DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Archive for December, 2013

The Ball in Times Square

Monday, December 30th, 2013

New Year’s is a time for parties, fun and great traditions, some of which go back more than a century. Among them is the famous “dropping of the ball” in Times Square, an event which is broadcast to millions of people every New Year’s Eve. With 2014 nearly upon us, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look at the history of this popular New Year’s Eve festivity.

The idea began in 1907 at what was then the New York Times building at One Times Square. The newspaper’s owner, Adolph Ochs, had been celebrating the New Year with fireworks since 1903. He wanted make the event even more remarkable, and added the ball in December of 1907 to welcome in the New Year. The first ball was designed by Artkraft Strauss, who made it out of iron, wood, and light bulbs. It took six men to hoist the ball up the building’s flag pole; once midnight struck, the tremendous ball was carefully lowered, and all were allowed to marvel at it.

Since then, the ball has undergone many changes in materials and design, and even the New York Times has moved to another building. But the tradition remains and the ball has dropped over One Times Square ever since. Today, the ball is electronically controlled, and uses LED lamps for its construction: designed by Waterford Crystal and weighing in at over 1,200 pounds.

A number of television broadcasts have helped carry the event over the years, but by far the most famous is “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” which first ran in 1972. The show was created and hosted by Dick Clark, who became a staple of the event as much as the ball itself. Clark hosted the show every New Year’s Eve from 1972 until his death in 2012. Since then, it has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest, who shared hosting duties with Clark starting in 2005.

Whether you’re watching the ball drop on TV or have some other New Year’s Eve plan in mind, we here at DB Heating & Cooling wish you nothing but the best for 2014. Have a safe and happy New Year!

Continue Reading

Tags:
Posted in Holiday | Comments Off on The Ball in Times Square

Happy Holidays!

Monday, December 23rd, 2013

Holiday greetings from DB Heating & Cooling! We hope you are having safe and pleasant season, enjoying your favorite traditions for this time of year. We wish you the very best, and we thank you for your business this year.

In honor of the season, here are some fun facts about one of everyone’s favorite holiday movies: It’s a Wonderful Life.

For years, one of the enduring December traditions in the United States was watching the movie It’s a Wonderful Life playing almost nonstop on numerous television stations. No matter the time of the day, you could turn on the TV set, flip through channels, and discover It’s a Wonderful Life playing. Whenever you needed him, you could find Jimmy Stewart shouting, “Hello, Bedford Falls!”

But now… It’s a Wonderful Life only appears on broadcast television a few times during December, and most families instead choose to watch the movie on video. What happened?

The reason goes back to the film’s initial wide release in January 1947. (That’s right, it opened after the holiday season. It was not even promoted as a holiday film.) It’s a Wonderful Life was a box-office disappointment at the time, and its studio, RKO Radio Pictures, lost more than half a million on it. The movie’s production company, Liberty Films, was sold to Paramount to avoid bank foreclosure. (A bit ironic, considering the movie’s plot.) In 1955, the National Telefilm Associates (NTA) took over the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life, which included the television syndication rights.

However, NTA failed to properly renew the copyright in 1974 because of a clerical error, which allowed the film’s images to enter into the public domain. Although the movie’s plot was still under copyright protection because it was adapted from a published story called “The Greatest Gift,” television stations across the world could now broadcast it with only minimal royalty payments.

In 1993, Republic Pictures, which now owned the NTA library, tried to enforce their claim to the copyright of the film, as they possessed the rights to “The Greatest Gift.” Republic Pictures succeeded, and licensed exclusive television rights to NBC. Suddenly, It’s a Wonderful Life vanished from local television stations, and NBC made the movie’s broadcasts—usually twice during December—into major events. As of 1998, Paramount again has the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life… 43 years after they lost them.

It’s still easy to make It’s a Wonderful Life a part of whatever traditions you observe during the holidays, whether through home video or television broadcasts. Despite its lackluster initial reception in 1947, Frank Capra’s film is now an inseparable part of December in the United States.

Have a great holiday week!

Continue Reading

Tags:
Posted in Holiday | Comments Off on Happy Holidays!

When to Schedule Boiler Repair

Tuesday, December 17th, 2013

One of the reasons that boilers have remained perennially popular as a way to heat homes is that they have a remarkable durability. Because boilers use only a few moving mechanical parts, they resist the wear and tear that systems such as furnaces and heat pumps encounter. With the proper care, boilers can last a full generation with only a few repair needs.

Repairs, however, sometimes are necessary, even with a boiler that receives regular preventive maintenance. No matter how hardy a boiler you have, you need to schedule repairs for it the moment it shows any sign that it needs them. Here’s a list of times when you should definitely call for boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ. Contact DB Heating & Cooling for fast service, any time of the day or night.

You notice corrosion or rust on the tank or other components

Boilers have precautions against corrosion, such as a anode rod atop the tank. But rust and corrosion can still occur in the system, and if you see signs of rust on the outside of the tank or on any of the exterior components, you need to have the issue addressed immediately. Likely, the corrosion has started to develop elsewhere, and it needs to be stopped and remedied before you are forced to replace the whole tank.

You discover leaking

Leaking of any kind from your boiler—from pipes, connectors, valves, under the tank—means a serious problem is occurring. There are a number of causes for leaks, but all of them require repairs as soon as possible.

