What You Can Expect During Air Conditioning Maintenance

April 14th, 2014

Spring has arrived, and with it comes a chance to perform some routine maintenance on your air conditioning system. Maintenance will help your system function more efficiently – saving you money on monthly cooling costs – as well as helping spot potentially big problems while they’re still small. Air conditioning maintenance in West Chester, OH is a fairly common service, though you could benefit by knowing exactly what a session entails. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can expect during air conditioning maintenance.

  • Clean components. A maintenance tune-up will include cleaning the dirt off of interior components, including the condenser and evaporator coils. The last one is very important because dirty coils can impact the unit’s ability to cool the air.
  • Recharge refrigerant levels. The refrigerant needs to be at a set level in order for the air conditioner to work. Checking the refrigerant level is a standard step, although a separate repair service may be required if there’s a leak in the system.
  • Check the drains. Drain pans in the air conditioner catch condensate and drain it out of the system. If the drain lines get clogged or the pan is misaligned, it could leak water onto sensitive electronic components. The technician will check the drain system and ensure that everything is in good condition.
  • A general inspection. This includes checking the fan, fan motors, electrical wiring, refrigerant tubing, blower system, ductwork and compressor for any signs of trouble or damage. If an issue is spotted, you have it fixed before it affects your cooling.
  • Running the air conditioner. As a final step, the technician will run the air conditioner for 15-20 minute to ensure that anything is running smoothly.

Air conditioning maintenance in West Chester, OH can be performed by the experts at Bartels Heating & Cooling. You want your air conditioner to perform at its peak this summer. Give us a call today and let us help you make that happen!

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Consider Heat Pump Installation for the Transition from Heating to Cooling Season

April 4th, 2014

Spring is here and with it comes a slow transition in most households, as they turn their furnace off and start prepping their air conditioner for the summer. That makes it an excellent time to trade out your old HVAC system for a new one, possibly a heat pump which combines the features of a heater and an air conditioner in one. Here in Fairfield, OH, one of our heating installation technicians can discuss the specifics with you, and well as giving you some reasons to consider heat pump installation for the transition from heating to cooling season. We’ll discuss a few of the more general ones below.

Heat pumps provide a number of benefits for those so interested. They often cost less to run than a traditional heating or cooling system, saving you money in your monthly bills and reducing your environmental impact in the bargain. Then there’s the convenience of combining a heater and an air conditioner into a single system, used throughout the year and able to provide heating and cooling in equal measures. Though the up-front cost is a little more, the long-term savings of regular use could save you a great deal.

Furthermore, spring makes an ideal time to make the change, when temperatures are mild and you don’t need heating or air conditioning the way you would in the summer or the winter. That gives you maximum flexibility in terms of scheduling the installation. You can find a time that works for you instead of rushing in front of the next heat wave or winter storm. That lowers stress and makes the process of installation much easier.

If you’re considering heat pump installation for the transition from heating to cooling season, now is obviously the time to act. And when you do, Bartels Heating & Cooling is ready to help. Our Fairfield, OH heating installation services include heat pumps and our trained staff has the experience you need to do the job right. Call us today and let us show you what we can do!

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How the Thermostat Affects Your Heating

March 28th, 2014

In many ways, the answer to how the thermostat affects your heating in West Chester, OH is self-evident. The thermostat controls when your heater turns on and off, allowing you to precisely control the temperature in your home and raise or lower it when circumstances dictate. Any homeowner can tell you that. The real question becomes how a faulty or broken thermostat affects your heating.

A thermostat can evince problems stemming from a number of sources, including problems with the activation mechanism and an inability to accurately read the temperature. Whatever the cause, the problems soon become apparent. In some cases, the heater won’t turn on when it’s supposed to or will turn off before it has finished warming your home. In other cases, it can keep running well after the household is warm, raising temperatures until they are actively uncomfortable. Sometimes a faulty thermostat can result in rapid cycle, which means the heater turns on and off very quickly multiple times in a short period. This can waste a great deal of energy, as well as increasing wear and tear on the system as a whole.

You might also have a problem with the placement of your thermostat. Sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with the unit itself, but because it’s placed in a spot with a high draft, or it lies in an area that gets an excessive amount of sunlight. In those cases, it will often misread the temperature and turn on and off when you don’t need it to. Correcting the issue means moving the location of the thermostat itself rather than correcting any kind of internal problem.

