Bartels Heating & Cooling Blog: Archive for September, 2013

3 Great Options for Quality Heating

Monday, September 30th, 2013

With the numerous advances in comfort systems during the last half century, your options for heating in Fairfield, OH are more expansive than they once were. You no longer need to rely on a standard boiler or furnace when it’s time to install a new system. In this post, we’ll go over 3 options that have gained popularity with Ohio residents over the past decades. One of them might be the right alternative for heating your home this winter.

However, and this is important to know, not every system matches every home. It takes someone with years of HVAC training to gauge which heater fits the unique needs of a house. A bit of knowledge will help you narrow down your choices, but don’t make a final decision unless you have a professional opinion. At Bartels Heating & Cooling, we have NATE-certified technicians ready to give you the advice necessary to make the correct choice and we’ll perform the installation when you’re ready.

Heat pumps

A heater and air conditioner in one! A heat pump is like an AC in most ways—except it can change the direction of heat exchange so it extracts heat from the outside and moves it inside. Heat pumps sometimes need supplemental heat for very low temperatures.

Radiant heating

People have used the warmth radiated from heated objects for millennia: from a hot rock placed in a bed to the old fashioned radiator. But the new radiant heating systems use hydronic (and sometimes electric) power to warm pipes set into your floor to give you an even, efficient, and remarkably cozy heating performance. They also help with air quality since they don’t have to blow air through ducts that can become clogged with dust.

Geothermal systems

You can go green while still keeping warm! A geothermal heat pump extracts heat from the earth through coils buried near your house that carry a water or antifreeze solution. And, like a standard heat pump, the process can reverse to provide cooling. Geothermal systems are highly energy-efficient because they use little fuel to get the job done.

One, or maybe all three, of these options has probably got you excited about the potential benefits. Contact Bartels Heating & Cooling right away to talk over the possibilities. We can schedule an appointment to see how to get the heating in your Fairfield, OH home up to a new level of comfort.

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Signs of Trouble with Your Boiler

Monday, September 23rd, 2013

A boiler is an efficient and effective way to heat your home. You see plenty of both in southern Ohio towns like West Chester; boiler systems embrace a wide variety of makes, models and ages. When your boiler exhibits signs of trouble – especially during our cold Midwestern winters – you need to take steps to correct it quickly. That’s why it pays to look for signs of trouble before they get out of hand. Here are a few of the most common:

  • No hot water or hot water taking time to arrive. This can some from a number of possible sources, such as a faulty thermostat or thermocouple, trouble with the pilot light, a valve failure, or mineral build-up preventing the flow of hot water to your radiator. Whatever the cause, the effects are obvious and need prompt addressing in order to restore heat to your home.
  • Leaks. Leaks indicate a problem with a coupling, damage to the boiler’s water tank, or possibly a faulty line. Besides creating puddles of water that need to be cleaned (and possibly damaging nearby household fixtures as well), leaks can severely impair your boiler’s ability to function.
  • Strange noises. Noises can come from many sources, ranging from leaks to air in the system to water gurgling through sediment build-up. A trained professional can identify the source of the noise and take corrective measures before the problem becomes worse.
  • Frozen condensate pipe. The condensate pipe removes waste liquid from the boiler: usually water mixed with a few trace gases created by the heating system. During the cold months – and we have more than a few of those in Ohio – the water may freeze in the pipes, creating a back-up and causing damage to your boiler.

Regardless of the cause, when you recognize signs of trouble with your boiler in West Chester, OH, it’s time to call in a professional. If you need boiler repair or service for any type of heating system, call Bartels Heating & Cooling today to set up an appointment.

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Proper Sizing and a Successful Furnace Installation

Monday, September 16th, 2013

In Ohio towns like Fairfield, furnace installation is a serious business. Your furnace will keep your home warm and cozy during the long winter months, and you want it to perform as efficiently as possible. That starts with the installation, which should be performed by a qualified specialist utilizing quality parts. But before installation can begin, you need to make sure you have the right furnace for the job. Proper sizing plays a vital role in a successful furnace installation operation.

