Bartels Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘West Chester’

What to Do If Your Heat Pump Won’t Switch to Heating Mode

Wednesday, November 5th, 2014

We are at the time of year when we switch our heat pump systems from cooling to heating – but what if yours won’t switch? There are a few reasons why a heat pump won’t switch modes, but the first thing to remember is not to panic. Bartels Heating & Cooling has the trained technicians to help you with any heat pump issues you may experience, so if you are in need of a heating repair service in West Chester, call us today!

Reasons Your Heat Pump Won’t Switch Modes

Thermostat Problems

Your thermostat is the instrument that cues your heat pump to change modes. Thermostats can malfunction just like any other component, and can require repair. Sometimes the instrumentation inside the thermostat can become dusty and dirty, which can affect how it operates. The wires that connect the thermostat to your system can fray and corrode, cutting off needed electrical flow. Sometimes it can be as simple as an issue of programming. The best way to manage a problem with your thermostat is to call a technician to review and inspect yours for any existing problems.

Refrigerant Leak

Your heat pump needs an exact amount of refrigerant to operate correctly, whether or not the system is cooling or heating your home. During the winter, the refrigerant absorbs the heat in the surrounding air so that your system can heat your home. If there is a refrigerant leak somewhere in your system, the heat pump can’t operate as it should, and the result may be lukewarm air blowing into your living spaces. Refrigerant leaks can be hard to find, and handling refrigerant requires certification, so if you suspect you have a refrigerant leak in your system, call for a technician.

Reversing Valve

The reversing valve in your heat pump is what allows the device to switch from cooling mode to heating mode. The reversing valve can get stuck in a certain position, whether it be a specific mode or in between modes. If the reason for the immobility is traced to the solenoid, the solenoid can be repaired; if the reason for the valve being stuck is attributed to a refrigerant leak or other issue, the valve will need to be replaced.

If your heat pump isn’t changing modes, don’t wait to call for heating repair in West Chester – call Bartels Heating & Cooling today!

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How to Tell a Furnace is Your Best Choice for Heating

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

With all the hype around more modern systems like heat pumps and radiant heating, it’s easy to overlook the furnace as a viable heating option. There is a good reason that the furnace remains the most popular heating choice in America, however. Let’s highlight the reasons why a furnace might be the best choice for your home.

Convenience

The number one reason to choose a furnace as a heating system is that it is the most convenient to install and maintain. Natural gas, the most common furnace fuel source, is readily available in most areas of the country. Because of the popularity of furnaces, it is easy to find an HVAC company that is well versed in installing them. Maintenance is also much easier, as replacement parts will be easy to find.

Flexibility

Furnaces come in a wide variety of types and sizes, making it more likely that you will find one that perfectly suits your home. Keep in mind the way furnaces interface with ductwork, as well. Many homes are outfitted with ductwork for central air conditioning. Oftentimes, furnaces can use this same ductwork without problems. Radiant heating, on the other hand, requires that an entire network of pipes be installed that only that system can use.

Furnaces also tend to heat up faster than other systems, like boilers. Water is a better conductor of thermal energy than air is, but it also takes longer to absorb that energy. A furnace can reach target temperature and begin actually warming the house well before the boiler even begins to approach the right temperature.

Like any system, a furnace has its drawbacks. It isn’t the most energy efficient heating system available, which may result in slightly higher heating bills than if you used other systems. The reduced cost of installation and repairs can often compensate for those factors, however.

If you would like to install a new furnace in your home, call Bartels Heating & Cooling. Our HVAC experts install furnaces throughout West Chester. We’d be happy to help you pick the best furnace for your home. Call us today!

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Why a Boiler Might Be the Best Choice for Your Winter Heating

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

Homeowners have a number of choices when it comes to home heating. In fact, there are so many choices, it may be hard to determine which system will work best for you and your home. One system you may want to consider is a boiler. Boilers have been around for a long time, and today’s models are very energy efficient. You also get a choice in fuel type for boilers, including oil, gas and solid fuel, such as wood or wood pellets. If it’s time for a new boiler installation in West Chester, call the people who can help you from start to finish: Bartels Heating & Cooling.

