DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog

AFUE: How Furnace Efficiency Is Measured

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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The Ball in Times Square

December 30th, 2013

New Year’s is a time for parties, fun and great traditions, some of which go back more than a century. Among them is the famous “dropping of the ball” in Times Square, an event which is broadcast to millions of people every New Year’s Eve. With 2014 nearly upon us, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look at the history of this popular New Year’s Eve festivity.

The idea began in 1907 at what was then the New York Times building at One Times Square. The newspaper’s owner, Adolph Ochs, had been celebrating the New Year with fireworks since 1903. He wanted make the event even more remarkable, and added the ball in December of 1907 to welcome in the New Year. The first ball was designed by Artkraft Strauss, who made it out of iron, wood, and light bulbs. It took six men to hoist the ball up the building’s flag pole; once midnight struck, the tremendous ball was carefully lowered, and all were allowed to marvel at it.

Since then, the ball has undergone many changes in materials and design, and even the New York Times has moved to another building. But the tradition remains and the ball has dropped over One Times Square ever since. Today, the ball is electronically controlled, and uses LED lamps for its construction: designed by Waterford Crystal and weighing in at over 1,200 pounds.

A number of television broadcasts have helped carry the event over the years, but by far the most famous is “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” which first ran in 1972. The show was created and hosted by Dick Clark, who became a staple of the event as much as the ball itself. Clark hosted the show every New Year’s Eve from 1972 until his death in 2012. Since then, it has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest, who shared hosting duties with Clark starting in 2005.

Whether you’re watching the ball drop on TV or have some other New Year’s Eve plan in mind, we here at DB Heating & Cooling wish you nothing but the best for 2014. Have a safe and happy New Year!

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Happy Holidays!

December 23rd, 2013

Holiday greetings from DB Heating & Cooling! We hope you are having safe and pleasant season, enjoying your favorite traditions for this time of year. We wish you the very best, and we thank you for your business this year.

In honor of the season, here are some fun facts about one of everyone’s favorite holiday movies: It’s a Wonderful Life.

For years, one of the enduring December traditions in the United States was watching the movie It’s a Wonderful Life playing almost nonstop on numerous television stations. No matter the time of the day, you could turn on the TV set, flip through channels, and discover It’s a Wonderful Life playing. Whenever you needed him, you could find Jimmy Stewart shouting, “Hello, Bedford Falls!”

But now… It’s a Wonderful Life only appears on broadcast television a few times during December, and most families instead choose to watch the movie on video. What happened?

The reason goes back to the film’s initial wide release in January 1947. (That’s right, it opened after the holiday season. It was not even promoted as a holiday film.) It’s a Wonderful Life was a box-office disappointment at the time, and its studio, RKO Radio Pictures, lost more than half a million on it. The movie’s production company, Liberty Films, was sold to Paramount to avoid bank foreclosure. (A bit ironic, considering the movie’s plot.) In 1955, the National Telefilm Associates (NTA) took over the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life, which included the television syndication rights.

However, NTA failed to properly renew the copyright in 1974 because of a clerical error, which allowed the film’s images to enter into the public domain. Although the movie’s plot was still under copyright protection because it was adapted from a published story called “The Greatest Gift,” television stations across the world could now broadcast it with only minimal royalty payments.

In 1993, Republic Pictures, which now owned the NTA library, tried to enforce their claim to the copyright of the film, as they possessed the rights to “The Greatest Gift.” Republic Pictures succeeded, and licensed exclusive television rights to NBC. Suddenly, It’s a Wonderful Life vanished from local television stations, and NBC made the movie’s broadcasts—usually twice during December—into major events. As of 1998, Paramount again has the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life… 43 years after they lost them.

It’s still easy to make It’s a Wonderful Life a part of whatever traditions you observe during the holidays, whether through home video or television broadcasts. Despite its lackluster initial reception in 1947, Frank Capra’s film is now an inseparable part of December in the United States.

Have a great holiday week!

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When to Schedule Boiler Repair

December 17th, 2013

One of the reasons that boilers have remained perennially popular as a way to heat homes is that they have a remarkable durability. Because boilers use only a few moving mechanical parts, they resist the wear and tear that systems such as furnaces and heat pumps encounter. With the proper care, boilers can last a full generation with only a few repair needs.

