DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Archive for the ‘Air Conditioning’ Category

Why Ductless Air Conditioning Systems May Be Right for You

Friday, June 6th, 2014

What is ductless air conditioning? It is an innovation that has already existed for decades, but was originally restricted to business use. Now ductless mini splits (as they are often called) have entered homes in a big way because of their huge advantages in comfort, savings, and convenience.

The basic way that a ductless system works is this: Instead of having a single indoor and outdoor unit (an evaporator and a condenser) like standard air conditioners and heat pumps, a ductless mini split uses multiple blower units on the indoors that hook up independently to the outdoor condenser. Each blower contains a fan and coil and blows conditioned air directly into a room—no ducts necessary!

Ductless systems will not match every home or family. Contact DB Heating & Cooling when you are interested in finding out if a ductless air conditioning in Emerson, NJ is right for you. We will help you make the choice and then install whatever system will best do the job.

Reasons you should consider ductless air conditioning:

  • They also provide heat: Ductless mini splits are heat pumps—which means they can switch over to heating mode whenever you no longer need to run the AC during the end of the year. You have a two-in-one comfort solution.
  • More building and design freedom: If you are planning to remodel your house or build a new one, ductless systems give you more freedom for design without worrying about ducts getting in the way or gobbling up valuable space. Ductless mini splits are also excellent for add-on rooms, since you won’t have to resize and reinstall a new air conditioner/heat pump to accommodate the large space.
  • Improved indoor air quality: Without ductwork, you won’t have a reservoir for dust and dirt to collect in the ventilation system and get blown out into the air. No more regular duct cleaning jobs to keep them clean; you have no ductwork to worry about at all, and that means cleaner air and an increase in overall indoor air quality.
  • Energy savings: Because you no longer need to cool (or heat) every room when you turn on your comfort system, you’ll save money. You can shut off the air to empty guest rooms or dining rooms that no one is using. This will save large amounts of money off your utility bills, and the people who live in your home will have individual control over the temperatures wherever they are… and that means a happier household all around.

Ducted or Ductless? We’re ready to help you choose!

Whether a ductless system will do the optimum job for you depends on your home.

Call DB Heating & Cooling for a consultation to decide if installing ductless air conditioning in Emerson, NJ is your best path to many years of comfort and increased savings.

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Why SEER Ratings Matter with New Air Conditioning Installation

Friday, May 30th, 2014

When installing a new air conditioning system, you have a number of important considerations to keep in mind, from the power load to the position of the thermostat. But out of all of them, the SEER rating may be the most important. It measures the efficiency of your system, which informs almost every other consideration you make. In Teaneck, air conditioning replacement services can discuss the specifics with you. But what is a SEER rating specifically? And more importantly, why do SEER ratings matter with new air conditioning installation?

SEER & New Air Conditioning Installation

The term stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it basically compares the amount of energy the unit uses in a given year with the amount of energy actually used to cool your home. The higher the rating, the more efficient the system. Most units have a rating between 7 and 24, though units made after 2006 must have a SEER rating of at least 13. (Older units are still allowed to have lower ratings.)

If at all possible, you want your new air conditioner to have a higher SEER rating than your old one. (It’s not difficult, especially if your existing system has been around for a number of years.) Your new unit should be more efficient in order to cut down on your monthly bills, helping you recoup the cost of investment. More importantly, the SEER rating will influence other factors involved with installation, such as the power load and the initial cost of the unit itself. You need to factor it in to almost every aspect of the decision, which is why you need to understand how it works early in the process.

Luckily, help is available. For Teaneck air conditioning replacement services, the experts at DB Heating & Cooling are ready to help. We have the knowledge and experience you need to handle all aspects of the project for you, and we can explain why SEER ratings matter with new air conditioning installation.

Customer satisfaction is our top priority and we won’t rest until you are happy with every aspect of the operation. Give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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Why Are Parts of the Air Conditioner on the Outside of the House?

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

Air conditioners are a staple of 21st century life, but the specifics on how they work are often known only to professionals. Services that offer air conditioning repair in Teaneck can usually explain the details if something goes wrong with your system, but home owners can also educate themselves about certain particulars. For example, why are parts of the air conditioner on the outside of the house? The short answer is to vent hot air. But how does a unit designed to produce cool air end up producing hot air?

The components on the outside of the house usually include the condenser valves, the compression coils and the condenser motor. This is where the process of air conditioning begins. Refrigerant gas enters the valve, which places it under a great deal of heat and pressure, and then moves to the coils, where the heat is bled off into the surrounding air. The liquid – still under pressure – then moves inside, where it passes through an expansion valve and into the evaporator coils. As it evaporates, it pulls heat from the surrounding air, which can then be blown into your house to cool it.

