New Hampshire Heating Problems: Why Does My Heater Cost So Much?

April 1st, 2013

Maintaining warm, comfortable temperatures throughout the heating season is a goal that most homeowners share. Unfortunately, many homeowners are dissuaded from keeping their homes as comfortable as they’d like due to high energy costs. At HB Energy Solutions, we do not think that anyone should have to compromise their comfort in order to keep their energy bills manageable. Here are some common causes of heating problems along with some possible solutions from the heating professionals at HB Energy Solutions. Contact us today with any questions you may have.

One reason that your home heating costs may be too high is if your ductwork is in poor condition. Leaky, torn and improperly installed air ducts will allow the air that you have already paid to heat to escape from your system before reaching its destination. This means that your heater will need to heat more air to make up for this loss, causing efficiency levels to drop. This can also cause further problems, as your heater will need to work harder to replace lost energy. Your heater will incur more wear and tear that can potentially lead to damage.

In fact, minor and developing problems with your heating system are another very probable cause of your high heating costs. If even one component of your heating system is not working properly it can throw off the performance of the entire system. Only when each individual part of the system is operation correctly can you get the best performance and efficiency that your system has to offer.

That is precisely why routine heating maintenance is so important. During routine maintenance, a professional heating technician has the opportunity to inspect and tune up your entire heating system. Any small problems can also be discovered and resolved before they can have much of an impact on your heater. Keep your heating costs manageable by scheduling routine heating maintenance with a qualified professional today.

When you have heating problems in New Hampshire, call HB Energy Solutions. We can help you heat your home in a more efficient manner. Keep comfortable and cut heating costs by scheduling service today.

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Southern Vermont Electrical Safety Tips

March 25th, 2013

Spring is a time for cleaning, organizing, and outdoor maintenance. Make sure that you and your family know the risks and dangers of electrical equipment. While most people know the danger of electricity, everyone needs to be educated about home safety. Here at HB Energy Solutions, we work with a wide range of energy products and services, from septic tanks to comprehensive electrical installation. In this post, we’d like to pass along some electrical safety tips. For comprehensive energy solutions, call the Southern Vermont electrical experts at HB Energy Solutions today!

  • Be aware of overhead wires. As you do your spring cleaning outside the home, remember to know where any overhead wires are at all times, particularly if you’re working on a ladder.
  • Inspect any home tools for electrical faults. If you have any electrical equipment, make sure that it’s safe to operate by taking a look for any frayed or damaged wiring.
  • Don’t overload outlets. Plugging too many gadgets or multiple surge protectors into a single electrical outlet can overload your electrical system and be hazardous. If you need additional power sources, then make sure they are professionally installed.
  • Don’t operate electrical equipment near water. In places like the kitchen, bathroom, or even outside around the swimming pool, the operation of electrical equipment can be dangerous. Keeping electricity and water separate is obvious to most people, but it’s easy to overlook, too. Make sure that any potentially harmful devices are out of the reach of young children.
  • Have an electrical problem? Hire a pro. There’s no substitute for the knowledge and experience of a trained professional. Handling electricity can be dangerous, and you need to make sure that you’re not doing more harm than good. Make sure you hire a certified electrician.

Electrical problems can place your home in danger and your comfort at risk. Make sure you stay alert to flickering lights, frequently tripped circuit breakers, and wobbly switches. When you need a Southern Vermont electrical expert, call HB Energy Solutions.

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Southern Vermont Septic Guide: How Your Septic System Works

March 18th, 2013

If you don’t rely on the municipal waste management system to get rid of your wastewater, chances are you have a septic tank in your backyard. Your septic tank sifts through the organic waste, and separates the water from the solid matter, allowing it to drain effectively into the drain field. The septic tank experts at HB Energy are committed to informing their customers about how their home systems work, so that they have the tools necessary to recognize major problems before they cause serious malfunction. While it’s not always possible to prevent repairs, a little bit of know-how goes a long way. For any septic tank problems in Southern Vermont, call HB Energy Solutions today!

