Posts Tagged ‘New Hampshire’

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How Does an Electronic Air Purifier Work?

Friday, March 13th, 2015

Homeowners have a lot of choices when it comes to installing a new air purifier in their homes. The two main choices are between UV germicidal lighting and electronic air purifiers. Today we’re going to review electronic air purifiers – there are two types – and how they can clean the indoor air in your New Hampshire home.

Types of Electronic Air Purifiers

The two types of electronic air purifiers available for home usage are ion generators and electrostatic precipitators. Each of these types of air purifiers uses electricity to capture contaminants, but does so in a different way.

With an ion generator, negative ions are generated and dispersed into the air. These negatively-charged particles attach to particles and contaminants in your indoor air, creating a single, negatively-charged particle. The new particles are attracted to the surfaces in your home, and land on them. When you clean the surfaces, the contaminants are removed.

An electrostatic precipitator is a little more specific. With this type of electronic air cleaner, air is pulled into the device and directed to a chamber known as the ionization section. When particles arrive in the ionization section, they are negatively charged; the charged particles are then collected on oppositely-charged metal plates. The metal plates should be cleaned every three months to ensure effective operation of the ion generator.

Which Should I Choose?

Both types of electronic air purifiers can be seamlessly integrated with your current HVAC system, so a lot of your decision will be based on your needs and preferences, and this is where the help of a trained expert comes in. When you work with a trained indoor air quality expert, you will be given the assistance you need to make the best decision for you, your family members and your home. You may want to focus more on controlling allergens, or you may be looking for a more generalized solution.

Whatever your indoor air quality needs may be, the experts at HB Energy Solutions are here to help. Call us today and schedule an appointment today!

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What Are My Ductless Heating Options?

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

Ductless systems have become a great option for many homeowners, whether seeking whole-home heating and cooling or heating and cooling for a new expansion or retrofit. We have some pretty big temperature swings in our part of New England, with summer temps reaching the low 90s and winter temps that run below zero. As such, we’ve chosen two ductless manufacturers whose products can handle our New England whether while also being durable and offering the comfort you need and want from your ductless heating in New Hampshire: Mitsubishi and Fujitsu. We’ll go into more detail about these products below, but know that the experts at HB Energy Solutions are here to help you with all your heating needs.

Mitsubishi Ductless Systems

Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating has been manufacturing heating and cooling products for over 30 years. As one of the leaders in ductless systems, the Mitsubishi brand offers a number of benefits that are specific to their brand:

  • INVERTER-driven compressor system – this compressor starts with a great deal of power to heat or cool quickly, then adjusts its speed as needed, so it operates at variable speeds. This can be a tremendous energy saver for many households
  • i-see Sensor 3D technology – this sensor detects where people are in a room and directs the heating or cooling toward them
  • Can effectively heat to temperatures of -13F and above

Fujitsu Ductless Systems

Fujitsu General has been in the heating and cooling industry for over 35 years. There are many designs to choose from with a Fujitsu system, including wall mounted, Universal floor/ceiling, floor mounted, slim duct, compact cassette, cassette and multi-systems. Some features of the Fujitsu systems are:

  • INVERTER technology
  • Effective operation up to -15F and above
  • Base freeze prevention – certain models are equipped with a base heater that prevents the condensate from freezing

Which Is Best for You?

Each system offers great benefits of heat pumps, including great energy efficiency and long lifespan.

To determine which ductless heating system will work best for your New Hampshire home, call HB Energy Solutions today and schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

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Why Switch Your Electric or Gas Meter to a SmartMeter?

Thursday, January 8th, 2015

Have you ever wished your gas or electric meter would provide more information than just a tally of your usage? With a SmartMeter, you can get more. SmartMeters are being used around the country by individuals and businesses alike to help track and monitor energy usage in order to help reduce overall energy usage and costs. SmartMeters are not like simple utility meters; they can both output and receive data, making them somewhat complex devices; this is why it’s important to hire an electrical expert in New Hampshire for installation. The trained specialists at HB Energy Solutions are ready to help you install a SmartMeter, so call us today!

What Is a SmartMeter?

A SmartMeter is a metering system that collects electric and natural gas usage information for your home or business. SmartMeters collect residential electrical usage on an hourly basis and business electrical usage every 15 minutes; natural gas usage is collected daily. SmartMeters have two-way communication with your electrical grid; they can also transmit data over a secure wireless network so that you can see your energy usage first-hand.

What Are the Benefits of a SmartMeter?