Some Benefits of Boiler Heating

Here are some benefits to consider when looking at installing a new boiler in your home:

  • Even heating – boilers distribute heat radiantly through radiators, baseboard heaters and radiant floor heating. This helps disperse the heat evenly as compared to a forced-air system in which hot air is blown.
  • No dust – boilers are closed systems and do not use air to distribute the heat. As such, they don’t disperse dust particles the way a forced-air system can.
  • Easy to zone – boilers use a system of pipes to deliver the hot water or steam to the distribution points; it is easy to create heating zones with piping systems.
  • Quiet operation – the only time you’ll hear a boiler running is during the short time it takes to heat the water in the system. Otherwise, the distribution is quiet.

Condensing vs. Non-Condensing

As we mentioned above, different fuel types can be used to operate a boiler. Many times, boilers are classified by fuel type, but there are also two other considerations when it comes to boilers: condensing and non-condensing.

Condensing boilers reuse the heat that would normally exit the system through your system’s flue to reheat the water via a secondary heat exchanger that is part of the system. Reusing this latent heat energy helps make a condensing boiler very energy efficient. Conversely, a non-condensing boiler does not make use of this latent heat, and may be less efficient.

Boilers can be great choices for your home heating, but the best way to assess what system will work best is to consult with a trained specialist. If you are considering the installation of a new boiler in West Chester, call Bartels Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation experts.

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Here’s How Professionals Clean Your Ductwork

Wednesday, August 27th, 2014

Professional duct cleaning employs the use of tools that are most likely not readily available to the average person. Moreover, ducts can be tricky to clean; it can be difficult to see the entire duct without the help of visual aid tools, and removing certain contaminants, like mold, can be challenging. These are just a couple of reasons why it’s best to call professionally-trained experts, like the ones at Bartel’s Heating & Cooling, for your duct cleaning service in West Chester.

Equipment Used by Professionals

Following is an overview of the kinds of equipment a technician can bring to a scheduled duct cleaning:

Access Tools

Technicians need access tools to create entry points in the HVAC system in order to properly inspect and clean your system. Access points can range from small holes for optical imaging to entry panels large enough to accommodate bulkier equipment.

Inspection Tools

These tools help the technician assess the scope of cleaning necessary for your ductwork. Tools may include hand-held mirrors, a periscope, closed circuit TV camera or a regular camera.

Hand-Held Cleaning Tools

Hand-held tools can include pneumatic devices that help remove stuck-on debris, as well as power and manual brushes.

Vacuum Collection Devices

Vacuum collection devices are used to collect the dirt and debris from your ductwork without spreading contaminants. The collection device does this by creating negative pressure in the ductwork. There are two main types of collection devices: those mounted on trucks and those that are portable.

Hand-Held HEPA Vacuums

HEPA vacuums are used to help remove debris from small or hard-to-reach places, and the HEPA filter inside the vacuum helps reduce the chances of contamination.

How It Works

The technician will access your ductwork by existing access points as well as any he/she may have to create. Your ductwork will get a thorough inspection, and then the cleaning will begin. Typically, a technician will start the cleaning with the truck-mounted vacuum to remove as much dust and debris as possible, and then focus on the more difficult spots. Once he/she has finished cleaning, your ductwork will be inspected again to ensure that the system was completely cleaned. Upon conclusion of the cleaning, the system will be re-closed and the workspace cleaned up.

A professional duct cleaning can improve your energy efficiency, comfort level and indoor air quality. If it’s been more than 5 years since you’ve had a duct cleaning, or you’ve moved into a new home with ductwork, call Bartel’s Heating and Cooling today and schedule a duct cleaning for your West Chester property.

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Can You Add Zone Control to a Geothermal System?

