Celco Heating and Air Conditioning Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Hamden’

Why a New HVAC Unit Is a Great Investment for Homeowners

Monday, September 27th, 2021

AC-UnitsThe summer of 2021 has been exceptionally brutal. Many areas in the United States have experienced record high temperatures. As summer winds to a close, now is the time to evaluate just how well your existing HVAC performed over the past few months. 

Most homeowners fail to realize that keeping an outdated HVAC unit in service past its prime will actually cost them more money in the long run. This is why replacing your worn-out unit is important. Read below to find out why replacing your existing HVAC unit at summer’s end is a good idea. 

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Why Choose a Gas Furnace?

Monday, December 9th, 2019

opening-furnaceSpending winters in Connecticut is unimaginable without having a fully working heating system on your property. Furnaces are among the most popular of all heating systems, and with good cause. A good furnace is able to toast up the given space no matter how much the outside temperature has dropped.

If you have to install a furnace before the end of the year to cope with the peak winter spell of January, but you are still sitting on the fence between gas and oil furnaces, continue reading this post.

Here, we will make a case for why a gas furnace is a better option for your property than any other type of furnace.

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Can I Replace a Tank Water Heater with a Tankless Unit?

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

If your water heater is like the ones found in most homes in the United States, it probably takes up a lot of space due to the large tank that stores hot water. This type of water heater is known as a storage tank water heater, and its design is effective because it relies on natural processes in order to make hot water available at all times. However, this means that the water heater must continue running for long periods of time, which could end up costing you quite a bit on your utilities. That’s why so many homeowners today prefer small tankless units, but does it make sense to make the switch in your home?

Storage tank water heaters are very reliable and rarely run into trouble as long as they receive occasional maintenance checks. They work in a fairly simple manner. A long tube runs to the bottom of the tank and water is heated either via an electric heating element or a gas burner. The hot water rises to the top of the tank because of the principle that heat rises, and a smaller pipe at the top of the tank allows the water to flow from the tank into the faucet. While this is generally highly effective, the extra cost of keeping water heated throughout the day and the environmental impact sometimes leads homeowners to go tankless.

Tankless water heaters can usually replace storage tank water heaters, though water heater replacement isn’t really recommended unless your existing unit is nearing its expected lifespan or if you have run into problems with your system, as this is the most cost effective time to do so. Tankless water heaters heat water immediately as it water passes through the unit and shut off as soon as the hot water demand is met, eliminating any potential standby energy loss. Though the initial cost may be high, the savings over the years should eventually make up for it.

It’s best to finalize your decision with the help of a professional technician, so that you can make sure the conditions in your home are right for any type of system you desire.

Work with the technicians at Celco Heating and Air Conditioning for superior service and expert advice on water heater replacement in Hamden.

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How Can I Benefit from Duct Replacement?

Friday, December 12th, 2014

The ventilation system connected to an air conditioner and forced-air heater is essential for proper comfort inside a home. The ductwork must retain an airtight seal so that the air inside won’t lose pressure and won’t either gain or lose heat. Should the integrity of the ducts decline because of holes, gaps, or lose connections, it will jeopardize the entire HVAC system.

Celco Heating and Air Conditioning offers services to care for residential ductwork, such as duct sealing. But sometimes sealing holes along ducts is insufficient for restoring the HVAC system; in these cases, replacing the ducts is the better option. Ductwork replacement is also helpful for upgrading to a new heating and cooling system, where the older ducts are not suited to the replacement system, or in situations where the ducts were poorly installed in the first place. Our ductwork specialist will provide you with the duct replacement in Hamden, CT that you need. Call us today to set up an appointment.

How ductwork replacement will benefit you

  • Energy savings: When ducts sustain enough damage that they require replacement, they will have a devastating effect on energy efficiency. Air leaks and drops in air pressure will press the heating and cooling system to work harder than they should, and you will see energy bills skyrocket. Fully replacing the faulty ducts will shore up your HVAC system against large energy losses.
  • Indoor air quality improvement: When you consider that most of the ductwork runs through closed-in, dusty areas of a house (between the walls, through ceilings, crawlspaces), you’ll understand why a broken duct can allow in so many harmful contaminants. You don’t want such pollutants, many of which are toxic, to end up blown into the house. New ducts will help you protect your indoor air from a steep decline.
  • Better comfort: Along with reduction in airflow and temperature changes that will reduce the level of heating or cooling that you receive, damaged ducts can also lead to changes in the humidity inside the ducts and consequently inside the house. New ducts will keep your comfort levels stable. They will also help with upgrades to your heating and cooling system so you will get the most out of a new installation.

Make sure you watch for warning signs that you may need new ducts put in: loss of airflow from the vents, rumbling and rattling sounds, odd odors, and massive leaps in heating and cooling costs. At the first indication that your home’s ducts are losing integrity, call Celco Heating and Air Conditioning. We will determine if you need ductwork replacement in Hamden, CT, and can supply whatever work necessary to secure your ventilation system.