  • Easy-to-read digital display (for electric meters)
  • Track energy usage hourly, daily, weekly or monthly
  • Sends notification via email, text or phone when your energy usage is higher than normal
  • Can be used for residential or commercial properties

Why Consider a SmartMeter?

The main reason to consider a SmartMeter is to reduce your overall energy usage. This can help you save money, whether for your home or business. Second, reducing your energy usage is good for the environment and your carbon footprint. Future applications for the SmartMeter will include pinpointing power outages.

If you’ve been looking for a way to track, monitor and reduce your energy usage, it may be time to consider the installation of a SmartMeter for your home or business.

Contact HB Energy Solutions and schedule an appointment with one of our electrical installation experts in New Hampshire.

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How Does Wood Pellet Conversion Work?

Thursday, December 18th, 2014

Though most home heating systems rely on natural gas as a fuel source, there are still many that use older fuels. Oil-burning heaters still have their adherents across the country. However, oil is not the most efficient of fuels, and must be carefully stored and used to avoid a fire. With that in mind, many oil heating system owners are starting to convert their systems to use wood pellets instead. Let’s take a look at how wood pellet conversion works.

Anatomy of a Wood Pellet System

Most wood-pellet systems are comprised of a burner, a storage unit, a conveyor, and a controller. The storage unit stores anywhere from a week to a few months’ worth of pellets. The conveyor is responsible for moving the pellets from the storage unit to the burner. The burner is self-explanatory, and the controller automates all the other systems.

The rest of the heating system works more or less the same way as any other heating system of the same type that uses other fuel types.

Converting to a Wood Pellet System

The great thing about converting your heater into a wood pellet burning system is that it doesn’t require any permanent or involved modifications. All that needs to be done is the original oil burner needs to be taken out, to make room for the wood pellet system. If you decide later on that you’d prefer to switch back, you can switch the mechanisms again with ease.

Advantages of a Wood Pellet System

There are a few different reasons to switch to a wood pellet system. For one thing, it’s cheap. Wood pellets are just about the cheapest fuel source available for heating systems. For another, it’s a green fuel. Wood pellets are made from trees often grown locally, and supported by their local community for having a small environmental footprint. If you’re worried about the impact your heating is having on the environment, wood pellets are a great way to ease those fears.

If you’d like to know more about wood pellet heaters, call HB Energy Solutions. We install wood pellet furnaces throughout New Hampshire.

 

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Tips for Maintaining the Electrical Wiring in Your Home

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Your number one concern in your home is safety, which is why the electrical system in your home should never be neglected. You use electricity for so many of the tasks you complete throughout the day, and, while it’s generally reliable, there is a safety risk attached when you are dealing with wiring. To protect the electrical components of your home and to protect your safety, follow some of the following tips that can improve the safety of any whole house electrical systems in New Hampshire.

  • Perform a Visual Check: Never ignore a perceived problem with your electrical system—no matter how small. Look for damage in the cables, overloaded sockets, malfunctioning equipment, flickering lights, or other problems that signal something is not quite right. Call a skilled electrician to ask what should be done about your particular issue.
  • Consider a Service Panel Upgrade: You may consider upgrading your service panel if you have an older home or if you’ve had a lot of problems with the service panel in the past. Older homes were not built to handle the amount of electrical appliances we use today. Because your home wasn’t meant to handle the voltage you require, you may blow a fuse (in older service panels) or trip the circuit breakers frequently. In this case, a new panel is often your best bet.
  • Only Allow Experts to Work on Your Home: One of the best ways to make sure the electrical components of your home are in top shape is to make sure you never trust a job to amateurs. Electrical wiring jobs can be dangerous, and faulty wiring can lead to fire hazards or even smaller problems like high energy bills and frequent outages.
  • Schedule Routine Maintenance: Finally, you should schedule routine maintenance to ensure that all of the parts of your electrical system are working as they should. Electrical maintenance is key to keeping your home safe, comfortable, and efficient.

Call HB Energy Solutions for any type of repairs, installation, or maintenance on whole house electrical systems in New Hampshire or to get valuable safety information about your electrical equipment.

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What to Expect During Gas Piping Installation

Monday, November 10th, 2014

Natural gas is one of the most popular fuel types for home use. It can be used for multiple home appliances, including your home heating system. Many homes are connected to a main natural gas line, but not all are. If your home is not currently connected to a gas line, and you want access to the natural gas in your area, it’s time to call HB Energy Solutions and schedule gas piping installation in New Hampshire.

