Residential & Commercial HVAC and Refrigeration Tips Blog | Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Inc.

3 Common Furnace Repairs

January 5th, 2015

Whenever you have an issue with your heating system, no matter what kind it is, you should rely on a professional to fix it for you. Using professional heating repair ensures that your heating system is fixed safely and effectively. However, that doesn’t mean that you should remain ignorant of the process. Knowledge is power, and knowing more about your heating system could help you take better care of it. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 3 common furnace repairs.

Broken Pilot Light

There are a few different kinds of pilot lights these days, but the most common is still the standing pilot light. This is a small flame that burns underneath your furnace 24/7. This flame is responsible for lighting the burners to start the furnace when the thermostat commands heat. Unfortunately, pilot lights are notorious for going out on a semi-regular basis. Normally, this is simply due to a gust of air, and the pilot light is easily relit. Occasionally, however, the pilot light refuses to light in the first place. This is often caused by a faulty thermocouple, which is the heat sensor that determines when to supply fuel to the pilot light. Replacing the thermocouple tends to fix the problem.

Clogged Air Filter

The air filter is a fiber-mesh woven over a frame and installed in the air return of your furnace. It is responsible for capturing all the dust and debris commonly found in a home’s ductwork before it can enter the furnace and cause problems. If the filter is not changed every 1-3 months, however, it can become so clogged with debris that it restricts air flow to the furnace. This causes the furnace to overheat, causing damage and creating fire risk.

Broken Air Handler

The air handler is the part of the furnace responsible for circulating warm air throughout the house. It is mainly comprised of a motor, fan, and fan belt. Any one of these parts is capable of failing, with the most common being the motor and fan belt. If you hear grinding or squealing noises coming from your furnace, it is likely a problem with the motor or fan belt, respectively. Call a professional as soon as possible.

If you’re having furnace problems, call Atlantic Refrigeration. We provide heating repair services throughout Lewes, DE.

12 Grapes for 12 Months: An Unusual New Year’s Tradition

January 1st, 2015

Across the world, many cultures have specific traditions to celebrate the transition from the old year to the new. In the U.S. and Canada, we associate New Year’s with the ball in Times Square, kissing at the stroke of midnight, resolutions, and singing “Old Lang Syne.” But for many Spanish-speaking countries, one of the key traditions has to do with eating grapes as fast as possible.

The “twelve grapes” tradition comes from Spain, where it is called las doce uvas de la suerte (“The Twelve Lucky Grapes”). To ensure good luck for the next year, people eat one green grape for each of the upcoming twelve months. However, you cannot just eat the grapes during the first day of the new year any time you feel like it. You must eat the twelve grapes starting at the first stroke of midnight on Nochevieja (“Old Night,” New Year’s Eve) as one year changes to another. And you have to keep eating: with each toll of midnight, you must eat another grape, giving you about twelve seconds to consume all of them. If you can finish all dozen grapes—you can’t still be chewing on them!—before the last bell toll fades, you will have a luck-filled new year.

Where did this tradition come from? No one is certain, although it appears to be more than a century old. One story about the Twelve Lucky Grapes is that a large crop of grapes in 1909 in Alicante, Spain led to the growers seeking out a creative way to eliminate their surplus. But recent research through old newspapers shows that perhaps the tradition goes back almost thirty years earlier to the 1880s, where eating grapes was meant to mock the upper classes who were imitating the French tradition of dining on grapes and drinking champagne on New Year’s Eve.

It can be difficult to consume grapes this fast, and the lucky grapes of New Year’s Eve have seeds in them, making the job even trickier. (Seedless grapes are not common in Spain the way they are over here.) For people to manage eating all the grapes before the last stroke of midnight requires swallowing the seeds as well and only taking a single bite of each grape.

Oh, there is one more twist to the tradition: you have to be wearing red undergarments, and they have to be given to you as a gift. The origins of this part of the tradition are even more mysterious, and it’s anybody’s guess why this started.

