Posts Tagged ‘Heating’

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What are My New Hampshire Heating Oil Options?

Monday, September 9th, 2013

In New Hampshire, heating oil is a fact of life: seeing common use as a way to combat our notoriously cold winters. In the United States, the standard heating oil is known as No. 2 oil, or regular fuel oils. It’s used as the standard in most homes, and has replace a number of older oils because it burns more cleanly than they did. (Those older types – known as #6 oil and #4 oil – are still used in commercial power plants and other industrial capacities.) #2 oil is also preferable as a fuel because it’s comparatively hard to set on fire accidentally, requiring a high-voltage spark and oil set at the right pressure.

You might also see #1 oil, also called K1 kerosene which is essentially filtered kerosene. It’s not as efficient as #2 oil, but is more refined and has a lower pour point. It’s often sold as lamp oil in high-end shops, though it rarely sees use in oil furnaces. Instead, home heating oil sometimes appears as a “kerosene mix,” which is a combination of #1 and #2 oil (usually with about 10-20% #1 mixed with 80-90% #2). It will function in your heating system, though it may not burn as efficiently.

Recently, another option has raised its heat. Biofuel – created from vegetable oils such as soybean oil – can be blended with #2 oil or even used straight. It burns efficiently while reducing greenhouse gasses and can be produced in the United States without being exported from somewhere else.

If you have questions regarding New Hampshire heating oil options, talk to an expert before making any decisions. HB Energy offers both traditional heating oil and Bio Heat (a blend of #2 oil and Biofuel), as well as providing diesel fuel and propane. Contact us today and let us help keep your home warm this winter.

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

Monday, 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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Getting To Know Your Heating Options in New Hampshire

Monday, 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

Monday, 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?

Monday, 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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Pellet Stoves vs. Wood Stoves: Which is Superior?

Monday, 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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Southern Vermont Heating FAQ: Why Consider a Heat Recovery Ventilator

Monday, 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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3 Things You Should Look For In a New Furnace in Ludlow

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Getting a new furnace for your Ludlow home can be a stressful time. But it can also be an exciting time as you get ready to enjoy efficient and reliable heat for your home this winter. At HB Energy Solutions, we’ve installed countless furnaces for our customers in the Ludlow area. For this blog post, we thought it would be a good idea if we put together the top 3 things to look for in a new furnace.

The Size of the Furnace

One of the most common furnace problems that we see in Ludlow is a furnace that is the wrong size for the home. In many cases, the furnace is too large for the home. Having a load calculation performed on your home is a great way to figure out exactly what size of furnace you need. Here are some of the benefits to having a load calculation performed on your home:

  • Greater efficiency – When your furnace is the right size, it will most likely operate more efficiently.
  • Greater comfort – Furnaces that are too big often cause large temperature swings and hot and cold spots in your home.
  • Reduced wear and tear – When the furnace is too big, it turns on, quickly heats your home and then turns off. When your house cools town, it turns back on again. This causes extra wear and tear on your furnace.

Efficiency Rating

Furnaces are given an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating which measures how much of the fuel they consume over a season is actually converted into usable heat. Many old furnaces have an AFUE of around 60%. This means that 40% of the fuel they consume is wasted. Newer furnaces can have an AFUE of 95% or higher.

Fuel Type

Depending on where you live and many other factors, it might be a good idea to at least consider the fuel options that are available to you. For example, if you already have a natural gas running into your home, you may want to consider switching from an electric furnace to a gas-fired one. In many cases, natural gas is less expensive than electricity. This is all highly dependent on your specific situation and budget.

If you’d like help picking out a new furnace for your home in Ludlow, contact the heating experts at HB Energy Solutions. We have years of experience working with all types and brands of furnaces. We can help you find the correct size and efficiency rating for your home. Call us today! 

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Why Consider a Solar Heating System in Bellows Falls?

Monday, November 12th, 2012

Increasing energy costs have become a major concern in the past few years. As the price of keeping your home comfortable continues to increase many Bellows Falls, VT homeowners are looking for ways to reduce the amount of energy that they use. One of the most obvious ways to do so is to make sure that you are not wasting energy. Proper insulation, high-efficiency heating systems and sealing up air leaks are among the most common measures taken to reduce the amount of energy wasted in homes. The truth is, though, that most people waste a lot of energy every day. We’re not talking about leaving the windows open while heating your house, either. Each day that you let the sun’s energy go unused in your home you are wasting the potential of this sustainable, environmentally friendly energy source. If you live in a cold climate but your Bellows Falls, VT home gets a lot of sun exposure you may want to consider the installation of a solar heating system by HB Energy Solutions. Consider this information about how these systems work and the benefits they present to your home.

With an active solar heating system a liquid or air is heated by solar energy and is either transferred directly to your living space or to a storage system. If you are planning to use a radiant heating system or a boiler then a liquid system is probably your best option, as they lend themselves better to storage. They store the collected solar heat in tanks of water, and the heat from the working liquid passes through a heat exchanger into the distribution liquid.

There are a few different ways to distribute heat with a solar liquid system. Radiant heating is a popular method, though central forced-air systems may also be used. In a forced air system a heating coil is used. Air coming from your living space is heated, and additional heat may be supplied by your furnace. It is important to have a professional help with the sizing of the system and components to ensure that sufficient heat will be created.

The benefits of solar heating in your home are many. While the collectors and installation certainly make solar heating an investment you can greatly reduce the heating costs in your Bellows Falls, VT home, saving money over time. It is a sustainable energy source and is very environmentally friendly. If you are interested in cutting down on the amount of energy used to heat your home while also reducing your environmental impact, consider the installation of a solar heating system from HB Energy Solutions.

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Heating with Wood Safely and Efficiently in Springfield VT

Monday, November 5th, 2012

When done correctly, burning wood is one of the simplest and most efficient ways to keep your home warm. As long as new trees are being planted to replace those that are harvested for wood it is a sustainable, carbon neutral practice as well. If you’re interested in supplementing your home heating system – or even replacing it – with a wood burning system, HB Energy Solutions has some information to help you make the right decision for your home. Consider this information and follow the tips and you should have no problem heating your Springfield VT home safely and efficiently with wood.

  • Choose the right stove for your home. A fireplace is great for heating a single room, but they are not really designed to keep your whole house warm. A good wood burning stove can handle the task of heating your home efficiently and effectively. Be sure that your stove meets EPA guidelines and that it is properly sized for your home.
  • Don’t expect to just walk outside, find some wood and be set for the winter. You must season your wood for at least six months, keeping it off of the ground and protected from the elements while it dries. Green wood will not burn efficiently and smokes a lot more than well-dried wood.
  • Chop your wood as evenly as possible. Keeping your wood supply uniform allows for more even burning. Be sure to split your wood down to a fairly small size as well. This too helps wood burn more evenly and efficiently. It also speeds up the drying process.
  • Start your stove off hot. Get a mound of coals going and add a few logs all at once. This will help your stove burn wood as completely and cleanly as possible.
  • Keep an eye on your chimney. If you are generating a lot of smoke that means that the combustion is not complete enough and that you are creating a lot of pollutants. This can lead to chimney fires.
  • Do not burn trash in your wood burning stove. This creates more pollution. Also avoid questionable, moldy wood.

We hope that this information is helpful and that you enjoy your wood burning season. If you have any questions about the operation or maintenance of your wood burning stove be sure to call HB Energy Solutions. We’ll help you get the most out of the wood burning stove in your Springfield VT home.

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