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

Geothermal heat pumps become more and more popular every year as homeowners discover their energy-saving efficiency and reliable performance, regardless of the temperature outside.

Homeowners have also learned about the advantages of installing a zone control system for their heaters and air conditioners. Zoning permits them to manipulate which rooms in a house receive conditioned air. This allows for a more comfortable environment and also saves energy.

But can geothermal systems and zone controls go together? Yes. We’ll explain further below.

For the answers to all your question about geothermal installation in West Chester, OH, call up the experienced team at Bartels Heating & Cooling. We’ve served Southwest Ohio with heating and cooling solutions since 1973.

Zone Control IS Compatible with Geothermal Heat Pumps

There is no reason that a zone control system can’t work for a home that uses a geothermal heat pump for its heating an cooling. The reason is that zone controls operate in a way completely independent of how a geothermal system operates.

Installers create zone control by attaching dampers hooked up to individual thermostats into the air ducts. The dampers can open or close off a room vent to airflow. As long as your home uses ductwork to distribute air—no matter the type of heater or air conditioner—you can install zone control for it.

The reason this works for geothermal is that geothermal systems operate just like any other heat pump when it comes to their interior parts. The underground loops use the ground for heat exchange, but the indoor components use the air. The conditioned air, either heated or cooled, is sent into the ventilation system with a blower fan, as with other heat pumps. The geothermal loops have nothing to do with the ventilation system where the zone control dampers are installed.

So you can add zone control to any heating or cooling system, geothermal or standard air-source, as long as it uses ductwork to distribute the conditioned air.

Although zone control is easiest to fit into the ventilation system during new heat pump installation, existing ducts can undergo a retro-fit for zoning at any time. If you have a large home with rooms that often do not need heating or cooling, you should investigate zone control as an excellent energy-saving option. Contact Bartels Heating & Cooling for help with zone control. You should also contact us if you are interested in geothermal installation in West Chester, OH. We can take care of both installations at the same time, and you’ll have double the energy-efficiency benefits.

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4 Common Water Heater Repair Needs

Thursday, August 7th, 2014

If you take excellent care of your home’s hot water heater, it will take excellent care of you—most of the time. Since no appliance can ever be 100% repair-proof, you may encounter troubles with your water heater that will require you call up professional technicians. (Under no circumstances should you try to troubleshoot the problems on your own, especially for a gas-powered system.)

Bartels Heating & Cooling offers fast and skilled water heater repair in West Chester, OH. You can reach our technicians any time of the day or night so that you won’t be stuck with cold water any longer than necessary.

Here are four of the more common repair needs for water heaters:

1. Failed anode rod

The anode rod, also known as the sacrificial anode rod, is a small device at the top of the tank of a water heater that helps prevent corrosion from entering the tank. Essentially, this rod rusts away before the rust can affect the tank, “sacrificing” itself for the system. The rod will need replacement once it rusts all the way through, so if corrosion starts to enter the water heater tank, contact professionals to replace the rusted anode rod.

2. Broken water pump

An electromechanical pump is responsible for removing the hot water from the top of the water tank and into the plumbing system. (So even if you have a gas-powered heater, you still need electricity to run the water heater.) If the pump becomes jammed or its engine fails, hot water will not enter your pipes. Professionals can fix or replace the pump.

3. Broken dip tube

The dip tube carries cold water from the municipal system down into the water tank, where it deposits it along the bottom of the tank where the heat exchanger/heating elements will start to warm it up. If the dip tube breaks, cold water will start to gather at the top of the tank instead, mixing with the hot water and lowering the water temperature that exits to the taps. Technicians will drain the tank and put in a new dip tube to solve this.

4. Excess sediment

If too much sediment from the water supply enters the tank and gathers at the bottom, it can potentially block the valves. Flushing the tank will take care of this problem.

When you suspect that anything has gone wrong with your home’s water heater, don’t wait for the problem to “get better.” It won’t, and it will actually soon grow worse. Have the problem fixed while it’s still small–give Bartels Heating & Cooling a call for water heater repair in West Chester, OH. People have trusted to our home comfort services since 1973.