Whether you go for the grape challenge or find another way to ring in New Year’s, all of us at Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Inc. hope you have a great start to the year and a fruitful 2015.

The Composition of Snowflakes: Are No Two Alike?

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!

Why You Need a Quality Commercial Thermostat

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.

Ways to Prevent Commercial Heating Repair

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.

Diagnosing Strange Sounds from Your Boiler

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.

10 Facts You Should Know about Thanksgiving

November 27th, 2014

Thanksgiving has been celebrated as an official holiday in the United States for over 150 years, so you may think you understand all there is to know about this family feast. Most of us have heard the story of the pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving in 1621 after arriving in North America on the Mayflower. But did you know that only about half of the people on this ship were actually pilgrims? This fact is one of ten things that may actually surprise you about the Thanksgiving tradition!

Although we often consider Thanksgiving a holiday unique to the United States, many other countries and cultures celebrate their own set of harvest-time and thanksgiving traditions. In Korea, Chu-Sok (or “fall evening”) is put on in remembrance of forefathers on August 15^th of every year. Brazil celebrates a contemporary version of the U.S. holiday. Chinese, Roman, and Jewish cultures all have a history of harvest celebrations as well.
President Harry S. Truman began the tradition of a ceremony held before Thanksgiving during which the president receives a turkey. George H.W. Bush was the first to pardon the turkey instead of eating it.
In Minnesota alone, farmers raise over 40 million turkeys a year. In fact, U.S. farmers produce about one turkey for every one person in the country.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the average American will gain about one to two pounds every year during the holiday season.
On the other hand, turkey is naturally high in protein and has been known to support and boost immune systems to protect against illness and speed up healing. So feast on!
Abraham Lincoln issued a “Thanksgiving Proclamation” in 1863, but a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale can be credited with the idea. While Thanksgiving had been celebrated at different times of year in many areas of the U.S. for years, it was Hale, prominent magazine editor and author of the rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” who urged Lincoln to finally establish the national event.
President Franklin D Roosevelt once tried to change the date of Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday of the month in order to extend the holiday shopping season and boost the economy.
Only about half of the people on the Mayflower were what we would consider today as “Pilgrims.” The other (approximately) 50 people were simply trying to find a way over to the New World.
Gobble, gobble! Click, click? While male turkeys make a gobbling noise, females (hens) do not; it’s often described as a clicking.
Even though we celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November, the month of June has been declared National Turkey Lovers’ Month by the National Turkey Federation so you can continue the celebration in the summer as well!

From our family here at Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Inc., we’d like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Reasons to Install a Humidifier

November 17th, 2014

The quality of the air in your home can have a tremendous effect on your health, your skin, and even your mood. Generally, experts recommend a certain level of moisture in the air in order to maintain the most ideal conditions possible. Too much humidity can cause damage to the structure of your home, but too little moisture in the air can be just as hazardous. In many cases, an indoor air quality expert recommends a whole-home humidifier for homes that are too dry for comfort.

A humidifier can be a standalone unit, or experts can install a whole-house humidifier which works with your HVAC system to maintain healthy levels anywhere you are. Here at Atlantic Refrigeration, we want to let you know of a few good reasons to install a whole-home dehumidifier as soon as possible if you’re experiencing any of the problems associated with dry air.

Protect the Walls of Your Home: Dry air can do serious damage to the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home. Chipped paint, peeling furniture, cracked artwork and ruined musical instruments are also possibilities. A humidifier adds enough moisture to the air to preserve your home and protect it from any potentially harmful effects.
Prevent Illness: Dryness can also make you feel ill as your sinuses cannot drain properly without any moisture present. Humidity can help you to heal faster, and some humidifiers even contain purifiers to clear up the air even further. Humidity also can reduce nosebleeds and helps to soothe dry, cracked skin.
Promote Energy Efficiency: When the air feels dry, you can turn up the heat all you want, but your skin may still feel cooler than you’d like. You need some humidity in the air to keep you feeling warmer, no matter what the actual temperature is in the house. A humidifier can help you to turn the thermostat lower as you’ll already feel all the heating you need on your skin.