Your septic tank is a watertight box buried in your yard that is usually made out of concrete or fiberglass. It typically holds about 1000 gallons, but its size depends upon the size of your home and your plumbing needs. Your sewer and drains gang together into your sewer main and flow into your tank. This new water displaces the old. Once there, there are three different layers that form inside: decomposing matter floating at the top of the tank (scum), mostly solid matter collected on the bottom (sludge), and relatively clear water in the middle of the two, which overflows into your drain field. The decomposition process takes the scum and separates it into solid matter and water.

The entire system is passive, meaning that it is powered only by gravity and the design of the system and materials themselves. The drain field, also known as the soil absorption system, is a trench with perforated piping overlaid with gravel to disperse the water. The septic tank requires a periodical removal service, which pumps the solid matter out of the septic tank to avoid overflows and promote efficient sewerage. The frequency of the septic pumping depends upon tank size, condition, and usage.

We hope that answers some of your questions about how a septic tank works. For more information, or to schedule septic tank maintenance in Southern Vermont, call HB Energy Solutions.

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Getting To Know Your Heating Options in New Hampshire

March 11th, 2013

If you’re considering a heater replacement in New Hampshire, then you need to know what’s available to you, as well as what’s best for your home. HB Energy Solutions offers a wide range of heating options to customers throughout the area. We cover all aspects of heating installation, repair, and maintenance. We are a full service heating and fuel company, which means we can cover everything for you. Call one of our New Hampshire heating experts at HB Energy Solutions today!

Is it time for a new heater for your home? Let’s take a look at some options.

  • Furnace. The furnace is one of the most common heating options in the Northeast. Your furnace converts energy drawn from a fuel into hot air and distributes the heat through the ductwork in your home.
  • Boiler. The boiler works just like a furnace, but instead of heating air, it heats hot water or steam and distributes it throughout your home by means of baseboard heaters, radiators, or radiant flooring. It can also heat your water, which is an added bonus for many homeowners.
  • Wood or Pellet Stove. A wood stove offers an excellent heating solution to many customers in the New Hampshire area, where wood is a plentiful fuel source. Pellet stoves are another efficient form of heat, and they are also ideal since pellet fuel is available through HB Energy Solutions for customers throughout the area.
  • Pellet Boilers. Available in steel or cast iron and in three sizes, we feature the Pellergy Pellet Boiler here at HB Energy Solutions. They are an efficient and clean-burning heating solution, which burns compressed pellets made form sawdust and sawmilling. Their low moisture content and high density allow for high combustion efficiency.
  • Ductless Split Heat Pumps. As its name suggests, ductless split heat pumps do not use ductwork to transfer heat into your home, but rely on a split system: an outdoor unit and indoor air handler. Ductless systems tend to be highly efficient because ducts tend to account for the majority of heat loss during the winter.

Whatever heating option you select for your home, make sure that it’s appropriately sized to match your heating needs. A professional heating installation makes all the difference. Call HB Energy Solutions for all of your New Hampshire heating installation needs.

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What You Need To Know Before Wood Stove Installation in Southern Vermont

March 4th, 2013

A wood stove can make a classic addition to any home system. It can also be configured as your primary means of heating when installed professionally. If you’re thinking of installing a wood stove in your home, there are a few things to keep in mind. HB Energy Solutions is committed to informing its customers as to the value of a wide variety of heating options. Here are a few of things that you should know before moving forward with installing a wood stove.

  • Weight. Depending on the brand and size of the model, wood stoves can be very heavy. Even the smallest of steel and cast-iron wood stoves may weigh well over 200 pounds, and it increases substantially as you move up in size. Your local wood stove professional will be able to advise you on where the weight of your wood stove system is best placed.
  • Chimney. Your wood stove needs a clean and well-ventilated chimney in order to be able to efficiently exhaust smoke and fumes outside. Check to see what kind of chimney your wood stove needs. Every wood stove tends to come with its own set of ventilation requirements. The flue must also be made of heat-resistant material, leak-proof, and the correct diameter and height.
  • Clearance. The heat radiating from your wood stove requires an appropriate amount of clearance. For example, if you have wood flooring surrounding your stove, it can deteriorate over time.  Wood stoves require a certain amount of floor protection based on the size of the stove and its height off the ground. Your local technician will know exactly what you need to keep your home safe and warm throughout the year.

