DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Archive for July, 2014

The Benefits of Energy Management Systems

Monday, July 28th, 2014

When you run a business, you keep a closer eye on your finances than you will almost anything else. Among the various costs to run your company, you may think that the energy required to operate the building is an inflexible one and unlikely to change unless your company undergoes some radical shift. But there are ways you can improve your business’ energy consumption through a centralized device: an energy management system (EMS).

Our staff at DB Heating & Cooling is familiar with energy management systems, since we’ve been installing them in New Jersey for many years. We have seen the enormous benefits an EMS can bring to a company, and the level of control it grants for reducing and stabilizing energy use. If you wish to know more details about energy management systems in Bergen County, NJ from people who have worked closely with them, contact our commercial staff today.

Advantages that energy management systems can provide

First, to answer the basic question, “What is an energy management system?” An EMS is a device that centralizes all the powered systems that run a building. An Internet-based system is installed over TCP/UP or EIA-485 with peer-to-peer communication. From one location, you can access security, lighting, and the HVAC systems and monitor their operation, and, most importantly, their energy use. You can also choose during installation if you want to be able to access the EMS from multiple locations.

The major benefit of a commercial energy management system is a reduction in energy costs. Through centralization, you can see the building’s full electrical load and how much each individual system contributes to it. This allows you to rapidly pinpoint places where energy is going to waste, such as needless lighting or a malfunctioning commercial HVAC system. You can discover where the placement of high efficiency lighting upgrades will benefit you the most. For older buildings, an EMS will point out where you need to update older equipment that is placing a significant drain on power.

An EMS is also an effective tool at creating a more smooth operation of the building. It’s easy to locate faults in systems and schedule repairs and maintenance. Most of the guesswork and additional effort it would require to monitor electrical systems, the heating and cooling, and security individually to find where repairs are necessary vanishes thanks to the centralization of an EMS.

For an EMS to effectively work, it must have professional and skilled installation that will set up both the central hardware and the monitoring for each of the systems you want integrated. The installers will tailor the EMS to your specific needs—no two commercial buildings and companies are alike, so no two energy management systems will be alike either.

Although an EMS is a complicated device, you can place all the hard work in the dependable hands of DB Heating & Cooling.

Call DB Heating & Cooling today to speak with our team and to get started with the benefits of energy management systems in Bergen County, NJ.

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How to Know You Need Commercial Control System Repair in Waldwick

Monday, July 21st, 2014

A central control system for a commercial building is designed to make life easier. A central control system can handle the operation of multiple air conditioners and heaters, humidity controls, air handlers, zone dampers, lighting, fire alarms, and security systems. In many ways, one of these centralized systems is like having an ideal universal remote control for your home: instead of requiring a small army of remote controls to take care of the television, the Blu-ray player, the amplifier, and the streaming device, you can have all the power integrated into a single, handy device.

Any control that oversees such an intricate, wide-ranging network of systems can malfunction. When you depend on a control system for your commercial building, you can’t afford to let faults lead to issues with security, comfort, lighting, and energy efficiency. At the first sign that you need skilled commercial control system repair in Waldwick, NJ, contact DB Heating & Cooling, where we have 24-hour emergency service from skilled technicians for commercial systems.

Watch for signs that you need control system repair

  • The system alerts you itself: One of the advantages of an automated, integrated system that controls multiple functions throughout the building is that it will alert you when something is wrong with one of the systems it controls… including itself. Make sure that you keep a close watch on diagnostic warnings from the system that will inform you that it is having problems correctly operating.
  • Energy waste: Of course, the control system will not always detect that it is malfunctioning. One of the ways you can tell that it is developing problems is from an increase in your energy bills. A control system monitors energy use in the HVAC system and the lighting, and if it begins to run these inefficiently, you will notice higher bills. Have technicians first check the individual systems to see if they are experiencing repair needs, and then look into the control system to see if the fault lies there.
  • Uneven temperatures: The most important part of a commercial building under central control is the HVAC system. Loss of effective control over this system will result in uneven temperatures throughout the building because of miscalibrated thermostats, dampers in the ductwork opening and shutting at the incorrect times, and the compressor activating and shutting down when it shouldn’t. If nothing seems wrong with the HVAC system itself, the issue may come from a faulty control system.

A building with integrated and automated controls allows for a more comfortable, energy-efficient, and work-efficient environment. We can also take care of the regular maintenance that will prevent repairs in the future.

Do not lose these advantages because you neglected commercial control system repair in Waldwick, NJ when you needed it. At the first sign of trouble, call DB Heating & Cooling.

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What Kinds of Tools Are Used in Duct Sealing?

Monday, July 14th, 2014

One of the great misunderstandings of home repairs is that “duct tape” is useful for repairing broken ducts. But duct tape is essentially worthless for this job, although it can help in hundreds of other ways for household chores. This misconception of the purpose of duct tape goes back to the 1950s, when what was until then called “duck tape” received a deceptive new name.

When it comes to sealing ducts, you need to rely on professionals who use a set of special tools for the job that are out of the reach of most consumers. Sealing ducts doesn’t only involve special tools, but also special training. If you require duct sealing in Waldick, NJ, call up only trained technicians to handle it. The indoor air quality experts at DB Heating & Cooling will bring the best tools and top-quality training to the job of sealing your leaky ventilation system.

