Posts Tagged ‘Southern Vermont’

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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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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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What Is A SmartMeter and What Are The Potential Benefits? A Southern Vermont Heating Question

Monday, January 21st, 2013

If you’re like most people, you get a monthly electrical bill that tells you how much electricity you used and the amount of money that you owe. If you’re like most people, you’d like to reduce the amount of energy that you use not only to save money but also to help conserve energy. At HB Energy, we’re concerned about the environment as well and would love to help all of our customers get the most out of their home’s electrical system. That’s why we offer SmartMeter installation in Southern Vermont. Here is some information about SmartMeters and how they can benefit your home.

What is a SmartMeter?

Right now, your home has a basic electrical meter that has a spinning disc inside of it. This tells you how many kilowatt-hours you’re currently using—but that’s about it. A SmartMeter, as its name implies, gives you more information about the electrical usage for your home. There are also gas SmartMeter models that can give you detailed information about your home’s gas usage.

SmartMeters offer more information because they connect wirelessly to the internet using a secure connection. It will upload data about your energy usage and email you a report on the hourly, daily and weekly electrical usage of your home. It can also email you an alert if your energy usage goes above a certain point.

What Are the Benefits of Using a SmartMeter for Your Southern Vermont Home?

When it comes to energy usage, most homeowners do their best to reduce their consumption. But without more information, making those efforts successful is very difficult. Without knowing which hours of the day you use the most energy will make it difficult to know where to focus those efforts.

With the SmartMeter, you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly which appliances are using the most energy. That way, you can target your conservation efforts on their use. With a tool like the SmartMeter, you’re in charge of your home’ s energy use and can more effectively manage your energy use.

If you have any questions about the SmartMeter or if you’re interested in having one installed in your Southern Vermont home, call HB Energy today.

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New Hampshire Fuel Guide: Using Bio Diesel in Heavy Equipment

Monday, January 14th, 2013

When you use heavy equipment for commercial or farming applications, as many here in New Hampshire and the surrounding areas do, you can plan on going through a lot of gas over the course of a year or even a season. Does it not make sense, then, to try and use the cleanest, most efficient and environmentally friendly fuel available to you? At HB Energy Solutions, we are dedicated to providing our customers with a truly one call customer service experience, and that is why we include Bio Diesel in our comprehensive list of services and products.

Bio Diesel, also known as “neat” Bio Diesel, is a very clean burning alternative fuel source. Many of you have undoubtedly heard of the Clean Air Act. We are proud to offer Bio Diesel to our customers for a number of reasons, including the fact that Bio Diesel fuel is the only option of all the alternative fuel sources to fully satisfy health effects testing requirements put forth by the Clean Air Act. Many compounds used in traditional fuel source have been linked to cancer, and Bio Diesel reduces the presence of these compounds by up to 90%.

Plus, Bio Diesel boasts the highest energy content of all alternative fuel choices. The whole point of opting for alternative fuel sources is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and your carbon footprint, right? Then why not use the most energy packed alternative fuel source out there? With Bio Diesel you get the most bang for your buck.

Bio Diesel does not suffer in performance as a tradeoff for its environmental benefits. In fact its fuel economy, horse power and torque capabilities are comparable to petroleum. This nontoxic, biodegradable fuel source is still able to get the job done.

At HB Energy Solutions, we understand investment that you have made in purchasing your heavy commercial or farming equipment. We also understand that newer, alternative fuel sources make some folks weary of damage to their equipment or decreased performance. We have seen firsthand the opportunities that Bio Diesel has to offer here in New Hampshire. We encourage you to give us a call about this great fuel source and try it out for yourself. You’ll be impressed with the results.

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What to Remember When Having New Wiring Installed in Southern Vermont

Monday, January 7th, 2013

The installation of new wiring in your Southern Vermont home is a pretty big project to undertake. In truth, it is one of the most disruptive services you can have completed in a preexisting home. The invasiveness of a complete electrical rewiring is worth the considerable hassle, though. If your electrician has reason for concern enough to suggest the rewiring of your home, you had best listen to that suggestion carefully.

At HB Energy Solutions, we will not promise you that your electrical rewiring will be quick and simple, nor can we make it so. What we can do, though, is to make the process as painless as possible. A big part of making the electrical rewiring service in your home as minimally disruptive as possible is simply to be prepared for it. Here are some things for you to remember in preparation for your electrical rewiring project.

  • Plan on having somewhere large enough to store your furniture…pretty much all of it. Any room that is being rewired will need to have the furniture moved out. Chances are you do not want to trust the New England weather with all your furniture sitting on your lawn. Plan ahead for this.
  • Keep in mind the fact that floor boards will need to be pulled up. If you have laminate floors this can be a pretty big project in and of itself. Be sure to discuss all aspects of the service with your electrical service provider. Do not realize that you have not properly budgeted for this work once it is underway.
  • Expect a decent amount of work once the rewiring is done. We will ensure that your new wiring is convenient, safe and dependable. Plan on spending some time getting your home back to normal.

An electrical rewiring project is always a big one. Even partial rewires require a lot of work and exceptional service quality. When you need electrical rewiring services in the Southern Vermont area, contact HB Energy Solutions. We will make sure that you have the reliable access to safe electricity you need to live comfortably in your home.

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Southern Vermont Solar Question: Do Solar Water Heaters Work Effectively in the Winter?

Monday, December 17th, 2012

Most people associate solar energy systems with the clean, sustainable production of electricity or heat for your Southern Vermont home. It is also possible, though, to use this exceptionally environmentally friendly energy source to heat water for use in your home efficiently and dependably. As is the case with any energy source or water heater, though, a number of factors can influence the success with which a solar water heater operates in your home and on your property. It is important to discuss all of your options and considerations with a qualified solar energy technician. Call HB Energy Solutions today to get all the information you need about heating water with solar energy.

Many homeowners are concerned about the operation of solar energy systems during the winter months. It is important to remember that heat is not what powers your solar energy system but the energy of the sun that is directed at the solar panels. While the days are certainly shorter in the winter time and sunlight is not as continuous as in the summer, your solar panels will still absorb the sunlight available to them.

The success of your solar water heater in the winter time really depends upon such factors as the number of panels you are using as well as the size of your system, the orientation of your property in relation to the sun, and other design points of the system as a whole. If you do not currently have a water heater integrated into your solar heating system, contact a member of our team today to have your system assessed.

Remember too that a backup energy system is often advisable when using solar power for those times when the sun just doesn’t seem to want to shine. Incorporating another fuel source into your solar energy system to supplement your solar energy will help to eliminate these worries. For more information about using a solar water heater in your Southern Vermont  home, contact HB Energy Solutions today.

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