When thinking about which wood stove to purchase, contact the Southern Vermont wood stove installation professionals at HB Energy Solutions. We install high quality stoves from brands like Pacific Energy, and we know how to maximize the energy efficiency of your unit. Call us today.   

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New Hampshire Heating Guide: Where Is My Boiler Leaking From?

February 25th, 2013

Boiler leaks are not always obvious. Often, they occur in places that are difficult to access or hidden by covers. Consulting your boiler technician is the first step to repairing a leaking system. For over 20 years, HB Energy Solutions has installed, repaired and serviced boilers. If you think your boiler might be leaking, call us today.

Boiler problems can be tricky for homeowners to detect. After all, sometimes the only indication a boiler leaks is a drop in system pressure. But this may occur at such a slow rate that it’s nearly undetectable. When it’s particularly slow, there can be little trace, for small amounts of leaked water evaporate on the hot piping. At times of high usage during the winter months, leaks may be more noticeable because the total system pressure is at its peak rate throughout the year.

Calling in your local New Hampshire boiler expert is the first step to ensuring the longevity of your boiler system. If there are problems with your system, it is important to repair them as soon as possible. There are a few things an expert boiler technician may do to determine where that leak in your boiler system is coming from:

  • Comprehensive system inspection. Unless the affected component or area is obvious, there is no substitute for the discriminating eyes of a professional. They’ll check your hot water piping, boiler, controls, valves, circulator pumps, piping elbows, baseboards, and radiators to look for evidence of mineral depositing, which may indicate a leak.
  • Water supply shut-off.  Temporarily shutting off the water from the boiler allows the boiler technician to monitor the resulting pressure.
  • Thermography. If all else fails, there are certain technologically-advanced measures to take, like using thermography cameras, which can detect abnormally hot points in the system. This can help pinpoint the location of hard-to-find leaks.

If your boiler is no longer working as it once did, or if you have noticed pressure loss over the past few weeks or months, your system may have a leak. HB Energy Solutions are only a call away. Contact us today for more information about boiler repair in New Hampshire.

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Southern Vermont Tank vs. Tankless Water Heater Guide: Which Is Best For You?

February 18th, 2013

HB Energy Solutions installs tank and tankless water heaters in Southern Vermont and throughout the region. Installing a new water heater is a big investment, and you want to choose the right water heater so that you get the most out of your new investment.

While tankless models do not have standby losses, there are many benefits to installing a new high-efficiency tank water heater. If you are looking to save energy and money on heating the water in your home, there are plenty of Energy Star water heaters that can save energy without having to upgrade to a tankless model. If you aren’t sure what the efficiency ratings mean, call one of our home energy experts to go over the different ratings with you.

If you are considering a tankless water heater, there are a few factors to consider. The type of fuel used to heat your home is one of these factors. Having an existing gas line will reduce the installation costs. In addition, installing a tankless model will depend on where the existing connection is located in your home. If your home is heated with electricity, then you can install an electric tankless water heater in a variety of places in the home, even under the sink models, since there’s no need for ventilation or gas line connection.

The size of your home and your hot water needs are other factors to consider. If you have a smaller home, tankless models may have enough capacity for all the hot water applications in the home because there’s no tank holding the hot water. For larger homes, you may need a larger capacity, which can be obtained with the right sized tank water heater.

If you have questions or would like to speak with one of our Southern Vermont water heater experts, call HB Energy Solutions any time.

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Pellet Stoves vs. Wood Stoves: Which is Superior?

February 11th, 2013

For Southern Vermont homeowners that are interested in switching from oil or natural gas, pellet and wood burning stoves are a great option. But which one is more efficient and which one has the fewest emissions? At HB Energy we specialize in alternative fuels for homeowners that are seriously interested in reducing the amount of energy that their homes use. We wanted to put together quick comparison to give homeowners a good starting place as they start thinking about switching fuel sources.

What Are Wood Pellets?

So what exactly are wood pellets? Sawmills and other wood working businesses produce a huge amount of waste wood shavings and saw dust. Normally, those would be thrown away in a landfill. Wood pellets are made from that waste material by compacting them under high pressure. The wood shavings are pressed into a small, pill-shaped mass that can then be used to fuel wood pellet stoves.