That process only works if the refrigerant is in liquid form and it won’t reach liquid form without giving off a great deal of heat. Obviously, you don’t want any of that hot air in your air conditioner, since it will defeat the whole purpose of air conditioning. Hence, that part of the cycle is often left outside. The hot air can be vented into the outside atmosphere and the condenser array can do its job without interfering with the second part of the cycle (the one that produces the cool air). It’s a strange set-up but it makes a lot of sense in terms of efficiency. And with air conditioners, efficiency is the name of the game.

If you know why parts of the air conditioner are on the outside of the house, you also know that the delicacy of the system requires professional attention when something goes wrong.

For air conditioning repair in Teaneck, give the technicians at DB Heating & Cooling a call. We can fix just about anything, so contact us today!

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How Does Zone Air Conditioning Work in a Centralized System

Friday, May 16th, 2014

If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner, you may have heard the term “zone control system” batted around. Or you may have seen a modular zone control system, with multiple small units placed in different rooms of a given house. Zone control systems offer the benefit of fine tuning your environment – setting one temperature in the kitchen and another in the living room for example – but if you own a centralized air conditioner, you may have thought that zone control isn’t compatible with your system. Nothing could be further from the truth. Upgrades exist that let you retrofit your central system with zone controls, allowing you to set different temperatures in different rooms and even turn off the air in parts of the house you aren’t using. If you’re looking into zone air conditioning, Waldwick has the services you need.

How does zone air conditioning work in a centralized system?

Your centralized system relies on a series of ducts to transport the cooled air. The ducts branch out from the unit itself to cover every room in your home, using hidden areas like the attic or crawlspace to hold them. When you upgrade to a zone control system, the technician installs a series of valves and controls at each junction to the ductwork, along with thermostats in each room to control whether the valves are open or closed. With them in place, you can achieve the same effect as ductless zone control systems, guiding the cool air where it needs to go or cutting it off from rooms you aren’t using. As a result, the air conditioner wastes less energy and allows you to tailor the temperature to suit individual comfort levels.

If you know how zone air conditioning works in a centralized system, you know how important it is to contact a qualified technician to install it. And if you’re interested in a centralized version of zone air conditioning, Waldwick has an answer with the experts at DB Heating & Cooling.

Give the zone air conditioning experts at DB Heating & Cooling a call today to set up a consultation and let us show you what we can do!

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3 Reasons You Need Your Air Conditioning Installation Done Professionally

Friday, May 9th, 2014

You’ve put a lot of effort into making your home comfortable. Adding an air conditioning system can increase that comfort level tremendously – when it’s done correctly. When it’s not, you may run into some serious problems. Below are 3 important reasons to have an air conditioning installation in Oradell done professionally by a DB Heating & Cooling expert.

Top 3 Reasons to Call an Expert

Reason 1: Correct Installation

An air conditioning/HVAC system is not a simple mechanical device; it is complex, with multiple different components and many different parts. It needs refrigerant to run and has to be tied into your electrical and heating systems. The bottom line:  the margin for error can be wide – and potentially dangerous – when installing your own AC; the smarter, and potentially more economically sound decision, is to schedule an expert installation.

Reason 2: Time Consumption

A new air conditioning system installation takes time, and if you’ve never done this kind of work before, it can take a lot of time. How much time are you prepared to give up in order to properly install your air conditioning system? Are you willing to let your home be potentially hot and uncomfortable while you do it? A trained professional brings both expertise and speed to a new air conditioner installation, ensuring that the install happens quickly and correctly.

Reason 3: Calculating the Correct Air Conditioner Capacity for Your Property

Installing an air conditioner that is either too large or too small for your home can result in a number of problems that may require air conditioning repair down the road. To ensure you are getting the right size system for your property, a calculation of your home’s size, insulation and heat gain needs to be determined.  A professional AC installer does this type of calculation as part of his/her job, so it’s better to let an experienced specialist handle it.

Save Money with a Professional

DB Heating & Cooling offers air conditioning installation in both residential and commercial properties.

Let us help you with your air conditioning installation in Oradell, and help you save some money at the same time – schedule a consultation with DB Heating & Cooling today.

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3 Common Misunderstandings about Air Conditioning

Friday, May 2nd, 2014

The modern miracle of electro-mechanical air conditioning started in the early 20th century when Willis Haviland Carrier introduced an invention to cool down and control humidity in a paper plant. Since the mid-1950s, air conditioners have become accepted standard equipment in homes, as common as stoves, refrigerators, and televisions.

However, homeowners often know little about how air conditioners operate: they usually have a firmer grasp on the mysteries of a more recent invention, the microwave oven. Here are three misunderstanding about air conditioning systems that we often encounter in our work.

Although a little knowledge about ACs is helpful, you should always turn to professionals when it’s time for installation, repairs, or maintenance. DB Heating & Cooling can provide the assistance you need to get the most out of your home’s air conditioning in Westwood, NJ. There are no AC misunderstandings among our trained staff!

