D'Spain Sales and Service Blog : Archive for February, 2015

How Ductless Heating Works

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

People usually associate home heating with a network of ducts that are responsible for distributing the conditioned air from the heater throughout the rooms. However, this is not the only way to have central heating for a home. If you are interested in a heating installation for your home that doesn’t require ductwork, call D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. today and ask about our services for ductless heating in Boerne, TX and the surrounding areas.

What exactly is ductless heating?

Ductless heating is a type of heat pump that operates through individual air handlers rather than a single central indoor unit connected to ductwork. A heat pump works in a manner similar to an air conditioner: it uses electricity to circulate refrigerant between indoor and outdoor coils, absorbing heat from one location and then releasing it in another. In a ductless heat pump (also known as a ductless mini split heat pump), the heat absorbed from the outdoor cabinet travels to the individual air handlers that are mounted in rooms throughout the house. Each air handler contains its own coil and blower fan, and they send the conditioned air directly into the rooms.

What are the advantages to a system like this?

Ductless heating is an excellent idea if you are planning on new home construction or major remodeling, since you don’t need to expend space on ductwork. You only have to plan on air handler placement. Ductless heating also works well for older homes that lack the room for ducts.

There are other benefits to going ductless as well. These systems are more energy-efficient because they do not suffer from any heat loss as the air travels along the ducts, and you won’t have to worry about duct repairs and regular duct cleaning. Ductless heat pumps will also help improve indoor air quality because they do not pick up the dust and debris that often collects inside ventilation systems. Since you can control the air handlers separately from one another, you can shut off heat to rooms that are unoccupied instead of heating the whole house at once, which will contribute to significant energy savings.

Finally, like all heat pumps, ductless heating also works as ductless cooling. You can switch a heat pump from heating mode to cooling mode and receive quality air conditioning during the summer. You have both your comfort concerns taken care of with one installation.

Call us to find out more about ductless heating

If you think that going ductless sounds like the right option for your home heating in Boerne, TX, you only have to give D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. a call. We install, repair, and maintain a variety of ductless mini split heat pumps for the area. You can arrange for service with us today.

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Furnace Parts You Need to Know

Wednesday, February 18th, 2015

When discussing any major home appliance, like the air conditioner or the furnace, it is greatly beneficial to have at least a working knowledge of its operation. That doesn’t mean that you need to be able to take it apart and put it back together, or even that you need to repair it on your own. Instead, having deeper knowledge of how your appliances work helps you identify when something goes wrong. The faster you can identify a problem, the faster you can get help and have it fixed. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the furnace parts that you need to know.

The Air Filter

The air filter is a part that is installed in the air handler of your furnace, covering the air return section of the ducts. It is responsible for capturing any particles, like dust or debris, which might blow in from the ducts. Such particles could cause damage to the furnace if allowed to infiltrate the system, and the air filter does an excellent job of protecting the furnace from their effects. However, if the air filter is not cleaned or replaced every few months it can become clogged to the point of restricting air flow. This restricted air flow can cause the furnace to overheat and shut down as a safety measure. If you hear your furnace constantly turning on and off again, it is likely because the system is overheating every time it turns on.

The Air Handler

The air handler is the collection of parts that is responsible for circulating air throughout the house. The air handler motor, which is responsible for turning the fan, is the part that is put under the most strain while the furnace is operating. To compensate for this, the motor is equipped with a number of lubricated bearings, which lessen the amount of friction. These bearings can dry out over time, however, which will cause them to wear down. This will cause the friction on the motor to keep increasing until it overheats and burns out. If you hear a grinding sound coming from your furnace, call a professional right away. That’s the sound of the bearings wearing out. If you don’t act quickly, you may have to replace the entire motor instead of just a few bearings.

If you’d like to know more, call D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. today to speak with one of our specialists. We provide professional furnace repair service in the Helotes area.

 

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Common Heating System Problems

Monday, February 16th, 2015

As a homeowner, it’s always good to have a basic understanding of what kinds of common problems can develop with your heating system. This isn’t so you embark on repairing your system yourself – that should be left to the experts – but so that you aren’t completely in the dark when your technician tells you what is going on should your heating system needs repair. Following are some examples of the common problems our D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. technicians encounter pretty frequently:

Thermostat Issues

Whenever you have a heating system problem, one of the first places your technician will check is the thermostat; this is because your thermostat controls the operation of your system, and if it is malfunctioning, your system won’t work as it should. Common issues with thermostats are dying or dead batteries, worn and/or corroded wiring, dusty instrumentation and calibration problems.