Initial Steps Before Installation

There are a few steps that need to be taken before our HB Energy Solutions technicians can install your natural gas piping. The first step is pinpointing the exact location of the natural gas main line closest to your home. Next, our technicians will conduct a site survey. During a site survey, the heating load for your home is calculated, your current heating system is evaluated and the amount of gas piping needed for your home is determined. Once this information is determined, it has to be relayed to the gas company; additionally, permits have to be obtained for the installation before any work can proceed.

Installation

Before any digging can begin, all public utilities will be marked off so that all digging is safe. As the homeowner, it is important that you mark off any private utilities, such as underground sprinkler systems, etc. Once the utilities are marked off, a date will be set to install the piping and your gas meter.

It is important that correctly-sized piping is used for your gas installation. This is because every gas appliance has a minimum input demand in BTUs per hour. On the day of installation, any appliances that are being replaced with a gas appliance will be turned off, disconnected and removed from your home. Trenches are dug and the piping is assembled and laid into the ground. When the piping reaches the exterior of your home, it will connect to the meter, which is still not operational. Your city inspector needs to inspect the piping and the connection to the meter to ensure all is in order; when the outside piping is approved, the meter can be activated. Now the focus of the installation moves to the inside of your home: the technicians will install the interior gas piping and equipment, which also needs to be inspected. Once this inspection is complete, your new gas line and meter are activated for use. 

Gas piping installation in New Hampshire should only be handled by experts. If you are looking to connect your home to natural gas, call HB Energy Solutions today!

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How Ductless Heating Systems Work

Monday, October 27th, 2014

Ductless systems have been around for a while, having been used primarily in commercial spaces, but over the last decade they’ve become very popular with homeowners. While many people think of cooling when they think of ductless systems, they can heat just as well as they can cool. In addition to offering both heating and cooling, ductless systems offer other benefits, which may make ductless heating and cooling in New Hampshire a good option for your home. HB Energy Solutions offers many kind of heating systems, and our technicians have a great deal of experience with ductless systems. Contact us today.

How Ductless Systems Heat

Ductless systems use heat pump technology to offer both heating and cooling to your home. The main component that allows the system to provide heating and cooling is the reversing valve. This valve changes the direction of the refrigerant flow, which is how the system changes modes. A small electrical component called a solenoid allows the valve slide from one position to another, and the control for switching modes is on your home’s thermostat.

Benefits of Ductless Heating

As we’ve discussed, one of the main benefits of installing a ductless system is that it offers both heating and cooling. But there are some other benefits worth considering:

  • Energy efficiency – a heat pump does not use any fossil fuels to operate, and uses about 25% of the electricity that a whole-home air conditioner uses. As such, heat pumps are very energy efficient.
  • Easy installation – a ductless system has simple components: an outdoor unit, indoors blowers (up to 4 per outdoor unit) and a conduit that connects the blowers to the outdoor unit. Installation is pretty straightforward: the indoor blower is mounted and connected to the outdoor unit via a conduit drilled into an exterior wall.
  • Customized comfort – each blower operates individually, allowing you to customize your comfort per room.

If you are looking for a heating system that can also keep you cool and that is very energy efficient, it may be time to consider the installation of ductless heating in New Hampshire.

If you think a ductless system is a good fit for your home, call HB Energy Solutions today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation experts.

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Why Is My Boiler Leaking Water?

Monday, October 13th, 2014

In general, a boiler is an extremely reliable heating system that requires little repair over time. Boilers work by heating water and circulating it through a set of pipes and to a baseboard or radiant heat exchanger, such as a radiator or radiant floor heating system. Boilers can be very efficient, and radiant heating may be more comfortable than a forced air furnace.

Because boilers have few mechanical parts, they may not need as many repairs as other types of heating systems. However, with any type of system that involves the use of water, there is a risk of water leaking from time to time. If your boiler is leaking water, there may be many causes. A technician will check for the following problems when you call for heating system repair.

  • High Water Pressure: The expansion tank in your boiler helps protect it from problems caused by excessive water pressure. Your boiler is meant to keep water at a steady pressure level, but if there is a problem with this tank, water may leak from your unit. Luckily, the pressure relief valve safely releases water in the event of high pressure. A leaky pressure relief valve requires immediate repair.
  • Improper Installation: Unfortunately, some leaks occur simply because the system was not installed by expert heating installers. If this is the case, a technician may need to repair the fittings around the tank and solder any faulty connections. Unfortunately, major problems brought on by poor installation may require replacement.
  • Corrosion: If your boiler is leaking due to rust and corrosion, you may need a new unit entirely. While some leaks can be fixed, rust and corrosion generally means your boiler is too old, and there is simply no way to prevent further corrosion. Luckily, boilers are built to resist corrosion, so it should take a long time for rust to affect your system.