Regardless of the cause of the issue, a good technician can identify it and correct it for you. Bartels Heating & Cooling knows how the thermostat affects your heating in West Chester, OH, and we have the expertise to correct whatever problems may be plaguing it. If your thermostat is faulty or even if you just need it moved somewhere that more accurately reflects the temperature, then pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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Why Invest in a Variable Speed Furnace?

March 20th, 2014

Winter is slowly coming to an end, and with it comes a chance to replace your old, outdated furnace with a new one. Here in Hamilton, OH, a great heating system is absolutely necessary to keep your home cozy and comfortable in the winter, and installing a new furnace is a chance to add some new bells and whistles to your system. For example, you may want to invest in a variable speed furnace, which allows you to adjust the blower between high speeds and low speeds. Why invest in a variable speed furnace? The shortest answer is because it can save you money.

Using the blower’s lower speed means that the air doesn’t distribute as quickly and it takes longer to heat your home. On the other hand, that doesn’t not matter on mild days when the temperatures don’t get that low, and it can save a lot of energy. A lower speed can still get your home to the temperature you want quickly, and the setting means that you’ll save money in the process. When temperatures get colder, you can use the higher setting to keep your home comfortable.

Variable speed furnaces improve the resale value of the home they’re in because of their flexibility. Many of them are programmable, which allows you to further tailor the speed with which you receive heated air to ensure the maximum amount of savings. And because the technology involved is reasonably simple, you can count on a standard technician to perform repairs instead of hunting around for a specialist.

For more on why you should invest in a variable speed furnace, or to discuss your heating options in general, contact Bartels Heating & Cooling. We have years of experience handling heating issues of all varieties, and we can help you determine the best time to replace your old worn-out furnace with one that offers a few more options to save you money. If you need Hamilton, OH furnace service, pick up the phone and schedule an appointment today!

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Boiler 101: The Expansion Tank

March 12th, 2014

Boilers have advanced tremendously during the more than a century that they have heated businesses and homes. Few boilers use steam any more to send heat through their pipes, and the cast-iron radiators of yore have gradually vanished in favor efficient baseboard heaters. Another way boilers have made a technological leap forward is with the invention of the expansion tank to replace primitive methods of regulating water pressure inside the boiler to protect it from “water hammer.”

We’ll take a close look at this important component of the operation of your boiler in West Chester, OH. If you encounter any troubles with your expansion tank or other parts of your boiler, call the 24-hour emergency service technicians at Bartels Heating & Cooling.

What the expansion tank does

If you look at the top of the water tank of your boiler, you will notice what looks like a smaller water tank attached to a pipe. That’s the expansion tank. Although the name may make it sound like it’s a container for extra water, that’s not how boilers work. (They have a set amount of water already in them, and more water won’t make them work any better.) The expansion tank does the job of maintaining even pressure inside the boiler by giving its water a place to expand and a cushion to absorb the pressure and then regulate it.

Inside the expansion tank, a diaphragm divides the chamber into two sections. On one side, water from the boiler tank flows in through a pipe; on the other side is air controlled by a valve. When the pressure in the boiler increases, the water in the expansion tank presses against the diaphragm and the air on the other side, which alleviates the pressure. The air valve then pushes back against the water until the valve registers that pressure has reached normal once more.

This system prevents air from entering the water. Older boilers simply had an open space at the top of the main tank to absorb the pressure from water hammer (a pressure surge from water motion when a valve closes), but the introduction of air into the tank would promote corrosion. The expansion valve keeps the air and the water separate.

Keep the expansion tank working

Expansion tanks can suffer damage and lose their seal against water or start losing air. When this happens, you need to call for repairs before your boiler’s pressure increases and begins to cause leaks. Call for repairs for your boiler in West Chester, OH from Bartels Heating & Cooling. We also offer a maintenance program that will make sure the expansion valve is always in the best shape possible. Call us to sign up today.