No/Low Heat

Depending on the type of system you have, there are several causes for low or no heat, and one of the easiest to diagnose and repair is a clogged air filter. Other reasons can be electrical issues, refrigerant leaks (heat pumps) and issues with the blower (forced air systems). Because there are a number of reasons that can cause a lack of heating for your home, it’s important to always hire a professional for repair.

Ignition Problems

If you have a combustion heating system, a number of problems can develop with the components that help ignite your burner. Systems with electronic ignition can have problems with the flame sensor, placement of the igniter and dirt and dust; systems with standing pilots may have an issue keeping the pilot lit. Ignition issues can be complex, so it isn’t advisable to try and repair an ignition problem on your own; instead, call for an expert.

Your heater is a mechanical device, so at some point it is likely that a problem will develop with the system. Only trained experts should work on a heating system, so if yours needs repair, call the professionals you can count on: D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. We provide quality heating repair in the Fair Oaks Ranch area.

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Valentine’s Day: Pagan Revelry, Clandestine Marriage, and 14th Century Poetry

Saturday, February 14th, 2015

What do you think of when you think of Valentine’s Day? Perhaps rushing off to the stationary store after work to choose the perfect card with which to express your feelings towards a loved one? Dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant? Roses, dark chocolates, and other gifts and confections? Whatever Valentine’s Day may look like to you, chances are that it is a far cry from the history surrounding this holiday – or at least we hope so. Here are a few interesting facts about this most romantic of holidays, from your friends here at D’Spain Sales & Service.

The fact of the matter is that there is no definitive history as to how Valentine’s Day came to be. There are a few different saints with variations of the name Valentine, for example. One of the most prevalent legends, and one certainly in keeping with the romantic nature of the holiday as we know it today, pertains to a priest serving during the 3rd century in Rome. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, who believed that young men made for better soldiers if unfettered by marriage, it was illegal for young men to marry. A true believer in love, Valentine would marry young couples in secret. Until, at least, he was found out, and met a very unpleasant end for his crimes.

Like many of our modern holidays, Valentine’s Day can also be traced back to pagan ritual. Lupercalia, as the pagan festival is known, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, a god of agriculture. As is often the case with Roman celebrations, the details of this celebration are unfit to detail here. Suffice to say that, while there is certainly a touch of the amorous in the proceedings, the festival was a far cry from what we associate with Valentine’s Day today.

How, then, did our modern version of Valentine’s Day come to be? The answer may lie in, of all places, 14th century poetry; particularly, in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer. Famed for his Canterbury Tales, Chaucer may well be the very first writer to associate Valentine’s Day with romantic love, in the manner of which we are familiar with it today. His The Parliament of Fowls details the dream-vision of a narrator consumed with the idea of romantic love and the natural order of finding a mate. Valentine’s Day is mentioned by name a number of times, as the narrator witnesses a parliament of eagles vying for the hand – or, perhaps more aptly, the wing – of a mate.

Whatever you may think of the holiday’s sordid and convoluted history, we here at D’Spain Sales & Service hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day with the special someone in your life.

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Signs That You Should Consider a Humidifier

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015

You’ve heard people complain about humidity in the summer, often remarking about the hot and sticky feeling it leaves on the skin. Humidity is characterized by the amount of water in the air. We say that the relative humidity is high when the air contains a lot of water vapor (and the most it can contain is 100%). High humidity is problematic because when there is too much moisture in the air, sweat cannot easily evaporate from your skin, which makes you feel warmer even when the weather is otherwise temperate. Inside of your house, moisture can collect and may lead to dangerous levels of mold and mildew.

Luckily, air conditioners take care of some level of humidity, and you can install a dehumidifier in the home to offset the problem of excessive moisture in the air. But did you know that very little moisture in the air is often just as alarming for some homeowners? Low levels of humidity can cause a few different problems for your home and your health, but you can install a point-of-use or whole home humidifier when you experience any of these common issues.

  • Dry Skin and Chapped Lips: Dry air equates to dry skin, chapped lips, and even bloody noses. You may be spending a ton of money on balms and lotions, and feel exasperated by the discomfort you experience every day.
  • A Cold that Just Won’t Quit: If you have a cold that just won’t seem to end, the lack of moisture in the air certainly isn’t helping. When your sinuses are dried out, your body can’t recover from a cold as quickly as it should.
  • Cracked Furniture and Peeling Paint: One of the most surprising effects of low humidity is the possibility that your furniture, walls, or floors could be ruined. If you notice damage on wood floors and furniture, cracks on the wall, or peeling paint, humidity control may be vital.

At D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc., we recommend whole-home humidifiers over portable options so that your entire home and each family member is protected during a dry spell. Call our team of technicians today to schedule installation or repairs for your humidifier in Bandera.

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