Repairs, however, sometimes are necessary, even with a boiler that receives regular preventive maintenance. No matter how hardy a boiler you have, you need to schedule repairs for it the moment it shows any sign that it needs them. Here’s a list of times when you should definitely call for boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ. Contact DB Heating & Cooling for fast service, any time of the day or night.

You notice corrosion or rust on the tank or other components

Boilers have precautions against corrosion, such as a anode rod atop the tank. But rust and corrosion can still occur in the system, and if you see signs of rust on the outside of the tank or on any of the exterior components, you need to have the issue addressed immediately. Likely, the corrosion has started to develop elsewhere, and it needs to be stopped and remedied before you are forced to replace the whole tank.

You discover leaking

Leaking of any kind from your boiler—from pipes, connectors, valves, under the tank—means a serious problem is occurring. There are a number of causes for leaks, but all of them require repairs as soon as possible.

You hear rumbling noises from the tank

Boilers operate quietly; it’s another one of their advantages. So any strange, loud noises are usually a sign of a malfunction. The most alarming noise is a rumbling sound from the water tank. This could be from a mixing of cold water with hot water because of a leaky valve, or it might be the water overheating. Call for repairs to discover the cause and fix it before greater damage occurs.

Make sure you get the long life from your boiler that you should. Don’t hesitate about scheduling repairs, and don’t rely on amateur work. Contact DB Heating & Cooling: we are fully insured and EPA-certified, and our technicians have the knowledge to get your boiler back to its regular operation. We are here for all your needs for boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ.

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How Can I Keep My Heater as Reliable as Possible?

December 9th, 2013

To make it through a New Jersey winter, you need to have a heating system you can depend on to keep you warm without malfunctions or abrupt shutdowns. There are few things worse than having to spend a few chilly hours waiting for repair technicians to come to your home (on a day when they are likely already busy with numerous emergency calls) to service a broken heater.

We have some tips on how you can help your heater work reliably for you during this winter season. For more assistance with your heating system, including expert repairs and maintenance, contact DB Heating & Cooling—24 hours a day, 7 days of the week.

Tips for reliable heating in Waldwick, NJ

  • Schedule repairs the moment you need them: If you notice a minor malfunction in your heating system—a few cold rooms, a strange noise from your furnace cabinet, rust spots on your boiler, or odd smells from the vents—don’t simply shrug it off or delay repairs until something more serious occurs. Trust to our experience in this field: the problem will not get better on its own. Your heater will soon start to develop far worse troubles if you don’t have the issue repaired professionally.
  • Prevent your heater from overworking: The best way to stop your heater from developing the stress that will lead to breakdowns is to make sure your house is well-insulated with all potential heat leaks sealed (weather stripping around doors, windows caulked, effective attic insulation). The better your house traps heat, the less work the heater will need to do to maintain a comfortable temperature. Also refrain from turning the thermostat up too high: keep in mind that the thermostat is a switch, not a throttle, so turning the heat up to 90°F won’t warm your home faster; it will make the heater work longer to reach the target temperature. Keep the thermostat set to lower temperatures, such as 68°F, and put on an extra layer of clothes.
  • Schedule regular preventive maintenance: Your heater needs to receive annual check-ups to see that all its components are working properly and not suffering from too much wear or possible repair needs. During maintenance, a technician will tune-up your heater so that it will continue to perform efficiently, and also make any repairs necessary to ward off possible malfunctions and breakdowns. Routine maintenance is the surest way to keep your heater reliable.

DB Heating & Cooling offers maintenance programs customized for each home; we’ll find the best way to protect your heating in Waldwick, NJ all through the winter. We can also take care of any repairs, whether preventive or emergency, to make your house warm and cozy once more.

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High Pressure Levels and Boiler Repair

December 2nd, 2013

One of the advantages of having a boiler to keep you warm is that it rarely needs repairs. Boilers contain few mechanical parts that can wear down, so the standard wear-and-tear most machines suffer over time happens slower for boilers. But boilers do have a specific repair and maintenance issue that sometimes crops up: leaks. Leaking not only threatens the boiler’s operation, it threatens construction material and can lead to the growth of mildew and other bacteria. When leaking starts in your boiler, you need to have professionals fix the trouble as soon as possible.