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Signs It’s Time for Boiler Replacement, Not Boiler Repair

March 4th, 2014

Boilers are a durable and reliable means of heating your home, which is why they’ve been in use for as long as they have. Sooner or later, however, you’re going to have to consider replacing an old boiler with a new one. That exact moment can be hard to spot, especially if you’re trying to get as much as possible out of your existing boiler before putting it out to pasture. Here are some signs it’s time for boiler replacement, not boiler repair from your Fairfield, OH heating specialists at Bartels Heating & Cooling.

  • Costs are getting too high. This can include multiple repair visits coming one on top of the other, as well as a general wear and tear that translates to higher monthly costs, even if you aren’t using the boiler any more often than normal. At some point, you just end up throwing good money after bad, meaning that it’s time to install a new boiler.
  • The condition of your boiler is deteriorating. An old boiler isn’t necessarily ready to be done, but the older it gets, the more you need to weigh the possibility of replacing it. If its overall condition worsens – if more rust appears, leaks start springing up more regularly and the like – then an older unit may be ready for replacement by a new one.
  • Energy efficiency is lower than you’d like. Boilers are designed to last for many years, even decades in some cases. During that time, new developments and improved technological breakthroughs will result in newer, more efficient boiler systems that will do the same job while using less energy. You may wish to replace your system in order to take full advantage of these developments.

If you spot signs it’s time for boiler replacement, not boiler repair, then call on Bartels Heating & Cooling for help. Give us call to schedule Fairfield, OH heating repair or replacement services today!

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Reasons to Look into Carrier Greenspeed Technology

February 25th, 2014

The technology of furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps continues to surge forward each year. The furnaces of today have an energy efficiency far superior to models manufactured a mere ten years ago. If you are thinking about making a change in your home’s comfort system, now is an excellent time to look into the cutting edge technology available.

One of the best advances in heating and cooling is Carrier’s Greenspeed technology. We’ll explain why you should consider a heat pump or furnace in Hamilton, OH equipped with Greenspeed Intelligence. Call Bartels Heating & Cooling, your local Carrier dealer, for more information and to schedule a great installation.

What is Carrier Greenspeed technology?

Carrier, the company that invented mechanical air conditioning over a hundred years ago, constantly strives to lead the industry in innovation. Greenspeed Intelligence is an exciting recent advance in heating and cooling from Carrier that combines whisper-quiet operation, high energy-efficient performance, and ideal comfort.

Greenspeed Intelligence is designed to pair with the Carrier Infinity product line, such as the modulating Infinity 98 gas furnace or the variable-speed Infinity 20 heat pump, and improve upon their existing Infinity systems. Greenspeed can control the heating or cooling system to run at anywhere from 40% to 100% capacity depending on a home’s current needs, which results in better comfort levels and a significant reduction in power use. With variable speed, the system runs longer but at a steadier capacity, so it can operate at 40% capacity most of the time while maintaining the ideal level of heating or cooling for your home.

The amount of energy you can save with Greenspeed Intelligence is significant: the Infinity 20 heat pump with Greenspeed enhancement can run up to 69% more efficiently than other forced-air heat pumps.

Other benefits you’ll receive with Greenspeed: quiet operation from the reduced capacity, precision temperature control, and easier addition of air purifiers and humidifiers.

Call to find out more about Greenspeed technology

Are you interested in having installation of a heat pump or furnace in Hamilton, OH equipped with the Greenspeed difference? At Bartels Heating & Cooling, we have the equipment and skills necessary to install a heating/cooling system with Greenspeed so you can enjoy years of high efficiency and serene comfort. We are local Carrier dealers and can handle all your needs for home comfort.

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3 Ways to Avoid Heating Repair

February 17th, 2014

Here in Fairfield, OH, heating repair is no small matter. We need our heaters to function on a daily basis when the snow falls, and any problems need to be fixed quickly before the indoor temperature drops. A good heating repair company will respond in a timely fashion, but even better than repair is avoiding a breakdown in the first place. The more prevention you can exercise, the greater the chances that your heater will continue to function as it’s expected to.

