DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Emerson’

The Reversing Valve and Heat Pump Repair

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

What is the best advantage a heat pump offers a homeowner? Is it the energy saving in heating mode, the ease with which it hooks up to a pre-existing ductwork system, or its safe operation? Those are all excellent benefits, but we think most homeowners would answer that a heat pump’s #1 advantage is that it provides both heating and cooling. Two comfort solutions combined into one convenient package. Changing from one mode to the other only requires adjusting the thermostat.

The component in a heat pump that allows the unit to act as both a heater and an air conditioner is called the reversing valve. If the reversing valve malfunctions, your heat pump will remain stuck in one mode or the other, and you’ll lose its best benefit. But with the help of DB Heating & Cooling and our Emerson, NJ heat pump repair technicians, you can have your heat pump back to full operation in no time at all.

The reversing valve: why it is so important

A heat pump works in the same manner as a standard air conditioner: a chemical blend called refrigerant moves through a closed loop in the system, shifting through a process of evaporation (absorbing heat) and condensation (releasing heat). This moves heat from one location to another. An air conditioner can only run this process a single direction, moving heat from indoors to the outdoors.

A heat pump can reverse the refrigerant’s direction, causing the unit to move heat from outdoors to the indoors. The reversing valve, which sits on the refrigerant line, takes care of this task. In agitated state (an electric charge runs to the valve) it moves refrigerant one direction. In relaxed state (no electric charge) it moves it the other direction. The manufacturer sets which state applies to which mode.

Like any electro-mechanical device, a reversing valve can fail. If you discover that your heat pump remains in one mode no matter how you set it, then it is likely the reversing valve has broken. This isn’t an issue you can repair yourself. A professional will need to come to your home, open the cabinet of the heat pump, and remove the valve from the refrigerant line to replace it with a new working unit.

Keep your heat pump working its best for you

A heat pump is the comfort system for all seasons… and make sure you keep it yours that way with prompt repairs when it shows signs of trouble. When you need heat pump repair in Emerson, NJ, call the experts at DB Heating & Cooling.

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4 Things to Consider Before Installing a New Heating System

Monday, February 3rd, 2014

Modern home heating has reached the point of technological advancement where there are now numerous options for warming any house during the winter. And sometimes it’s more choice than people can handle. How can you know which heater you should install in your Emerson, NJ home?

DB Heating & Cooling understands how difficult this choice can be: that’s one of the reasons we’re here. We can offer the professional assistance you need to not only install a new system, but to choose one as well.

The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that you consider these four things before you select a heating system:

  1. Fuel – Your fuel availability will affect your choice. Electrical-powered heaters are always an option, but a gas line opens up other possibilities for installation. Homes without natural gas can also rely on heating oil or propane. The cost of each fuel will also factor into your decision, as well as its environmental effects.
  2. Climate – The colder the average winter temperature, the more powerful and heating system you’ll need. While a place like Southern California may only need space heaters during the winter, in New Jersey you need a central heating system.
  3. Efficiency – How much fuel energy does a heater convert to heating energy? A more efficient heater will mean savings on your energy bills—but high-efficiency systems usually cost more to install. You’ll need to consider your long-term budget plans to find the heater with ideal efficiency.
  4. Size – An improperly sized heater will be wasteful of energy, no matter its efficiency rating. A heater that’s too small will stay on continually trying to reach its target temperature, and a heater that’s too large will “short-cycle” and drain power from constantly re-starting. You will need a heat load calculation done in your home to find the right size.

The best way to the best heating

If you looked at the above considerations and felt overwhelmed, don’t worry: it requires a professional to make some of these choices. You definitely need a heating contractor to help you with determining the best size heater to install, and the contractor can assist you with balancing the other considerations as well to target the optimal heater. Since you will need professional eventually to install the heater, why not bring them on earlier to make sure you have the right heater?

DB Heating & Cooling has a staff of technicians experienced with heating installation in Emerson, NJ. Come to us when it’s time to pick the perfect heater for your home.

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Is There Such a Thing as a “Best” Heating Option?

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

You want the best you can afford for your home and your family, and that certainly extends to finding the best option for heating your home—especially during a fierce winter. But with so many options available today for heating systems, it may seem impossible to find the “best.” Does such a thing actually exist?

Yes, it does. But that “best” is not the same for everyone. There is an optimal choice for heating your home somewhere on the market, but to find it, you will need the assistance of professionals who can put their knowledge and equipment to work to analyze your home’s heating needs.

For assistance finding the best, call DB Heating & Cooling. We are fully insured and EPA-certified to deliver you quality assistance on heating in Emerson, NJ.