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Why Schedule Maintenance for Your Automatic Standby Generator

Monday, October 20th, 2014

An automatic standby generator can keep your home and family members safe and comfortable in the event of a power outage. Power outages are a very real possibility here in Hamden, but your automatic standby generator switches on as soon as the electricity cuts out. This type of unit is wired to your home’s existing wiring system so that it can sense when there is no longer a current flowing through the home.

Homeowners choose automatic standby generator installation for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s never pleasant when the lights switch off and could even pose a safety issue in some cases. For people who work from home, a working computer and internet connection is a necessity, while other households may need electricity for medical equipment or other important components of the home. A shut-down heater or air conditioner can be another major problem for some homeowners, and a warm refrigerator can ruin hundreds of dollars of groceries quickly.

Maintaining Your Unit

If you own an automatic standby generator, it’s important to do all you can in order to ensure it kicks on as soon as you need it. You can test out the automatic standby generator by running it and checking for any error codes that indicate it is low on fuel or coolant. However, there may be other problems with your system that a maintenance technician can detect even sooner, to prevent problems from occurring later on.

There are a couple of reasons to schedule maintenance regularly with a trained electrician. For one, an electrician can catch any minor problems early on, to prevent them from developing into costly repairs. Second, electricians can replace spark plugs and any filters to ensure it’s in optimal condition and begins running immediately when it senses an outage. And a final reason to schedule maintenance is that your automatic standby generator may simply need a few adjustments from time to time to ward off repairs and keep it working at its best.

Your automatic standby generator should be in top shape year round because a power outage can occur when you least expect it.

Call the experts at Celco Heating and Air Conditioning for regular maintenance or if you’ve decided on automatic standby generator installation in Hamden.

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Scheduling Regular Heating Maintenance Can Save You Money

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

Would you drive your car knowing you hadn’t changed the oil in a year or two? Probably not. This is the same idea behind scheduling maintenance for your heating system: you want your heating system to run well while you use it, just as you want your car to work well when you drive it. While a maintenance appointment for your heating system entails more than an oil change does for your car, this example demonstrates a very important point: keeping your heating system well-maintained is crucial to its effective operation. But many people don’t schedule regular maintenance for their heating systems, and as a result, run into problems that may have been avoided. Let the NATE-certified technicians at Celco Heating and Air Conditioning help you with your fall heating maintenance in Hamden – call us today.

Ways Maintenance Can Save You Money

There are a few ways that performing maintenance on your heating system can save you money:

Prevent Repairs

During a maintenance appointment, your technician thoroughly inspects your system for problems, including little things like dirty components and worn belts. This inspection also allows the technician to detect any other problems, including ones that could turn into major repairs. Repairing small problems before they can blossom into bigger ones can save you money.

Energy Efficiency

A heating system that hasn’t been maintained can lose up to 5% of its total efficiency each year. This is because a dirty, worn system can’t operate at optimal levels, and will need extra energy to warm your home – energy that you’ll pay for in monthly bills.

Longevity

One of the keys to extending the life of your system is to have it operating optimally. Why? A system that operates well is one that isn’t forced to achieve your set temperature. Conversely, when a system operates under duress for a long time, due to wear and tear and dirt and dust accumulation, the system can prematurely age, and may force you to replace your heating system earlier.

Properly maintaining your heating system can help you improve your energy efficiency, which can help you save money.

If it’s been more than 12 months since your last heating maintenance appointment in Hamden, call Celco Heating and Air Conditioning today.

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Signs of Trouble with Your Hot Water Heater

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

Among the small daily tragedies that can happen without much warning is when you turn on the faucets for your morning shower—and no hot water comes out. You wait, and wait, and wait, but the water stubbornly refuses to turn even slightly warm.

You water heater has died.

But wait, back up. “…without much warning.” Actually, that’s rarely the case with water heaters. If your home water heater is headed for trouble, there are warning signs you can spot early enough to call for repairs and prevent that cold shower surprise. We’ve put together a few of the omens of trouble in your hot water heater in Hamden, CT to watch for. When you need those repairs fast, call on Celco Heating and Air Conditioning and our 24-hour emergency service team.

Your Heater is Warning You If…

  • You find rusty or discolored water coming from the taps: If you turn a hot water handle, and the water that comes out is a rusty or brown color, then you probably have corrosion in the tank of the water heater. This can come from excessive age (in which case the water heater will probably need to be replaced) or a rusted anode rod.
  • The water won’t get hot enough: When the temperature of your hot water start to lower, don’t ignore it. A drop in heating power often means problems with the burner (in a gas-powered water heater) or broken heating elements (in an electric-powered water heater). These both need attention before you lose heating entirely.
  • The tank of the heater starts rumbling: There are a number of reasons that the water tank will start making an odd rumbling noise, none of them positive. It could be a faulty mixing valve causing hot and cold water to mix together. It might also be excess sediment in the bottom of the tank, reducing the volume in the tank and causing the pressure to spike. Call for repairs before the heater becomes too damaged to work.

