Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog: Archive for December, 2014

The Composition of Snowflakes: Are No Two Alike?

Thursday, December 25th, 2014

“No two snowflakes are alike.” This is a statement nearly every schoolchild has heard at least once, either while crafting unique snowflakes with a sheet of folded paper and some scissors or while learning a lesson on the science of snow. While even most scientists don’t quite understand what causes a snowflake to form such complex and beautiful columns and points and branches, one thing is for certain, the composition of snowflakes guarantees that no two will ever be identical.  However, it is possible for two snowflakes to appear to be nearly exactly alike.

A snowflake begins to form when a piece of dust catches water vapor out of the air. Water is created when two hydrogen molecules attach to an oxygen molecule. The two hydrogen molecules are angled from one another in such a way that they form a hexagonal shape when they come together during the freezing process; thus, a snowflake begins as a simple hexagonal shape or as layers of hexagons called diamond dust. The emergent properties that follow from the original hexagon are what differentiate one snowflake from another, as the humidity, the temperature in the air, and many other factors (some of which remain unclear to scientists) allow each snowflake to form in an entirely unique way with a seemingly endless variety of shapes.

However, in 1988, a scientist named Nancy Knight claimed to have located two that were the same while studying snowflakes as part of an atmospheric research project. And it appeared to be so; when put under a microscope, the emergent properties looked nearly identical. But while it is feasible that two snowflakes can appear to be exactly alike on the outside, they are never identical on an atomic level. Deuterium is an atom that appears attached to about one in every 3000 hydrogen molecules in the air. Because there are millions of atoms that make up a snowflake, the random assortment of deuterium in any two snowflakes—even in two that so very closely resemble one another—simply cannot be the same.

Here at Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. we’d like to remind you to grab a cup of cocoa and relax with your family this holiday, perhaps by crafting some unique snowflake creations of your own. We wish you a very happy holiday season, from our family to yours!

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Why You Need a Quality Commercial Thermostat

Thursday, December 18th, 2014

The thermostat is generally the only component of your commercial heating and air conditioning system that anybody in your building has to deal with in a hands-on manner. For the most part, your thermostat may seem fairly simple to operate. But if you don’t have a quality thermostat installed in your office, complex, or building, you may be spending more than you need to on monthly bills and forfeiting your chance at a more comfortable office environment.

A quality thermostat suits your needs but is also user-friendly so that everybody employed in your building or your residents can control it with ease. Talk to the knowledgeable team at Atlantic Refrigeration in order to find out which commercial thermostat will work best on your property in Ocean City.

Your Options for Commercial Thermostats

One of the most important considerations to make when selecting your new thermostat is energy usage. The thermostat communicates to the AC and heater when to turn on and off. Unfortunately, with an old-fashioned manual thermostat, you likely won’t always be able to tell if you’re one or two degrees off from the desired temperature. And a couple of degrees difference in a large commercial space will actually end up costing you a lot more money every month.

A digital thermostat is certainly an upgrade, as it has a clear display so you always know you’re at exactly the temperature you need it to be at. But furthermore, today’s digital thermostats are also programmable, so you can set them to turn on and off throughout the day as scheduled. This helps you to save energy and allows your employees to feel more comfortable in whatever area of the home they’re in.

You can even get a smart thermostat for your business with options that allow you to make sure you’re saving the most energy possible even while you’re away. Smart thermostats have advanced options that make it capable of essentially learning what temperatures you prefer even while you’re away. Simply download an app on your tablet or smartphone, and you can adjust the temperature, check up on energy usage and more.

Thermostat replacement is a job for a trained technician, as commercial properties tend to have complex zone control needs and is a complicated job.

Call the team at Atlantic Refrigeration to learn more about commercial thermostats in Ocean City.

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Ways to Prevent Commercial Heating Repair

Thursday, December 11th, 2014

There is no guaranteed way to prevent ever needing repair for your commercial heating in Dover, but there are a few things you can do to help reduce the incidence of repair. As always, any repairs you do have should be handled by a trained commercial heating technician; commercial heating systems are complex and require expert handling.

Steps That Can Help Prevent Repair

Here are a few steps you can take as a business owner to help reduce the amount of repair you may need to your commercial heating system:

Don’t Ignore Signs of Problems

Are you hearing strange sounds, experiencing uneven cooling or seeing high energy bills when you haven’t changed how you use your heating? These are all signs that your commercial heating system may be experiencing problems, and ignoring them could lead to malfunction or total breakdown. Sounds, smells and poor performance are strong indications that your system isn’t working as it should, so if you are seeing these signs, call for a commercial heating technician.

Schedule Annual Maintenance

Maintenance for your commercial heating system is a full tune-up that involves cleaning, inspection, adjusting and lubrication of all moving parts. It also entails a visual inspection of the ductwork, safety checks and a review of the thermostat. Annual maintenance allows you to get ahead of potential repairs, increase energy efficiency and extend the life of your equipment.

Have the Air Filter Changed

Homeowners can usually change the air filter in their heating units themselves, but with the complex mechanics of a commercial heating system, and location, it’s best to allow a trained expert to do this. Air filters are usually changed during annual maintenance, but they should be changed every three months; you can schedule a technician to change your air filter for you, making the process worry-free.

Your commercial space needs to be comfortable in order for you to properly conduct your business. One of the best ways to ensure your business space is always comfortable is to have a reliable commercial heating repair company on hand. Atlantic Refrigeration has the trained and certified commercial technicians you need, so contact us today!

If you are in need of commercial heating repairs, call the people you can count on any time day or night: Atlantic Refrigeration.

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Diagnosing Strange Sounds from Your Boiler

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Strange sounds are one of the ways your boiler communicates to you that a problem has developed. Different sounds can come from different systems, and today we’re going to talk about some sounds that indicate problems with your boiler. If you hear something abnormal coming from your boiler, don’t ignore it and don’t try to diagnose it yourself; instead, call for the help of a trained expert, like the ones at Atlantic Refrigeration. Hiring a certified professional for heating repair in Rehoboth Beach helps ensure that your boiler problems will be repaired quickly, correctly and efficiently. Are you experiencing problems with your boiler? Call us today!

What Strange Sounds Can Mean

Here are some examples of strange boiler sounds and what they can indicate:

  • Banging or booming sound at start-up – a banging or booming sound when your boiler begins a heating cycle can indicate a problem with delayed ignition (gas) or an issue with the oil pump (oil). In either case, the boom sound is caused by excess fuel igniting in the combustion chamber, which is a potentially dangerous situation.
  • Rumbling at shut-down – this noise typically occurs with boilers that use oil, and it is a continuation of a problematic oil pump: oil is leaking into the combustion chamber and may take longer to extinguish, causing the rumbling sound.
  • Bubbling sound in the pipes – a bubbling sound in the pipes is usually indicative of air trapped in the piping system. Excessive air is removed by bleeding your radiators.
  • Grinding noises – grinding noise are typical of a ball bearing issue. The ball bearings in the motor need to be properly lubricated to work correctly; if they become dry, friction causes them to grind. Grinding is not a good thing for any part of your system, so if you hear a grinding noise, call for assistance immediately.

As the homeowner, you know what kinds of sounds are normal during the operation of your boiler and what aren’t.

If you are hearing strange noises coming from your boiler heating system in Rehoboth Beach, contact Atlantic Refrigeration today.

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