Climate Masters Blog: Archive for December, 2013

New Year’s Traditions Explained

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

2014 is almost upon us, and with the coming of the New Year, we thought we’d take a brief look at some of the more popular traditions associated with this holiday. It’s been around for at least 4,000 years: as long as we’ve figured out how long it takes for the seasons to come and go. Here’s a quick discussion about some of our more modern traditions and where they started:

  • Auld Lang Syne. The famous song began in Scotland, where it was published by Robert Burns in 1796.  He claims he initially heard it sung by an elderly resident of his hometown, which suggests it has traditional folk origins even before that. It became even more popular when big band leader, Guy Lombardo, started playing it every New Year’s Eve, starting in 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
  • The Dropping of the Ball in Times Square. The tradition of dropping the ball in Times Square started in 1907. It was made out of iron and wood with light bulbs located on the surface, and the ball originally “dropped” over the offices of the New York Times at One Times Square. Dick Clark famously broadcast the event every year from 1972, until his death in 2012.
  • The Rose Parade. The Tournament of Roses Parade has been held in Pasadena every year since 1890; taking advantage of California’s warm weather to present a parade of floats, bands and horses. A football game was eventually added to the festivities in 1902, when Michigan dominated Stanford’s team by a score of 49-0
  • Baby New Year. The use of a baby to signify the New Year dates back to Ancient Greece, where it symbolized the rebirth of Dionysus (the god of wine and parties). Early Christians initially resisted the pagan elements of the story, but soon came to adopt it since it matched the traditional Christmas symbol of baby Jesus in the manger. Today, people of all faiths and traditions refer to the New Year as a baby, representing new beginnings.

Whatever traditions you choose to celebrate, we here at Climate Masters wish you the very safest and happiest of New Years. May 2014 bring you nothing but the best!

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Wishing You a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

Wednesday, December 25th, 2013

It’s the holiday season once again, and everyone at Climate Masters wishes the very best for you, your family, and your friends. We hope that whatever brings you joy fills these last days of the year.

We’d like to thank all of our customers for giving us the opportunity to provide you with services that improve your lives and help you better enjoy this time with your loved ones. You are the reason that we exist as a company, and that’s something we always keep that in mind. We are eager to work with you in the coming year.

Here’s something to remember for the season: many companies in our industry are very busy on service calls during December—it’s one of the most crowded times of the year. If you need service, make sure you schedule it as soon as possible so you can continue to enjoy the pleasures of this time of year.

Lastly, we at Climate Masters want to conclude with a thought from the late Earl Nightingale to help remind us all that we do not need to wait for a holiday to have a reason to enjoy or celebrate ourselves, our lives or our family:

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”

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Why Is My Furnace Breaking Down All the Time?

Friday, December 20th, 2013

Furnaces are among the most durable of heating systems. With the proper care, most furnaces can last beyond their manufacturer’s expected lifespan. But what if your furnace begins breaking down frequently? Obviously, this isn’t something that should happen, and when it does start to occur, it requires professional assistance.

Climate Masters can bring you the expert, trained help you need for furnace repair in St. Augustine. All it takes is a phone call, any time of the day or night. We can offer you some help right now with a list of reasons your furnace might start breaking down repeatedly. Even if your furnace is currently working fine, you should look over this list to find ways to avoid troubles in the future.

4 reasons your furnace is breaking down constantly

  1. You’re overworking it: Don’t keep pushing your thermostat up the highest it can go; this will not make your furnace heat up your home faster, it will only make it stay on longer, and that will lead to excess wear and tear that will foster breakdowns. Find a comfortable lower temperature and stick with it.
  2. Repair needs are going without attention: A furnace can sometimes maintain its target temperature even with malfunctions occurring—but the longer a repair issue goes without getting fixed, the more likely the problem will burgeon into a complete shutdown. Make sure that you schedule professional repairs as soon as you detect anything unusual, such as sounds or a drop in airflow.
  3. The system is too old: No matter how well a furnace is cared for, it will eventually reach a point where it is too old to operate correctly, and it will start breaking down even with regular repairs. If your furnace is more than a few years past its expected lifespan, any breakdown should signal to you that the time has arrived for a new installment.
  4. It needs regular maintenance: This is the most common reason for breakdowns. Furnaces need to have annual maintenance check-ups and tune-ups from licensed professionals in order for them to function at their best and not start prematurely aging and developing malfunctions. Make sure you are enrolled in a preventive maintenance program that delivers a check-up once a year.

