Category Archives: Heating

How to Choose a Quality, Reliable HVAC Contractor

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Like any type of contractor, choosing a good HVAC contractor takes some vetting on the homeowner’s part. Here are some things to look for and look into before you sign that contract for a new heating & air conditioning system for your home.

  1. The HVAC contractor should be licensed. No one can afford to have an unlicensed individual working on their gas lines, disposing properly of refrigerant, or performing electrical work. In New Jersey, HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) contractors are licensed by the State Board of Examiners This entity protects consumers by ensuring that the HVACR contractor does all work in compliance with State law, and that the contractors meet all educational and other requirements for licensure. Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, Inc. is Master HVACR Contractor #19HC00144800
  2. Get written estimates. There is no such thing as a real quote over the phone. Compare cost, energy efficiency and warranties among the various bids you get from licensed and insured contractors. The one you select should adhere to the written bid.
  3. Expect a thorough in-home evaluation. The HVAC contractor needs to survey your home thoroughly, measure the rooms, examine your insulation and existing ducting (if applicable), and look at many other factors that go into the calculation for your custom HVAC installation.
  4. The new system should be right-sized for your home. Size and load is very important to ensure your home will be comfortable all year ’round and that the system is not overtaxed in terms of heating and cooling efficiently.

    5. How to Choose a Reliable HVAC Contractor - Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric

  5. Make sure your new unit is really new. The average lifespan of an HVAC unit is about years (in terms of its efficiency), and technology continually improves system and energy efficiency. Don’t get stuck with the company’s old inventory! A properly licensed HVAC contractor will recommend newer options to bring your home up to date. It’s helpful to know the make and model of your current system, its age, and its maintenance history as a baseline.
  6. Don’t always go with price. You know the expression, “You get what you pay for?” There’s a reason why it’s true! With your HVAC system being the most complicated (or only) mechanical system in your home, it pays to go with the contractor who delivers the best value for the money—in terms of equipment, service, and support. The most inexpensive bid may cost you more in the long run because of unanticipated maintenance and repairs or higher energy costs due to an insufficient system.
  7. Get referrals, read reviews, research. Ask your friends and family who they refer for this important project and go online to read reviews from customers. Also ask the HVAC contractor for references and contact them for find out about the installation experience and service performance. Check the Division of Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any legitimate complaints lodged against the company.

At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, all our technicians are properly trained and certified to perform the work they do in your home—whether a new installation, routine maintenance, or system repair. And, our company is licensed and insured to meet all State of New Jersey requirements, and a multiple award winner for the high level of service we deliver to our customers throughout northern New Jersey. For a free evaluation of your current HVAC system or information about installing a new one, contact us at info@bloomfieldcooling.com or 973-237-0505.

The Importance of Proper HVAC Training

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HVAC Technician - Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & ElectricIf your vehicle’s onboard control panel stops functioning, you wouldn’t allow just anyone work on your car, would you? Of course you would go to a certified auto mechanic. The same goes for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. This is a specialized system with lots of moving parts and is a major investment in your home and your family’s comfort. Servicing an HVAC system requires the expertise and know-how of a well-trained HVAC technician.

HVAC systems comprise costly components; investing in the service and skills of trained technicians to handle maintenance, repair or replacement pays off in many ways:

  • You’re assured that your heat and air conditioning will continue to work efficiently and properly at all times.
  • A highly trained, certified technician protects your HVAC system, your home, and your warranty.
  • A well-trained technician or installer will know the latest and greatest options and repair and maintenance methods. Trust us, you’ll be very sorry if they don’t!
  • Customer service and satisfaction will be much better.

When you call the local HVAC company, ask about its staff’s training and credentials. Make sure the company’s techs have received proper (and well-regarded) industry training and have access to on-the-job or continuing education to stay up with HVAC industry trends and new technologies. After all, today’s heating and cooling systems are always improving; systems being installed today are much more advanced than what was available 10 or 20 years ago. A continuing education program enables technicians to keep their diagnostic, repair, and installation skills sharp—and enable them to offer better customer service.

HVAC training prepares installers and technicians to assess how the unit and ductwork should be configured to accommodate the space or the home’s layout. Installers and technicians must know the newest heating, ventilation and air conditioning designs. They also need to be up to date on crucial safety guidelines and OSHA codes—for everyone’s protection.

Comprehensive training should cover general knowledge all the various areas needed in HVAC work such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and refrigerant work. At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, we have licensed electricians on staff to perform all the electrical work associated with installations and repairs but our technicians are also able to perform light electrical work so they can get the job done efficiently (and correctly). Training also enables technicians to be good diagnosticians. After all, when your heat is out or the air conditioning stops working, don’t you want someone who knows what he or she is talking about to come check out the problem?