Remember to Schedule Maintenance As Well

Heating repairs will help prevent a water heater shutdown, but you also have a path for prevention as well: regular maintenance. When you enroll in a regular maintenance program, you’ll receive an annual visit from a technician who will flush out the water heater and clean and adjust the components so it works its best and without impending repair needs.

At Celco Heating and Air Conditioning, we offer a comprehensive maintenance program for your hot water heater and other HVAC system services in Hamden, CT. When you’re in need of  Call us today to make sure you have your hot water heater covered.

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How Much Space Does a Geothermal System Need?

Friday, November 15th, 2013

Geothermal heat pumps are fantastic ways to get home comfort: they require little energy to run, experience few problems from outdoor temperature fluctuations, and produce no emissions from burning fuel. However, geothermal systems will not work with every home, and one of the reasons is the amount of space they require to operate efficiently. A geothermal system requires very little space inside your home; it’s the lines and coils placed in trenches beneath and around your home that need the space.

Before deciding on going with geothermal heating in Hamden, CT, contact a professional installation company.

The technicians at Celco Heating and Air Conditioning can survey your home and property, calculate your heating needs, and then determine if a geothermal system is ideal for you and how much space it will require. Some homes may not have enough space available to make a geothermal heat pump feasible; our technicians will have many alternate options that will suit your needs.

How Much Space Will My Geothermal Heating System Take Up in My Hamden, CT Home?

There is no simple answer to the question of how much space a geothermal system will take up: it depends on how much heating and cooling power your home requires. The trenches for the coils that carry the vital refrigerant need to go at least 6 feet deep in order to find a stable temperature in the earth. The length of these buried coils will depend on your house size.

A useful benchmark: about 400 to 600 feet of horizontal loops are needed for each ton of energy required to heat or cool. A mid-sized house usually requires a 3 ton unit, and so it would need space for approximately 1200 t0 1800 feet of coils. If there is less space available, vertical instead of horizontal loops can be used; this usually costs more to install, but does allow for homes with smaller property to get geothermal benefits.

Since determining the length of coils you will need depends on how much heating or cooling your home requires, you should bring in experts early in the process to perform a heat load calculation that will determine your specific needs. Once the technicians know how many tons of energy you will need, they can estimate the amount of coils the job will take and if you have the space for it.

Since you should never attempt to install a geothermal system on your own or hire amateurs to handle it—simply digging the trenches is too arduous and difficult—you will need experts involved at some point. It’s best to have them there at the beginning, so you know if geothermal heating for your Hamden, CT home is the best choice. Celco Heating and Air Conditioning has offered heating services to Hamden, Connecticut since 1976 with quality home comfort service, so contact us when you have questions about geothermal systems.

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How to Keep Your Heater Working Well This Winter

Thursday, November 7th, 2013

It’s about time to bundle up for another Connecticut winter. “Bundling up” can be a cozy feeling, especially if you can come in from the outdoors to a warm home whenever you need to. The heater in your house is an important part of enjoying the winter season all the way to the first thaw of spring (and a bit beyond, since we all know April can throw occasional snowballs at us).

We want you to have a toasty warm winter—and that means having a heater in good condition. Here are some tips from our experts on how to help ensure your heater works well all season long.

However, should you need heating repair in Hamden, CT, you can contact Celco Heating and Air Conditioning for 24-hour emergency service that will give you back your cozy home in no time at all.

Tips for a healthy heating system this winter

Change the air filter regularly: This applies to heat pumps and furnaces, both of which use forced-air to distribute heat through your home. The filter traps debris and dust and other contaminants that might cause trouble to the heater’s interior—and if it becomes too clogged because it hasn’t been changed for a long stretch, it will restrict air flow, forcing the heater to work harder to reach its target temperature. If the filter becomes extremely clogged, it could lead to damage inside the heater’s cabinet. Change the filter once a month during the heating season and you should have few problems.

Make sure heat isn’t finding ways to escape your house: Your heater faces a major enemy lurking inside your home: insulation leaks. Heat will escape to the outdoors through cracks around doors and windows, through the attic, up the fireplace chimney, and in any spot with deteriorating insulation. As this happens, your heater will have to work harder to compensate, and this will make it wear down faster (it will also cause a spike in your bills). Make sure you properly winterize your home to seal up heat leaks: caulk windows, put weather stripping around doors, replace old insulation, etc.

Schedule regular maintenance for your heater: If your heater doesn’t receive regular professional inspections and tune-ups, it risks aging faster and eventually breaking down. In this way, your heating system is not much different from your car, and you should give it the same level of maintenance. Schedule a maintenance visit from an HVAC professional during the fall, and have it done every year.

Celco Heating and Air Conditioning offers an excellent maintenance program to help get you care for your heater. If you enroll in our maintenance program, aside from regular tune-ups and inspections, you will also receive a 15% discount on our services and priority scheduling.

Contact us today for maintenance or any heating repairs you may need.

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