Steve's Comfort Systems

10/01/2018

Steve requested photographs of the damaged plumbing before coming to the job. When he arrived he had all of the requisite tools and hardware necessary to complete the project. That saved us both time and is an excellent business practice. He is completely trustworthy and my dogs took right to him!

08/15/2018

Prompt, professional, and courteous service. Steve's explanations and maintenance advice were very educational and much appreciated. Highly recommended!

07/20/2018

Improve your home comfort while lowering your electricity usage by upgrading the blower motor on your home. Homes with multiple living levels often present comfort challenges. In a typical basement, main, and second story type of home there can be a 20 degree temperature difference on hot sultry midsummer days. People will commonly shut off supply air diffusers in colder basement or main floor rooms trying to push more conditioned air into the upper level hot rooms. Often overlooked, the fan "ON" or "AUTO" button located on the thermostat is ignored. But think about it. When the thermostat tells the air conditioner that the desired setting has been reached, say 74 degrees, the air conditioner and the indoor blower motor shut off. Those upstairs rooms are still 80 degrees and now their is no blower running. Meanwhile the basement air temperature is 68 degrees. Hmmmm. What if you set your fan to "ON"? Then the fan would run constantly even when the AC unit is off. It would continue to circulate and mix the cooler basement and main floor air streams with the upper level air supply, thus evening out the comfort within the home. Of course you will use more electricity. And I know what else you do, I see it all the time. You shut off the diffusers in some rooms in order to make others more comfortable. I have seen customers create equipment service problems for themselves by doing so. We have a suggestion. Replace that antique and dumb blower furnace motor with a modern SMART ECM blower motor. You won't feel guilty about electricity consumption because you will actually be using less, you won't have to worry about redirecting air flow because the motor will adjust itself instantly to the changes you make and maintain a steady volume of air flow. And that's good because your air conditioner needs that air flow to work properly. So give some real thought to replacing that electricity consuming cheap motor with a new smart motor today.

07/18/2018

An air conditioning tip for yard and gardening work around your outdoor unit. Poor Lindsey returned from work to her home recently expecting to relax in cool air conditioned comfort. What she found were three sweating children in a sweltering residence. She did the normal homeowner checkouts of the system, thermostat check, filter check, outdoor unit lookover, and even resetting the circuit breakers. Nothing worked. So she called us. I reviewed the things she had done and then invited her outdoors to look at the air conditioning condensing unit. She had mentioned that together with her daughter they had been doing some w**d removal around the ac unit. Sure enough, I found what is called a low voltage control wire snipped cleanly in two. One of them had unknowingly snipped it with a gardeners shear, the resulting sort circuit blew a fuse in the furnace and opened the ac unit circuit! Fortunately for her though, because the system needed other services performed to bring it into good operating condition!
So..... be careful with garden tools, w**d trimmers, lawn mowers and landscaping around your outdoor AC system unit. Unless you want a sweltering home and kids!
PS: Make it a regular practice to direct lawn clippings from the lawn mower away from the AC unit, we very often find plugged and damaged AC units because of careless mower discharge practices.
PS Again: Keep pets from urinating upon the AC unit coils, the urine corrodes the aluminum fins and reduces the efficiency of the operation.

06/11/2018

Fine filters are friendly to your furnace,....... and air conditioner too! We do better ourselves when we breathe relatively clean air, right? I remember as a teenage boy having the job of shoveling out soybean and grain dust from an elevator pit. That was when I learned just how irritating those particles were to my eyes, sinus, and lungs.
The air within most of our South Dakota constructed homes is moved under the force applied by a powerful fan within a furnace or air handling unit through a return and supply distribution air duct system. So we have those supply diffusers and return air grilles located in the floors, walls, and sometimes the ceiling surfaces of the home.
Those return air grilles are under a suction pressure whenever the fan is on. Anything that can move within an air stream that is close by will be pulled through those grilles and moved within the return air duct toward the low pressure of the fan inlet. Some heavier airborne things settle into nooks and crannies of the duct, others will face the element in the comfort system that is often given thought, but has historically been wanting in effectiveness- the system air filter.
That teenage boy had employed no personal air filtration device and suffered some immeditate consequences. Swollen, tearing, itchy eyes, coughing and difficult breathing along with other things. Really cut down and even halted his performance on the job!
And the same is true of what can happen to your furnace or air conditioner when the filter is missing, poorly installed, is cheap and porous, or the filter housing is badly designed. Your equipment WILL SUFFER from performance degradation or even quit entirely. When seriously dirty conditions exist for lengths of time the expensive equipment can even be destroyed.
I like to breathe. I am confident that you like to breathe too. So give some thought to the inanimate comfort equipment in your home. Like you that system has to breathe, and breathe freely. If you think that you may have a problem with the air stream in your home, or that your filter system just is not quite as good as it could be, it may be time to call for assistance from a knowledgeable comfort expert. He just might save your air conditioner from conking out just when you need it most.