Certification is also important. Being certified proves the HVAC technicians have met various industry and government requirements to perform the work properly and safely. For example, at Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, Inc., we make sure our team members all have North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification and those who must handle refrigerants carry EPA Section 608 certification. Note also that HVAC companies must be licensed by the State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors, which protects consumers by making sure all work is done in full compliance of state law.

At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, we pride ourselves on our HVAC technicians’ knowledge and skill. Our team offers superior service, earning us accolades on Angie’s List (multiple Super Service awards) and locally in the Best of Essex Readers’ Choice Awards (Best HVAC Contractor) four years in a row. We are currently hiring HVAC lead installers, HVAC installers, and HVAC service technicians. Interested candidates should send their resumes to us at info@bloomfieldcooling.com or by mail to our office: 127 Paterson Avenue, Little Falls, New Jersey 07424.

From Cave Man to Modern Man: The History of Home Heating Technology

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We’re no longer cooking food over newly discovered fire unless we’re at a cookout – but that’s how home heating began.

Prehistoric heat
As far back as nearly two million years ago (1,900,000 BC), humans began cooking food over fire. The discovery of fire not only enabled early man to cook his food but to also start heating his domicile in a rudimentary fashion.

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of humans using fire in this way about 100,000 years ago, with central fires in dwellings that had roof openings to vent the smoke, almost like a tipi. “Fast forward” to around 42,000 BC, by which time the Neanderthals were using mammoth bones to build hearths (as discovered in what is now Ukraine).

Ancient heating systems
In the ancient times of Greek and Roman civilizations—say, 2500 BC—possibly the first central heating system with radiant heat was created. There are flues in the ground in the excavated Temple of Ephesus, for purposes of circulating heat produced by a fire.

This is pretty amazing since it is a precursor to modern-day gas furnaces! Throughout the Roman Empire, there is evidence of central heating systems in some buildings, baths, and upper-class homes; these building what are called “hypocaust furnaces”; these created and distributed heat by warming empty spaces under floors that connected to pipes in the walls—the first form of radiant heating. Similar furnaces were developed by other cultures.

Middle Ages
Unfortunately, with the fall of the Roman Empire and the Dark Ages, humans took a step back to more primitive fireplaces, which would have warmed up a very limited space. However, things started heating up around 800 AD with the introduction of clay stoves and by the early Renaissance period, monks in Europe brought back a central heating system by diverting river water and heating it with wood-burning furnaces. Ventilation improved as well with the first chimneys. And, just as today, technology continued to improve home heating; masonry stoves became common by the 1500s and chimney construction became more refined.

The (sort-of) modern era
Circulating heat came back—finally!—in the early 1600s with the invention of a circulating fireplace with a raised grate that promoted airflow. By the early 1700s, technology once again brought improvements to citizens in England, who used combustion air from an outside duct to circulate heat. Russia’s Peter the Great equipped his Summer Palace with a hot-water heating system around this time.

In the American colonies, Benjamin Franklin introduced his Franklin stove in 1741, a more efficient model than its competitors. In Scotland in the late 1700s, James Watt got busy developing the first working steam-based heating system for his home; it had a central boiler and pipe system. These advancements signaled a new era in home heating, which was further refined in the early 1800s by England’s William Strutt, who invented a warm-air furnace that could heat cold air. This heated air traveled through ducts into rooms, much as our modern-day central heating does.

A big step towards modern home heating happened in Russia in 1855 with the invention of the radiator and 30 years later, the first thermostat was patented.

20th century heating technology
Electric heat was also being worked out during the late 19th century into the early 20th century. Thomas Edison invented the first electric heater in 1883 and the filament wire that would heat up to toast bread—a precursor to the electrical heating unit—was discovered in the early 1900s.

In 1919, just under 100 years ago, Alice Parker of Morristown, NJ patented the first central heating system. It was the first furnace fueled by natural gas, and Parker’s design enabled cool air from a compartment to be drawn into the furnace, where it was conveyed through a heat exchanger and delivered throughout the house or building through ductwork.

Technology brought forced convection wall heaters using a coal furnace, electric fan, and ductwork in 1935 and direct exchange ground-source (geothermal) heat pumps in the late 1940s. A major innovation came in 1990 with solar air heating and in this century, homes and office buildings are being wired with smart technologies that help occupants regulate the heat remotely and more accurately based on actual use or need.

At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, we’re thankful we can make the latest HVAC technology available to our customers, with top-of-the-line heating (and cooling) systems for homes of all sizes and ages. Read more about our services here, and contact us for a free estimate on your HVAC installation, gas conversion, or system maintenance needs.