Leaks can damage the foundation of your home, lead to reduced heating, or cause mold or mildew to develop, so be sure to call a technician as soon as you suspect a problem.

For professional heating system repair throughout New Hampshire, call the expert heating team at HB Energy Solutions today!

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What are the Benefits of Wood Pellet Conversion?

Monday, September 29th, 2014

If you have been looking for a way to make your home heating more green and energy efficient, you may want to consider a wood pellet conversion in New Hampshire. This simple process allows you to swap out the oil burner in your heating system for a wood-pellet burner so that you can heat your entire home using wood pellets. Seem easy? It is – for our Pellergy-trained and certified technicians. If you’ve been looking to convert to wood pellets for your central heating, call HB Energy Solutions today.

How Does a Conversion Work?

There are four main components to a wood pellet heating system: the burner, a hopper (where the pellets are stored) a conveyor, (which feeds the pellets into the burner), and a controller that works with your home’s thermostat to tell the heating system when to turn on and off.

The conversion happens with the burner: the burner is taken out of your boiler or furnace and replaced with a wood pellet burner. The hopper can be as large or small as you like, and may hold enough pellets for a week or a month. The converted system can also work with other existing pellet appliances, like pellet stoves.

What Are the Benefits of Converting?

Here are some benefits of converting your central heating fuel source to wood pellets:

  • Save in fuel costs – it’s estimated that homeowners can save anywhere between 25-40% in annual fuel costs by converting to wood pellets.
  • No permanent modification – should you need or want to go back to your previous fuel type, you can.
  • Very environmentally-friendly – wood pellets are carbon neutral and release very little greenhouse gases.
  • Available fuel supply – wood pellets are readily available at various retail outlets.
  • Can be used with different distribution outlets – wood pellet heating systems can be used for radiators, baseboard radiators and radiant floor heating.
  • Can be used with different heating systems – wood pellets can be retro-fitted for both furnaces and boilers.

Wood pellet heating systems do need to have the ash vacuumed once a week to ensure proper operation and the hopper needs to be filled regularly.

If you’ve been thinking of moving forward with a wood pellet conversion in New Hampshire, call HB Energy Solutions today and schedule an appointment with one of our experts today.

 

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How Whole House Surge Protection Works

Monday, September 8th, 2014

Damage from electrical surges is more common than people often realize. A lightning strike, a downed power line, or an accident at a power plant can result in large surges that can seriously damage appliances in a home and shut down the power. But these large-scale surges are only one type of power surge. There is a more insidious kind that can occur on a daily basis without a homeowner noticing it. Cumulatively, these smaller surges can end up inflicting as much damage on household appliances as the more catastrophic surges associated with storms and other disasters.

Power strips connected to outlets provide one layer of protection from power surges, but they are often not enough. If your home experiences frequent surges, or if you are concerned about protecting your valuable precision electronics, contact HB Energy Solutions and ask us about surge protection for a New Hampshire home. We can install a whole-house surge protector that goes to the next level of guarding your home from the damages of power surges.

What whole-house surge protection is

The small surges that can cause trouble for a home usually occur when a powerful appliance—a refrigerator, an air conditioner, etc.—abruptly makes a large demand on the electrical system, causing an imbalance and subsequent energy surge. You might notice this when the lights briefly flicker as the appliance comes on. These guttering lights are a good sign that you would benefit from the installation of a whole-house surge protector.

Professional electricians connect a surge protector into the home’s electrical panel. Unlike power strips, which simply cut off the power when excessive voltage tries to move through them, a whole-house surge protector diverts the power down through a home’s grounding power line. Each time the surge protector detects anything higher than 120 volts (the standard voltage for U.S. homes) moving through the control panel, it moves the energy safely away. This means that your home has protection from smaller surges without you needing to constantly reset switches.

The whole-house surge protector will also guard against lightning strikes and other major power spikes, although it may need to be reset. A warning light on the protector will inform you when it needs to be reset, so be sure to check on the system after your home experiences any large surge.

Even after you have a whole-house surge protection system installed, you should still keep your point-of-use protectors for your computers and other important appliances: it never hurts to have a second line of defense when it comes to valuable electronics.

At HB Energy Solutions, we not only offer residential whole-house surge protection in New Hampshire, but also surge protection for businesses.

Call our team of trained and certified electrical technicians to find out about all the electrical services we can provide for your home or workplace.

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