Some Options

The most popular types of heating systems are furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps. However, that only scratches the surface, since these systems come in a variety of models and sizes. Furnaces, which heat air and then distribute it through ductwork, can run from electricity, natural gas, or propane. Boilers, which circulate heated water to baseboard heaters or radiators, can use electricity, natural gas, or oil. Heat pumps, which use electricity to move heat from one place to another and can also function as air conditioners, have many different options across models.

How to Narrow Your Selection

First, call up a professional HVAC contractor and arrange for a heat load calculation to be done for your home. A heat load calculation takes into account the many factors in your home that contribute to heat loss and gain: insulation, square footage, number of windows, heat given off from appliances, number of people in the house, etc. This complex equation will tell you what capacity you need in your heating system.

The heating expert will then work with you to combine your budget and your available fuel source to determine a heating system that will 1) provide you sufficient heat; 2) do so at a cost-effective level, and 3) function with your current energy supply.

Professional installation is vital for getting the top performance from your heater. Let the same company that helped you select the heater also install it. DB Heating & Cooling is ready to help you make your choice and then install your new heating in Emerson, NJ so you can enjoy a safe and cozy winter.

 

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AFUE: How Furnace Efficiency Is Measured

Monday, January 6th, 2014

You are ready for a new furnace in your Emerson, NJ home. However, trying to decode and navigate all the statistics on your various choices for heating installation can be bewildering, and without help you have a good chance of purchasing a furnace that will not only give you inadequate warmth, but will also perform inefficiently.

In this post, we’ll explain one of the most important stats to know about when picking a furnace: AFUE, which measures how efficient the heater uses burns a fuel to heat your home. However, you’ll need even more information than this to make the best choice, so call on DB Heating & Cooling for the assistance you will need.

AFUE = Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

AFUE stands for “annual fuel utilization efficiency,” and it is a measure of how effective combustion devices like furnace and boilers operate. Unlike a steady state, peak measure of heating efficiency, which is done over a short period, AFUE measures the average heat output over a full year.

AFUE is expressed as a percentage. The percentage is a measure of how much energy the furnace converts into useful heat. The higher the AFUE percentage, the less fuel the furnace wastes during the conversion. For example, for a mid-efficiency furnace that has an AFUE of 84%, the furnace creates 84 BTUs (British Thermal Units) for every 100 BTUs of natural gas put into it. This means a waste of only 16% of the available fuel.

Modern furnaces, especially natural gas furnaces, score high AFUE ratings. Older furnaces used to have only AFUE of 55-65%, but today many can score in the 90s. This is one of the reasons furnaces remain popular today for heating homes.

AFUE and selecting a furnace

Having a high-fuel efficiency furnace can means large energy savings. However, AFUE only measures the direct production of heat, and does not account for heat loss from other sources, such as from ducts and home insulation leaks. Therefore, although AFUE is an important factor in picking a furnace, it should not be the only factor. A high-efficiency furnace may save money with efficient heat, but that heating may not actually be effective. This is why you should have professional installers assist you in picking a furnace so that you get a model that will deliver you the combination of effective heating and efficient energy use that will work the best for you.

DB Heating & Cooling works on jobs both large and small when it comes to furnace installation in Emerson, NJ. We will help you find the furnace that will match your home and your family, and give you pleasant winters for many years to come.

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Emerson, NJ Boiler Repair Guide: Hissing from Your Boiler

Monday, October 21st, 2013

If your home has a boiler keeping you warm during the chilly months, then you probably haven’t noticed them at work that often. There’s a good reason for this: boilers run with minimum noise. They are one of the quietest home comfort systems on the market. You don’t have to deal with the thumping and whooshing sounds of a furnace when you’ve got a boiler.

When a boiler does make an unexpected sound, you need to look into it. Boilers rarely need repairs because they have few moving parts, but not even the most advanced model is invulnerable. If you hear a hissing sound coming from your boiler, it might be time to schedule repairs. Hire experienced technicians to handle boiler repair in Emerson, NJ. DB Heating & Cooling can make sure to cure your boiler of whatever ails it.

The main reason for a hissing boiler is overheating. There are a number of different causes for this that you might need to investigate. One is an increase in limescale inside the tank. Limescale can result from having water with excess calcium and magnesium in it. Having scale removed can be a large task that will need expert work from a technician.

Fortunately, the other main reason for overheating, a buildup of silt at the bottom of the tank, is a simpler fix. Dirt and sand and sometimes enter the boiler tank through breaks in pipes or at loose connections. The silt gathers at the bottom of the tank, and the reduction of space inside will cause the tank’s water to overheat. Get a professional to flush the system, and this should take care of the problem. Scheduling regular maintenance will help prevent this in the future—and it will help with preventing limescale as well.