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What Makes Commercial HVAC Repair Different from Residential?

Monday, July 21st, 2014

When you need to have repair work done for the HVAC system that keeps your business comfortable throughout the year, it is vital that you only call up technicians qualified for commercial work. No matter how talented a residential repair technician may be, no matter how experienced, if he or she has not done extensive commercial work or received the proper training, the job will not be done right, and your comfort and budget will suffer.

We will look at the ways that commercial HVAC repair in West Chester, OH is different from residential. Our team at Bartels Heating & Cooling has worked with both since 1973. We have high qualifications to handle any type of repair work you may need for commercial HVAC. We offer 24-hour emergency service, so we are always ready whenever your commercial heating and cooling encounters trouble.

The Differences in Commercial Repair Work

The most obvious difference between commercial and residential heating and cooling is size: the heating and cooling capacity for a commercial system must service a larger space and more people. But how does this affect repairs? One way is that commercial systems are modular, and often contain multiple packaged units to accommodate the needs of a large work space. A residential repair technician only has one unit to check, whereas a commercial repair technician must perform more extensive inspections to find which of the various units—and it might be more than one—is malfunctioning. The size of the system also means a more complicated series of dampers and thermostats; this intricacy of the system calls for specific training to remedy problems.

The majority of commercial units are packaged units, which means they contain all the components of a residential indoor and outdoor cabinet inside a single cabinet. Packaged units are configured much differently than other systems and require special training for their repairs and maintenance.

When doing repairs for a commercial system, a technician must have more in mind than maintaining comfort for the people inside the building. The system must also stay within local electrical codes. This is one of the reasons that you need to hire commercial specialists for your repairs, as you cannot take the chance of your building failing to stay up to code.

Schedule Service as Soon as You Need It

Don’t risk a breakdown in the comfort system that keeps your workplace viable for both employees and clients around the year. When the heating or cooling in your business appears in jeopardy, give us a call for commercial HVAC repair in West Chester, OH from Bartels Heating & Cooling. We can take care of your commercial comfort needs, any time of the day or night.

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Options to Consider With Your New Air Conditioner

Friday, June 27th, 2014

If you need air conditioning installation service  in West Chester, there are a lot of factors involved that can make the process seem overwhelming. Your new AC should be a high-performance system that doesn’t cost you a fortune on your energy bill. We’ve made it easier by detailing some options you may consider, including information about energy efficiency and about whether to choose a central AC or a ductless mini split system.

Energy Efficient Systems

One of the most important options to consider with your new system is its energy efficiency. Whatever system you choose, it’s important to have an energy efficient system to help cut down on your energy bill. Look for a system with a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating and the ENERGY STAR label. An HVAC specialist can tell you which systems are the most energy efficient and will help you find more ways to increase energy efficiency for the life of your system, such as yearly professional maintenance. Energy efficient options are available for both central AC systems and ductless mini splits, detailed below.

Central Air Conditioning

The most common form of AC you see in homes is central air conditioning. An outdoor compressor/condenser unit works with an indoor evaporator to move the heat from inside your home back outdoors, and the system uses the ductwork to circulate cool air. With regular maintenance and a high SEER rating, a central AC system can run smoothly and efficiently for years to come.

Ductless Mini Split Systems

A ductless mini split system is a great option when the structure of your home makes ductwork installation difficult. Similar to central AC, ductless systems require an outdoor unit and indoor unit. However, this system uses multiple indoor units so you can adjust the temperature in each area of your home. A mini split does not use ducts to blow air; instead, technicians mount compact indoor air handlers onto the wall or suspend them from the ceiling, so they don’t have to interfere with the interior design of your home.

For quality, professional air conditioning installation in West Chester, Bartels Heating & Cooling wants to help you find the air conditioning that’s right for your needs. Give us a call today to schedule your next service with us.

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Why Are Package Rooftop Units Popular for Commercial HVAC?