The professionals will also track down the cause for the leaking. There are a number of reasons leaks might start, such as corrosion and improper connections from poor installation. In this post, we’ll talk about a common cause for leaks that will require you to get boiler repair: high water pressure.

Call DB Heating & Cooling when you require effective boiler repair in Westwood, NJ. We have 24-hour emergency services to solve your problem promptly.

Reasons for high pressure

Your boiler maintains even water pressure through a number of precautions, such as an expansion tank and a pressure release valve. A malfunction with either can cause the pressure in the water to mount. Sometimes, homeowners accidentally block the pressure relief valve; make sure you haven’t moved anything to obstruct it. (The valve is a pipe located at the bottom of the boiler tank.)

High pressure can often start because of sediment entering the water tank. Breaks in underground pipes can lead to dirt and sand infiltrating the tank and settling along the bottom. If this continues, the layer of sediment will decrease the available space in the tank—and this will cause the water to overheat and spike in pressure. A boiler technician will need to flush out the system to get rid of the detritus.

If you have trouble with hard water in your home, it can have a negative impact on the boiler and cause a pressure increase. Limescale from the hard water will develop along the inside of the tank. Because limescale acts as an insulator trapping heat inside the boiler, the balance inside the tank will change and cause a rise in pressure. Regular maintenance visits will help keep the tank de-scaled.

Regardless of the reason for the high pressure, it will begin to trigger serious damage to the pipes in the boiler’s system, causing leaks to spring up in numerous places. Only proper, skilled repairs can fix the leaks and the cause for the rise in pressure in the first place.

Trust to DB Heating & Cooling to help you with boiler repair in Westwood, NJ. We charge by the job, not by the hour, so you will always know what the work will cost before we start.

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The History of Thanksgiving

November 25th, 2013

Thanksgiving is upon us: a time to get together with relatives, eat some great food, watch a little football or the parade, and stop to appreciate the good things we have in life. Beyond all that, however, there’s a fascinating history to the holiday and its traditions.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 in the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Records are spotty at the time, but indicate that the harvest was particularly good that year due to help from the local Native Americans. The meal was probably much different than the one we’re used to, with venison and fish more likely than turkey, but the general principle was unchanged.

It wasn’t a few centuries later, however, that Thanksgiving became an annual tradition. George Washington called for a “national day of Thanksgiving” in 1789, and again in 1795, but they were both “one shot” declarations, rather than a call for an annual tradition. Individual cities and states picked up the ball, but it wasn’t until 1863 that Thanksgiving became a national once-a-year event. President Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November to be a Thanksgiving “to heal the wounds of the nation and restore it.”

From there, it remained a tradition until Franklin Roosevelt signed a law in December of 1941 making it a federal holiday. The law also changed the date from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday in November, making it a little earlier in some cases (which Roosevelt hoped would give the country an economic boost).

Wherever you celebrate the holiday and whoever you choose to celebrate it with, we wish you nothing but happiness and joy this Thanksgiving.  

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3 Reasons a Boiler May Be the Way to Go

November 18th, 2013

If it’s time to pick a new heating system to install in your home, don’t let yourself feel too intimidated at the number of options available. The more choices you have, the more likely that there’s one among them that will ideally fit your home, budget, and heating requirements.

“But wait,” you’re thinking, “doesn’t more choices mean I’m also more likely to get the wrong heating system?” That’s a reasonable concern—but you can reduce the chance of making a wrong choice if you have HVAC experts helping you. DB Heating & Cooling is available to assist you when it comes to picking the heater installation that will provide you with the satisfaction you crave.

One heating option we often suggest to our customers is the boiler. Here are 3 reasons we often recommend boiler installation in Oradell, NJ:

1. Fewer repair needs = long lifespan

Because boilers operate through the circulation of hot water around your home, they do not as complicated as furnaces and heat pumps. Most heating troubles happen because of damage and wear to moving parts, so boilers usually have fewer malfunctions that require emergency repair calls in the middle of the night. This reduced wear and tear also means boilers last longer than most other heaters. A boiler that receives proper care should outlast any other heating option you might have installed in your home.

2. Quiet operation

Boilers make almost no noise when they run: no compressors, no motors, no fans to create noise pollution in your home.

