignition, which can be a potentially dangerous situation; banging can indicate that loose parts are bouncing around your fan area; and clicking can indicate a pilot light issue. If you hear a noise, don’t ignore it, even if your system appears to still be working. Instead, call a trained technician to determine the cause of the sound.
  • Increased energy bills – are you seeing a big spike in your energy usage, but haven’t changed the way you use your heating system? Higher energy usage can be indicative of a system under stress. There can be several reasons for this, which is why it’s best to call a professional.

Repairs do not improve over time, and will most likely become worse. If you are in need of heating repair in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, call the people you can trust: D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc.

Continue Reading