The tools used in professional air duct sealing

  • Leak detectors: A key part of the process of sealing ducts is to locate where the leaks are. The technicians turn on the HVAC system to send air through the ductwork and use detectors that contain a fan and a pressure sensor to track down where the ducts are losing pressure and how large the leaks are. This will give the technicians a good idea of how much work needs to be done and what sort of methods will work. (For example, in cases of extreme leaks, they may suggest replacing sections of the ducts.)
  • Mastic sealant: Mastic is a resin-based sealant which technicians apply to gaps and leaks using a caulking gun. Mastic will stick to most surfaces and remain flexible even after it dries, making it resistant to breaking when the gaps expand and contract during temperature changes. It also keeps a smooth surface to offer little resistance to airflow.
  • Metallic tape: This is true “duct tape,” metal foil used to create actual mechanical seals along damaged ducts. Some technicians prefer these tapes to mastic sealant because they have an even higher durability to temperature changes and do not age as rapidly. However, whether a duct sealer uses metallic tape of sealant to fix a leak will usually depend on the size and location of the gap. Skilled technicians will know the right method for each situation.

Let the professionals take care of your leaky ducts

We will send out a team to handle the duct sealing in Waldick, NJ that you need to restore your ventilation system to like-new condition.

When you have damaged ductwork, place the duct tape aside to seal up boxes for storage in the attic. Call DB Heating & Cooling and speak to our professional air quality technicians.

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How Does a Whole-Home Dehumidifier Work?

Friday, July 11th, 2014

As we head into the most humid time of the year in New Jersey, you may be wondering what you can do to reduce excess humidity in your home. Even though your air conditioner removes humidity as part of the cooling process, your AC will need to work harder in order to sustain the temperature at which you set your thermostat when humidity is high. But there is a way to help your air conditioner through periods of excessive humidity that can help you be more comfortable, too: consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier to your air conditioner in Waldwick.

What Happens When You Dehumidify?

The comfortable range for humidity is anywhere from 30-60%. During June, July, August and September, the humidity averages for New Jersey are anywhere from 58-87%. To dehumidify the air, a dehumidifier collects the air around it, runs the air over cool coils, pulls the excess moisture from it, and sends the air back dry. The water from the humidity is removed from the house via the condensate pipe that drains into your sewer. Typically, a dehumidifier is set to a specific humidity level so that the space doesn’t become too dry. When you consider how much extra humidity we can have during the summer months, it is easy to see where a dehumidifier can benefit your home and air conditioning system.

Other Benefits of a Whole-Home Dehumidifier

There are other benefits to installing a whole-home dehumidifier other than making your space more comfortable:

  • Help with allergies – allergies can be exasperated by excessive moisture in your home. Not only does moisture promote mold and mildew growth, dust mites flourish with it. By removing the excess moisture in your indoor air, you can help prevent mold, mildew and dust mites from proliferating.
  • Better energy efficiency – your air conditioner can remove only so much humidity. In times of excess humidity, it will have to work harder to achieve the same level of comfort in your home. By giving it a boost in the form of a dehumidifier, you’ll help your AC to run more effectively and efficiently.
  • Less strain on your system – when it’s hot and humid, it is inevitable that your air conditioner will be working more. Having a tool that helps remove the excess humidity means your system doesn’t have to overwork to make everyone comfortable.

Don’t Like That Sticky Feeling? Call Us

Humidity makes everything feel heavy, icky and sticky, and it feels the same to your air conditioner. Help your AC work more effectively and efficiently by considering the installation of a whole-home dehumidifier.

DB Heating & Cooling experts are here to help answer any questions you may have about installing a whole-home dehumidifier in Waldwick, so give us a call.

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The Famous Painting of the Declaration of Independence Isn’t What You Think It Is

Friday, July 4th, 2014

If you grew up in the United States, you probably first saw John Trumbull’s painting of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence in an elementary schoolbook. This oil-on-canvas 12’ x 18’ painting hangs in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. It is one of the most famous symbols of freedom in the country and almost every citizen can conjure it from memory.

Except… the painting isn’t of the singing of the Declaration of Independence. The actual title of the work is Declaration of Independence, and although it does portray an important moment in the history of the document that announced the Thirteen Colonies’ decision to break away from British rule, the event in the painting occurred on June 28, 1776, not July 4, 1776.

John Trumbull, a Connecticut native who fought in the Revolutionary War and whose father was the state governor, was commissioned to create the painting in 1817. He did painstaking research on the figures in the picture and also visited Independence Hall to see the actual chamber where the Second Continental Congress met. Trumbull only included 42 of the original 56 signers, because he could not find adequate likenesses for 14 or them, and added a few figures who were not present (most of whom declined to sign the actual document). In fact, the men depicted in the painting had never been present in the same room at one time.

So if the painting does not portray the singing of the Declaration of Independence, what is happening in the image? The Trumbull’s scene depicts the presentation of the draft of the declaration to the Continental Congress for editing and approval. The five-man drafting committee (John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin) is handing over their finished work, which congress would then edit carefully over the next few days before voting on it and signing it on the day that we now celebrate as the start of the United States of America.

One last, odd, fact: two of the five-man drafting committee, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both died on the July 4—although many years later.

Our family at [company name] hopes that your Fourth of July (or Twenty-Eighth of June if you decided to start celebrating early) is a memorable and happy one.

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