Friday, June 13th, 2014

Commercial HVAC systems in West Chester and other local towns have very different needs than residential air conditioning systems. They must handle a larger amount of space, for instance, and keep many more people comfortable. In addition, the demands on them will shift depending upon the particular business occupying the space. An office with a lot of computer hard drives, for instance, will need more air conditioning power than one used solely for paper storage. That creates different needs for office-based HVAC systems that can usually be solved by package rooftop units. Why are package rooftop units popular for commercial HVAC? We’ve provided a brief breakdown below.

In the first place, package units usually mean modular HVAC systems: multiple individual units all connected to the same system which can be added or removed as needed. This provides the building manager with maximum flexibility in terms of how much cool air is provided. He can divide the units between individual tenants according to their needs, and add or subtract units as appropriate. If one floor of the building is vacant, he can simply turn off the modular units providing that floor with cool air: saving money on monthly bills without disrupting the service for the rest of the building’s occupants.

That’s a big part of why such units are placed on the roof. Depending upon the size of the building, all those modular units can take up a lot of space. Putting them on the roof means that you don’t have to sacrifice any square footage that can go to cubicles, office storage or parking. And the rooftop still provides easy access in the event of repairs.

All of that combines to make package rooftop units very popular for commercial HVAC systems. If you’re a business manage or have a similar vested interest in commercial HVAC systems in West Chester, contact the experts at Bartels Heating & Cooling. We have the specialized training to handle commercial systems and we’re dedicated to your complete satisfaction every step of the way. Give us a call today and let us show you what we can do!

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Why You Need Professional Duct Cleaning

Thursday, May 29th, 2014

Your house may look clean from where you stand, but you don’t know what sort of dust, dirt, lint, dander, hair, and other pollutants could be hiding in your ductwork. In fact, if more than two years has passed since you had professional duct cleaning done—or if you’ve never had it done—your ventilation system could hold a reservoir of dirt and dust that is constantly getting blown out into your air and circulating through the ductwork, causing all sort of health problems, cutting into your HVAC system’s efficiency, and contributing to a build-up of dust inside the house that you will have a hard time clearing away.

You need to have the ductwork cleaned out, and it will take more than a broom or a vacuum hose shoved down an open vent to do this job. You must have professional cleaners on this task. Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to locate skilled duct cleaning technicians: you only have to call Bartels Heating & Cooling. We have a team ready to restore your ventilation system to its best shape with duct cleaning in West Chester, OH.

Why is it necessary for professionals to do this job?

The ductwork in a home, even a small home is quite complex and intricate, and most of it is out of the reach of the homeowner. To properly clean out the many types of debris that can become lodged inside ducts requires special high-end equipment and the knowledge to use it.

The most important tool of professional duct cleaners is the power vacuum, an enormous vacuum that dwarfs the size of any commercially purchased home vacuum cleaner. This vacuum not only provides suction, it also places the whole duct system under “negative pressure,” which allows for the easier removal of contaminating particles from the duct wall.

Duct cleaners also use agitation equipment, such as rotary brushes on long hoses, to target specific areas of the ductwork that need special attention. You shouldn’t attempt to buy professional-grade rotary brushes and use them yourself; you’ll risk damaging the interior of the ducts with the brush action. Let the professionals handle this work.

Finally, the cleaners use special kinds of sanitizers and deodorizers—again, nothing you can find in mainstream stores—to eliminate bacteria, odors, and other microscopic nuisances form your ducts. These substances are non-toxic and will have no negative effect on the health of you or your family.

Stay on top of duct cleaning

Most homes should have duct cleaning performed every two years, although if you encounter early trouble with dust and dirt coming from the vents, it’s fine to schedule it earlier or more frequently.

Let the technicians at Bartels Heating & Cooling help you with scheduling duct cleaning and other indoor air quality services in West Chester, OH. When you put our skill to work on your cleaning job, we’ll have the work done fast and leave you with the cleanest home you’ve ever had. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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