A jammed circulator pump might also cause hissing in a boiler. This sometimes happens at the start of the heating season because the inactive boiler has picked up corrosion and rust on the pump. A professional should also have little problem fixing this.

If you hear your boiler hissing, please do not become overly anxious: it’s unlikely your boiler is about to explode. However, this does require attention before the boiler sustains further damage and stops working entirely. You don’t want to lose all those fantastic benefits of a boiler right when you need them the most! Look for boiler repair in Emerson, NJ from DB Heating & Cooling.

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Heating in Emerson: Why Change Air Filters Regularly

Monday, September 23rd, 2013

Most furnaces and air conditioning units are equipped with air filters, working to keep dust and debris out of the system. Heating in Emerson and other New Jersey towns is no laughing matter; our cold winters demand a reliable means of making your house warm and comfortable. Regular maintenance and upkeep are as much a part of that equation as buying a furnace in the first place, and you can’t perform maintenance without addressing your air filters. Why change air filters regularly?

The air filter’s primary job is to keep dirt and dust out of your furnace. That extends the life of the furnace immeasurably, preventing wear and tear in the system and keeping the various components functioning at peak efficiency. Over time, the filter becomes clogged with all that dust and debris, which reduces its effectiveness. More dust starts to build up in the furnace, more components are affected, wear and tear increases, and the furnace has to work harder to do its job. That results in higher monthly energy bills, as well as increasing the chance of a component malfunction that will cost a great deal to repair. Furthermore, when an air filter becomes clogged, it can restrict the flow of air though the system, reducing your heater’s ability to warm your house and again raising your monthly heating bill.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Changing your air filter’s regularly ensures that your system stays free of dirt and dust, prolonging its life and keeping it working as it should. Most filters are comparatively inexpensive and can be purchased at any home supply store. Look for filters with a high MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating, which indicates their effectiveness. (MERV ratings usually range between 1 and 11.)

Changing the filter should come as part of a professional maintenance program, with scheduled visits from a trained specialist. He or she can examine your furnace for faulty parts, clean any dust or dirt which has gotten through the filter, and identify potential problem spots for repairs before they become too large. That ensures your unit will provide the most effective heating. In Emerson, NJ, contact the experts at DB Heating & Cooling. They can set up a schedule for you to augment your efforts to change your air filters regularly.

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Steps to Take as the Emerson, NJ Air Conditioning Season Winds Down

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Summers in Emerson, NJ usually mean heavy air conditioning use, as the warm days and high humidity keep us indoors where the air is cool and comfortable. When the season ends and the temperatures drop, however, you won’t be using your air conditioning system very often. You can help maintain the unit, as well as getting an early start to next summer. Here are some steps to take as the air conditioning system winds down.

  • Schedule maintenance: A trained professional can go over your air conditioning system and check for any potential problems. He will clean dust off the coils, tighten any loose bolts or fittings, recharge refrigerant and identify any potential problems in need of addressing. By doing this in the early fall, you give yourself the maximum amount of time to effect any significant repairs before you need to use the air conditioner again.
  • Adjust your thermostat: When the air cools off, you don’t need to keep your thermostat set so low in order to enjoy the lower temperatures. Make sure you’re not wasting energy by setting your thermostat too low and adjust any pre-programmed settings to reflect the shorter daylight hours. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, this makes a good time of the year to consider an upgrade.
  • Perform DIY maintenance: While you should rely on a professional for regular maintenance, you can take a few modest steps yourself to keep your AC unit up and running. Change the air filters (or clean them if your filters are re-usable) and clear the vents of any leaves or twigs that may have built up.

You can perform similar operations in the spring before the warm days start, but doing so in the fall gives you the maximum amount of time to schedule and plan any serious repairs. For air conditioning services in Emerson, NJ and throughout the surrounding Bergen County area, call on DB Heating & Cooling to help. We can get your air conditioning systems ready for the winter and make sure it’s good to go when warm temperatures return.

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Air Conditioning Repair in Emerson, NJ: Damaged Ductwork

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

In a central air conditioning system, the ductwork exists to move cool air into every corner of your house. Ducts usually run through the crawlspaces in your home or in unobtrusive areas like the attic. Since they’re out of sight most of the time, it may take some time to notice damaged ductwork and call a service professional to correct the problem. That can result in higher energy bills in the interim, and air conditioning repair in Emerson can take on an added urgency thanks to our hot, muggy New Jersey summers. The quicker you can spot the problem, the quicker you can get it restored.

Ductwork can become damaged in a number of ways:

  • It can crumple or become distended  if your home is damaged in a storm or starts to settle.
  • Fiberglass or similar material can clog ducts
  • Rust and similar damage are not uncommon, and the fittings between lengths of ductwork and wear out over time.
  • Without regular cleaning, your ductwork can become dusty, and dust can seep in through cracks and similar leaky spots as well.