Regular Boiler Maintenance Will Keep Your Home Heated and Your HVAC System Running

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New Jersey has seen some record-breaking temperatures this winter, which means your heating system is working overtime. When the weather is this cold, the system has to run almost continually to keep you warm and cozy in your home. The last thing you want during an extreme cold spell (or even when it’s 40 degrees outside) is for your boiler to break down. In many older homes throughout northern NJ, the boiler is at the heart of your hardworking heating system. If you want heat to be there for you in the cold, when it really counts, boiler maintenance must be part of your annual HVAC system care plan because no boiler, no heat.

How steam and hot water boilers work
There are forced hot air, steam and hot water boilers fueled by natural gas, as well as some boilers those fueled by oil. Steam and hot water heating systems use a boiler furnace to heat and store water to warm your home. The heated water turns into steam, travels through your pipes to your radiators or baseboards, and warm the room. The steam eventually cools, condenses back into water, and returns to the boiler to start the process again.

Importance of annual boiler maintenance
Having proper boiler maintenance is key for your heating system to run properly throughout the winter. If the boiler breaks down, you and your family will be uncomfortably cold until the HVAC technician arrives and worse, your pipes could freeze, causing major plumbing issues and damage to your home.

We recommend having your boiler checked annually, replacing parts when necessary and making sure it’s running right. A qualified service professional should perform this routine maintenance, which includes:

  • Checking all gauges and controls – these include the safety valve, pressure gauge, and water gauge, the automatic feeder, pressure control, and low water cutoff control. Gauge glass should be cleaned or replaced if it’s obstructed.
  • Checking and cleaning the filters – filters need to be kept clean and have no obstructions that will block the heat. If dirt builds up, the system will not work as efficiently.
  • Inspecting and adjusting the burner.
  • Cleaning or replacing the vents.
  • Inspecting the gas line, heat exchanger, chimney and flues for blockages or leaks.
  • In steam systems, check radiator air valves and adjust as needed.
  • Tightening fittings.

Boiler maintenance plans make it easy to keep your system running right
At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, we service warm air furnaces, steam boilers and hot water baseboard heating systems that are fueled by natural gas. And, we have a variety of affordable Comfort Club maintenance plans for your gas heat system that keep it running smoothly. There are plans for forced hot air, steam boiler and hot water boiler systems, with flexible options to suit your HVAC system configuration and budget.

For a small monthly investment, we will perform annual maintenance checks, and some Comfort Club plans include repair discounts and money off toward a replacement, when that day does come. Better yet, this routine boiler maintenance will keep you from placing an emergency call to us on a freezing winter night.

Don’t get caught out in the cold—contact Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric at info@bloomfieldcooling.com or (973) 237-0505 to arrange an appointment with one of our certified heating system professionals.

Getting Your Ducts in a Row with Ductless Heating and Cooling

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Keeping your home at the right temperature all year ‘round is all about getting your ducts in a row. But installing ductwork for a new HVAC system (or extending an existing heating and cooling system) can be frustrating, very difficult, or in some cases, simply not prudent when it comes to older homes, additions to your abode, or finished basements or renovated attics.

A ductless heating and cooling system may be the answer to your ductwork and airflow challenge. Ductless systems can be installed, allowing the homeowner to duck the frustration, mess and challenge of opening walls and dealing with bringing central air into unusual or difficult spaces.

Ductless systems (also called ductless heat pumps or ductless mini-splits) are safe, sturdy and quiet. They are a highly effective way to install primary heating and cooling systems for electrically heated homes. And, best of all, they can save the homeowner money by evenly warming up a room at a fraction of the other heating systems.

How do they work?

By using heat pump technology, ductless heating and cooling systems distribute warm or cool air better than traditional electric heaters. Two-way heat pumps transfer heat between outdoor and indoor air by compressing and expanding refrigerant. Ductless systems use variable speed compressors with inverter technology to constantly match the heating or cooling load. With no on/off cycling of conventional electric resistance and central heating systems, there is no uncomfortable temperature variations nor high energy consumption.

A ductless system consists of the following:

  • Outdoor unit, which houses the condensing coil, an inverter-driven variable speed compressor, an expansion valve and a fan to cool the condenser coil.
  • Indoor unit, which contains an evaporator and a quiet oscillating fan to distribute air throughout the living space.
  • Refrigerant line-set composed of insulated copper tubing, which is housed in a conduit alongside a power cable, and a condensation drain.
  • Remote control used to program the desired temperature for day and nighttime settings. Controls may have wall-mounted or Wi-Fi enabled.