Keep your furnace in good shape

Although there is not much you can do about an ancient furnace aside from replacing it, the other reasons for a furnace breaking down are preventable. When you need furnace repair in St. Augustine, FL, or want to enroll in a quality maintenance program, contact Climate Masters. We’ve served St. John’s county since 1988.

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Why Does a Heat Pump Need Refrigerant?

Sunday, December 15th, 2013

Living in St. Augustine means long, humid summers and mild but occasionally stormy winters. In this climate, a heat pump offers many advantages as a solution to your year-round comfort requirements: it provides effective air conditioning during the hot weather, and energy-efficient heat for the shorter cold weather season.

If you know something about how a heat pump operates, then you’ll know that it uses a chemical compound known as refrigerant. We’ll explain in this post why a heat pump needs something called “refrigerant” even when it is in heating mode.

If you are thinking of having a heat pump installed, or if you need heat pump maintenance and repairs in St. Augustine, FL, contact Climate Masters for quality service today.

Refrigerant and your heat pump

Refrigerant is a generic term for the mixture of chemicals that allows for the heat pump to move heat from one location to another, which is called heat exchange. In the earliest days of air conditioners, refrigerant was often a toxic or combustible chemical like ammonia or methyl chloride. Modern heat pumps and ACs use safer compounds (known as “blends”); the most common blend in use today is R401A, which has no ozone depletion issues.

Refrigerant changes easily between being a liquid and a gas, which is why it is useful for heat exchange in a heat pump. As the refrigerant flows through a heat pump, moving from the outdoor to the indoor coils, it absorbs and releases heat as it switches from a liquid to a gas. During heating mode for a heat pump, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outdoors (evaporation) and then releases it indoors (condensation). A compressor serves as the “motor” for the refrigerant, compressing it into a high temperature gas at the beginning of the heat exchange cycle.

Refrigerant remains at a fixed level inside a heat pump. The process of evaporation and condensation does not use it up. However, leaks can develop in the compressor or along the refrigerant line, causing the level of refrigerant (its “charge”) to drop. This will adversely affect the heating and cooling capability of the heat pump. It requires a professional to seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant.

If you have trouble with a heat pump that is either struggling with heating or cooling, than a refrigerant leak may be the issue. Call on repair experts like Climate Masters to handle it. We can attend to any troubles that might pop up in your heat pump in St. Augustine, FL, anyS time of the day or night.

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What Causes Duct Problems?

Friday, December 6th, 2013

Your ductwork, although hidden from your sight over most of its length, is a crucial part of the comfort you receive from your HVAC system. Unless you have a ductless system in your home, your air conditioner requires ducts to work, and most likely your heater does as well. If you want to get the most comfort from your AC and heater, you need to have ducts free from serious problems.

When you need duct repairs or cleaning, contact Climate Masters, where we offer comprehensive duct cleaning services.

We will help you keep good care of your ductwork in St. Augustine, FL.

Common causes of ductwork problems:

  • Corrosion: Corrosion occurs because of metal comes into contact with air and water. Unfortunately, the wet Florida climate means that moisture can enter ductwork and start the spread of corrosion. The biggest threat from corrosion is that it eats away and the metal of the ducts and causes it to begin to flake apart, leading to breaks. Breaks will cause an increase in dust, as well as a drop in air pressure that will have a large negative impact on your heater and air conditioner.
  • Microbacteria: Another common problem in Florida’s climate is moisture that leads to the growth of molds, fungus, and other bacteria on the inside of ductwork. These biological pollutants can weaken the ducts, and also pose a threat to your indoor air quality. You will need professionals to use mold remediation techniques, such as UV germicidal lights, to eliminate such infestations.
  • Other construction work/amateur repairs: Ducts often receive damage during construction work unrelated to the ductwork. Remodeling and whole-house rewiring are just two home improvement projects that can accidentally lead to your ducts developing breaks. In a similar way, if you rely on amateur repairs for your ductwork, or you attempt the repairs yourself, you can end up with ducts that are misaligned or poorly connected.

Call ductwork professionals

Your ducts are both difficult to access and arduous to clean and repair. It requires trained duct specialists to handle the task of sealing cracks (no, duct tape won’t do the job) and getting out deeply ingrained dirt, corrosion, and bacterial pollutants.

If you think you have problems with your ducts, get on the phone right away and contact Climate Masters. We will inspect your ductwork and zero in on what issues need to be addressed. Whether you need replacement duct installation, UV germicidal lights, or just a cleaning, Climate Masters can give your ductwork in St. Augustine the care it needs. Make sure to ask us about the FPL (Florida Power & Lighting Company) rebate that you may qualify for.

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