Furnace efficiency is measured in BTU (British Thermal Units) per hour. Input BTU measures the amount of fuel the furnace consumes, while Output BTU measures the actual amount of heat generated. So if you have a furnace with a input BTU of 90,000 that burns at 90 percent efficiency, you will have an output BTU of  81,000. The heat generated needs to match the space and heating requirements of your home. A professional installer will measure the square footage, evaluate things like insulation and sunlight exposure, and calculate the Output BTU required to heat that area successfully.

It’s an important process because it ensures that your furnace is the most efficient it can be. Call it the Goldilocks dilemma: if the furnace is too small, it won’t heat your house properly. If it’s too large, it will cycle on and off rapidly, expending unnecessary energy and raising your bills (as well as inflicting needless wear and tear on the system). Neither state is one you want, and once the furnace is installed, it’s going to take a lot of time and money to remove it and install another one.  Installation should take place only after the specialist has properly sized the home and made his recommendations.

If you’re thinking about replacing your furnace, don’t hesitate to call upon the experts. Bartels Heating & Cooling offers professional furnace installation in Fairfield, Ohio –  call us today to schedule an estimate!

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Bartels Celebrates 40 Years in Business

Monday, September 9th, 2013

Hamilton, OH – Bartels Heating & Cooling Inc. celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, recognizing four decades of service to the Southwest Ohio community.

The business was first established in 1973 by Thomas A. Bartels as a one-man operation, with the owner conducting all repairs and field calls himself. Hard work and perseverance paid off; Bartels built an office and warehouse in 1978, followed by a showroom and new offices some 20 years later. The company was incorporated in 1984 and the work force steadily grew to a current staff of 13.

Throughout that time, Bartels maintained a strong balance of cutting-edge advancement and the personal touch of a small business. Thomas Bartels retired in 1997, and longtime employee Edward W. Reid, a member of the Bartels family since 1983, stepped up as president. Reid’s wife Paula and son Paul are also prominent members of the company.

“As owner of Bartels Heating and Cooling,” Reid said, “I have been very fortunate to be part of this organization and to see it evolve over the past 40 years.”

“Evolve” meant keeping up with the times as well as keeping the business personal. The company embraced the Internet revolution in the 1990s, and is dedicated to keeping pace with technological advancement. This includes both the company technicians themselves (who make use of iPads and Wi-Fi while out on service calls) and the products and services offered to customers (which includes equipment such as Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats). The effort has kept Bartels at the forefront of its industry without losing the personal concern and dedication to customer satisfaction that is the hallmark of all successful small businesses.

The company has also earned its share of accolades in their 40 years of business, including the 2002 Distinguished Dealer Aware and the 2013 President Award. Bartels is a BBB Accredited Business and a proud member of the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

“I would like to thank all of our dedicated employees for all of their hard work, our knowledgeable business partners for all of their help and support, and to all of you our customers for the opportunity and the trust that you have placed in us,” Reid said. “It has been a pleasure over these past 40 years to be of service and to meet and get to know many of you and I am looking forward to the future and our continued relationship.”

Bartels Heating & Cooling is located in Hamilton, OH and offers heating and air conditioning services to Hamilton, West Chester, Fairfield, and the surrounding Southwest Ohio area.

929 Main Street, Hamilton, OH 45013

(513) 867-8629

https://www.bartelsheatingandcooling.com/

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Happy Labor Day!

Monday, September 2nd, 2013

On the first Monday of every September, we celebrate Labor Day in honor of workers everywhere who strive to make our local community and country great. We enjoy the holiday like any other business as a time for BBQ, hanging out with friends and family, and celebrating the end of summer. It also means the start of the NFL and college football seasons.

The origins of Labor Day are disputed, as is the case with many other holidays. Some cite Matthew Maguire, the machinist and secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York, while others cite Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor. Whomever the original founder, by 1894, the holiday had become widely recognized and was designated a federal holiday by Congress and President Grover Cleveland immediately following the Pullman Strike. This strike pitted US Marshals and US Military against employees of Pullman Palace Car Company outside Chicago, as workers sought to protest wage cuts and firing of union representatives. At the time, the holiday was a way of repairing ties with workers and recognizing the importance of their contributions.

Today, we see Labor Day as an opportunity to recognize all the people who work hard to contribute to our county. Thank you, and Happy Labor Day from all of us! 

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