#1. “Air conditioners create cool air”

Although an AC fan blows out cool air, it is inaccurate to say that the system creates cold air the same way that a furnace creates hot air. In the case of a furnace, the burning of fuel generates heat, which is then transferred to the air. But an air conditioner does not burn any fuel. What it does instead is use electricity to run mechanical components that move heat from one location to another. When an air conditioner removes heat from the indoor air, the air feels cooler to us.

#2. “Turning the thermostat down lower will cool a space faster”

It’s tempting to turn an air conditioner’s thermostat down to the lowest temperature possible (60°F for most systems) believing that the air conditioner will ramp up the speed that it blasts out cold air. However, lowering the thermostat isn’t like pressing your foot against an accelerator pedal. A thermostat is simply a switch: it turns the AC’s compressor on until reaching the set temperature. The rate of cooling does not change. Putting the temperature at its lowest setting will simply keep the compressor running for a longer period. This is a leading cause of energy waste in homes; it is far more efficient to keep the thermostat set at a comfortable higher temperature.

#3. “You’ll have better AC efficiency leaving the system running when you aren’t home”

This myth comes from a belief that it requires more energy to turn a system on and off than to leave it running steadily. While it’s true that an air conditioner uses the most amount of power when it starts up, it is far more wasteful to force the air conditioner’s compressor—the component that drains the most energy—to run for 8 hours replacing cool air with cool air. A much better plan is to use a programmable thermostat to turn the AC on a half hour before you return home so you arrive to a cool house.

To help receive the best cooling power from your air conditioning in Westwood, NJ this summer, call DB Heating & Cooling. We are fully insured and EPA-certified.

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Air Conditioning Repair Tip: Why Change the Air Filter

Friday, April 18th, 2014

An air conditioner needs annual maintenance, consisting of an inspection and tune-up, for it to run efficiently and effectively during the year. It takes the knowledge of an HVAC professional to perform maintenance, so you should seek out a maintenance program from a trusted contractor to handle this task for you each year.

You can take a few maintenance steps on your own. One of the most important is to regularly change the air filter on your air conditioner; you might need to do it as often as once a month during the summer. We’ll explain why this is such a crucial step. (If you don’t know the location of the air filter for your system, ask a repair technician.) If you need air conditioning repair in Bergen County, NJ because of air filter troubles, call on DB Heating & Cooling—any time of the day or night!

Why replacing the air filter is necessary

  • To prevent debris contamination: The air filter is located where the return air vent brings in air from inside the house to circulate through the AC. Dust, lint, pollen, dander, hair, and larger particles like gravel can come with this air. If these pollutants get inside the air conditioner’s cabinet, they will cause damage leading to inefficient operation and eventually repair needs. Dust can cause motors to run down and evaporator coils to ice over, while large contaminants can bend fan blades. If the air filter becomes too clogged with the objects it traps, it can develop damage that will allow the debris to get inside.
  • To maintain airflow: As the filter catches more debris, it will start to slow down the airflow into the air conditioner. A thick clog can choke off the flow to almost nothing. Even minor clogging will restrict flow enough that the AC will need to work harder, and this will cause a drain on power. You will notice a spike on your energy bills as the filter becomes congested.

A bit more on filter change frequency

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you should change the filter every 1–3 months depending on the type of AC, where you live, the time of year, and how much you use the system. During the summer, when you run the air conditioner frequently, you should change the filter every month. During cooler seasons, you can lower the frequency, although make regular checks to see how fast the debris builds up.

Regular maintenance will help you with this task, since your technician will detect how quickly the filter clogs up. (Changing the filter is part of a maintenance visit.) To sign up for the maintenance plan at DB Heating & Cooling, or to schedule air conditioning maintenance in Bergen County, NJ, call one of our staff members today.

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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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When is a Good Time to Schedule an Air Conditioning Installation in Oradell, NJ?

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

We all want our air conditioning systems to last forever, and a regular maintenance schedule can extend the life of your AC a great deal. There comes a time, however, when even the most durable air conditioning system needs to be replaced. Installing a new AC system can help lower your bills by improving efficiency, as well as offering potential features that your current system doesn’t. The question becomes when to schedule an air conditioning installation?

Obviously, the sooner you schedule an air conditioning installation, the more quickly you’ll benefit from the improved efficiency. And if your old AC unit conks out in the middle of a heat wave, you need to get the new system up and running as quickly as possible. But assuming you have the luxury of time and can plan for an installation at your leisure, you probably don’t want to schedule the procedure in the summer time. You want a new AC system installed and ready to go by the time the first heat wave arises, not in the middle of July when it’s already here.

By that logic, one might assume that the fall is the best time of the year to schedule an installation. The heat of summer is over and there’s plenty of time left until the temperature starts rising again. However, early spring becomes is also an opportune time to schedule an air conditioning installation. The snows of winter have melted but the temperatures are not yet high enough to necessitate daily use. If problems arise, you will likely notice them before an excessive amount of time has passed. If you want to schedule a new air conditioning installation in Oradell, NJ, call DB Heating & Cooling to do the job right. Our trained experts will handle all the details and set an installation schedule that works with yours.

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