Professional Heating Systems & Solutions
Keep Your Home Comfort at the Highest Level
Plass the Plumber offers full sales and installation services for the best Energy Efficient Home Heating Systems for any budget. We recommend only the best heating and cooling products on the market, from top-of-the-line furnaces, air conditioners, and other HVAC systems.
Our technicians are fully trained in all of the systems we carry to ensure the best installation and maximum efficiency of the heating or cooling system for your home.
Heating System Replacement & Upgrade
At Plass the Plumber we service, repair, replace and install premium, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems that can deliver great energy savings for our customers.
We begin by determining the home’s heat or cooling usage so that we size the equipment correctly, then adhere to the manufacturer’s specifications to ensure optimal performance.
We can then provide you with excellent choices in a home Hydro-Air System, Steam Boilers, Warm Air Furnaces, Air Conditioning units, and others.
To request a free quote on new equipment, please call us or contact us today.
Hot Air – A dry heat, with a furnace, using oil or gas for fuel. Many homeowners who have used hot air for their heating system will understand that the air will become very dry during winter months because of this heating system. A humidifier can be installed to help control the humidity levels.
Steam Heat - Steam Radiant Heating System Steam radiators are not often used today. They are characterized by cast iron upright radiators radiating heat with steam. When a Steam System is piped, insulated, and maintained properly, it will be quieter (less banging, clanging and hissing) and very comfortable heat. Steam boiler may be fueled by natural gas, propane, oil or electricity.
Hot Water Heating System & Boiler – A boiler is used to create hot water or steam for hydronic baseboard, radiant heat or steam radiator heating systems. Boilers can use a variety of fuels including natural gas, propane, oil or electricity. The water is heated in a boiler. The boiler fuel source is generally gas or oil. A circulating pump distributes heated water throughout the home. Copper water lines are used to carry the heated water from the boiler to the Baseboards (copper lined), old style Cast Iron Radiators, new Steel Panel Radiators, or HydroCoils for warm air systems. Hot Water Baseboard System uses hot water heated by a boiler, providing the most natural and comfortable heat in a home.
Forced Warm Air Heat - Forced Air System is by far the most common type of home heating and cooling system. Air heated in a furnace is distributed from furnace through duct work and into room by registers. Furnaces may heat air using various fuel sources such as natural gas, propane, oil or electricity. Registers are generally located in the walls, floors, or ceiling. Warm Air Heat is a dry heat and in most situations needs humidification added. When a home or building has warm air systems, Central Air Conditioning can be added to the system.
There are things that every homeowner can do in order to maximize the efficiency of their heating and cooling systems. Some of them are:
- Follow Manufacturer Recommendations for Installation
- Clean & Service Your Unit Each Year
- Keep the Area Around Your Unit Free of Clutter
Plass the Plumber can help you maintain and clean your heating and cooling systems throughout Dutchess and Ulster Counties.
Preparing your Home for the Winter Heating Season
The typical New York household will spend around $2,500 to heat their home this winter. There are a number of things you can do to reduce your heating bills with simple actions that don’t cost too much.
Lower your thermostat. Every degree you lower the thermostat reduces your fuel costs by about two percent. Lowering the temperature even further when the house is empty or when everyone is sleeping will also reduce your heating bill. There’s a common misconception that it takes more energy to raise the temperature of a previously unoccupied home to a comfortable range than it does to maintain that temperature consistently regardless of whether the home is occupied or not. This simply is not true. If no one is going to be home, turn the heat down; you’ll save.
Have your heating system professionally serviced. Having your heating system cleaned and serviced regularly could reduce your fuel costs. Getting your system professionally serviced in the fall reduces the likelihood of needing emergency service come January.
Homeowners can also help Improve the Performance of their Existing System through the following:
- Proper Maintenance should be performed on a Routine Basis.
- Clean or Replace Air Filters regularly.
- Clean Registers. Warm-air supply and return registers should be kept clean.
- Keep Baseboards and Radiators Clean and unrestricted by furniture, carpets, or drapes.
- Bleed Trapped Air from Hot Water Radiators. Follow prescribed maintenance for steam heat systems, such as maintaining water level, removing sediment, and making sure air vents are working. Check with your heating system technician for specifics on these measures and use caution: steam boilers produce high-temperature steam under pressure.
- Tune up your Gas & Oil System. Oil-fired systems should be tuned up, cleaned and checked every year. Check heat pumps every season. Regular tune-ups not only cut heating costs, but they also increase the lifetime of the system, reduce breakdowns and repair costs, and cut the amount of carbon monoxide, smoke, and other pollutants pumped into the atmosphere by fossil-fueled systems.
- Seal your Ducts. In homes heated with warm-air heating, ducts should be inspected and sealed to ensure adequate airflow and eliminate loss of heated air. It is not uncommon for ducts to leak as much as 15-20% of the air passing through them. And leaky ducts can bring additional dust and humidity into living spaces. Thorough duct sealing costs several hundred dollars but can cut heating and cooling costs in many homes.
- Check for Wasted Fan Energy. If your furnace is improperly sized or if the fan thermostat is improperly set, the fan may operate longer than it needs to. If you’re getting a lot of cold air out of the warm-air registers after the furnace turns off, have a service technician check the fan delay setting.
Tips for Operating your System for Maximum Efficiency:
- Thermostats. Turn down the thermostat at night and when you’re away from home. Contrary to some common myths, it won’t take more energy to bring your home back to the desired temperature than it would to leave it at your optimum temperature all day.
Of course, you can use a good programmable thermostat to automate this process. IF it is programmed properly you can expect to recover the cost of the thermostat in the first year or so. If you have a heat pump, be aware that you need a special “adaptive” thermostat that will bring the temperature up from the setback point in winter without calling for the inefficient “emergency” electric resistance heat. - Aquastats. The thermostat that regulates the temperature of a hot water boiler is called an aquastat. Normally, the aquastat keeps water in the boiler around 160-180ºF. In milder weather, however, you don’t need to keep the boiler that hot. The aquastat can be set manually to 140ºF (120ºF with condensing boilers), reducing fuel consumption. The aquastat control is usually located in a metal box connected to the boiler. If you can’t locate it, ask your service technician for assistance. Your technician can also provide information on modulating aquastats (or outdoor resets) that automatically adjust water temperature depending on the outdoor temperature.
Sourced from http://www.aceee.org/consumer/heating
Plass the Plumber can inspect and ensure that you are getting the most out of your heating and cooling systems.
Don’t wait until the really cold winter months are upon us, or the sweltering heat of summer sets in; call Plass the Plumber today and find out how your Heating & Cooling System can operate more efficiently and affordable, and can provide your family with a higher standard of comfort.