04/11/2018

Viessmann Vitrocrossal Boiler Installation, Main Circulator - The Delta T circulator that pumps the heating system water through the piping and radiators.
Note that the incoming from the boiler is 120F and the return water to the boiler is 107F for a 13F temperature difference or Delta T. The water is giving up its' heat to the home while only using 10 watts of electrical energy. A furnace may be using 400 watts or 40x the electrical energy to distribute warm air to the home. Boilers can be remarkably efficient when installed properly.

04/11/2018

Viessmann Vitrocrossal Boiler Installation, Rear View - The system viewed from behind. Note the round water heater tank at the left, its' water is heated by the boiler at 95% efficiency. One system to heat the home and your potable water. This boiler has a very special 'self cleaning' stainless steel heat exchanger... this helps to maintain system efficiency and impart durability.

04/11/2018

Viessmann Vitrocrossal Boiler Installation, Front View - The Vitocrossal CU3A-26 high mass stainless steel modulating natural gas (or lp) high efficiency boiler! It seems rather large in comparison the the recent years of mini-boiler designs doesn't it. And it is very heavy too, one man won't be bringing this into your home. Stand right next to it while running and you will have to strain to hear it. It is smart, very smart. Adapts to outdoor and indoor system conditions to deliver real comfort. We consider it the best current residential boiler

04/11/2018

Viessmann Vitrocrossal Boiler Installation, Side View - Can you identify? 1) The Hydronic Filter- it magnetically and mechanically cleans the boiler system water 2) The Delta T main heating loop circulator- it pumps the heated system water through all the piping and radiators (most often at only 11 watts!) 3) The Automatic boiler fill valve- it keeps boiler water separate from potable water and maintains the right pressure 4) The boiler water treatment device- it conditions the boiler system water, and 5) The plastic vent and combustion air piping-

12/12/2017

Pipe Pe*******on Perils!
As a contracting service business I have always supported home owners who have wanted to pursue the do it yourself spirit of home improvement. I have observed many successful projects done this way. On occasion difficulty is encountered and it feels good to advise them about how to proceed.
Lately we have had several plumbing pipe pe*******on calls that have me thinking it needs to be talked about.
Current new construction codes require plumbers and electricians to install metal protection plates directly over piping and wiring within wooden construction members. Down through time the pipes and wires will be protected from the screws and nails that will be driven into walls, ceilings and floors in the course of normal structure lifespans.
But most of our older homes lack such protection, and this is where we can get in trouble.
A little forethought can help. Suppose the wall that you are thinking of sinking a nail or screw into has a bathroom, laundry, or kitchen on the other side? Hmmm. Perhaps a pipe lies behind this area and care should be taken. The same sometimes would apply to certain ceiling areas.
Nobody wants an emergency gushing plumbing pipe repair service call!
Additionally, take some care with your electric screwdriver or drill. When you are drilling through the surface plaster or gypsum board you will have a certain amount of resistant to the force you are applying as you drill.
If you then hit something else, something with with harder resistance, take some caution. You might want to take a small diameter wire, like a coat hanger wire, and probe through the hole to see if it just in a small area. If it is you might assume a pipe and take further measures to avoid damage.
I once got a call from a friend who just drilled with more force to try and get the depth he needed for the screw he was trying to install. He was quite excited because he was in an upper floor of a large residence building and found out that he had drilled right through a steel natural gas line. He now had natural gas flowing out of the wall and wanted to know what to do! Now that is the definition of peril!
There are also electronic wall scanners out there similar to stud finders that my work to varying degrees of success, you may want the security of trying one of these.
Now do not let this discussion hold you back from doing your own work, just a little foreknowledge to help you to a happy project conclusion.

08/16/2017

Have you ever had a sewage backup in your home? We hope not, but perhaps you would like to know what may be involved. You would probably want to know some warning signs of potential problems so that you could head off the unpleasant mess associated with backed up drains.
If you have a basement bathroom that has been talking to you... LISTEN! Suppose you flush the toilet and then notice a gurgling sound from the shower or lavatory drain, perhaps even some bubbling liquid. This could be the result of a blockage developing downstream in the under floor drainage piping. Water from the flushing toilet ran down the pipe and compressed the air normally in the pipe ahead of the blockage. The pressure is relieved by "burping or gurgling" from the shower or sink drain. These sounds are the piping system warning you of the blockage condition.
What if the same gurgling sounds are heard in the basement bathroom when that bathroom has not even been in use? It is likely that another bathroom, kitchen, or laundry group is discharging water into the drain system and creating the same pressurized air condition. The piping system is still telling you that it has a problem that needs attention.
But how would you know if the problem is inside your house foundation in the building drains or if the problem is outside in the building sewer? It could be that a branch drain line is blocked and the building sewer is open. In this case some of the fixtures in the home will drain away into the sewer freely, but the others remain plugged. Bur if the use of ANY fixture in the home results in either gurgling or backing up drains you can be sure that it is your building sewer line that is at fault.
You might be surprised to know that quite a bit of sewer cleaning is required in the winter because of root blockages. Just because the trees are "asleep" above ground does not mean they are underground!
In fact, most sewer blockages in SE South Dakota on public sewer systems are root blockages. These are fairly difficult to handle for a typical homeowner. Perhaps its time to listen to your pipes and make a call to your local friendly professional plumber!

