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

Does an Electric Furnace Need As Much Maintenance as a Gas Heater?

Monday, January 10th, 2022

A number of homeowners in our area choose an electric furnace over a gas-powered system due to their convenience and flexibility. After all, practically all homes are wired for electricity, so electric furnaces are a reliable option for any homeowner. They’re also a bit safer than gas furnaces since there are no hazards from toxic or combustible gases. That’s not to say that gas furnaces are inherently dangerous–just that this is a reason that many homeowners choose an electric furnace!

Electric furnaces do tend to be less cost-efficient when it comes to month-to-month utility bills, but their current technology is far superior to what it once was, making electricity a competitive option for reduced energy use. The biggest benefit of an electric furnace as your home heating choice is its longevity and durability. Typically, an electric furnace can last up to 10 years longer than a gas furnace and need fewer repairs over the years.

However, this doesn’t mean they don’t need service! Just like a gas furnace, an electric furnace needs careful professional maintenance to prevent repair needs and keep the system running smoothly for the years to come. Read on to learn why!

Tags: Furnace, Westwood
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Furnace Installation: Gas or Electric?

Monday, November 8th, 2021

So it’s time for you to replace your current heating system. You’re considering a new furnace, but is gas the best choice for your fuel source, or should you go with an electric furnace? We can’t answer this definitively for you without hearing more about your specific needs and seeing your home, but we can certainly help you make an informed decision! Both furnace types have their pros and cons, and there are many factors to consider with both types.

There’s no such thing as one perfect furnace for every household–every furnace will need routine maintenance and occasional repairs. But we’ll explore below some of the benefits of furnaces, both gas and electric. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for further information about either.

Tags: Furnace, Oradell
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How to Use Your Furnace Most Efficiently

Monday, October 26th, 2020

In our last blog post, we covered some tips on how you can detect if your furnace is struggling. It’s vital that you know these signs so you can give our team a call right away and we can get your heating system back to full functionality. Keeping up on repair needs is one of the many ways to boost heating efficiency!

With winter really just around the corner, now is a good time to be thinking of this topic—furnace efficiency, that is. You want a heating system that is going to work as powerfully as possible, while not costing you an arm and leg to do so. The good news, in addition to staying on top of repair needs, there are a variety of steps you can take toward using your furnace more efficiently.

Tags: Furnace, Furnace Service, Westwood
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A Quick Guide to Upgrading a Heating System

Monday, February 1st, 2016

Your whole-home heating system is vital to your comfort, and has been there for you for years. But of course, any system’s time will come. The experts at DB Heating & Cooling, Inc have all of the information you need to know about when and how to upgrade your whole-house heater.

Tags: Allendale, Furnace
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What’s that Noise Coming from My Heater at Startup?

Monday, January 25th, 2016

Furnaces today are more efficient than they have ever been before, and this is in part due to the absence of a standing pilot. In the past, a pilot light had to remain on throughout the winter so that the burners were always able to heat up. Now, electronic ignition heats up the burners with a spark only when your thermostat signals that heat is needed.

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Why Choose a Furnace?

Monday, October 12th, 2015

If you need to install a new heating system or replace an outdated one, you have a lot of choices. If you already have ductwork in your home, one choice you may want to consider is a furnace. Furnaces are used in more than half the homes in the US for a number of reasons that we’ll explain more about below. The important thing is to make sure you hire trained experts, like the ones at DB Heating & Cooling, Inc., for sizing and installation.

Tags: franklin lakes, Furnace, Furnaces
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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.

Tags: AFUE, Emerson, Furnace, Heating
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Westwood, NJ Heating Installation: Choosing a System

Monday, March 25th, 2013

As the heating season draws to a close, there’s never been a better time to choose a new heating replacement. If you feel as though your system has underperformed this past winter, it’s getting older, or if needs frequent repairs, you might be interested about what kind of options are available to you in Westwood, NJ. Alternatively, if your new home is being constructed this spring and you’re deciding what type of HVAC system to install, you’ll need the professional advice of an experienced heating contractor. There are a lot of options on the market today, but with some careful sizing, you can be on your way to a more efficient and effective heater in no time. For heating installation in Westwood, NJ, call DB Heating & Cooling today!

Let’s take a look at a few of your options.

Furnace. The trusty and sturdy furnace has been a staple of the American home for well over 50 years, in part due to their cost-effectiveness and powerful heating performance. They are forced air distribution systems that require ductwork. Today’s furnaces are typically fueled by natural gas or electricity, and they offer great AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings, so that you can ensure your energy is being used efficiently. If you’ve already got reliable ductwork, furnace replacement can make an excellent option.
Heat Pump. Heat pumps work a lot like an air conditioner: they transfer heat using a cycle of pressurized refrigerant. But, unlike an AC, they work both to cool your home in the summer by removing heat from your home, and to heat your home in the winter by removing heat from even the coldest air and heating your home. They are highly efficient, run on electricity and work year-round. For customers concerned with their effectiveness on the coldest of nights, they can often be paired with a gas furnace for optimal efficiency.
Boiler. They not only heat water or steam for distribution throughout your home’s baseboard piping or radiators; they can also be used in place of a water heater to supply your fixtures and faucets.

The key to a successful installation is finding the right match. Always work with a certified professional to make sure you’re getting the best heater for your home and budget. Call DB Heating & Cooling today for Westwood, NJ heating installation!

Tags: Boiler, Furnace, Heat Pump, Heating, Heating Installation, Heating Options
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Waldwick Heating Service Tip: Furnace Air Temperature

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

When your furnace turns on every day and warms your Waldwick home, just how hot is the air being blown through your vents? It’s a common question and while it varies depending on the type of furnace you have and the length of your ductwork, normally, the air is about the same temperature in most homes.

The Heating Process

When you turn on your furnace, it ignites fuel (gas or oil) or heats elements (electricity). A blower fan blows air through the heat exchanger and then into ductwork that distributes the heated air to vents around your home. When the combustion occurs and air is first heated, the temperature is between 140 degrees F and 170 degrees F.

This is extremely warm and could be dangerous to anyone if they got too close to it or it was blown directly into your home. However, as the heated air is distributed into your home it starts to cool. In some cases, it loses a significant amount of its energy in the ductwork.

This is intended, of course, because the temperature would be much too high if it was distributed directly to your rooms. That’s why high velocity ductwork often requires regulation to avoid overheating of the air. Cooling like this is normal and results in a better, more evenly distributed airflow.

When Something’s Wrong

To know something is wrong with your heating system, you must first understand what temperature air normally is when distributed through the vents. This will vary depending on which room you are in and how big your home (and furnace) are. However, if you notice a sharp drop off in comfort level in your home, it takes longer to heat rooms when cold or if that heating is suddenly uneven, it may be time for someone to inspect your furnace and check for potential problems.

A technician will then check to see if the air is being heated to the target 140-170 degrees F or if heat is being lost in the air handler or ductwork. There are a number of issues that can contribute to lost heat in your heating system – the easiest way to be sure the problem is solved properly is to call a professional when you notice the problem.

Tags: Furnace, Heating, Waldwick
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