DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog

Why SEER Ratings Matter with New Air Conditioning Installation

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?

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

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

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

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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Why Choose a Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner

April 29th, 2014

If the time has come to remove the old air conditioner in your house and prepare yourself for the summer with a new system, you may wish to consider the current technology of ductless mini splits. These systems have some tremendous advantages you should take into account, and they may end up as the ideal choice to solve the comfort issues in your home.

Ductless mini splits work through a series of individual blowers mounted throughout a home that send conditioned air directly into the rooms. Each of the blowers connects through refrigerant lines and power lines to the outdoor unit; there’s no need for a single indoor unit that uses ducts to distribute air.

To receive answers to all your questions about ductless mini splits, or for repairs and maintenance on your current air conditioning in Emerson, NJ—ductless or otherwise—call DB Heating & Cooling.

You should consider a ductless mini split system…

  • …because they are both air conditioners and heaters: Ductless systems are heat pumps; their full name is “ductless mini split heat pumps.” Like all heat pumps, they operate as air conditioners that can reverse the direction they move heat so they will also bring warm air from the outside to the inside. When you install a ductless mini split to solve your needs for air conditioning, you also have your needs for heating solved at the same time—and with no extra space needed for another heater.
  • …because you’ll have higher quality air: Air conditioning systems that use ductwork will encounter trouble with picking up contamination and pollutants inside the ducts and blowing them out into living spaces, lowering the air quality. Although regular duct cleanings can alleviate this issue, there will always be some amount of dust or dirt trapped inside ductwork. But ductless mini split heat pumps eliminate this problem—because they lack ducts! You can expect cleaner indoor air, and this is especially beneficial if you have people with allergies living in your home.
  • …because you’ll have zone control cooling: The separate blowers mounted in the rooms means you can reduce or shut off cooling in the rooms independent of each other. You no longer need to cool down the whole home each time you turn on the air conditioning, and this will lead to large savings off your energy bills. Individuals can also control the temperature at their location to meet their specific comfort needs.

Is ductless the way to go for your home?

Installing a ductless mini split heat pump is a fantastic option for new home construction, add-on rooms, or any house that lacks ducts. However, if your home already has a ventilation system installed, you may wish to opt for a standard heat pump that will hook up to the existing ductwork.

For an informed opinion about the right type of air conditioning in Emerson, NH to fit your home, contact DB Heating & Cooling and speak to our ductless installation specialists today.

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Air Conditioning Repair Tip: Why Change the Air Filter

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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Ways to Save Money on Your Cooling Bills This Summer

April 10th, 2014

The average length of time a central air conditioner runs over a summer is 6 hours per day, which can mean using approximately 900 kilowatt/hours (kWh) of energy per month. However, you can find a more specific answer for how much it takes to power your AC. If you look at the cabinet of your air conditioner, you’ll find the wattage of your system. Multiply this by the amount of hours you use your AC each day in summer, and you’ll have an idea how much power your system consumes daily. Now take a look at a recent utility bill to find out you’re paying for electricity per kWh. Using basic multiplication, you can determine the monthly estimate of what you’ll pay during the summer to cool down your house.

There are ways to shave money off these bills, however. Here are some tips to achieve a more energy-efficient performance from your AC this summer. DB Heating & Cooling can help you save money with repairs, installation, and air conditioning maintenance in Oradell, NJ.

Tips to lower AC costs this summer

  • Upgrade your thermostat: Thermostat technology continues to evolve, and each advance increases the efficiency of the systems they operate. With a wireless thermostat, you’ll have better control over your AC, capable of turning it on and off remotely, from any spot with Wi-Fi access. Newer thermostats also have more accurate temperature settings than older models: you’ll have increased comfort as well as a reduced need to keep the air conditioner running.
  • Raise the temperature a few degrees: People often set their air conditioning as low as possible, but consider that each degree you set you thermostat below 78°F will raise energy use by 3–4%. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends 72°F as a comfortable temperature for most situations. Also try to avoid AC use during any outdoor temperature lower than 80°F.
  • Change the filter regularly: The air filter prevents debris from entering the AC cabinet and damaging internal components. But if it becomes too clogged, it will cut down on airflow, and this will force the air conditioner to drain more electricity. Replace the filter regularly during the summer.
  • Schedule a maintenance visit: It’s mandatory for an AC to receive an annual check-up and inspection from a professional. This ensures longevity and prevents unnecessary repairs. But it also cleans and adjusts the system so it runs at its most efficient. Even going for just one year without maintenance can mean a 20% increase in energy use in an air conditioner.

