Proudly Serving Hamilton, OH Since 1973
Your heat pump pulls double duty to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It endures a lot of wear and tear, so when has it truly had enough? It’s not always clear when you need a heat pump replacement, so let’s help you take a good hard look at your heat pump and see if it’s time for an upgrade.
When the summer weather finally settles in and we know we’ve seen the last of the chill for the season, you’ll face a decision about your heating system. Should you shut it down entirely for the summer until it’s needed again in the fall? Or is it better to simply keep it on, but not in use?
The answer to this question varies depending on the type of heating system you use, and it’s not always an absolute “on” or “off” distinction. We’ll go into the details for the different types of systems you may have:
We are in a bit of swing season as far as weather goes right now. Things are certainly starting to warm up, and even nighttime temperatures are feeling milder. That means that now is definitely the time to replace your air conditioning system if you think you need a new one before the heat of summer really hits. While you’re at it, have you considered replacing your heater as well?
No, we are not trying to double our profits by convincing you to purchase 2 new systems. Quite the contrary, actually. Today, we want to talk to you about unique heat pump systems that are actually able to provide you with effective cooling and dependable, efficient heating—all in one package! Consider the following two options, and be sure to give our Cincinnati, OH HVAC professionals a call with any questions that you may have.
During a winter storm, many homes in our area are left without power. While there are certainly ways to cope with the lack of lighting, there’s one system you cannot go long without: the furnace. However, if you have a gas furnace, you might not worry too much about this possibility. After all, the natural gas line is not affected by a power outage, right?
While it’s true that you should still have natural gas coming to your home during a regular power outage, that does not mean all gas appliances will still work. Unfortunately, most furnaces will not work in the event of a power outage in your home, and we explain why (and what you can do) in today’s guide.
People find lots of different ways to stay warm when the cold picks up. While you might love to huddle up by the fire with a blanket on, many homeowners don’t have this option. And so, they have to seek out an alternative.
Electric heating systems are sometimes preferable to gas heating, due to the lower risk to your home and family, since you don’t have to worry so much about carbon monoxide or gas leaks. But there are some things we think you should know about the different kinds of electric heating systems available to you.
If you are in the midst of looking for a new heating system or a replacement heating system, you may have come across a heat pump. These systems have many benefits, of which we’ll explain more about below, but there is some concern about whether or not a heat pump system can provide adequate heating to a home in Fairfield, OH. It takes some explaining to understand this concern, so let us shed some light on it for you.
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!
Many homeowners in West Chester, OH have heat pumps in their homes. With only a single unit, they receive both air conditioning and heating. However, heat pump owners often know few of the details about how these wonderful devices do both the jobs of an AC and a heater.
A heat pump isn’t a combo-unit that packages two separate systems together: it uses the same method to provide heating as it does to provide cooling. In this post, we’ll give you a short guide to understanding the dual function of heat pumps.
If you need repairs for your heat pump, or if you’re interested in having one installed, call Bartels Heating & Cooling. We’ve served Southwest Ohio since 1973.
Heat pumps operate through heat exchange, which neither creates heat nor cold. Instead, heat exchange moves heat from one location to another. If you remove heat from a room, the room will feel cooler. If you bring heat into the room, it feels warmer. A heat pump is designed so that it will move the heat to wherever you need it the most: inside or outside. In the summer, you will want the heat outside. In the winter, you will want it inside.
Here’s how the heat pump manages this. Your heat pump consists of two units, an indoor and an outdoor unit. Flowing between the two units along copper lines is a chemical blend known as refrigerant, which can easily change between liquid and gaseous states. The refrigerant absorbs heat from an evaporator coil located in one of the units, then moves to a compressor, which squeezes the refrigerant to a high-pressure, high-temperature gas. The refrigerant then moves to a condenser coil, where it releases the heat. After that it travels back to the condenser coil to restart the cycle.
During cooling mode, the indoor coil acts as the evaporator, absorbing the heat. When the heat pump goes into heating mode, a reversing valve changes the direction of the flow of refrigerant. Now, the indoor coil acts as the condenser, releasing heat, and the outdoor coil acts as the evaporator, absorbing heat.
Heat pumps are complex devices that require the balance of different components to operate correctly. If you sense something wrong with your heat pump, summon a repair technician immediately. Make sure you schedule regular maintenance once a year to see that your heat pump is working its best and not developing potential malfunctions.
Bartels Heating & Cooling offers 24-hour emergency service when you need help with your heat pump. We also offer excellent maintenance and installation for your heat pump in West Chester, OH.
Heat pumps operate according to the same basic principles of air conditioning. Refrigerant passes through the compressor, which pressurizes it, and it then goes through the condenser coils, where it dissipates the heat into the outdoor air and condenses into a liquid. The liquid then enters an evaporator system, which returns it to a gaseous state and cools the surrounding air in the process. (The air is them blown into the home with a fan.) Heat pumps simply make this process reversible, allowing you to release either hot or cool air into your West Chester, OH home. Otherwise, it doesn’t significantly differ from the functioning of an air conditioning. But what happens when the compressor won’t start?
The compressor can suffer from a number of possible problems from a lack of cooling capacity (usually caused by a refrigerant leak) to an excessively long cycle (likely caused by general wear and tear). If it fails to turn on entirely, however, you’re likely looking at an overheated or broken-down unit. Many compressor motors have automatic shut-off switches designed to prevent greater damage. Those that don’t might overheat if they are old or suffer from other damage. Regardless, the compressor motor will probably need to be replaced.
In some cases, the compressor may not start because of a problem with the electrical wiring delivering power from your home’s circuit breaker box. Check the box to see if the breaker has been triggered. If it has – and if it keeps triggering when you try to run the heat pump – you likely have something wrong with the wiring and will need to replace it.
A professional heating techncian can usually handle all of your West Chester, OH pump repair needs. If your compressor won’t start, then call Bartels Heating & Cooling for help. We handle West Chester, OH heat pump repair issues of all varieties, and will work diligently to fix the source of your compressor problems. Call us today and get your heat pump back on track.