Here are 3 ways to avoid heating repair:

  • Schedule a maintenance visit before heating season starts. A technician will come to your home and clean the dirt off of the heater’s interior components, as well as tightening loose fittings and running the heater to see that everything is functioning as it should. Not only does this reduce the chances of a breakdown, but it helps the heater run more efficiently, cutting down on monthly energy costs.
  • Don’t crank the heat way up. Many people falsely assume that turning the heat up means that the furnace will warm your home faster. This isn’t true. Most furnaces have just one fan speed, and the others don’t have more than two or three. That means that turning it up won’t warm your house any faster. It will just increase the strain on your system, and with it, the chances of a significant breakdown.
  • Watch for signs of trouble. Not every problem results in the heater shutting down. Many times, they will keep running until the problem gets worse, wasting energy in the bargain and raising the cost of repairs when it finally does give up the ghost. You can prevent this by listening for strange sounds, monitoring the functioning of the heater and checking you monthly bills to see that they’re not going up unexpectedly.

For more ways to avoid heating repair in Fairfield, OH, or to schedule a maintenance or repair visit, call Bartels Heating & Cooling. Contact us today to make an appointment!

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Who Wrote the First Valentine’s Day Poem?

February 14th, 2014

The celebration of Valentine’s Day is often seen as a modern institution, even if the roots of the holiday go back to Late Antiquity and the figures of St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni. It’s difficult to separate our view of February 14th from the more recent phenomenon of greeting cards, comical cupids, and specialty treats from candy companies.

However, not only are some of these traditions older than we might think (mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards were an enormous success in early 19th-century England), but the earliest Valentine’s Day love poem comes from none other than the first great English author, Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in the second half of the 14th-century.

Chaucer’s most famous work is The Canterbury Tales, an enormous collection of linked stories in poetry and prose. But his 700-line poem “Parlement of Foules” has the special distinction of being the first surviving record of a connection between Valentine’s Day and romantic love. Chaucer probably composed the poem in 1381–82. At the time, he was a member of the court of King Richard II, holding an important bureaucratic position in London. The date suggests that Chaucer wrote “Parelment of Foules” to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of the English king to Princess Anne of Bohemia.

The poem follows the dream of the narrator, where he walks through Venus’s temple and discovers a meeting of birds where they all choose their mates. This is where the mention of St. Valentine’s Day appears (English modernized):

For this was on St. Valentine’s Day,                                                                         

When every bird cometh there to choose his mate.                                                                  

The poem also contains a familiar Valentine’s image, Cupid with his arrows:

Under a tree, beside a well, I saw

Cupid our lord his arrows forge and file;                                                             

And at his feet his bow already lay.

When Chaucer mentions St. Valentine’s Day, is he referring specifically to February 14th? Late winter isn’t a time when birds in England would mate. However, the date for the start of spring—when some birds would have started nesting in England—was on February 23rd in the calendars of the time, certainly close enough for Chaucer to take poetic license and nudge it a bit to match with Valentine’s Day.

Love birds remain a popular symbol of Valentine’s Day even now, and for this we can thank Chaucer. In fact, he may very well have invented the link between love and Valentine’s Day, although we will probably never know for certain.

Whoever started these traditions, all of us here at Bartels Heating & Cooling hope you have a wonderful February 14th!

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Boiler Problems Caused by Rust

February 6th, 2014

Your boiler is a key part of your household, providing dependable heating even during the coldest parts of winter. That’s no small consideration. Rust is a concern with any kind of metal equipment, let alone that relies on water to do its job. As closed loop system, the boiler isn’t supposed to have problems with rust. But no system is perfect, and when rust forms in your boiler, it can cause serious trouble very quickly. If you need boiler repair in West Chester, OH, call Bartels Heating & Cooling today.

Rust is caused by oxidation, which entails oxygen, water and metal. When a leak springs up in the system, oxygen can enter into in, starting the oxidation process and creating rust in the metal. It can occur in the main boiler itself or along any of the pipes and radiators it uses to heat your home. But wherever it occurs, trouble is bound to follow. The rust corrodes and east away at the metal of the boiler, making the walls thinner and more prone to damage.  Eventually, it will breach the metal, resulting in a leak and necessitating replacement of whichever parts have been overcome by the rust.

A number of preventative measures can avoid boiler problems caused by rust. A trained professional can use certain chemicals to keep oxygen from oxidizing inside the boiler. However, you usually need to call in a service technician to remove the rust and correct whatever problem created it in the first place. If you need West Chester, OH, boiler repair service, call Bartels Heating & Cooling. If you spot rust in your boiler, don’t hesitate to contact us right away.

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