The result of all of that is impeded air flow and – in the case of holes or leaks – cool air lost through the damaged component. Not only does it force your air conditioning system to work harder, but it may result in a complete loss of cooling to the affected part of your home. In the case of dust and similar build-up, the quality of your indoor air may be affected, as particles and contaminants are carried through the air into the home. You may notice that your airflow is severely reduced, or that your monthly bills are higher due to the AC unit having to work harder to cool your home.

Repairing damaged ductwork is the purveyance of professionals. A trained service tech can isolate the source of the problem, and determine what precisely is needed to correct it. In some cases, that might mean nothing more than a cleaning. In others, the damaged ductwork will need to be removed and a replacement length sealed in its place.

For damaged ductwork and similar issues, you can trust the experts at DB Heating & Cooling. We’re dedicated to customer satisfaction, and conduct our operations with thoroughness and professionalism at all times. Call us today to schedule an Emerson, NJ air conditioning repair service.

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Air Quality Issues and Your Air Conditioning in Emerson, NJ

Monday, July 29th, 2013

All of the cool air that comes into your home has to travel through your air conditioning system. This means that your air conditioning system is an ideal device to make an impact on your home’s air quality. However, the impact is not always a good one. Here at DB Heating & Cooling, we wanted to put together a few of the ways that your AC can affect your air quality and what you can do to make sure that it helps improve the quality of the air the you breathe.

Modern homes are built very air tight so that they can keep as much of the heated or cooled air inside of them. While this is great for efficiency, it can allow many different types of contaminants to build up in your home because of the lack of fresh, clean air from outside. Many different kinds of pollutants can get trapped in your home’s air including dust, pet dander, bacteria, pollen, insect droppings and many others. These can cause respiratory issues for your family—especially if any of them suffer from allergies or asthma.

So what can you do to improve your Emerson, NJ home’s air quality? There are a number of different products on the market that are designed to help you remove pollutants from your air and also prevent them from even getting into your home.

  • Air filters – One of the best ways to remove pollutants from your air is to use an air filter. These types of products sit in your ducts or your air handler and trap particles as they pass through the filter. There are many different kinds of air filters and there are also air purifiers that you electrostatic electricity to remove particulates from your home’s air.
  • Duct sealing – One major source of air pollutants is holes in your ducts. If your ducts are old or if they weren’t installed properly, they could be allowing many types of outdoor contaminants to get inside your home. Getting your ducts sealed will keep them from getting in and it will also greatly improve the efficiency of your home.
  • Duct cleaning – Something that every homeowner should have done on a regular basis is regular duct cleaning. As your AC operates it will pick up any contaminants that happen to be in your ducts and circulate them through your air. Getting your ducts regularly vacuumed and sanitized is a great way to improve your air quality.

For all your installation, repair or maintenance services for your air conditioning in Emerson, NJ,  just call DB Heating and Cooling.

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Does this Noise Mean it’s Time for Air Conditioning Repair in Emerson, NJ?

Monday, July 8th, 2013

Your air conditioning system will make a variety of noises as it starts up, operates and shuts down. But if you start to hear any new or unfamiliar noises you may want to think about calling for air conditioning repair in Emerson, NJ. At DB Heating & Cooling, Inc.,  we often get called about our customers’ AC units making new noises. We thought it would be good to put together a few of the most common noises and what could be causing them.

  • Squealing – One of the most common, and also most annoying, noises that your air conditioner might start to make is squealing. This can be a high-pitched squeal or a low-pitched droning. Either way, this problem is usually caused by a bad fan motor belt that needs to be changed.
  • Hissing – If your air conditioning system is hissing you should definitely call air conditioning repair. Hissing usually is a sign that you have a refrigerant leak somewhere. Your air conditioning system uses compressed refrigerant to cool your home so if it is leaking it means that not only do you have insufficient refrigerant, but you also have insufficient pressure.
  • Gurgling – Another common noise is gurgling which is caused by low refrigerant levels. The gurgling is caused by air in the lines. This problem requires that a professional technician refill the refrigerant levels to their proper place.
  • Buzzing – If you have a heat pump that is buzzing it doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is wrong. This can be caused by the reversing valve solenoid. The reversing valve controls the direction of flow for the refrigerant. Heat pumps use these to reverse the flow of refrigerant so that they can provide both heating and cooling to your home.
  • Lack of noise – In some cases, silence could also be a problem. For example, if you only hear some components switch on then it likely means that something has gone wrong. This might happen if your outdoor fan motor starts up but the compressor’s motor doesn’t fire on.

If you need any kind of air conditioning repair in Emerson, NJ, make sure that you call the technicians at DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. today.

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