08/02/2017

Over the decades of helping people with home repair problems there are some that really stand out in scale. One example is the couple who took several weeks vacation and returned to a horrible situation at their house. A toilet supply tube had split and then continuously sprayed water nearly the whole time they were gone! The toilet was on the main floor and the water spread out horizontally from room to room. It swelled the subflooring, penetrated and dripped throughout the finished and nicely furnished basement. The gypsum (Sheetrock) wall boards on both floors absorbed water, mold grew, damage to heating and cooling equipment, destruction of precious and irreplaceable homeowner items, etc. Their life for nearly a year after moving into a motel room was dealing with insurance communications, moving, cleaning, and restoring household goods, replacing clothing, monitoring restoration crews and contractors as they rebuilt the home from the inside out. and so on. Whew!

Today we have affordable technology that would have saved all that effort in a number of ways. Enter the era of Home Automation, not to be confused with home security although closely related and inclusive of such service if desired.

Think about that leaking supply tube. Imagine that a small electronic water sensor detected the moisture. It now sends a wifi signal to a home automation hub. This hub has been programmed to send a wifi signal to a valve on the home water supply pipe and in an instant the water has been shut off. At the same time the hub sends a text (or texts), and makes a call to pre-selected telephone numbers that have alerted the traveling couple and perhaps a neighbor or service agency. The travelers are of course dismayed, but they can immediately have someone assist with the situation while they continue an enjoyable vacation. In this scenario they are out a few hundred dollars for the plumbing repair bill performed while they were yet away and were able to come home to a safe comfortable home. Wonderful! Not months of aggravation, tens of thousands of dollars lost and all the other negative things that did occur with the real life incident.

Carrier Cor Home Automation is available now and will help homeowners in ways that they have not even thought of. Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx6vp18QVpk
Then go to: http://www.corhomeautomation.com/en/us/
Your eyes will open as you think about the benefits of home automation that are available to you right now.
Of course you are welcome to call us and have a visit about how we can assist you in getting Carrier Cor Home Automation installed in your home or business.

07/07/2017

Would give them 20 stars if i could, the following says it all!!!! ? ? ? ? grant, known them for many years!!!!

03/30/2017

How can you help yourself when calling for heating, cooling, or plumbing service?
If you happen to have a long term relationship with a service company it may be possible that they have recorded past service information along with model and serial numbers of your heating, cooling and plumbing equipment.
This is rich information for the servicing company because it empowers their technician to anticipate what to bring along for the service visit as well as form a plan of action. This saves time and money for all concerned!
But back to that initial question.
What if you had taken digital photographs of the problem and the equipment that you were calling about and already forwarded them via smartphone or email to your service company? This would really help, now the company has something to look at. And you know: "A picture is worth a thousand words". So now you can both refer to the picture when scheduling the service visit. It has not been uncommon for our company to resolve a customer service problem right over the phone with no cost to the customer!
Heating and cooling equipment such as furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, heat pumps, thermostats, air cleaners and other devices all carry a label plate that contain the manufacturer, model and serial numbers, and specified parameters for installation. So why not take a clear closeup picture of the unit and the label, sent it to your service company, and then call to discuss the issues!
It is one great way to help yourself to lower service costs. And it can only help service efficiency too.

01/05/2017

Extreme cold weather conditions and a plumbing tip. Homeowners anticipate problems such as freezing plumbing pipes and not infrequently do something that actually harms their piping. It has to do with the way they insulate their piping.
Insulation is a good thing, right? Well, yes, if done properly.
TIP: Insulate your pipes from the cold, not from the heat!
What does this mean? Imagine that a pipe exists near an exterior wall, heat will flow from the pipe to the exterior. The insulation should be placed BETWEEN the cold exterior wall and the (warm) pipe. This will let the heat from the interior remain in the area of the pipe and protect it.
So often we have gone out on emergency calls where the well meaning customer has obviously spent much time and effort in extreme insulating efforts. We promptly remove most of their work efforts, repair the pipe and educate them to keep out the cold, but let the interior heat in! Do not block the flow of heat from inside to the area of the pipes and you will be more likely to have a freeze free winter!

11/02/2016

New 5 Star Review:

"We called they were their that day got us a new unit the following day! Very fast, friendly and reliable. Highly recommend!!"

Don't hesitate to call Steve's Comfort Systems in Vermillion, SD. We are committed to your satisfaction. Call us today.