You hear rumbling noises from the tank

Boilers operate quietly; it’s another one of their advantages. So any strange, loud noises are usually a sign of a malfunction. The most alarming noise is a rumbling sound from the water tank. This could be from a mixing of cold water with hot water because of a leaky valve, or it might be the water overheating. Call for repairs to discover the cause and fix it before greater damage occurs.

Make sure you get the long life from your boiler that you should. Don’t hesitate about scheduling repairs, and don’t rely on amateur work. Contact DB Heating & Cooling: we are fully insured and EPA-certified, and our technicians have the knowledge to get your boiler back to its regular operation. We are here for all your needs for boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ.

Continue Reading

Posted in Heating | Comments Off on When to Schedule Boiler Repair

How Can I Keep My Heater as Reliable as Possible?

Monday, December 9th, 2013

To make it through a New Jersey winter, you need to have a heating system you can depend on to keep you warm without malfunctions or abrupt shutdowns. There are few things worse than having to spend a few chilly hours waiting for repair technicians to come to your home (on a day when they are likely already busy with numerous emergency calls) to service a broken heater.

We have some tips on how you can help your heater work reliably for you during this winter season. For more assistance with your heating system, including expert repairs and maintenance, contact DB Heating & Cooling—24 hours a day, 7 days of the week.

Tips for reliable heating in Waldwick, NJ

  • Schedule repairs the moment you need them: If you notice a minor malfunction in your heating system—a few cold rooms, a strange noise from your furnace cabinet, rust spots on your boiler, or odd smells from the vents—don’t simply shrug it off or delay repairs until something more serious occurs. Trust to our experience in this field: the problem will not get better on its own. Your heater will soon start to develop far worse troubles if you don’t have the issue repaired professionally.
  • Prevent your heater from overworking: The best way to stop your heater from developing the stress that will lead to breakdowns is to make sure your house is well-insulated with all potential heat leaks sealed (weather stripping around doors, windows caulked, effective attic insulation). The better your house traps heat, the less work the heater will need to do to maintain a comfortable temperature. Also refrain from turning the thermostat up too high: keep in mind that the thermostat is a switch, not a throttle, so turning the heat up to 90°F won’t warm your home faster; it will make the heater work longer to reach the target temperature. Keep the thermostat set to lower temperatures, such as 68°F, and put on an extra layer of clothes.
  • Schedule regular preventive maintenance: Your heater needs to receive annual check-ups to see that all its components are working properly and not suffering from too much wear or possible repair needs. During maintenance, a technician will tune-up your heater so that it will continue to perform efficiently, and also make any repairs necessary to ward off possible malfunctions and breakdowns. Routine maintenance is the surest way to keep your heater reliable.

DB Heating & Cooling offers maintenance programs customized for each home; we’ll find the best way to protect your heating in Waldwick, NJ all through the winter. We can also take care of any repairs, whether preventive or emergency, to make your house warm and cozy once more.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Heating | Comments Off on How Can I Keep My Heater as Reliable as Possible?

High Pressure Levels and Boiler Repair

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

One of the advantages of having a boiler to keep you warm is that it rarely needs repairs. Boilers contain few mechanical parts that can wear down, so the standard wear-and-tear most machines suffer over time happens slower for boilers. But boilers do have a specific repair and maintenance issue that sometimes crops up: leaks. Leaking not only threatens the boiler’s operation, it threatens construction material and can lead to the growth of mildew and other bacteria. When leaking starts in your boiler, you need to have professionals fix the trouble as soon as possible.

The professionals will also track down the cause for the leaking. There are a number of reasons leaks might start, such as corrosion and improper connections from poor installation. In this post, we’ll talk about a common cause for leaks that will require you to get boiler repair: high water pressure.

Call DB Heating & Cooling when you require effective boiler repair in Westwood, NJ. We have 24-hour emergency services to solve your problem promptly.

Reasons for high pressure

Your boiler maintains even water pressure through a number of precautions, such as an expansion tank and a pressure release valve. A malfunction with either can cause the pressure in the water to mount. Sometimes, homeowners accidentally block the pressure relief valve; make sure you haven’t moved anything to obstruct it. (The valve is a pipe located at the bottom of the boiler tank.)

High pressure can often start because of sediment entering the water tank. Breaks in underground pipes can lead to dirt and sand infiltrating the tank and settling along the bottom. If this continues, the layer of sediment will decrease the available space in the tank—and this will cause the water to overheat and spike in pressure. A boiler technician will need to flush out the system to get rid of the detritus.

If you have trouble with hard water in your home, it can have a negative impact on the boiler and cause a pressure increase. Limescale from the hard water will develop along the inside of the tank. Because limescale acts as an insulator trapping heat inside the boiler, the balance inside the tank will change and cause a rise in pressure. Regular maintenance visits will help keep the tank de-scaled.

Regardless of the reason for the high pressure, it will begin to trigger serious damage to the pipes in the boiler’s system, causing leaks to spring up in numerous places. Only proper, skilled repairs can fix the leaks and the cause for the rise in pressure in the first place.

Trust to DB Heating & Cooling to help you with boiler repair in Westwood, NJ. We charge by the job, not by the hour, so you will always know what the work will cost before we start.

Continue Reading

Tags: ,
Posted in Heating | Comments Off on High Pressure Levels and Boiler Repair