3. Clean heat

Boilers provide warmth by sending heated water to radiators and baseboard heaters, raising their temperature. Heat then radiates into your living spaces from these objects. Boilers don’t require forced air or ductwork the way furnaces and heat pumps do, and that means you get heat without dust or other airborne contaminants. This makes boilers ideal for homes with pets or people with allergies.

However, before you run out and purchase a boiler, we need to remind you that every house is different, as is every family. Although boilers are excellent systems that will suit many homes, your home might not be among them. The best way to know you will get the right system is to seek the advice of heating specialists.

DB Heating & Cooling can find out if a boiler installation in Oradell, NJ will suit you. We will then find you the right model and install it so it will work for many years keeping you and your loved ones comfy and safe inside your home. We also offer regular maintenance to help see that your boiler has the longest service life possible.

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Does Rust Necessitate Boiler Repair?

November 11th, 2013

Rust is the main enemy of the integrity of metal. Any place where metal comes into contact with water there exists a risk of rust developing from oxidation. Rust eats away at metal, making it flaky and weak, eventually leading to its disintegration.

As you might imagine, rust poses a threat to the boiler in your home, since your boiler operates through heating and pumping water through your living spaces. Fortunately, the danger from rust and other corrosion in your boiler is minimal if you make sure that it receives regular maintenance. A special anode rod on the top of your boiler helps prevent rust from infiltrating the tank, and as long as this rod gets replaced regularly before it corrodes through completely, you should have few worries about rust weakening your boiler and causing leaks.

However, if rust does start to afflict your boiler, does this mean you need to get a replacement? Not necessarily—but you will at the very least need professional repairs. For high quality boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ, look to DB Heating & Cooling.

If the rust on your boiler is minor and superficial, professionals can usually remove it with ease. The professionals can then inspect the boiler to make certain that the problem won’t immediately return. However, even if the rust contamination seems extensive, it might only require replacing the coils and mounting plates on the boiler—these are the areas that are usually first hit with corrosion.

However, extreme rusting on a boiler’s tank—especially a very old boiler—may require replacing the water tank entirely. Make sure you get a technician to look over the extent of the corrosion damage on your boiler so you’ll have an informed opinion about whether you need repairs or a complete replacement of the tank.

You should take the appearance of rust on your boiler seriously: even if it looks minor, it won’t stay that way. The rust will continue until your boiler starts to spring leaks—and you definitely don’t want a leaking boiler in your home! Get repairs done as soon as you can not only to remove the rust but to determine what faults in your system caused it in the first place.

DB Heating & Cooling can handle your needs for boiler repair in Bergen County, NJ. With our 24-hour emergency services, you never have to worry about getting the repairs done as soon as you need them.

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Make Your Heating Installation in Waldwick a Success: Pros and Cons of Common Heaters

November 4th, 2013

Heating installation in Waldwick, NJ is more than a matter of picking something out of a catalogue. New Jersey winters can be very cold, and the heater you install will play a vital role in keeping you warm and cozy when the snows fall. Your decision will stay with you for many years to come, so you want to find the right heater to suit your needs. A trained professional can advise you on the right size of heater for your home and the kind of extra features you may want, such as zone control systems and programmable thermostat. But heaters come in several different types, and it’s important that you have the right one to fit your particular needs. In order to help make your heating installation in Waldwick a success, here’s a brief rundown on the pros and cons of common heaters:

  • Furnaces. Furnaces are usually a forced-air” system, which first heats the air and then distributes it to your home via a series of ducts. They’re very efficient and can heat homes quickly, and are relatively inexpensive to install, especially if you already have ducts in your home.
  • Boilers. Unlike furnaces, boilers don’t blow air around. Instead, they heat water, which then heats your home through a set of pipes and radiators. They tend to be more expensive to install, but they last a long time and require less maintenance than furnaces. They also don’t circulate air, which means they can avoid some indoor air quality issues that might occur with a forced air system and they make less noise.
  • Heat pumps. Heat pumps combine the features of a heater and an air conditioner: transferring heat out of the home in the summer time and transferring it inside the wintertime. They are extremely convenient and they heat efficiently. However, they don’t do well in very cold weather, and need to auxiliary heat to keep your home warm on colder winter days.

For more on the pros and cons of common heaters, or to set up an installation schedule, contact the experts at DB Heating & Cooling. We’ll make your heating installation in Waldwick a success!

Waldwick

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