If you’ve decided you may need a humidifier in Millsboro, call Atlantic Refrigeration today. We can help you choose the whole-home system that’s right for you.

The Benefits of Using an Energy Recovery Ventilator

November 10th, 2014

Today’s heating and cooling systems can be extremely efficient, using modern technology to produce the same level of home comfort you’re accustomed to at a significantly lower monthly cost than those created 10 or 20 years ago. It’s not difficult to see the improvements over the years. Just compare the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of today’s heating systems (which must meet minimum efficiency requirements of 80%) to those built just a couple of decades ago (many of which were closer to 50%).

Today’s heating and air conditioning systems can save a lot of money, but only if the conditions in your home are just right. That’s why we keep our homes sealed up tightly when we run our heaters or air conditioners: to keep the heat generated by the heating system from escaping outdoors and to keep heat out in the summer.

Unfortunately, all of this weatherproofing and sealing means little ventilation in the home. This makes the indoor air feel stale and uncomfortable. The lack of ventilation may also allow moisture to build up in the home and can keep you running your HVAC system for longer, costing you more in energy spending every month. These are the reasons many homeowners choose to install energy recovery ventilators. These systems pull fresh air from the outside to move into your indoor air handler or directly into your home and to exhaust humid, stale air from the home back to the outdoors. Here are some of the reasons you may choose to install an energy recovery ventilator.

Enhanced Indoor Air Quality: One of the main reasons people choose energy recovery ventilators is the improvement in air quality. An ERV provides you with fresh, filtered air from improved ventilation.
Moisture Control: An ERV transfers moisture from the indoor air t the air exhausting outdoors. This means more tolerable humidity levels for increased comfort, which could also help prevent the development of mold and mildew.
Reduce Energy Costs: Finally, you can save on energy costs with professional energy recovery ventilation installation. This type of system is one of the only ways to ventilate your home without sacrificing the energy efficiency of your HVAC system.

Want to learn more about professional installation of energy recovery ventilators in Dover? Call Atlantic Refrigeration to speak with an indoor air quality expert today!

3 Common Commercial Heating Repairs

November 3rd, 2014

Having a comfortable commercial space is critical to your business’s success. Multiple problems can develop with a commercial heating system, which is why it’s important to hire professionals in Georgetown who specialize in commercial heating services for all of your commercial heating repairs. Atlantic Refrigerant is available 24/7, so if you experience problems with your commercial heating, call us immediately.

Common Commercial Heating Repairs

Here are 3 of the more common heating issues that we see at Atlantic Refrigeration:

Fan Problems

The heat in your system can’t be blown into your business space without the blower fan. The fan in a commercial system is large; the core components of the fan are the fan blades, fan motor, belt and wiring. Wires can fray and corrode with regular usage, which can cause issues with the electrical flow; this can result in intermittent operation or a loss of operation of the fan. Fan belts also wear down with usage causing them to loosen or break. Lastly, motor issues can develop. All of these issues can affect how the fan turns, which will reduce the airflow in your system.

Faulty Ductwork

The ductwork in your commercial heating system is an integral part of your heating; without it, the warm air won’t be delivered to your business space. Ductwork is durable, but it can suffer from wear and tear. Cracks, holes and disconnections can develop, resulting in significant heat loss. Repairing commercial ductwork takes skill and expertise, as the ductwork system is complex, so it’s best to call a trained professional.

Electrical Issues

A commercial heating system runs on a significant amount of electricity. There are a few areas where electrical problems can develop, and one of the common problems we see occurs with the system’s capacitors. There are two types of capacitors: a start capacitor and a run capacitor. Each helps the motors in your heating system run, and when one malfunctions, it can create system-wide issues.

Commercial heating repairs should only be handled by well trained and knowledgeable professionals. For expert commercial heating service call Atlantic Refrigeration today.