In just one day, a professional can install the ductless system and you can start reducing your electric heating costs by 25 percent to 50 percent.

Many benefits

  • A ductless system can replace or supplement your current heating system (whether it is baseboard, wall and ceiling heat, wood stoves, electric furnaces and other electric plug-in space heaters).
  • It is a cost-effective solution in a small home to supplement the current single-zone electric system. Your ductless system is sized to meet the heating and cooling needs of the home’s individual zones.
  • It is an efficient alternative to extending the home’s existing ductwork or pipes or adding electric resistance heaters.
  • In new construction, home designs can be adapted to take advantage of a ductless system. For instance, it can be used in various zones of the house to simplify installation and minimize refrigerant line length.
  • A ductless system results in better and more efficient energy use by eliminating the costly overheating and over-cooling often seen with central air systems.
    • With the ability to control each heating and cooling zone independently, a homeowner is no longer paying to heat or cool unoccupied rooms.
    • The system maintains constant indoor temperatures by running continuously at higher or lower speeds.
    • Plus, ductless systems have great seasonal energy efficiency ratios (SEER), usually between 16 and 22 with heating seasonal performance factors (HSPF) ranging from 9 to more than 12.

Don’t wait and get caught out in the cold—call Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric today get your ducts in a row with a ductless system. We’ll install a high-quality Mitsubishi ductless system that is right for your home. And, as a Mitsubishi factory-trained Diamond dealer, we offer one of the best warranties in the business— a full 12 years, far longer than any other in the industry.

Contact Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric at info@bloomfieldcooling.com or (973) 237-0505 to set up our free consultation.

Is Your HVAC Contractor Trustworthy? Here are Some Ways to Check

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So, you’re ready to upgrade your heating and cooling system or perhaps you’re preparing to install your very first HVAC system in your home. Like many homeowners, you’ve called a few contractors in for estimates so you can compare pricing and packages. But have you checked beyond the price quote to make sure they are trustworthy?

As many New Jersey homeowners have discovered over the past couple of years, not all HVAC contractors are what they seem on the surface—much to the consumers’ dismay. Performing unnecessary work and driving up the cost of the job is one area to look out for. But how can consumers protect their homes and their wallets against unscrupulous contractors? Here are some tips for consumers anywhere and specifically for those in New Jersey, where we conduct business.

  1. Ask for references. Of course, any contractor will give you the best of the best from recent jobs but this will give you an opportunity to ask past customers pointed questions about the projects and garner different feedback. If the contractor balks when asked for references, or has no testimonials on the company website, walk away.
  2. Do an online search for the companies you’re interviewing. There are plenty of websites where consumers can submit reviews and others that are more industry-oriented that may have valuable information to consider.
  3. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Although not all companies are members, it only takes a minute and you might uncover unwelcome reviews and a history of complaints … or an A or A+ rating! Go to www.bbb.org for information and to find your local chapter.
  4. Contact the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. This agency regulates contractors and serves as an important watchdog for consumers. Make sure the companies you plan to do business with do not have complaints lodged against them. You can check online and save yourself a lot of heartache in the process.
  5. Call Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric. We take every project as seriously as if it were being installed in our own homes.
    • Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric has been voted “Best HVAC Contractor” three years in a row in Suburban Essex magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
    • Our company has also received the President’s Award from Carrier (we are a Carrier authorized factory dealer); winners of this industry honor are noted for leadership, management, customer satisfaction, expertise, business growth and operational excellence.
    • We carry an “A” rating from customers on Angie’s List and we’re now in our 11th year as an Angie’s List Super Service Award provider.

Need a quote on a new HVAC system? Want to find out more about our maintenance plans that keep your unit running at peak performance? Contact us at info@bloomfieldcooling.com or (973) 237-0505 to set up your free consultation with the HVAC contractor hundreds of NJ customers have trusted for decades.

What Does NATE-Certified Mean?

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Did you know that our technicians are either NATE-certified or in progress of getting their certification? NATE, which stands for North American Technician Excellence, is the largest non-profit certification organization for the HVACR industry. At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, our professionals attend training classes regularly so that we can provide the best service possible. Call us today to schedule an appointment with our seasoned HVAC technicians: 973-237-0505

Organized, Clean and Professional HVAC Contractors

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No one wants to deal with a mess in their home, especially from HVAC contractors. At Bloomfield Cooling, Heating & Electric, we take immense pride on being clean and organized. We remove all old equipment, materials and we wear special shoe coverings to protect your floor. You won’t even know we were there… except that your air conditioner unit will be keeping you and your family cool. Call us today to schedule an appointment with our team of clean and efficient HVAC professionals: 973-237-0505