Let DB Heating & Cooling give your AC the best start possible for the summer: with a professional check-up and tune-up. Call us today to schedule air conditioning maintenance in Oradell, NJ.

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Common Myths about Heat Pumps

April 4th, 2014

Heat pumps are newer to the HVAC world than air conditioners, boilers, and furnaces, although they have a history going back to the 1940s. Because they entered homes only after a longer period in commercial use, a number of basic misunderstandings still surround them. We’ll look at a few of these and try to clear them up. We hope this will give you a better idea of what a heat pump can do for your home comfort.

DB Heating & Cooling has extensive experience with heat pump repair in Emerson, NJ, as well as installation and maintenance services. Rely on us when it comes to heating and cooling your home.

“Heat pumps are a separate AC and heater packaged together.”

Unlike the units that contain an air conditioner and a furnace in one cabinet, only sharing the same blower, heat pumps are single machines that use the same action to provide both heating and cooling. The only difference in a heat pump between the its modes is the direction that the refrigerant moves. In heating mode, the refrigerant carries heat from outside and moves it inside; in cooling mode, the refrigerant carries heat from inside and moves it outside.

“Heat pumps are fine for air conditioning, but can’t handle cold weather.”

There is some truth in this… but not much. Heat pumps work as well at cooling as any standard AC of the same size. Their heating power is not as strong. However, a heat pump can certainly handle cold temperatures, and it only starts to lose efficiency in extreme cold weather. Most heat pumps are equipped with electric resistance coils that turn on when the outside temperature gets too cold, so your home will be comfortable no matter the outside temperature.

“Heat pumps are expensive to run.”

This confusion comes from thinking that having heating and cooling power in one unit means the system drains power faster. But as we noted above, heat pumps use the same process for both modes. A heat pump in cooling uses as much power as an air conditioner. A heat pump in heating mode is far more efficient than an electric furnace. Your heat pump only requires a small amount of fuel (electricity) to move heat instead of creating it. Studies have shown that a family switching from an electric furnace to a heat pump can save up to 30% off their heating bills over winter.

If you need service technicians who cut through the confusion around heat pumps and bring you the installation, maintenance, or heat pump repair in Emerson, NJ you need, call DB Heating & Cooling.

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Boiler Repair Issues Due to the Expansion Tank

March 28th, 2014

The name “expansion tank” has sometimes confused people concerning their boiler. An expansion tank isn’t a place to expand the amount of water the boiler holds so it can provide more heat. (That’s not how boilers work, anyway.) The expansion tank is a safety mechanism designed to maintain an even water pressure inside the main hot water tank so that it won’t overheat.

But even safety mechanism can have problems that will result in repair needs. When the expansion tank encounters trouble, it can lead to pressure spikes and leaking. If you need work on your expansion tank to restore your boiler’s operation, call DB Heating & Cooling and we’ll send a technician to help you with your heating in Westwood, NJ.

What Might Go Wrong with the Expansion Tank

Old boilers used to absorb pressure increases with an empty air pocket at the top of the tank; however, this allowed oxygen into the tank and promoted corrosion. The development of the expansion tank solved this issue. The expansion tank has two chambers divided by a diaphragm: a pipe from the main tank attaches to one side and lets water in; on the other side of the diaphragm is a chamber of air controlled with a valve. When water pressure increases, the water pushes against the diaphragm, which relives the pressure by serving as a cushion. The air valve allows air back in to push against the water and restore the original pressure level.

A common problem that an expansion tank can encounter is lack of proper air charge. It should have the right charge at installation; however, if the tank begins to develop an air leak, it can have too much water and too little air inside it. This risks the pressure in the main tank rising above 12 psi, at which point it can cause leaking to occur throughout the boiler system. You will need to have a technician rebalance the air and water, and add more air to the tank as necessary.

Another problem is tears in the diaphragm, which will cause water to leak into the air chamber and ruin the tank’s ability to regulate pressure. If your boiler starts to rumble and the temperature gauge shows it’s running too hot, shut down the system and call for repairs. A repair technician will discover if the expansion tank was responsible for the problem and repair it.

Call DB Heating & Cooling for Boiler Repairs

At DB Heating & Cooling, we specialize in boiler repairs of all kinds. No matter the work you need done on your boiler, our skilled technicians can solve the problem. Call us any time of the day or night for your heating in Westwood, NJ.

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