Pellet Stoves: Pros and Cons

Wood pellet stoves offer extremely high efficiency and BTU output when compared to wood burning stoves. In almost every instance, the pellet stoves provide greater efficiency and higher head output per unit of fuel consumed. However, pellet stoves require electricity, though, not a lot of it. But if the power goes out then you can’t use your pellet stove. Additionally, wood pellets are not available in all places and in the event of a natural disaster if you can’t acquire any pellets then you can’t heat your home.

Wood Burning Stoves: Pros and Cons

One of the best pros for wood burning stoves is that its fuel source is readily available. You can find wood pretty much anywhere and if you have trees on your property they can be used to for fuel as well. However, wood burning stoves are much less efficient than pellet stoves and they also require more fuel to produce a similar amount of heat. But wood burning stoves don’t require any electricity to run so if the power goes out your home will still be comfortable.

If you have any questions about wood burning stoves or pellet burning stoves in Southern Vermont, call the experts at HB Energy.

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The Facts About Wind Power: A New Hampshire Green Energy Guide

February 4th, 2013

Sometimes it seems like the cost of energy just keeps rising. This can make operating electricity-powered equipment a challenge, especially when the budget is a little tight. As more and more attention is given to climate change, reducing environmental impact and other eco-friendly movements you may find yourself looking for a way to reduce your dependence on power sources such as electricity. If you are in the New Hampshire area and are really interested in reducing your energy costs and environmental impact, call HB Energy Solutions. We have all the facts you need to decide if residential or commercial wind power is right for you.

Most homeowners think that their residential power needs are too small for wind power. Many small commercial businesses think the same. This could not be further from the truth. For the environmentally minded consumer wind power is a great solution to a big carbon footprint and even bigger energy bills.

HB Energy Solutions offers exceptional wind power system installation, maintenance and repair services. We are also a qualified SkyStream 3.7 and Windspire dealer. We are proud to provide these systems to home and business owners throughout the area and we stand by their quality every bit as much as we stand by the quality of our work.

Windspire turbines stand only 30 feet tall, making them ideal for either urban or rural areas. Because Windspires come as a complete system they make a great addition for consumers just entering into the world of wind power. Their durability and innovative design also help minimize service needs. Energy is created with vertical airfoils, creating up to 2,000 kWh a year. Remember, certain average wind levels are necessary for these systems to operate efficiently and effectively. In this case 11 mph average winds will suffice.

Creating energy with wind turbines and converting that energy to electricity is an innovative, eco-friendly way to power your home or business. Of course this technology requires a professional installation and expert service to operate properly. If you are interested in harnessing the power of the wind to make your residence or commercial property greener, call HB Energy Solutions. We have the answers to all your questions regarding the facts about wind power.

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Southern Vermont Heating FAQ: Why Consider a Heat Recovery Ventilator

January 28th, 2013

Are you considering a heat recovery ventilators for your Southern Vermont  home? Call HB Energy to help you decide if a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is the most cost-effective solution for your heating and ventilation needs. Our heating and home energy experts will go over the benefits and the installation process so that you know what to expect.

A heat recovery ventilator is installed to work with your existing heating system to provide energy-efficient ventilation. Some models also serve as an air cleaner and humidifier. A heat recovery ventilator transfers the heat from the air leaving your home to the air entering it, which allows you to add fresh air to your home without wasting heat energy. Energy recovery ventilators (ERV) work in a similar way, but they are not the best solution for all homes.

Knowing which type and model depends on your particular situation. Installing an HRV will definitely help with ventilation, and you don’t have to sacrifice energy savings as you would with other ventilation systems. If you aren’t sure whether an HRV is the best ventilation system for you, simply call the Southern Vermont  heating experts at HB Energy.

We also maintain and repair existing heat recovery ventilators. If you aren’t sure if your HRV is working properly, or if you have other ventilation concerns, call us ASAP. We’ll send one of our technicians over quickly to resolve the issue. Don’t take chances with improper ventilation, especially if you have a wood stove or gas heating system. Call us any time for your next tune-up. With proper maintenance, you can prevent heating or HRV repair needs.

Contact HB Energy for your next service or to learn more about the many benefits of a heat recover ventilator in your Southern Vermont home.

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